Within this shoot I will be focusing on Larry Clark and I will focus on the skateboarders outside of the skatepark as I believe focusing on their lifestyle as well creates more of story behind the subjects I will be capturing. I believe that Larry Clarks images relate to the idea I want to capture in the sense that he also focuses on peoples lifestyles and I believe that the relation between my images and Larry’s with have significant similarities. I will be shooting in black and white on digital and on film. I will be using film as I believe creates a vintage feel to the images because of the grainy effect it creates.
This Image is from Larry Clarks collection and is an image I want to recreate as I believe that there are multiple stories behind each subject within the image which makes this image in particular more interesting to look at.
Shoot 2
Within the second shoot I will be focusing on Larry Clark and I will again have the main focus on the skateboarders however within the skatepark and still focusing on their lifestyle. I will produce this shoot in colour as I want to capture the colours that can be seen ranging from the outfits to the gravitated walls which I believe will create a strong contrast with the black and white images. I will be shooting in colour film and on digital. I will be using film as I believe it will create a more raw feeling to each image which I believe will relate to the documentary side of this shoot.
Shoot 3
I will be focusing on trying to replicate images in the style of Craig Stecyk as I believe I can incorporate the skateboarding movement with portraiture in a strong way and I think I can come out with outcomes that will heavily juxtapose images from previous shoots. Craigs images are all taken in black and white and have a very raw feeling to them which I believe has connotations of documentary photography which I want to heavily focus on. Craigs images consists highly of both portrait and group images which I want to include throughout as I think creates a sense of variation throughout and it will have a contrast effect throughout. I will take these images on a digital camera in both black/ white and colour as It will able me to alter my final images in multiple different ways.
Concept: To produce Sherry-esque images in photoshop using landscape and portrait images
Procedure: I have learnt that there are a variety of techniques in producing the strong sense of colour in images. In this response, I will experiment with using overlays over existing images, using colours that relate to the image as well as colours that contrast. To do this, I must:
Step 1: Convert image to greyscale by going Image>Mode>Greyscale.
Step 2: Go to Image>Mode>Duotone
Step 3: In Duotone, choose “monotone” under the dropdown menu.
Step 4: Click the colour swatch for the colour I want to use
For this shoot I wanted to create a response to the work of Engleston due to his focus around the idea of tone and colour within urban and natural environments. What I found most interesting within his photography was how in most of them there is an overall sense of a single colour such as yellow or red, this has inspired me to create work that relates through the use of incorporating an overlay which can be vaguely seen in each picture. As a result of this I hope to achieve a new style of photography where I can this underlying saturation to produce outcomes for the photos and possible photography book in the future. Using Eagleston as my main source of inspiration I have decided to have a look at some of his works which I found to be of particular interest:
After I had looked over some of his more inspirational work I decided it was nearly time to go ahead with the shoot itself. Before doing this however I would need to create a mind-map, by doing this it would allow me to express my ideas and intentions of what I want to achieve in the shoot. Creating a mind-map not only would help direct my aims of the shoot but also reduce time wasted from deciding there and then what to do and take. Here are some of my ideas on what I want to produce during the shoot:
Once I had completed my mind-map I then decided that I would move onto the shoot itself. Using this my ideas noted above as the basis for my goals in the shoot I decided to photograph the area of Les Creux Millenium Park due to the huge range of landscape it possessed in the surrounding area, ranging from houses, fields and woods. A map of the area can be seen below:
Here are the results of the shoot:
Once I had completed the shoot I then decided to go onto whittle the selection of images down to only ten. By doing this it would make it easier for me to identify which images reflected my intentions for the shoot the best and which ones had the best relevence for my topic. Here is my selection for the ten best images of the shoot:
After I had selected the ten best images I then decided that I would move onto choosing fives images that out of the ten reflected my intentions the most and had the best overall sense of aestheticism. To do this I would have to look at technicality, visual aspects and context. Here are my choices:
I selected this images because I really liked the defined contrast between the overly blue sky and the unusual shape of the tree. For me the green and dark browns contrasting the sky made the image the most effective due to how they are complimentary colours and so work well side by side producing an aesthetic reault. Composition wise I found that the tree being slightly on the left allowed for the end result to be more impacting because of the way it arches over the landscape filling more negative space in a more unusual way. In relation to the topic of variation of abstraction the image related well as I separated the tree from its surroundings allowed for a unique perspective to be viewed of it where it becomes isolated from its surrounding environment.
