• The title of my project is Wednesday Wonderland
• Wednesday is generally the most hated day of the week (other than Monday), as it often feels like a boring, nondescript day, where you’re kind of in a slump and not creative about anything. It’s very drab and no one likes it. Also, for those familiar with the Addams family, Wednesday is the name of one of their children, and she is known for having a deadpan expression and is associated with gothic undertones. This might be similar to what people think of when they think of 798, an abandoned factory – a sort of eyesore place that’s devoid of creativity and life. However, that’s the expectation that I want to subvert through my triptych. While 798 can be thought of as “Wednesday-like”, it can also be associated with a “wonderland”, where things are not as they seem. Pipes that used to transport steam are used as decoration and old factories that used to mass produce cheap goods now house expensive, one of a kind art pieces. Furthermore, the illusion that the 3 pictures form 1 building (elaborated on later) also plays into the “Wonderland” aspect, where rules of the physical dimension can be broken. Through my triptych and the naming of my triptych, I hope my viewers can consider the unique duality of 798.
• The artists that have inspired my work most are Iwao Yamawaki and Aaron Siskind. Iwao Yamawaki influenced the way I approached my subject, the Bauhaus style buildings at 798. He managed to capture even drab, everyday buildings that weren’t meant to be subjects of art in poetic, intriguing manners. Although his pictures are abstract, they do not completely render its subject devoid of context and its original distinguishing features. Aaron Siskind inspired me to treat everything I approach, even the “little things” as subjects worthy of photographing. In order to develop my ideas for this project I experimented with different angles of framing buildings. In this particular triptych, the buildings are framed in more typical manners, but throughout the process I also tried taking pictures of buildings with different angles and perspectives. I also tried photographing specific elements of interest in different ways. For example, for the first picture, I also tried to take a picture of the pipes from an extreme low POV angle (which almost killed my back), or tried to capture a large amount of the building front-on.
• After experimenting, I brought together these 3 pictures for my final triptych. Although this triptych did not cover some other photos that I really liked I think that each of the 3 photos in the triptych would be able to stand alone as a successful picture, so there’s no “weak link”. Furthermore, the purposeful combination of the three adds a layer of interest to the entire composition. The pictures on the left and right are taken from an angle, whereas the one in the middle is a front on view. To many viewers, this creates the illusion that the 3 pictures actually form 1 picture of a building (of course the perspective doesn’t add up in real life, but its visually intriguing). This compositional structure creates a sense of surprise within the audience, while also conveying the large scale and size of the buildings. The three pictures also convey varied textures and gradients through different brick elements and interplay of light. In particular, the first and third pictures contrast each other, with the one on the left being mostly light-colored, and the one on the left being cloaked in shadow/darker tones.
• Overall, I think that this triptych managed to capture some of the distinctive elements of 798, such as the brick buildings and pipes. One thing that might not have been explicitly captured is links to rebirth. I tried to capture this in some other pictures, which fused mechanic and organic imagery together (such as pipes and plants), but I didn’t have enough photographs to form a compelling triptych.
• I hope that the viewer is pleasantly surprised and enjoys my portrayal of the specific architecture in 798.
• For future projects, I think I need to spend more time around each subject and take more pictures; when I was assembling my triptych, I felt like I had a couple of solid pictures, but I couldn’t find enough pictures with similar elements, tones, and structure to them to put them in a group. Also, I need to work on organizing my photographs in lightroom better.

