Research - Theme 2 - John Golden

For my next piece of research into this area I am going to be researching photographer John Golden. John Golden is a photographer who has taken many different beautiful photographs from many different generes. I will be researching ten different church photographs from his collection and describing how they have inspired me to attempt this type of photography.

This is the first photograph I have chosen from John's collection. As you can see the whole of the church hasn't been included in this photograph. This isn't a bad thing though as you only need a part of the church in the photograph to show its dominance and for it to portray a historic message. This one thing I love about Johns work as it is similar to mine. He heavily concentrates on angle in his work. As you can see from this photograph only a slight angle has been used. Here he concentrates more on shapes mixed with angles from the two different shapes on the church. I would also say that colour has been concentrated in this photograph from the different, bright colours on the church to the warm blues in the sky.

These three photographs have all had angles composition heavily used in them. As you can see John has stood right up next to the church and taken the photograph which includes the whole body of the church right to the top. As you can see from him doing this he manages to show the dominance of the main focal point by showing how tall the church is as they almost tower over you. Quite a lot of strong natural light has been clearly used here as there are only a few clouds in the sky in the last two photographs and no clouds in the top photograph. This is great as it brightens the main focal point showing off there true colours and patterns.

This photograph concentrates more on distance rather angle like the other photographs. As you can see John has stood quite far away from the main focal but has still managed to place it right in the centre of the photograph. Again colour has also been used here alongside natural light to brighten up the photograph and show the different colours on the church.

This next photograph takes on pretty much the same style of his other photographs. This time distance doesnt plahy a great part as he is standing quite close to the maion focal point. This as you can see enables him to gain a greater angle of the church making the whole church be a part of the photograph from bottom to top. This shows a visual message of dominace by it towering over whilst shwoing the beauty of the churches design.

This photograph takes on quite a different style to the other photographs I have chosen. As you can see this photograph is in black and white ao colour has majorly been concerned here where as the other photographs have been mainly concentrated on angles, shapes and distance. Angles have still come into play here but with the different parts of the church being at different levels of light it creates different shades of black and white.

Back to the original style of John Golden's work. Here on both of these photographs angles are the main concern. As you can see the corners of the churches stick out quite close to the viewrs eye and then the church is placed from left to right across the photographs. This is a great idea as it shows off the churches style in a different way. I would also say that patterns have been used in both photographs as you can see the design of both churches very clearly.

For the finishing photograph I have chosen one of my favourite photographs of John Goldens work. It's one of my favouites as it includes alot of different elementswhilst keeping it nice and simple. As you can see like normal, he has stood right next to the entrance of the church and taken the photograph of the whole of the churches tower so like normal angles have come into use on this photograph. Beacause he has stood so close to the main focal point you can see pretty much every little detail of the church so patterns and design have also been used here which is great as it shows the historic side of the church. To finish with colour with natural light have been mixed to create a warm photograph with a clourful blue sky which surrounds the churches exterior.

Research - Theme 1 - Phillip Colla

For my final piece of theme one research I will be looking at Phillip Colla's photography. Phillip Colla is a photographer who ranges from tree photography to underwater photography. His work is simply quite stunning so below are ten photographs that I feel have inspired me to take on this type of photography. All of these images can found by clicking on this link http://www.oceanlight.com/lightbox.php

To start off I have found a slightly unusual photograph. This is a photograph of several Joshua trees in California. There is a strange feel to this photograph but also involves some very important composition types. The main one being patterns. I woud say that Phillip involved every single one of these Joshua trees in this shot on purpise so that he could mix the strange look of them and the pattern effect together to create a slightly different type of shot. The patterns mix from the the different trees spreading across the photograph from left to right. A slightly darker photograph due to a minimum amount of natural light has also been added to the photograph to make it look even more unusual.

