Ulf Buschmann Photoshoot
I shot these manually, by setting my shutter speed to 1/5 of a second, the aperture to f/5.6 and the ISO to 800. This allowed me to have photographs which were not under or over exposed, thus allowing me to adjust the focus manually. At first I had to experiment with the time of exposure as well as the aperture in order to achieve the effect that Buschmann creates. I succeeded in the second half by figuring out which were the best settings and up to what extent I should 'blur' the photograph.
Ulf Buschmann Analysis
Ulf Buschmann is a German photographer based in Berlin with a distinct photography style focusing on abstract, architectural, street and natural photography. All his photographs are abstract in some way given the way 6Many of his photographs in any area has a abstract feature such as his series of photographs of crowds, which is done in strong light and a purposely unfocused camera, leading to the figures being barely recognisable.
What would best describe his photography is picturesque and other-worldly. The close ups or framing of small details in much larger structures gives way to another world, which we do not pay particular attention to as they are so minor in our everyday lives. Buschmann plays with light, pattern, texture and lines to create his stunning photographs thus conveying a meditative or transcendental mood. The way in which he comes by the subjects for his photographs is so simple and on-the-spot that it becomes fascinating: he has described that the lets himself ‘drift mostly but sometimes there are certain places or buildings that I specifically go to’. The spontaneity behind his photographers makes them more meaningful as it freezes time and engulfs us, due to there being little space.
It appears he uses minimal photo-retouching and instead focuses on experimenting with angles, positions and settings to achieve the results he desires. Buschmann experiments again and again with his camera such as for his collection of passer-by’s on the streets where he used different shutter speeds to create a ghostly motion blur where the people appear as warped cylinders rather than the recognisable human silhouette. To achieve the effect, he had to experiment with different exposure times, which is he is familiar with as he has a tendency to experiment with blur, corresponding to hi preference for abstract photography. Leading on, his architectural photographs are produced from assuming unusual positions such as a crouch or looking to the ceiling, lying down thus giving the final images an unfamiliar perspective. Not only are the compositions genius, but the colours are always sharp and vivid: the light is always bright and strong thus bringing forward the subject and the lines help to give structure and order to his work. The tones are varied, especially combined with the texture of the subject which can either make the photograph seem threatening or peaceful. Furthermore he often focuses on small details that when isolated have a defined aesthetic appeal due to the patterns, colours or lines at play. His preference for these abstract details is heavily present in his natural and architectural photography.
The reason for why his photography is so interesting is the attentions to detail: the composition, light, colours, shapes and patterns. These details which he finds when isolating specific areas of what surrounds us results in creative and imaginative photographs, giving the viewer a new perspective on what surround them. Thus his photographs are refreshing with their calming moods and intricate colours. For example, his photograph of blue smoke against a white backdrop seems spiritual and depending on the viewer the shape of the smoke resembles that of a woman’s body.
What would best describe his photography is picturesque and other-worldly. The close ups or framing of small details in much larger structures gives way to another world, which we do not pay particular attention to as they are so minor in our everyday lives. Buschmann plays with light, pattern, texture and lines to create his stunning photographs thus conveying a meditative or transcendental mood. The way in which he comes by the subjects for his photographs is so simple and on-the-spot that it becomes fascinating: he has described that the lets himself ‘drift mostly but sometimes there are certain places or buildings that I specifically go to’. The spontaneity behind his photographers makes them more meaningful as it freezes time and engulfs us, due to there being little space.
