Elements of Design; Project – Lines; Exercise 19 Curves

Curves are qualitatively different from vertical, horizontal or diagonal lines as they represent a progressive change in direction.  However, according to Michael Freeman in The Photographer’s Eye, a core text for the Art of Photography programme in the OCA they do interact with straight lines in an image because they themselves are essentially a series of straight lines.  Nowhere is this more obvious than at the ends of the curves where they imply a straight line direction away from the end of the curve.  Curves have additional qualities that lines lack, in particular rhythm and a sense of movement.

This exercise (19) from the OCA’s Art of Photography Elements of Design module requires four images that each exhibit curves as part of the design of the image.  Each of the four images below is accompanied by a short commentary that explains howI developed the image using then curves evident in the image.

The first image is an underwater image of a Lemon Sole.  The body of the fish shows the curve strongly.  I attempted to use the curve to draw the eye of the viewer to the eye of the fish in the top left hand corner.

The second image is looking upwards in the Roman amphitheatre in Arles in France.  I was taken with the strong curvature in the ceiling and tried to draw the eye of the viewer from the bottom left hand corner of the image to the top using the curve.

This third image, titled ‘Moon over Slieve Mor’, was taken early in the morning with little colour evident.  I have tried to use the curve to draw the eye of the viewer from right to left to the moon peeking out over the shoulder of the hill.

The final image showing a curve as the main element of design is of a rainbow drawing the eye towards a metal sculpture.  This image was constructed deliberately to have the rainbow intersecting the warrior.

Bruce Barnabaum uses curves as strong design elements in his slit canyon and Wells Cathedral images.  Barnabaum, who started life as an engineer, explains in The Art of Photography, Rocky Nook. 1994 that the curves in his slit canyon images have a very strong mathematical grounding and that it is this link to the world of science and physics that is one of the attractions for him of the slit canyons.  There is no doubting the dynamic nature of the slit canyon images.  Although both the slit canyon and the Wells Cathedral images are inanimate the scale is such that I can relate to the images. I come back to the issue of an emotional response to images in my reflection on Assignment One.

Elements of Design; Project – Lines; Exercise 18 Diagonals

Vertical and horizontal lines, as noted in another blog, tie very closely to the edges of the frame and any misalignment is quickly noticed by the viewer.  Diagonals, as Michael Freeman in The Photographer’s Eye, a core text for the OCA’s Art of Photography course, free the need for alignment with the frame.  Additionally, diagonals introduce much greater dynamism into an image.  According to Freeman, diagonals represent ‘unresolved tension’.  This learning log is concerned with the use of diagonals as elements of design in images.

Four images are presented below each of which uses diagonals as a key component in the design of the image.

The first image is of naturally occurring diagonals formed by the way in which the limestone rock breaks up.

The second image is of an abandoned industrial building and the diagonals were captured by using a wide angle lens up close and looking upward to the building.

The third image shows diagonals (emphasised by the line overlays) of naturally formed sand and pebble on a beach.

The fina image is of diagonals formed by shooting beneath a seaside pier.

Unlike horizontals and verticals I would not have consciously sought to include diagonals in my images to date as evidenced by the fact that I have few of them in my image library.  I suspect that many of my images that use lines as elements of design are thus somewhat static and lack dynamism.

Dave McKane is a Dublin based photographer who comes from a graphic design background.  His main imaging work is around abandoned and derelict man made objects and large buildings.  All his work makes strong use of diagonals to give depth and energy. Here an abandoned car displays strong diagonals as part of the image design.