Exercise 23: Selective processing and prominence

This last exercise asks to select one image that I have already taken for an earlier project, an image in which the issue is the visual prominence of a figure in a setting and use the digital processing methods that I have available to make two new versions of this image.
In one, make the figure less prominent, so that it recedes into the setting.
In the second, do the opposite, by making it stand out more.
Possible selective adjustments are to brightness, contrast, even colour intensity.
The actual technique will depend on the processing software used.

Image 1.

f 8, 1/60 sec, ISO 400, 55 mm 

Image 1 has been post-edited with Light Room in order to make the subject less prominent.
The white point and the black point of the overall image has been adjusted, the contrast increased at 22 and the exposure at +0.25.
Thanks to the "adjustment brush" I have been able to correct locally the image.
The clarity in the area of the two lovers has been decreased to -18, the contrast to -69.

Image 2.

f 8, 1/60 sec, ISO 400, 55 mm 

Image 2 has been post-edited with Light Room in order to make the subject more prominent.

The white point of the overall image has been adjusted and the shadows have been opened.

Thanks to the "adjustment brush" I have been able to correct locally the image.

The clarity in the area of the subjects has been increased to 61, the contrast to 47 and the exposure at +1.

Exercise 22: Balancing figure and space

This exercise asks to draw on my photography so far in this course and on the techniques I have learned, to vary the balance in any one picture situation.
I am supposed to aim to produce two images, using the same general viewpoint and composition, varying the balance of attention between the person (or people) and the setting they are in.

Image 1.

f 6.7, 1/350 sec, ISO 200, 18 mm 

 Image 2.

f 11, 1/180 sec, ISO 200, 18 mm 

I combined this exercise with a previous one.
I chose this open field as my setting for this shot.
In Image 1 the attention is solely on the subject; placed central left in the frame, his face commanding the majority of the focus in the image, with the background falling into a soft blur.
In Image 2, the balance of the attention is now on the setting the subject is in.
To achieve this, I captured the subject out of the frame and positioned only his shadow towards the edge of the frame.
I placed him away from the camera in order to remove the personality of the subject and ensure total anonymity which further ensures the focus is on the setting the subject was in.

Exercise 21: Making figures anonymous

Exercise 21 asks to take some photographs that include a person or people in a particular place, but deliberately make them unrecognisable and, as a result, less prominent.
The aim is to make between two and four photographs which use different techniques to achieve this. A successful image will be one that is primarily about the place, but in which one or more figures play a subsidiary role to show scale and give life — to show that it is in use.

The brief asks to consider the following techniques:

1. Facing away
The human face is such a powerful visual attractant that simply photographing someone from behind or with their head turned away from the camera alters their relationship to the rest of the image.

f 8, 1/180 sec, ISO 400, 43 mm  

2. In silhouette
Shooting from darkness towards a bright background, as in the example shown here, communicates ‘person’ but rarely ‘personality’.

f 3.5, 1/20 sec, ISO 1600, 18 mm 

3. Partly obscured
Figures and faces even partly hidden behind some other object are automatically reduced in visual importance.

f 4.5, 1/8 sec, ISO 200, 45 mm 

4. Motion blur
Useful if slightly mannered technique when you have a tripod and the light is sufficiently dim to use a slow exposure. Needs experience to judge the effect of length of exposure on the appearance of a moving figure. Light figure against dark background is always more noticeable than dark figure against light background.

f 5.6, 1/15 sec, ISO 400, 18 mm 

Exercise 20: Busy traffic

In contrast to the usually-empty place from the last project, some locations are almost always busy, with a constant flow of traffic.
Exercise 20 asks to choose a busy location, interior or exterior, and find a viewpoint that will give a satisfying composition as well as a good sense of the nature and function of the space.
I am supposed to spend some time watching how the flow of people works — the patterns they make, any surges or lulls in movement and numbers — and how this can contribute to the composition of the shot.
According to the brief, I should aim to show the ‘busyness’ of the place, which might involve altering the composition, perhaps changing the focal length of lens, or experimenting with a slow exposure.

f 3.5, 1/45 sec, ISO 200, 18 mm 

The previous exercise concentrated on just placing a single figure in the frame, this one involved including as many as possible to show the busy nature of a place.
I like this shot for its sense of being amongst the action.
People are sufficiently well defined to emphasise the contrast between the static and moving subjects and, as I am rather close to them, there is actually more movement.
I believe that in the case of crowd scenes motion blur gives a better impression of business when you are in amongst it (or at least quite close).
Elevation reduces the effect further by emphasising floor space.
I start to feel very self-conscious in photographing people.
I  also realise that it is not only the people in themselves that attract me but also the patterns and shapes they make in the environment.

