Friday, 17 October 2014

Adjustments to assignment 5 based on tutor feedback

In Assignment 5, after comments from my tutor, the image below was flipped so the writing would be visible, and replaced with the bottom image, featured in my assignment.

Original image
Assignment image after adjusts made.

Feedback: Assignment 5

Tutor Reports: Assignment 5

Overall Comments

The assignment’s text has a narrative that shows evidence of your overall planning – both of the day and of the images, plus a record of what was found and some self-reflection. These are all fine for the learning log, but for this particular assessment I’d suggest submitting the images alongside captions for each image; in fact just as you would write them for a documentary style publication – either a magazine, or a magazine style blog.

There is a wide range of subject matter, locations and viewpoints that adds variety to the set of images, varying the pace of the narrative. I particularly like the way that you have mixed the personal with the travel images and some details with ‘grand views’.

The assignment could be laid out as a word, PDF or Photoshop file, with title and your name on the first page, then the images with captions on the following (numbered) pages. This isn’t in the style of previous assignments, as the emphasis here is geared towards constructing a narrative to draw in and engage with a reader – from a general audience’s perspective.

So the first image will generally be an upright one with space in the image to overlay the text, or a square image with text set either above or below it. It is difficult to get a feel for how the images will sit on the pages (one per page, multiple images per page?) without some clues given by breaks, page numbers or captions. This sequencing is part of the narrative as this determines where the images will be seen, particularly which images will be seen together.


Feedback on assignment 

Focusing and control of depth of field are both very good throughout – showing a progressive improvement from earlier assignments. Colour balance is also good, despite varying conditions of bright sunlight and deep shade. Exposures are generally good, yet a few images could do with an extra tweak to brighten them a little – e.g. Owl telescope, seagull/streetlamp, waterfront/cobbles, arrival at Liverpool and the shopping street. 

Your compositions are good, showing the use of diagonals (bikes and close up of chain) and rhythm (waterfront & cobbles), curves (chain fence and telescope). The balance of elements arranged in the frame is quite good too; I found the cropping/framing to be a little too tight on some images, e.g. the top of the chain fence, the bottoms of the super lamb banana, the first shot, the ‘town hall’ (this is actually the Liverpool Port Building) and the two ice cream vans.

There are images that show a personal side that other people can easily identify with, the padlocks and key chains on the chain barriers for example.  There are also those that others might not relate to as easily when seeing an article on Liverpool, for example the foggy start on an (as yet) unnamed station, or the train tickets at the end.

Some of your images show the sights and facilities on offer that form a narrative, based on ‘what you might expect to see and enjoy’, which is good travelogue material – e.g. the bikes, ice cream vans, the flags for the Tate, super lamb bananas, waterfront shots (several). I think that the more personal shots of the padlocks show another side that is less expected, drawing the viewer into the story on an emotional level. This is a side that can be explored further in your photography and developed through modules such as People and Place or Documentary.

As far as editing the final selection goes, I find the two vans are better than the first shot, mainly due to having the lighting working with you, accentuating the sunny weather and the colours. The Tate and big wheel shot is a little dull in lighting, but that could be boosted in post-production, as could the shopping street image, the seagull and the waterfront with cobbles. The ‘Town Hall’ shot should be renamed, as it isn’t, but also because the flags dominate the shot (possibly reverse this one left to right, so the words are legible too?).

As much as I like the train station shot (very atmospheric), it doesn’t really fit with a story of Liverpool that others will readily relate to. The arrival at Liverpool image doesn’t really do it for me either; a shot of Lime street station, St Georges hall opposite, the statues in between or the Walker gallery behind St. Georges would seem more obvious views for an arrival by train in Liverpool.


Learning Logs or Blogs

It would be good at this stage to see some evidence of wider viewing and reading. Which books have you looked at, what did you think of them, were they interesting, inspirational, boring or so dense you didn’t get past chapter one? Have you been to exhibitions, OCA study visits or interacted on the OCA forums? Which photographers’ work have you seen? 

