Design+Principles

= = Design Principles Assignment

1. __Depth__--a design principle that creates a sense of more than one layer to a photo, and draws the eye to a certain point in the distance. It helps the eye move around the photo and take in more than one dimension to the picture. In the picture below, the train tracks draw the eye to the end of the tunnel, where the lights get smaller and the photo looks much "deeper".



a) This picture makes me feel both curiosity and a sense of motion. I want to know where the train leads to, and what the lights in the tunnel are signalling towards as well. There is also a sense of motion because it kind of feels like I'm traveling on these tracks and looking at the tunnel ahead--the tracks serve this purpose, to bring both my eye and my sense of feeling to the deepest part of the picture. b) The balance in this photo comes from both the black and white values (the lights in the tunnel and silver tracks versus the dark, grey-black concrete and shadows in the tunnel as well. There is also a balance of foreground and background. c) The lighting here helps create a sense of depth--the lights are getting smaller as they go into the distance, and create a very defined tunnel image in the photo. The lights comes from the small train tunnel lights, distinct at first but gradually blurring together in the distance. d) There aren't really any distinct textures in this photo, but there is a contrast between the smooth lines that are the train tracks, and the cluttered-looking, relatively rough concrete tunnel walls. The lights help to create a soft and blurry glow in certain areas; that could be another example of texture. e) The focus of this photo is the indeterminate distance, since the eye is drawn towards the deeper layers of this photo (hence, depth). The eye follows the train tracks that get smaller in the distance, as well as the lights that have the same effect. f) I don't think there's a specific background in this photo; all the elements work together to draw the eye towards the back of the photo. Both the foreground and the background (the focus of the picture in this case) are elements of interest. g) This photo is about an old train tunnel, and has an element of motion to it because of that. It looks kind of lonely, hollow or abandoned because of how empty it is.

2. __Triangles__--draws the eyes of the viewer to the three corners of the triangles, and helps the person look around the whole photo, exploring more of it.



a) This picture has a lot of contrast: the darkness of the night contrasts with the bright lights and reflections on water. Overall for me, it has a very dreamlike atmosphere because of these reflected lights that are everywhere. The triangle elements (both in the lights on the sails and the reflections in the water) in the photo also draw my eye to different corners of the picture b) The picture is very balanced for dark and light--the darkness of the sky, boat hulls and water versus the lights on the sails and the buildings behind. There is also a lot of depth (background/foreground balance). In addition to that, there are different levels or planes in this photo going vertically, kind of like a sandwich. The top layer is the sky, the middle is the building+boats, and the bottom is the water. c) There are lights everywhere in this photo. The boats are decorated with light, as well as the buildings. The tower in the background is also very bright. These lights illuminate the otherwise dark scene; and are reflected in the water. This makes the photo even brighter. d) the texture of this photo would be kind of rough, and cluttered. There is a lot going on, both in the foreground and the background. Even the water, which would be a smooth surface, looks busy due to the reflection of the boats, buildings and lights. e) I think the focus of the photo is the center, where it's the brightest. The large triangle of water that is framed by the boats is pointing towards it, and there are also many lights in that area (a string of lights around the sail of the boat, and the lights from the buildings behind that. f) In this photo, I think that the background actually works with the foreground, and stands out just as much. Even the sky, which is completely dark, is part of the contrast in the photo. The line of buildings and boats is kind of merged into one element of this photo for me. The sky with the tower far off in the distance would act as a background but still be a big part of the photo. g) This photo is about an evening city scene, and portrays a scene that is both peaceful and bustling at the same time. Overall it is very pleasing to look at, and uses a variety of design elements. It was very well done, and gives off a romantic and magical image.

