EX10 Four different quadrants or four different corners

weekly exercises

10 Mar

I can’t remember where this idea came from. I was just reminded of it this morning when I was rereading my Better Photography article on Abstract Photography. It is something we need to explore to see if there is something in it for us photographers. So this week you are going to help me explore and learn about these two ideas.

Four different quadrants

The notion is simple. You divide the picture plane into four equal segments, with a huge vertical cross.

The concept is, that each segment needs to be a solid composition in itself.

This is something you can now easily work on when you are composing your photographs. How do I make each quadrant each its own resolved composition?

See if you can do this.

Take photographs with this in mind and then post one where each of the four quadrants is each a resolved composition.

Discuss whether this is a valid technique and if it helps the over all photograph.

Four different corners

Four different corners is a different idea that is rather similar. This comes from somewhere else in my reading on composition.

Again the concept is simple.

Each corner needs to be different.

Differences may include:

Tone
Hue (colour)
Line
Composition
Shape

This idea is an intention thing too. It helps you focus on something while you are taking and making art.

Go an take photographs intentionally where each of the corners are different. Post ones that are resolved.

Discuss if this idea helps with composition or not. How does it help? Is it worth pursuing?

Lastly, do either of these ideas help us take better photographs?

Oh... if you are just looking through your collection of photographs for one that fits, then you aren’t really doing the exercises. The exercises are usually about exploring the doing side of creating photographs. Go take new photographs for each weeks exercise, posting something old is a cop out.