Add to this reflection: Which you picked (and why?). What can you take from them (or not?). What have you seen that you’d like to try yourself? Looking at the bigger picture, how do you feel now when looking back at the first assignment and exercises? Have your ideas changed? Are you more (or less) confident? Are you more, or less, enthusiastic and can you put into words why that is?

Answers to these questions only have to be a sentence or two (not an essay), but together will make you think about where you are with your photography and help to resolve what you like and why. With these growing polarizations of taste and subjects you can start to narrow your own work into a more recognizable style, exploring finding your own voice, through photography.


Suggested reading/viewing

I recommend reading The nature of Photographs by Stephen Shore (Phaidon, 2010). I also recommend reading 'On Being a Photographer: a Practical Guide' by David Hurn and Bill Jay. This book is more about a photographer’s approach, attitude and their mind-set, rather than technicalities (as the title might suggest).


Pointers for the next assignment

This module is now completed


Saturday, 20 September 2014

Reflection Upon Assignment 5

Demonstration of technical and visual skills- Materials, techniques, observational skills, visual awareness, design and compositional skills
For this assignment, I have been using skills i have not previously on this course. Using photography to create illustration and narrative. I would like to think i have began to use these skills well. Every photograph i have taken i have taken with the outcome in mind, the narrative. How well each photograph helps to tell a story and whether it would be easily interpreted by the viewer/ general public. For this i would think i have been quite visually aware and relied highly on observational skills.
I have perhaps at times been to wary of this, and kept it maybe on the safer side of things.

Quality of outcome - Content, application of knowledge, presentation of work in a coherent manner, discernment, conceptualisation of thoughts, communication of ideas
I have done my best to explain each photograph and why i have taken it or placed it where ever. I have tried to add additional comments to my photographs to reiterate what the narrative is and explain slightly in more detail and my reasonings. I would like to think my thoughts have flown well onto paper and have been expressed coherently.
Id like to think my photographs are fitting for the subject matter at hand an that they are of a decent standard. As i have previously stated i have done everything with the subject/ outcome in mind and i hope that has shown.
I could perhaps have thought a bit more out of the box and used symbolism as talked about in the course material more to express actions as opposed to more obvious or literal photographs.

Demonstration of creativity - Imagination, experimentation,invention, development of a personal voice
I would like to think i have been quite imaginative as i thought in terms of magazine publication when shootings, imagining how it would look, and what i would want it and my photographs each to look like. Some of my photographs could have been more creative perhaps. I have tried to include a variety of different photographs and techniques. I'm beginning to see a style within the photographs i take now, and think i am beginning to find my personal voice in photography. I now need to hone in on that, and begin to improve and perfect it.

Content- reflection, research, critical thinking

I have made a conscious effort to do more research within this assignment time frame. I have done a lot more than i have previously, but it is something i need to continuously be aware of and could still do more.
I have tried to reflect and evaluate everything i have done as i am going along. I have tried to be quite clear and logical in doing so and would like to think this has shown within my work.


Looking back at the first assignment/ exercises i did for this module, i feel i have come along way. To begin with, my lighting was not that great, and it is something i feel i have improved on greatly and am rather happy with now. Some times my tutor may say things look a little under exposed, and sometimes they are. But i quite like a dark, bold appearance to some of my photographs, and it is done intentionally, i suppose it is my style, and not something everybody will appreciate. I have also toned down my editing of photographs a lot. Looking back, some of my photographs were way over edited, almost to the point of embarrassment. Im not sure if this is due to improvement within my work, or due to purchasing a better quality laptop, where these visual issues become a lot more apparent, that weren't on my old laptop. Whatever the reason, i only edit where i feel necessary. and then compare to the original copy to see if i prefer the edited state or not.
But i am comfortable with where i am / where i am going so far. I have enjoyed exploring the more artistic styles of photography, and the simplicity of some , and it is something i hope to do more of, and when starting this course, it is something i perhaps would not have thought of.
My ideas of photography and what i want to be doing within photography, have not changed. I still enjoy photography for the same reasons and i still have mindset and likes and dislikes within the topic. I still want the same things out of this. I would say i have simply expanded my ideas. As my knowledge has grown, so have my ideas and the paths that i want to be on. 
It has definitely made me more confident within my photography, looking back and seeing how i have improved, and having absorbed the knowledge in which i have.