It appears he uses minimal photo-retouching and instead focuses on experimenting with angles, positions and settings to achieve the results he desires. Buschmann experiments again and again with his camera such as for his collection of passer-by’s on the streets where he used different shutter speeds to create a ghostly motion blur where the people appear as warped cylinders rather than the recognisable human silhouette. To achieve the effect, he had to experiment with different exposure times, which is he is familiar with as he has a tendency to experiment with blur, corresponding to hi preference for abstract photography. Leading on, his architectural photographs are produced from assuming unusual positions such as a crouch or looking to the ceiling, lying down thus giving the final images an unfamiliar perspective. Not only are the compositions genius, but the colours are always sharp and vivid: the light is always bright and strong thus bringing forward the subject and the lines help to give structure and order to his work. The tones are varied, especially combined with the texture of the subject which can either make the photograph seem threatening or peaceful. Furthermore he often focuses on small details that when isolated have a defined aesthetic appeal due to the patterns, colours or lines at play. His preference for these abstract details is heavily present in his natural and architectural photography.
The reason for why his photography is so interesting is the attentions to detail: the composition, light, colours, shapes and patterns. These details which he finds when isolating specific areas of what surrounds us results in creative and imaginative photographs, giving the viewer a new perspective on what surround them. Thus his photographs are refreshing with their calming moods and intricate colours. For example, his photograph of blue smoke against a white backdrop seems spiritual and depending on the viewer the shape of the smoke resembles that of a woman’s body.
Photoshoot 'en Normandie'
I took these with my phone's camera, so I did not have full control of depth of feild, aperture or shutter speed, however, this allowed me to focus solely on composition and the formal elements. I focused on line, gemometry and texture as within most photographs I have attempted to capture patterns, shapes and lines wich either clash or re-inforce each other.
FORMAL ELEMENTS OF PHOTOGRAPHY - back to basics
Lines – Lines are essential in photography as they can alter the appearance of a photograph by leading the eye through the photograph, adding or enhancing depth, create intricate and complex shapes or be the key to a photograph's composition. Lines create shape, which creates from and texture… Lines are greatly varied: curved, straight, horizontal or diagonal, thin, thick, tall. A line can lead you into a photograph, they can alter the emotion and can be used to stimulate an array of reactions. For example, a thin line is fragile and unstable, whereas a thicker line will be more firm and overpowering.
Shapes – Shapes are equally as important, they can be geometric ( a triangle), organic, natural, lines, silhouettes and add two –dimensional quality to a photograph. Lines and shapes occur everywhere and this can be manipulated to produce bizarre or illusionary photographs. Shape is essential to an image but must be identifiable either by being backlit or front-lit so that it may stand out from its surroundings.
Forms – Form is three-dimensional and best conveyed through the use of light to create contrast, smooth or soft shadows which amplify depth and convey the meaning and message of a photograph. Form is a well paired with the value of a photograph as light and shadow differentiate or merge forms.
Texture – Texture is challenging as light is required to perceive and capture it an intriguing way. Light can reinforce a particular texture such as early morning light, sunset light or soft light. Textures can be soft, rough, smooth or hard and thus influence the overall emotion or meaning of a photograph by conveying particular sensations. A soft texture may appease a photograph, a rough texture on the other hand is more intimidating. Bright light can influence the roughness of a building or emphasize cracks and dips. Texture thus adds liveliness and makes a photograph come alive by giving it sense and touch.
Pattern - Pattern uses repeated elements such as lines, tones, colour or shapes and can either be the subject or enhance the composition of a photograph by creating unity, structure and rhythm. A repetitive pattern filling the frame appears to go beyond the image, and this technique is used to emphasize the pattern, but a photograph which is purely a pattern can become dull. On the other hand, the flow of a pattern can be disrupted and capturing this can be used for an array of different purposes.
Colour – Colour is also very powerful, it can inspire chaos or orderliness. Colour is associated with emotions : red is passion or anger, blue is tranquillity or anxiousness. Thus colour heavily influences the message, mood and atmosphere of a photograph. Different colours give different messages. Vibrant ones are active, engaging and interesting. Colours are found all around us thus it is key to use them to produce a spectacular photograph. There are two types of colours: subtractive and additive. Colour may also be used to create contrast such as having a particularly bright or warm colour placed in a dark environment.