Exercise 19: A single figure small

Exercise 19 requires to find a place which at the time of shooting is for the most part free of people, yet with an occasional figure passing through it.
I am supposed to consider how obvious, to a viewer’s eye, the figure will be in the image.
Some delayed reaction adds to the interest of looking at this kind of photograph, and there is even an element of surprise if the scale of the place is larger than expected.
On the other hand, the point of this style of image is lost if the viewer fails to notice the figure and moves on.
It is very important to pay close attention to where in the frame the figure is placed: the more off-centre, the more dynamic the composition is likely to be, but only up to a point.
If the figure is walking, you may want to consider the conventional treatment of placing it off-centre so that it walks into the frame.

f 4.5, 1/8 sec, ISO 200, 45 mm 

I believe that people add scale, movement, and a sense of place to photographs and therefore often my shots include people. 

What I thought was important to take into consideration was the placement in the frame but even the size and the colour in relation to the surroundings. 

As written in the course material there has to be a sufficient contrast to give the beholder chance to see the figure in the frame.

What I like in this shot is the "graphic" background with its sense of scale and movement given by the walking person.

I really enjoyed this exercise, and was very happy with the finished result. 

The image clearly shows a single figure in the frame and I carefully framed and edited the image in such a way as to ensure a technically strong image where the subject was not in a prominent position, yet stood out, thus creating interest for the viewer.

Assignment 3 - Comments on Tutor's report

Plus side

- In his “Overall comments” my tutor Robert stated: "There are some really strong photographs here both in terms of visual interest and your artistic approach to ‘seeing these spaces’ as abandoned, tourist infested or just purely as a visual muse. I like the intelligent way you see your guided walk through the old seminary as a ghostly tour through an inferno – a place of testing. You must commit to a longer term, in-depth treatment to one subject. In the St. Vincent de Paul images, there is a depth and a potential that is not as apparent in most of the other photos. But, in general this is mature and confident work that proves you can make an assignment your own."
- Speaking about the "Learning Logs/Critical Essays" section Robert stated:"Your writing is good. I think you are getting more out of looking at other photographers than you make clear. There is something in your work that reminds me of the Dusseldorf school, but you are somewhat more personal. You are also refreshingly honest about your own work."
- Suggested reading/viewing: "It is clear from this work that your approach relates to a more personal kind of documentary photography and you do need to look at photographers of this kind of work. I could suggest Larry Clark, Nan Goldin, Araki, Paul Seawright and Paul Graham. But in the end, you must make your own search in books and galleries."
- Robert appreciated particularly the St. Vincent de Paul College. He commented Image 2 as "A beautiful balanced composition that uses the contrast of colour and light in the other room well. The torn wallpaper suggests decay or just the battles of good and evil! It reminds me of Van Gogh’s painting of his room, the way every surface is unique and hyper-real" and Image 3 as "Another wonderful composition, like the last in that it uses layers of more than one space. This is an extremely confident arrangement of shapes and planes. So much so, that really you should immediately set to work on something that powerfully challenges your knowledge and limits with photography."
- Image 6. "This poor old bald head! I bet he didn’t know he was so photogenic! This is one of the best photos here because, like Struth’s photos that this little series resembles at times, it shows us the amusing idolatry of tourists in museums. They don’t need to like the Mona Lisa, they only need to know it is famous! It’s a great composition that is both funny and telling."

Things to improve

- Pointers for the next assignment: "I feel you should make a big jump with the next assignment"
- Image 5. "The contrast between the old and modern architecture is interesting, but I think you needed a more interesting example than this foreshortened rooftop image."
- Image 7. "This you can cut out, it doesn’t ‘work’ as your other pictures do."
- In "Caffe Fiorio" series: "The light and colour in all these pictures is beautiful and you are playing interestingly with composition. But here only Image 12 seems to stand out as a portrait of something “petit bourgeois” in French society that I imagine is falling away. This response is triggered because the woman (your mother) is out of focus and you are looking both in the mirror and at the empty tables. This gives the photo a kind of melancholy in the midst of its rustic opulence."
- Robert commented "Sacro Cuore" photos as follows: "These are searching images, but you haven’t really found anything of note here. However, Image 15 with Dali and pigeon is really amazing because of the bizarre contrast between Dali’s colourful face and the mundane ‘everyday’ world around."
- "Image 18 here is rather interesting. Some kind of optical illusion is at work on the desk. I think you needed just a touch of fill-flash here to bring out the eyes of your father. But maybe that would have ruined the optical illusion! Your use of vignettes is quite obvious in some of these photos. You need to take care not to make it look like you’re trying to make it look “vintage”. And some of these are slightly soft, so you need to keep an eye on that."