With these three photographs we are back to the most vital point when taking photographs of trees which is to not have any interuptions in them. By this I mean not having any other objects in the photograph that could distract the viewers eye. Here Phillip has taken these three photographs perfectly. He has got the main focal point directly in the centere of the photograph and has also created a nice combination of colour and natural light on all three of the photographs. These blend in well with the main focal point making them stand out even more to the viewers eye.

These two photographs use a different concept and convey a comepletly different visual message. Again the main focal point is placed right in the centre of the photograph but the photograph has been taken up close to the tree with an upward facing angle. This means the photographer was looking up right to the top of the tree and as you can see the tree is almost hanging over the photographer. This shows a visual message of dominance on how tall the tree is as it covers the photograph from bottom to top. Although this is the main composition in these photographs there are other aspects that come into play aswell. Colour was also conecntrated here especially as he would've been looking directly into the blue sky. This also mixes well with the greens on the tree leaves.

Again, another photograph that uses the same compostion. Angle were also a major point here, by standing right up to the tree Phillip was able to look up and take the photograph showing truely how tall these trees are. What is different about this photograph is that he has managed to do this with two trees next to each other. As you can see by doing this he has managed to create a frame within frame effect making the trees almost looking like gates which lead to other trees in the background of the photograph.

This photograph of an ancient brisltecone pine has been taken perfectly. Like normal he could've taken this photograph by placing the main focal point in the centre of the photograph but instead he has stood so it is to the right of the photograph and has taken it by standing an angle rather than straight up. As you can see this spreads the brisltcone from right to left of the photograph. I feel that by doing this it shows off the ancient patterns from the branches of the tree with more effect rather than if it was centred in the photograph.

Here is a photograph of a bristlecone tree that has been taken perfectly. It has been placed in the centre of the photograph with minimum interruptions making it the main focal point of the photograph. Phillip has stood quite close to the tree which is great as the tree spreads all the way to the top of the photograph. The deep blue colour of the sky which gets deeper as you go higher into the photograph makes the branches of the trees stand out even more than they already do. A high amount of natural light was also used here so a fast shutter speed would've been used.

Something a little bit different to finish with. This is a photograph of numerous huge tree barks. This photograph was taken with all the natural light was available but with the tree barks being so big this would suggest that the rest of the tree would be big which means that the natural light would be covered making it a lot darker. This mixes well with the photograph though making it look a bit more stranger as it mixes well with the colours displayed in the photograph. I would also say that patterns play a big part in this photograph from the trees which go from left to right of the photograph.



Research - Theme One - Archie Miles

For my next research segment, I am going to research Nature photographer Archie Miles. Archie Miles is a photographer who mainly concentrates in the landscape and nature area of photography. After viewing some of his photography it has really inspired me to create some of these images of my own. He has a mixture of style. By this I mean he will take photographs of trees that are centered in the middle of the photograph and some will be of leaves or flower petals, alot like what I have done for my work. Below are ten photographs which I have found which inspired me to attempt his style of photography. All of these photographs can be found by clicking on this link http://www.archiemiles.co.uk/ and then clicking on the "trees" link.

This is the first photograph that I have chosen from Archie's collection. It is a photograph of an old oak tree at Windsor Great Park. As you can see it is a similar style to John Shaw's work. Here the tree is obviously the main focal point but to achieve this it had to be centered in the middle of the photograph. He is also stood quite close to the tree which makes it look very tall alongside the old branches spreading out across the whole of the photograph in different directions. I would almost say that rule of thirds is used here as well with the green grass being the bottom third, the tree being the middle third and the sky being the top third. Colour is also highly concentrated in this photograph especially in the sky as the blue gets a lot more darker towards the top of the photograph making the branches stand out even more.

This is the second photograph I have chosen from Archie's collection. This image has the same sort of style as the top photograph where it is centered but instead of having the whole of the oak included in the photograph he mainly focuses on the bark of the oak. Like I said this is still using the same sort of style but focuses more on detail from the main focal point. By this I mean you can see the patterns from the old oak because you are drawn to this rather than if it was taken further back using the whole of the tree for the photograph.