Other elements include:
Space – Space is the way in which the subject or elements fill the photograph, it is the area that surrounds the object. Space can ruin the composition and vice versa. Furthermore, space cam emphasize emotions or concept such as loneliness: for example, placing a subject to the corner of a photograph, surrounded by empty space would illustrate isolation, loneliness… Therefore space must be considered when placing a subject in relation to what you are trying to achieve in your photography.
Focus – aperture and depth of field affect the focus of a photograph. By changing the focus the subject changes, which affects both the composition. Focus can sharpen or soften an image, isolate specific areas and so on through aperture and the lens which heavily affects the composition, how the viewer interprets the image and what the photograph represents.
Light – Light is more than simply light and dark. It is the mood of photograph, it affects the shape and textures, the shadows and how your subject appears. Three characteristics of light determine the overall appearance of a photograph. These are how harsh or soft it is, the direction and the colour. Harsh light will create strong direct shadows compared to soft light which will diffuse more thus be softer; in addition, shadow placement and location indicates the direction from which the light is coming form. Light can be natural or artificial. Artificial light would be used in studios to create specific moods or shadows to manipulate a photograph. Natural light would be used outside and is harder to manipulate.
Composition – Composition is the way in which the elements are arranged in a photographed, or how they are positioned in relation to each other. Composition guides the viewer through a photograph in a specific order (or not) and can make or break a photograph. It is affected by depth of field, aperture and angle: a wide aperture blurs the background and foreground, thus objects in these areas will have less importance than those which are more defined. The goal of composition is to please the eye thus must show the subject in a flattering or aesthetic manner however can be used to demonstrate stronger ideas or messages such as using less natural compositions to shock the viewer.
Shapes – Shapes are equally as important, they can be geometric ( a triangle), organic, natural, lines, silhouettes and add two –dimensional quality to a photograph. Lines and shapes occur everywhere and this can be manipulated to produce bizarre or illusionary photographs. Shape is essential to an image but must be identifiable either by being backlit or front-lit so that it may stand out from its surroundings.
Forms – Form is three-dimensional and best conveyed through the use of light to create contrast, smooth or soft shadows which amplify depth and convey the meaning and message of a photograph. Form is a well paired with the value of a photograph as light and shadow differentiate or merge forms.
Texture – Texture is challenging as light is required to perceive and capture it an intriguing way. Light can reinforce a particular texture such as early morning light, sunset light or soft light. Textures can be soft, rough, smooth or hard and thus influence the overall emotion or meaning of a photograph by conveying particular sensations. A soft texture may appease a photograph, a rough texture on the other hand is more intimidating. Bright light can influence the roughness of a building or emphasize cracks and dips. Texture thus adds liveliness and makes a photograph come alive by giving it sense and touch.
Pattern - Pattern uses repeated elements such as lines, tones, colour or shapes and can either be the subject or enhance the composition of a photograph by creating unity, structure and rhythm. A repetitive pattern filling the frame appears to go beyond the image, and this technique is used to emphasize the pattern, but a photograph which is purely a pattern can become dull. On the other hand, the flow of a pattern can be disrupted and capturing this can be used for an array of different purposes.
Colour – Colour is also very powerful, it can inspire chaos or orderliness. Colour is associated with emotions : red is passion or anger, blue is tranquillity or anxiousness. Thus colour heavily influences the message, mood and atmosphere of a photograph. Different colours give different messages. Vibrant ones are active, engaging and interesting. Colours are found all around us thus it is key to use them to produce a spectacular photograph. There are two types of colours: subtractive and additive. Colour may also be used to create contrast such as having a particularly bright or warm colour placed in a dark environment.
Other elements include:
Space – Space is the way in which the subject or elements fill the photograph, it is the area that surrounds the object. Space can ruin the composition and vice versa. Furthermore, space cam emphasize emotions or concept such as loneliness: for example, placing a subject to the corner of a photograph, surrounded by empty space would illustrate isolation, loneliness… Therefore space must be considered when placing a subject in relation to what you are trying to achieve in your photography.
