Garry Gay

Gary Gay was born in Glendale, California in the year of 1951. He has been taking digital photographs since the year of 1993. Garry Gay has had a successful carrier as he has been elected president in many photography clubs. In these images he captures a range of colourful household objects and spreads them out to capture the different objects that stand out.

The main focus point of Garry Gay’s work is the different colourful objects that are satisfying to look at. The formal elements found in Garry Gay’s photography are shape and texture. Shape is shown with the different sized and shaped objects in the frame of the image and texture is shown through the materialistic objects. The lighting used in Garry Gay’s photography seems to be bright and artificial, which allows the main focus point to stand out. To capture these amazing images I think Garry Gay has used a quick shutter speed, this is because there is no intended blur in his images. The photograph is taken at a straight on angel, allowing Garry to showcase the different objects. Contextually, these images are usually transferred onto puzzles, mugs etc which informs us why so much colour is presented in his photographic series. This makes the product eye catching and will want the customer to buy the product because of the bright colours he has captured. The background of Garry Gay’s photography seems to be something plain which allows the main focus point stand out more, or Garry does not use a background as he is showing a collection of items which cover up the background. This informs us that he has used a wide depth of field as usually the whole frame is in focus. Moreover, this tells us that the aperture used to capture the images is high, which also allows the whole frame to be in focus. Within this image, we can see that there is no noise, which tells us the ISO is low, as it is not that sensitive to the artificial lighting. Overall, I like Garry’s work as it presented both colour and texture in a unique way. It shows simplistic objects, but the images are captured in a way to make them seem much more interesting.

Planning

For this photoshoot I am going to look at capturing a collection of items, food and look at using a quick shutter speed to capture food colouring falling into water. I intend to copy Garry’s idea of collection of items, however the food colouring idea I thought of myself and thought that it would work well.

When Capturing the images, I will be using my DSLR camera on the manual setting, allowing me to control the aperture, shutter speed, focus and ISO. I will probably set these on a ‘standard’ setting but change them as and when I need to. I will capture these photographs indoors, using artificial lighting, allowing me to create different shadows. I will attempt to use a plain background as well, to make the images more like Gary’s.

For editing these images I want to look a different ways I could display the images, and manipulating them to make the photographs seem more captivating. The edits are not likely to be simplistic, however, I feel that it will help to presented the formal element of colour and texture.

Contact Sheets

Edits

First of all I created a new document which was landscape. I then copied a graffiti wall image onto the page. Using a gunge paint brush I taped on it to create texture in the photograph. I then opened the photograph I wanted to use and used the quick selection tool to cut around it. I then pressed layer via cut and place it onto the graffiti wall page. I then used the cutout filter on the sweets. The I added a new posterize, hue/saturation, brightness adjustment layers. I ensured these layers were clipping masks to the sweets. I then on the brightness layer used the same brush tool as before to reveal some colour. Next I then created a new layer and pasted the sweet cut out on again. I then went to filter and added a photocopy sketch and then another artistic cut out. Then to make the image blend into the wall I set the blend mode to multiply

I am really happy with the way this edit has turned out. My image has been blended in with the graffiti wall, making it seem more realistic. The colours are complimenting each other making it pleasing for viewers to look at. Texture and colour has clearly been presented by the graffiti wall. Although this edit is not like Garry’s I feel that I still have met the same artistic intention that Garry had when capturing and editing his images.

First of all I opened a new landscape document. I then went into the filter gallery and then into texture and then selected the texturize filter. I ensured that the scaling was 150% and the relief was 3. I then pasted the photograph I wanted to use onto the textured document and desaturated it by pressing ctrl + U. I then went into the filter gallery and set the filter to water colour. I then added a vector mask to this layer.  I then used a paint brush tool and black paint on the vector mask to dissolve some of the photograph, in order to add the bursts of colour later. I then created a new layer. Using pastel colours a used another water colour paint brush and started tapping around the sweets. I made sure that the colours blended well.

The three edits present the theme of colour, through the watercolours which are bursting out of the main focus point of the edit. The subjects have been pixelated, to present the formal element of texture and the background has been kept plain. This allows this edit to be more like Garry’s and allows the subject to stand out more, has more emphasis on the subject.

First of all I selected all the photographs I wanted to use. I used the ellipsis and tool and cut out a circle in the centre of the photograph. I then created a new document in order to put the circles on. I then turned the background colour to cream. I then moved the circle onto the new document and resized it by pressing ctrl + T. I then repeated this step till all the circles where on the document. I then added drop shadows to all of the photographs to add depth to the photographs.