3. __Balance__--colour, geometric, or other kind of balance. It creates a kind of stability for the person seeing the picture, and lets the eye explore the whole picture without being only drawn to one side of the photo (if something is unbalanced)



a) This picture looks very mysterious, and is striking in how the subject's face is hidden, and the black and white contrast that I think is the balance in this photo. It's not geometric balance but shade balance. It makes me curious to wonder what she looks like, and why the parasol is over her face. b) I chose this picture for the "Balance" category because of how the black and white values are balanced, and especially how the two contrasting values are working together to create the overall composition of the photo. The parasol is very bright and attracts attention immediately, while her black hair, dress, and the black background all bring a mood of darkness and mystery into the image. c) Since the right side of the parasol is lighter than the left, I assume that the lighting is coming from the right. In this image, there aren't any actual lights but the bright parts of the photo (parasol, the girl's shoulder) both seem to emit light because of the contrast it has against the dark and uniform background. d) There are multiple textures in this photo. The girl's shoulder and the background both look very smooth, which is contrasted with her dress, which has a cloth-like texture. Her parasol has another texture completely--the shadows casted on it are rough and uneven, suggesting a rough paper texture. e) The focus of this photo is definitely the girl, and the person who is looking at the photo will be drawn to how her face is hidden under the paper umbrella. The brightness and patterns of the, her pale shoulder and her dress will all become separate focuses that will come together to make the whole image. f) The background in this photo is simply a complete expanse of black; this is meant for the focus to stand out even more. It also works to make the photo more mysterious, and contribute to the mood g) This photo, titled "Shy", is about a girl who is hiding her face behind her parasol. People who see this photo will wonder two things- why she's hiding her face, and what she looks like.

4. __Colour Space__--uses vibrant colours in key areas to express a mood, add drama to the image, or tell a story. It also adds balance and focuses on the lighting of the photo, and brings attention to the hue, saturation and intensity of the colour.



a) This picture makes me feel really peaceful, as if I was there with that girl. It reminds me of my trips back to China, where we'd release sky lanterns just like these ones. It looks like this is set on a summer night, by the water somewhere, and kind of makes me feel that kind of atmosphere as well. b) The brightness and darkness of this photo is very well balanced; the glowing lantern balances out the darkness of the background, and casts dark shadows on the girl. c) The lighting in this photo is also the source of part of the photo's focus; the glowing lantern that the girl is holding. It has a fire-like element to it- it's brightest in the center and fades to an orangey-red. It casts a glow on the girl, and lights up her face, arms and clothes with a dim light as well. By her left arm is also a bright spot, I don't really know what that spot is but it also casts a light. d) Overall, the texture of this photo is soft and glowing, due to the lighting. The shadows work to cast soft folds of dark and light on her dress, and her face is lit by the light as well. It has a very nighttime-looking atmosphere, which is brought out by this soft light also. e) There are two separate focuses of this photo; one of them is the lantern, which is the photo's brightest point and will draw attention to it at first. The other one is the girl who's holding the lantern--the expression on her face, the flower in her hair and her dress will all bring attention, because it puts together a much more complex focus than the lantern. f) Like the last photo, the background for this photo is very simple and monotone; the point of this is to bring more attention to the subject in the foreground. g) This photo is about a girl dressed in traditional clothing, holding a sky lantern, about to release it into the air. Sky lanterns, once lit, will float into the air; this is a common festival activity in parts of Asia such as China and Taiwan. Her traditional clothing looks like it's a holiday of some sort.

5. __Element Interaction__--shows the interaction between two elements and lets the person seeing the photo explore the relationship between the two elements, as if the photo was telling a story. By doing this, it helps bring a new dimension to the photo, beyond just an image.



a) This picture brings tender, gentle elements, with the overall soft texture. I think that the small scene that is captured is done very well, and really brings out the sweet and positive emotions in me. This picture makes me feel happy! b) The composition of this photo is done very well. There is a balance between the photo of the kitten and the person, and they are interacting very well with each other; the element relationship in this picture is very present. One can only imagine the thoughts going through the mind of the person holding the kitten, as well as the kitten itself. It also shows how small and precious life is, with the contrast between the two subjects. c) There doesn't seem to be any obvious sources of lighting in this picture, although the person's face and hand are very lightly shaded, and become part of the light in this picture, The kitten's fur near its mouth is also very bright, suggesting that the lighting comes from that direction. The lighting here looks like it could be sunlight, or other kinds of natural, soft lighting. d) Like the last photo, the texture of this photo is very soft as well, but in different ways than the last one. This time there are no bright colours to distract; the focus of the photo are the subjects themselves, and the interactions they're making, Much of the photo, including the person, are blurred out, while the kitten is focused on. The soft fur of the kitten, as well as the blurriness of the rest of the photo, contribute to this soft and gentle texture. e) The focus of this photo could be the kitten, or the kitten as well as the person holding it, but I think it's the relationship between the two. Looking small and vulnerable, there is a large "trust" element going on between the kitten and the person, as well as a feeling of protection. f) I think the person could also be part of the background in this photo, although they're part of the focus as well. People can see the emotion on the person' face, but since it takes up much of the photo, and is looking at the kitten, it slightly fades into the background. Apart from that, the grey background is also very monotone because it wants to bring attention to the subject. g) This photo describes the relationship that two living things, however different they are, still share a bond because they are both living things in the same world. The interactions between the person holding the newborn kitten is imminent and emphasized, leading to me using this for "Element Interaction".

