Robert Adams: Photograph Analysis #2

In this photograph “Nebraska State Highway 2” it shows a long road beside some hedges, fields and three trees. The composition shows a leading line as you follow the road, which creates mystery as to where it may lead, and where it’s coming from, the vast fields and elegant trees create a mood of emptiness, freedom and escape, yet the hedges can build on that mood but also act as boundaries, so there’s like a dual effect in the image. The horizon and sky is clear white, which may suggest that the atmosphere and sky was misty, or bright with no clouds, this also builds on the emptiness idea, like there is nothing, but the freedom you have from the emptiness is peaceful and pleasant. The simple use of brightness, contrast etc… may suggest that it was Robert’s intention to just show the contents of what he captured, maybe to portray those moods and feelings, or just to have us see part of the world, part of nature, and maybe make our own interpretations, see them as they are, have it have its own effect on each individual viewer.

Robert Adams: Photograph Analysis #1

In this photograph “Baker County, Oregon” it shows a grass field, a fence/hedgerow behind it and a hill/mountain in the background. Robert has used the horizontal line composition in the foreground with part of a tree in the upper right of the image; this gives a slight feeling like he may be looking through somewhere or under a tree or trees. This brings more interest rather than just the basic foreground and background. The image looks rather raw than edited, this may be because of the lack of contrast; this makes it seem more ‘real’ and gives more of a ‘freelance’ effect. The black and white colouring clearly bring out the shadowing and atmospheric effects of the image, just about the hill horizon you can see a clear white colour from the sky, which may be the light coming from behind, or the atmosphere around that area. We can also see the hedge and tree shadows clearer which add more ‘power’ to the image.

Robert Adams

My final photographer I have chosen is Robert Adams who is a photographer focused on the changing landscape of the American West. I will be looking at his landscape based photography and will aim to capture photographs based of his style and my question ‘hedgerow’.

Ansel Adams: Photograph Analysis #2

In this photograph “Leaf, Glacier Bay National Monument” by Ansel Adams we can see a large flower surrounded by other flowers and tiny branches or grass. The black and white colouring make you focus more on the texture and shape of the elements in the image, and the high contrast also expand on the texture in the image. Both of these bring out the detail and ‘insides’ of the flowers which almost looks like trees inside the flower, bringing out the natural patterns. The background is plain black, which may suggest that it was dark in the grass or behind where the flowers, since there is no real ‘blur’ in the image, this gives a simplistic effect on the foreground, making you focus only on the main elements in the image, and it brings a pleasant mood as there isn’t too much ‘going on’ in the image.

Ansel Adams: Photograph Analysis #1

In this photograph “Oak Tree, Sunset City” by Ansel Adams it shows a large tree in the foreground with misty atmosphere and the sun setting in the background. The tree has numerous large branches extending out with soft looking leaves silhouetted with the tree from the sun. The black and white colouring brings out the texture, shape and atmosphere of the image, giving it an almost ‘ghostly’ effect and darker feel to it. It creates a peaceful mood with the simplicity of the single tree and dream-like mist and sun. The image as a whole almost acts like an opposite to a bright colourful tree and sunlight with its darkness and mist covering everything in the background. This makes us focus on the tree itself rather than the bright colours and happy moods it may have created, or could suggest a darker side and realistic side to it.

Ansel Adams

Another photographer I have chosen is Ansel Adams who was a landscape photographer. I have chosen him because I admire the nature in his photographs. I will be looking into his closer subject photographs and will aim to capture photographs taking from his style.