This full bleed double page spread allows the viewer to see every detail of the image. It is a bold layout which enhances the power of the image.
A horizontal half double page spread is a good way to frame a more rectangular image. I have decided to have the image take up the entire top half of the double page spread to draw attention to the subject in this image.
This optical double page spread only contains an image on the right hand side, but due to the structure of the photo and the very left hand side trailing off into darkness, the empty black page on the left almost seems to be a continuation of the image on the right.
Single photo layouts:
This single photo layouts is composed of a small square image on a single page of a double page spread. This layout appears several times throughout the book as a series of more abstract images among the more clear portraits or still life imagery.
This single photo layout is a more simplistic one, involving only one image adjacent to the top or bottom of the left or right page. The stand alone image draws all focus to this image.
Multiple photo layouts:
This layout involves two images adjacent at the top of both pages in a double page spread. This layout helps to link two compositions together and allows the viewer to see the relationship between the images.
This layout involves a full bleed image on one page and a smaller image with borders around it on the other. This layouts allows the two images to be viewed together but both in their own ways. The busier photo is the larger one to allow the viewer to see everything in the photo while the complimentary portrait is smaller as it is more simplistic.
After editing the images from my 5th photo-shoot, I was able to come up with the following images as final results:
After editing my final images and comparing them with the images that I had already included in my book, I came to the conclusion that both the second and 3rd image (above) do not match the colour scheme of my book. I was unable to find a place that these two images would fit in, as especially regarding the 3rd image, my photo-book has a theme of cool colours, black and with imagery, with a theme of deep red continuing throughout the book. I felt like the 3rd image from my 5th photo-shoot was too warm to be included in the book, and so after editing, I decided to reject this image. Furthermore, I felt that the first image (of the spanner) was not strong enough to be presented on its own (on a single page with a blank page next, or on a double page spread), and yet I could not find a place where the image would fit next to another image. I felt like forcing this image to be included would disrupt the narrative of the book, and so I rejected both of these images, and kept the 2nd image (fists) in the book. I found that the 2 images that I rejected were valuable experimentation, but did not work in my final book.
Below is the contact sheet for my 5th photo-shoot:
GREEN: box = final image, tick = possible final image RED: line = rejected image, E = over/under exposed, F = poor focus, C = poor camera angle
I will be using the first image of the dress as a possible front cover for my book, and so the editing process for this image can be found in my Book layout experimentation blog-post.
GREEN: box = final image, tick = possible final image RED: line = rejected image, E = over/under exposed, F = poor focus, C = poor camera angle, S = subject in wrong position
GREEN: box = final image, tick = possible final image, squiggle = unsure RED: line = rejected image, E = over/under exposed, F = poor focus, C = poor camera angle, S = subject in wrong position
After selecting the images I wanted to edit, I uploaded the images onto Photo-shop and began the editing experimentation:
For the first image, I increased the contrast of the image (causing the background to disappear, which was also the desired effect). I also changed the colour to monotone in order to draw attention to the overall texture and shapes, rather than the colours of the image.
I further increased the contrast of the image, and used the lasso tool to cut certain areas of rougher skin, placing them on the knuckles and using the eraser tool to soften the edges, to give the knuckles a slightly bruised effect.
Above is the final image. I feel like the bruising represents a tougher, more masculine approach, whereas the rings on the finger indicate that the subject is female. These 2 contrasting concepts, along with the hostile position of the hands, represent a move from traditional femininity towards masculinity, with the bruised hands representing defence of ones self.
For my second image, I decided to make a statement about a merge between femininity and masculinity, focusing on the delicacy of masculinity (taking inspiration from Phoebe Jane Barrett’s work)
For this image, I used the selective colour tool to increase the brightness of the white in the background. After several attempts I was able to present the background as completely white, which was the desired outcome for the image. I also increased the contrast of the image to show the contrast between the different colours of glitter, and the harshness of the metal on the spanner.
I feel like this final image gives an obvert example of the merge between feminine and masculine qualities, with the simplicity of the glitter providing such a contrast to the masculinity of the tool. I feel like this is a good example of just how strict society can be when it comes to the presentation of gender, as even a change as small as glitter creates a completely different opinion within the viewer when judging the object.
For my final image, I used the same process as the image above, increasing the contrast of the image, anodising the selective colour tool to reduce the pinkness in the hands of the subject (to keep the continuity of the colour scheme). Below is the final image:
I feel like this image is a simple yet effective rebellion against gender norms, as the masculinity of the subject is shown through his jacket and can of beer, and yet the inclusion of painted fingernails warps the view of the viewer when looking at the image, and they judge the subject based on this one small break from their understanding of gender and masculinity.
