24.02.2012

TAOP Level 4.

Part Two: Elements of Design.

Lines.

Exercise: Diagonals.

Equipment: Olympus E330. 70-300 and 7-14 lenses.

All the pictures were taken in Deal.

The first is a conventional shot of railway lines converging away to the horizon.  I gave this a high horizon so that the lines would look as long as possible but also give them a destination.  As The Photographer’s Eye states on page 76, “Horizontal lines that run away from the eye converge in a photograph; this is the normal effect of perspective.” I tried this from a number of positions.  Dead centre looked flat and uninteresting.  From either side distracted from the desired effect.  Having the line disappearing into the golden spot and shot from the one track worked best.  

The second was taken from under Deal Pier with a wide angle lens.  Here we have a number of diagonals.  The legs of the pier are splayed out giving a feeling of strength.  The picture is taken from one side of the pier so that it appears from over the viewers’ left shoulder striding out into the sea on its powerful legs.  The parallel lines formed by the deck of the pier converge as they get further away.  The angle formed by the underside of the pier is echoed by the line of the beach.  Here I have tried to emulate the dynamic force lines demonstrated on P 76 of The Photographer’s Eye.

The third is of the roof line on part of The Royal Hotel.  It is a simple but pleasing structure that creates its own internal activity.  I have made it lean out with the ridge parallel with the frame rather than have true uprights.  The lean gives it more dynamism. 

The last was a chance to play with my 7-14 lens.  It is a picture of St. Georges Church.  I have kept the foot of the wall parallel with the bottom of the frame and, at the same time, bent the roof line to be parallel with the left side of the frame.  This a an example of wide angle perspective where the camera can capture what the eye cannot see.