Assignment 5 Applying the Techniques of Illustration and Narrative

For this assignment i had to create a series of pictures for a magazine, illustrating ad narrating a story.
The subject i decided to narrate, was of a day trip to Liverpool docks.
For my front cover photograph, i wanted something that was bright colourful, was obvious of the location/ subject and eye catching.

When you think of being by the sea, or along the riverside you think of sunshine and enjoying ice cream. on a leisurely stroll perhaps.
So i chose a photograph of a vintage ice cream van. The vintage van looks nice set in front of a dockside of old buildings. The reds in the buidlings and the reds in the van make it pop.
The van also says liverpool on it, telling of the location.
The main aspects of the setting and the story can be taken from this photograph which is why i would put it on the front cover.

The photographs going inside the magazine will be set in chronological order to tell the story of events. But can be split into groups of time/ place. Each group of pictures should remain on the same page/ spread of pages but can be separated from other groups by page/text/advertisement.

A very grey, foggy start to the day in Worcester. An early morning train journey to Liverpool. Here's hoping the weather gets better.

We arrived at Liverpool to a beautiful day.
We made our way to the docks and took in the views
Cut away picture of a seagull on a street lamp
A city bike ride perhaps?



We took in some of the dockside attractions/ landmarks as the sun began to come out
Outside the Liverpool Port building

Super lamb bananas along the water

Telescope
We then went for a romantic leisurely stroll along the water enjoying the sunshine

Many people had attached locks to the fence along the water

Many as friends, many as lovers.
We decided to add our own and be a part of it.

We then headed back towards the town

But not before enjoying an ice cream or two
A quick spot of shopping along the high street before we had to catch our train home

Train tickets from our journey of the day.

Exercise: Rain

For this exercise, i had to produce a single strong image representing rain, that could be used for a magazine cover that would leave people in no doubt of the subject.
I began to think f things that come to mind when thinking of rain; wellies, umbrellas, cold, wet etc and began to think how i could use these in photographs;
A picture of  pair of wellies. 
An umbrella propped against a wall.
An umbrella in use. 
A soaking wet person in the rain.
Rain hitting the ground.
Rain drops.
A puddle.

I took a few photographs containing some of the above. We haven't really had much rain recently unfortunately, so i had to improvise slightly pouring water over things. Or just using the symbols on there own with the use of water as they are strong enough on their own.
I tried to keep it quite simple. If its going on the cover of a magazine, it doesn't want to be too busy or overbearing if there is going to be text on the cover also.
Simplistic pictures can look visually stunning on there own, but also won't get lost or look messy if covered partly by text.

In the end i settled for this photograph.
This photograph is of rain drops on a leaf. You are in no doubt that this photograph is of rain due to the water and it being on a plant. I like how this photograph although obviously rain has a slight abstract feel to it. I adjusted the colour of the green slightly, the make the rain drops stand out slightly more and to make it look slightly more visually appealing.

Exercise: Juxtaposition

For this exercise i had to create a photograph for the front cover of a book of choice using symbols or juxtaposition.
I chose the book 'Revelator: The Neuromancer' by William Control.
The blurb reads 'Through the madness i shuffle. A wretched shell of the man i was when her love possessed me. Lucifer has given me one change of redemption. I am compelled to drag myself to the dusty finish line. Compelled by the love i have somewhere in my drowning heart and the curiosity of a new adventure that will one day surely kill me.'
The book is essentially filled with death and sex.
I wanted my photograph to obviously represent this but not give too much away.
Before i had decided what i was going to photograph, i had already decided i wanted the photograph to be quite dark, in terms of lighting. And to be in black and white. As i felt this would be quite fitting for the book and for the author.
The book has quite a niche audience, and so i wanted my photograph to be fitting to that. It doesn't have to be something that everybody will like or be drawn to but will appeal to the necessary audience.
I felt it was important i used a bed in my photograph to represent the sexual activity and nature in the book.
I also wanted a weapon to represent the death/murder aspect of the book. Obviously getting hold of a weapon is a slight problem. So i used a kitchen knife. The kitchen knife may also carry connotation relating to fetish. Again going back to the sexual aspect of the book.
I then threw in some under wear just to make it look more intriguing and as if something may have happened.


