Openings
Question; Research appropriate sources and produce your own work in which openings play an important part.
My starting point: 'Openings'
I have selected the theme of 'Openings' as my starting point for the set task. I picked Openings as my theme because I think that it's a bit of a challenge and something I've never done before and that is different. I also think that I can experiment with this theme in lots of different ways.
Themes:
- Doorways and windows.
- Repeated openings (e.g archways).
- Looking through something (e.g hole).
- Something broken/revealed (e.g basketball net).
I have selected the theme of 'Openings' as my starting point for the set task. I picked Openings as my theme because I think that it's a bit of a challenge and something I've never done before and that is different. I also think that I can experiment with this theme in lots of different ways.
Themes:
- Doorways and windows.
- Repeated openings (e.g archways).
- Looking through something (e.g hole).
- Something broken/revealed (e.g basketball net).
Nicholas Goodden
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/275903590.jpeg?354)
Nicholas is an urban photographer living in London, UK. He was born in this country, the same year. Raised in France, he returned to London in 1999 and have lived there ever since. His mother's English, his father's French. Nicholas has said to always be quite creative through cooking having trained as a chef, also for being DJ for 10 years, some average drawing skills, stone sculpture and more recently photography with a focus on London. He also is said to have an obsession for detail and composition.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/674928939.jpg?417)
I find Nicholas Goodden photography interesting because in a lot of ways his images are quite simple, however because of the angle and lighting it makes the photos look very unique and, because of the lighting, the photos almost look more like something out of a story book.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/9056404.jpg?510)
My response to Nicholas Goodden
I attempted to take a photo like Nicholas Goodden. The photo is quite difficult to see as it is very dark, however I think that the photo worked quite well, because the background and sky look very dull, but I focused on the apple which caught the bright red reflecting against the plain but wet surface. I love the apple in this picture, because it illuminates the whole contrast of the image.
The picture could be better, if I focused more on the apple to blur the boring background.
I attempted to take a photo like Nicholas Goodden. The photo is quite difficult to see as it is very dark, however I think that the photo worked quite well, because the background and sky look very dull, but I focused on the apple which caught the bright red reflecting against the plain but wet surface. I love the apple in this picture, because it illuminates the whole contrast of the image.
The picture could be better, if I focused more on the apple to blur the boring background.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/4159250.jpg?444)
I like these pictures very much, because I've captured the natural light from the sun, which has enlightened the corridor beside the stairs, literally blinding your vision for a few seconds. I think the strength of this picture is the bright light shining through the huge arch window, allowing light to come through at certain and not all angles. This picture could be better if I focused more on the arch window rather than the whole image area.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/953083483.jpg)
The photos I took above was influenced by this image of an arched window, in the background there's a Mosque called the Shah Mosque. I love this picture because there's not just beauty in it, there's also history. The Shah Mosque (Jameh Abbasi Mosque) known as Imam mosque(after the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran) is a mosque in Isfahan, Iran, standing in south side of Naghsh-i Jahan Square. Built during the Safavi period, ordered by the first Shah Abbas of Persia. It is also depicted on the reverse of the Iranian 20,000 rials banknote, but you can't forget it's one of the most beautiful mosques ever, inside and out and at day and night, personally, I enjoy the sightings more in the night. This is shown below.
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The outside of The Shah Mosque in the day. The port of the mosque measures 27 meters high. There are two minarets 42 meters tall on top of it. The Mosque it is surrounded with four iwans and arcades. All the walls are ornamented with seven-colour mosaic tile. The most magnificent iwan of the mosque is the one facing the Qibla. It is 33 meters high. Behind it is a space which is roofed with the largest dome in the city at 52 meters height. The dome is double layered.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/740033073.jpg?410)
The outside of The Shah Mosque in the night. The acoustic properties and reflections at the central point under the dome is an amusing interest for many visitors. There are two seminaries at the southwest and southeast sections of the mosque.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/598911142.jpg?415)
The inside of The Shah Mosque. The architects of the mosque are reported to be the following masters:
Ustad Ali Akbar Isfahani
Ustad Fereydun Naini
Ustad Shoja' Isfahani
The mosque is one of the treasures featured on Around the World in 80 Treasures presented by the architecture historian Dan Cruickshank.
