This is an interesting assignment in that, as I understand it, we’re not being asked to create any finished pieces. It’s a task about composition and relationships. In the first part we source black and white photos of a tree, a child walking or running, and a building, each of which we are to reproduce in different sizes. The task is then to arrange these elements in different ways and in different sizes in about five different ways, and then answer a series of questions about them.
Having chosen images that appealed to me via Google image searches, I cropped them closely but I didn’t cut around the shapes - this would have been very complex in the case of the tree, for example. I did white out the corners of the hut image because they seemed more problematic in that they got in the way of the images more than I felt the backgrounds of the other images did. I don’t think the exercise required more than that level of editing in order to see the effects.
Here are my compositions:
Composition 1
Composition 2
Composition 3
Composition 4
Composition 5
Questions
1. How does your sense of the image and its meaning change when the figure is smaller than the other elements?
Given that a girl is usually smaller than a building or a tree, the figure being smaller than the other elements feels normal and unsurprising. When the figure is bigger than the tree and building, though, there is an element of surprise and it prompts me to take a second look to see what is going on.
2. If the elements are at differing angles to each other and at an angle to the frame, what dynamic is suggested?
The diagonals suggest movement. In the image with the large diagonal figure I felt drawn to experiment with repeating pattern. In this image everything is diagonal or at the same angle. It feels dynamic but also structured. The image with the four trees is horizontal, but actually more uncanny because the trees are realistic enough to be an acceptable image, yet to have four identical and progressively larger trees in a row would never happen. It’s almost realistic but not quite, which is more disturbing than the diagonal tree falling out of the sky in image 4 because we know diagonal falling trees are not part of the natural order, so we don’t expect any reality from the image.
3. If all the elements are completely horizontal and vertical in relation to the frame, what dynamic is suggested? What is your opinion about this image and what sensation does it communicate?
Other than the uncanny trees, the first image is fairly stable as the horizontals and verticals align with both the other elements and the shape of the background. This is somewhat reassuring as it’s how we expect things to be. However, this is not always the case. In composition 5 all the elements are horizontally and vertically aligned with each other and the edges but all but one of the elements are sideways on. Usually girls and trees tend to be quite well anchored by gravity, so, despite the horizontal/vertical alignment, this image is more interesting. It has the ‘look again’ quality of the diagonal without its sense of movement and dislocation, (although these girls appear to be walking up the side of the frame). It’s stable but unusual, and therefore pleasing. It’s my favourite of the five.
4. Which is your favourite composition? Explain why you feel it is most successful.
Hmm - I guess I just answered that!
5. Looking back at these images, choose your own set of objects or elements and repeat the exercise, exploring the relationship of background and foreground. Consider how different objects can affect the overall mood or meaning for the reader. What bearing does the use of colour have on the composition? Create one final image which best describes your own understanding of the exercise.
To be continued…
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