Composition- John Hedgecoe

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Composition on a photography can be very important. There are lots of different types of composition.

Description: composition means the  way in which the photograph is set out and there are different types of composition. It is the arrangement of elements and their relationships to the background of an image.
Rules of photo composition:

• The rule of thirds
• The golden section

Factual: This photo is by the famous photographer John Hedgecoe. He took this photo of Henry Moore.

Context: This photo is set in a studio. There isn't much in the room only Henry. He is standing in the place where your eye naturally spots first. As he is reaching up, it makes us want to see what he may be reaching to and the photo stands out even more. In this photo Henry isn't looking towards the camera, which as I said makes us think what he met be reaching to or what he might be able to see.

Technique: I think this photo was taken just in front of a plain black background. John obviously used an effect to make it black and white but he might not have because the photo was taken in 1967 so photos may of came out black and white naturally. The camera is facing down towards Henry Moore so Hedgecoe obviously wanted us to think maybe there was more to the photo than we think.

Aesthetics: I really like this photo because as it is black and white I think it gives us more to think about. As the camera is facing down towards him, it looks like he is reaching out to the photographer. In this photo even though it is plain I think it tells us a lot about how Henry was feeling and that he was trying to get something across to us. 

The rule of thirds:  The basic principles of the rule of  thirds is to image breaking an image down into thirds, so that you have 9 parts.  As shown below.




The theory of the Rule of thirds is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that your photo becomes more balanced and will enable the viewer to interact with the photo more naturally.



Example:

http://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds

Lighting- Perou

The use of lighting in a photo can either decide whether the photo will be terrible or brilliant. Making lighting on a photo depends on how you use your camera. Your camera will use the built in light meter and measuring how much light is being reflected to the camera. If the lighting is totally wrong, then the photo may look completely wrong and the light might reflect off all the wrong places. However, as i said it can make a photo look brilliant but only if the light reflects of the right places and shines on to the correct places then you will get a spectacular photo.

This photo is a good example of lighting because the light shines right onto his face and makes a reflection onto the background behind.


Factual: Richard Armitage in December 2010, shot by Perou.

Context: This is a head and shoulder shot by British Fashion and music photographer Perou. His images much like this one has a strong sharpness about them, shot so that it records everything in the photo with sharp detail and crystal clear precision.


Technique: I think that this photo has been shot just in a studio with a white background. Richard has been put in plain clothing to make him blend in with the background. I think that Perou put quite a lot of lighting in front of him so that it made a shadow behind him.


Aesthetics: In this photo i really like the lighting in this photo because the light shines on him and creates a reflection onto the background. This shows us that the light has reflected of him and hasn't reached the background behind him. I also like this photo because colour is almost absent in the shot. A white background, a white shirt and black hair. The only colour in this photo is of the skin, the red lips and the blue eyes. This makes the lighting look even more spectacular on this model.



http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/use-of-light-in-photography/

Focal point- Annie Liebovitz

Definition: Focal point is where the object or person is the main point of interest so when someone looks at the photo this is what they are drawn to first. The focal point of a camera lens is the distance where subjects in front of the lens appear to be in sharp focus.

Factual: This photo was taken by Annie Liebovitz of the actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

Context: This photo was taken of Leonardo DiCaprio. Annie photographed Leonardo DiCaprio cuddling a swan that has looped its neck around the handsome film stars for vanity fair.

Technique: In this photo i think that it also has a backdrop because Leonardo looks like he has been placed carefully between the grass. The focal point is close so we cant see much of the field. In my opinion i think that he is holding the swan in his hands because i dont see how it could just be placed there by photo shop.


Aesthetics: I really like this photo because with the grass being blurred out it draws you in to the main focus of the image with is Leonardo DiCaprio and the swan. Also, by blurring out the grass it lets you focus on the main part of the photo. Because the focal point is close it makes us wonder what might actually be happening in this photo. With the grass slightly curled round it makes it look like there is a calm breeze blowing through the grass making it sway. With the grass being a lighter shade of grey, there is a distinct line of where his hair is. The contrast of black and white makes the main focus really stand out with the swan being wrapped around his neck.




This website is very useful because it tells you what focal point is and how you can change it.
http://digital-photography-school.com/using-focal-points-in-photography
http://partnouveau.com/?p=1912

Depth of field- Annie Liebovitz

With depth of field it is very important that you create the best effects you can so that your main focus is only on one thing. Instead of having loads of things crammed into a background make it blurred so that when we look at the photo our eye is drawn into the main aspect. This photo shows us this.


Definition: Depth of field is the distance between the nearest and furthest object that appears in the photograph. The nearest object is sharp and clear and is the main focus whereas the background is blurry but still visible.

Factual: This photo is by the American photographer Annie Liebovitz. It is a retaken scene from the Disney movie Cinderella.

Context: This photo is of Scarlett Johansson. By her dress we can see that she has just been to a ball. In this photo we cant see where she is going to so this makes us think where she may be heading?


Technique: In this photo i don't think that Scarlett is actually in this photo i think it is just a backdrop because the background looks animated  I think this photo has been photo shopped because it looks very clear and sharp just to be taken by a camera. I think Annie wanted the background to look animated but also add real features to it.

Aesthetics: In this photo the steps make the photo look like it has a very deep depth of field because they look like they are never ending. Even though Cinderella is the main focus in this photo your eye still looks back at the castle making it have a good depth. I like the animated effect it has on the castle because it it blurry but we are able to see it like it is very clear. Even though Cinderella is the main focus, because of the lighting we cant help but notice the shoe placed on the stairs.



There are 3 direct relationships with depth of field. 1) the diaphragm opening of the lens. 2) the focal point of the lens in use. 3) image size (it has a direct relation to distance.)







These are links of where i found my information.


http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/fototech/htmls/depth.html
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EbObdbed_mU73NIFc3hZ0H4rkfuHbT263qSfWD0poVglN4QAzTAeEMsm9MriJiv75kGBzNHidfxlJJ1VIE9msbLpBk9Pq1IME7TpUqH41RH86j9N3WyYcsRU0uj2sLsiIdTDOJcm-JoF/s1600/annie_leibovitz_disney-1600x1200.jpg

First Analysis

The photographer of this photo is Annie Liebowitz who is an American portrait photographer. She was born on October 2 1949 (age 63.) She grew up in Waterbury in the united states.

She took this photo of Meryl Streep (the famous film star) for the cover of the rolling stone magazine. Meryl was becoming an upcoming actress and gaining lots of attention.

This photo is shot straight on and is a medium close-up. Meryl Streep is looking straight into the camera, as if she was trying to make the viewer part of the picture. The fascinating thing about this picture is that we cant see the hands or arms. The photo was taken so we can not see whos hands are pulling on meryls face, it could be hers or someone else's. This photo looks like it has only little lighting to it, but most of it is all straight on.

I really like this photo, I like how Meryl is the only thing in the photo and the background is just plain so that our attention is only on her. Annie put Meryl in a plain white t-shirt and white face paint and that make me think that maybe she wanted to be seen as a normal person. I like how her face was being pulled, this makes me think that she was pretending to be someone or something that she wasn't.