The 1930’s is the interwar period – an era often overlooked in favour of the vibrancy of the roaring ’20s, the make-do-and-mend attitude of the 40’s and the subsequent grandiosity of Christian Dior’s New Look of 1947. The Wall Street Crash in 1929 started a fundamental change to how people lived their lives, with no money to spend companies started researching cheaper methods of manufacturing clothes and cheaper fabrics were being created to replace the decadent fabrics of the 20’s. There was a return to lay-like glamour in the 30’s. Dresses were designed to show off curves of women, they accentuated the waist but not in an extreme was like the corset wearing years of previous decades. There was a business like influence with two piece outfits being worn.
Plan:
For this recreation I will be taking a famous ad from the 1930’s to recreate, I am planning to do it in the studio to have a plain background for me to edit back into and deal with. I will have my model sit at a table and chair and recreate the pose of the original model. I will attempt to have a good recreation of clothes and stance of the of the original model.
Eight Recreation:
Vogue Cover Poster | US July 1939
Above shows the famous ad that I will be recreating from the 1930’s this specific ad was produced in 1939 photographed by Horst P. Horst, and features the fashion model Muriel Maxwell in an all-American color palette.
Contact Sheets of Outcomes
Above shows my contact sheet of outcomes from the photoshoot. I feel some of my images turned out quite successful, I had some issues with the height of the stool and the table in comparison to each other however I feel the images still worked well and have the potential to work and be edited to look like a good recreation.
Unedited Best Outcomes:
I feel these two photographs are my best outcomes from the photoshoot, I feel the first photograph has a good angle and positioning to see the subject in the frame however I feel the second has good lighting to be able to go through and edit the photograph and generate a good recreation, however I feel the angle for the second image doesn’t have as good and angle compared to the first.
The aim of these edits was to replicate some of the famous propaganda which was used during the second world war, which had an impact on Jersey’s journey through this time period. I will also be experimenting with the images in the style of Kruger, and will also be creating some propaganda of my own which has taken inspiration from all the artists I have researched. These edits should show my ability to use photoshop to create, posters, where image and text are combined to create a powerful and meaningful final outcome. I want to experiment with colour, drop shadows, blur, pixilation and the use of moving images (GIF).
In my first edit I decided to replicate the ‘we can do it!’ propaganda which was used to motivate people to join the army and win the war. This edit is an example of tableaux photography as the image and text are used to tell a story and inform us on what we should be doing. In order to accomplish this edit, I started off by levelling the image for dramatic effect. I then used the quick selection tool to outline and cut out my model onto a separate layer, layer via cut. Then I created a new layer and moved it underneath the layer with my model on it, using the paint bucket tool I made the background a mustard yellow colour (like the original propaganda). I then wanted to showcase the pictures time frame, so I decided to add in my own noise, by going into filter and pixilate and experimenting with the different blurs to create the nose on my model. I then created a new layer and drew out the navy blue speech bubble to which the words will then be placed on. I then added the text using the text tool, the font was a standard bold and the colour is white. To make the bubble and text send out I added drop shadows to them, in the fx panel. I believe that this edit is very successful as it is a clear replication of the original image, moreover it shows my ability to critically make decisions and has shown further understanding of my photoshop skills.
In my next edit I decided to recreate the image with Lord Kitchener. This image was much harder to replicate as the steps involved where more complex, needless to say I managed to replicate it, but it is not as strong as the replication of the we can do it. To start off this edit I loaded up the image I wanted to use and levelled it for effect. I then cut out my model using the quick selection tool and layer via cut. I then deleted the background. In the original image the Lord seems like it is a drawing so I attempted to make my model a drawing. To do this I made the image black and white, and duplicated the layer by pressing ctrl +j. On the new layer I inverted my model, ctrl + I . Then I changed the blending mode to colour add, and added a Gaussian blur which made my model seem like he has been drawn. I then moved him to the middle of the page and made him smaller using the transformation tool, ctrl + t. I then simply added a background, a parcel paper colour, and added all the text, in the same colours as the original image, which created the final outcome. Although this edit is not as successful, I have been able to experiment with different tools and features of photoshop in order to create an outcome.