Artist Introduction

Photographic Style

Aaron Siskind’s art aims to mirror Abstract Expressionist painting (“How Aaron Siskind Found Abstraction…”). His unique art style eliminated pictorial space, with “concentration on the arrangement of objects within the picture plane” (“Aaron Siskind”). Notably, he would close in on subjects, removing distracting elements to enhance “emotional sense” or an “allusive aspect”, condensing the energies of the subjcets he photographed (“Aaron Siskind”)

Artistic Vision

Notably, Aaron siskind photographed recognizable places to create a new way of “communicating ideas, feeling, and perpsectives on life and history” (“Aaron Siskind”) and to capture the “drama of objects” (How Aaron Siskind Found Abstraction…). His pictures have often been described as poetic, conceptual, embodying themes of decay, fragmentation, and regeneration (“Aaron Siskind”)

Artist Gallery

Please view Gallery on a full screen laptop for best effects

Gloucester, 1949 | Aaron Siskind

Jerome, Arizona 21 | Aaron Siskind

Durango 8, 1961 | Aaron Siskind

Rome 62, 1967 | Aaron Siskind

Guadalajara, Mexico 21, 1961 | Aaron Siskind

Chicago Facade 7, 1960 | Aaron Siskind

Gloucester, 1978 | Aaron Siskind

Vermont 226, 2006 | Aaron Siskind

Photographic Style

1. Black and White gradients
2. isolated exploration of texture\shape\line
3. some emphasis on near repetition
4. shows a singular plane (2D). Some elements might have an obvious 3D element, such as Jerome, Arizona 21, but they all exist on a seemingly isolated 2D plane
5. even focus, no manipulation of focus

I like how Aaron Siskind’s photographs are very atmospheric. Even though he didn’t create the things he photographed (e.g. the peeling paint), he makes it look so much more artistic than one would think peeling paint on a moulding wall would be. Also, he creates a nice balance of different textures, making the scene varied but also not unbalanced.

Quotation

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever…it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”

I like this quote as its Aaron Siskind’s own interpretation of photography. Through the quote, we can understand how he really emphasizes and respects the medium of photography. From his description of how what you capture on film stays forever, I feel like he really reveres each snap of the camera shutter.

Furthermore, what he says about photography capturing “little things” connects back to his artistic style. Almost everyone has had fleeting moments where they walk by, for example, some torn paper posters, and just ignored it as unimportant and moved on. However, Aaron Siskind would be able to see these “little things” and through an artists’ eyes see the beauty in the undervalued and mundane, using them to compose a work of art.

Inspiration

Aaron Siskind inspires me in many ways. The way he treats his art, as seen from the quote, is one that is purposeful, intentional, and perceptive. I feel like that is the way I want to take photography as well. I think his emphasis on capturing the “little things” is also one that is significant. It’s part of what makes some art abstract, as you are showing the world from a unique perspective, and it gives me inspiration for how I can find my subject. For example, while other people might try to take pictures of landmark buildings and structures, I could try to reframe things in a different way to show a different perspective.

Also, in my statement of intent, I mentioned that I wanted to capture distinct features of a specific landmark. I think that Aaron Siskind does something similar, as he focuses on photographing interesting aspects of a location, and then names his photograph after that location. I think his emphasis on the “little things” will help me focus on some truly intriguing part of 798 that show some of its characteristics. Furthermore, Aaron Siskind’s art conveys similar to themes to what I want to show in my triptych, such as regeneration and the joy of viewing everyday, unnoticed objects as a subjejct of art. His final pieces also feel authentic and carry a “feeling of the world”; even though the pictures are intentionally framed as 2D slices, you can feel so much texture that you know its rooted in a real life place, unlike some other artists that photograph repetition and texture.

One Photo Analysis

Rome 62, 1967 | Aaron Siskind

Why did I choose this image?

I chose this image firstly because it is representative of Aaron Siskind’s style: framing subject as a 2-dimensional slice, shows different textures’ interaction on a peeling wall; the subject is not anything glamorous, but somehow the way the different paper and font sizes fit together is intriguing to the audience. I think that this style could also be carried over to 798, as 798 is known for having interesting brick walls and walls with graffiti on them.

What do I find surprising or unusual about this photograph?

I find it surprising that Aaron Siskind was able to balance the textures of the different papers so artistically. A lot of people might see the papers, but only a small fraction would take time to inspect it, and an even smaller fraction to stay and take a picture of it. But even then, its hard to make flimsy, cheap, half torn paper look well.

