Masters of Interaction and Experience Design, University of Limerick
Movement Photography (Interactive Media Project)
With no prior experience in photography or handling a DSLR even, I was able to get a few shots with decent amount of practice in a span of two weeks. Thanks to my colleagues who were able to patiently guide me with this process. Out of the photographs displayed here, only the first five were shortlisted for an assignment. Original and/or processed photos can be requested on ranishadas1999@gmail.com.
Figure 1: Photograph titled 'Contemplative Moment' taken at St. John Cathedral located in Limerick, Ireland.
Composition
There is something about the cathedral of St. John that captivates you. One cannot deny the fact that the building speaks to you as you walk by it. Tall, antique, and mysterious; a visit to this place of worship is a must.
Inside the cathedral, soothingly lit by chandeliers, one can easily find a personal space to connect with God through prayers or simply spend some time in contemplation. The ambiance when filled with Gregorian music will surely be enough to give you goosebumps and move you away from your worldly problems.
This photograph was intentionally taken when the cathedral was found empty after the Sunday mass to emphasize the strong sense of force that could be felt in an empty setting. “Prayers can move mountains” is the best phrase that could be thought of to express how busy this scene felt even when nobody was around.
The orientation of the frame is horizontal because they give a more personal and dynamic feel, resulting in a higher connection with a photograph. It strengthens the sense of immersion and space. The shot was taken after I walked slightly forward in the middle of the aisle to achieve some symmetry with the seats, chandeliers, the bishop’s throne, and the overall architecture. To bring depth to the pointed arches, I slightly crouched down to connect better with the subject.
I have played with the leading lines from the seating area of the cathedral to frame the subject in the background more convincingly. I have placed the horizon on the bottom-third frame to create visual interest in elements that require more space.
Technical Aspects
ISO and aperture were the first things adjusted in order to achieve some visibility. Shutter speed was moderately set as the subject was still.
Post Processing Workflow Using Affinity
1. Crop and Straighten: the photo in its original form had some distracting background that required elimination. Also, the seating area that created depth through leading lines had to be straightened slightly.
2. Adjust exposure and tones: exposure, brightness, and contrast levels had to be played with to achieve a sense of stability in the image. This made the image visibly noisy, adding a vintage feel.
3. Levels and Vibrance were adjusted to enhance the soothing lights and reflections.
4. White Balance, highlights, shadows, and whites and darks adjusted.
Figure 1.1: Before and after images of the photograph using Affinity.
Figure 2: Photograph titled 'Bubbles on Ripples' taken at University of Limerick, Ireland.
Composition
The sound of a waterfall is very enchanting and meditative on many occasions.
Fountains have been a very vital element in the design of landscapes and common areas since time immemorial. It is said that the purpose of designing moving water is to fill the exterior spaces with energetic sounds and movement. It is also considered good practice in sound therapy.
The frame of the photograph has a horizontal orientation to let the viewer have a more personal relationship with the subject. The shot was taken after picking a high standpoint, I climbed up a rock and shot downward. This way there were no distracting backgrounds but only ripple effects on the water that further emphasized the subject. Bubbles on the water seemed to embellish the effects further to create a soothing visual.
The subject was placed along the lines of the intersection of the 3 by 3 grid to create visual interest. Additionally, I played with the ripple effect by allowing them to intersect on the 4 corners of the 3 by 3 grid.
Technical Aspects
The fountain pumps out water at a very fast rate. This shot was taken at a fairly fast shutter speed to freeze the moment in the photograph. The frozen moment of water pumping up and splashing on the pool can be seen clearly in the photograph. ISO had to be slightly decreased as there was sufficient daylight.
Post Processing Workflow Using Affinity
1. Crop and Straighten: this photo did not require any cropping or straightening.
2. Adjust exposure and tones: exposure, brightness, and contrast levels had to be played with to achieve a better sense of colour.
3. Levels and Vibrance were adjusted to make the water look more appealing.
4. White Balance, highlights, shadows, and whites and darks adjusted.
Figure 2.1: Before and after images of the photograph using Affinity.
Figure 3: Photograph titled 'Lonely Path' taken at University of Limerick, Ireland.
Composition
Do you feel very poetic when you lead a path that is laid with fallen autumn leaves?
One such path was stumbled upon on our way back home. The environment was filled with a gentle breeze and the rustling sound of the autumn leaves. The green trees on either side of the lonely road were almost as if they were singing to us invitingly.
This photograph was taken after a friend agreed to model this shot’s concept. Choice of attire and accessories were limited to the colours available in the background like green, ochre, and blue. This concept of matching tones cultivates a sense of unity and in turn, creates a very cohesive photograph. Contrast has been created from the subject’s white jacket in the path filled with natural hues. All the emphasis is on this captivating lone subject, which perhaps reminds every one of the favourite “Road not Taken” by Robert Frost.
The orientation of the frame is vertical because the subject has his back to the camera. This, along with the 2 leading lines of the road planted with trees, gives a more vivid and dynamic feel that results in a visual highway. It allows a sense that the subject is moving deeper into the image. The rule of thirds was also in place as most of the subject was in the centre cell of the 3 by 3 grid. The shot was taken after I walked slightly forward in the middle of the road to achieving some symmetry in the background.
Technical Aspects
A slight zoom-in of the subject was required to adjust the background for the desired frame. The trees were blocking lots of natural light, reinforcing the need to increase ISO settings. Shutter speed was adjusted to freeze the windy trees.
