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| The Underside of a Rug |
I took this photograph at midday in my house when I was feeling complacent.
I was tired, but taking close up photographs of textural objects was a
satisfying activity because it required little energy. I chose to take this
photo head-on because I wanted to capture the pattern of the underside of the
rug, and also because I wanted to focus the attention on the detail in the
different textures of cords. Whilst it was one object, the cords of material
used to make up the rug had different textures, e.g. the beige rope was coarse
and rough, which is visible in this image where small strands of rope have
pulled away from the main cord. When I look at this photograph, I feel
satisfied because there is a lot to focus on, such as the different directions
of the wool and rope used to make the rug, and the pattern created by the weave
and weft. The beige rope balances out the blue wool of the rug’s surface and
gives the photo a warm feeling, making the image appear more pleasant than what
it may have seemed if the underside of the rug was just blue.
Elastic Bands
In this photo of a ball of elastic bands, I particularly like the lines
of the bands that curve and wrap around the ball in in different directions
because it gives your eye something to follow. Not only are there lines
travelling in all directions due to the many elastic bands, but these lines are
perpendicular to those that have been created where the rubber bands have
perished and worn. I also like the colours in this photo; the rubber bands that
have been grouped together are in purple, pink and white, creating a friendly,
feminine feel to the image.
This image was taken on my desk at home in the afternoon. It was
towards the end of taking photographs for my art project, so I felt inspired to
get some really good shots having warmed up and become comfortable with the camera.
I took the photo head on, like I did when photographing the rug, but I tried to
capture the side of the elastic band ball so that the photo had something other
than elastic bands in it. As I mentioned above, when I took this photo I was in
good spirits and I felt inspired to take a photograph of something interesting.
When I look at this photo now, I feel almost ethereal, because the image comes
across as being pleasant and aesthetically pleasing due to its colours and
lines.
Birdhouse Roof
In this image of the birdhouse roof, I like the repetitive pattern
of the tiles that have been laid on top of each other to create the roof. The
colours in this photo are very monotone, which means the focus of the image is
forced upon the texture of the tiles and the pattern in which they have been
laid. Whilst there is form in the way the tiles have been laid, there is
complete randomness in the way the rubber has been stuck to the tiles to give
the birds grip when they land on the roof.
This photo was taken in the late morning in my garden. The photo
was taken head on to capture the curving tiles and the pattern they make. At
the time I felt tired and not fully awake, so the bird house roof to me
represented something strong and protective for the birds as well as having
quite a rough surface that would make for a rude awakening if touched when
feeling sleepy. Looking back at this photo, the texture of the roof reminds me
of a road or playing field due to the uneven pieces of rubber stuck to the
tiles. The monotone colour scheme and gravelly texture makes me feel somewhat
on guard, for the monotone colours suggest negative connotations and the
gravelly texture propose discomfort. The combination of a rough surface in
monotone colours doesn’t appeal as a friendly surface to me, which is ironic because
it makes up the roof of a bird house; house being a place of safety and comfort
which is contradictory to something with negative connotations and discomfort.
Iguana Scales
In this photograph of the iguana’s body, I like the use of space
that is visible between the scales because it adds detail and interest to the
photo, since there isn’t one part of the iguana’s body that doesn’t have a gap
of space varied from the one next to it. Naturally, the smallest scales have
the least amount of space between them, and the larger scales to the left of
the image as well as towards the bottom left on the iguana’s leg have the
largest gaps of space between them. The space in this photo helps to add depth
to the image and separate the mass of yellows and browns that make up the
iguana’s scales. I also find the shapes in this photo interesting. Whilst every
scale appears to be circular, if studied closely then it is obvious that none
of the scales are the same shape, and every one of them has a different form.
The photo of the iguana was taken in the summer holidays of 2011
when my family and I went to Costa Rica. We saw many iguanas, and this close up
of an iguana’s scales is just one of many wildlife shots we got whilst we were
there. I took this photo when we stopped at a restaurant for lunch that was a
sanctuary for iguanas and other lizards, so there were many just walking around
who were used to people being there. At the time, I was overwhelmed by how calm
the iguanas were and it took a lot of effort to contain my excitement and
energy so as not to scare the animals. Looking back at this image, I feel a
reminiscent surge of excitement and happiness at the thought of having been so
close to such an intriguing animal. However, now I am not caught up in the
holiday excitement, I am able to appreciate the beauty and intricacy of the
iguana’s scales – something that I did not fully recognise when I first took
the photo. The different shapes and shades of each scale on the iguana’s back
captivate me. The yellow tones are warm and inviting, and the variety in shapes
encourages me to look further and explore the detail in the iguana’s scales so
that I am able to appreciate the animal’s beauty for something more than just
aesthetic looks.