This is my attempt of this style of photograph. What I have done slightly differently here though is taken the photograph a little bit further back. This creates a larger span of pattern from the old branches from the main focal point, spanning out left to right of the top half of the photograph.

These next two photographs are a little bit different to the others. They both use the frames within frames composition but they are both a little stranger than normal photographs using this composition. The position of where the photographer was stood on the first one creates a different frames within frames composition as to if he was stood looking straight on between the trees. I would still say the main focal point would be the tree right in the centre of the photograph. The trees almost create a gateway to the main focal point standing dominantly in the centre of the photograph. The second photograph also includes the frames within frames composition. Again, it is a little different than normal, this time it is purely down to how strange the trees create the composition within itself due to them joining together. Colour is concentrated in this photograph as well mixed with natural sunlight. With a rear facing sun it creates a shadow effect from the tree barks.

This is the sort of tree photography I would like to attempt but unfortunetly it is not the right time of year to attempt it. These photographs both highly concentrate on colour mixed with natural light. With a mixture of strong natural light shining onto the very bright frost covered trees he has managed to create a great blend making them both bright, colourful and vibrant. The deep blue sky matches perfectly with the frost covered trees making them stand out very boldly. I would also say patterns have been used in both photographs from the branches of the trees spreading across the photographs.

Here is one of his photographs that uses the lines to guide to eye composition mixed with patterns from the trees both on the left and right. The trees on either side lead deep into the photograph which create the lines to guide the eye compostion. Natural light is also used here but a little bit darker than normal which suggests that this photograph was taken in the evening just as the sun is setting. I would say this creates a warm, natural coloured effect mixed with shadowing.

These two photographs both rely on the background to show all there natural beauty. Again, they are both centered in the photograph without any distractions or interruptions making them the main focal point in both photographs. The sky in the background attracts the trees making them look even more bolder than usual. This is great as they both stand out perfectly. Both concentrate on colour, more the top photograph than the second. The top photograph uses more natural light that is available making the greens on the stand out where as the second photograph uses less available light making the sky look a bit more whiter. This is perfect though as the tree branches are a dark colour so they stand out beautifully.

This is the final photograph I have chosen from Archie's collection. This uses the same style as some of his other photographs I have chosen but this one was taken just as the sun was setting. Obviously the tree is the main focal point in the photograph with it being centered without any other objects interrupting the photograph. Although the sun was nearly set, all the natural light that was available has been used perfectly to create a silhouette which blends perfectly with a yellow sky from the remaining sunlight.

Archie has also created many different books to show his photography. These books range from all of his types of photography. The one pictured above shows his work on trees in Britain and Northern Ireland.

Research - Theme One - John Shaw

John Shaw will be the next photographer who I am going to be researching. After this piece of research I will also be going out on a photoshoot to attempt his style of photography. This will also be great practice for me to attempt this style of photography which I feel is very important when taking nature photographs. His style is similar to Ansel Adams. The only real difference between the two is that John Shaws work is mainly in colour and Ansel Adams work is mainly in black and white. Below are ten of my favourite photographs from John Shaws collection which convey a strong colourful visual message in which I will be attempting myself.

This first photograph displays exactly what I mean. As you can see his style is similar to Ansel Adams photography. The main focal point is centred in the photograph showing it’s dominance. This means that the viewer will know what this photograph is displaying. Like normal colour is also concentrated in this photograph with two very different colours split in the photograph from the greens i the tree to purple field leading into the background.

The second photograph I have chosen is a little different to the first but uses the same style. Again the main focal point is developed due to the tree placed in the centre of the photograph but what makes this photograph different from Johns other work is that it is taken at dusk. This creates a silhouette of the main focal point making it stand out even more thus creating a completely different feel to the photograph to if it was taken during the day.

