Rotation: Photographics

The aim of this rotation was to introduce the basic principles of design and apply them to a photographic project. I felt that I was able to grasp the basics of the two dimensional design principles introduced and apply them to a reasonable degree of success to my own work.

Of the artists we examined in class, I focused on Alvin Langdon Coburn. He was able to mutate and abstract what was observable in everyday life, turning his subject matter into something else entirely. Metamorphosis such as this was what drove me as I took my own photos for this project.

The design aspect which I felt came most naturally to me was “tension”, aided by the balancing square exercise we did in class, as well as contrast. I feel that these come across clearest in my photography.

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I watched Ben’s tutorials about how to use photoshop, particularly how to use layer masks and not work in a destructive way.

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I added layer masks to the two photos of the buildings and adjusted the layers until they created a structured frame around the white space that constitutes the sky. In that white space I decided to insert the gothic architecture photo. I felt that this was the right place for it considering the shapes of the architecture pulling the eye towards the spires at the top. I wanted this piece to look like a throat, with the ballasts and brickwork evoking ideas of teeth.

I am reasonably pleased with the outcome, but I feel that I could have pushed the abstraction further. I feel that if I had cropped the buildings differently, to suggest more patterns in the windows, the viewer might have been able to see the potential of the shapes in the buildings.