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Just some photos. Text will be added later:

Memorial Benches

I think I will be doing my project on memorial benches. Memorials are statues or structures established to remind people of a person or event. However they also symbolise and reflect cultural values and beliefs.

I have always really liked the idea of memorial benches, so much in fact that instead of a gravestone I would like a bench erected after I die. Cheery thoughts! I haven't made my mind up yet as to where I would like this to be and hopefully there's plenty time to decide. But it did make me think deeper about the idea behind these benches. They do not only keep the memory of our loved ones alive, but their location is particularly important. It does not really matter what stands behind the bench, what really matters is what a person sitting on it sees. Usually this is some lovely scenery, a picturesque castle, a view of the sea. My first thought was that this clearly reflect our need to escape (back) to the countryside. However it is necessary to take more images of benches and analyse their surroundings in order to come to some sound conclusions.

Before and after

Before:


After:

Bessastaðir church

Church in front of the Icelandic president's residence before applying the rule-of-thirds














And here after:

a wee extra one...

I would like to put a fifth photo on in order to get some opinions from you all. I took hundreds of photos over the weekend and I think this could be a great image, if taken correctly. Neither are particularly good. I like the angle of the houses, but the first is too much of a close-up I think. The second is better with the hill in the back and a bit more sky. However I think if I had moved more to the right, the houses would have continued more in a diagonal line towards the middle of the frame, showing more of their front facing walls.

What do you think? Any ideas how I could have improved this image?

Beach

The weather was beautiful here last weekend, so on my walk to the cliffs I took these photos. It looks like it is summer! Good old 'Findhorn Gap'!

In the first photo the horizon is bang in the middle.




Applying the rule-of-thirds, I decided to show less sky and more sand, so giving the image more depth. I like the footprints in the sand. I should have taken a bit off the bottom to take away that rock on the right hand side.

Auchindoon Castle

Here is another entry with three photos rather than two and my thought process with them. There are photos of Auchindoon Castle, near Dufftown.

This is how I would have taken the picture before applying the rule-of-thirds:



This is taken applying the rule but keeping the same closeness:



However I like the next photo of the castle best. The horizon is still low and the castle left off centre, but the sky is much bigger and more impressive. I really like the details of the clouds. You can also see more of the little building built into the hill on the right, which is clearly part of the castle. I could perhaps have zoomed in a little bit more here.

Deserted glen

This is my second entry for the before and after photos applying the rule-of-thirds. The house stands again in the centre of the frame and the image looks grey. I think my camera 'knew' this isn't quite right.

I had a bit of trouble chosing the second photo. There were two photos which could be chosen as the 'after' photo, and I only just changed my mind about which one to use here.

Here is the first one:

I have put the house more left off centre but still think there is something just not right with this. There is not enough sky left therefore not taking up one third of the picture. The eye is drawn to the house only and the land around it neglected. I much prefer the next one:



This photo shows a better balance between the three horizontal parts. There is still enough sky left and there is also more colour in this photo, and although the house is further away, I feel this image tells more of a story. Like the boat in my first entry, this house belongs in its surroundings. It just feels right, so this is my 'after' image. Please let me know what you think on this one, because the more I look at the two photos the more doubtful I get!