For this image the reason I selected it was because of how the blue sky and tree were complimented by the cloud which sort of transitions into the tree itself whilst merging into the blue around the corners. By the clouds taking over the negative space for me it allowed for a more effective use of the sky due to it otherwise being a bland and boring picture, however the inclusion of clouds prevents this and instead allows for an aesthetic result which could work well in a set of three. In relation to the topic the image goes well as it is evidently saturated too much which as a result produces a more abstract effect which in a way prevents viewers from seeing the tree as it once was, instead looking at it in a new light.
What I liked about this images was the contrasting overly saturated colours that overpower the image. For me this works really well as the image in a way is divided into two sections, one being the sky and the other nature, however I really liked the implementation of the cloud which breaks up the two dominant colour from becoming too overpowering and ruining the piece. As a result of this the cloud enhances the two colours creating an aesthetic result due to both the tree and the sky being in proportion to each others saturation. When looking at the image in regards to my topic of abstract variations I think that it goes well with the rest of the images taken due to how they all present a similar vision where there is a sense of overpowering colour which seem too surreal to be real.
What I loved about this image was its overall simplicity. This is done through a very minimal way where there are only three small aspects to the piece being the cloud, trees and sky. For me they all compliment each other nicely due to how the green and blue contrast with the symmetry of the cloud being in the centre adding too effect from a sense of artificial aestheticism that is created. Overall once again symmetry is the key aspect to this photograph as the cloud be placed directly in the middle adds to effect as its almost as if it was placed there from its unusual position. For me this links greatly to the topic as the colours are so enhanced combined with the weird composition which as a result ends in a abstract portrait of the sky in a block minimalist way.
Finally I selected this image because of the huge contrast between the pines and sky which create a silhoutte of the leaves, isolated it from its environment and portraying them in a way that makes them seem as if they were something else. This contrast for me works well with an image in the previous colour shoot which I think when looking towards planning a photo-book would work well due to its similar qualities. As a result this image relates well to the topic but has been selected really in relevance to how it can be linked to the previous shoot in which silhouette of trees can be seen against a harsh blue backdrop.
After looking over all five images it allowed me to come to a conclusion to which images worked well in relation to the topic of abstract variations (this shoot being colour). By looking in depth at each image it allowed me to sum up its qualities as a reflection of my intentions not only to the shoot but the overall topic. This is my final choice for the image that best represents the entire shoot:
The reason I chose this image as the best reflection for the overall intentions of the shoot is because of how I loved the way the composition of the piece induced a sense of an artificial landscape in which it seems almost too surreal to be real. For me the vivid colour combined with the symmetrical composition of the tree really tie the photo together as each aspect of the piece compliment each other which preventing the others from overpowering and ruining the picture from becoming too eye-sore.