I took a few photographs as i wasn't really sure on which composition would look best. I used different levels of zoom, and different amounts/ items of clothing to see what look best. I tried to mess up the bed a bit to make it look as if it had been used
Essentially, i think the last picture is my favourite, and is what i would use for my front cover.

Wednesday, 17 September 2014

Research: Fernand Fonssagrive

Fernand Fonssagrives was a french photographer known for his 'beauty photography' often photographing his wife.
I love how here the human body is almost invisible. It is not the subject of this photograph, but instead part of the background. and it blends very well. The body is naked and curled up into a ball. An angle perhaps unusual and not normally deemed attractive. But since this is not the subject this is perhaps unimportant.
The subject is the shadow formed from a metal fence. that is projected over the naked body. The shadow a very strong, deep , bold black I love the shapes and his use of the body as a canvas.
Again, a naked body used as a canvas for a shadow cast by a fence I love the level of contrast and how the shadows follow the shape of the body.
A close up of shadows cast on part of the female body from a mesh like fence. The jet black background makes the body seem extremely 3 dimensional.

I love the unusual ways Fonssagrives uses the human body as a canvas and the way he uses light and shadow as an art form and subject to create his work

Exercise: Symbols

For this exercise, i had to find more than one symbol for the following subjects, and suggest how i might use them in a photograph.
The subjects are as follows;

Growth

The process of increasing in size.
Something that in grown or is growing.

Symbols may include a plant, perhaps a young seedling. This is the first thing that comes to mind for me when thinking of growth.
A child could also be used as a symbol. This could be photographed with a child measuring themselves on a heigh chart.

Excess

An amount of something which is more what is necessary, permitted or desirable. 
A lack of moderation, especially in eating or drinking.

When i think over excess, i think of overindulgence, such as a large roman feast.
Symbols of this could be a photograph of a large amount of food, a feast.
An over weight person, perhaps holding or bearing their stomach

Crime

An action or omission which constitutes an offence and is punishable by law

Symbols for this could be handcuffs, a police officer, a finger print perhaps.
If i had to take a photograph for this symbol, an idea would be taking a close up of a persons hands in handcuffs, as if being arrested.

Silience

Complete absence of sound.

A symbol for his could be somebody with their mouth taped/zipped/covered up with an object or a hand. An empty rural scene. Perhaps containing a lone person. Or a visible place within the scene where a person could be eg. an empty bench, an empty still rowing boat on a lake etc. Maybe even a picture of a pin dropping.
If i was to take a photograph for this, i would take a portrait of a person with their hand over their mouth.

Poverty

The state of being extremely poor

When i think of poverty, i think of the malnourished children in Africa living in complete poverty. Perhaps due to the high levels of advertisement and charities we see on the television each day.
Unfortunately living in England, the children living in poverty in a different country are difficult to photograph.
Other symbols and possible photographs I could take are of homeless people in this country, sitting on the side of the road. Orphans, food bank, ragged clothing, hands holding an empty bowl or cupped together as if asking for an offering.

Exercise: Evidence of Action

For this exercise, i had to take a photograph showing something that had happened, evidence of an action. For this i chose a broken flower pot which i had dropped on the floor.
I took photographs from various different angles trying to capture as much of the splatter as possible. In my head i already knew which angle i wanted to use; a low shot looking across the length of the mess but shot a variety just incase i found something i preferred the outcome of.
I tried the capture as many fragments of the pot as i could with plenty of dirt among it, so it wouldn't just look like a pile of rubble or fragment of pottery and so would be obvious to the viewer what had happened.
Here is my photograph:

Sunday, 14 September 2014

Research: Per Bak Jensen


Per Bak Jensen is a landscape photographer from denmark. His photographs often connote a sense of emptiness, isolation this may be created by the mist captured in most of this photographs, or the level of lighting, quite dull often grey or blueish.

