Assignment Two

Today we got our second assignment. He actually posted it online too! Here it is:

ABSTRACT COMPOSITION

In this assignment the goal is to explore composition and design elements of photography, through abstracted images. The main “subject” of your photographs for this assignment should be shape, line, rythym, light, dark, positive and negative space.

The “object” of your photographs for this assignment is less important than the compostition and design elements you are exploring.

An abstract image, by its definition, is not an actual (recognizable) representation of a subject. Since there is no one point of interest (a recognizable subject) to save it, a precise sense of design is necessary to make a good photograph. Form is primary; content is irrelevant. For the photographer, this offers an other way of seeing the world with a camera. There can be a conflict inherent in this type of work because of the nature of the medium. Usually a camera records life in realistic form. However, the nature of the medium requires that you translate a three-dimensional subject onto a two dimensional plane. A photograph is always a translation of reality, and it is only representational. For the viewer, the first question may be, "What is this? No, don't tell me." After trying to identify the subject of the photograph, they may say "What is it?" The search to define something in terms of what is familiar is a natural function of how the mind organizes information. For those who can go beyond defining the image in terms of the original subject, it can be enticing, and another element to add interest. Since the viewer's perception is personal, the responsibility of the photographer is to facilitate visual motion within the frame and communicate in a coherent way, no matter what the subject of the photograph may be.

Key elements

-Use photographic elements such as light and focus to manipulate how we see your subject matter

- Pay attention to the edges and corners of the frame.

- Pay attention to elements of line and how it affects the movement of your eye.

- Pay attention to light and shadow and how it accentuates certain elements of the photograph.

Please turn in a folder of at least 40 images for this assignment. You will need to select 5 of your most successful images to share during class.

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He said over and over to not take "abstract" photographs, but to think about our subject abstractly. For example; "These lines complement this round object on the other side"...etc. Instead of "The trees look pretty cool over here with my dog in the other side of the picture." He also said over and over to be mindful of the whole frame. The edges too, not just whats in the center. As I like taking pictures of people, and pretty much have the weekend to take my pictures (although it isn't due until Wednesday), I'll probably have my camera in hand most of the time. I'm not sure how I'm going to go about it as the temperature is supposed to be below 25 and mostly cloudy all weekend. I guess that's where the challenge comes in!