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AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas, Unit 2 Portrait

Michael Dickinson – Photo Montage

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Photographer Reference

Michael Dickinson

Micheal Dickinson isn’t for the faint hearted. This artist creates photo montages that deal insensitively to world politics and disasters. His work depicts dark scenes which offend and uncivilly reflect work crisis or extreme politics.

I became interested in his work due to his style of having no limits or boundaries-   has no line to cross. He unveils taboo topics and makes them worthy of talking about. For example: in one of his compositions he has placed 3 malnourished children in a market place, the idea of this sounds cruel but it does have a message and in this instance its about how readily available resources are yet they never reach the ones in need most.

Analysis

VISUAL

This composition is of 3 malnourished children, surrounded by a ‘market place’ – this actually all made up of food magazine photographs. In the background there are cafe signs with ‘Hungry Man’ branding, this contradicts and juxtaposes the idea of these starving children.

TECHNICAL

In order to create this image, Dickinson has digitally manipulated individual images then layered them to create a readable image. These images started off as magazine adverts and articles then were removed from their origin, placed into another and manipulated to still make sense.

CONTEXT

‘Historically, photo montage has been used for powerful political expression and outrage. But that was then. Back in history. When Hitler walked the streets, and the world was a terrible, terrible place. Now it’s far more complicated. We need some courtesy. Some restraint. We need affirmative images. Positive things. Not offensive depictions that no one cares about in the slightest.’

 

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas, Component 1 Personal Investigation, Homework, Unit 2 Portrait

Frida Kahlo – Tableau photography

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Frida Kahlo de Rivera born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderon; 6 July 1907 – 13 July ) was a Mexican artist who painted many portraits, self-portraits and works inspired by the nature and artefacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country’s popular culture, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, post colonialism, gender, class and race in Mexican society. Her paintings often had strong autobiographical elements and mixed realism with fantasy. In addition to belonging to the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement, which sought to define a Mexican identity, Kahlo has been described as a surrealist or magical realist.

My Response

Within my response I wanted to incorporate her idea of portraying the taboo topics within society and beauty standards. People expect to look like models and Instagram posers so they go to extreme lengths to achieve this programmed look.

In my shoot I used a younger model due to the standards being passed down to even younger generations than before. I then incorporated Frida’ natural look he had. Through some research I found that during the Roman Empire Era, facial hair on women was a sign of intelligence and nobility. In a way, Frida reflected these traits whilst going against her modern day standards. 

Final Images

Analysis

VISUAL

Within these images I wanted my main focus to be my model but not have a plain background. Within Kahlo’s paintings shes depicted infront of either shrubbery or a earthy coloured background. So, i put my model in front of a field to capture the nature as well as the model. 

TECHNICAL

In order to create my blurred background, I firstly set my cameras depth of field so that it only focused on my model, then once i began processing the image my background wasn’t blurred enough so I used the Photoshop blurring tool so that only my model was in focus. As far as lighting goes, I only used natural light.

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas, Component 1 Personal Investigation, Unit 2 Portrait

Tableau Vivant – Moodboard

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My idea is to replicate abstract portrait paintings. These paintings all reflect someones individual identity and how they think they are perceived in the world. For example, Frida Kahlo’s work is all about her empowerment because when creating her work, women were seen as the weaker gender in society. Kahlo’s paintings often feature root imagery with roots growing out of her body to tie her to the ground, reflecting in a positive sense the theme of personal growth; in a negative sense of being trapped in a particular place, time and situation; and finally in an ambiguous sense of how memories of the past influence the present for either good and/or ill. In ‘My Grandparents and I’, Kahlo painted herself as a ten-year holding a ribbon that grows from an ancient tree that bears the portraits of her grandparents and other ancestors while her left foot is a tree trunk growing out of the ground, reflecting Kahlo’s view of humanity’s unity with the earth and her own sense of unity with Mexico.