6. __Direction__--gives an element of motion to the photo, as well as helping the eye move around the photo by following the different directions that are present in the photo. Adds life to the image by utilizing geometric shapes.



a) This picture makes me smile because of how simple it is, but how clever it is at the same time. I wonder if there's a meaning behind using matches to create the heart--maybe the matches symbolize how love can be bright and powerful like fire is, or maybe matches were just used because the photographer had some on hand. b) The balance between light and dark shades is pretty well put together in this photo; the pale background and wooden parts of matches are balanced by the black match tips, as well as the horizontal black bars that the photographer put in afterwards. They aren't actually part of the photo, but help very much with the composition. The matches are also all placed going towards different directions, with the other ends all off of the photograph, which creates a strong sense of direction--all leading towards the heart. c) The lighting in the photo seems to come from the direction of the closest matches because they are the brightest; other than that the photo gets dimmer towards the left. This doesn't take away from the image, though. d) This photo doesn't have a very powerful or obvious texture. It seems smooth overall due to the smooth wood of the matches and the monotonous background. The match tips look rough though, and gives the heart a more textured outlining because of this. e) The match sticks lead to the heart in this photo, which makes the heart the definite focus. The heart is also outlined in black, making it stand out because almost all of the rest of the photo is pale and dim--there are no bright colours in this photo so the dark ring of match tips instantly attract the eye to it. f) The background of this photo could be the match sticks, which are all leading towards the heart from different directions, or the pale grey-blue surface that the matches are placed on. Both backgrounds draw attention to the heart--the matches by all pointing towards it, and the grey surface by being as unnoticed as it can and leaving the spotlight to the subject. g) This photo shows a heart made up of matches. All of the matches are facing different directions; it looks like they are all coming from different roads, and all those roads lead up to the heart that is the final destination.

7. __Diagonal Lines__--leads the eye in and out of the picture, as well as encouraging the eye to move around and explore the whole image. It helps bring motion to the photo, in a similar way to the design principles "depth" and "direction"



a) This picture, with its earthly browns and greens, helps me see that even the tiny exquisite details of nature are beautiful. It makes me feel like running around outside and watching birds! It also lets me look at a small but very much alive part of the world, and makes me wonder what the bird is looking at. b) This photo leads the eye around the whole image with the use of the twigs fanning out in diagonal directions, as well as the bird which is tilted in an odd angle. The overall composition of the picture is very balance colourwise as well; the blue plumage of the bird has green and yellow tints to it, which matches with the general colours of the background. c) Since this photo seems to have been taken outside, I assume that the lighting is natural. It seems to me right now that it's not that sunny of a day, but since it's so close up, it's hard to tell because I can't really see a source of light. d) The bird is in focus in this photo, so the texture of its feathers are shown clearly, and I can almost imagine the feel. The part of the twig that is in focus also shows the texture of its bark. e) The focus of the laptop is definitely the bird, which is the only complex component in the photo. Its brightly coloured feathers are a point of interest, as well as the fact that it seems to be looking down at something that isn't in the photo. The diagonal lines of the twigs all connect to the area that the bird is in, which makes it seem like they're pointing to the main focus of this image as well. f) The background of this photo is very out of focus, and looks like the rest of the tree that this bird is in, or maybe other trees too. It has a very earthy looking feel to it; it's consistent with the foreground of the image. There are also many diagonal lines in the background. g) This photo is of a small bird on a tree, its tiny figure captured in detail as it pauses to look at something. It's not often that people get to see such a small creature up close and clearly like this, so it's a very fascinating shot.

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