Personal Projects: Abstraction
Introduction
Abstraction could be described as a way to promote inventiveness and imagination. Some people could argue that abstraction is in all works of art, because they are a representation of life rather than real life. Most people compromise and agree that abstraction is a scale with naturalism on one end and total non-representation on the other.
All good art is abstract in its structure."
-- Paul Strand
Formal Elements
Focus: Which areas appear clearest or sharpest in the photograph? Which do not?
Light: Which areas of the photograph are brightest? Are there any shadows? Does the photograph allow you to guess the time of day? Is the light natural or artificial? Harsh or soft? Reflected or direct?
Line: Are there objects in the photograph that act as lines? Are they straight, curvy, thin, thick? Do the lines create direction in the photograph? Do they outline? Do the lines show movement or energy?
Repetition: Are there any objects, shapes or lines which repeat and create a pattern?
Shape: Do you see geometric (straight edged) or organic (curvy) shapes? Which are they?
Space: Is there depth to the photograph or does it seem shallow? What creates this appearance? Are there important negative (empty) spaces in addition to positive (solid) spaces? Is there depth created by spacial illusions i.e. perspective?
Texture: If you could touch the surface of the photograph how would it feel? How do the objects in the picture look like they would feel?
Value/Tone: Is there a range of tones from dark to light? Where is the darkest value? Where is the lightest?
Light: Which areas of the photograph are brightest? Are there any shadows? Does the photograph allow you to guess the time of day? Is the light natural or artificial? Harsh or soft? Reflected or direct?
Line: Are there objects in the photograph that act as lines? Are they straight, curvy, thin, thick? Do the lines create direction in the photograph? Do they outline? Do the lines show movement or energy?
Repetition: Are there any objects, shapes or lines which repeat and create a pattern?
Shape: Do you see geometric (straight edged) or organic (curvy) shapes? Which are they?
Space: Is there depth to the photograph or does it seem shallow? What creates this appearance? Are there important negative (empty) spaces in addition to positive (solid) spaces? Is there depth created by spacial illusions i.e. perspective?
Texture: If you could touch the surface of the photograph how would it feel? How do the objects in the picture look like they would feel?
Value/Tone: Is there a range of tones from dark to light? Where is the darkest value? Where is the lightest?
Formal Elements In Famous Photos
I think that the main formal element here could either be tone or light. I think this because the background is all mainly white, and then in the middle, the image tones off and goes from the white background to a black and grey. The reason that it could also be shadow is because i think that the images' tone is because of the shadow from the top of the piece of paper.
Abstraction Photoshoot
1) How was it to take pictures in this way?
I think that it was a lot more difficult, concerning how many of the formal elements you have to look at while taking a photograph in this style. For example, in this photo, I had to consider the reflection, the lighting and the shape.
2) What did you do differently?
I played around with the focus a lot more. Usually I will leave it on the standard setting, or the auto setting, whereas in this project I went through the best one to take low focus pictures with, and the best one to take close colour pictures with. I also looked a lot closer into the actual frame I am taking a photo of, like I had to pay a lot more attention to the atmosphere and the background than I would usually.
3) What was the end result?
The end result was a series of well thought out photos, all unique in the way at least I look at them. I think that the best photo is the one singled out above, because of the fact that it was one of the only ones I could get a stable reflection.
4) Which of the formal elements have you captured?
I have captured at least one of all the formal elements in the series of pictures. For example, in the one highlighted, I have captured Shape (In the shape of the mirror), Focus (In the background; it is blurry), and Line (In the reflection).
I think that it was a lot more difficult, concerning how many of the formal elements you have to look at while taking a photograph in this style. For example, in this photo, I had to consider the reflection, the lighting and the shape.
2) What did you do differently?
I played around with the focus a lot more. Usually I will leave it on the standard setting, or the auto setting, whereas in this project I went through the best one to take low focus pictures with, and the best one to take close colour pictures with. I also looked a lot closer into the actual frame I am taking a photo of, like I had to pay a lot more attention to the atmosphere and the background than I would usually.
3) What was the end result?
The end result was a series of well thought out photos, all unique in the way at least I look at them. I think that the best photo is the one singled out above, because of the fact that it was one of the only ones I could get a stable reflection.
4) Which of the formal elements have you captured?
I have captured at least one of all the formal elements in the series of pictures. For example, in the one highlighted, I have captured Shape (In the shape of the mirror), Focus (In the background; it is blurry), and Line (In the reflection).
Patrick Lears Worksheet
How would you describe the image?
I would describe the image as a collage of similar photograms with some colour splashes. The photo is crafted of 4 or 5 different photograms. The first looks like it could be a piece of glass with scratches on it. The second looks like a sort of window, the third is a sort of black at white strip, but halfway through the white strip, another strip of yellow overtakes it. The fourth photogram looks like it could be a door, and where a pets' door would go there is a splash of orange and blue.
What would you call it?
I think I would call the image something like "colour collage". I would do this because the colour seems very eye-catching, although it looks very out of place. And I would call it a collage, because it's a collage. Pretty simple.
Is it a collage? A photogram?
I think it's both. I think it's a photogram collage.
