Definition & Theory:
- A line represents a "path" between 2 points.
- A line can be straight, curved,vertical, horizontal, diagonal or zig zags.
- Lines imply motion and suggest orientation or direction.
- a line can also be implied and then is filled in by the mind when several points are positioned geometrically within a frame.
Direction & Orientation can imply feelings:
- Horizontal lines imply tranquillity, peace and harmony.
- Vertical lines imply power and strength
- Diagonal lines imply movement, action and change.
- Curved lines or S shaped lines imply quiet calm and sensual feelings.
- Converging lines imply depth, scale and distance.
- Leading lines draw the viewers attention to a specific part of the frame.
Image Bank:
The following images are examples that relate to the theory above...
(AO:1. You must ensure that several of the visual ideas/inspirations within the image bank are pursued. )
AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.
Research:
Peter Keetman studied photography in munich from 1935 to 1937, in 1948 he passed the examination for the Master Craftsman's Diploma. 1949 co-founder of FotoForm (together with Otto Steinert, Toni Schneiders a.o.), a group with great impact on the new photography in the 50s and 60s in Germany and abroad.
Peter Keetman’s photography examines abstraction and structure — often through the use of wire screens and water nodules. That work established his reputation in Subjektive Fotografieand as a leading member of the postwar generation of German photographers. Trained at the Munich Photographic School, he worked in Gertrud Hesse’s studio and studied with Adolf Lazi. In 1949 Keetman helped found the group Fotoform, dedicated to photographic innovation.
These following photographs have been taken in a series called "a week at the factory":
Keetman has used a Hassleblad 500c/m which has a square frame. This suggests that like the identical framing and the fixed prime lens size is liner and the same as the pre fabricated parts links to the similarities and the un individual mass produced parts. The further connotations suggest that the theme of an individualistic culture has diminished and like mirror image car parts in a factory, society is creating less individuals and more collectives of people that have been sculpted by the new ages societies views and cold harsh lines that are ever refining to produce the perfect part/person.
Selected images:
Contact sheet:
Best Images:
Series: Life Lines
AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.
I felt that the dynamic range of
the bottom image was slightly lacking therefore i have used Photoshop to improve the contrast and white balance. I used layers to increase the contrast and brightness to allow the white and grey to be showcased and create a greater sense of depth.
Images that require improvement:
AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.
The image above has shaken and is out of focus apart from the white leading line central of the photograph. Therefore to improve this i should retake the shot using a tripod and weight therefore the image can remain crisp and clear and not be affected by my movement. ↖
Also this image needs improvement not in the clarity but the department of composition. clearly the angle of the metal protruding bar is not square to the frame of the image therefore giving this image an angle that isn't consistent with the straightness and uni formality of the other lines within the composition. furthermore this could be improved by taking time and assessing the angles when taking a shot to ensure that composition is kept consistent with that of the other images in the series much like how Keetman tells a story or keeps a consistent subject when shooting a series of photographs.↑
Inspiration and ideas:
Series: Life Lines
In this series i have attempted to convey a story of life along by positioning 3 sequentially smaller leaves of the same variety, on top. By focusing on the youngest leaf in the front indicating that this is only the beginning and one will grow ad expand as the age of the leaf increases bringing even more character and history to the ones self. By increasing the contrast between the lines via the monochrome and toning features you ca clearly see the leaf veins and by having the elongated tips this hints to a future and prosperity.
Series: Manufactured Emotions
The series of manufactured emotions is the one that i feel closely resembles the work of Peter Keetman. i have imply machine made emotion by highlighting the curves and edges of manufactures spoons which are identical to one and other sharing the same features to a T. This connotes to society and how people are trying to create the perfect all rounded person and in the similar fashion of communities producing the future generations which are less individual and more a collective with feels, view points and ideas. Again like the series above i have used monochrome to bring out the definitions and create the drop shadow effect on the first image.
Series: A Grey Commute
A Grey Commute was the morning journey into college from Stratford station being portrayed as a mundane crystalline way of travelling with the masses of people. Using consistent line work in all stations i have captured the electrical cabling and surrounding to create a different sense of perspective with various angles of the daily commute. The shots use very straight square lines to give a sense of continuity and generics to the scene and movement of people. Along with the monochrome which gives the images a lifeless dull feel it adds a slight bit of creativity and interest to a place which people tend to loathe swell as highlight how boring and repetitive life in a busy city can be.