Sunflower Leaf
The detail in this photo of the sunflower leaf is what draws me
most to it. From far away, a leaf looks simply like the green foliage of a
plant, but when studied closed up, the detail of the leaf’s cells became
visible. When photographing this leaf, I chose to use backlighting so that the
light shone through the leaf’s veins. I also like the different shades of green
captured in this image. Where the light from behind has a dappled effect on the
leaf, light shades of green are visible. Towards the perimeter of the leaf, the
shades of green become darker with hints of yellows and browns where the
corners of the leaf are. The leaf’s pattern of cells reminds me of a wild
animal that may be found on the plains of Africa, such as a giraffe or cheetah.
The many veins and cells that are highlighted by the backlighting create a
patchwork of squares, triangles and other shapes – similar to the patterns you’d
find on a giraffe’s back or a cheetah’s fur. Whilst the main vein running down
the centre of the leaf and the other veins leading off from it take away from
this animal print idea, the smaller patches with patterns within patterns
reminds me of animals’ coats.
This photo was taken in the early morning when the sun was still
rising, so the light wasn’t strong. I chose to take the image off centre to
capture the detail in the plant’s trichomes, or hairs, that are visible on the
very edge of the leaf around the jagged points and running up the side. To me,
is one of the most interesting photographs I took because there is so much to
it in the different patterns of the leaf’s cells and veins, the shades of green
and the trichomes on the edge of the leaf. Whilst past of the leaf are quite
dark whilst could suggest a solemn feel to the image, when I look at the
sunflower leaf I feel blissful because of the patterns lit up from behind and
the light greens mixing with the darker ones. The rough edges of the leaf
suggest something threatening, but the hairs that are visible appear so soft
that it contradicts any roughness that may have been there. This softness also
adds to making me feel blissful, because I associate softness with being cosy,
content and care free.
Sunflower
I decided to capture the centre of a sunflower because sunflowers
are one of my favourite flowers due to their colours and patterns. I wanted to
capture the way the sunflower seeds in the middle of this sunflower head spiral
inwards towards the centre of the flower. If someone was to look at the outer
seeds of the sunflower in this image, it would be hard for that person to tell
if there was a pattern or not because all of the seeds appear to be pointing
outwards towards the viewer of the image. However, as soon as someone focuses
on the central parts of the photograph it becomes clear that the seeds do form
a spiral towards the centre of the flower – a pattern that is not obvious from
a distance. Another element of this photograph that is not always visible from
a distance are the colours that a featured in the seeds. Sunflower seeds and
heads appear to be black, but from this photo it is clear that there is a wide
variety of colours from purples and indigos to yellows and greys. Within these
patterns and colours are the shapes of the seeds that are different when viewed
head on to when they are viewed in someone’s hand before eating or planting.
There are triangles towards the tops of the seeds, and if you look at one seed
individually a circle can be made out encompassing the bottoms of the triangles
from where the seed is widest. The centre of the spiral itself is a circle.
I took this photograph at the same time as I took the photograph
of the sunflower leaf; however the lighting here is head on, like the camera
angle, because of the lights in the room. Like my previous photos, I wanted to
capture the pattern of the sunflower seeds which is why I took the image head
on. The spiral pattern of the sunflower seeds makes me feel mesmerised – almost
as if I were looking at an optical illusion that has a hypnotic effect of
people due to the spiralling patterns and colours.
Lemon Slice
In this close up photograph, like how the light reflecting off the lemon slice helps the
viewer notice the flesh of the lemon, and its texture. The lines of each piece
of lemon flesh draw the viewer’s eye into the centre of the lemon to where the white
fluffy protective part of the lemon is. The way the close up has captured the
fluffy protective matter reminds me of something more bacterial. The pattern of
the lemon pieces remind me of flowers that children may draw, with each petal being
a single piece of lemon flesh.
The image was taken in the morning, when I cut a lemon for my
pancakes that I had made for breakfast. I took the image directly on because I
wanted to capture the lines of the lemon pieces drawing the eye towards the
fluffy white part of the lemon because, in my opinion, it is one of the more
interesting parts of the lemon. Looking at this image makes me feel happy and
mildly excited, because I associate it with delicious foods, or hot family
holidays in foreign countries where the food markets have endless stalls displaying
exotic fruits or other foods and sweets.
Heliconia Plant
The photo of the Heliconia plant was originally a larger image. When
I had initially seen the Heliconia plant, I was so amazed at the colour of it
because it seemed so exotic to be a hanging plant with pinks and oranges and
yellows featured in its petals. I was also in awe of the Heliconia plant’s
shape which isn’t visible in this image, but was fascinating because it was
made of what looked like lots of tear drop shaped petals that were turned 90°
and attached to a stork. One of the elements that I like most about this plant
that is visible in this image is the tiny hairs that cover the plant’s surface.
