Marianne Davis' Photography - www.PhotoCentric.Net

The Photography of Marianne Davis

A Focus on Line, Shape and Texture using Visual Extraction

In Memory of Marianne Davis

The photographs and text on this page are by Marianne Davis. Sadly, Marianne passed away soon after sharing this article with the photographic world. We mourn the loss of this fine artist, and will greatly miss her talents and contributions.

Many of the photographs seen here were taken in my home and were created using visual extraction. From the total field of view I "extract" a small portion using either a telephoto or macro lens. I particularly like to focus on line, shape and texture. The perspective usually is flat. I am attracted to a subject first by its texture; however, to create a point of interest I particularly like to find a shape within the picture space that interrupts the texture, the lines, or the overall shape. To increase the dynamic impact I like to look for a different angle of view by rotating the camera or moving around the subject. The quality and angle of light is profoundly critical in each image as is the tonal contrast. The greater the contrast in tones usually the greater the overall impact.

When I first began making photographic images I worked in black and white exclusively. When I moved into the world of digital photography, I started shooting in color as well, being particularly attracted to warm tones. As to technique, in the camera I underexpose all of my images by 1/2 stop and then in Photoshop adjust the exposure and contrast to achieve the effect that I want for each individual image. By underexposing 1/2 stop, I find I can create maximum saturation of color, avoid overexposure of highlights, and still maintain sufficient detail in the shadows. The images seen here were digitally captured with a Fuji S2 Pro SLR camera which uses Nikon lenses and were printed on an Epson 2200 inkjet printer.

C O L O R

Sunrise (left). I looked up from my computer one morning just as day was breaking and happened upon the sunrise through the window. I quickly grabbed my camera and this is the result.

Study in Rectangles (right). The abundance of rectangles to be found in this Bang and Olufsen (B&O) speaker gives rise to this abstract composition. So as to balance the composition, the contrast of the lower left-hand diagonal rectangle was carefully increased in Photoshop (levels command).

Diagonal Stripes (left). This abstract was created from the back of a chair that is included in the permanent collection at MOMA in New York City. A little extra sharpening in Photoshop was required along the right side of the image to extend the depth of field.

Yolk (right). I had to keep poking this egg yolk with a spatula to keep it where I wanted it while I photographed it.

Quaker Cabinet (left). The symmetry and color of this cabinet inside a Quaker meeting house in Santa Fe, New Mexico caught my attention.

Tractor Wheel (right). Construction machinery, as seen here, provides wonderful textures just waiting to be captured.

B L A C K & W H I T E

Victoriana (left). This is a small section of the frame of a Victorian mirror. As a black and white image, the shapes become the dominant theme.

Striped Egg (right). Light shining through the window created the shadow on this egg. Careful metering was required to keep the different elements separate and details in the shadows where desired.

Reflections in Auto (left). One day when I was photographing reflections in Georgetown I came upon this complex image in the window of an automobile.

Foam on the Canal (right). The C&O Canal provides an unlimited source of abstract images.

Architectural Shapes (left). The geometric shapes inspire me to photograph this building each time that I encounter it. Creating the composition along a diagonal axis increases the impact.

Wildflowers by the River (left). These were the last wildflowers of summer found by the banks of the Potomac River near Great Falls. Initially, the stamens weren’t quite sharp enough so I returned to the spot the next day and re-shot the image.

Just Waiting. I came to Glenview Mansion to photograph it at night. When I happened to see my companion patiently waiting in repose, I grabbed this image of him with all due haste. The contrast of the lintel at the top of the building was slightly increased in Photoshop (using the levels command) so as to increase the visibility of this important architectural element while taking care not to distract the eye.