Ustad Ali Akbar Isfahani
Ustad Fereydun Naini
Ustad Shoja' Isfahani
The mosque is one of the treasures featured on Around the World in 80 Treasures presented by the architecture historian Dan Cruickshank.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/1445595.jpg?698)
The pictures I took below are the same pictures above, just enlarged for closer and more detailed evaluation.
I like the picture because the sky illuminates the photo with its aqua blue sensation, also I like the old building behind the enormous symmetrical arched window, allowing the sun to escape through its ports.
I really like the pictures above and below, because in the pictures, they focus on one thing the camera has captured. For instance the image above has focused on the natural sunlight bathing on the oak staircase banister.
I really like the pictures above and below, because in the pictures, they have either focused on one thing the camera has captured or not. For instance the image below has focused on the natural sunlight laying on the aqua blue or greenish floor. Also I love the sunshine expanding across the image, as it makes it look like heaven from a movie, or a near death experience, when people claim they were approaching a bright crystal clear white light while dead for a short while.
I enjoy the view of all the trumpets above, because the camera has fixed focus and has used a small aperture and wide-angle lens to ensure that everything within a certain range of distance from the lens, is in reasonable focus. The camera also displayed a limited focusing range or scale-focus. Also the black and white images ensure that you can see the focus working as in most pictures, you can see the camera was focusing on one particular area of the image.
I like the 2 pictures above because it's an opening to go somewhere, and going somewhere means exploring, and exploring means new creative ideas. I also I like that the picture focuses on everything it has captured.
The 2 pictures above are really cool because they're focused on the smallest aspect where nobody else would ever look, for example; the picture directly above is the inside of a bin, capturing a spiders web and the light of the flash from the camera illuminating the bottom half of the picture. Also I like the orange broken down leaves stuck on the rim of the web, indicating it was Autumn with leaves flying around in the fearsome wind. The spiders web seems to be strong as it collects and cushions multiple objects.
I absolutely love all the pictures above, because I really enjoyed taking these awesome photos. The pictures above show Porth Dafarch beach, in the wonderful Anglesey. I love these images because it's the natural beauty of Wales which many people do not recognize. It's an opening into the ocean, and the ocean is the most glorious thing created, it covers 75% of planet Earth, it's a whole different world down their, when you enter it, it's like you've entered a different dimension, it's impossible to forget how beautiful it is because it's so alien like. That's how these pictures make me feel.
I really like this picture because it emphasizes with a gender; male, a sport; football, a country; England and a footballers view; because goalkeepers in football connect with the goal, so they know where to dive and when they save, where to goalpost are. It also focuses on one post and it doesn't focus on the other posts, just like a real goalie would do, when he go's to save a shot from the opposition.
I love the pictures above, because they represent a waterfall if you look closer. The water coming out of the opening of the tap signifies water shrugging through the amazon rain forest. Then the water thrashing down like the Niagara falls, then splashing with its astonishing wave impact on the surface. What also fascinates me about these pictures, the camera has picked up on the water falling down, and has focused on it, which looks amazing and gives a great effect. I also love the spots of the coloured paint, it makes the image look extremely artistic, with help with the art pencil on the picture directly above. I also enjoy seeing the water droplets in the first few pictures on focus, to enjoy that little aspect of life.
I reminisce when I glance at this picture, because I think of two short but mighty quotes to change your perspective of life. The first one is, "The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential...these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence." Confucius. The second one is also also relatively small but still as powerful, "When one door is closed, don't you know, another is open." Bob Marley. What I also like about this picture, is that it's clean and looks newly refurbished. It looks like an opening to a better place in life.
This photo I took also reminds me of a fantastic quote which motivates young people for the fantastic sport Basketball, "The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I've always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It's been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It's a relationship that has evolved over time, given me the greatest respect and love for the game." by the one and only legend, Michael Jordan. This picture also tells you something, it doesn't matter how wealthy or poor you are, you can train anywhere, at any place. You can become the best no matter where you come from. Another reason why I love this picture is, the camera focuses on the basketball as it rebounds of the backboard, going in for 3 points.