GIF:
A GIF is a lossless format for image files that supports both animated and static images.
In order to further explore the idea of replicating the more well known pieces of propaganda, I decided to make gif’s of my model’s moving into the famous stance. I made this decision as it almost modernises this idea of what propaganda is, and showcases how photography can be used to develop into using moving images. I wanted to keep both gifs simplistic and so I only levelled all of the images, and added in the text. I did not change the background colour or the blurs or the drawing. I made this decision as I wanted to emphasis how these posters still contain a lot of meaning even when you strip off some of the features, moreover it showcases the impact the images have on us in todays society. I am very pleased with how the two gifs turned out and believe they showcase the same meanings and showcase the journey of propaganda which influenced the journey of Jersey through WW2.
Images used to achieve this outcome:
Images used to achieve this outcome:
Barbara Kruger Inspired:
For my next two edits, I wanted to create propaganda which followed the style of Kruger’s work. One of the main elements of her work was the image was kept in black and white, and she would use boxes and the text to present colour, which meant the words had a more powerful meaning and impact. To achieve the edits below, I simply levelled them to adjust the dramatic effect. I then used the rectangular marquee tool to create the rectangles, which are filled with colour (this was done on different layers). I then adjusted the angle of the red boxes using the transformation tool, ctrl +t. I then added in the text using basic fonts and simplistic colours. Finally, I added drop shadows to make the boxes and words stand out. I think that these edits follow the style of Kruger accurately as they address something relevant in that times society, in this case it addresses joining the war. The top image in my eyes is the more successful one, as the image itself is successful due to the camera skills and settings. Moreover, I prefer the use of slanted words as it makes the poster more eye catching. Needless to say, they are both strong images as they have strong links with the artist, showcase my confidence in using different camera settings and show my ability to use the different tools in photoshop.
Comparison:
My Image
Kruger’s Image
In comparison, my final outcome holds a lot of similarities with Kruger’s work, but also showcase differences due to our own artistic style. One similarity is that we have both used men as out models and subjects, due to the target audience mainly being aimed at men, which allows the message to have more clarity and meaning. Moreover, both models are seen. covering their mouth, which showcases the idea that they should stay quiet, no questions and do exactly what the posters are telling them to do. Another similarity is that both images are presented in black and white, which allows the subject to more subtle and have the text stand out. As well as having the image show more tone throughout the piece. A major difference is that Kruger’s work presents more of a vintage vibe due to the noise which is being presented on the subject, which has been done through adjusting the ISO higher. Where as my image is more ‘modern’ as noise is not being created, however both effects work nicely to help convey meaning. Another difference is the text being used, Kruger’s text is talking about opening up about your sexuality, which was relevant at that time, but does not have strong links to WW2. I decided to create text which will convey meaning to the time period of WW2, where solider recruitment was high, which impacted Jersey’s journey through the second world war. Needless to say, my image took inspiration from Kruger’s colour scheme as I felt the colours worked to help draw attention to certain words, for emphasis, and overall worked well to help convey the representations being presented. Another key difference is the lighting, although we have both used artificial lighting, Kruger has used 1 point lighting to create a chiaroscuro effect. Where as, I used 2 point lighting to light up all of my models face, to create a wider depth of field, it also allows the whole face to be emphasised. As you can tell both images share a lot of similarities and the difference are due to our of photographic taste and preference.
Further Experimentations:
Then using the different techniques acquired from the remaking of propaganda and Kruger’s work I then used my creativity to caption and edit my images to create propaganda. When creating them I considered, font style, colour schemes, positioning of texts and how the image and text come together to create a meaning. The photographs themselves showcase photography techniques such as chiaroscuro which contrasts light and shadow, depth of field, formal elements and focus point. The images below clearly demonstrate these techniques. When editing all the images I started off by levelling them and adjusting the curves for dramatic effect. For the first image I then turned it black and white by adjusting the saturation slider, ctrl + U, and then added the text. The second image I made my image seem like a drawing by making it seem like the second piece of propaganda I created, by adjusting blending modes and adding a gaussian blur. The final image was kept in colour and had text added. In my opinion I like the way all of these edits have turned out, but critically speaking the image below is the most successful, as I believe the photograph (techniques and overall looks) and text work well together and produces the most powerful and persuading meaning, thus creating a successful piece of propaganda.
