Brief:
Ex 1.3 (1): Take a number of shots using lines to create a sense of depth.
Ex 1.3 (2) Take a number of shots using lines to flatten the pictorial space.
I chose a site I had previously visited for my Assignment Square Mile. The image in this assignment of “Glossop Brook at Wren Nest Mill” has a very linear composition and my tutor commented on the strength of the leading lines in this image.
I revisited this area to get further images of this. Contact sheets for this exercise Ex 1.3(1) and Ex 1.3(2) are attached
Exercise 1.3 (1)
I took some shots looking the other way than I had for the image for the Square Mile. They have had minor developments in Lightroom to alter the exposure settings. The images have not been cropped, except where stated.
In these images the lines of the walls at the edge of the Glossop Brook, draw the eye into the image. This seems accentuated by the strong vertical lines of the mill to the right and the lamp-posts to the left, which enhance the image. In the zoomed image (lowest above) the eye is drawn past the bridge to the dark tunnel under the trees.
However, these images are all almost symmetrical with the brook central in the frame. I tried to compose an image with it across the frame.
Here, the wall on the left bank of the brook is more prominent and the end of the brook is to the edge of the frame, I find my eye is not drawn into this image in the same way, but the wall tends to act as a barrier.
When I cropped this image to square, this block seems removed and the eye is better drawn into the frame.
Exercise 1.3 (2)
The uncropped version of the previous image begins to show how line can be used to flatten the space, and prevent the eye exploring all the image.
I took further images with prominent lines, which I consider demonstrate this futher. Some of these images have been corrected in Lightroom to adjust the effect of vertical perspective and render the upright lines in the image parallel.
Although this image clearly includes buildings at different distances from the camera, the railings in the foreground appear to me to effectively prevent the eye from exploring that aspect, but instead allow appreciation of the blocks forms by the different buildings.
Similarly with a slightly differently framed image of the same subject.
The mill which formed a leading line into the earlier images, can also be rendered flatter by emphasising the horizontal and vertical lines.
Here the railings in front of the brook appear flattened against the front of the mill, and again the eye can appreciate the blocks of detail of the windows and pattern formed by the stonework (significantly damaged in a fire as can be seen by the smoke staining above the windows).
Here the railings again seem to be a real barrier to going closer into the image.
Andrew Procter 