Tree is a misty forest. I love how in this photograph, the background is very soft, slightly blurred perhaps because of of the mist . I love how this allows you to look at the photograph as colours and patterns as opposed to what the objects actually are.
What i can only assume to be a large puddle in the middle of a flooded field. There is no reflection in the water, it is simply a white strip, due to the lighting conditions. I love how the top 50% of this picture is pure mist. Grey. You cannot see through it. And the bottom 50% green. Both dull colours. I love how there is also a smooth transition between the two across the centre of the photograph.
A lone rock in the sea. I love how this image is a lot sharper and bolder than the other two due to the lack of mist in front of the rock. But still it seems to connote the same emotions.
Apart from the shadow in front of the rock the sea is very much one colour. It doesn't shine, it doesn't move. Its very flat and matte, almost like paper. I love how the shadow does create a bit of texture though. You can see, just about, where the light hits either side of the front of the rock, and the slight ripple in the water. just in this small space. Giving a great sense of depth in an otherwise flat sea. The sky very much the same colour as the sea broken up by the horizon line. A very straight line a slightly darker shade of grey than the sky and the sea. The dullness of the background really makes the black glossy rock stand out.


Research: Galen Rowell

Galen Rowell was an american landscape photographer who's work i absolutely adore due to the colours he manages to use and capture that almost look unnatural, but so beautiful.

A snowy lake scene. I love how the use of contrasting colours here.  The sun hitting the mountain in the background creating a gorgeous bright orange which can also be seen reflected in the water. Against the strong blue of the sky and the water.
I love how the mountains in the foreground are quite dark but in the background, the most amazing gold mountains can be seen peeking out. almost glowing. Brightly outlining the dark mountains in front of them. I love how even further in the foreground, the back is a very bright mix of colours; blue, yellow, white and green. The dark mountain sandwiched between brightness. The grass growing out the water at the front of the frame is noticeably green, almost looks like a green shadow rippling in the water for the silhouetted mountains. You almost have to look twice.
Again the colours here are absolutely phenomenal. The contrast between the orange and the blues again. The photograph is so crisp, and the water so still that the reflection of the mountain in the water almost doesn't look like a reflection, but a continuation of the mouton itself.

Exercise: A Narrative Picture Essay

For this exercise, i had to tell a story using photographs. I decided to use the method of baking a cake as my story.
I love to bake and so this was very familiar to me and so i could focus more on taking the photographs than the process of baking a cake itself. I am familiar with a lot of cook books, and how pictures are represented in these. I was already aware of what i personally find visually attractive in a cook book and had a basic idea of how i would set one out if creating one myself.
To tell my story, i took a photograph of each step i took creating a cake, starting with the ingredients and ending with the finished product. Some photographs i took out as i felt they were not important or visually just didn't look that great. I wanted the steps to be obvious, but i didn't want too many pictures so it was overwhelming. I wanted some simple, crisp, easy to understand and quite modern looking.
I kept my photographs in chronological order, to show method and to be easily understandable to the reader, so much so that very little text would be necessary to understand how to make the cake.
To get it looking very neat and simple, i tried to keep my photographs together in  neat, very clear square formation. I tried to keep all the photographs the same size, as no step is more important than the other, and to be the simplicity of this visually pleasing. I made the one photograph, of the egg shells, bigger than the rest. I did this just to break it up a bit, and to me it makes it look just that bit better. I chose this photograph over the others, as i found it more attractive, and more abstract. I feel it works well. It also breaks up the colour in what would other wise be a collection of very beige photographs. 
My vision for this in print would be; these photographs on one page, and on the adjacent page, the recipe. Very simple, very neat, very crisp, very easy to understand and hopefully very visually pleasing.
From left to right
1. Ingredients
2. Creaming the butter
3. Creamed butter mixed with sugar
4. Empty egg shells
5. Cake batter
6. Batter ready for the oven
7. Whipping cream for the filling
8. The finished product.

Saturday, 2 August 2014

Research: Adam Elmakias

Perhaps a more mainstream photographer, Adam Elmakias is a music photographer , perhaps one of my favourites. Who travels the world taking photographs of different bands.
I love how emotive his photographs are, and how they capture the energy of the concert perfectly.

