Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Assignment 2 - Tutor Feedback

Assignment 2 - digital image quality

Overall Comments
The work for this assignment demonstrates a clear understanding of the topic.  The use of the histograms allows you to show clearly the effects of different lighting situations on the contrast recorded in an image.

For final submission do think about how you will present the images.  The work document is good as a commentary, but you may wish to have the images as prints or saved as jpegs separately so that they can be viewed easily at a larger size.

At the end of each assignment do consider doing a summary.  Consider what you have learnt for the projects/assignment.  Outline any problems you had.  Do you see/take photographs differently as a result.

This evaluation process is really good to show how you are progressing through the course and you can add to and update it at any point.

The work on Keith Arnatt in your assignment is good and shows good linking into your own work.

Also link any research to your projects/assignments.  This is particularly important for the last two assignments where you do get more creative with the images.


Feedback on assignment
Part One
Street scene
Image 1 – a good example of a high contrast scene.  The glimpse of the street beyond leads the eye through the frame.

Image 2 – in this image it is the shadows that make the scene.  There is potential here for some creative images by careful selection of the shadows as you suggest in your commentary.

Image 3 – this is a classic street view do watch out if you use a focal length any wider as you could risk converging verticals.

Indoor scene
This set of images shows both good creativity and technical skills.  The research beforehand has allowed you to consider how to set the scene for the still life.   ‘Sad Dog’ is particularly strong by the composition of the dog looking down from the frame. 
In ‘Road Kill’ the focus is a little soft so a smaller depth of field could help.

Indoor Space
The two shop window images are good and show that you have understood how to use available light. 
The final image shows the effect of very strong direct light.  The composition seems a bit awkward as the teapot is positioned a little too far to the right of the frame.

Dappled Light
These three images show good understanding of dappled light.  The straw hat is a very strong image.  The soft colours add to the mood of the relaxed feel of the image.

For the stained glass image you could crop the floor line completely out so that the image images become very abstract.


Part Two
In this part of the assignment you have evaluated each of the different scenes to make your choice.

The three revised street scenes show that you have a clear understanding of dynamic range.  The use of a cloudy day has allowed you to even out the exposure.  This is most clearly shown in the ‘glory hole’ image.


Learning Logs or Blogs/Critical essays
The log has good detail on the projects and assignments.  The labeling is clear.  However do ensure that you add some research posts – do label these clearly so the assessors can view them easily.  See my comments under Assessment potential.

Suggested reading/viewing
For some further research for this assignment look at the work of Andre Kertesz and Edward Weston (as they both worked in black and white, the images can feed into assignment 3 as research as well).

Pointers for the next assignment
Assignment 3

Before you start the assignment do undertake some research and look at black and white photographs by other photographers.  Take some notes on what subject seem to work well in black and white.

The key to successful monochrome photograph is being able to recognise (and hopefully visualise) the subject in monochrome.

This is a technique that comes with time and practice.  It may seem obvious but the difference between black and white and colour photography is that black and white has no colour!  We are so often attracted to colours when photographing that it takes a switch of mind-set to look beyond the colour in a scene.

Black and white images will focus the attention on shape, texture, tonality and form, so consider these elements when photographing.

Research
There are many key black and white photographers – below is a selection for different subject matters:

Still Life / Abstract
Edward Weston
Paul Strand

Portraits
Arnold Newman
Jane Bown

Landscape
Ansel Adams
John Blakemore

Social Documentary
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Brassai

Buildings
Eugene Atget
Bernd and Hilla Becher

These photographers are just a starting point so do go beyond this in any further reading that you do.






 

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