Use of Perspective (8)

Requirement
None specifically - shoot examples or find ones from other photographers


Purpose

To explore the different ways in which composition can create perspective and so add depth to an image, drawing the eye from foreground into the frame

Technical learning

• Perspective is the means by which the 3 dimensions of a physical scene are expressed into the 2 of an image (closing one eye gives a preview of this effect)
• Perspective draws the eye from the foreground into the frame, adding depth. This can have a powerful effect
• You can control perspective/ depth in several ways

      Linear perspective and other diagonal lines

• Parallel lines in the physical world (e.g. straight road towards the horizon) become  converging lines towards a vanishing point in 2 dimensions of the photograph
• All diagonal lines - not just linear perspective (e.g. long shadows) - add depth as well as visual tension and a sense of movement
• Viewpoint determines the degree of convergence. When the camera is level (e.g. a long road, line of trees), high viewpoints strengthen diagonals, low ones flatten them. 
• The reverse is true if the camera points upwards (e.g. the sides of a tall building converging towards the sky when shot from below)
• The human brain usually accepts horizontal perspective (believable impossibility), e.g. the long road, more readily than a vertical one, e.g. the tall building (unbelievable impossibility).

    Focal length

• Wide angle lenses increase perspective, by rendering as a diagonal more of any straight line moving towards the horizon 
• Telephoto lenses flatten perspective

     Relative scale 

• Same or similar objects becoming successively smaller gives the impression of receding into the distance 
• Placement in frame: we tend to assume that objects in the lower part of the frame lie in the foreground
• Overlap of objects: we assume that the outline of one object that overlaps another is closer to us

  

    Tone

• Atmospheric haze acts as a filter, reducing contrast in the distant part of the scene and lightening their tone. The more pronounced this effect, the greater the sense of depth. 
• Telephoto lenses tend to show more aerial perspective than wide angle one. 
• Light tones appear to advance, whilst dark one recede. A light object will stand forward against a dark background, with a strong sense of depth.

     Colour 

• Warm colours advance, cool ones recede. So, a red or orange subject against a blue or green background will create depth by optical illusion
• The more intense the foreground colour, the greater the effect

     Sharpness

• Sharpness suggests closeness. You can use it to add depth
• You can vary depth of field in 3 ways: distance to subject (closeness reduces), focal length of lens (telephoto reduces), aperture (wider reduces0

Images and Review


Waterfalls at Wald, Switzerland

Linear perspective
Converging of the river bank towards the horizon creates perspective.
Capturing the curvature of the river bank increases the effect by appearing
to bring the vanishing point instead the image.

Farm, Kilchberg, Switzerland

Diagonals
Rows of potatoes in front of farm house buildings adds depth
as well as leading the eye towards them

Furka Pass, Switzerland

Focal length
Use of a wide angle lens to capture the valley
below the Furka Pass with the river running
towards the town and the road winding
up the mountain side

Lake at Kerenzenberg, Switzerland

Tone
The colour of the hills on the other side of the lake are less
vibrant to the eye than those on this side.
Slight haze over the water adds to this effect.

Mountains seen from Lake Zurich during late evening storm

ToneExtreme example, almost unreal of the mountains
appearing as shades of blue: green,
shot with a telephoto lens and cropped 3 : 1

Zollikon after rain shower

Tone
The image is progressively loses its colours into the distance
where low lying cloud increases this effect.
Again shot with a telephoto lens and cropped 3:1

Spring flowers at Hirzel, Switzerland

Colour
The yellow of spring flowers on the meadows advances
compared with the greens and then blues of the
background fields and mountains

Daffodils at Corfe, Somerset

Sharpness
The daffodil in the foreground is sharp to separate it from
all of the others in the background.