5. Diagonals

1.

The diagonals are created by using a wide-angle lens over the bridge towards the block of recently re-furbished flats. The walls of the bridge guide the eye in towards the corner of the flats, which is further emphasised by the roof lines sloping away from it. The diagonals add a strong dynamism and structure to the image. Further interest is added by they contrast between the 'disorderly' graffiti and the neatly arranged windows, however there is also a complementary element in the colours.




2.

This diagonal in this shot of the Royal Border Bridge in Berwick is created as much by the viewpoint as the lens. It adds to the feeling of the movement of the train, which is further enhanced by the curve at the end of the bridge. The rhythm of the arches also carries the viewers eye along.









3.

A wide-angle lens was used in this shot of the interior of a derelict factory. The converging diagonals in the roof and wall lines give a strong sense of depth to the image. Foreground interest is established by the graffiti on the wall and the rubbish on the floor, whetting the appetite for what may lie in the murky depths.








4.

I tilted the camera when shooting this image of a city-centre water feature. It makes the outcome much less statuesque and immobile. It even provides a slight feeling of the shouting at or regurgitating the city.










As with previous exercises, Eugene Atget's photographs of Paris raised my awareness of what is possible and what to look for. Two examples (from Krase & Adam, 2008) stand out:

Atget used viewpoint and size of lens to create diagonals in streets and buildings that lead the eye to key points of interest and that create movement.

Many photographers have based their work in Paris. One contemporary photographer, Gabriele Basilico is more interested in Paris's transition to an industrial city than in a romantic portrayal of its historic buildings. His use of line, including diagonals, is therefore more about the geometry of modern architecture and the layout of roads designed for modern traffic than a lead-in to cathedrals or a gentle meander up a canal:

These pictures, taken in 2002, appear in Bright S. (2005)





I also had a look at the work of Fay Godwin to see how she used diagonal lines in landscapes. Two images appealed to me, both from her Landmarks collection (2001);

I felt that the diagonals in the sun rays and cloud formation added considerably to the atmosphere and drama evoked by the pictures.

I tried to find such examples of diagonals in the natural environment, but with less success;

Sun breaking through over Derwent Reservoir.

Cliffs on the Northumberland Coast, near Craster.












Following the completion of this unit, I found a good example in the landscape of how implied diagonal lines can add to the impact of an image:

I composed this deliberately to have the fence in the foreground moving around the corner and diagonally into the image. Then the crossing of the diagonals created by the golden trees descending from the right overlapping the green and golden trees from the left and the parallel valley on the moor all combine to give the photograph interest, depth and 'movement'.