They give the viewer a sense of how the plant may feel to touch, because the
fur on it looks like its texture could be associated with the feel of the fur
on a new born small animal, like a rabbit or even a mouse. It reminds me of the
fur on this inside of a cat’s ear – short and very soft.
This photograph was taken in Costa Rica when I was on holiday with
my family. I cannot remember what time of day it was when I took this
photograph, but I remember feeling like the happiest person ever on that holiday,
and there is not a single memory of that holiday that doesn’t make me smile.
For that reason, whenever I see this photo or other photos from that holiday, I
always get reminiscent feelings of overwhelming joy. Since I took this image
last year, I didn’t know that I would be using it for my art homework which is
why I took it head on as a larger image: to capture the full beauty of the
plant. If I had known about my art project, then perhaps I would have considered
a different camera angle to take full advantage of the petal shapes and the
colour and texture of the plant.
Butterfly Wing
The elements in this photograph of the butterfly wing that I like
are the shapes and the lines that are clear when studied in a close up image.
It is obvious from this photo that the wings of butterflies are made up of lots
of thin, vertical lines. According to enchantedlearning.com, these lines are
actually lots of tiny hairs and scales that are supported and nourished by the
veins going horizontally across the wing (the thicker, grey lines branching
outwards). From far away, the patterns on butterflies’ wings look to be made of
smooth shape, however this image shows that the circles that make up the
butterfly’s pattern are very jagged edged. They remind me of how circles look
when drawn on the computer and zoomed in on; all pixelated.
Again, this photograph was taken in Costa Rica during the day. The
photo was taken almost directly one, but slightly from underneath. This was
because the butterfly was resting on a table with fruit, and so as not to scare
it away but still to capture the beauty of the butterfly, I took the image
resting my camera on the edge of the table pointing slightly up at the
butterfly. When I see this image, it reminds me not of Costa Rica, but of England
where I grew up. It brings back nostalgic memories of catching butterflies in
the fields outside my house. The veins of the butterfly’s wing also contribute
to childhood memories, because they remind me of the veins in bat wings and bats’
feet, which I grew familiar to as a child because of the many bats that lives
in the forests near where I grew up.
Mascara Wand
I tried to take a close up photograph of a mascara wand because it
is something that a lot of girls use to make themselves look beautiful whilst
on the contrary a mascara wand itself looks, in my opinion, very unattractive.
With this image I tried to capture the bristle-like texture that mascara wands
appear to have, as well as the way the mascara itself has gathered in sticky,
thick clumps at the end of the bristles. This image is very monotone, since it
is a black mascara on a white background, but I think this helps enhance the
detail in the individual wand fibres that help apply the mascara.
I took this image in the afternoon in my room where all my makeup
is kept. I had tried taking this photo from an angle, but it was harder to
capture the globules of mascara that are clung to the bristles from an angle,
so I settled with taking the image head on. This image makes me smile at the
irony in the thought of women and girls applying something that looks so man
made and insensitive to their eyes to create a more attractive look.
Makeup Brush
Having taken a photograph of a mascara wand, I decided to take a
photo of a makeup brush because I wanted to capture the soft texture of it in
contrast with the hard bristles of a mascara wand. The photo shows the lines of
each tiny brush hair splaying outwards to create the bigger brush and what
looks like a vast space of pink, when in reality the brush head seems rather
small.
This photograph was taken at my makeup table in the afternoon. I
took this photo from a slight worm eye’s view, and off centre. I didn’t want to
capture the centre of the brush, because I thought the image would be more
interesting if the viewer could see the way the brush hairs splay out at the
edges of the brush. When I look at this photograph it reminds me of animations
I have seen about how insignificant objects such as dandelions can seem so
daunting to insects. Looking at the makeup brush gives me a sense of how
overwhelming it would be if it appeared so large in real life.
Loofah
I decided to photograph the Loofah because its texture and pattern
intrigued me. I love how the material folds and creases, and lines are created
running across the photograph in waves whilst towards the top of the image it is
clear that the material is made of plastic netting of some sort that has spread
out to create little circles. The colours of the Loofah help make this image
aesthetically pleasing, because the white and red are complimentary of each
other.
This image was taken in the afternoon in my bathroom. I chose to
take it head on so as to capture the waves of the Loofah and the different
direction of the weave and weft. When I look at this image, I feel happy and
content because the colours are warm and the photo is bright. It reminds me of
the folds of soft fabric, or the ripples of ice cream mixed with strawberry sauce
on a hot day from an ice cream van.
