FOCUS

ASSIGNMENT

FOCUS, APERTURE AND COMPOSITION.

EXPLORING DEPTH OF FIELD AND FOCUS WITH SAUL LEITER.

One of the ways that cameras see the world differently to the way we view it with our eyes is that they can selectively focus on the subject. This phenomenon is related to the mechanics and optics of the camera lens. The photographer can change the settings on the camera in order to alter the amount of light entering the lens. This directly affects the depth of field of the subject being viewed.

SAUL LEITER.

COLOUR WORK IN NYC

Leiter was foremost a painter who discovered the possibilities of colour photography. He created an extraordinary body of work, beginning in the 1940s. His images explore colour harmonies and often exploit unusual framing devices - shop signs, umbrellas, curtains, car doors, windows dripping with condensation - to create abstracted compositions of everyday street life in the city. Leiter was fond of using long lenses, partly so that he could remain unobserved, but also so that he could compress space, juxtaposing objects and people in unusual ways. Many of his images use negative space, with large out of focus areas, drawing our eye to a particular detail or splash of colour.

"When we do not know why the photographer has taken a picture and when we do not know why we are looking at it, all of a sudden we discover something that we start seeing. I like this confusion."

- Saul Leiter

Saul Leiter

INDEPENDENT STUDY.

Aim: To encourage you to explore your surroundings using the camera, specifically the aperture and depth of field, to create creative and visually interesting work linked to relevant artists.

Practical work: You are required to:

Create a title page explaining the task and how you approached it.

Create a brainstorm exploring the theme and its relevant ides and concepts. (Shallow and Deep "Depth of field" and the effects on the image etc).

Create an artist research section focusing on Saul Leiter and his city images. Use the "flow" diagram technique explained in your booklet.

Create your own practical response inspired by your chosen artists.
- Remember to use your aperture carefully, composition rule of thirds (or not?) and the formal elements.
- Consider the degree of abstraction in the image. How out of focus are the subjects and are they still recognisable? Experiment with colour and black and white.
- Explore dramatic depth of field (selective focus). Experiment with switching between foreground, middle ground and background focus. Remember, you will need to use a wide aperture (small number e.g. f2.8). Remember to show all of the images you make (including those that you deem failures) in a gallery/contact sheet.
- Remember to experiment with blocking part of your image to create interesting images. Shoot through or alongside objects to "frame" your object?

Remember to annotate your images to explain why you feel your image is successful? How does it creativity use the aperture and composition? How have you used the different formal elements to create visually interesting images? (Remember to refer to the Key Features in your booklet or in the "How to..." section)