The enjoyment of the crowd captured under falling confetti. I love how dark the crowd are here, you can barely make people out, just the shape of arms rehang out. Against a very white, well lit stage in the background.

An action shot of the drummer capturing the crowd in the background really shows the energy here.
I love how the band are silhouetted here.

A crowd captured under a hazy mist of lights. I like how you cannot see what the crowd are watching due to the lights, but you can feel the energy and see they are having an amazing time. I love how crisp the crowd are here, even though they are so dark.

Probably one of my favourite photographs. The true energy of a rock festival. This is image is so sharp and perfectly timed. I love how the background; the sky, crowd and tents in the background are all very light/ white almost all the same shade whilst the shage and the musicians are quite dark, a lot more black present. This keeps your attention in the foreground and really makes the musician stand out. Almost as if they are jumping out of the photograph.

Confetti falling, all which looks quite sharp, which i love, captures the engery present at this concert. It certainly makes me think ' i was i could have been there' .

Adam is beginning to use drones in his photography now and the outcomes are amazing. This photograph would not be possible without one, it adds a whole new dimension to music photography. I absolutely adore this photograph and the emotion it portrays. A lone musician with a guitar. I can only assume singing a ballad. The lights from this angle create a heart which his shadows fill. The different angle from which the lights hit almost make the shadows look like two different people, as they are not identical. The rest of the stage is almost in complete darkness which helps create the beautiful effect.

I love the burst of light exploding from behind the musician here, and the glow it creates. Its not your average photograph of a musician, but it makes him seem somewhat more human, on an emotional level that you do not usually see.

Saturday, 19 July 2014

Feedback: Assignment 4

Tutor Reports Assignment 4

Overall Comments

The orange has all the qualities needed to satisfy the four categories: Colour, texture, form and shape. As such it is a good choice for a subject. It has such a simple shape it needs some creativity to make the most of it. You have shown concern for your lack of professional lighting, yet this isn’t necessary for this assignment, in fact it is the variety of different lighting sources that can offer the creativity required. 

How many photography competitions are won with shots taken with daylight, or under ambient artificial lights, at dusk or at night? Each of these show that a lack of studio lights does not limit creativity. A longer exposure is required for weaker, household lights – requiring a firm surface (or a tripod) to place the camera on, plus the use of the camera’s self-timer, or a cable release. 

There are many sources that can add an extra area of light in the frame, such as torches, or a steady warm glow, such as candles, or a series of dim lights around a subject (led lights or xmas lights). The longer exposures required indoors can allow a moving light to be used during the time of the exposure, showing a trace of light or simply highlighting a specific area.

Another source of variety is the background. Careful use of light and shade, or selective focusing, can limit what is seen of the background, or accentuate it. I’ll comment on use of this in my feedback below. Placing objects (possibly transparent ones) between light source and subject will create shadows as well as light on the image area – see examples using slatted blinds, glass blocks, glass bowls or jugs, water in glass etc. Each of these makes the image more interesting just by altering the quality of the light.


Feedback on assignment 

Your notes show that you have experimented with various options of diffusers and reflectors as well as camera and lighting angles. There is a range of scale in these shots of the orange, which adds some variety. I would have liked to see more experimentation with backgrounds and possibly with props, e.g. cutting the orange into segments and shooting on a chopping board (with a knife, or with other oranges), or perhaps with the paper or plastic that oranges are packed in, or an orange crate? 

You have demonstrated that you understand each of the categories and that you recognize how your lighting affects these qualities. The form images show two methods of revealing the orange’s three-dimensional quality. The first shot could be cropped so that the top half remains, then the cloth would only be seen out of focus and the resultant curve would be a strong design element. The second shot needed a more careful use of background material so as not to detract from the subject.

Use of coloured backgrounds to contrast with the orange show an appreciation of the power of these effects (as in assignment 3). I also find the placing of the subject in the frame to be well executed in many shots, e.g. the final image where the green area is on the ‘thirds’.

