Texture and Pattern

Texture & Pattern

Definitions and theory:

• Texture refers to the tactile qualities of the physical surface of the object. textured can be eventuated by the light that is hitting it depending on the angle ad type of light. warmer more angled lights tend to give more of a drop shadow effect and create a greater sense of depth perceiving texture to be emphasised and extenuated.

• Pattern is an underlying structure that organises surfaces or structures in a consistent, regular manner.

•  Pattern can be described as a repeating unit of shape or form, but it can also be thought of as the "skeleton" that organises the parts of a composition

Image bank and examples:

Research:

Sebastião Salgado:

Sebastião Salgado was born on February 8, 1944, in Aimorés, Brazil. After an early career as an economist, he decided to become a photographer in the 1970s. Salgado has earned fame for his stark photos of people coping with the effects of poverty, famine, industrialisation and political oppression. He has published several books and has received awards for his socially conscious photojournalism.  Additionally he produced a series Genesis which he took in the Galapagos Islands which i have analysed below.

Salgado uses a black and white photograph the concept of anthropomorphism to show that the shape of the Galapagos iguanas hand resembles that of a human.  this may connote to the idea that humans and animals have/share many similarities and that we aren't that different from each other although we may seem. Pattern is shown by the sales which are reflecting white light, which also gives a sense of a smooth scaly texture.↑

Above in the same series (Genesis), Salgado uses the lowered angle of light to hit the rocks and to show ridges, nooks and crannies that have been created over thousands of years.  he is able to capture the sharp texture of the coastal outcrop which gives an aged implication and maybe connotes to the idea that the power of god and the elements have produced the land we live on today. 

Similarly the image below depicts another iguana bathing in black and white. suggesting a primordial being linking back to the worlds prehistoric past....

(AO:1.  You must ensure that several of the visual ideas/inspirations within the image bank are pursued. )


Best Image:


Series 1: "A mixed bag"

Series 2: "A natural feel"

 Series 3: "Branded motifs"

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.

Images to improve:

the image above has been shot very lazily and therefore the full effect of texture is not seen, to improve this i could frame the image more centrally and adjust the angle of the camera in order to achieve the depth of bumps and various textures.

I felt like this image could use more definition therefore to accentuate the feeling of texture i converted the image into black and white via layering in Photoshop.


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Camera settings:

For the first 2 series the camera was set to an ISO of 800 due to the overcast conditions with an f stop of 5.6 and shutter speed of 1/200,this allowed me to create a sense of depth with the lighting creating a dark mood that can clearly depict texture in a very detailed way.

The last series was taken in the studio with a white light to help make the red stand out and accentuate the pattern of stipples. the ISO was set to 400 due to the brighter lighting available and the f stop was kept consistent at 5.6 for the same effect. The exposure time was also less to create a lighter mood at 1/125.

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.

Series 1: "A mixed bag"

My ideas of reproducing texture in this shoot was to use a simple object to show the various ranges of texture present in everyday life, I found this wall mural which seems to be cast of some sort of ceramic pottery. I felt that angles via cantering,  were quiet important and i have tried to use this to help accentuate the texture of the mural. The reflections help to create a stark light and dark difference that help to bring out the abstract lines.  I tired to use light as Salgado does to help bring out texture and i think i have fulfilled that.  

Series 2: "A natural feel"

With a natural feel I felt I could capture natural texture of wood grain and knots to create a simplistic rustic viewpoint of texture. Again the use of cantered angles have helped me to achieve an interesting effect with the focus point in the centre.

  

Series 3: "Branded motifs

I attempted to capture pattern via he stippled red rubberised dots.  the images give a crystalline and linear man made pattern which i feel reflect the modern rules of pattern to show uniformity and conformity almost like soldiers standing in lines when parade, very refined and strict. 

AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.

This was the finished edited image which in my opinion helps to show a greater depth of texture due to the angle of light and due to the highlights brought out by converting the image into black and white.

The research I conducted into Salgado has helped me to understand the position of light and its importance in producing various textures and patterns, i have used various angles in my work to help bring out the feel and look of the subjects to get the desired effect of exaggerated shapes and lines as well as shadows.
I have also attempted to use a sense of perspective to draw the audiences eyes towards the parts of the images which are most captivating to connote to a sense of focus to the image rather than just showing bumps on a wall mural or plank of wood. 

AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.  

I feel that these images most closely replicate my research in my own style and match up to Salgado style of photography. This is because i have used a range of angles of focus as well as light which has given me the desired outcome of texture and pattern that i wanted to achieve.

