NOTAN STRUCTURE

I spent some time at the weekend reading about 'notan structure', the pattern of light and dark in a picture. It occurred to me that by 'squinting' in three stages I could slowly identify, and group the main four tonal patterns in a scene before starting a picture. This would theoretically give me in order of squinting least to most, dark, dark mid-tones, light mid-tones and finally with my eyes virtually closed, the lightest lights. Great in theory? It almost worked. Anyway, enough to give me a better steer on tones. This morning, up to the windmill on Wimbledon common (one of its blades can be seen poking up from the middle tree), where Baden-Powell wrote 'Scouting for boys'. This afternoon, to Waterman's green, just below Putney Bridge, another favourite out-of-the-way spot in downtown Putney.