Regarding this shoot I wanted to respond to the works of Edward Weston due to his focus being mainly around the idea of capturing texture and pattern present within natural forms of the landscape. Overall what I found to be particularly interesting was his photographs surrounding trees and rock formations which use high aestheticism as the main form of attraction and the intricate beauty each resembles. This as a result has inspired me to go onto produce a shoot looking at the natural formations regarding textures of the landscape in the North of Jersey. From this I hope to achieve a new style of photography I can later go onto use to portray the environment in a new way and possibly go onto include them in my final prints and photo-book. Using Weston as my main source of inspiration I decided to have a look at some of his particular works that I thought reflected my mind-set of the shoot the most:
After I had looked over some of his works that inspired me the most I then decided to move onto creating a mind-map for my shoot. By doing this it would allow me to jot my ideas down for future reference whilst reducing the time wasted on the shoot. Not only would creating a mind-map prevent me from wasting time but it would also allow me to direct my intentions immediately during the shoot, instantly understanding what it was that I intended to achieve by the end of it and what I could focus on to get the results I wanted. Here are some of my ideas:
After looking at my initial ideas I decided upon going to the area of Le Dolmen du Couperon . I chose this location because of its wider range of different areas such as woodland and beaches, allowing for the perfect area to photograph my intended areas of focus. What drew my initial interest was how some of the woodland had been cut down and would have left behind stumps and ruined trees which would be great to photograph regarding the idea of bark and grain texture. Here is a map of the intended area to photograph:
Here are the results of my shoot:
Once I had finished the shoot I then went on to whittling the selection down to only ten images, by doing so this would allow me to decide and make easier which image best reflected my overall intentions and goal of the shoot. Here are my ten best images:
After I had done this I then decided to go onto further and whittle the selection down to only five images this time. By doing this it would allow me to analyze the images in more depth looking at the visual, technical and conceptual aspects of each. These are my choices for the five best images:
What I loved about this image was how the low exposure allowed for the over emphasis of the contrast between each piece of seaweed. For me the inclusion of highlights inbetween the pattern allowed for greater emphasis of the overdefined overlapping pieces as the monochrome filter perfectly captures this. Personally I found that the darker border around the pieces added to the overall affect, this is because of how it boxes the seaweed in and creates a great contrast which increases the aestheticism of the photo. Overall I thought the outcome was very effective as it captured exactly the subject as I wanted whilst providing the viewer with one of natures patterns.
I selected this image because I loves how the dead tree branches out from the bottom of the composition with varying dead ivy producing from its side which provides a stark contrast to the overcast backdrop. By taking the image against a overcast backdrop for me it added extra definition to the subject as it over exaggerates the features whilst isolating the subject from its surrounding environment and limiting the viewers perspective of what it is. Personally I found this this piece came out really well as it provided me with the patterns desired from the outreaching ivy whilst also being close to my goal within my pattern mind-map stated above.
The reason I chose this was mainly due to its link to the previous pattern shoot which highlighted the mane of a horse instead. I selected this because I loves the huge contrast within the photo with the individual hair of the pig being highlighted by the limited amount of natural lighting from the sun. For me this adds a huge amount of character to the image as by limiting and abstracting the rest of the pig from view it makes you really look into the piece to further explore what could be hidden in the darkness. As a result of this I found this piece worked well and would be well suited to work with the other picture in the previous shoot which could be further used in a composition.
What made me choose this image was the pattern created from the sea going out and leaving behind the bumpy pattern that leads outwards for miles. By using a higher exposure I found that I was able to highlight certaom parts of the bumps leaving the rest of it in an exaggerated shadow which as a result creates the impression of a sort of sandy sea with various bumps overlapping or breaking up others. For me I really liked the result as it carries a sort of natural aestheticism where it makes the bumps seems too artificial to be true, therefore creating an almost surreal landscape as if from a birds eye perspective.
Finally I chose this image because I really liked the contrast between the dark and lighter aspects of the woods surface. When looking over the image I found that the clear contrast between the darker right side of the wood and the lighter left side added a much needed definition through how it induces a sense of mystery by removing most of what would be seen of the log. I also liked how the hole in the log adds a sense of depth through it removing the continuous grain present on the surface of the wood, instead breaking it up and becoming the main focal point of the image. As a result of this I was really pleased with this outcome as it reflected my intentions for the shoot whilst linking itself back to the topic of abstract patterns.
Once I had analysed each image I then decided it was time to move onto selected the best image that represented my overall aims and intentions of the shoot. This was my choice:
For me the image of the overly contrasted seaweed represented my aims for the shoot the most, this was because of how the overlapping pattern created when the tide goes out became really aesthetically pleasing for me due to the gaps of darkness inbetween highlighting the various shapes of the seaweed as it progressed along the composition of the photograph. Looking over the image for me it is clear that the small air sacks of seaweed add a very much needed aspect to the entire photograph, this is mainly due to how they tend to be a lighter shade from that particular area inflating and stretching the surface area as a result, whilst presenting them as more light and eye-catching to the rest of the piled seaweed.