The shape images show the orange as round, yet any shot would do that as long as the background was even. Lighting from behind would accentuate the outline, either lighting the background or shooting against the light showing rim lighting. You mention making the orange bright in colour for the first shot, yet also say you underexposed it – these contradict each other. Under-exposure won’t make lighting subtle or smooth as it only affects how light or dark it is. It is the contrast formed by variations of exposure – by size, distance and position of lighting, that creates contrast. I like the background in the first shot as it blends seamlessly from top to bottom. The choice of colour also contrasts well with the orange, without competing with its colour. 

The colour shots are always going to show strong colour with this subject! The first is an interesting close-up that makes the eye concentrate on the imperfections of the skin, noticing the brown colours as well as the orange. With direct lighting across the surface this could have made a great ‘texture’ shot. The second colour shot is similar to the very first image, but colours appear more saturated due to the harsher lighting.

Both texture shots have a colour balance that is far more green/cyan than the other images. It should still be possible to correct this in post-production software (e.g. with Elements or Gimp). The second shot has a good composition and is close enough to reveal much of the texture. It would be good to see the first ‘texture’ image shot similarly closely.


Learning Logs or Blogs

Don't forget to update your log with any activities, plans and thoughts about your work. Add also your research and thoughts on other photographer's work that you've read about or seen online or in exhibitions. In particular, relate your reflection and developing thoughts about what you see to your own work


Suggested reading/viewing

I recommend reading 'Dialogue with Photography' by Paul Hill & Thomas Cooper – interviews with photographers to see what goes on behind the camera. I also suggest that you look at the creative use of light and shade in the work of Brian Griffin and Fernand Fonssagrives.


Pointers for the next assignment

Assignment 5 draws on the skills you have developed during the previous four assignments: Using light, composition, concepts and colour. The assignment is a sequence of images that produce a narrative, telling a story in pictures. Your captions for these pictures provide further information, adding to the development of the story’s context. The style to be used for images and text is similar to what you might expect to find in a magazine.


The initial ‘cover’ image should be simple and striking; grabbing attention, persuading the viewer to look further into the sequence. It is good to have some variety of lighting, perspectives, camera height, scale etc. as these vary the pace of the sequence, helping to sustain the viewer’s interest in the story. What you leave in the final edit is just as important as what you cut out. This is a story best told directly, without any 'filler' images.

Friday, 18 July 2014

Reflection upon Assignment 4

Demonstration of technical and visual skills- Materials, techniques, observational skills, visual awareness, design and compositional skills
I used a lot of different material during this assignment, such as diffusers and tungsten and fluorescent lighting. I used them to the best of the ability that i possibly could under my given circumstances. However i did not have professional lighting, only what i had found round the house, which was in my opinion nowhere near strong enough. I did not have a proper diffuser but tracing paper instead. I didn't get the outcomes i had desired, however i did the best i could with what i had.
I always try to be visually aware, i hope this has shown through some of the exercises i have carried out.

Quality of outcome - Content, application of knowledge, presentation of work in a coherent manner, discernment, conceptualisation of thoughts, communication of ideas
I feel i have communicated my ideas well and written down exactly what was going on in my head at the time of photographing. I hope i have been logical in doing so. I have applied my knowledge of light and shadow where possible and tried to explain what i am doing along the way.

Demonstration of creativity - Imagination, experimentation,invention, development of a personal voice
The series of exercises i have carried i have seen more from a referential point of view. Using each photograph to see the different effects of different lighting at different times etc. and so perhaps haven't been as creative as i could have been as I've seen it more of a learning tool for future reference/ to widen my knowledge now but I'd like to think i have at least been slightly imaginative in doing so.

Content- reflection, research, critical thinking
I have carried out a few pieces of research on different photographers who use light during this assignment, however i can always do more. I'd like to think i have continually been reflective in my work as i have been going along.

Overall, I am perhaps slightly under satisfied with the work i have done here. Relying greatly on the weather/ time of day has been quite a hinderance. Limiting when certain tasks could be carried out.
My lack of quality equipment i have also found to be be a great hinderance, i do not feel i have always reach the outcome i probably should have if i was to have used professional equipment, or at least my results not as dramatic as i would have hoped. But i did the best that i could with what i had.
If i have time in the future i would certainly like to revisit a lot of this assignment.