These two photographs both have a pattern feel to them but both use the pattern style in different ways. The top photograph has one tree bark centred in the photograph and then starts to span out wider with the other tree barks. This is great as this is what the viewer will notice when looking at the photograph. I would also say that lines to guide the eye were used here with the trees leading out further into the background of the photograph. The second photograph also uses patterns but they don’t span out into the background, instead they almost slope of diagonally from right to left. This effect appears with the tops of the trees being yellow and how the photograph was taken. It was taken at a certain level to get the trees at a correct height starting with the small trees on the right to them growing to the left and then to the right again. The top photograph is also very similar to the work of Ansel Adams. This photograph is very similar due to the patterns evolving from the trees where they expand out deeper into the photograph.

The next photograph I have chosen is a close up style photograph but again he manages to make the main focal point stand out by placing it right in the middle of the photograph. Again this is great as it shows the viewer what the photographs visual message is displaying without the viewer having to look around the photograph for it. Again like normal colour was also concentrated here with the yellow from the petals on the flower. A low F-stop would have been used here as nothing in the background is in focus making the close up of the flower stand out a lot more. This also helps convey a stronger visual message showing the dominance of the main focal point.

These two photographs have both been taken by myself. I have taken these to copy the style of some of John's work. As you can see both are close ups and both main focal points are centered in the photograph just the same as John Shaw. Both include a high concentration of colour (top photograph more darker natural colours, second photograph using more natural light alongside brighter colours) the colour from both flowers brighten up the photographs which is needed especially in the top photograph where natural light is quite low. I had to watch what I was doing here in terms of health and safety because I had to lean over other objects to get quite close to the flower. This was taken into consideration as I could have easily fallen over and not only done damage to myself but done damage to the environment.

This photograph highly concentrates on lines mixed with colour. He has stood square on to the subject which is involved in the whole of the photograph creating a lines effect from the different colours of the flowers in the field. Colour with natural light is mixed together here to create a warm colourful photograph.

This was my attempt at the photograph above. As you can see it wasn't taken in a field but I have tried to re create the same concept with the different colours mixed with lines. A medium amount of natural light was used here so the amount of colour involved boosted the photographs brightness.

This photograph is the style of photograph that I am going to be aiming to achieve on my next photoshoot. As you can see he uses the same style as Ansel Adams. The main focal point is the tree in the distance of the shot without any distractions or interruptions in the photograph. This makes the main focal point stand out alot more than if there were other trees in the shot. This immediately draws the viewers attention to what the photographer intended the viewer to look at. This shot would've been completely different if there were no tree involved. Again as normal colour is also concentrated here with many different bright colours mixing with the bright natural sunlight creating a bright and colourful photograph.

Patterns mixed with colour is concentrated in this photograph with the different Autumn colours blending in with the position and structure of the trees. Nothing else is included in this photograph so this suggests he may have zoomed a little to only include this in the photograph. He would've been postioned square on to the trees to also create this effect.

These two photographs both include more than one object that create a main focal point. Again this is all down to where they are positioned and how little interruptions there are in the photographs. As you can see in the bottom photograph the three palms are placed directly in the middle of the photograph with nothing but the background supporting there postion. This is great as it directly places the viewers eye to these three palms first and nothing else will be distracting them. It is the same situation for the top photograph, the two trees are placed in the photograph one to the left and one to the right. The one of the left would probably be more of the main focal point due to its size and dominance. As you can see from the position this photograph was taken from the trees almost look like they are touching each other creating a small frame within frames effect. Both photographs highly concentrate on colour. The top photograph having a darker sky making the main focal point look alot more bolder and the sky in the second photograph being a pinkish/blue colour creating a warm photograph.

Above is a video I have found on youtube about John Shaw where he talks about his natural history of photography and what has kept him shooting for so long.