For my 4th photo-shoot, I have decided to directly respond to my artists Cindy Sherman and Phoebe-Jane Barrett, by creating photography that overtly have their influence in them. My previous photo-shoots have all contained influence from these artists, however I felt that in order to best reflect the influence I have gained, I should attempt to recreate their imagery and concepts in my own way. In order to do this, I used a subject for the 2 different styles of shoot, conducted in the same place. The contact sheet can be seen below:
RED: line through: rejected image, S: subject in wrong position, E: too over/under exposed GREEN: tick: possible final image, box: final image
RED: line through: rejected image, S: subject in wrong position, E: too over/under exposed GREEN: tick: possible final image, box: final image
RED: line through: rejected image, S: subject in wrong position, E: too over/under exposed GREEN: tick: possible final image, box: final image
Both of the above contact sheets were created with the intention of developing images that reflected the overall style and concept of both Sherman and Barrett’s work, with the first sheet representing an approach to Barrett’s more emotionally driven, soft focus work that reflects the hardships of expressing the same gender identity as the one that is expected of you, and the second sheet making reference to Sherman’s bold, brash approach to gender stereotypes and the exaggeration of feminine features.
After selecting my final images from the contact sheets, I moved on to editing the images:
For my image in which I took inspiration from Phoebe Barrett, I initially cropped the image to place the subject as the centre focus, and to remove the edge of the image which captured the bedside table (I found that the darkness of this corner removed attention from the subject in the centre of the frame).
Selective colour setting, focusing on increasing the cyan shades in order to give a soft, almost washed out effect to the image.
I also increased the contrast of the image in order to show the contrast between the dark shades of the subjects clothing, and the light bedspread in the background.
I added a range of elective colour edits in order to perfect the washed out, soft blue hue that I was going for in the image
The above images show the ways in which I edited the colours of the image in order to give a overall blue/cyan hue to then image in order to soften the image and its harshness. Although Barrett focuses on black and white imagery in her masculinity work, I decided that the image would look better in colour, but still made efforts to stick to the overall soft theme of Barrett’s work.
Above is the final image from this part of the photo-shoot. I feel like it accurately reflects the concept of Barrett’s work, while not copying it directly. I have used this photograph to convey emotion to the viewer, with the bright, sparkly and outgoing attire of the subject contrasting their solemn, fed up look, as if to convey that their emotions and personality does not match the way in which they convey themselves to the world. I feel like this is an example of what the pressure of conforming to gender stereotypes can do to a person, removing their ability to express themselves freely, and thus they develop an emotionless, solemn outer shell, protecting them from society’s judgement. I feel like this is a very important aspect of Barrett’s work, and therefore I attempted to recreate this concept in my own photo-shoot.
I then made edits to the other part of the photo-shot, in which I recreated an image made by Sherman, reflecting the bold and brash gender stereotypes of women I the media, and making a satirical comment on how these features actually look. Below is the process of how I edited my final image:
Initially, I increased the contrast of my image in order to copy the very bold, striking colours of Sherman’s work, in which the high contrast oranges, blues, reds and yellows make her work recognisable and eye-catching.
In order to individually increase the contrast and tone of the hair (so that the hair did not come off in the same pink hue as the face), I used the lasso tool to copy and paste the hair of the subject onto a different layer, and increased the contrast separately to stop this from happening.
The above image has a background that did not match the subject in the foreground, therefore I covered the background with black, and cut the subject out in the foreground, below was the final result:
I feel like this final image accurately reflects the concept and theme of Cindy Sherman’s work. I feel like the pose of the subject is over exaggerated and fake, giving the image an overall exaggerated and satirical feel (which follows the theme of Sherman’s work). Furthermore, I feel like the extreme contrast within the image, along with the extreme and rough make-up, gives the image a fake and heavily edited feel to it, which in turn helps to reflect the same satirical, over the top reflection of female gender presentation in the media that Sherman reflects in her own work. Altogether, I find that this image successfully conveys the concepts and themes of Sherman’s work, while not directly copying it.
On top of these two images, I also experimented with some of the images I took that did not directly reflect the work of the artists I was studying, but I felt would suit the style and concept of the book regardless. Below are 2 of the images that I also decided to use, after editing:
I feel like the second image above also reflects Cindy Sherman’s work and concepts very overtly, although the colour scheme and editing makes this less obvious (although the attitude/pose of the subject is closely related to Sherman’s satirical approach to photography). The first image above is, however, more conceptual its approach, as it shows a subject presenting a huge, over the top smile, while makeup runs down her face. I feel like this evokes the same raw emotion as Barrett’s work, while visually presenting in a bold way (like Sherman).
