This document contains summaries of several photographs related to subjects taught at Cowes High School such as English, maths, and art. The summaries describe the key elements and compositional techniques used in each photo to represent the given subject effectively. Across the photos, simple compositions are used that follow rules like the rule of thirds and having a blurred background to draw attention to the focal subject. Elements like books, a calculator, and paintbrushes are photographed in ways that relate visually to their academic subject area.

1. Cowes High School 2010

2. English This photographs background is out of focus so that the objects in the foreground stand out, it also creates simplicity. The pen, exercise book and photocopy of a play extract relate to English. The lines in the image go diagonally and the darker upper third balances the image.

4. Dictionaries are an important part of English and they are made aesthetically pleasing by the angle from which they are taken as the row creates a receding pattern. The leaves create foreground interest and the image is balanced by the pale wall and table in the corners.

5. The interest in this photo is the heart shape created by the peeled paint, it shows that there can be interesting things disguised in what appears to be broken. This photo is simple and follows the rule of thirds as the main focus is off centre; the indents in the wall frame the heart. The out of focus left hand side gives the image a sense of perspective. This image shows how parts of the school are old and why the new school building is being built. The School Building

6. The fence in the background and the increasing density of the main fence gives the image depth. The photo is balanced by the overcast sky on the left contrasting with the darkness of the fence.

7. The calculator in this image represents maths well; the focus in the background makes the objects unrecognizable so the attention is drawn to the calculator. The light from the windows in the background contrasts with the dark object and balances the image. Maths

8. This equipment is often used in maths; the focus blurring as it travels down the ruler prevents the image from appearing flat. The graph paper is related to maths and provides a more appropriate background than a table. It follows the rule of thirds as the object are only in the middle and right thirds and is balanced by the dark objects on the light background.

9. The leading lines in this image run diagonally to create a more interesting shot that contrasts with the angle its taken from. It’s simple as it’s continuous and the light reflections on the laminate makes the viewer think about what’s in the room behind the photographer.

10. Art This photograph contains foreground interest which gives it depth; it follows the rule of thirds as the interest is in the lower half and it is balanced by the plain upper third contrasts with the busy clustered lower third. The paints and bright colours show that the image represents art.

11. The closeness of the paint brushes creates interest as it shows their texture and the paint residue which also relates to art. The out of focus background simplifies the image and makes the paint brushes stand out. The reflections in the metal draw interest to what is in front of them unseen by the viewer. The lines of the brushes run diagonally and are in the lower to thirds.