Assignment 4 - redo

Encouraged by Alan (my tutor) I have done a rethink of this exercise and replaced a lot of the photos.

1.      Rollei shape 1 :           no change

2.      Rollei shape 2 :           no change

3.      Rollei form 1 :            no change

4.      Rollei form 2 :            new view from above with a partial side view

Rollei form 2: f/22, 90mm efl, 2.5 sec, ISO 100

5.      Rollei texture 1: monochrome image of whole camera focusing on the knobbly black metal case

Rollei texture 1: f/5, 90mm efl,  1/30 sec, ISO 100

6.      Rollei texture 2: partial view of top of camera showing the ridges in the viewfinder and the grain in the leather

Rollei texture 2: f/3.5, 90mm efl, 1/30 sec, ISO 160

7.      Rollei colour 1: back of camera showing colour in worn leather (natural light)

Rollei colour 3: f/3.2, 90mm efl, 1/125 sec, ISO100

8.      Rollei colour 2: side view of whole camera  colour in undamaged  leather (natural light)

Rollei colour 2: f/2.8, 90mm efl, 1/125 sec, ISO 100

9. Rollei colour 3: looking inside

ISO 250, f/2.8, 90mm efl, 1/60 sec.

Rethinking this assignment was an interesting exercise. It was hard to think of different ways to show such an iconic camera. All pictures were taken with my Panasonic G1, mainly with a 45mm (90) prime lens. The exposure was metered by the camera.

I have a single camera mounted flash, which can be swivelled to bounce light and no other photographic lighting so the still life shots were done with a variety of household lights and then colour corrected in Lightroom3 where required. The monochrome image was edited in Silver Efex pro 2.

These images are different than the previous set, and, I think, improved. There is a wider range of lighting used and more techniques shown.

Tony Cragg and Old Aircraft.

The exhibition of sculptures and drawings by Tony Cragg at the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art is full of items that make me want to touch them. The surfaces look inviting, smooth and cool. They are made from metal, resin and wood, are sinuous and twisting. Tony Cragg says ' I describe myself as a radical materialist......... sculpture  ...is a study of the material world .... it permits a journey of discovery that gives us a glimpse at the myriad of forms as yet unseen.' (Tony Cragg, Sculpture and Drawing,National Galleries of Scotland, 2011).

Many look organic, or contain distorted faces that appear and disappear as you look from different angles. Others mimic strange jars or pieces of old machinery, but i found these less inviting.

This one I found particularly striking and it reminded me of a recent visit to Doncaster Air Museum where many old planes were left outside waiting on someone to rescue them. The texture and the feel of this fuselage of a Canberra was similar and equally sculptural.

Shapes, textures and patterns that are striking can be found in unusual places. Both exhibitions were impressive in different ways. A reminder to keep looking and not to make assumptions about relative value as a learning experience.