All John Shaw's photograph were found from this website http://www.nikonusa.com/Learn-And-Explore/Photography-Tips/g1attuky/1/The-Essential-John-Shaw.html

Research - Theme 1 - Ansel Adams

Having recently looked at my images from my nature photography I have noticed that there are alot of interuptions in my photographs. For example I have pictures of trees which are distracted by other tree in the shot. This is not what I intend to do I aim to get the whole object into the photograph without any other objects taking the main focal point away from the shot. To show what I mean I have researched photographer Ansel Adams. His work is mainly in black and white but the main thing is that the main focal point in his focal point is deeply concentrated with nothing else pulling it away.

This is the first photograph I have chosen. Straight away looking at this photograph the first thing I say to myself is that the main focal point is the huge tree in in the centre of the photograph. Now I am obviously stating the obvious but the way he is positioned for the shot means there are no interuptions pulling the focal point away. Also with the sun forward facing onto the tree makes the tree appear alot more bolder making it stand out alot more than it would if there was no sun shining onto it.

This is also another one of my favourite photographs from Adam's collection. Again the main focal point is placed directly in the middle of the photograph. There is a small amount of foliage surrounding the main focal point but not enough to distract the viewers eye from the cactus. This is mostly because of how the object covers alot of the photograph from top to bottom. A great value of colour is also expressed in this shot. With the sky having a wide range of colours the black and white in the photograph shows this off beautifully with the top being practically black gradually getting brighter as it moves down the photograph.

This photograph is slightly different to the other two photograph I have chosen but uses the same idea. The main focal point is placed right in the middle of the photograph almost splitting the image into two so a small amount of symmetry is also used here. What also catches the viewers eye here is how as you look deeper into the photograph it gradually gets darker.

Where as this photograph does have the main focal point centered in the photograph but I feel that he has taken this photograph purely due to the shape of the tree as it is quite peculiar. With there being more white than black in the photograph this suggests that the surrounding light was quite bright which is great for the photograph as it makes the main focal point stand out a lot more. Also with the main focal point being bright white it creates a strong opposing black colour from the shadow of the tree.



These two photographs are a different take to the other photographs I have taken. These concentrate more closer to the subject and there is more than one subject in the photograph. With both of these styles put together he creates a pattern effect from the branches on the trees in the top photograph and the tree barks left to right on the second photograph. The top photograph is a little different to the second because brightness is more emphasized due to the snow on the branches making it more white than black where as the bottom photograph has more black than white due to the background being in focus with a deep depth of field.

This photograph has the same sort of style as the first photographs I have chosen except there is more white than black in the picture due to the amount of snow that has covered the tree and surrounding areas. This in my opinion creates a completely different feel to the shot than if it was taken without it. Shadows are also used here with the sun facing either east or west shining onto the subject so natural light would've been quite strong here. Quite a high F-Stop would've also been used as the towering cliff in the background is in focus in the photograph.

This photograph is fantastic as there is surrounding shrubery and trees which range from small bushes to towering trees that tower over the photograph from bottom to top. This is great becuse what he has done here is he has stood in a postion so that the greenery is around the sides of the photograph. This creates lines to guide the eye effect in the middle of the photograph which leads around a corner. This then leads you to look down this path whilst viewing the trees and bushes on the way.

This photograph is similar to the two patterned photographs I chose earlier in this post. This one was taken at a different height and distance than the other two. As you can see the pattern arises in the middle of the photograph with bushes covering the bottom of the trees. This creates a pattern in the middle of the photograph from left to right as the background above the tops of the trees is almost an equal distance from the edge of the photograph as the bushes at the bottom.

Something a little different of Ansel's work. This photgoraph still uses the same style as the other photographs although the subject is alot closer than the others. The angle that the flower is placed creates and equal balance of black and white across the whole of the pettel. With the background being slightly darker than normal this makes the subject stand out even more. As you can see this is a similar style to his other work because no matter how close or how far away the subject is he always manages to make the main subject in his photogtaphs the main focal point for the viewer to notice.