Displaying Idea:
As I was creating these edits, I knew that I wanted to use them as a final piece but I was not sure how. It wasn’t until I was scrolling through Pinterest when I sore some propaganda from WW2 being displayed on a pin board, which sparked my idea to display my propaganda on a pin board. I believe that this idea showcases contextual factors, as it was a way of actually displaying the propaganda during the second world war, which will showcase part of Jersey’s Journey through the second world war. Moreover, It is a nice way to display all of the outcomes, as it is ascetically pleasing and all the images work together to create an overall powerful effect, and remind people about the impact propaganda has on people’s lives during the second world war.
Below is an image displaying how I would arrange the images on a cork board. I used a background image off a cork board (taken from google) and placed it on a new document on photoshop. I then added all of my propaganda onto the page, adjusting their size (ctrl + t). I then randomly placed them around the board, with them overlapping one another, creating a messy but ascetically pleasing effect.
Evaluation:
To evaluate these edits, I believe that I have produced strong outcomes which showcase my ability to critically decide on images, my competence in using different photoshop tools and my exploration to different ideas to present these images. I have been able to clearly replicate some of the more ‘famous’ propaganda, which showcases my ability of tableaux photography. I then transformed these edits into GIFs, which shows my ability to further explore an idea and showcase a different form and style of presenting a set of images. I then successfully created my own work which have been inspired by Kruger. The images showcase my ability to take inspiration but add my own artistic style to create an overall successful image. Afterwards, I then created my own propaganda using the different techniques, given by the artists, and different photoshop tools in order to create powerful propaganda. Then looking at displaying my works allows me to see how all the images work well together and present a strong final image, which impacts viewers on how propaganda played a massive role in Jersey during the second world war, which reinforces to project itself. In my opinion these edits are some of strongest so far, making this idea worth while and the most successful.
For my third photoshoot I have decided to take inspiration from the use of triptychs, and from my original mind map idea of documenting how objects change over time (their journey through their existence/usage). In order to do this, I decided to use objects that have a relatively short lifespan (such as flowers or ice cubes) and so their decay/the changes they experience through their “life” can be easily documented and the differences are more obvious and natural than, for example, physically changing the appearance of a human subject to show progress and change.
The following contact sheets are the results of my photo-shoots in which I documented the progress of various objects through their natural “lifetime”:
The above shoot captured my first subject, an ice cube, as it melted in a studio setting:
Key: Red E: Over/under exposed – Green E: Slightly over/under exposed – Red S: Subject incorrectly placed – Green F: Slightly out of focus – Red F: out of focus – Green tick: In final selection – Red Cross: rejected – Green “?”: Possible final
The above contact sheets show my second photoshoot, depicting the wilting/dying of a flower in a studio setting:
Key: Red E: Over/under exposed – Green E: Slightly over/under exposed – Red S: Subject incorrectly placed – Green F: Slightly out of focus – Red F: out of focus – Green tick: In final selection – Red Cross: rejected – Green “?”: Possible final
My 3rd shoot is much like my second, except I experimented with different subjects (flowers) in order to experiment how the colour gradient, size and shape would effect the final image:
Key: Red E: Over/under exposed – Green E: Slightly over/under exposed – Red S: Subject incorrectly placed – Green F: Slightly out of focus – Red F: out of focus – Green tick: In final selection – Red Cross: rejected – Green “?”: Possible final
The above photo-shoot is an example of a deterioration that occurs unnaturally (setting paper on fire) and shows the journey of the paper through the different stages of its physical form/shape before it becomes ash. On a more metaphorical level it represents how quickly something can deteriorate, from perfection to literal “rubble” due to adverse conditions:
Key: Red E: Over/under exposed – Green E: Slightly over/under exposed – Red S: Subject incorrectly placed – Green F: Slightly out of focus – Red F: out of focus – Green tick: In final selection – Red Cross: rejected – Green “?”: Possible final
Above shows the photograph I have chosen to edit and develop, I have chosen this image as I believe it is one of my better photographs with the lighting being slightly darker which is what I intended for the photograph and also I feel my subject is well positioned in the frame.
