Elem ents Spontaneous
krop.com/rider rider_ben@hotmail.com
Benjamin Rider
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6 Introduction 8 Chance 10 / Texture and the triple exposure 16 / Manipulating chance 22 / Portraits 28 / Urban and Natural 32 / Colours, Cultures - Contrast 36 / Dreams and Memories 44 Mis - Use 46 / Deliberate Mis-use : Black and White double exposure 52 / Contrast 54 / Contrast; Man made / Natural 58 / Space 60 / Contrast Space; Near / Distant 66 / Nightmares 72 / Conclusion 74 / FIN.
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Introduction Spontaneous Elements is a book exploring the potential in introducing spontaneous and unpredictable elements to the design process. We have all made mistakes at some time or another, they are beyond our control and are almost an integral part to the journey toward ‘perfection’. I suggest turning the imperfect from accidental to delibreate. In this book i aim to challenge and explore that which is seen as perfect and draw attention to the fact that the ‘mistake is not always ‘wrong’. Infact it can be more fun and exciting. I say embrace the mistake, the imperfect, deliberately mis-use tools and processes. I believe introducing these spontaneous elements gives far more interest and honesty than the perfect.
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The element of chance has proven to be of the most unpredictable concepts to pursue. It could be seen as almost too ‘random’, too much control taken out of the designers hands. But after experimenting, I found that using the right amount of this ingredient can really spice things up. For this concept, I wanted to take the process of double exposures in photography and push it even further. In doing so i decided to not to expose the film just twice, but to keep on putting it through the camera again and again.
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One unexpected result was the way in which the negative film came out as one long strip of images as opposed to 24 exact 35mm rectangles.
In an effort to be more a part of the outcome i chose to use colour film. I made a point of sticking to black and white for the double exposures as i felt black and white is a solid staple of photography. As this was to be far more experimental and almost artistic i felt using colour would be more apt. From an experimental perspective i was excited to see how the colours would behave when exposed on top of each other;- would they mix together to create new colours? Or would stronger colours cancel out the fainter colours?
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Obviously, the results are utterly unpredictable. But that is amazing and is half the point of the experiment. Yet I still wanted to keep a hand in the overall outcome of the images, their content, colour and hopefully their feel.
When taking the images, I made a point of choosing something that in its nature would be interesting in terms of shape and vibrancy of colour. Also subjects that would be completely different from one another yet slightly similar, and roughly stick to a different subject for each exposure. For example, I would pick buildings as a first subject, then plants and nature but would still make these as varied as possible.
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Due to a huge amount of light exposing onto the film, some image came out far too strong like the above.
In an effort to manipulate the outcome even further, i made a point of tilting the camera and taking shots at a peculiar angle. I hoped this approach coupled with the multiple exposure process would create some really strange, abstract pictures. And they did! I was more than curious to see the results with the added element of colour and how it would behave. Alot of the time it appears the colours almost fuse together, yet on top of each other creating this fantastic mash of shapes and colours.
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Next time i try this I will make more of a point to mix up the images.
Looking at these results they appear more like of a texture, as if a dream or memory. This completely reverses the ‘proper’ use of photography as a method of recording. But i feel this does not render the results as useless. Manipulating the content of
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the imagery to suit the designers intentions make it possible for this method to be used for any number of applications. Even just as a means to make a finished design more unique and attention grabbing.
Overall this experiment has been a fantastic success for me. I am delighted with these results and holds a lot of potential for me to pursue. Now i have a greater understanding i look forward to putting this to use.
Movement adds an extra element to the blend of images.
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Now I have learnt to understand what this technique has to offer I began to experiment further in order to manipulate and ultimately better the final outcomes. Instead to of taking pictures of just about anything, leaving it down to complete chance or even timing giving the previous dream-like or memory-like effect I chose to pick particular subjects and mix them to see what would come out. Over the next few pages are the results from picking contrasting alternatives such as colour, light, places etc as subject matter. Every result has its own character and interest. These scultpures stand out. Its difficult to make out what else has come together but these colours are wonderful and contribute brilliantly.
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These are the results of a series looking at contrasting old with new. I went to the Victoria and Albert museum and took pictures of old sculptures.I then visited other exhibitions and items of a much more contemporary and modern nature. I feel the results are a really fresh modern take on the sculpture. Its always interesting to see what comes out and what does not. See how within the shape of the sculpture a tattoo can be seen, but barely outside the shape of the sculpture. And the illuminated broken glass with the sculpture of a man smashing something in.
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Another unexpected twist is colour. The way colour can mix and give something new to the image and create an entirely new colour. As if mixing with paint! I was definately not expecting that. How on the left a kind of dark pink emerges, and the violet blue with the green tree on the next page. It breathes new life to the images and sculptures and adds alot more uniqueness and interest. This series also made me think more delinerately about the subject matter I choose to work with. These sculptures are almost human, and the other things i picked are obviously completely un natural and man made.
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Light is an important factor in this process. Anything bright, such as the sun, even just the sky or a light with completely dominate and not mix.
