Below is a set of outcomes from some initial experiments I have done based around portraiture and performance. I tried a number of different approaches to this and I tried to incorporate a mirror into these to explore how it might work as a prop. I  used myself as the subject in the images in reference to the artists that have inspired and influenced this part of my project. Overall I took around 1,500 images and in Light-room I edited them down to this selection and made adjustments to the contrast, brightness and saturation. I cropped the images and experimented with black and white and sometimes added a slight vignette. The aim of these shoots was to explore the relationship of the human body to the environment with a focus on natural, outdoor locations. In order to develop this idea further I am considering exploring similar ideas in relation to interior spaces. The process was fairly spontaneous and unplanned although I had some ideas for the use of mirrors and reflections but I wanted to capture this exploratory nature to some of the images by photographing in locations that I was unfamiliar with.

These images were my first attempt at using myself as the subject and I initially approached this by setting up the camera and filming while I interacted with the space and experimented with different compositions. This allowed for more freedom and I didn’t have do keep returning to the camera because film involves around thirty frames a second. I then saved still images from the video after importing the footage into Adobe Premier in order to have the stills in a high resolution (rather than taking screen shots) . From here I imported them into Light-room and edited them. The problem with this is that the motion blur is captured in each frame which means if you view these images enlarged the movement is very obvious and while I think this can be quite effective i’m not sure if it was the desired effect. I now know that if I adjusted the frame rate I could probably have more control over this.

I also did a brief experiment photographing at night based around the idea of exploring movement through long-shutter speeds. I have seen this can be quite effective and it is something I have not tried before but I wasn’t especially pleased with the outcomes. I think they could have been better if I had introduced more artificial light and executed them in a technically more accurate way. The idea was to have a shadowy, mysterious tone to the images  with the human figure (myself) standing out against the black background.

In these images I photographed myself using a tripod and set timers. I explored the use of slow-shutter speeds as well as the use of a mirror and shadows. I think the use of shadows is something I could potentially explore further.

I have several ideas about how to develop this concept of performance and environment. This work was influenced largely by my research into performance photographers but could also have some connections to other areas I have researched such as Earth art in that it considers the human connection to natural landscapes and is ephemeral. I think that I am going to focus my project around this idea more specifically than in my initial planning where I specified some more varied approaches such as s focusing on objects left by humans within environments to show their presence. I think it will be more effective to focus on one area and explore this in more depth.