Tuesday 22 May 2012



     Jm Denis is a very varied subject photographer, yet the key behind all of his works is a united display of emotion. Colour is employed to impressive effect, yet commonly used sparingly, to accentuate the scene and add drama to the setting.

     This is a macro black and white shot, which has been interestingly and expertly done.  Interesting such that the Depth of Focus selected renders the fine detail of the dandelion seeds in sharp focus, yet the surrounding details, including the central bulb of the flower. This results in a visually pleasing image, and the black and white capture promotes extremely effective contrast between light and shade.

      I appreciate the focus being upon only the seeds as it guides the eye to the most interesting area of the flower. This in many ways is comparable to Sharon Johnstone’s macro photography where she uses the DOF in this way, with the exception of a lack of colour in Denis’ work; something that characterises her work immensely.

      Denis employs the rule of thirds extremely effectively in all of his photographs; off centre to either the left or right; with horizon lines selected such that, if they are the key feature of the image, they are a third above or below the half way divisor line. Here, colour palettes are very dramatic yet limited. Extreme contrast is achieved effortlessly through use of tonal light and shade. Filters have been used to emphasize and illuminate specific details, textures, and tones.


    

     Features of a typical Denis Photograph;
·         Rule of thirds obeyed
·         Dramatic contrast
·         Wide open Landscapes typical to France
·         Textured
·         ¾ sky : ¼ land
·         Details of interest in foreground or background
·         Sharp focus
·         Range of light and dark
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