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Looking at the man made propositions of the
come out. Some are excellent with beutiful
human form with the scultures I wanted to
flushes of colour. One thing is for sure, the
explore the contrast between man made and
outcomes would be incredibly hard to replicate
nature. Its something I touched upon out of
by hand or on a computer, yet are both organic
chance in the previous series and wanted to
and digital.
deliberately set about exploring it. They share a space in both creative So looking at things such as sculpture with
enviroments. Both is required, the images are
human with really man made human. Looking
made as a chemical reaction and by actually
at the left image these are one of the results,
going and taking the picture on site. The
Three images again, one human volunteer, one
colours would be impossible to replicate, or
centuries old sculture and one 3-dimentional
even come close to reflecting by some means.
digitalised face. The particular image is more layered than mixed. But I go on to mix subjects that are really natural and really man made. Again people, but with digital, or machines, type. Its hard to predict what and how an image will
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An unintended combination of contrasts has worked well for me. Again a spontaneous element trumps my deliberate efforts to acheive some kind of planned randomness. Here the contrast of the face and the man made is hightened further by the contrast between the closeness of the face and the distance of the bacjground.
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It was also pure luck that the composition in both worked out. I took a picture of the cityscape as a landscape composition and the face itsels portrait composoition. I dont think it would of worked at all had it been the other way. Again on this page both images were taken at angles. I go on to explore not just people but also plants, and not just digital but also buildings. Another experiment was place. Taking pictures over London and then going to France and mixing them there!
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Its hard to predict what and how an image will come out. Some are excellent with beutiful flushes of colour.
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This is what happens when man made and nature mix. Here are some of the better examples of a series contuing with man made and nature this time looking specifically at buildings and building parts with plants and the colours of flowers.
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The utter chance of this image occuring is just brilliant. This is an image of a tree in winter without leaves, mixed with an image of digitalised leaves found in an art instillation. Work together brilliantly
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Love these pictures. Perfect mix of digital and organic. I couldnt of done it better if I did this deliberately.
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This experiment primarily looked at a contast not of subject matter but places. I decided to keep the subject matter similar-buildings and city environment but mixed them between here in London and then with the environment in France!
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This was actually a mistake. I didnt want all the images to bleed into each other, but look what came out! A brilliantly bizarre landscape!
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The tunnel comes out of the tree. Good contrast of scale. As if some tree gremlins with their own little tunnel system.
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Although dark the distant cityscape can be made out through obscure shapes. Could be a good postcard.
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This process is inexhaustable and I will contunie with it, but I feel in terms of learning whats on offer in relation to what im searching for ive come close to some kind of end, although with something like this there can never be a cap on what there is to discover. I yearn to explore something new and once exhausting that blend it with this process and see what happens when two completely different processes mix. Lots of things I dont understand still. I remember taking these images but i dont understand how the background came out dark, lifting the images of most interestyet still mixing them together. I just love this process. When taking the images, I made a point of choosing something that in its nature would be interesting in terms of shape and vibrancy of colour. Also subjects that would be completely different from one another yet slightly similar, and roughly stick to a different subject for each exposure
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I like this, it would be a good picture on its own, and the other mixes are just a faint blend to the side adding an extra bit of confusion all round.
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Space invaders! It is possible to use light effectively. This mix of fireworks, decorations and space invaders does give a sence of action.
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Here the angle and use of light gives an effect as if coming out at you.
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The chaos and diversity of the city enviroment. An endless supply of uses for this process. Its so busy i know, but its almost like a maze.
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something new to be seen every time you look at it.
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This image occured by pure accident. It is a double exposure of two seperate images on top of one another using 35mm film. This outcome could never be achieved digitally without labouring in photoshop
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The deliberate Mis-use of...
Looking at the idea of introducing something
going about creating images, design etc. It is
to a creative process that can give an exciting
almost too good,too perfect and is killing off
and almost unpredictable result is deliberately
centuries old processes and methods.
using things exactly how your not supposed
It is these ‘old-fashioned’ techniques and
to. This conept came from a somewhat
processes i am exploring, such as film
mischeivous curiosity to explore beyond what i
photography, silk screen printing, letterpress
know and see what else is acheivable.
etc. These techniques physically involve the designer and therefore this allows for a lot
I wanted to use this project as a means to
more flexibility for manipulation, adjustments
explore this interest furtjer. I aim to explore
and experimentation.
deeper into what could be possible with a variety of processes that would allow for
In this chapter I am looking at a series of small
an element of imperfection and exploit this
projects deliberately mis-using a range of
flexibility. Digital photography, printing and
approaches to acheive unpredictable results.
publishing is almost the accepted method of
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Often when taking these images I made a point of keeping to a rough theme for each time I put the film through the camera. With this roll I tried to mix compositions made from buildings and people. Out of all the images I took I feel this one is one of the most succsessful. There was a perfect alignment on the film and just the right mix of light and dark.