The images I have took below have been taken inside my home or around Salford Quays of my family, objects/things in my home and myself.
A few of the images I am proud of.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/3880388.jpg?940)
I really like these photos, because I think that the center of the image is very eye catching. Because the room is so dark it really emphasizes the image in the center. I think that these images are very detailed and a another reason why I enjoy these pictures, is the exquisite detail surrounding it, because it looks like a collision of two worlds on Earth, Earth (land) and water (the ocean). The lamp also sets a alien like atmosphere, with the jewels illuminating the background of the cream wall. The dark green water also helps the atmosphere to stay dark and gloomy because the colour of the water makes it look like a swamp in a horror movie. The picture directly above is extremely simple, yet you can find a spectacular amount of detail, just by viewing a fish tank and a lamp with cheap jewels engraved onto the structure.
One of the images I am disappointed of.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/4299150.jpg?942)
I don't really think that this photo worked very well. What I tried to do was to capture two tall long street lights in my peep-hole, I did that successfully, but not clear enough to see the lights were street lights. I really like the idea though, to focus on the lights out such a small and narrowing opening, that's exactly what I did but as I said, not successfully. I think if I had to make improvements to this photo, I would change the ISO because I found out that I was using the wrong setting for the day, as this picture was took in the night. Also the colours are extremely dull and it doesn't look very admiring, so I would use effect to liven up the atmosphere in the photo. I would also use the flash next time, to enhance colours.
My Final Piece
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/1266598.jpg?666)
I am really happy with how this piece came out, when I first had this idea there were definitely things I wouldn't of thought of doing that I have done now, like using Photoshop or placing them on the original image. I think that this piece is abstract and different and turned out better then I thought it would.
My idea for my first final piece was to take pictures through openings. My initial idea was going to be of things like streets lights or lamps. I thought that it would almost be like a fish eye lens and make the photo really abstract. However this idea didn't work because the problem was that the pictures of the lights are already slightly distorted and blurred, as it was the night. This was what made me take photos of flowers through key holes and arches because they are very small but show huge amounts of detail and natural effects.
Once all the photos were taken I wasn't very sure on how I would present the images, I'd had lots of ideas but none were very good, my first idea was to just mount all the pictures but because there were so many I would only be able to choose a few and I wanted to use most of them. My next idea was to place all the pictures onto a movie maker app, but the picture I did above was used by using Photoshop. I wasn't extremely sure whether this idea would work or not however I was really happy with the end result. I was worried that the colours of the photos would just clash but they worked nicely and are eye catching. I never really had trouble with the lighting because I took all of these photos at the same day around the same time.
Once all the photos were taken I wasn't very sure on how I would present the images, I'd had lots of ideas but none were very good, my first idea was to just mount all the pictures but because there were so many I would only be able to choose a few and I wanted to use most of them. My next idea was to place all the pictures onto a movie maker app, but the picture I did above was used by using Photoshop. I wasn't extremely sure whether this idea would work or not however I was really happy with the end result. I was worried that the colours of the photos would just clash but they worked nicely and are eye catching. I never really had trouble with the lighting because I took all of these photos at the same day around the same time.
What I Would Change Next Time
If I was to do this piece again I would probably have more of a variety of pictures. I would also try different objects not just the sea and see what else works well. I think I would also see what I could do with Photoshop, maybe changing the colours or making the colours more vibrant and maybe even overlapping the pictures and blending them together. I think I would also use different lenses because then I can be more flexible with the zoom. Also, when these pictures are displayed I would like them to have a white background so that the colours stand.
If I was to do this piece again I would probably have more of a variety of pictures. I would also try different objects not just the sea and see what else works well. I think I would also see what I could do with Photoshop, maybe changing the colours or making the colours more vibrant and maybe even overlapping the pictures and blending them together. I think I would also use different lenses because then I can be more flexible with the zoom. Also, when these pictures are displayed I would like them to have a white background so that the colours stand.
What I Did:
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/7448737.png?666)
1). The first thing I did was get one of the beach pictures, because the image was the same size as the original image, I re-sized the image.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/5/5/23550324/4872435.png?669)
Then I merged the photos together. Creating the effect that their's a ocean opening through the arched passage.