My ideas for recording lines in photography have mainly come from peter Keetmans interpretations of the Volkswagen factory (shown in the series : Manufactured emotions). This series i fell focus on how production of items are o machined and automated however things like spoons have all the sensual and emotional curvature which wads once only capable or being recreated by human hands. it focuses on the fact that this ever mechanising world has now changed and evoloved to even reproduce items and objects which before would take time effort and love to make, and the transition between the cold repetitive emotions that have been created as a result of a push of a button.
In this series i have attempted to convey a story of life along by positioning 3 sequentially smaller leaves of the same variety, on top. By focusing on the youngest leaf in the front indicating that this is only the beginning and one will grow ad expand as the age of the leaf increases bringing even more character and history to the ones self. By increasing the contrast between the lines via the monochrome and toning features you ca clearly see the leaf veins and by having the elongated tips this hints to a future and prosperity.
Series: Manufactured Emotions
The series of manufactured emotions is the one that i feel closely resembles the work of Peter Keetman. i have imply machine made emotion by highlighting the curves and edges of manufactures spoons which are identical to one and other sharing the same features to a T. This connotes to society and how people are trying to create the perfect all rounded person and in the similar fashion of communities producing the future generations which are less individual and more a collective with feels, view points and ideas. Again like the series above i have used monochrome to bring out the definitions and create the drop shadow effect on the first image.
Series: A Grey Commute
A Grey Commute was the morning journey into college from Stratford station being portrayed as a mundane crystalline way of travelling with the masses of people. Using consistent line work in all stations i have captured the electrical cabling and surrounding to create a different sense of perspective with various angles of the daily commute. The shots use very straight square lines to give a sense of continuity and generics to the scene and movement of people. Along with the monochrome which gives the images a lifeless dull feel it adds a slight bit of creativity and interest to a place which people tend to loathe swell as highlight how boring and repetitive life in a busy city can be.
My ideas for recording lines in photography have mainly come from peter Keetmans interpretations of the Volkswagen factory (shown in the series : Manufactured emotions). This series i fell focus on how production of items are o machined and automated however things like spoons have all the sensual and emotional curvature which wads once only capable or being recreated by human hands. it focuses on the fact that this ever mechanising world has now changed and evoloved to even reproduce items and objects which before would take time effort and love to make, and the transition between the cold repetitive emotions that have been created as a result of a push of a button.
Manu_H and his interpretations of power line monochrome photography that incorporated the usages of the monochrome setting to increase the contrast between the sky and power lines allowing the lines and structures to be clearly visible and prominent (shown in the series: A Grey commute).
My own ideas where used when taking pictures of the leafs and the spoons which was to use positioned lighting to extenuate the lines present and create shadow. When looking at the series "life Lines" I decided to use the veins on the leaves to indicate growth and the emotions of life through. And the fact that something as simple as a line can mean the sustenance of life for any organism.
Hardware and settings:
For all of these photos i have used the same Canon 5d mk 1 with a 28-135 lens. the shots all have a standard ISO of 800 which i have kept consistent through out. the value of the f stop fluctuates but in main images is kept at f/ 5.6 with exposure times ranging 1/100 - 1/5000 sec.
I have used a tripod to attain crisp and sharp images how ever in cases where not possible i have used the left shoulder stabilisation method to replicate the use of a tripod.
The reason for the lower f stop is that i wanted the subject to stand out from the high contrasting backgrounds in "A grey commute" which in turn meant i had to increase the shutter speed. this had allow the focus points of each image to have pin sharp focus and create almost like a bokha effect in the background. this goes for the same images int the other series which has meant i have attained the desired effect.
If I where shooting a landscape on a sunny day i would increase the f stop so that the whole image is sharp and clear with a lowered shutter speed so that movement and light can have a sense so flow and life to bring a sense of realism to the scene.
AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements. (below and the rest of the text above)
Summary:
I feel that all my images especially those chosen as my best clearly reflect and portray a similar style of Peter Keetmans photography and especially his series "A day in at the factory" as well as diving deep into lines that are around us every day but can share deeper and more emotional connotations rather than just being simply a line.
well done this is a very good post there is a need for you to expand on the tonal ranges that you use as you are primarily working with mid to dark tones, that said I like the series and believe that this is a very good start to the project brief.
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