Photographing Opposites
"Strength lies in differences, not in similarities."
Stephen Covey
This photo by Jenn Lord (@jennlordmedia) was one of the inspirations behind this assignment.
I'm sure you have heard the expression "opposites attract." Although it is pretty cliché in life, love and relationships, in photography people tend to be attracted to visual representations of opposites.
We like to look at photographs of opposites because they are objects that we don't expect to see together. Photographing opposites is one way to give visual contrast, and when objects contrast in a big way, they give your viewer something to think about.
We have been focusing on the elements of art and principles of design in photography for much of term 1 and 2, and like Jenn's photo (left), one of your favourite ways to arrange the elements of art has been by using contrast. By contrasting textures, colours, shapes etc. you are adding interest to a photo.
There are many ways to interpret this assignment and as long as you are using "opposites" or "contrast" of some sort in your photos, and you can explain their relevance, you are sure to be successful. As always, keep in mind the over-all composition of your photos.
ASSIGNMENT
PART 1: For this assignment, you will be taking 3 photos using your take on "photographing opposites". You may choose to look for pairs of opposite subjects and try to capture them in compelling ways OR you may choose to use contrast in an interesting way.
PART 2: Write one sentences about the photo that tells me how you think it fits into the context of the assignment.
AND
Using The Elements of Art (linked here), The Principles of Design (linked here) and the Rules of Photography (linked here), critique your photos in one or two sentences and tell me about your process. We have been critiquing photos since September and you all have become pros but remember, when critiquing your photos, you are not "criticizing", but rather explaining what you did to make the photo more interesting to the viewer. (See example below.) I am also creating a link to the Composition Venn Diagram you have been using (here) It might be a good idea to print it out and have it on your desk when you are critiquing your photos.
Add the photos, critiques and sentences to your blog.
Example:
Opposites Attract
When I look at this photo I see many different opposing forces that make it a great photo for this assignment. The first thing I see is the contrast in colour, the bright purple flowers against the dull earthy tones of the stone wall. Second, I love the juxtaposition of the delicate flowers against the strength of the stones. Lastly, the new and the old, the new flowers of spring against the old stone wall.
Critique: Along with the previous mentioned colour, this photo also uses different textures which adds interest to the photo. These two different textures bring life and vibrance to the image that may otherwise appear flat. The photo is also balanced, in that both "sides" of the photo command the viewers attention equally.
Getting Started:
Now if this is the sort of project idea that appeals to you, you could just set out one morning with a goal of wandering around until you blunder into some good sets of opposites or contrasting objects. However, I rarely recommend this approach because it tends to not be as fruitful as an approach where you have a solid plan. Now you don’t have to type out a detailed outline or anything, but at the very least you should think about some of the opposite pairs you might want to photograph so that you’ll have a game plan before you start. Here are some ideas to get your juices flowing.
This can be a really fun project but again, it requires some contemplation and certainly some experimentation. Start simple with something obvious, then see if you can move on to more complex ideas about contrasting elements or opposites. If at first you can't seem to really capture the contrast between two things in a compelling way, don't worry—you have the great luxury of being able to delete and reshoot if things don't work out the way you'd envisioned the first time around. Think of how you can adjust your camera angle, the way you've juxtaposed the two objects and how they are interacting with one another. Try different ideas and then decide later on which ones worked and which ones weren't as successful. The only way you'll really know for sure is if you brainstorm and then try every idea that occurs to you. Remember that ultimately your goal is to create images that make your viewer think—if you can do that, then you've succeeded.
I hope you are all taking care of yourselves. I miss you.
Mrs. Hindson