My Photography | Art is in Curiosity

Take A Walk

Photographer

Annika Olson

Year

2022

Location

Victoria, BC

I simply took out my DSLR camera and start taking pictures. I learned that art can be acted on without a visual goal. I began taking pictures of people because I believe people are interesting to photograph. In fact, the final artwork usually comes from the process rather than a strict image you want to emulate.

my process

I asked my friends to be a part of my process by

accompanying them on a weekly errand to the grocery store.

Between 3 separate photographs I was able to "tell" a narrative through "showing" visuals that displayed emotion. I created a new reality using the reality in front of my lens.

In each still image is a scene with a person in action, allowing for the audience to create their own narrative without a fixed conclusion.

I started asking questions, beginning with:

How can I tell a story through visuals instead of words?

How Do I create a cohesive narrative?

I thought placing 3 images beside each other could create a narrative, but I was wrong.

I had to consider my Composition and it's Elements of Art and Principles of Design.

What is a Composition?

The elements inside of the frame and how they interact with each other

Ask yourself: how to the Elements of Art and Principles of Design work to move your eye around the image?

How do the elements and principles work to move your eye around the image?

I learned how to use Elements of Art and Principles of Design to understand why an image aesthetically appeals to the eye and how we can manipulate these elements to make an image appeal to the eye.

Examples: changing the colour, re-cropping, focusing on one aspect, using filters

Why do my images appear
disconnected?

I had to make sure my three photographs were united by two or more Elements of Art and Principles of Design in order to effectively form a narrative.

A problem I ran into was that there was too much variety and not enough unity between each image.

This can be solved in post production by manipulating the composition in Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom

Principles of Design

Elements of Art

form = 3D enclosed, emphasized by highlights and shadows

shape = 2D, limited to height and width

volume = 3D shapes including height, width, depth

texture = refers to the way things feel

line = defined by a point moving in space

value = lightness and darkness of colours and tones

colour = hue, value, intensity

space = positive is the area of the subject while negative is area that surrounds the subject, positives and negatives defined and contrast

visual components

I had to train my artist brain to think about these when creating visual art

organized ideas

Balance = combined elements to create feeling of stability (symmetrical and asymmetrical)

Contrast = juxtaposition of different elements of design to emphasize difference and focal point

Emphasis = attention given to one part of art

Movement = creates motion; look and feeling of action, guides viewers eye

Variety = diversity and contrast, using different shapes, sizes, colours, etc,.

Rhythm = indicates movement, repeated elements create visual tempo and beat

Scale/Porportion = the relationship between elements, pointing out the differences of elements and objects

Gradation = gradual changes in elements (small to big, light to dark)

Unity/Harmony = combining similar elements of art to emphasize similarities

my goal

I want to constantly make the audience ask themselves: “Why does this appeal to the eye? How does it grab my attention? How did the creator take me into a new lens/perspective that is aesthetically pleasing?”