Colour

Colour

Implications of colour

The weekend: The Hills


The dark video emits a vibe of imminence which is also transferred to the song which has a dark mood about his come up and the disconnected relationship he has with one of his female friends. 

Theory and Definitions 

Colour: or the colour of something is the appearance of something as a result of it reflecting light in a certain way


Vibrant colours: are very bright and clear.Horizon Blue, Corn Yellow and Pistachio Green are just three of the vibrant colours in this range.
The grass was a vibrant green.
...vibrant turquoise scarfs.

Dull: dull colours are usually washed out and have very low saturation implying moods of sadness and blue feels.

Monochrome: a photograph or picture developed or executed in black and white or in varying tones of only one colour.

Saturated: Saturation describes the purity of a color and along with hue and value it represents one of the three properties of color. There are many terms used to describe saturation. Sometimes you will hear artists describe a color as being “dull”. These artists are referring to color that has a decreased saturation or has been desaturated.

Muted: Muted colours are those that have less saturation and more white mixed in to create a light and airy feel to compositions.

Primary: These colours are any of a group of colours from which all other colours can be obtained by mixing.

Secondary: a colour resulting from the mixing of two primary colours. ↗

Analogous: are colours that are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel, e.g. yellow and green
Analogous colours next to each other on the colour wheel "get along" and are referred to as being harmonious. Analogous colours are often used in visual design and have a soothing affect.

Complimentary: colours are opposite to each other on the colour wheel, e.g. Blue-violet and yellow, represent colours positioned across from each other on the colour wheel.
Complimentary colours exhibit more contrast when positioned adjacent to each other -for example yellow appears more intense when positioned on or beside blue or violet .



What certain colour can imply:

• red- red can imply angry or passion: it had a great depth and range of hues therefore can be interpreted in various ways. the depth of it can 

• yellow-the colour of sunshine, yellow puts a smile on the dial. It is the most visible colour from a distance and communicates cheerfulness, friendliness, joy and energy  It can also be associated with mental clarity and intellect . However, yellow is also a cautionary colour used in life vests, police cordoning tape and hazardous areas.

• Orange: Blending the warmth of red and the optimism of yellow, orange communicates activity and energy. And of course it’s hard not to go past orange as the colour of, well, oranges, and all their vitamin c byproducts, which immediately makes orange feel fresh and healthy.

• Green:  Green has two very common meanings that are quite paradoxical; one being nature and the environment, and the other being finance and wealth. When it comes to nature, green represents plant life and growth and is consequently used to convey being ‘green’ in the environmental, sustainable, organic, natural sense of the word. And of course green is, as the saying goes, ‘the colour of money’  and therefore associated with wealth and stability.

• Blue: Blue is the most preferred colour, perhaps for its very versatile qualities. It is a favourite colour for companies that wish to convey reliability, trustworthiness and communication  and for expressing the authority and officialdom of organisations . It is also appreciated for it’s calming and harmonious qualities being associated with the sea and sky. However, being associated with the emotional feeling of being ‘blue’ it is also used to express sadness or depression.

• Purple: Purple is a low arousal colour. It is traditionally associated with royalty, majesty or nobility as well as having a spiritual or mysterious quality. Darker shades often represent luxury or opulence while lighter lavender shades are quite feminine, sentimental and even nostalgic.
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Image Bank:

William Eggleston

In full William Joseph Eggleston, Jr., (born July 27, 1939, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.), American photographer whose straight forward depictions of everyday objects and scenes, many of them in the Southern united states, were noted for their vivid colours, precise composition, and evocative allure. His work was credited with helping establish colour photography in the late 20th century as a legitimate artistic medium.

Having been granted a Guggenheim fellowship in 1974, Eggleston received an additional career boost two years later with a solo exhibition at New York city's Museum of Modern Art. The show provoked hostility from some critics, notably Hilton Kramer, who judged the snapshot like pictures banal and lacking in artistry. Other viewers, however, found that Eggleston’s intensely saturated hues and striking perspectives imbued an ominous or dreamlike quality to their seemingly mundane subjects. He soon took on various commissioned projects, which resulted in series set in, among other locations. Jimmy Carter's hometown of Plains, Georgia (1976), and Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion in Memphis (1983–84).

