The exercise is to take a key photograph of an artist I admire, and use this as a starting point using aspects of the photo that appeal to me to create my own image.
My chosen image is Fork, Paris, 1928 by André Kertész. (Huxley-Parlour, n.d.).
Characteristics
- Simplicity
- Creative use of light
- Composition creating patterns and shapes
- Light and Shadow
- Contrast
Though the exercise is to take these characteristics and make a new image. I thought it would be an interesting challenge to recreate the image. Though on the surface this could be viewed as a simple photo of a fork on a bowl after dinner, it is a fascinating composition with the frame divided into triangles, balanced by curves. The texture of the table surface provides interest, and the black shadow of the bowl leads to the edge of the bowl, that in turn leads to the black border at the top of the image at the edge of the table.
After trial and error and some editing in photoshop to enhance the contrast I created an image that though not as strong as the original captures some of the characteristics that appeal to me.
Through this process, I learnt a lot about the importance of composition and how one tiny change of angle can create a completely different effect. The light source was a strong torch. Having the freedom to explore different lighting effects from the position of the torch led to the following images, which all look for patterns and shape, and light and shadow.
These images all have a texture added as a blended layer.
Though not part of the set exercise I found recreating the original image a challenge, but a valuable experience. My next step is to explore more with the use of light, strong shadows and reflections.
References
HUXLEY-PARLOUR.(n.d.) Fork, Paris, 1928 [Online]. Available: https://huxleyparlour.com/works/fork-paris-1928/
Karen Gourlay: Foundations in Photography 