Lesson 1: Patterns and Repetition

Repetition is the movement or variation characterized by the regular recurrence or alternation of different quantities or conditions of an object, shape, line, or form.

Just as importantly, the most successful artistic photographs featuring repetition are also framed in a way that also excludes all other elements (or in some cases, one lone element breaks the pattern for emphasis effect).

Source:

http://digital-photography-school.com/using-repetition-and-patterns-in-photography/

http://digital-photography-school.com/33-inspirational-images-that-feature-patterns-and-repetition/

This technique has been used by famous photographers to powerful effect:

Michael Wolf's famous shoot Hong Kong creates an overwhelming feeling of claustrophobia because of the way in which shot is framed.

Check out the rest of this gallery at http://photomichaelwolf.com/#architecture-of-densitiy/1

Edward Burtynsky's gallery Oil captures the devastating impact of oil extraction and consumption on the environment.

Check out the rest of this gallery at: http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/site_contents/Photographs/Oil.html

More recently, news stories have popped up about the existence of "bicycle graveyards" in China. These are a result of cheap bikes provided by bike-share companies that are subsequently abandoned.

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/photo-of-the-week-a-dizzying-view-of-a-bicycle-graveyard-in-china/

TAKE A MOMENT, when your teacher asks, AND DO A 2-MINUTE GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCH FOR "PHOTOGRAPHY REPETITION" OR "PHOTOGRAPHY PATTERN".

STUDENT EXAMPLES

SHOW AND TELL: PATTERNS AND REPETITION!

In the time remaining, today's one-day shoot will involve you finding unique and creative locations in which to take photographs that demonstrate patterns and repetition.

Take as many images as possible!

Try out lots of angles, including shooting from low to the ground and making use of the floor and ceiling.

*** MOST IMPORTANTLY, be very particular about how you frame the image. You only want repeated/pattern elements in your shot, as much as that is possible.

When you return:

Download your images from your SD card to your Pictures > Photo 10 > COM1205: Photography Introduction > Patterns folder. Make a new folder by right-clicking in the file window and selecting New > Folder.
Look on Classroom for a link to a shared Drive folder. Copy one or two images to that folder for sharing next class.

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