In Eggleston's work we can see that images tend to be heavily saturated creating vibrancy and introducing large amounts of colour that can give the effect of various moods, As well as this he also has de-saturated images in contrast to his normal work. 
shown by the images above colour has been used in various ways, saturation and vibrancy have been exploited to create almost artificial colour photographs that seem to tell story or a part of a bigger collective. he captures idea america, bright and colourful using the NEON signs to illuminate the darkness and introduce depth and artificial-ism to his pieces. The images in a series give a surreal happiness as a result of colours, although the american lifestyle can be seen as happy fun loving and a dream, in much of the us is in poverty and it may connote that the true underlying depression of the united states is being over looked and clouded by the colourful nature of the people and the environment. 

 (AO:1.  You must ensure that several of the visual ideas/inspirations within the image bank are pursued. )

contact sheet:

Best images:

 Series 1: "The fast life"

series 2: "Saturated village life"

Series: "A complimentary garden"

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.


Images to improve:

I felt tat this image was slightly underexposed and therefore i should have increased the exposure by 1 or 2 stops in order for the light to brighten the image producing brighter and more vibrant colours.  to improve the image i should have used a lighter that would've aided me to calculate the correct shutter speed and exposure that would've resulted in an all round better image to be produced.

I furthermore have reproduced this image in Photoshop by increasing the levels of brightness and exposure in layers to improve it.

This photo was shaken although taken on  tripod, the central focus point of the image was also out of focus.  To improve i could add weight to my tripod, and put a timer on the camera as to avoid shutter blur and shake due to the pressing of the shutter button.

Camera Settings and hardware:

Each series had complete different settings but used ht e same canon 5d MK1 with a 28-135 lens.
In Series 1: "The fast life" the ISO was set to 100 as to make sure that the image was not overexposed along with the photos being shot on the BULB setting to allow the movement and to mimic the neon lights that Eggelston's frequently uses to show and depict America. this effect was also recreated because of the f stop being set to f 22 to prevent again the over exposing of the image and helping to make the sign and lights pop by darkening the surrounds.
Series 2: "Saturated village life" 
The camera was set to my standard ISO of 800 with the f stop at 8 allowing the image to be sharp and in focus, Additionally i tweaked the colour settings increasing colour vibrancy and contrast. This allowed me to capture the vibrant colours of the peoples clothes which gave me the desired effect of colour.
Series 3: "A complimentary garden"
Again the ISO was 800 but i increased the shutter speed to 1/8000 sec and the f stop at 3.5 to get a bokha or blurred background effect. the filter was placed in front of to get that split colour effect which i feel incorporates colour and colour theory in a new way that was inventive. again the colour and contrast settings have been enhanced on the camera to bring out the vibrancy of the images.

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.

AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.

Series 1: "The fast life"

In this series i have attempted to recreate a similar style of a few of Eggleston's photos that use neon lights and signage. To get these effects I have used the bulb setting to create streaks of movement that to my connote to Eggleston's neon lights. 
The lowered ISO and higher f stop allows me to shoot at overexposed subjects to create a sense of movement, pace and highly saturated colour. Additionally the muted colours produced by overexposing the subject create a sense of euphoria and lightness suggesting that this is the pinnacle of civilisation. 
I feel this series illuminates the colours of a fast lifestyle and that although usually seen as mundane city life can be vibrant as well as enticing , relating to people talking about the big bright lights of the city.my inspiration of this series was purely Eggleston with a slight bit of influence from London street photographers which use light to produce a colourful representation of the city and I feel I have achieved the desired outcome.


Series 2: "Saturated village life" 

This series was taken whilst travelling in South India. I took the time to stop the woman in the first photograph as I felt that her clothing which in contrast to the surrounding was heavily saturated and really pops against he dull green foliage. I wanted to depict village life in colour to show that although these people are not rich with money but they are rich with happiness. the children playing in the second photo also had highly saturated clothing. It sends a message saying that you don't need money to be happy.  The camera was set on an increased contrast and colour setting so that i can really capture the vibrancy of the clothing. These were taken with a slightly longer lens at 75-300 so optical zoom detail could be captured.




Series 3: "A complimentary garden"

A complimentary garden was taken on overcast conditions in the college gardens. I saw that the colours present in the space where quite plain and not that exciting, to bring some sense of colour and technicality I proceed to use a split violet and yellow filter that was for an old 35mm lens filter which made the link back to colour theory. i help the filter against the lens to get this desire affect which produced a colour compliment image with the yellow and violet.

AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.  

I feel that these three photographs in relation to William Eggleston's work depict colour and its various aspects such as vibrancy and saturation in a similar way Eggelston uses neon american lights to show a sense of euphoric patriotism. I feel that these images replicate his views and connotations as i have used an iconic British landmark and attempted to capture it in a different way in terms of light, muted and saturated colour to give the impression of a great nation and its achievement.