Post Processing Workflow Using Affinity
1. Crop and Straighten: the photo in its original form had some distracting blurry background that required elimination. Also to allow more accurate symmetry, I straightened the photo.
2. Adjust exposure and tones: exposure, brightness, and contrast levels had to be played with to achieve a sense of stability in the image
3. Levels and Vibrance adjusted.
4. White Balance, highlights, shadows, and whites and darks adjusted: This allowed the viewer a better understanding of the natural tones of mother Nature.
Figure 3.1: Before and after images of the photograph using Affinity.
Figure 4: Photograph titled 'Fruity Gesture' taken at University of Limerick, Ireland.
Composition
Limerick’s infamous Milk Market is a place to explore and discover a variety of fresh foods and organic produce. It is said that often the stallholders themselves are the producers who grow, rear, or bake the food they intend to sell.
Inside the busy market, was a gentleman named Sefik Dikyar from Turkey. He was one of the stallholders who sold authentic tea, coffee, savoury, and fresh pressed juices. He sources the key ingredients from the Middle East and presents us all with his Turkish Delights, as he likes to call them.
This photograph was shot when Sefik was found in full momentum to prepare fresh pressed orange juice for a customer. Humorously, the “caught in the act” phrase would be best suitable to express how intently he is halving Turkish oranges.
The orientation of the frame is made horizontal to let the viewer get personally involved. The shot was taken after I moved slightly towards the front row of fruits to set some blurry foreground in the frame. To bring depth to this simple subject, a concept of leading lines has been used that acts like a wall that goes from out-of-focus to in-focus. A dynamic balance has been created by giving very little space to the subject of the photo containing higher visual weight. Also, the image is balanced due to the subject being placed at the intersection of a 3 by 3 grid, following the rule of thirds.
Technical Aspects
Sefik was moving very fast to deliver juice to his customers and so, I had to capture moments while keeping up with his momentum. This shot was taken at a fairly fast shutter speed to freeze his moving hands in the photograph. ISO also had to be slightly increased to allow some more visibility.
Post Processing Workflow Using Affinity
1. Crop and Straighten: the photo in its original form was a portrait and had lots of distracting background that required elimination. Also, the primary idea was that the front row fruits were setting the blurry foreground to the subject. To achieve this perspective, I needed to crop out the rest of the body, to retain the viewer’s attention on the “act”.
2. Adjusted exposure and tones slightly.
3. Levels and Vibrance were adjusted to elevate the freshness of the fruits.
4. White Balance, highlights, shadows, and whites and darks adjusted.
Figure 4.1: Before and after images of the photograph using Affinity.
Figure 4: Photograph titled '' taken at University of Limerick, Ireland.
Composition
Nothing can compare to the delight of fresh green fields and smoothly paved roads. Roads here in Ireland are considered to be of a high standard. Moreover, the country is worldwide known for being a dream for cycling enthusiasts. While being on two wheels, one can adore the scenic beauty of the countryside merrily. One must cycle along the way to witness rich culture and heritage from a countryside perspective.
This photograph was taken after waiting for a considerable amount of time to let the traffic clear from the roads. The shot was timed perfectly so that the subject can have no distracting backgrounds. The orientation of the frame is vertical because the subject is facing the camera and bringing a feeling that the subject is moving deeper into the image. The rule of thirds was also in place as most of the subject was along one of the lines in the 3 by 3 grid.
The parallel roads are curvy and engage with the viewer’s attention as the human eye operates in such a way that it seeks out patterns. The cyclist is wearing a very vibrant shirt allowing the subject to be the centre of interest. Red is seen in parts of his shoe and helmet which is attention-grabbing.
Technical Aspects
Shutter speed was moderately adjusted to capture the moving cyclist.
Post Processing Workflow Using Affinity
1.Crop and Straighten: the photo in its original form had some distracting background that required elimination. Also the horizon of the photograph required some straightening.
2.Adjust exposure and tones: exposure, brightness and contrast levels had to be played with to achieve a visual relationship between elements in the image making the subject in the image visibly vibrant.
3.Levels and Vibrance adjusted.
4.White Balance, highlights, shadows and whites and darks adjusted.
Fig 5.1: Before and after images of the photograph using Affinity.
Following images are being showcased to show the post processing of other subjects for the theme Movement photography. For in detail composition and technical aspects, you can request them on ranishadas1999@gmail.com.
Figure 5: Photograph titled 'The Loving Woof-Woof' taken at the Milk Market, Limerick, Ireland.
Figure 6: Photograph titled 'A Vintage Stroll' taken at the Milk Market, Limerick, Ireland.
Figure 7: Photograph titled 'A gig by the fresh greens' taken in the Limerick City center, Ireland.
Figure 8: Photograph titled 'The Winter is Coming' taken at University of Limerick, Ireland.
Figure 9: Photograph titled 'Where's the soap?' taken at University of Limerick, Ireland.
Figure 10: Photograph titled 'Hide and Seek' taken at Childer's Road, Limerick, Ireland.
Figure 11: Photograph titled 'The Turkish Fruitseller's magic' taken at the Milk Market, Limerick, Ireland.
Figure 12: Photograph titled 'Daddy, look at me!' taken at Childer's Road, Limerick, Ireland.
Figure 13: Photograph titled 'Exploring the streets of Limerick' taken at Wickham Street, Limerick City Centre, Ireland.
Figure 14: Photograph titled 'Huffs and Puffs' taken at Stables Club, University of Limerick, Ireland.
Figure 15: Photograph titled 'Friends who freeze together probably die together' taken at Dromroe Village, University of Limerick, Ireland.
