Lately I've been thinking what constitutes a good photograph and what am I doing to create the image so that I can improve what I do. I started to analyse my "style" since everyone surely has one right? I realised that geometry features quite heavily in my images.
Geometry is defined as anything with lines, shapes and patterns. And this lead me to think that being a CAD designer for years, my brain must be wired to see them in an image. Much the same way as a taxi driver in London knows every street without a map or a satnav, the brain must be wired in some way. A quick search on the interweb reveals the structure of brains in licensed London taxi drivers, were analyzed and compared with those of control subjects who did not drive taxis. The posterior hippocampi of taxi drivers were significantly larger relative to control subjects. Maybe a long winded way of saying that maybe being a draftsman all my working life has unwittingly appeared in my photography!
So this is a post where lines, shapes and patterns appear significantly in the images.
Geometric Nights
When you are addicted to camera rotation photography like me you see structures in a slightly different way. This is a brutalist looking concrete flying buttress supporting an abandoned lime kiln and the structure by itself looked great. But when you rotate the camera like this it looks even better.
Geometric Forest
I'm lucky enough to live next to Sherwood Forest and it's only a short walk before I'm surrounded by trees. When you place lights around and behind a tree it looks completely different when it's rotated!
Rotating the Cube
This was a public art work in London's Canary Wharf. I think the idea behind the artwork is that it's geometric shape makes a difference when viewed from other angles. And when I rotate the camera, it's different again.
Geometry in the fog
I realised that I've been trying and not always succeeding in creating depth in my photography. By that I mean the eye is drawn in to the picture in a three dimensional way. I imagine holding up a picture frame and pushing my hand through to reach in to the image. Here I used the light beam to create the depth and the fog certainly helped.
Getting Kinetic in the Cut
Sometimes I accidentally create another dimension I didn't anticipate in an image. With this shot I moved the camera vertically downwards at the end of the exposure. The continuous light source exposed parts of the image that were unexposed and this was the result! I like surprises when I click the shutter!
Derelict vanishing point perspective
I like a good vanishing point perspective shot. Lightpainting in a derelict building with the camera down low to the ground.
Three instead of Four
I noticed a while back if I rotate the camera I was always using multiples of two or four. Three seems to work here better.
Linking the Needle
Where I can I try to link one shape with another in the image. This took me ages to line up Polaris with the top of the Needle here.
Leading Lines
I'll finish this post by adding probably one of my favourite all time images. This is an unexpected sunset shot in Salford Quays, Manchester. I couldn't believe my luck not only with the sunset but with the way all lines lead to the setting sun. Luck does sometimes play a big part in photography!
About me:
I usually specialise in shooting lightpainting images but occasionally dabble in urbex and artistic model photography. I'm always on the lookout for someone to collaborate with; please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to create art.
Social Media
https://www.facebook.com/fastchrisuk
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fastchris/