How do you think this image was made?
I think it was made by using pre-made, old photograms. He cut them into length way strips, arranged them into a certain pattern, and took the photo. I think he then took that photo and put it into a Photo Editing Software, and edited the colour into the photo. I believe he did this because the photo's colour seems way too unnatural to be real, considering the photo is of a photogram collage, and the paint has no depth.
What do you think about the composition? What about the colour?
I believe the composition is really unnatural, and simply the collage would have worked. I think the colour is very unnatural, and it looks really misplaced. I think this because photograms are naturally black and white, and with the colour, the photo doesn't follow the typical "photogram" style.
How would you describe the overall look of the image?
I think the overall composition works, but the use of colour doesn't. As much as the image seems more abstract because of it, the contrast in colour is too abrupt and because of this I think it ruins the picture.
Do you find it inspiring?
No. I find it rather uninspiring, almost a showcase of what not to do in a photo. I don't think I want to see any more images in this type of style.
I would describe the image as a collage of similar photograms with some colour splashes. The photo is crafted of 4 or 5 different photograms. The first looks like it could be a piece of glass with scratches on it. The second looks like a sort of window, the third is a sort of black at white strip, but halfway through the white strip, another strip of yellow overtakes it. The fourth photogram looks like it could be a door, and where a pets' door would go there is a splash of orange and blue.
What would you call it?
I think I would call the image something like "colour collage". I would do this because the colour seems very eye-catching, although it looks very out of place. And I would call it a collage, because it's a collage. Pretty simple.
Is it a collage? A photogram?
I think it's both. I think it's a photogram collage.
How do you think this image was made?
I think it was made by using pre-made, old photograms. He cut them into length way strips, arranged them into a certain pattern, and took the photo. I think he then took that photo and put it into a Photo Editing Software, and edited the colour into the photo. I believe he did this because the photo's colour seems way too unnatural to be real, considering the photo is of a photogram collage, and the paint has no depth.
What do you think about the composition? What about the colour?
I believe the composition is really unnatural, and simply the collage would have worked. I think the colour is very unnatural, and it looks really misplaced. I think this because photograms are naturally black and white, and with the colour, the photo doesn't follow the typical "photogram" style.
How would you describe the overall look of the image?
I think the overall composition works, but the use of colour doesn't. As much as the image seems more abstract because of it, the contrast in colour is too abrupt and because of this I think it ruins the picture.
Do you find it inspiring?
No. I find it rather uninspiring, almost a showcase of what not to do in a photo. I don't think I want to see any more images in this type of style.
Photogram Analysis
How is the composition?
I believe that the composition isn't very special, in fact it looks really plain. I think that some of the contrast between black and white solves this issue a little, and the blue circle definitely helps, but the centre of the image is really plain and it's only really the outside of the composition that restores it.
Are these abstract images?
I think that this is an abstract image, although I still don't enjoy looking at it. I just don't think that it works with anything at all.
What makes them abstract?
I think the idea of a photogram collage is abstract in itself, although this one just isn't inspirational or memorable. The colour used inside a photogram could be a rather abstract idea, and the way that I executed it worked really well.
How did you assemble them?
I assembled them by choosing some old photograms that seemed interesting in a certain way. I cut them up into mainly squares and rectangles, and placed them into places that seemed blank, so to make it less blank. I then decided to add a splash of colour to the corner, and decided to make it not only a completely different colour, but also a completely different shape.
How have you taken inspiration from Patrick Lears?
The only way that I think that I have taken inspiration from Patrick Lears is through the strange use of colour.
I believe that the composition isn't very special, in fact it looks really plain. I think that some of the contrast between black and white solves this issue a little, and the blue circle definitely helps, but the centre of the image is really plain and it's only really the outside of the composition that restores it.
Are these abstract images?
I think that this is an abstract image, although I still don't enjoy looking at it. I just don't think that it works with anything at all.
What makes them abstract?
I think the idea of a photogram collage is abstract in itself, although this one just isn't inspirational or memorable. The colour used inside a photogram could be a rather abstract idea, and the way that I executed it worked really well.
How did you assemble them?
I assembled them by choosing some old photograms that seemed interesting in a certain way. I cut them up into mainly squares and rectangles, and placed them into places that seemed blank, so to make it less blank. I then decided to add a splash of colour to the corner, and decided to make it not only a completely different colour, but also a completely different shape.
How have you taken inspiration from Patrick Lears?
The only way that I think that I have taken inspiration from Patrick Lears is through the strange use of colour.
What Went Well?
- I think that the use of colour is a lot more effective than the Patrick Lears photograph. It makes a lot more sense considering the use of shade. - I think that the contrast of black and white works very well. The instant change from black and white is extremely sudden, and I like this because it makes the photo seem more busy. - I think that the varying shapes make the photo more interesting. The difference in size and shape makes it seem a lot more vibrant. |
Even Better If:
- I don't like how the colour between black and white isn't consistent. The greyish ones in the middle are a lot more noticeable and I don't like this because the actual content of that particular photogram is rather blank. - The base photogram isn't very interesting. The photogram was extremely blank apart from the white edge on the left side, but the actual photogram isn't that interesting. - I think it could be better if the middle was more varying is certain shapes. The only shapes in the middle are the rectangles / squares, and I think this problem could have been solved with a varying shape in the middle. |
Homework Photoshoot: Abstraction
The Best Photo.