The circles are used to help display certain aspects of these four images. Each section clearly shows colour and texture, making them all like each other in a way. The circles have a drop shadow and stroke, which pushes the sections forward making them stand out more. In this edit the background has also been kept plain, to allow the circles to be the main focus point and to make this edit more like Garry’s work.

First of all I selected the image I wanted to use and re levelled it.  I then ensured that black and white where my colours on the colours panel. I then added a gradient map by pressing the adjustment layer > gradient map. I then ensured that the vector mask was white . Then using the  paint brush tool I used the black paint and paint over the areas I wanted to be in colour. As I painted over the colour started to reveal. If I painted over an area  which I did not want coloured, I used the white paint and it went away.

I really like the use of the colour splash, as it allows the tips of the pencils to have a burst of colour.  This edit only really presents colour, however I still believe that this edit is still as successful as the rest. I like how only a certain section of the image is in colour as it allows the viewers eyes to be drawn to there first, making it the main focus point. I also believe that this edit still has met the same artistic intention that Garry had when capturing and editing his images.

Keld Helmer-Peterson is a Danish photographer, who took inspiration from Albert Ranger-Patzsch (who I previously researched). Peterson began his passion of photograph in 1938, where he received his first camera as a gift for graduating. In 1940 Helmer decided to try out and become familiar with war photography // new objectivity as it was a recent concept at the time

The aim of the images in this series was to get rid of mid tones, He took a normal image, which usually images of industrial machines and places, and turned it completely black and white, making the images more in contrast. In his images there is also a lot of negative space, which has allowed he structure of the metal work to really stand out to us and helps to create a sense of emptiness. The clear formal elements which are presented in this image are tone, shape and line, which are all clearly shown through the structure. The lines are also used to guide the viewers eyes around the frame of the image, starting from the bottom and then making our way to the top.  The lighting is most likely to be natural as industrial images are usually taken outside, as you can not place the tall machines inside. The ISO is not sensitive to the light, as there is no visible noise in the frame of the image, which suggests that the ISO is low. Moreover, the shutter speed is likely to be quick as the whole frame seems to be in focus, with no blur. Due to the whole frame being in focus it also means that this photograph has a large depth of field. The aperture of the camera is likely to be high, which helps makes the whole frame more in focus. Due to the nature of the image being completely black and white, it creates a cold temperature adding to the mood of the image. Peterson has cleverly used inspiration from Patzsch but has still managed to add his own ‘twist’ to make his images more unique. I really like the idea of getting rid of the mid tones as it makes the structures seem more isolated, which allows it to stand out more, captivating the viewers.

My Response

In order to recreate Peterson’s work, I went through previous photoshoots and selected four images which I thought would go well with this mid tone idea. I then opened them all up on photoshop and went up to image>adjusment>threshold. I then adjusted the slider until I was happy with the final outcome (These steps are shown below through the screen shots taken). I then changed the image sizes, in order to make them all the same size. Then on one of the images I doubled the width of the canvas sized and dragged another one of my images next to it. I then doubled the hight allowing me to place the other two edits onto the screen, creating a grid  of four. I then saved this edit to the size of an A4 paper, allowing me to print it out.

Final Outcome

Ralph Eugene Meatyard was born on the 15th May 1925, in Illinois. At the age of eighteen he was forced to join the Navy, at the time of the Second World War. Lucky the war had ended before he was sent on an overseas assignment. Soon after the war he dedicated his studies into becoming an optician, but still continued with his passion for photography.

His photographic series ‘No Focus’ has combined his occupation with his hobby, showcasing what he was really passionate about. In this series the photographs are completely out of focus, reveling what it is like for blind people seeing the world. This powerful photographic series changed the way people captured photographs, as it went against the stereotypical techniques we would use to capture an image. His work within this series is very inspiring to photographers as it shows that experimentation with the camera is vital part of photography, and that breaking the stereotypes can actually result in effective images.

