TASK 1
For this blog I’ve made for my college work, I’ll will be exploring and comparing two similar photos by different photographers. I will do this twice, each from a different photographic subject.
The first type of photography I will be looking at is Nature/Landscapes. This is because I’m very interested in this particular area. It can be quite a broad area to focus on as there are so many different aspects of it.
To begin with, this is a photo by Jan Lakey, who is a photographer I really like. This particular photo I love because of the colour scheme it carries; its rich golden yellow and green tones. It’s quite rich in colour and tone. The photo features plants growing along side a river, and also features some woods in the background. I like landscape photos involving nature, they are relaxing and quite calming to look at. I get that sense of peace when I focus on this image. The water in this photo is very calm and the way the plants seem to be blowing in the wind seems very peaceful. It’s almost as if you’re being transported into the photo itself and can feel what its like to be there. I get very nostalgic when I see this image; I like walks in the woods and open areas, and I haven’t had that sense of freedom in a while. It seems tranquil and quiet and looks extremely beautiful. Some people may think because of the colours involved in the image it gives off a murky feel but this is another reason why I like this picture so much. It is different to images that portray nature to be ‘perfect’, with plants a perfect shade of green and water to be a pearly, crystal blue. Nature is not completely flawless. Although the image has a somewhat ideal setting, it is not always ideal to other people. However, the colours are quite summery/autumn. The way you can see the reflection of trees in the water so clearly gives a nice feel, almost magical. Lakey uses diagonal lines in the composition of the photo. This draws the eye to the focal point of the image and really entrances you. Its taken from a distance too, so you can see most of the scenery. This is an amazing effect as it makes the onlooker able to recognise just how much is out there, making them feel small and curious as to what else can be discovered from such beauty.
This particular type of image would most likely be published at exhibitions and galleries. I discovered this picture on the internet so it would be published on numerous sites. Perhaps even magazines focusing on the topic of nature too.
The second photo I really like is by a man called Richard Calvo. His image in ways is very similar to the one of Lakey. They both feature plants and water. They’ve both gone for a colour scheme and the two images are calm and tranquil. They both have the ability to pull you into the picture and make you feel like you are there looking out on the scenery. It’s one of my favourite pictures out of all the photos I have come across. This image, like Lakey’s, could be published in a magazine or promoted at a photo gallery or exhibition. I also found this image on the internet. It was available for printing and purchase. Calvo’s image is also extremely wonderful to look at. The style Calvo has used in this composition is the Rule of Thirds. This has a powerful effect as it helps to give the image balance.
Despite all the similarities between these two images, there are numerous differences between the two photos too. Although they both have colour schemes, they each have different effects on the images. For Lakey, the green and yellow tones provide a rich, bright and cosy setting. The featured setting is quite tidy, seems well maintained and looks silent enough to retreat to if you need some time for yourself. It appears to be quite idyllic. For Calvo though, the black and white scheme accentuates the dreariness and loneliness of the surroundings. It has quite an eery feel to it. Instead of feeling at ease, you may feel on edge. It is dark, misty and desolated. Unlike the isolation portrayed in Lakey’s image suitable for a getaway, Calvo’s image seems abandoned and very distant from civilisation. It projects a scary feeling. When I first took notice of the image I got goose-bumps. The plants growing out of the water and dead, broken plants floating on the water surface add to this feeling.
Both images are similar yet different at the same time, but they both are individual and truly wonderful photographs.
The next area of photography I will look at is Architecture. I am also very interested in this area as I find it very unique how buildings are built differently, used for different things and like Nature, it is very broad.
The first photo I will look at is by John Lund. It is of a lighthouse giving out a warning signal during a storm. I really like this photo as it is quite dramatic and powerful. The lighthouse is dark and silhouetted from the storm and the lightning bolt stands out and is very bright. The photo is taken from below. This is very effective as it provides the lighthouse to seem powerful, to stand tall from a distance. This makes me feel very weak, and insignificant. It makes the onlooker feel less powerful and less strong which will make them feel uneasy and inadequate. The image also has an eery, gothic feel which is a result from the silhouettes of the tower and the clouds and storming forming in the background. The lightning bolt itself is a very noticable feature in this image. Many people absolutely love storms so to be able to focus on it gives a sense of happiness and wanting. The image is also very exciting. People can really sense the strength from the image. The warning signal gives out a sense of urgency. The ray of light beaming from the tip of the tower shows the importance of the tower, especially in the dark when there is more vulnerability.
The second photo I’ve chosen to look at is by George Oze. The same to Lund, he also has an image of a lighthouse. However, they are both very different. Oze’s photo isn’t as dramatic and powerful as Lund’s photo. Instead it is peaceful and calm. You can imagine standing on the cliff, feeling the coastal breeze in your hair and listening to the quiet gushing of the waves hitting the rocks below. It is beautiful and idyllic, a lovely scene to come across. You can tell by the skyline the image that it was taken in the late afternoon/ early evening. The pink and yellow tones of the sky are magnificent and the blue tints on the clouds add a lovely contrast. There is no sense of time or urgency, just the feeling of relaxation and belonging; glad to be a part of such a wonderful life. The photo is taken from a distance. This gives a very powerful feel as it allows you to look right at ahead at everything there. The tower, the cliff, the skyline, and the water.
And that concludes the comparison of images. It goes to show how powerful and different similar styles of photographs can be.