I think that this is the best photo of the photoshoot, because of the fact that it covers multiple of the formal elements, and I think that it is the nicest to look at. I think that the focus of the photo works really well, considering the fact that it focuses on the background rather than the foreground. I think that this works because the colour is a lot more vibrant like this, and you can't see that the subject of the image actually is. Overall, this photograph is really nice to look at compared to some of the other images on there.
What Went Well:- I think that the focus of the image worked super well. As much as this was accidental, I think that the blurry colour and how the background is more focussed than the foreground just worked perfectly.
- The use of colour here works extremely effectively. The various shades of green and purple both works in unison and the slight splash of red seems to vary the colour scheme. |
Even Better If:- I think the background should have been cropped off. The light and the weird brown structure far in the back break the composition. All that is needed here is the subject to be extended to the back of the photo.
- The white splodges of the camera being out of focus break the colour scheme. The green and purple work amazingly, and then the white splats are overpowering the dark purple colour. |
Dafna Talmor Research
why do the quote blocks not end with a speech mark
-- Me, angrily
Describe what you can see (as accurately as possible).
If I were to describe this to someone who couldn't see it, I would describe it as a landscape photo. I would say that it is of a cliffside, taken from different places and angles. I think that it is of the same cliffside, maybe of Dover considering the colour. What the photographer has done, is cut up these photos, put them on top of one another, and somehow made it look like a mountain. The edges that connect the photos look like they have been burned, because they look like a dark orange. The burned parts look like they could be the pathway leading up the hill. The picture is made up of 6 separate pictures, the bottom one being a sort of shoreline of the side the photographer is standing on, the second one up could be the ocean, or maybe a lake. The third one is another shoreline, but this time it looks like that it is the bottom of the cliffside, because it has some rocks on the bottom. The middle one looks like it could be the beginning of the cliff, at the bottom, the start of the path. The second to top one looks like that it is of a further cliff edge. Finally, the top one looks like it leads off to the peak of the hill.
How does the title "Constructed Landscapes" suggest how these photos were made?
I think that it suggests that these photos are collages of pictures of landscapes, all cut up and artificially made. This photo for example, looks like a photo of the same cliff from different angles, but when its all constructed, it looks like the same cliff from the same angle.
If I were to describe this to someone who couldn't see it, I would describe it as a landscape photo. I would say that it is of a cliffside, taken from different places and angles. I think that it is of the same cliffside, maybe of Dover considering the colour. What the photographer has done, is cut up these photos, put them on top of one another, and somehow made it look like a mountain. The edges that connect the photos look like they have been burned, because they look like a dark orange. The burned parts look like they could be the pathway leading up the hill. The picture is made up of 6 separate pictures, the bottom one being a sort of shoreline of the side the photographer is standing on, the second one up could be the ocean, or maybe a lake. The third one is another shoreline, but this time it looks like that it is the bottom of the cliffside, because it has some rocks on the bottom. The middle one looks like it could be the beginning of the cliff, at the bottom, the start of the path. The second to top one looks like that it is of a further cliff edge. Finally, the top one looks like it leads off to the peak of the hill.
How does the title "Constructed Landscapes" suggest how these photos were made?
I think that it suggests that these photos are collages of pictures of landscapes, all cut up and artificially made. This photo for example, looks like a photo of the same cliff from different angles, but when its all constructed, it looks like the same cliff from the same angle.
Photography Workshop with Dafna Talmor
During the workshop, we were told to make our own version of Dafna Talmor's "Constructed Landscapes" work. Dafna herself came into the school and help us work, and these are my results from the workshop. As the day progressed, I think that the pictures got gradually better. These are all in chronological order.
In Detail Description of the Workshop
1) Summarise what Dafna told you about her practice - what interested/intrigues you about the way she works?
During the workshop, Dafna told us about her ideas and how the idea of "Constructed Landscapes" came to life. She told us what her main ideas were, like cutting out all the artificial life and only keeping the natural life. She then showed us the acetate that she worked on.
2) List the range of materials, tools and resources available to you in the workshop.
In the workshop, we used a lot of materials to help us get the best Constructed Landscapes that we could. We used a lot of old negatives, acetate, a lightbox, slides, and some coloured pens and coloured cellophane / gel sheets. We used tools like scissors and scalpels to cut the slides into new shapes and sizes.
During the workshop, Dafna told us about her ideas and how the idea of "Constructed Landscapes" came to life. She told us what her main ideas were, like cutting out all the artificial life and only keeping the natural life. She then showed us the acetate that she worked on.
2) List the range of materials, tools and resources available to you in the workshop.
In the workshop, we used a lot of materials to help us get the best Constructed Landscapes that we could. We used a lot of old negatives, acetate, a lightbox, slides, and some coloured pens and coloured cellophane / gel sheets. We used tools like scissors and scalpels to cut the slides into new shapes and sizes.