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I made an effort to take different and interesting images. I keep looking around for interesting places to take the pictures, the most fascinating i found are tunnels, alleyways and places just outside central areas. These places are full of odditites.
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Having spent time being completely open and experimental I was able to recognse elements which worked better than others. How elements such as light, dark, tone, scale, and simply even subject matter could be mixed together to be deliberately manipulated to my own benefit. Removing a portion of the randomness and balancing it with a squidge of deliberate planning made the spontenuity both more unpredictable and yet at the same time more tailored to what I hoped. No amount of planning and effort will ever produce a final result exactly how I envisage in my imagination. Its always better.
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Without going completely insane with maths and understanding the chemistry of how the film reacts to certain light mixed together it is utterly unpredictable how the end result will look. I propose that a hundred images taken of the same subjects in the same light done in this process will each be different in its own way. It boils down to the chemical reaction on the film. As I go on to explore, it is possible to manipulate elements of the end result but only to a certain degree. Although the camera is in your hands the final result isnt. And its exactly for this reason why these results are so fascinating.
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Contrast
I set out to study contrasting subject matter to further the quality of the final image and see how much, if at all this process could be relevant in communicating the message of a picture even further. Even if it fails, I had great fun trying. In doing so I started simply. Contrasting subject matter such as close with far etc. Taking these mini briefs I uncovered a wealth of ideas to explore. I could litrally spend my life working within just one title and still would not have exhausted the sheer amount of potential to be found. Infact its going to be a long time until I leave my old camera at home. I could see that taking time to deliberately pick what subject matter to choose from would give me mroe of a hand in what the end result will be like. With a subject like contrast there are as many varyations on that as the imagination will allow. The more I thought about it the more ideas of subjects to contrast came to mind. Life is too short though.
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Outdoors with indoors. Night with day. Confusing.
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The juxtaposition of scale also gives a sense of drama, as if this wood is emerging right at you out of the floor in the background.
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The mix not just of subject matter but scale gives a bizarre sense of size. is this a tiny dog on a log? or a massive tree?
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The mood in the expression of this persons eyes is conveyed further with the texture of the steel. Its very fitting. The strength of the expression is enforced by the contrast with a tough metal texture. Definately dont make her angry.
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I dont know what to write here but it makes quite a nice balance to the layout.
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I love it how through all the noise and chaos emerges one particular area of clarity.
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looking closer different details emerge not quite noticeable at first. See how in the jungle of machinery and pipes has mixed amazingly with these metallic underground escalators. people and recognisable objects start to come through.
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There is something about these images that makes me feel uncomfortable. The other quality of this process is it giving this unnatural feel. As if wrong on some other level I should not explore. It is interesting how the image of some ugly roots blended well with an old sewer tunnel. Perhaps its the subjects matter mashed together which transforms the feeling into something entirely new and unpleasant.
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Mix of man made but also of scale. Of distance and being close gives bizarre images, they require looking at a little close to make out different things. For me its great fun, zooming in you see something different scaled down.
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Nightmares. This occured as a result of deliberately taking the picture blurry to give a ghostlike effect to the face, barely recognisable as a face as it emerges from this particuly dark nightmarish background.
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As you see this dream like quality can be manipulated accross any subject, giving something either positive or negative depending on your point of view.
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A baby without a head escaping from barbed wire yesterday.
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I can make out this sad looking child soldier with a bemusing background. Its quite a challenge with this image making out whats going on exactly.
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As the images are blended together with parts more visible than others, Even the clearer images leave some parts up for debate. What is that in the corner? It could be anything
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For example I know its machine of some kind, but looking into it, it could be anything you want. There are an inexhaustable amount of possiblities and viewpoints for each image.
A dozen people could look at the same image and have a twelve completely different thoughts on what it is, its fascinating to hear and learn the various ideas. Perhaps the images say more about Ourselves than whats in the picture itself.
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Very special thanks: Mum + Dad Alex ‘pirate-face’ Romanska Ana ‘Dagger’ Rawicz Angel Santos Alenka Gomboc Beka David Hedberg Elena Manfedi Jonothan ‘type-face’ Grey-Wilson Lin ‘so clever’ Liang Roland ‘k***face’ Koves Tara Mulford [ and every single person from FDA, each and every tutor and technitian at LCC ]
Spontaneous
krop.com/rider rider_ben@hotmail.com benjaminrider.blogspot.com
Spontaneous Elements is a book exploring the potential in intoducing spontaneous and unpredictable elements to the design process. We have all made mistakes at some time or another, they are beyond our control and almost an integral part on the journey toward ‘perfection’. I suggest ebracing this in the working process turning the imperfect from accidental to deliberate. In this book I aim to challenge and explore that which is seen as perfect and draw attention to the fact that the ‘mistake is not always ‘wrong’. Infact it can be more fun and exciting. I say embrace the mistake, the imperfect, deliberately mis-use tools and processes. I believe the results from these spontaneous elements gives far more interest and honesty than the perfect. In this book you will find a range of results of experiments I have explored and how, not only to achieve them yourself, but have great fun in the process.
£ 6.99