The following is a direct copy and has been Pasted in for future reference from the Art of Photography coursework PDF Doc. (pasted in Maroon)
6 photographs
With several points the relationships are not so predictable. A group of objects implies a network of lines, and can also create a shape – again by implication. In still-life photography, one of the basic skills is to be able to group objects together in such a way that they are linked attractively, in a relationship that is active rather than obvious and static. This is essentially a problem of placing several points.
Set up your own still-life, with a background that is unfussy but not entirely plain. Use between six to 10 similar-sized objects, each compact in shape. You should fix the camera firmly in one position, aimed down at the background (ideally, use a tripod). The idea is to control the composition by rearrangement, not by changing the framing with the camera.
Begin by placing one object; make a record of this by taking a photograph. Then add the second, then the third, and so on; each time, take one photograph. The aim is to produce a final grouping, which is not so obvious as to be boring (avoid regular shapes), but which hangs together visually. The process will take some time, if you give it proper thought.
Consider each move and the effect that each new addition has on the overall grouping. You will almost certainly have to re-adjust objects that you have already placed, and may change your mind several times. This is perfectly normal in still-life photography.
When you have finished, you will have a blow-by-blow sequence of photographs that records your decisions. For the final photograph draw a sketch, indicating the ‘lines’ that relate the objects, and any basic shape or shapes that they form.
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Equipment
Nikon D4
24/70 f2.8 lens
Tripod
Speedlight 910 & softbox
Method
In this exercise I set the camera up on a tripod and used a speedlight and softbox to bring a little more character to the images. With the camera perched on the tripod and my points in the frame, I took a lightmeter reading adjusted the settings to suit and fired a few test shots. Happy with my picture colour and exposures I then put the camera into timer mode (2 seconds) and started to arrange the points to reflect upon this exercise.
Please see pictures and captions below, All pictures were taken with a 24/70 mm lens, aperture set to f20, speed 1 second, ISO 400.
Note – all pictures have been compressed hence there will be a quality reduction when enlarging.
- Picture 1 – This was my basic starting arrangement, each item gently touching its neighbouring points.
- Picture 2 – In my second picture there are two more pieces of fruit both having a little space between, this time arranged in a rhomboid pattern focused around a centrally placed point.
- Picture 3 – My third arrangement has even more space between and is arranged in a circular pattern, focused around a centrally placed point.
- Picture 4 – My fourth arrangement shows less space between the points and is arranged in a random circular pattern. This arrangement also has straight lines and triangle shapes inside the outer pattern.
- Picture 5 – My fifth arrangement shows much less space between the points and is arranged in the shape of a right angled triangle which has straight lines and smaller triangles within the major pattern.
- Picture 6 – My final arrangement shows only space between two points and is arranged in a random circular pattern having one of the points positioned on top. This arrangement shows the major shape and also the way the points hinge and connected from this shape.
What have I learnt from this exercise
From this exercise I have learnt that this looks easy but it is not and it takes time or as in my case I wanted to originally show this exercise by telling a story with a hand of cards from a poker game using up to nine dice as my shapes but after taking several pictures I was not happy with outcome as dice were too small in the frame. Eventually after my third attempt I decided upon fruit.
Thoughts and Reflection
This has been another exercise of learning for me, at first I read the coursework and thought is arranging really photography? Then as you play it out you realise that taking the picture is the easy part and arranging and almost directing your cast is where you need to really apply yourself and the skills from part one …. such as balance really come into play.
- Shown above is a picture of my first attempt. As mentioned above I wanted to try and play this exercise out as a story using the dice as my shapes. The idea could have worked by the sizes of dice were just too small to have the impact I wanted, even changing the focal length did not give me the desired result. The only way would have been to change the camera angle with sacrifice to the cards being cropped or even not in the pictures.
stingray493 