Exercise 16. The relationship between points.

The theory for this exercise is to place the points of interest in the intersections or along the lines, to create a more balanced photograph.


My idea is to isolate both subjects, keeping the composition simple, and pay attention to the Rule of Thirds when creating the visual focal points.
Both points are to fit in the frame yet be well separated.

Equipment used.
Fig 1 and 2, Handheld Canon Camera
Fig 3 - fig 7.  Nikon D7000
Tripod
60mm lens
18-105mm lens
No flash

Fig 1  1/80 sec    f/8.0    5.8mm    ISO 80

An older photograph taken with Canon handheld pocket camera.

The beach creates a plain background and the people appear to be moving towards the converging point of the  two diagonal lines created by the waters edge and the edge of wet sand.  

The male is prominent in this shot, the eye is drawn there first, the eye is then led diagonally to the left to the couple walking. 

Fig 2   1/800sec    f/4.0    14.3mm    ISO 150

As above, hand held Canon. 

In this photograph, the vehicle is the main focal point which again leads the eye to the left diagonally, to the second focal point, a small gathering of people.  There is tension in this photograph, created by the tightness of the rope which leads the eye to the left also and the pointing of the man out to the sea, what he is pointing too is left to our imagination.

Fig 3    1/3sec    f/9.0    34mm    ISO 200

Still Life.  

I created this still life, in an area where there was natural light from a huge window, but used the light from the lamp to create highlights on the wall which was uninteresting.  

The lamp is the main focal point and the eye is drawn forward to the stack of books in the foreground. 

I feel that this is a well balanced photograph, where I have considered the rule of thirds, to create the balance. 

Fig 4    8sec    f/22.0    60mm    ISO 100

I tried many times to create a photograph, using just the lighting from the flame which would give me very soft highlights on an otherwise cold hard metal candle holder.  

The flame is the dominant subject in this image, by being placed at the foreground of the photograph and the soft lighting from the flame, leads the eye to focus on the side of the face of this figure.  

The darkness of the background brings out the soft warm golden colours of both candle and reflected light.  

Fig 5    30sec    f/18.0    60mm    ISO 400

Potpourri with a twist.

This was taken using natural light and no flash.  I attempted to create the two points of interest by using two larger subjects amongst smaller pieces of Potpourri.  Placing the two objects at opposite points in the photograph.  

Within the Potpourri there are many textures and patterns seen. I chose two of the basic primary colours, Red and Yellow, these are two of the three primary colours that cannot be created by mixing other colours. 

The yellow glass bead, is dominant, and the eye is led to the upper right to the open woven ball.  I initially thought that the sharp edge of the seed pod would help to lead the eye but looking critically at this now it possibly detracts the eye. 

Fig 6    1/40sec    f/20.0    24mm    ISO 100

I came across these two machines when on a trip down Wadi Hilti.  They create two excellent focal points, the track machine at the front being more dominant as it occupies a larger portion of the frame.  The ridge and lay of the roadway being dug out of the mountainside leads the eye to the smaller digger to the left.

The uppermost edge of the mountain range is well placed, and creates a balanced photograph with the two machines placed within the confines of the rule of thirds.  

Fig 7    1/320sec    f/9.0    28mm    ISO 125

Wahiba Sands 12,500 square metres of desert in Oman.

There is a strong relationship between the two bushes here, clinging onto life in the desolate sands of Wahiba desert. 

The larger of the two bushes lead the eye to the smaller shrub in an upward diagonal direction and the diagonal lines which are created by the strong wind speeds, make an interesting photograph, by creating pattern and texture.

My thoughts on this exercise

This exercise was more difficult to achieve, as I found it was more concerned with the relationship between the two points in the capture.  I had to consider how the two points indicated an implied line and direction within the photograph. 

What I did find was that one point was more strong in the photograph, than the second.  

It was difficult to find suitable situations and subjects for this exercise, too many distractions in the frame made it difficult to separate the two points from other objects, as in Fig 5.