Choose a formal element and explain why it is important

Texture. I think its evident that its the most intriguing aspect of the photograph. The interaction between and combination of different paper textures shows what Aaron Siskind calls the “drama of objects”, and especially the peeling of the paper shows the theme of fragmentation and possible regeneration and rebirth through ascending normalcy and being immortalized in a photograph.

Quotations

Total Contact Sheet – I took 2 trips to 798, taking pictures inspired by 2 photographer’s art styles. I chose my 2 sets from the total of 800+ pictures.

Set 1 (based off Iwao Yamawaki)

For each set contact sheet color (yellow, green, red), I give broad justifications as to why I picked certain pictures. I checked on DX and it says we are supposed to annotate our contact sheet, however this was not mentioned during class, so I didn’t include it in the post. Let me know if this is a requirement.

Yellow Pictures

I have a lot of yellow pictures as I took 2 trips to 798 and primarily focused on Iwao Yamawaki’s artistic style. I chose all these pictures as I felt like they loosely aligned with either my artistic vision, Iwao Yamawaki’s photography styles, or both. For example, the subject of many of the photographs contain industrial elements such as the bricks and pipes that are attributed to 798. Most of them adhere to at least 1 other artistic style I defined. For many of the photos, they are the most successful shot out of a couple of different angles I made, as Iwao Yamawaki would often frame buildings in a slanting manner (I actually had to work around with the slants a bit as doing it wrong makes the photo look bad). Many of them also featured a strong line and shape element. I also kept those I thought had potential at conveying my statement of intent; although Iwao Yamawaki’s work features strictly inorganic buildings, I also photographed the intersection between industrial elements and organic elements in my pictures.

Green Pictures

I chose the green pictures through rigorous criteria; they had to to Iwao Yamawaki’s art style. Each picture has a strong line and shape element. Many of them include long, fluid lines . Some of them are also angled, similar to Iwao Yamawaki’s artwork. Furthermore, each picture had to be one that I liked, for a combination of reasons, including: clear connection to Iwao Yamawaki’s art style, interesting subject matter (for example, the building with the tree on top of it), and potential to fulfill my statement of intent.

I also excluded pictures that were in landscape format, as after reflecting on the yellow pieces, I decided to do portrait format for my triptych. Although I tried to crop some landscape pictures I particularly liked into portrait, generally the results were not good.

Red Pictures

The red pictures were the pictures I liked the most. At this point, I was certain that all of them would have connections with Iwao Yamawaki’s artwork, so I focused on personal liking and the relationship between picture and statement on intent. Each photograph shows some connection to 798’s defining characteristics, such as pipes, brick wall, old factory equipment etc, so anyone who knows 798 and looks at this will be able to make the connection and say – that looks like the 798 I know. I also believe that the photos convey the qualities in an intriguing manner, allowing them to be surprised by the structural, geometric beauty of old factory-related equipment.

Although I didn’t expect much results, I think that some of the photos also played into other more abstract themes, such as rebirth, which is shown through the pairing of abandoned industrial equipment and new, growing plants.

I think each picture shows an authentic part of 798, and that it shows the viewer 798 – through an artistic lens.

1 Picture Evaluation

Stylistic choice:

• shows an isolated exploration of tone with black and white filter and nice gray gradients
• strong, straight diagonal lines, such as the pipe lines and roof line
• not angled, but shows lines going in different diagonals
• strong shape element, which is made interesting as the pipes are in pairs/threes

I like the different elements of this photograph, as they include both bricks and pipes. Thus, I think it manages to capture many defining features of 798. Furthermore, the pipes are bent in an almost organic-like manner, making themselves seem dynamic, like they are growing out of the rooftop. So, even though the pipes are now abandoned and often ignored and treated as imperfections in the scenery, the photograph allows the viewers to appreciate the pipes and see them in a new light.

