Digital Photography and Imaging - Week 2

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13/04/2023 - Week 2 Joey Lok Wai San / 0350857 Digital Photography and Imaging / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media Week 2 Blog


LECTURE

In this week's lecture, we learned about composition. We were introduced to basic compositions such as focal points, scale and hierarchy, balancing elements, and white space. We were also taught about the rule of thirds, the golden ratio, and composition (framing and cropping).


Fig 1.1 Week 2 Lecture Slides


1) Basic Composition


Focal Point 

- Helps viewer's eyes to naturally settle on the important pieces of the design

Scale & Hierarchy 

- Scale is used to help communicate hierarchy by drawing attention toward and away from certain elements

Balance the Elements

- Think of each element as having a ‘weight’ to it

White Spaces

- Balance the main focus of the composition


2) Rule of Thirds

The process of dividing an image into thirds, using two horizontal and two vertical lines - nine parts with four intercepting points


The Rule of Thirds is a way to:

- Use composition techniques that are in line with what’s naturally pleasing to the eye.

- Creatively use negative spaces

- Create conversation between the subject and background 

Fig 1.2 Rule of Thirds


3) Golden Ratio

When used in a design, it fosters organic and natural-looking compositions that are aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. It creates a sense of beauty through harmony and proportion and provides a sense of artistry in design. It is also a useful guideline for determining the dimensions of the layout.



Fig 1.3 Golden Ratio


4) Composition [Framing & Cropping] 

Cropping and framing describe how your subject is placed within the edges of a photo (how much subject and background you can see and what is cropped off).


TUTORIAL

We were given a demonstration on collage elements layering & composition. We referred to this video tutorial before starting our collages.


Fig 1.4 Composition Studies - Collage


PRACTICAL

We are required to cut out design elements from our magazine and create 3 different collage compositions. We were asked not to glue/stick any of our collage elements down as we may need to change our compositions after receiving feedback in our next lesson.



Fig 1.5 Collage Elements


When I first looked at my magazines, I noticed there were lots of models and fashion-related articles. Thus, my initial plan was to make a fashion-themed collage. That was until I stumbled across a magazine page about Frida Kahlo. I learned about Frida Kahlo in high school. Her iconic, unique self-portraits were symbolic and meaningful. I wanted to make a bright collage (Frida Kahlo is famous for her vibrant colored portraits) surrounding her.


Pre-composition #1

Fig 1.6 Pre-composition #1


Pre-composition #2


Fig 1.7 Pre-composition #2


Pre-composition #3

Fig 1.8 Pre-composition #3


Pre-composition #4

Fig 1.9 Pre-composition #4

We are required to submit the best collage composition for our first project.


Fig 1.10 "Frida Kahlo" - Final Physical Collage
REFLECTION
This week I learned a lot about composition such as the rule of thirds, the golden ratio, and basic composition. It is interesting to use what we learned in theory and apply it in our practical, physical collage. By using what we have learned about composition, it makes our collage have a more organic and natural-looking composition.

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