Assignment 2 – Collecting

For this assignment, I chose the theme “Views”. It felt like a natural fit because I genuinely enjoy photographing landscapes and I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by stunning scenery during my daily dog walks. These places aren’t just beautiful, they’re familiar, peaceful, and tied to my routine, which made the process feel very personal and authentic.

Before I went out, I focused on creating a cohesive visual series, as suggested by the quote from Walter Benjamin:

“Fragments of a vessel which are to be glued together must match one another in the smallest details although they need not be like one another.”

This idea helped me make technical decisions early on. I chose to shoot handheld using a 35mm focal length with a narrow aperture (f/13–f/16) to keep most of the image in focus making it ideal for wide landscape scenes. I also made a conscious effort to use the rule of thirds, especially to keep the horizon on the lower third of the frame. These small details help the images feel like part of a set, even though each one shows a different view.

I selected eight strong images that show tree-lined roads with vanishing points and distant valleys at elevated lookouts. They’re all places I see while walking my dog that became an unintentional but fitting theme: everyday views through a walking lens. The series quietly documents my environment as I move through it. There’s no forced narrative or dramatic moment, just the peaceful stillness of the places I pause in.

While putting this series together, I learned a lot about aperture and depth of field, and how a small aperture can give sharper landscape details. I also became more aware of how ISO settings affect light and noise, especially in outdoor daylight conditions. I realised how important consistency is, not just in the subject matter, but in framing, focal length, and horizon placement. I also recognised how editing could elevate the final result. Although I haven’t edited or cropped these photos, I now understand how post-processing can help enhance clarity and cohesion in future work.

This set isn’t flashy or overly stylised, but that’s what I like about it. It reflects stillness, space, and the idea of observation… views that speak for themselves. It reminds me of Ishiuchi Miyako’s quiet photographic approach in Hiroshima, or Renger-Patzsch’s belief that things can have a voice when we don’t try to overly dramatise them. In future assignments, I’d like to explore editing and post-processing more, maybe even plan around specific weather or lighting conditions. But for this set, I am pleased with the outcome as it reflects my eye, my routine, and my growing understanding of how to bring photos together with purpose.

Reflection Against Assessment Criteria

1. Demonstration of Technical and Visual Skills
I made intentional technical decisions before taking the photographs, such as using a consistent 35mm focal length and a narrow aperture (f/13–f/16) to ensure deep focus throughout each image. I shot handheld but paid close attention to composition using the rule of thirds, particularly keeping the horizon on the lower third. I also considered how the images would work as a series, paying attention to framing and visual rhythm. This assignment helped me improve my understanding of aperture, ISO, and how to use camera settings to suit a subject like landscape photography.

2. Quality of Outcome
I feel that my final series of eight photographs is visually coherent and consistent, even though each image shows a different view. The concept is simple and quiet, everyday views from my dog walks, but I believe it communicates a clear sense of place and perspective. I presented the work in a clear and structured way, supported by reflective writing that explains my process and thought behind the choices I made. The outcome is personal, honest, and technically considered.

3. Demonstration of Creativity
Although the idea wasn’t highly experimental, I think there’s creativity in the way I approached something so familiar. I didn’t try to force a big concept, but instead let the views and the routine of walking guide the work. The decision to keep things simple, unedited, and natural was part of that creative choice. I’d like to push my creativity further in future assignments, perhaps by exploring different lighting conditions, weather, or experimenting with editing and storytelling more directly.

4. Context
I looked into the ideas presented by Walter Benjamin, particularly the importance of coherence and detail across a series. This helped shape my approach. I also reflected on photographers like Ishiuchi Miyako and Albert Renger-Patzsch, who use stillness and minimalism to let objects or places speak for themselves. Writing the reflection helped me connect these ideas to my own work. I’m beginning to build a better understanding of how theory and historical context can shape and support a photographic practice.