Editing Process:
Editing 1
To begin I started by adjusting the brightness and contrast of the photograph, I lowered the brightness instead of raising it as the original ad is quite dark and that is the tone of light I am aiming for.
Editing 2
Next I went through and placed a noise filter of the image to create the effect of what the original ad looked like with it not being a completely clear and crisp image and I feel this is what I can do to add that effect.
Editing 3
Lastly I added a warming filter across my photo to bring out the warmer and yellow tones in the photograph and to not have so many of the cold tones throughout the photograph.
Final Outcome:
This shows my final outcome after I have been through my editing process, overall I am happy with my photograph and how it turned out, I feel it replicates the original ad well and I have been able to generate a response to the ad and the ideas of how ads are changing and showing a way in which women are presented.
This being my second recreation from the 1990’s I aim to show a different take on the modernizing fashion compared to what I previously looked at.
Background:
For the most of the decade 1990’s fashion was defined by a return of minimalist fashion. While it was not quite as loud as the eighties, the nineties took that attitude and tried to be a little smarter and classier. Common items of clothing brought in were crop tips, silk shirts and denim everything. In the early 90’s several late 80’s trends remained very prominent among both sexes, however the popularity of grunge and alternative rock music helped bring simple, unkempt grunge look into the mainstream. The anti-conformist approach to fashion led the popularization of the casual chic look, that included t-shirts, jeans, hoodies and sneakers, a trend which continued into the 2000’s.
Plan:
For this photoshoot I will have my model pose in the same position as that of the photograph. My model will be wearing loose fitting jeans and a white tucked in t-shirt. For the lighting I will have it placed coming from one side of her rather than both sides like I have with my other photographs.
Sixth Recreation:
Gap Jeans Campaign | 90’s
Above shows the original advert I am going to be recreating, I feel this is a good advert to recreate as it is simple but I also feel effective in showing a change in fashion and adverts and women. I will be taking the photograph in the studio and use lighting and editing to recreate the photograph.
Contact Sheet of Outcomes
Above shows the contact sheet of my outcomes from the photoshoot. Overall I feel it has been successful and has worked well. I had my model face the other direction compared to the original as it was more efficient for the lights but also just to have my own variation. Some of the photographs were unsuccessful and were blurry due to shaking or just being out of focus on the camera however I did produce some successful outcomes.
Unedited Best Outcomes:
These I feel are my best outcomes from the photoshoot. I feel that they work best as they are my most clear images but I also think I got the best angles on some of these responses. I also feel that the shadow is working kind of well in the first photograph, I feel it is a little bit strong and harsh in the second and this will be due to my position in front of the subject as well as the lights. I like the last image as it doesn’t have any shadows around it and I feel it is working well.
Above shows the photograph I have chosen to edit and develop, this I feel is my best photograph as I feel it has the best composition in relation to the original advert. I think that the lighting is good and gives me room to work with the photograph and edit it. I think that I am a good distance away from the subject in this photograph as it gives me the ability to edit the image like the advert with having her head come into the boarder and also means she is not too small in the frame or large.
Editing Process:
Editing 1
Editing 2
For the first two steps I adjusted the brightness and placed a pink hue across the whole photograph. I did this to get the pink tones out that the original photograph has and also to make the photograph not so dark. To have the pink show through well.
Editing 3
Editing 4
Next I went and used the magnetic lasso tool and made my way all from the bottom and all the way around my subject and then around the frame, I did this so that I would just have the background of my image selected and then I could go in and make the background an even more vibrant pink to match the original without changing the colours and tones on my subject.
