Exploring Lines
Horizontal, Vertical and Diagonal lines
1. What is a reciprocal line and how is it used in, "Henri Cartier-Bresson. ROMANIA. 1975. In a train"?
"This means, you draw a diagonal line and then draw a line that is perpendicular to it (remember geometry class?) and creates a 90 degree angle." on what is a reciprocal line.
"The reciprocal line intersects and brings focus on the intersecting point in the middle. It brings attention towards the couple’s faces– which is where you want it to draw focus."
So what it's saying is that the reciprocal line gives the couple's faces a kind of unwanted attention.
2. In, "Henri Cartier-Bresson. USA. 1947. Cape Cod, Mass, Independence Day", how does the hand gesture add to the energy and movement of the diagonal lines?
"...her hand pointing and adding energy to the shot. There are also lots of diagonals in the background of the building which add the diagonal movement to the top right of the frame."
They add a certain type of energy, this energy I believe is caused by the sharpness and the creases her skin creates.
3. In, "Rene Burri. BRAZIL. 1960. Rio de Janeiro. Ministry of Health", how do the diagonal lines create multiple directions for the eye to follow?
The diagonal lines all have a direction or leading point. They're inclining towards something. Like the men's eye view it's heading straight towards the ladies way. Then there's their (the ladies) sight. They're looking ahead or in front of them towards the direction they want to head.
1. What is a reciprocal line and how is it used in, "Henri Cartier-Bresson. ROMANIA. 1975. In a train"?
"This means, you draw a diagonal line and then draw a line that is perpendicular to it (remember geometry class?) and creates a 90 degree angle." on what is a reciprocal line.
"The reciprocal line intersects and brings focus on the intersecting point in the middle. It brings attention towards the couple’s faces– which is where you want it to draw focus."
So what it's saying is that the reciprocal line gives the couple's faces a kind of unwanted attention.
2. In, "Henri Cartier-Bresson. USA. 1947. Cape Cod, Mass, Independence Day", how does the hand gesture add to the energy and movement of the diagonal lines?
"...her hand pointing and adding energy to the shot. There are also lots of diagonals in the background of the building which add the diagonal movement to the top right of the frame."
They add a certain type of energy, this energy I believe is caused by the sharpness and the creases her skin creates.
3. In, "Rene Burri. BRAZIL. 1960. Rio de Janeiro. Ministry of Health", how do the diagonal lines create multiple directions for the eye to follow?
The diagonal lines all have a direction or leading point. They're inclining towards something. Like the men's eye view it's heading straight towards the ladies way. Then there's their (the ladies) sight. They're looking ahead or in front of them towards the direction they want to head.
Curved Lines
1. In, "Abbas / GREAT BRITAIN. Belfast. A wall crumbles down after having been set on fire, presumably by the IRA", how do the curved lines add to the suspense/tension of the image?
"The feeling of the image is incredible suspense. You see the building falling before your eyes, and there is thetension that perhaps it will fall upon the firefighter who is heroically fighting to save it. The sky is full of drama– with dark, looming, and ominous clouds that suggest some impending doom."
They add suspense/tension because because they are hovering directly over the ground and once they're on the ground they'll be considered a broken monument.
2. In, "Henri Cartier-Bresson / France, 1932", How do the curved lines add movement to the frame?
"...you can see all the curves that were apparent in the scene– from the curve on the top, to the railing leading from the bottom left to the center, and the stairway. All of them add energy and motion to the shot. And of course the missing ingredient is having the slightly blurred bicycle (which suggest motion) in the shot."
They're leading towards something, the stairs are going down as in fact. And we all know that a staircase leads downwards towards an entry or some other object.
3. In, "Eric Kim / Santa Monica, 2011", How are the curved lines also creating framing in the photograph?
"... I saw a man coming from the right. I thought to myself: it would be perfect if I framed him in-between the escalators the moment he stepped in-between.."
He created a frame by snapping the shot when the man was in between the escalators reach. And it looks as if it were framed because of the outline the rails caused for the picture.
1. In, "Abbas / GREAT BRITAIN. Belfast. A wall crumbles down after having been set on fire, presumably by the IRA", how do the curved lines add to the suspense/tension of the image?
