Exercise: Spaces

The aim of this exercise was to capture shots with a certain feel about them.  It was good to be encouraged to do this as so often I find myself following compositional instinct without really fully assessing what elements of the scene are informing the mood.

The above image was supposed to be "an oppressive, cluttered space" but it actually doesn't look as bad as I expected. Clearly there is a lot of stuff in a small space but it doesn't feel as oppressive as I had thought. The room looks wider from this angle than it actually is and I think it may have been more effective with less light and the appearance of things stacked on top of each other. Every bit of space needs to be crammed so we shouldn't see any clear floor or an empty shelf.

The shoe image is intended to be "an open, honest, simple space containing one intriguing item". The open honest space bit made me think of Little House on the Prairie so I tried to make a set that was a bit more gritty. I think it works OK except that there is no depth to this image so it would have limited use in an actual sequence.

Another shot in the bathroom - this time to portray "a stark, empty, hostile space". The colour temperature is not right but otherwise I think this works well. The bench being turned over suggests something is wrong and there being no other signs of life (no soaps or bottles) adds to the atmosphere. I put some talcum powder on the taps to make them look less shiny.

This is a "warm, friendly, cosy space". Obviously chairs are quite welcoming and the warm lights add ambience to this image. I included some foreground with the shadow of the vegetation to invite the viewer into the scene. The lamps and other elements of the decor create a clear picture of normality. The only thing lacking is cosiness. That would require more comfortable seating, less formally arranged, candles and maybe a cat...