At the Tate Modern - Assignment 3, Buildings in use Part 5

1. Light, shadows and sculpture

 I decided to visit the Tate Modern partly because of the massive display area that I knew usually holds some kind of exhibition within it. Unfortunately there wasn't one in the main display area but I thought I got over this quickly and soon found more (much smaller) rooms where there was interesting light. I was impressed with how the Tate Modern almost 'escorted' the visitor around the galleries. There were many different kinds of galleries - like interactive ones as well as more conventional ones where there were paintings.

2. A closer look

   So, (not getting distracted!) I found one, large and spacious room with tall and wide windows from one side only. Because of the time of day and the nature of the windows, the shadows of people crossing where the light from the windows fell was interesting. These suggested with the right composition, which I thought I managed to find (photograph 1.), the vast size of the room and the relationship between the highlighted people (from the light of the windows) and the tall sculpture the room was accommodating.

   Next I wanted to show how the gallery 'escorted' the visitor (as mentioned earlier) around it. The parts to a floor were mostly divided by many doors in line with each other. The rooms of the floor congregated to the middle side of each floor. This meant I could get a shot where all the line of doors for part of a floor lined up and still show a visitor staring intently at one of the works of art (photograph 2.).

3. Observing the art

   Lastly, I found another space with a window: this time shorter and creating less vivid shadows as photograph 1., as the Sun was to photograph 1.'s side of the building. Photograph 3. aimed to show the gallery in use again but with an emphasis on the part-silhouettes and their fascination with the different works of art they were looking at.

   Overall I was pleased with the quality of most of my photographs but more so with the amount I gathered as I carried out the assignment. I discovered first and foremost that light could be key in suggesting a relationship between people and the buildings they were using. Also that composition (especially at the gym and Tate Modern and ) could make the photograph stand out more. At Covent Garden I felt colour was as important in getting across the atmosphere of the place.