These portraits were all a key turning point within the world or artistic culture: with Picasso who covered a range of topics from isolation to family. These artists opened the worlds eyes to abstract art which is understandable. They portrayed ideas in such augmented realities that they made sense.

My plan

My photo shoot plan fro Tableau photography is to replicate these paintings on peoples faces so that I can reflect  the physicality and emotions behind these abstract portraits. 

Frida Kahlo is going to be my main influence due to her views are so strong in her time in society. I would recreate scenes from the biopic movie ‘Frida’ give a sense of what her life was outside of her controversial paintings.

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas, Component 1 Personal Investigation, Unit 2 Portrait

Tableau Vivant

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A tableau vivant (often shortened to tableau, plural:tableaux vivants), French for ‘living picture’, is a static scene containing one or more actors or models. They are stationary and silent, usually in costume, carefully posed, with props and/or scenery, and may be theatrically lit.

Ryan Schude, of a family camping in a Winnebago
Caravaggio – The Entombment of Christ

 

 

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas, Component 1 Personal Investigation

Studio Lighting

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Different Types of Studio lighting 

Flat Light

When you have your light source facing directly at the front of your subject, this is flat lighting. Flat lighting on a face will mean that your subject is well lit and you are unable to see any shadows along their face.

Broad Light

With broad light (a type of side lighting), the face of your subject is at an angle and the most well-lit side of the face is closest to the camera and the shadow falls on the back side of the face. This type of light can make a face look fuller so it’s ideal for those with very narrow faces.

Short Light

Another type of side lighting, short light is the opposite of broad light in that the face is at an angle and the shadow falls on the side of the face closest to the camera. This type of light works well to thin a face and is flattering on most people.

One thing to keep in mind is that shadows draw out textures and imperfections. While broad light is a wonderful way to emphasize freckles, it will also draw out imperfections like acne and scars.

Split Light

Split lighting is another type of side lighting but it is defined as light that hits your subject from the side at a 90 degree angle.

You can easily recognize split lighting in an image by half of the subject being lit and the other half in the shadows. With a face specifically, you’ll see the shadow line straight down the middle of the forehead, nose, and chin.

Backlight

Back light is just that, light that comes from behind your subject. This is commonly seen in photos from the beloved golden hour, when the sun is low in the horizon and starting to set, but can be done at all hours of the day.

Rim Light

Rim light falls under the backlight category but deserves a spot of its own. With backlight you often see the hazy or airiness from the light in the background resulting in highlights but you don’t have that with rim light.

With rim light, you’ll see the light from behind only highlight the edges of your subject (there’s a little haze falling into the top right of the frame below but you can see how the rim light separates the subject from the background). This is great to use when you need to separate your subject from the background.

 

Butterfly Light

With butterfly light, the light is placed above and in front of your subject to create a small shadow under the nose resembling a butterfly (hence the name). This type of light beautifully highlights prominent cheekbones which is why you most often see it used on women.

However, it emphasizes the shadows from deep set eyes. Again, know your subject’s face and how the light will affect their features. Butterfly light is also commonly referenced as paramount light.

Loop Light

Loop lighting is pretty much my go-to when creating light. With loop lighting, the light is about 45 degrees to the side and slightly above eye level. This position of the light creates a shadow just under and to the side of one nostril and the nose. This is a flattering type of light on most everyone.

 

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas, Component 1 Personal Investigation, Unit 2 Portrait

Environmental Portraits – Blurred Identity

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For this experimentation I purposely wanted all of my compositions to be blurry. I wanted to do this because we are all keeping a hold of the idea of not necessarily beauty but self identification. By making my portraits blurry I’m exposing the viewer to assume and suggest a lifestyle, age, occupation and confidence. This is exposing the viewer on their opinions on others around them and how quick everyone is to assume everything.  We all think we have it all figured out from looking at a person but there is more to a person than meets the eye.

Examples

Justin Lincoln – self portrait ‘by the pain of fleeting joy’
Ilkka Uimone for Newsweek

Blurred street photography

Final images

Edits