I think all of these effects tie back to my statement of intent, which is why I finally chose this as one of my “red” photographs

Set 2 (based off Aaron Siskind)

Yellow Pictures

I have less amount of pictures in set 2, so I wasn’t as strict with criteria for selecting yellow photos. Generally, what I wanted were photos that were decent (good focus, no blur or noise, good subject), and then showed some kind of texture. Some photos had more of a 3D element to them (such as  pattern and texture created by repeated ridges/windows/pipes) than Aaron Siskind’s work, which is almost strictly 2 dimensional. However, I felt like they captured an interesting pattern and a unique part of 798, so they were also included in the preliminary cut.

Green Pictures

For the Green photographs, I did very thorough elimination. First of all, I either tried to convert my landscape-orientation photos to portrait. If they did not work well in the portrait format, I eliminated them immediately. I also took away pictures that weren’t to my liking or weren’t “interesting” enough. For example, photographing just some peeling paint with now much variance in texture. This is because these photos don’t really fit the vision of my triptych, as I aim to photograph something distinctive that surprises the audience. I also took off photos that strayed too far from Aaron Siskind’s photography style and had too much of a 3D element. For all my green photographs, they capture some interesting feature of 798, for example an arrangement of pipes on the wall, or how different “shapes” or windows are matched together. This fits with my intent to capture the “soul” and structural quirks of 798. I also photographed some instances where patterns are broken, or photographed near patterns, which I think help to build that sense of surprise and individualism.

Red Pictures

These were the final 4 photos I selected for my “red” photos. I think that each of the photos has a significant link to my statement of intent. Although my first picture was taken from somewhere close (not in) 798, I feel like it captures the idea of finding beauty and pattern in unexpected places, such as a mass construction site. While it is a 3D site, the mass repetition of construction units creates a unique sense of texture while juxtaposing the idea of identical rooms with artistic creativity (which also fits with Aaron Siskind’s photographic techniques). The subject of construction also conveys a feeling of rebirth, and allows the audience, who would usually regard construction sites as eyesores and not worth much attention in a new way (which is also how Aaron Siskind treats his subjects). For others, they capture the quirks of 798 such as brick walls, brick chimneys, and interesting windows in an artistic manner. I feel like each picture would be able to stand on its own in a photography exhibition.

1 Picture Evaluation

Line – strong sense of straight lines from the subject in the composition. There are also “invisible lines” formed by the alignment of the 4 windows, making it seem like there is a cross in the photograph.

Shape – The different windows make up the shape element in the photograph. What I like about this photo is that the shape of each window is different, subverting the expectation of the audience. Although windows are not usually associated with being “drab” and “cheap”, most people would expect windows to be just ordinary staples of a building and all be uniform in design. However, the varied shapes add some quirk to the brick building, allowing the audience to be pleasantly surprised.

Repetition/Pattern – The bricks in the middle add some sense of repetition. I had to zoom out a lot to capture the 4 windows, so the bricks make the middle parts of the photograph feel more balanced and less empty.

Texture – The shadow/paint on the bricks conveys a strong sense of texture, as do different details on the windows, such as the reflective material of the windows on the left.

Value/Tone – There is some shade/value in the photograph, however, I did manually take off some shadow in post-production, as I felt like that de-emphasized the other more important elements of the photograph.

Focus – Clear focus.

Link to Aaron Siskind – Although the photograph is not as zoomed in and tightly cropped as most of his artwork, I feel like this photograph manages to reflect some of his techniques, such as emphasis on near repetition, photographing a 2D plane, while also capturing the “drama of objects” by portraying the unique differences in each window.

Link to intent –

As mentioned before, this photograph captures some unique aspects of 798, such as large brick walls. It also juxtaposes the uniformity of the brick wall (in extension 798’s past as an industrial family) as well as the mismatched windows (in extension the refurbishments done by artists to 798 during its “rebirth” as an art district). There’s a lot to unpack in the photo, which makes the audience realize that even a boring wall of a factory could become a work of art.

Artist Introduction

The photographer that inspires me is Japanese photographer and architect Iwao Yamawaki. The first thing that attracted me is his relationship to Bauhaus Architecture; he was a student of the Bauhaus (Iwao Yamawaki | Howard Greenberg Gallery), which is the same architecture style 798 is in (“Fig. 4. Bauhaus Style…”). He is not famous for abstract photography, but some of his photos qualify as abstract, and are a source of inspiration for me.

