Exercise 22 - Adjusting the balance between person and space

20 December 2010

In this exercise I have to vary the balance in any picture situation. I need to produce 2 images, using the same general viewpoint and composition varying the balance of attention between the person (or people) and the setting they are in. I have taken many views with people included and will search my archives to see what I can find.

These images show the same couple sitting on a groyne on Lyme Regis Town Beach. Both  taken from the same point but with no zoom and zoom extended.

First image

Image one is showing the couple sitting at a distance with a large area of beach and harbour surrounding them. They are lost in the picture but do add a focal point to the picture, not the first thing you notice but at least the eye has something to settle on as it travels round the picture. The people are on one of the 1/3rds but almost halfway down the image which is not the best position.

Second Image

The second image shows the couple in a much better position whereby they are on the cross between upright and horizontal thirds. The whole image is compacted with your eye going straight to the couple, a strong focal point.

The water forms a strong lead to the harbour in the middle distance and the sky has enough detail to have an interest. Plain grey skies have no real pulling power and the image usually ends up with a diffused muddy grey look.

Exercise 23 - Selective processing and prominence

This exercise asks me to take one image that I have already taken for an earlier exercise, an image in which the issue is the visual prominence of a figure in a setting. The ain of this exercise is to use the digital processing methods I have available on my computer to make two new versions of this image.  In one make the figure less prominent and in the second do the opposite, by making it stand out more.  The actual technique will depend on the processing software available, eg, Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, etc.

Original Image

I've been taking pictures for Assignment 4, an upmarket travel brochure of a place I know, and have produced this image. It's fine for the cottages but the lady walking up the hill is rather dark. I need to lighten her but not the surrounding area.

Using the Levels feature (screen shot)

Here you can see how I have used the quick mask to carefully select just her so I can use Levels to lighten her and not the background.

Completed picture

This last image shows how I have made the woman lighter but not adjusted her surrounding area. This shows her in more detail but doesn't lose the background details. I tried to be subtle and not overdo the lightening as she could look rather strange as she is in shadow. I find, when using Levels, you need to be careful to not overdo the adjustments.