"The feeling of the image is incredible suspense. You see the building falling before your eyes, and there is thetension that perhaps it will fall upon the firefighter who is heroically fighting to save it. The sky is full of drama– with dark, looming, and ominous clouds that suggest some impending doom."
They add suspense/tension because because they are hovering directly over the ground and once they're on the ground they'll be considered a broken monument.
2. In, "Henri Cartier-Bresson / France, 1932", How do the curved lines add movement to the frame?
"...you can see all the curves that were apparent in the scene– from the curve on the top, to the railing leading from the bottom left to the center, and the stairway. All of them add energy and motion to the shot. And of course the missing ingredient is having the slightly blurred bicycle (which suggest motion) in the shot."
They're leading towards something, the stairs are going down as in fact. And we all know that a staircase leads downwards towards an entry or some other object.
3. In, "Eric Kim / Santa Monica, 2011", How are the curved lines also creating framing in the photograph?
"... I saw a man coming from the right. I thought to myself: it would be perfect if I framed him in-between the escalators the moment he stepped in-between.."
He created a frame by snapping the shot when the man was in between the escalators reach. And it looks as if it were framed because of the outline the rails caused for the picture.
Leading Lines
1. In, "Josef Koudelka : CZECHOSLOVAKIA. 1963. Slovakia. Jarabina", how does the leading line direct your eye?
"If you look at the jagged line in the ground, it points straight to the man about to be convicted."
The line can be of a car that either went to or fro from the place where the man was being arrested ready to be convicted.
2.In, "Henri Cartier-Bresson FRANCE. 1932. Marseille. The Allée du Prado", How does the change of camera angle effect the composition?
" If HCB crouched a bit lower for the shot. Note how not all the arrows perfectly point toward his head."
If the photographer would've changed even the smallest detail for this picture everything would've come out very differently, Which ,had it been like that, would have messed up the frame, center of view, and intensity and all the mixed emotions from this picture.
3. In, "Constantine Manos. USA. 1988. Florida. Daytona Beach. “American Color”, describe three movements that the lines draw for eye?
"...you see two arrows in the shot. One of the arrows that says “New York Style Pizza” points -> to the man on the far right. But the interesting movement is the man in the far right is looking over his shoulder towards the left– where there is a man in the shade. There is also a “one way” sign that points left."
The three movements that I see are:
1. The "One Way" sign located at the very top of the picture it leads your eye towards the left.
2. Then there's the "New York Style Pizza" sign pointing its arrow towards the right and that's exactly where the eye is led to.
3. Lastly there's the last movement which would be the man standing at the bottom right-hand corner's gaze. His gaze is held by something out of the frame and it's kinda headed towards the photographers way.
1. In, "Josef Koudelka : CZECHOSLOVAKIA. 1963. Slovakia. Jarabina", how does the leading line direct your eye?
"If you look at the jagged line in the ground, it points straight to the man about to be convicted."
The line can be of a car that either went to or fro from the place where the man was being arrested ready to be convicted.
2.In, "Henri Cartier-Bresson FRANCE. 1932. Marseille. The Allée du Prado", How does the change of camera angle effect the composition?
" If HCB crouched a bit lower for the shot. Note how not all the arrows perfectly point toward his head."
If the photographer would've changed even the smallest detail for this picture everything would've come out very differently, Which ,had it been like that, would have messed up the frame, center of view, and intensity and all the mixed emotions from this picture.
3. In, "Constantine Manos. USA. 1988. Florida. Daytona Beach. “American Color”, describe three movements that the lines draw for eye?
"...you see two arrows in the shot. One of the arrows that says “New York Style Pizza” points -> to the man on the far right. But the interesting movement is the man in the far right is looking over his shoulder towards the left– where there is a man in the shade. There is also a “one way” sign that points left."
The three movements that I see are:
1. The "One Way" sign located at the very top of the picture it leads your eye towards the left.
2. Then there's the "New York Style Pizza" sign pointing its arrow towards the right and that's exactly where the eye is led to.
3. Lastly there's the last movement which would be the man standing at the bottom right-hand corner's gaze. His gaze is held by something out of the frame and it's kinda headed towards the photographers way.
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