Gallery

Please view in full screen/wide screen format for best results. (I coded the blog so that it will show 2 pictures next to each other, but only if the screen is wide enough)

Untitled (Composition with bricks, Bauhaus) | Iwao Yamawaki 1930-2, from the Tate Museum

Stairs and Shadow | Iwao Yamawaki 1932, from Howard Greenberg Gallery

Untitled (Modernist architecture) | Iwao Yamawaki 1930-2, Tate Museum

View from the Tower of Pisa | Iwao Yamawaki 1932, listed on artnet

Untitled (Bridge) | Iwao Yamawaki 1930-2, listed on artnet

Untitled | Iwao Yamawaki 1932, from Museum of Modern Arts

Untitled (Facade, De Wolkenkrabber, Amsterdam, Architect: Jan Frederik Staal) | Iwao Yamawaki 1932, listed on artnet

Untitled (photo of the Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam) | Iwao Yamawaki, 1930-2, listed on invaluable auctions

Abstraction (Gears) | Iwao Yamawaki 1932

Analyse the photographic style. Make a list of at least 5 characteristics (typical things) that define can your chosen photographs (Tip: think about the Formal Elements. Also, what do you see that’s similar in three or more of these pictures?).

5 Characteristics of Iwao Yamawaki’s work:

1. An isolated exploration of tone (black and white filter, removes colour and emphasizes only on contrasting tones of white-black in his pictures)
2. Strong, straight, diagonal lines from the architecture that run across the frame (generally shown in pictures with pictures of buildings
3. Angled frame, showing the subject at a titled angle (most prominent in pics 3, 4, 6, 7, 8)
4. Some emphasis on near repetition, such as repeated windows, repeated patterns of shadows, repeated shape of bricks, repeated structure of gears
5. Strong shape element, such as the geometric shape of the bricks, or other pillars
6. Focus is clear throughout photograph, there is no manipulation of focus.

Iwao Yamawaki is not a particularly famous photographer. His photography career was brief, and suddenly ended before it could took off; he eventually became an architect (“Iwao Yamawaki”). Thus, I unfortunately don’t have a quote of his.

Connection to my Vision

Iwao Yamawaki’s work deeply connects to my vision from many aspects from subject matter to photography style. As I mentioned in my artist statement, I would like to emphasize the distinct features of 798, which includes its Bauhaus style architecture and ex-Industrial history; as a photographer deeply tied to the Bauhaus movement and a photographer who has photographed buildings of the Bauhaus style before, Iwao Yamawaki’s work serves as a guide of how I deal with my subject. I think the black and white aspect of his art is also a good tool to emphasize the structural details of the buildings I want to capture, emphasizing the theme of unexpected beauty; the filter also helps to build the mood of abandonment and isolation that I want to convey.

Since the subject matter Iwao Yamawaki focuses on and the subject matter I’m focusing on is similar, it is also easier to apply his artistic techniques (as opposed to me trying to apply techniques used in an abstract landscape photographer). For example, for my set based of Iwao Yamawaki, I will consider using angled frames and to capture the unique structural details of converted buildings in 798. In post production, I will use editing techniques to make my pictures black and white to further mirror his style.

1 Photo Analysis

Untitled (Modernist architecture) | Iwao Yamawaki 1930-2, Tate Museum

Why did I choose this image?

I chose this image because it captures a building in an abstract manner, which closely adheres to what I wish to do at 798.

What is unique/surprising about this image?

I think the structure of the photograph is unique; usually, I would not think of photographing a building like this. In fact, generally I would probably not view this building as worth photographing.

I also think its surprising how much complexity in texture and detail can be shown even using black and white (e.g. the windows of the building)

Choose a formal element and explain why it is important

I think one important formal element is the element of line. The entire photograph is composed of long and short lines. Structurally, it is composed of several long, diagonal lines that span the image. There are also many short, parallel lines that form some repetition/pattern, and these create variation in texture, making the photograph more interesting, and the building less homogenous.

