Diptych of Chairs on the Beach

Diptychs are one of the aspects of photography I am particularly drawn to.  If you are not familiar with diptychs, they are pairs of photographs that have some relationship to each other whether a matter of continuity, contrast, similarity or otherwise compliment each other in some interesting manner.  I have posted several diptychs previously which can be found by typing “diptych” in the handy search bar at the top of the page.

The diptych featured here is composed of two photographs I shot while walking along the Potomac River in Southern Maryland.  Although the shots were taken at different points along the beach and separated in time by several minutes, I believe the composition works due to the continuity of the subject as well as the beach, horizon and cloud configuration.  I am also drawn to the minimalist composition of this pair which leaves your mind to wander.

I did not plan this diptych, but when processing the photos, it was clear they belonged together.  Just another one of the happy coincidences that I love about photography.

Have fun, and go make some great photography.

Craig

San Francisco Street Car Diptych

Every once in a while I am surprised by my photography.  Don’t get excited, these are not the words of an overblown ego.  The real meaning behind these words is that once in a while I am pleasantly surprised by seeing something during post processing that was not my intent when the shot was taken.

While processing some shot from a trip to San Francisco in January, I saw the two photographs (below) and instantly saw they belonged as a diptych.  This was not my intention when I was shooting the street cars parked along Fisherman’s Wharf, and therefore my pleasant surprise.

My take away from this is to be open to pleasant surprises.  Just because I did not plan a shot, does not mean it is a throw away.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig

Playing with a Triptych

On Thursday I posted an entry (Inspiration for Diptychs) about the inspiration provided by Allen Russ (see City of Trees) with respect to diptychs and triptychs.  Not being one to waste time when I get inspired, I ran right out to find a composition I thought would benefit from the approach.

It did not take me long to settle on this dock in Piney Point Maryland as my subject.  As I conceived the shot, I thought the horizontal lines of the beach and the Virginia shoreline on the horizon would offer an interesting contrast to the vertical lines formed by the triptych.  I also made each vertical section a slightly different width.  I think the idea of varying the width was good, but more of a difference would have increased the visual interest.  For now, I’m happy with the result.

When you find some inspiration, don’t waste it.  Thanks Allen.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig

Inspiration for Diptychs

I recently finished a big renovation on my home that includes the familiar tale of a project scheduled for three months and finished in nine.  But that is not the story for today.  Having completed the project, the architect brought in a architectural photographer to document the final product.  Assisting Anice (the architectural photographer) with the shoot was Allen David Russ.  I had a wonderful time distracting both Anice and Allen from their work by chit chatting about photography.

In conversation with Allen I learned that he is now showing a project at the Carroll Square Gallery (975 F Street, Washington DC) called City of Trees.  In addition to the information at the Carroll Square Gallery site, you can see a preview of Allen’s exhibit at his website.  Having checked out the web preview, I intend on visiting the Carroll Square Gallery, and recommend the same to you.  The exhibit features the trees of Washington DC.  Quite honestly, when Allen told me his project focused on the trees of DC, my unsaid response was along the sarcastic lines of “oh, that’s nice.”  I could not have been more misguided.  The photographs are beautiful and inspiring.

Now that I have set the backdrop, I can get to the heart of this post. If you visit Allen’s website (or the gallery) you will find that many of the photographs are presented as diptychs or triptychs. This inspired me.  I have previously written about diptychs (Diptychs in Photography), but Allen’s approach is completely different than my discussion.  Allen’s diptychs are separate panels that flow through a continuous scene.  One of the benefits of this approach is the ability to present remarkable detail in each panel that would be increasingly lost by simply shooting further away or using a wider lens.  Due to their rich texture, the use of this technique is particularly appropriate for the trees featured in Allen’s work.

The diptychs and triptychs also add another dimension of visual interest by telling a two or three part story.  The eye naturally wants to explore each panel individually, move on to the next, and consider the composition as a whole.  This story telling aspect is at the heart of what inspired me.  My list of photographic things to do, now includes an exploration of diptychs and triptychs to expand the story of some of my favorite subjects.  Thanks for the inspiration Allen.  I would also like to thank Anice and Allen for their patience as I peered over their shoulders and took advantage of the opportunity to talk about photography.

The photographs featured in this post were selected to compliment the theme of Allen’s work.  While not diptychs, they maintain the Washington DC theme with a specific focus on the water.
Have fun, and go make some great photography.
Craig

Diptyches in Photography

A photography diptych is a combination of two adjacent images  to form a single artistic statement.  Most commonly, diptyches are found in the side-by-side format (probably due to the historical foundations of diptyches…Google diptych, or go to Wikipedia if you are interested in the history), but work equally well in an over-under form.


I originally brought up the idea of diptyches in the context of one of my ongoing projects - (Un)Focused on DC.  This project is based on the form and light of Washington DC with a distinct lack of focus – camera focus.  As I began to collect photographs, I was increasingly happy with the results, but I felt a hint of discomfort.  I concluded that a full collection of unfocused images was too much of a good thing.  I then decided to proceed with the project using diptyches.  Specifically I am matching focused and unfocused shots to create an artistic statement.

The diptyches featured in this post are not from the (Un)Focused project, but I do intend on sharing some of these soon.  These pairs are presented to illustrate the concept of a diptych.  I am very attracted to the concept of a diptych and frequently use it as a way  arrange the photographs on the walls of my home.  The first group is an example of a pairing you will see upon entering my home.


One of the great things about diptyches is that the combination of the two photographs is frequently much more interesting than either as an independent photograph.  In some cases, a so-so photograph can become very interesting in combination with another.  I think the previous grouping is a good example.  The Chicago millennium park photograph on top is an interesting photograph.  The Hirshorn museum photograph below it, less so.  In combination, the Hirshorn and the Chicago photographs become much more interesting.

Sometimes the meaning of a diptych goes beyond the color, shades, and form.  Particularly true for diptyches, although the case for all art, the meaning can be negotiated.  The artist has intent.  The viewer interprets.  The interaction of the two positions creates interest.

And who is to say that diptychs can’t be fun as well?
I hope you enjoyed the photography and yet another way to extend your creativity and enjoyment of photography,
Have fun and go make some great photography!
Craig