Edward Henry Weston was born March 24th, 1886, dying January 1st 1958. Weston grew up in Chicago and moved to California when he was 21, from a young age he knew he wanted to be a photographer and initially his work became viewed as a typically soft focus on pictorialism which was a popular theme at the time. Within a few years of photography he abandoned his original style and went on to use one of the now regarded as most highly detailed photographic images. However in 1947 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and he stopped photographing soon after which led to his remaining ten years of his life overseeing the printing of more than 1,000 of his most famous images.
Currently Weston is known as one of the most innovative and influential American photographers, being regarded as a master photographer of the 20th century. Over his career he range of subjects to photograph had widened, photographing things like landscapes, nudes, still life, portraits and genre scene even including parodies. Weston today can be seen as creating what is quintessentially seen as American, especially Californian approach to photography, this is due to his focus on the people and places of the American West where in 1937 Weston became the first photographer to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship. Because of this he went on to produce up to 1,400 negatives using an 8 x 10 view camera which many of his famous photographs being taken of trees and rocks around the area of Point Lobos, California where he lived for many years. Some examples of his photograph can be seen below:
After looking over some of his images I decided to analyse one of them that I thought related best to my overall topic of variation regarding abstraction through different presentations. The image is called Point Lobos named after where it was taken where he photographed different rock formations using different compositions each time. By analyzing the image I can look into three sections, technical, visual and contextual, these will give me a greater understanding of how the image is taken and the underlying thought process beneath it.
Visual:
Visually the piece is extremely aesthetic due to its symmetry and use of different tones. What drew me to it originally was how the rocks mostly grey surface was complimented by the boarder of black waters and edges, for me this brought the photo together as it boxed in what Weston wanted to focus on, the texture of the surface. By using the divide between the two sides of the rock and composing it in the center of the image I found that it stopped the formation from becoming too overpowering and prevented it from becoming too bland and generic. For me this area of rock is effective because of how the darkened cracks all face the same direction whilst using the dark water as a gradient to eventually fade in and create an eerie result.
Technical:
When looking at the image its fair to say that a relatively lower exposure was used to create the darkened effect of the water and corners of the piece, allowing as a results for the areas where the sun hits to pop out against the rest of the composition. A regular shutter speed has been used as when looking at the water there is some slight movement blur which indicates that the photo was taken intentionally to capture its crashing against the rocks surface and as a result produce a greater transition between rock and water. It is clear when viewing the image that the composition has been greatly taken into consideration due to the placement of the dividing crack and the portion of the image taken up by the water.
Contextual:
During the late 1940s when this image was taken, Weston’s photography was becoming increasingly personal. He began to capture private picnics, trips in his car, and his family and friends—all of which were subjects he avoided in his earlier years. The beauty in this image derives from Weston’s overpowering sense of place at Point Lobos, the sharp lens focus, the flawlessness of a natural form, and the thorough attention to detail in his printing. This image, among many, illustrates how Weston often renounced the use of manipulation in his photographs in order to depict the realities of the world. This style of photography is referred to as “Pure and Straight Photography,” a term coined in the late 1800s when photographers began to create photographic prints that were not manipulated in any way. Weston will always be recognized for the simple, yet emotionally charged, clarity of his pictures. In viewing this photograph we find that Weston’s main goal was not to manipulate but rather merely to capture the beauty of Point Lobos.
Concept: To capture mushrooms in the style of Alexander Mourant’s ‘Aurelian’. Mushrooms often symbolise fertility due to their phallus-like shape, they represent growth because of their fungal properties.
Lighting: Artificial lighting as I will capture the mushrooms when it is dark. I will wait till after it has rained as the environment will be damp, giving a humid effect. Organisms living in the environment will also reveal themselves due to the moisture of the rain.
Flash needed when experimenting with the gels.
Camera Settings: I will experiment by using the gels over the flash to change the colour of the lighting, as well as placing the gels over the lens.
Props: Pink, Yellow and Green gels. The pink and yellow gels are more subtle giving the image a soft blur. I will also use a green gel as the colour is commonly associated with nature.
After further research, I have realised the strong connection between psychology and colour and therefore will associate psychological theories and therapies to my work.
In particular, Freud’s psychoanalysis theory which deals with curing people of their traumatic experiences and anxieties by making conscious their unconscious thoughts and motivations.
This also links to the particular treatments that Freud used including the famous Rorschach test and dream analysis.