Blog post 7 + 8 on DX

Artist Statement (rev 1)

Industrial Dreams and Whispers of Change

(cringe working title subject to change)

In my triptych, I want to emphasize the unique Industrial features of 798, an art district known for its history as a Bauhaus style Industrial factory. In my opinion, I believe that these features give 798 a distinct ‘soul’ and ‘voice’ and convey a theme of abandonment, rebirth, and finding beauty in unexpected places. I want the audience to be able to appreciate the unique history and structural tones of 798 and feel a feeling of isolation but also intrigue by viewing a ‘drab’, ‘normal’ factory formerly associated with mass-production through artistic, individualistic lens. For inspiration, I want to find photographers that have some background in photographing industrial architecture, or capture everyday, unnoticed objects in interesting ways. Furthermore, I want to find photographers whose photography styles are not too heavily rooted in post-production editing, as I want my portrayals of 798 to provide new perspectives, but still look authentic in the end. 798 is an intriguing art district to me, and I look forward to taking photographs that capture the idiosyncrasy of the district in an artistic manner.

Research Mind Map

 

 

Blog Task

This is blog post 5 on DX

1. PICK ONE PHOTOGRAPH FROM ONE OF THE NAMED PHOTOGRAPHERS “Abstract photography can be defined as capturing images in which the subject isn’t the most interesting element. Albert Renger-Patzsch, Edward Weston and Aaron Siskind photographed the ordinary to reveal their beauty. Uta Barth reversed the typical use of the camera, shooting out of focus and Andreas Gursky photographs the repetition of elements. During this unit you will investigate appropriate examples of abstract photography and respond in your own way..”

1. Copy the photograph into your blog
2. List 3 things the photographer might have been interested in capturing in this picture?
3. If you were the photographer, what title would you give it? Explain why.
4. Describe the use of line, shape, Pattern, texture, tone and focus – USE THE NOTES ABOVE AS A GUIDE. SOME EXAMPLES of WORK BELOW.
5. MAKE SURE YOU CITE SOURCES!!!

99 Cents

99 Cent – Andreas Gursky | the Broad

Elements of interest in the Photograph

The following information was generated from an analysis of “99 cents” from “The Broad):

1. capturing the overwhelming flood of products presented to consumers (in terms of quantity, color, choice)
2. contrasting the varied textures of each brand of products, while also showing repetition in the rows of items and uniformity of packaging
3. The relationship between consumers and products (showing consumers as sporadically spread out between aisles, looking almost anonymous and lost in a sea of merchandise.
4. Interesting near – symmetrical structure of an ubiquitous, normal, unartistic looking supermarket

After further research, it is also interesting to note that through digital manipulation, Andreas Gursky actually reflected the supermarket onto the ceiling of the store, further adding to the overwhelming visual effect and to the sensation of being surrounded by consumer culture gone mad (“COMPLETE: The Woulds of Wall Street”).

Alternate Name??

If you were the photographer, what title would you give it? Explain why.

I think that the title “99 cents” is suitable; it offers context on the subject of the photograph, while the mention of money in the title also appeals to the theme of the photo. However, if I were to name it, I would probably name it “My Romantic Dollarscape”. “The Romantic Dollarscape” is actually the name of a painting (Pedro Álvarez — Cuban Art Database, n.d.) by Pedro Alvarez, but I thought that it is fitting for this photograph.

