Elements of design assignment 2: Rhythm

Image 25: Grasses at sunset

Lens 70-210mm at 70mm: Iso 250 f 20 at 1/80th

As mentioned in the previous post (see Image 24), I looked back at some photographs of grasses at sunset that I took on the South Downs in 2008. This picture is one where I felt that the composition is aided substantially by the rhythm of the repeated grass stalks across the photograph.

In this case, the eye is probably drawn first to the brightness of the setting sun in the lower right hand corner of the frame. It is then drawn to look at the line of seed heads against the sky in the upper half of the image. The viewer may also want to look at the tops of the shorter grasses across the centre of the frame.

The bright spot of the sun is acting as a "stop" rather like the man with a broom in the photograph of a palace in Jaipur included in the course notes.

Whilst there is residual detail in the dark area at the base of the grass stems there is little of visual interest in this lowest layer. This dark area seems important to the picture however as a layer of dark tone that contrasts with the progression of lighter toned layers above.

Image 26: Chestnut leaves

Lens 18 - 70mm at 70mm: Iso 800 f11 at 1/160th

This was my preferred picture from the exercise on rhythm (see post dated 25th April). As I mentioned in my comments at that time, the leaves were catching the sunlight with a background of a dark conifer. I hesitated initially about categorizing the leaves as representing a visual rhythm. However, having revisited this photograph over a number of days, I now see that the diagonal repetition of the branches and leaves which creates this sense of rhythm

Image 27: Three trees

Lens 18-70mm at 18mm: Iso 640 f 7.1 at 1/320th

I took this picture of three trees whilst in Normandy at the end of April 2010. The leaves are still quite small so that the framework of branches creates the main visual interest.

The upper part of each of the three trees seems to lean or stretch across to the left side of the frame. The small dark bush on the left hand side counterbalances this left leaning stance.

The composition is slightly reminiscent of Michael Freeman's photograph of three Asian people winnowing grain.

The camera was placed on the ground at the widest angle setting to accentuate the convergence of the upper parts of the trees.

Image 28: Cactus

Lens 18-70mm at 52mm: Iso 800 f 16 at 1/60th

This is a different view of the cactus in Image 12.

The repetition of curved furrows and spines creates a visual rhythm. There is no point however for the eye to hone in on or to linger over. As a result, the composition seems to lack the vitality and interest of the other photos above.