This photograph has been taken to be apart of Meatyard’s ‘No Focus’ series. As mentioned before the whole frame is out of focus, reveling what it is like to be blind. The first thing my eyes are drawn to is the silhouettes, which seem to be of people or a building. Due to us not being able to tell what the silhouettes are, makes this image more effective as we are left questioning what it is. Therefore it is a more memorable photograph. Moreover, it shows the reality of people’s lives, making an emotional attachment between the image and the viewer. My eyes are then drawn to the light source, which is located at the bottom of the photograph. The main formal elements which are being presented in this photograph is shape, tone and texture, which are all being presented through the silhouettes. All the images within this series are presented as black and white, which contextually shows the period of time when the photograph was taken. It suggests that this image was captured when coloured images could not be captured. Due to the images being in black and white it allows the different tonal regions to be much clearer, and allows the silhouettes to be seen much easier. The overall image is quite dark which suggests that the white balance of ‘cloudy’ could have been used in order to make it darker. Furthermore, the dark images creates a cold temperature to the images, due to this the overall image is seen as much more dramatic and hard hitting. The aperture used to capture this image is also likely to be quite small, in order to not allow much light into the lense resulting in the overall image to be much darker. In contrast the ISO could be high as there is a lot of noise in the image. However, the noise could be created from the focus, resulting in the ISO to be low. The shutter speed used could be a slow shutter speed, which would create a blur, adding to the overall out of focus effect. Conceptually, the photograph is trying to distort the viewers eye sight, outlining the life styles for those who struggle to see, presenting the reality of others within one image. Overall, Meatyard’s photography within this series are well thought out and portray a very powerful meaning.

Planning

For this photoshoot I am hoping to capture my images during the day, in order to use the sun as my natural lighting. However, I would like to capture some of the images at night which will add to the dark and gloomy effect. Possible locations that could work for this photoshoot are forest, office, building and street. I am quite looking forward to capturing these sorts of images, where the frame is out of focus, as I believe I will be able to be creative with what should be turned into silhouettes and what should actually be in the frame. Looking ahead of time I would like to keep the edits simple, I am thinking about just turning the images black and white and levelling them.

Contact Sheets

Edits

As mentioned in the planning the aim of these edits where to keep things simple. To start of with I levelled the images slightly darker than usual, to allow different tones to be shown and the light patches to be brighter. I then turned the photographs in to black and white by lowering the saturation.  I am really happy with the way these three edits have come out as they create the similar blur/distorted effect that Meatyard’s photographs did. I also believe that these three images successfully meat the aim of Meatyard’s series ‘No Focus’, thus resulting in this photoshoot being successful.

Another photographic series that Ralph Eugene Meatyard has produced is called ‘Zen Twigs’. Within this series, we are able to see Meatyard experimentation with depth of field and focus. The title of the series is ‘Zen Twigs’ which is a unique name. It suggests to us that the twigs are in a peaceful state, as Zen means a state of peace and meditation. Before looking at the images in this series viewers are able to predict that the main focus point will be of twigs, due to the name of the title.

Looking at this image, we are able to confirm that the main focus point (subject) is the twigs which are located in the centre of the frame. Due to this being the main focus point it us where the viewers eyes are first drawn to. They then follow the twigs line, which moves their eyes out into the blurred background. Due to this it implies that the image has a narrow depth of field. This also means that the aperture of the lense is likely to be low in order to help capture the blurred background. This image is also presented in black and white, which outlines the different tonal regions within the image, making the depth of field more noticeable to viewers. The image being in black and white contextually shows the period of time when the photograph was taken. It suggests that this image was captured when coloured images could not be captured. Moreover, the formal elements which are being presented in this in this photograph are line, tone and texture. These are all shown through the twig which is gradually becoming out of focus. Due to the foreground of the image being in focus, it implies that a quick shutter speed has been used. We are able to see a clear link between the title of the series and the images, this is because the twig is seen very still and in focus (alone) which shows a sense of Zen. Conceptually, the twigs are used to create peace and a sense of relaxation between the viewers and the image, creating an emotional connection. I really like the images within this photographic series, due to the simplistic techniques used making the subject detailed. I also like the peaceful mood which is presented through the image, as it is easy to look at.

Planning

For this photoshoot I would like to use natural lighting, in order to allow the twigs to seem more natural and it will provide context to the images. To capture the photographs I am going to go into the woods and aim to capture as many interesting twigs I can see. I am going to attempt to use depth of field, focus control and leading lines within this photoshoot in order to make the images interesting and like Meatyard. Moreover, I will keep the edits simple, like the first photoshoot, in order to make my work look more like the artist.

Contact Sheets

Edits

For all of these edits I decided to level the images, allowing the different tones to stand out more and make the images seem sharper. I then adjusted the curves, in order to support the effect I mentioned above. I then turned the images into black and white, like Meatyard did. I am very happy with the way the edits have come out as I believe that I have produced some strong responses to Meatyard’s work. I have been able to use the skill of manual focus, depth of field and leading lines, which has definitely improved these images.