Why you are doing this assignment
Like literature and music, visual images communicate through repetition. If a song repeats a certain musical phrase or a beat, a visual image repeats key shapes. Repetition is a major component of the visual language used by artists to communicate with their audience. Composing an image to create this repetition is a skill that needs practice.
How to do this assignment
This is the opposite of roll #7. Look for a series of shots that have absolutely no center of interest. This is hard, because when there is no center of interest, the shot can become — that’s right — boring. In order to avoid this embarrassing situation, you need to look for images that show repetition — but not too much repetition. Look for images that walk the fine line between repetition and variety. A good image has both. Avoid turning in work that is the equivalent to a childrensʻ song like “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
What to shoot
The subject matter for this assignment is wide open. Think of
- the patterns formed by railings and their shadows late in the day on the stairway down to ʻAkahi
- the patterns formed by a crowd of feet and ankles walking down Konia hallway
- repeated shapes of leaves on the ground, or of the shadows of leaves (or people) created by the sun late in the day.
What to turn in
- an analysis (fill out both sides!)
- two 5X7 prints from the two best negatives
- a contact sheet with the two images circled.
What your assignment should look like
Pay attention to the quality of your two prints. Aim for prints
- that are sharp
- that contain a wide range of tones, from solid black to small areas pure white
- but that do not contain large areas (sky, white shirts, etc.) that are pure white
- that have even 1/8th inch borders
Aim for a contact sheet that contains
- At least 20 visible images that show repetition
- At least 7 different subjects