To find out what makes something the focal point of the photo, I positioned the iced tea bottle differently in every shot. In result to that experiment i found out that the variables that determine a focal point are the following

• lighting
• proportion of the object
• colour
• unusual stance
• repetitive pattern
• position in the frame

When i asked people for their focal points, 90% voted the iced tea bottle mostly because after seeing more than two photos (some just 1) they noticed the pattern and how the iced tea bottle repeatedly being in every photos made them think that that was the subject of photography hence the focal point of the photos.

I also noticed that as I was taking the photos of the iced tea bottle, I found myself consciously looking for places to put the bottle so when photographed there are a variety of compositions in the mix. Additionally in order to ensure the iced tea bottle was not positioned in the same place as before, i intentionally had to move around the bottle and place it where i wanted it to be which i feel like is being very controlling in terms of creating media.

– How to prevent from staging a photo?

– What are the characteristics of media taken without any planning and intentions?

– The power of repetition

7 photos of the Iced tea bottle in different positions of the frame.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

When i showed these photos to my friends and asked what the focal point of the photos may be they pointed to the iced tea bottle. These are some of the reasons why the iced tea bottle was picked out to be the focal point.

• The centred position  (image 7)
• The size/ proportion of the object (6)
• Awkward placement (2, 3)
• Positied on top of everything (4)
• Lighting (1)
• Colour (5)