Category: Composition

Light Matters

Tobias M. Schiel11 Comments

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DSC02142-kThe pictures show details of Kochbrunnen, an octagonal building in Wiesbaden’s downtown area. Different angles, different times of the day. different days, different weather conditions: These factors account for the different moods and colours in these picures.

I metered on the columns, slightly (but consistently) overexposing them because the sandstone is quite light – except for the last frame which reflects the lighting situation of the early evening. White balance was the same for all pictures, and no post-processing was done regarding the colours.

If I ever needed proof that light is one of the most important ‘materials’ for a photographer to work with, here it is. I am sure you all already knew, but I am still kind of new to colour photography, so to acutally see how different these pictures are from one another is a bit of a surprise for me.

Thanks to Christina / Paleica for inspiring this series with her recent photo challenge.

A Walk in Berlin

Tobias M. Schiel4 Comments

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DSC00942-kWalking is such a good idea for photographers that I am always happy to participate in Jo’s Monday Walks: This sequence was made during a stroll in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood which is about to become very posh. A partial eclipse of the sun accounted for very strange light for a while but I did not include the photos made during the eclipse though because they somewhat ruined the atmosphere of this selection.

February Project | The Elements. Glass

Tobias M. Schiel4 Comments

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Glass-3Despite appearance, these are straight photographs. They show a distorting mirror reflecting an interior. The blue part in the first picture for example is my photo backpack. These mirror images are my own contribution to this month’s photo challenge: I chose glass as the ‘element’ I want to tackle. (In case you’d like to participate, you can also leave your comment here.)

February Project | The Elements

Tobias M. Schiel2 Comments

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Long term projects and assignments (to myself) are part of my photographic practice. There are often two or three topics or themes I want to tackle when I go out to photograph; some take the form of picture series. I would like to share a couple of “assignments”, partly because I think you could enjoy them too, partly because I am curious about the solutions you might come up with. Every month will be dedicated to a little project, an idea, or an assignment (call it what you like), giving you ample time to “work” on it.

Once you feel you are done, post your results and leave a link to your post here – and do not forget to link to my original post so that other visitors might participate (it works just the same way as the Daily Post’s weekly photo challenges, only on a monthly basis). So here we go with this month’s idea:

Water, Wood, Stone – I find myself drawn to those few “elements”, and I often try to show these things in themselves. For this month’s project, I decided to do a series of pictures showing a particular “element.” (Note: The pictures in this post are re-posts – there shall be new material, of course!)

To contribute, think of your favourite materials (or surfaces) and showcase them in a series. If you like to add a little extra spice, try to figure if your “element” could better be visualized in colour or in black and white. Have fun!

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January Project | Favourite Flick. Part Three

Tobias M. Schiel8 Comments

FA015FA02FA017FA019FA020FA018FA000Part three of this month’s project in which you can participate: Details can be found on the “2015 Projects” page and here, along with a complete presentation of the series – a series inspired by the movie Fallen Angels.

I am also entering this for this week’s photo challenge as the idea was to “find the shadows. You can choose a literal interpretation and shoot an actual shadow, or you can play with the light and dark, and create a moody scene, or capture your subject in a rich and interesting way.”

Ah … and sorry for the belated Santas. I found them so funny I did not have the heart to discard them.

January Project | Favourite Flick. Part One

Tobias M. Schiel8 Comments

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I was watching Fallen Angels, admiring the photography when I had the idea to make a series of photographs to capture the aesthetics and the atmosphere of the movie: It should be fun to hint at narrative when I usually avoid it, and it might be a possibility to make good use of colour while I usually work in black and white. Going through these ideas I also thought that if these assignments are fun for me, they might be fun for you, too. So I decided to give it a try: While I usually just post pictures, let me now also share the ideas that lead to making the pictures – and see if you would like to work on the same project and come up with your own solution:

1. Think of a movie you consider most appealing visually. Watch it again, if you can.
2. Figure out the photographic style of this movie (as determined by light, colours, picture composition, etc.).
3. Make a series of photos that convey the spirit of the movie you picked.

To participate, come up with an idea that corresponds with the given topic, make your pictures, choose those you’d like to ‘exhibit’, post them and link to that post in the comments section here (ideally, you also weave a link to this challenge into your post).

I will post sequels to this post during January – reminding you the challenge is still on – and in the end link to your responses on the “2015 Projects” page.

The 2015 Project: Let’s Play!

Tobias M. Schiel7 Comments

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Aiming your camera at that object, what is your aim? Why do you want (to make) that picture? These questions can be tough. They have often led me to not making the picture. And though some pictures are best left unmade, questions like that can grind you to a halt photographically. However, I found that inventing projects helps me avoid those dead ends: I often come up with a picture series (see example) to have something to work on. Which is what I would like to share with you: If I came up with several small project ideas during the next year, would you join me? You’re invited!