Rinko Kawauchi

‘Halo’

When I came across Rinko Kawauchi the main thing that stood out for me was her use of light, whether it be natural or artificial. In her portfolio called ‘Halo’ a key focus of her photography is light and simplistic movements of things like dust and birds. In terms of subject matter, Kawauchi isn’t really drawn to a set subject matter, in that every photograph is of the same thing. But they do have a similar theme whether it be light or flying in the case of her bird photos. Her composition also varies depending on the subject matter, however for her photographs of the waves, the water comes in from a corner which gives the illusion that it’s moving in and out like waves do. I really like her use of colour and the contrast from light and dark, but there are still little bits of light on the dark areas so that the viewers can recognise that it’s sand. The orange tone of the water reminds me of an autumn sunset which I hope to include in my own photographs.

 

Adrian Delsi

‘Delsi’s Commercial Work’

The area of Delsi’s photography that intrigues me the most is his bold use of colour and also the simplicity of his composition using everyday objects and food. For this area of his portfolio, Delsi focuses on food and its colour which I feel create very effective and striking photographs which are perfect for commercial use. I find the composition that Delsi decided to use as while there is a lot of empty red space, I feel it complements the strawberries as it makes them stand out. The slight reflections of the light on the objects is also effective as I feel it highlights how the subject matter is three dimensional. When taking my own photos, I will explore looking at objects and compositions that are only one colour and take inspiration from how Delsi exaggerates the colours.

 

Alex Burke

‘Mountains’

Alex Burke’s main subject matter is landscapes, and I am focusing on how the lighting really enhances the colours and also his composition with the reflections on the water. His main focus is nature and the outdoors. This is something I feel like I could explore within my own photobook. Burke’s use of reflections effectively creates a feeling of stillness and a place of tranquillity. Similar to other photographers I have looked at, Burke uses longer shots rather than close ups which means he may miss out in detail, but the overall aesthetic of the image is worth it. In terms of my own photographs, I have taken inspiration from Burke’s use of reflections to create a photo pair that creates the visual metaphor of stillness and peace.

 

Todd Hido

‘House Hunting’

The atmosphere that Hido can create within his photography is my favourite thing about his work. The composition of the lone house with the single light is very effective in creating an eerie and cold feeling. In the majority of his work, the photos include a single light source and a hazy, foggy environment which I feel would be effective if I could include some of these techniques in my own photographs. Another area I feel if successful is his use of wide angles as it gives the viewer the full picture of what’s going on and place themselves into the scene. Going forward and making my own photographs the use of a single light source to highlight the scene and wide shots are something I hope to explore.