Object in different positions in the frame
This exercise calls for an object against a large even background. I headed up to the local reservoir to see if the sailing dinghies on the lake would fit the bill but guess the weather was too much for sensible sailors to be out. So time to think again, on wet British summer afternoon even backgrounds don’t get much larger than the grey sky, so I just need to find an object that can be repositioned against it!
This looks promising with a quick snapshot.
But 2 flags in the frame seem to detract from the image, there is no clear point of interest and I find my attention moving from to the other. So for the remaining shots I framed things so just the Union Jack was in shot.
I took several shots with the flag at different points in the photo and the sequence that follows shows them in the order of how well I think they work, with the most effective first.
Rather to my surprise I find a pretty much central placement of the flag seems most effective.
Again keeping it pretty central but moving it reduces the impact slightly as the colour of flag seems to be lost in the grey of the background.
Moving the flag to the edge and the composition is starting to look altogether rather squished! The feeling is similar which ever edge it is against or whichever way it blowing. The flag is prominent against the background.
Moving it into a corner squashes things even more and the colour of flag is lost against the large area of grey.
The central position being the best was rather a surprise to me and clearly makes the point about what works in one image not working in another. Centrally placed subject usually seem boring to me but the fact this isn’t always the case was very strongly made by this photo from the Magnum Photo of the week recently. In the Magnum photo (yes the tree isn’t quite central but the photo is almost a strong if you crop the bottom slightly to make it central) I think the very strong symmetry coupled to the wheel tracks leading to the tree which give it the impact. With the flag I think it is the movement captured as much as the position which makes it appeal most.
See and Imagine 