Focus – aperture and depth of field affect the focus of a photograph. By changing the focus the subject changes, which affects both the composition. Focus can sharpen or soften an image, isolate specific areas and so on through aperture and the lens which heavily affects the composition, how the viewer interprets the image and what the photograph represents.
Light – Light is more than simply light and dark. It is the mood of photograph, it affects the shape and textures, the shadows and how your subject appears. Three characteristics of light determine the overall appearance of a photograph. These are how harsh or soft it is, the direction and the colour. Harsh light will create strong direct shadows compared to soft light which will diffuse more thus be softer; in addition, shadow placement and location indicates the direction from which the light is coming form. Light can be natural or artificial. Artificial light would be used in studios to create specific moods or shadows to manipulate a photograph. Natural light would be used outside and is harder to manipulate.
Composition – Composition is the way in which the elements are arranged in a photographed, or how they are positioned in relation to each other. Composition guides the viewer through a photograph in a specific order (or not) and can make or break a photograph. It is affected by depth of field, aperture and angle: a wide aperture blurs the background and foreground, thus objects in these areas will have less importance than those which are more defined. The goal of composition is to please the eye thus must show the subject in a flattering or aesthetic manner however can be used to demonstrate stronger ideas or messages such as using less natural compositions to shock the viewer.
Researching Themes
These are the themes that I will be focusing on within my photography, using them to enhance or diversify my work. Here is what I have understood on the elements/themes from my research.
Geometric - shapes which are symmetrical and straight, often occurring in the man-made world rather than nature. Geometric shapes typically include circles, rectangles, triangles and squares; examples of these are roads, buildings and bridges. However it should be noted that a natural occurrence would be crystals. Geometric shapes in photography takes two forms: true ( a window of a building) or perceived (three people forming a triangle which can be seen by producing an imaginary line). Geometric shapes in photography can be the object's' shape within the frame or the way objects are framed within a photograph. This leads to some objects appearing geometric, when this may not be the case outside of the lens. Geometric shapes tend to be hard due to their angular nature, thus can be used within photography as a way of conveying a specific situation, mood or message.
Organic - natural, flowing or curving in appearance featuring both angles and curves. They may be referred to as curvi-linear or free form shapes and are commonly found in a natural environment and living organisms. Examples of where organic forms can be seen would be leaves, animals and plants as well as landscapes and engineering. Furthermore, these are not usually perfect or uniform, making them more complex than geometric shapes. Organic shapes can be negative where only the outline is complete, or positive where there is something occupying the inside of the shape. Lastly, organic forms are soft compared to geometric ones.
Abstract - an idea or thought with no physical existence (beauty) or something which does not represent reality in an external form. Moreover, a piece which is abstract uses shapes, colour and texture to achieve its purpose and considers something theoretically. Thus abstract photography consists of shape, form, pattern, texture and colour; where the whole object cannot be seen fully, and is only a small aspect of the photograph. Therefore abstract photography focuses on the impact of the subject and implies a meaning, leading to vast interpretations as well as creativity when creating such photographs. In addition, the viewer sees the essence of the object, emotionally linking with it, it is not about knowing the object, or reconsigning it but feeling it. Abstract photography may also include geometry, perspective, overlapping, blur, depth of field/focus -which can be used to isolate specific aspects of a photograph- and movement.
Naturalistic - naturalism is a form and movement of photography where photographers work to produce photographs which have a simple composition, sharp focus and aim to convey a sense of serenity between man and nature, yet may also give ordinary objects an artistic sense. Peter Henry Emerson ( May 13,1856- May 12, 1936) was an English photographer - who pushed photography to be seen as an independent art form- and the founder of naturalistic photography. He outlined that this form of photography should be simple, direct, showing real people in their environment, that the key component is the 'simplicity of man and his relationship with nature'. Due to urbanisation this form of photography has become scarce, although can still be practised in certain locations such as the countryside, forests and rural areas.