The aim of this further experimentation is to re-edit my imagery in order to convey different conceptual representations of my work. I am going to be editing the images in a simplistic and minimalistic way, in order to explore my imagery following my projects aesthetic as well as taking a more contemporary route to manipulating my photographs, using photo shop to do so. Taking the original edit will allow a comparison to be created between the old and new, and doing this will hopefully make my imagery stronger and produce outcomes to which I will want to use in my photographic book. In addition, this will allow me to showcase my ability to creatively manipulate my work in order to create an intended effect. I am planning on taking my top imagery, which I believe could look better in a different variation, from a couple of my photo shoots that I have conducted and will produce two edits of the same image.
Experiment 1:
Original Edit:
In the original photographic edit of the hand and the pen, I used Lightroom to adjust the white balance, white, blacks, shadows and contrast in order to showcase detail on his skin and the pen, allowing contextual representations about my Grandad’s job and age to be illustrated. The simplicity of the edit allows the image to follow my aesthetic which has been upheld within my project. With this edit I am wanting to create a more contemporary approach as well as a black and white version of this edit.
Design 1:
Below showcases the steps I took in order to achieve the final effect. To start the edit off, I opened up the hand picture into photo shop and using the quick selection tool I selected the hand and pressed layer via cut. Then opening a new photoshop page, I placed this layer onto the document, duplicating this layer allowed this hand pattern design to be created. I then merged all these layers into one layer. Opening up the photograph of my Grandad at work and then I placed this hand layer onto, adjusting the size to fit the page (ctrl + t). I then turned down the opacity of the hand layer to around 40% which allowed the affect below to be created. Personally, I really like the way in which this final outcome looks as it allows the conceptual representation of my Grandad being a hard and dedicated worker within the finance industry to be illustrated, as well as showing how this hard work has been developed into his retirement. Visually, the piece is interesting to look at due to the busyness of the frame and the contrast of monochrome and colour within the composition of the frame.
Design 2:
Taking a more simplistic route which follows my projects aesthetic, I decided to experiment with this outcome in black and white. Using Lightroom I got the original image and made the it monochrome. I then looked at adjusting the contrast, shadows, blacks and whites until I was happy with the overall effect. I wanted the photograph to show clear detail on the hand, allowing a clear tonal contrast to be created, in order to conceptually represent his hard work and dedication to his work life which is illustrated through the formal element of texture due to his skin. I believe this is my strongest outcome as it clearly represents my intended concept of the project, as well as following the stylised features of my other photographs.
Experiment 2:
Original Edit:
For my next experimentation I decided to explore with the photograph of my Grandad getting ready in the morning as he looks into the bathroom mirror. I wanted to take a contemporary route in order to conceptually and contextually represent his age and inner thought. In the original edit I used Lightroom to adjust the white balance, white, blacks, shadows and contrast in order to showcase detail on his skin and the pen
Design 1:
For my first contemporary edit I decided to explore using the burn, smudge tools in order to create texture within the image. To achieve the effects simply went round the outline of the back of my Grandad and smudged him which represent decay and his age, suggesting retirement and his peaceful lifestyle. Adding to this I used the burn tool in order to blend the smudge and make it look more naturalistic. I really like the way in which the photograph edit has turned out as it clearly showcases conceptual and contextual representations through distortion of my subject.
Design 2:
In my next edit of the same photograph I wanted to stick to the same contemporary route. I decided to use the quick selection tool to cut out the face of my grandad. Then using the transformation tool I placed the face in the mirror, looking directly at him, and turned down the opacity making it blend in. Doing this conceptually represents a more intimate approach to himself and his lifestyle, it suggests how he is always criticising himself to do better in the sense of work. It also showcases how perfection has followed him through his lifetime. Personally, I really like this outcome as it showcases my Grandad in a new limelight which is more intimate and informs us more about him, however I prefer the aesthetic of the outcome above.
Experiment 3:
Original Edit:
In this original edit of a photograph inspired by LaToya Ruby Frazier, I wanted to produce another simplistic edit as well as a more contemporary edit in order to illustrate conceptual meaning within the imagery. In the original edit I wanted to have my photograph monochrome, to match the stylistic features of LaToya Ruby Frazier. I wanted to showcase the formal elements of detail, space and form, which was clearly showcased by the composition and the way in which I adjusted the structure, whites, black and shadows. I believe that this outcome is strong but want to explore with the photograph in colour to make a comparison.