Editing 5
Editing 6
Next I went and unlocked the layer so that I could take the polygonal lasso tool and cut away the top of my image leaving the top of her head out of the frame with a clear background so that I could then move it.
Editing 7
Lastly I created a separate white document that was larger than my image and placed the cut out image on top to give it a white boarder like the original ad, I then cropped down the boarder to get it all the right size and merged the layers.
Final Outcome:
I am happy with the way that my final editing turned out, I feel I have replicated the original photograph as best I can and it has worked well in showing a development of ads and how they’re used which is what I wanted to generate.
This advert that I am going to reproduce of Marilyn Monroe is an advert that has come from a a company named DesignCrowd that began crowdsourcing for freelance designers, it asked its users to photoshop the world’s ‘Most famous and missed pop culture icons’ into modern advertisements and campaigns. Many of the designers submitted several ads with Marilyn Monroe as the face, one of these being the Louis Vuitton advert below.
Plan:
For this photoshoot I will be taking the camera back into the studio, taking a model that I feel will work well with the style of photograph. I will have the model dressed in clothing similar to that of the original. I have a bodysuit able to use for the shirt the original is wearing and access to a suit jacket to have my model wear. I will have them recreate their makeup in a similar way with the use of a red lipstick and enhanced blush to have it resemble the original.
Fifth Recreation:
Marilyn Monroe | Louis Vuitton Advert | Modern Day
Above shows the advert I will be recreating in this photoshoot. I will be taking the picture in the studio and will edit it according to how the photographs turn out, this may include altering the colour of the background as there will be a white screen in the studio and the original photograph can be seen to have a blush pink tone in the background of the photograph.
Contact Sheet of Outcomes
Above shows the contact sheet of my unedited outcomes, I feel many of them turned out well with what I had, one of the struggles that I came across was the access to props in the photograph, I had to improvise with what I had, for example using the bottom of a music speaker to recreate the look of a trunk and a bag that I had handy for the bag on top. Despite this I feel my images worked well as I got a good composition in relation to the original and they are clear and well lit.
Unedited Best Outcomes:
Below shows what I feel are my best images while unedited, I feel these ones had a good range of composition and the lighting is working well. My favourite is the far end image as I feel it works best as it isn’t too close to my subject and has everything I need in shot. I feel the middle photograph could be improved by moving the bag in shot and the first I have the camera slightly far away however compared to all of the outcomes I produced they are my most successful with lighting, clarity and composition.
I have chosen this photograph to work with as I feel it made for the best potential with the facial expression my subject is making as well as the positioning of the camera for keeping her legs slightly out of frame for the purpose of having the best recreation I can. I aim to edit the photograph to give it the grainy tones of the original ad as well as turning it into black and white.
Editing Process:
Editing 1
Editing 2
For the first part of editing I turned the photograph into black and white and then shifted some of the colours so that the shirt turned into a darker black like the original photograph.
Editing 3
Secondly I went and added noise to create the grainy effect, I feel using this has worked well for me in previous images so have used it again to create the effect I am looking for.
Editing 4
Lastly I went through and cropped the photograph so that the subject took up most of the frame as this is what is happening in the original photograph and I feel works best.
Final Outcome:
Below shows my final edited outcome, I feel it as worked well, not as well as some of my previous recreations however I do believe it still works, I feel I have been able to show well a different side of advertising in the 90’s in the ways they represented women, this being due to the facial expression of my subject and the way she is lying which could be seen as sexualised or in a flirtatious manner which is what I was trying to put across which I feel was coming through in the original ad.
Throughout the 1990’s supermodels dominated the fashion industry. In 1994, one year after the following advert was produced, grunge clothing rapidly declined as fashion became more feminine and form-fitting, high-shine fabrics such as satin and silk became very popular. The most common look among young women was to wear the short black slip dress worn over a tight undersized t-shirt. Anna Nicole Smith was not the first Guess Girl, however she is one of the most memorable. The late model’s work for the denim brand helped skyrocket her to stardom and yielded one of the most iconic ad campaigns of all time.