“My” is ironic considering that “my” connotates a personal relationship with an object, while the photograph seems impersonal rather than personal,  taking on a wide POV that offers a very different perspective from that of the human eye. The shoppers are anonymous and are usually backfacing the viewer, so their features are undistinguished. Furthermore, the products are all mass produced, which means that they are all similar and produced with lack of creativity and individuality, and are not personal to the viewer. “Romantic” is also ironic, considering the uniformity and saturated designs of the packaging make it look superficial and cheap (as typical of a 99cent store) rather than romantic. Dollarscape is created by blending 2 words – dollar and scape – together. Dollar stands for our unit of money, while scape denotes “an extensive view, scenery” (“Dictionary.com”). Dollarscape does not seem to be a dictionary word, but the audience will probably understand it as a scenery to do with money, which again calls back to the theme with a dramatic flair, adding some flavor to a normal 99cents store. It also likens the view of the store to natural scenery, which also mirrors how the rows of products seem to form an artificial landscape.

Analysis

Line – the entire picture is composed of many lines. Those that most capture the audience’s attention are the long, horizontal straight lines that are formed by the rows of merchandise. I find these interesting, as they mirror the composition of a lot of natural landscape photography. There are also 6 vertical straight lines, which are created by pillars in the store, contrasting with the heavy horizontal elements.

Shape – shape is not the main focus of this photograph. Although arguably each individual piece of merchandise is a rectangular shape, I personally feel like Gursky was trying to make a statement by photographing the mass assemblage of the products, rather than trying to capture individual shapes of the packages.

Pattern – there is a strong sense of pattern created by the multiple rows of merchandise. Although items in stock differ, from the large scale perspective, they create a series of horizontal rows that is appealing and intriguing.

Texture – there is some sense of texture that is created through the different packages of items on each of the shelves. The illusion or appeal to the audience’s sense of texture could further expand on the theme of sensory overload due in current consumer culture.

Tone – The tone of the whole photograph reflects normal, everyday lighting (however, it might be a little brighter than usual just for artistic effect). There is not much shade in the photo, as everything is illuminated brightly and artificially.

Focus – The whole photograph is in focus, Gursky was likely not using his camera’s focus to make any statements.

Works Cited

Blog post 4

Blog Task

1. Explain what the phrase Formal Elements means in photography.
2. Describe each of the 6 elements discussed so far (line, shape, pattern, texture, tone, focus)
3. Give an example that emphasizes each element (you can use your own image or an image from somebody else – but it must be cited!)
4. Can an image show just one element at a time? Justify your answer.

Formal Elements of Photography

Definitions have been paraphrased from DX

Formal Elements – they are visual elements that make up an interesting, captivating photograph. These include line, shape, pattern, texture, tone and focus (DX).

Line – Objects are framed in a way that emphasize on their lines, which can be of varied lengths, boldness, directions. They can be both straight or curvy, and can suggest direction and guide the audience’s attention (DX).

Shape – geometric/organic shapes created through lines or elements of the scene (DX).

Repetition/Pattern – shapes/lines/elements in the scene which repeat and create a pattern (DX).

Texture – The subject is photographed in a way that suggests different sensory feelings when touched, for example, smooth, coarse, uneven (DX).

Value/Tone – shades and shadows in a photograph, for example dark VS light and portrayal of value (DX).

Focus – deals with parts of the scene the camera focuses on, which parts are clearest or sharpest? Sometimes, this can just be the whole photo (DX).

Example of Formal Elements

I used my own images as examples!

Line –

Shape – 

Repetition/Pattern – 

Texture –

Value/Tone – 

Focus

Discussion Question

Can an image show just one element at a time? Justify your answer.

Generally I think this is near impossible to do. Unless you isolate your composition until there is only a line and a blank background, you can always identify more than one element. They might not be the most detailed or interesting, however, everything is composed of lines, so that’s already one element. Lines are 2 dimensional and have no width, so you would also need either another element of photography, a background, or repeated lines to fill in a photograph. That would then show another element of photography.

Even an abstract photograph of, say, just a pipe, will include at least 2 elements: line and texture. If it has a background, it might also have elements of value/tone. So, generally, I think that one image usually will show more than 1 element at a time.

Citation

Dawson, Mike. “Formal Elements – Blog Posts 4 & PHOTO ANALYSIS – Blog Post 5.” Login / International School of Beijing, dx.isb.cn/dash/#/classroom/648607/sections/lesson/344121/page/344128. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.