Seeing the Elements

     This week's assignment I was tasked with taking 6 photos and solely focusing on the elements we learned about in class. I feel that this assignment was very interesting because we got to play with a lot of different elements and see how little tweaks here and there can completely transform an image.

Shape

    For my first element I decided to do shape because shape plays a crucial role in photography by helping organize the element with a frame thus guiding the viewer's eye and creating a balanced composition. When I saw this while not taking photos I thought to myself this would be a perfect image for shape because it looks like different shapes on top of eachother. But for this image to work for me I did have to crop it down so that the main focus could be on the element in the middle and I made sure to give myself enough positive and negative space for my framing. This image was also interesting because it tells a story of balance as well. I found that extremely interesting.  

Texture

  

 For my next element I decided to shoot a photo of a brick wall I found at a local park I visited earlier in the week.  I really like this image because not only do the bricks have a nice marbleized color to them but the texture adds a depth and complexity to the image. I think this image shows so much detail that the viewer can literally imagine the feeling of this image, for example look at the ridged edges of each brick. It gives off the rough surface of the edges  but also convey ruggedness or harshness around the broken up craters on the surface of the bricks.  

Color 

    For my next element I choose to take this photo because it has an emotional impact of different colors that can evoke mood and emotions to the viewer. For this photo I decided on scaling back the greens on the adobe lightroom because I feel it was taking away from the red flower she was holding in her hands. Color helps create a balance and harmony within an image by contrasting colors and guiding the viewer's eye and enhancing the overall composition. My plan was to try my best to make the reds in this image pop but not destroy the image and make it look natural still. 

Value 

For my next image the element I shown used in this image would be value. Because value is the lightness and darkness of color, value creates contrast that helps define shapes and form within the image. A strong contrast can add depth and dimension to an image like the rock seen on the left in the photo. As you can also see in this image value can enhance the perception of texture making the surface appear more detailed and tactile. Try and compare the rock on the left vs the rock on the right, I feel that this image was a great example of value.  

Line

    My next element would have to be line and i choose this photo because after a day of shooting at LegoLand near my house I saw that this image was not centered and also not strait so I knew this would be a perfect opportunity to edit this photo with tools learned in class to adjust this image and make it better. Lines can lead the viewer's eye through the composition and direct the attention to the important element being the lego shaped pumpkin in the photo. Before editing this photo it just felt unbalanced, it had no sense of order and organization within the photo.  Lines are very important in photography because lines such as leading lines, diagonal line, and rule of thirds can enhance the overall balance and harmony of the image. 

Format

    For my final element I wanted to show how format is important to every image in photography. For this image I had to crop this image down so that it could focus more on elements in the center. I felt that this image just had too much space and unnecessary objects around it driving the viewer's eye away from the main purpose. I even took a photo of this image. Format affects how elements are arranged within the frame. In this photo I was trying to go for a tighter format so that it can focus more on the detailed image vs the environment.   

 

    Overall I think this week's assignment was very fun exploring different elements and going out and taking photos specifically looking for these elements. Focusing on elements in photography helps introduce clarity and detail into the image. Because proper focus helps ensure that both the subject and image stay sharp and clear. Elements in a photo contribute to its overall composition making it a more engaging image. Learning all we have this week has really opened my eyes to how I see different objects and potential photos in a different perspective because now I pay much more attention to the different elements and how they can play a huge role in how an image can be looked at.