Design 1:
For the colour variation of the photograph I wanted to make the image showcase the same conceptual and contextual representation as the monochrome version of the outcome. To achieve this I simply adjusted the sliders to the same as the other variation. I then slightly adjusted the lights and darks in order to showcase detail on their skin and still illustrate the sense of space within the composition. comparing the two outcomes, I much prefer the monochrome version as I believe the contextual elements of the work is much clearer in presenting itself, due to more detail being showcased and the closer links with the artist the photograph was inspired by.
Design 2:
Utilising the black and white outcome of this photograph, due to my personal preference, I wanted to withstand the simplicity of the outcome but add a more contemporary stylistic feature towards it. Simply using the quick selection tool I cut out both of my Grandparents and moved them slightly from their original positioning, allowing a black outline of them to showcased. Conceptually, I was trying to illustrate how their past is leaving them as they become older how their lifestyle habits have changed and how their personality is changing due to situational factors presented in their lifestyle today. Personally, I really like the way in which this outcome has turned out as it creates a interesting piece to look at through the rule of thirds and the subtleness of the black outline.
Experiment 4:
Original Edit:
For my final experimentation I used another photographer from my LaToya Ruby Frazier photo shoot. In the original edit I wanted to have my photograph monochrome, to match the stylistic features of LaToya Ruby Frazier. I wanted to showcase the formal elements of detail, space and form, which was clearly showcased by the composition and the way in which I adjusted the structure, whites, black and shadows. I believe that this outcome is strong but want to explore with the photograph in colour to make a comparison. My third edit will still follow the simplicity as I feel if I take a contemporary route to it, it will ruin the strong conceptual values the imagery holds.
Design 1:
For the colour variation of the photograph I wanted to make the image showcase the same conceptual and contextual representation as the monochrome version of the outcome. To achieve this I simply adjusted the sliders to the same as the other variation. I then slightly adjusted the lights and darks in order to showcase detail on their skin and still illustrate the sense of space within the composition. comparing the two outcomes, I much prefer the monochrome version as I believe the contextual elements of the work is much clearer in presenting itself, due to more detail being showcased and the closer links with the artist the photograph was inspired by.
Design 2:
For my final variation of this outcome, I took the black and white version of the edit, due to it being stronger in presenting my conceptual and contextual representation. I experimented with adjusting the hue of the photograph in order to make it have a more orange/yellow sepia tone which helps to emphases the contextual element of the time period they were raised which influences their lifestyle of the male of the house hold being more dominant. Although I like this outcome, I feel you loose the texture and detail on my Grandad’s skin which takes away from the conceptual elements.
Evaluation:
To evaluate these further exploration, I feel I have been able to successfully use Lightroom and photoshop to create image which take a minimalistic and contemporary route to producing conceptual and contextual elements of my photographs. I have been able to demonstrate my skills of using the different tools on photoshop and justify why artistic decisions where made in order to illustrate my photographs. Moving forward, the stronger variations of the outcomes, which follow my minimalistic aesthetic I will look at using and implementing into my photographic book, in order to allow the sequence of my images to flow my easier. To conclude, this further exploration process was useful in the sense that I have been able to make my outcomes stronger in representation.
How do Diana Markosian and Rita Puig-Serra Costa express the notion of family history and relationships in their work?
"If manipulation is the first thing someone thinks of in connection to photography, what does that say about the value of the photograph as a reflection of reality?" (Bright and Van Erp 2019:17)
The notion of family is a subject that has been thoroughly explored by photographers such as Rita Puig-serra Costa and Diana Markosian. My personal study is focused on my family's history; more specifically the story of both my parents and important events in their life which lead to me being where I am today. I have chosen to analyze Markosian because her project "Inventing My Father" contrasts directly with Costa's study "Where Mimosa Bloom" which I will also be referring to throughout this essay. I like the way Markosian explores the absence of her father in her life in such a personal and raw way. In her project she explores the absence of her father, which eventually leads to a reunion which she captured through images. The photographs along with the context she provides into her life, makes this project very interesting. Equally, I think the way Costa explores her family through the use of archival images and objects was very effective as it really conveyed a sense of love and importance of family.I specifically loved how her entire project was an homage to her mother as it further shows how fond she is of her family when paired with carefully photographed objects, a thoughtfully taken portraits. These two photographers were particularly interesting to me as I felt I could personally relate to both bodies of work. Due to my portuguese heritage, family is a of great importance to me and is valued highly in my family’s culture. However, my parents choosing to separate also led to the lack of a parental figure in my life which will be included in the narrative I intend to tell. In this essay I will be discussing the notion of family and relationships, loss and hope in the works of both these artists.