Assignment 4 Applying Lighting Techniques

For this assignment, i had draw the different lighting techniques i have learned, and apply them to a subject , showing shape, form, colour and texture.

Form
I used a blue background here, a contrasting colour, the make the subject stand out more.  I lit the subject from above, the top of the subject is lit, and quite light in colour , the middle of the subject a slightly darker orange, and the bottom, not really getting any light, is darker again and shadowy, creating form and making this object look more 3 dimensional. 

I changed the background here to something white so a shadow would be more visible. 3 dimensional objects can always cast a shadow, and this is a good way of make making an object look more so. By casting a shadow. I lighted the subject from the side, but from quite a high angle, highlighting the top right of the orange. The direction of light and the highlights and shadows created by it make the subject look more 3 dimensional.
I tried this shot with and without a diffuser so there was still a shadow, which was the main aim i was looking for, but the lighting wouldn't be so harsh on the orange. However it made the orange look a bit flat and dull, even though there was still a shadow. So i settled for this picture, without a diffuser.
Shape

To create shape here, i wanted the orange to be quite bright in colour so the shape would stand out. I didn't really want to cast a shadow or have any bursts of light. I wanted it to be as plain and simple as possible so attention would be drawn to the shape only. I used a diffuser over the light so the lighting would be softer and so the effect i wanted would be a lot easier to create. I also when taking this picture under exposed to by an f-stop or two,  to help make the light more subtle and smoother again.

I used a contrasting background again here to make the subject stand out and the shape a lot more visible.  The subject was lit from above just to make it look slightly more spherical by the light hitting the top and spreading round the sides ever so slightly. I used a diffuser just to make the light a little more softer and subtle as i didn't want too much attention just to be drawn to the top of the subject, but the subject as a whole.I tried to experiment with backlighting as i really wanted a photograph with just the entire outline of the subject lit up, almost like an eclipse, however i did not have a light available that was big or strong enough to create this effect.



Colour

Here i took a close up of the surface of the orange so the colour would take up the entire frame, and your focus would not be taken or lost anywhere else. I used a diffuser over the light to keep it looking quite matte, and the same colour/shade all over.
The subject is against a contrasting background to make it more obvious, and to make it pop. Its lit brightly from above, the light quite close to the subject to make the colour look more dramatic.


Texture

This end of the fruit had the most texture, and so i wanted this to be my main focus.  I lit the subject diagonally from above, facing the front of the subject. The the light would hit all the bumps and grooves within the fruit. Making it look more textured.

I then took a photograph close up so the texture could be seen in a lot more detail. The subject was lit from the front to make the textures more visible again, and also so my camera would not create a shadow.


Exercise: Shiny Surfaces

For this exercise, i had to find a shiny object that was shiny enough to see my reflection in. I would be using tracing paper to form a cone around the object, and so i wanted something that was quite small and a bit more original than a kettle/ toaster. I decided to use the back of a CD.
I first took a photograph from above, looking directly down onto the CD, capturing my reflection too.

  
I then took another photograph, exactly the same but introduced a light and took two exposures



I then created a cone out of tracing paper, as stated, the top wrapped around my camera lens and the bottom around the CD.
I took a photograph without a light, the CD appeared very matte, and the reflection of my camera dulled to shadows, almost gone.


 I then introduced a light again, level with the surface the CD was on, from the side. Still fairly matte in appearance. There is a line of line across the CD, perhaps there was a slight gap at the bottom of the cone, as this does not appear on any other 'coned' photographs.


Side lighting again, but from a high angle. Perhaps the best shot of the CD i have taken in terms of losing the reflection of my camera. The lighting from a high angle means its further away from the tracing paper, and not as strong, resulting in this effect.


 The CD lit from above the camera, this has given the CD an orangey glow, and again the reflection is quite apparent.

Lit from above again, but with a different exposure. The orangey glow has been lost and so has some of the shine however the reflection is a lot more visible.


Another low lit exposure from the side but this time the light was quite close to the tracing and not surface level, a bit higher this time. This is my favourite exposure . I like the strip of light across the CD, and the colours in the photograph even though they are quite harsh.