Plan:
For this recreation I will be setting up a sheet of fabric on the studio floor to mimic the idea of sheets underneath my model. For the benefit of my model I am planning to angle the camera slightly differently and have the shirt more closed so not to show anything that may be seen as too revealing. I am going to have my model wear a button down shirt and tights as well as trying to find heals to recreate the outfit in the original advert.
Fourth Recreation:
Anna Nicole Smith | Guess | 1993
Above shows the advert I plan to recreate, I have chosen to recreate this as I feel it shows a different side to some of the fashions that dominated the 90’s as it shows that even in a time where denim and grunge dominated women were still advertised as objects and in an overly sexualised way.
Below shows a contact sheet of the outcomes of the photoshoot, I came across some difficulties while doing the shoot as for finding heels and a shirt long enough to cover so the images didn’t turn out exactly how I had expected however I still think with some editing I could produce a good outcome.
Contact Sheet of Outcomes
Unedited Best Outcomes:
Below shows the three images I feel worked best, this is because I think either the facial expressions or the positioning of the camera is working well for these images. For the first image I really like the facial expression my subject has however I feel that having the trousers on the legs in the images ruins the recreation slightly. The second I feel works well for both facial expression and positioning as you can’t see so much the covered legs so I feel makes for a more accurate recreation. The third is slightly further away however I feel works well for both the angle and the facial expression.
In this photoshoot my artistic aim is to recreate some of the ‘famous’ propaganda which was used during the second world war, in order to showcase another element which was vital for Jersey’s journey through the second world war. I am going to try and capture the images in the style of tableaux photography, where I use similar lighting, positing and poses in order to capture my images. I decided not to focus on costumes as me nor my models had outfits like the actual images, doing this allowed me to focus more on the positioning, pose and capturing and accurate replication. To capture these images I will be using the studio, with artificial lighting. I shall experiment with 1,2 and 3 point lighting and the warmth of the soft boxes in order to create different effects when capturing my models doing the poses. Using the different types of lighting will allow me to use different effects like chiaroscuro, which will allow me to showcase my camera skills and knowledge. I intend to keep the shutter speed at fast, as I do not want any blur, as the images will not be like the original images. However, to show further exploration I may decide to experiment with the shutter speed at the end of the shoot to see what types of images I can create and use for my own propaganda. I kept the ISO low throughout the photoshoot so there was no noise being created, and the aperture was also on a normal setting so the image was not darker nor lighter. My modals face is usually going to be my main focus point and so I will look and experiment with using different depth of fields in order to showcase this. Prop wise I will not be using very many as I wanted to make this photoshoot as simplistic as possible.
Contact Sheets:
Evaluation:
To evaluate this photoshoot I believe I have managed to capture many successful images which shows competence with camera skills in a photography studio. I was able to explore using my shutter speed, ISO and different types of lighting in order to create different effects. I believe that my images that I have captured are very much like the original ones, which shows my ability to follow the style of tableaux photography due to the research I have conducted. Moreover, I managed to think ahead while capturing these images, during the shoot I decided I wanted to make a gif (moving image) of one of my models moving into the pose of the propaganda I was recreating. Due to this decision of mine I managed to capture the first image have my model slightly move and repeat this, as if I was creating a stop frame animation. Not only have I managed to produce accurate recreations I also have produced images which are like Kruger’s work, which will allow me to explore her style in the editing process. One issue that I ran into was getting the model to do exactly what I said, and sometimes my instructions where not clear which lead to poor quality images and models in the wrong pose. However, when I realised this was an issue I ensured that my instructions where much clearer and this resolved the problem.
Action Plan:
As an action plan I intend to use my successful images in photoshop, to further replicate the propaganda I have chosen. Moreover, it will allow me to further explore the style of Kruger’s work and give me the opportunity to explore and utilise my ideas which I have thought of when I conducted the research to see what makes a successful propaganda poster. In addition, I will use the burst of images in order to create a gif of my model getting into the ‘famous’ position, and therefore will have to use a website online to make the gif or make the gif within photoshop using tutorials.
