2020 Photo Challenge #5

February’s theme / technique: Being Creative with Patterns

If you want to see what this month’s assignments are in advance then please click here. All the assignments are available from the menu on the left under the 2020 Photo Challenge / Assignments.

The six visual keys to a great photograph are:

    • Patterns
    • Texture
    • Lines
    • Light
    • Depth of field
    • Space

This month we are going to look at Patterns. Patterns can be found everywhere, in nature or man-made constructions. For a photographer, using patterns is key to a good composition.

They are made up of repeated objects, geometric shapes or abstract patterns, or colours and they may be random or ordered. Visual patterns in nature are often loose and organic – think of spirals, waves, rock formations, sand.

    • Try using patterns as the main subject of your photo with the focal point on the patterns removing the context.
    • Or you can use the pattern as a backdrop to something else.
    • Try abstract imagery using close-up photography – peeling paint, rust stains for example
    • Break the pattern, for instance position one red apple in the midst of a pile of green ones. And of course remembering the rule of thirds, any break should be on an intersection.
    • Create your own patterns.
    • Combine patterns. Contrasting or complementary patterns work well.
This week's assignment – look for various types of patterns - squares, circles, triangles and so on.

When you find an interesting example take several shots, shifting your camera position slightly between each one. Examine your pictures carefully to see which one produces the best result. It may not be the one you expected.

Fruit or vegetables on a market stall can create interesting patterns and I particularly liked the contrasting colours here of the red and green apples, particularly as they change colour along a diagonal line. It is easy to miss this kind of slight change which I think looks pleasing to the eye.

Green and Red
Citrus fruit
Apples

Now I have to ask myself, is it the colours that make these images appealing, or the rounded shapes or the random patterns? Or possibly a combination of all three.

In contrast this image below using circles in various sizes (imitation ammonites) as paving stones certainly relies on the pattern for effect.

If you would like to join in with the 2020 photo challenge then please take a look at my 2020 Photo Challenge page. No complicated rules, just a camera required 🙂

    • Create your own post with some information about how you composed the shot.
    • Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
    • Add the tag #2020PhotoChallenge so everyone can find your entry easily in the WP Reader
    • Get your post(s) in by the end of the month, as the new theme comes out on the first Sunday in March.

And here are some more photo essays from last month’s theme about composition: It has been interesting reading how you have composed your shots.

    • Cathy from ~wander.essence~ talks us through the photo techniques she used where her subject is a pair of statues: Maitreya, the smiling Buddha, and Guanyin situated in an exceptionally challenging location.
    • susurrus (Susan Rushton) has a delightful photo essay about roses.
    • Kaz also focuses on flowers to explain how to use the rule of thirds in your composition.
    • And Pauline has the most amazing photo of Magpies for her take on ‘Less is more’
    • Hannah of Zebra’s Child has a closer look at a bench and describes how she framed her shot. 

I thank everyone who has taken the time to join January’s topic. That was just the warm up.

Published by

Unknown's avatar

Heyjude

I have lived in the UK for most of my life, but when young I definitely had wanderlust and even ended up living in South Africa for several years which was a wonderful experience. I now look forward to a long and leisurely retirement doing what I like most - gardening, photography, walking and travelling.

68 thoughts on “2020 Photo Challenge #5”

  1. Aaagh. And I never took part. Life got in the way, but I’m thinking about this month’s theme now. That’s a great shot to start us off!

    1. Hope you can join me Margaret, there’s still 11 months! And you can always do a photo essay at any time.

  2. I tend to regard still life as a boring subject, but you make these apples look very lively indeed, Jude. Thanks for the great advice 🙂 🙂
    Novak is already giving Thiem a hard time. 😦

    1. I don’t generally photo still lifes (Sue is an expert) but the weather has not been conducive for getting outdoors to find patterns, or anything really!

      1. It doesn’t seem the moment to say that it’s 22C and I’m sitting on the roof thinking about a walk out to Quatro Aguas for a sunset wine. We did a short but physical walk this morning then back to a friend in the hills for lunch. Their home was badly burnt in a house fire 2 years ago and it’s lovely to see it restored. Sad for Thiem. I recorded it, just in case 😕💕

        1. Sigh… 22 degrees is summer here! I can’t wait for this winter to be over, but we probably have a long way to go yet. Blowing a hooley yet again. You made a good decision to relocate.

          But I am getting a new camera tomorrow so I shall have to start getting out again.

        4. an upgrade on the Oly. I have gone for the E-M10 Mark III which has some new features and given the one I have now to the OH. We can share the lenses though I suspect he’ll not bother with the macro.

        6. I still don’t use half of what’s on the Mark I version, but this has new features that I might enjoy. Plus it looks pretty 🙂

        8. multiple exposures, better autofocus and in-camera stabilisation, better mode dial and apparently the camera can even correct horizontal and keystone distortion in-camera! We shall see if I manage to navigate through any of this. It is not much different to the mark II, but I have the older model mark I so I am hoping it will be significantly better.

        9. Better autofocus and in camera stabilisation will stand you in good stead, and multiple exposures can be fun, time I reminded myself how to do that, years since I have done any

        10. Some rather nice features to play with Jude ! Setting up new cameras can be a bit mind boggling I’ve found, hopefully some will be familiar from your previous model . DH has a learning curve too ? Happy clicks !

  4. I love the contrast in the patterns on the apples too – the streaks on the reds and the spots on the greens.

    1. It’s strange how you don’t notice these things until you stop and consider a photograph in detail.

      1. You’re right. When I’m trying to work out what words to post with a picture I see many things I had not noticed before. Sometimes I think ‘that’s too weird or small a thing to point out and perhaps there’s only me sees it that way’. Needless to say, when I do mention it anyway, someone always says ‘I was thinking that too’.

      1. I’ve just been busy and pre-occupied….I’ll get to it in the next day or three

  6. Wow, I love that ammonite patterned pathway. I just commented on Cathy’s new post about her photo full of patterns on a building in Fez. She’ll have plenty more to contribute.

    1. There are certainly a lot of patterns in Morocco! I like that paving too. Would look lovely as the path in my garden 😊

  7. Pingback: 20/20 Photo Challenge : Patterns – Living in Paradise…

    1. I think yours fits the description

      “Visual patterns in nature are often loose and organic – think of spirals…”

    1. Maybe try refollowing me as I have changed the address, but it’s odd because you are showing up now! Did you comment before on a different device?

      1. Yes the first comment was from the old desktop. So will do the refill on button again. Usually use iPad for comments and desktop for doing the posts.

      1. I haven’t even used the word assignment since finishing my Post Grad. It still fills me with dread ha ha ha

        2. Yes. After another hot day, I fell asleep on the lounge for a while. Feeling like I am ready for bed now though. Blimey it’s after 1. Goodnight Jude hi ho hi ho it’s off to bed I go

Comments are closed.