Project 3: Using Lines in Compositions - Exercises, Notes and Conclusions

Exercise Implied Lines


Brief:

• Find the implied lines in the inserted photographs

The Bullfighter  This photograph shows the direction that both the matador and the bull are going in.  The viewer can see the movement in both elements of the photograph and is aware that control and attention is required by the matador and rage with movement is shown by the bull.

Controlling The Horses  The horses are controlling the frame and pointing toward the direction in which they are travelling.  They show speed and control while a line is shown by the handler as he moves towards them.

• Find any three photographs of your own, and perform the same analysis

Taken in December 2007 the photograph draws the eye towards the flow of the stream.  Assisted by the reflection of the branches, the eye moves as it is drawn to the detail that is diminishing with depth.

Taken in September 2010. The lead walker is looking back and bringing your attention to his friends who are deep in conversation behind him. Creating an eye line from him backwards as he looks a little impatient at their slowness.

A photograph that I took back in the summer of 2010 at our village fete.  This is a brother and sister who are seemingly inseparable.  The sister draws your attention to her brother as she looks at him with love and affection

• Take two photographs that use the following kinds of implied lines to lead the eye

AN EYE LINE

The Mighty Oak

1/125 sec at f 11 12mm ISO 100

Taken with my wide angle lens and with a blue gel over it, I virtually lay on the floor take the image. The after processing consisted of an increase in blacks and vibrancy in Lightroom and also an appliance of a HDR process in Phototools 2.5 through CS5.


The trunk of the tree leads the eye towards the branches and up to the sky. Both the diagonals and the vertical and lines help with the delivery and impact of the photograph along with the HDR and colour gel properties. With all the branches rising the viewer is led upwards to the colour and escape through the darkness of the trees to the sky.

THE EXTENSION OF A LINES OR LINES THAT POINT

The Railway Line

3/5 sec at F5.6 18mm ISO 200

Taken again with my wide angle lens, the railway track points the way for the train, extends beyond the view and into infinity after the depth of vision in the photograph. You know that the train is going to run along the track and in which direction it will be travelling. From this view point you would surmise that you would either see the rear of the train southbound or the front, northbound.


Conclusions

Lines are important in the story telling of a photograph and it is something that interest me greatly.  I like my photographs to have a story and a point to them. Therefore like the other sections within this part of the course, I have not found it easy, but have learnt a great deal from it. 


I believe that most photographers abide by the rule of lines without giving too much thought to it, but with completion of this section I can see the reasons why much more thought should be given to the attention of this detail.  


I understand more with each day why the OCA advise that this is the first module you should do when you start the course.