Exercise - Horizontal & Vertical Lines

30.06.12.Horizontals-Trees
f/5.6  1/1000  ISO-200
In this image, a line appears across the base of the trees and shadow, running parallel with the frame.

23.06.12.Horizontals-PierRailings
f/9  1/160  ISO-100
The man made feature of the three parallel lines create divisions and frames within the frame, leading the viewer to boats and horizon.  The plain bottom frames and the less crowded middle frames add some depth.

27.06.12.Horizontals-Colour&Pattern
f/16  1/200  ISO-160
I confess that this was originally taken as a vertical shot.  Playing around with the image, I felt it worked much better horizontally.  The contrasting horizontal line is not just created by the different shades but also the difference in texture and pattern.  The line having no pattern.  There is also the lines of the layers of the "brickwork Style" pattern forming horizontal lines.

24.06.12.Horizontals-OldPier,Swanage
f/16  1/200  ISO-200
OK, this is also a man made structure but the big difference to the railings picture is that the horizontal lines are behind one another.  You have the two clear horizontal lines of the top bars of the pier remains, the front one contrasting with diagonals below, as well as converging points on the new pier behind to the left.  There is also of course the horizon.

17.06.12-Verticals-Trees
f/13  1/200  ISO-2000
The tree creates vertical lines through their physical form, and also the dark contrast against the lighter tones in between.  The gaps between trees also create some vertical lines.

20.05.12.Verticals-Figure
f/11  1/20  ISO-6400
A vertical line extends from the fish at the bottom, up the arm of the sculpture.  Also, lines run up the legs and  the  general shape of the figure.

30.06.12.Verticals-ChurchWindows
f/18  1/100 ISO-3200
Thick vertical lines are simply created by the tall narrow shape of these church windows.  It is the  lines that grab the attention, before looking up to the smaller windows and then back down to observe the finer details of the windows.

2012.07.07.Verticals-FieldLines
f/5.6  1/50  ISO-250
These track lines through a wheat field were fairly equally spaced apart from each other.  Initially I was positioned at the far end of the lines but the low viewpoint made the lines more diagonal.  I walked up to the highest vantage point possible.  Choosing this perspective, I created a virtually true vertical line on the left, with the right hand line starting as a faint curve before becoming a more prominent straight line.
This view point also had the advantage of more background interest, which the viewer is led to by the lines.  There is also a clear contrast with horizontals lines, although I feel the verticals dominate.  

 

Examples of other work:

Clarke, G.(1997) The Photograph. First Edition. New York: Oxford University Press Inc.
Walker Evans: Graveyard, Houses, and Steel Mill, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1935.
Looking beyond any message or meaning to this image, there are some distinct lines.  Horizontal lines form from the row of windows and the poles / structure at the front of the main building in the middle ground, as well as the chimneys and horizon beyond.
The chimneys also appear as a series of vertical lines.  The telegraph poles, although vertical lines, are not strong as the white cross dominates.

More distinct vertical lines can be seend in Lewis Baltz' Power supply No.1, 1989-92*.  The diagonal lines created by the perspective showing these rows of vertical lines, and the stripes on the floor, add tension to the rather sterile room.
*Cotton, C (2009) The Photograph As Contemporary Art.  Second Edition.  London: Thames and Hudson Ltd.

Exercise - Multiple Points

20.06.12.MultiplePoints (1)
f/5.6  1/5  ISO-3200

20.06.12.MultiplePoints (2)
f/5.6  1/50  ISO-3200

20.06.12.MultiplePoints (3)
f/5.6  1/50  ISO-3200

20.06.12.MultiplePoints (4)
f/5.6  1/50  ISO-3200

20.06.12.MultiplePoints (5)
f/5.6  1/50  ISO-3200

20.06.12.MultiplePoints (6)
f/5.6  1/50  ISO-3200

20.06.12.MultiplePoints (7)
f/5.6  1/50  ISO-3200

20.06.12.MultiplePoints-Shapes etc
f/5.6  1/50  ISO-3200

This exercise was harder, and took longer, than I had expected.  By the time I had placed five stones in the frame, it was looking crowded.  As you can see, each piece was moved to make room for the sixth.  I felt it looked a bit flat and disjointed at this stage.  It may appear like a few subtle changes to get to image (7), but I assure you there was much deliberation and moving stones around before settling on this arrangement.  

Hopefully, the drawings on the last picture here adequately show the shapes that I saw and which determined the positions for the final image.  I think the basis of this last arrangement was the inferred curve and line drawn in red, vaguely resembling an arrow through a bow.  There are numerous triangle relationships between the different points, and you can see a couple of rough square shapes too.  

Exercise - Positioning a Point - Image 3

17.06.12.SinglePoint(3)
f/14  1/125  ISO-160

OK, another duck picture but this is quite different to the last one.  The duck was slowly moving away and I made a quick decision to position it in the bottom left quarter of the frame.  Tension is created from the back stream of water created by the ducks movement opposing the direction of the ripples of the surface water movement.  Placing the point towards the edge, yet not right next to it, was important for achieving the sense of movement.  Closer to the edge and I think it would have seemed unnatural.

Exercise - Positioning a Point - Image 2

17.06.12.SinglePoint(2)
f/15  1/125  ISO-200

In this image, the duck is placed about half way between the centre and the left edge horizontally, and slightly below centre vertically.   The placement of this point was judged partly in anticipation and partly through reaction.  I had been watching the duck dive under the surface a couple of times, popping up with something in its mouth each time.  I wanted to tightly  frame the ripples caused by the duck's movement, as close to the edge as possible, and catch it just after it resurfaced.  On the whole, I would say this was a fairly instinctive shot.

Exercise - Positioning a Point - Image 1

17.06.12.SinglePoint(1)
f/12 1/125 ISO-250

For the above "single point image", the shelter was placed just very slightly right of centre.  I placed the point where the passage of water, the edge of the land on the left, and the hanging willow on the right, would all lead to it.