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.

Statement of Intent- Theme 2

Theme

Architectural (Built Environment)

Intentions/purpose of photography to be undertaken

I aim to be able to take photographs of old buildings that date back hundreds of years. For this I will be mainly focusing on buldings that have been around for a very long time as most of them become degraded which means there is opportunity for some great photographs. I also intend to be able to do research on this subject and be able to read the photographers photographs to a point where I can attempt to create my own style of photograph which is similar to there work.

Reasons for selection of theme

I have chosen this theme because it is also another style of photography that not only inspires and interests me but also requires a skill to be able to take fantastic shots in this genre. I feel that this will be a challenge for me as I have not attempted this type of photography before, which is a good thing as I would also like to take this type of photography further in years to come. I also feel that the research that goes along with this theme is very interesting and will be really good to try and match certain photographers work. For example photographers like Tim Loveless, Ian Aiken and Andy Marshall who are all architectural photographers deeply inspire me to attempt this type of photography.

The photo imaging equipment and medium that will be used and why

Again, like I have stated on my previous statement of intent I will be using my Canon 1000D camera. I will be using this because it is the only camera I have and it will be very good practise to attempt a different style of photography from my first theme. Again I will also be taking my tripod with me just incase I require it for any particular shots. I will also be taking a spare battery and memory card with me aswell just incase I run out of battery or space on my memory card whilst out on a photoshoot.

Techniques that will be used and how they will help convey the visual message

For this I will be doing different types of shot when shooting these old buildings. For some shots I will be standing head on to the building to attempt different types of composition. By this I mean I will be concentrating on colour, scale and shape etc when taking my photographs to put forward a visual message about the particular building. This will be great for my theme as all the buildings I will be shooting will be very old so it should be interesting when creating a visual message. I will also be attempting photographs from different angles on some buildings. I will be doing this to experiment on what types of photograph I will end up with when using this type of technique. When this technique is used correctly it can completely transform a photographs visual message.

Safety considerations

Safety won't be a huge issue when completing this type of photography but I will still be taking the everyday main health and safety prospects into consideration. By this I mean that I will always be wary of my location and footing when out on my photoshoot and I will be very careful if I have to take shots that are in hard to get places. The main issue which I will be taking into consideration are security rules. By this I mean I will have to be careful of what I am taking pictures of because some buildings have strict rules that no photographs are aloud to be taken of them. So I will always be looking out for signs that display that there are no photographs to be taken of the bulding.

Statement of Intent

Theme

Nature/Landscape

Intentions/purpose of photography to be undertaken

I aim to take beautiful shots of nature and wildlife around my area. My intentions for doing this are that there are so many great opportunities for me to do this in my area with the opportunity to take some fantastic shots.

Reasons for selection of theme

I have selected this theme as this is the type of photography that I am most I interested in. Don't get me wrong I love all sorts of photography but when I look at the works of mike McFarlane and Ansel Adams for example it just deeply inspires me to create my own fantastic shots. I have always loved taking photographs of nature and wildlife so now I want to take what I already know to the next level.

The photo imaging equipment and medium that will be used and why

I will be using my only camera which I have which is my trusty Canon 1000D this camera has proved me very well in my other shots around this area of photography so it won't let me down. Because I will be going out quite deep in to different areas of nature I will be taking a spare battery with me because I will most probably need it. I will also be taking my tripod with me aswell to improve some of my quality of shots.

Techniques that will be used and how they will help convey the visual message

For this I will be doing more than one photoshoot. What I will be trying to do is go to the same place twice both at different times of the day with a different climate. I will be doing this because I feel this gives a completely different feeling to the final images with a completely different mood to them. I will also using different methods of photography. By this I mean I will be attempting things like frame within a frame shots and shots that show the rule of thirds. I will basically be using different types of composition in my shots. This will easily help convey a visual image especially shots with the rule of thirds composition for example.

How light quality can be used to help convey the visual message

This is quite an important section especially with the theme that I have chosen. Light quality with my theme of photography could create a completely different photograph if taken once at a certain level of light and then another with a different level of light so it is vital that I get a perfect level of lighting to create some fantastic shots. Some shots for example night shots with a low level of lighting could also turn out to be quite interesting, this all depends on where and what I am photographing. Like I said in the above section I will be coming back at a different times of the day to experiment on what my shots look like with different levels of light.

Safety considerations

This is also a very important section for my theme of photography. Because I will be going out into all different types of area and terrain I will be taking someone else with me because you never know what could go wrong. I will be wearing the correct type of footwear which is appropriate to where I am going. I will also be taking a bottle of water with me swell because I could easily become fatigued when out deep in a forest or woodland etc.