Realism is the concept of capturing things in their natural element. This genre of photography is most useful when trying to capture something such as family history, as documentary photography allows us to be able to see someone's real life situation through a photograph. Photographers such as Dorothea Lange and Paul Strand focused on documenting the effects of urbanization and industrialization on working class Americans. This was something very prominent at the time of this movement, as the great depression in 1929 left a lot of people struggling. We now see this type of photography as realism. I feel as if this movement fits in well with my personal study as it recognizes the importance of capturing raw, documentary style images which I think is important when exploring something as personal as a family’s history, especially when it involves immigration and the struggle surrounding that journey. Images of this sort are characterized by having a wide depth of field and having sharp focus which contradicts the pictorialist style. The movement away from creating a painterly aesthetic ultimately opened the door to a more forensic approach but also one that is open to distortion, manipulation and the notion of narrative. This will ultimately depend on the agenda of the artist, their integrity and skill in delivering a message, story or sequence of events.
Markosian’s “personal exploration” (Fiona Mackdonald 2019) can be seen as a non-traditional method of exploring the family concept. Instead of portraying a sense of happiness and love, which is typically associated with family relationships, Markosian chooses a more raw and honest approach highlighting how she grew up without her father figure and turning that into the foundation that her project is built upon. I believe this makes her work stand out amongst other artists exploring this same theme, since “the camera is an instrument of evidence” (John Tagg:1988) a certain truthfulness radiates from her images which goes against the dominating stereotype that every family is perfect, leading to more contemporary outputs that appeal to modern day people. This view is put across quite skillfully and subtly through the use of black and white images which puts forward a sense of emptiness since the monotone theme is often associated with despair. This means that the audience will be able to feel a sense of coldness and the lack of emotion, while also simultaneously feeling a surge of emotion through the scenes and objects depicted in the images leading to an interesting contrast that is highly effective throughout her work. The use of archival imagery is complementary to Markosian’s photography since by itself it would usually portray a sense of happiness, however with the context, it is instead replaced with a slight sense of resentment, especially the archival image showing her dad cut out
I believe the image above to be one of Markosian's best not just due to its impeccable technicality, but also because it is rich in context. This image shows a suitcase belonging to her father containing things such as undelivered letters, newspaper clippings, and a shirt he was saving for her brother’s wedding. This image is in black and white making it more emotionally detached yet since the objects are sentimental it creates an interesting juxtaposition, as it shows the photographer is conflicted over her feelings.I believe Diana Markosian represents a modern wave of photography where beauty can be found in imperfections, and still appreciated.
“where mimosa bloom” by Costa takes the completely opposite approach into the exploration of family culture. It becomes obvious that the entire project is very thoughtful and the audience can almost feel an overpowering sense of the love Costa has for her family. Although Costa focuses on the positiveness of relationships with family, I believe it is the underlying theme of her mother’s death which makes her work particularly stand out as she alludes to it in a respectful way, while also exploring important people, objects and places that play a significant role in her relationship with her mum making her work more original. This notion is put across carefully through many aspects such as a light colour scheme throughout the book conveying a sense of delicacy through pastel shades and also the metaphorical link to mimosa, a tree that blooms bright, yellow flowers in Spring, in Barcelona, where Costa is from.
This image is one which perhaps conducts the most emotion. In this double page spread we see Costa clutching a premature bird in her hand. Costa said, “When she died, I felt like a bird whose mother had abandoned the nest. I had to learn how to fly on my own,”. The context in combination with the image show a real sense of vulnerability, shown through the bird, that Costa is feeling in relation to not having her mother anymore. I think that using the bird as a medium for her own feelings, further shows how much thought and care was taken into each image as this has deep metaphorical value. I think that Rita's work is a more traditional way of portraying family as she utilises portraiture and archival objects in a positive way. I believe Rita Puig-Serra's work represents positive sentiments towards relationships giving a romantic representation of a typical family unit.This book exudes closeness and sentimentality, a kind of poetic bond between her relatives. However, it has been said “photography is a system of visual editing” (John Szarkowski:1976), which suggests that some work may be refined and tailored in order to portray perfectionism.
To conclude, both Markosian and Costa have created very emotional pieces of work based on their own personal family stories and journeys. Although we do get a sense of love from Markosian's work, I believe this sentiment is often fighting against a feeling of hatred and resentment towards her father, whereas we purely get the feeling of love and closeness from Costa's photo book with hint of sadness due to the loss of her mother. Costa's photo book contains a very unique color palette containing light, delicate, pastel colors which is expected as her images are delicately framed and excrete fondness towards her family. On the other hand, Markosian's body of work contains a lot of black and white images which shows that there is a lot of distance between her and the subject, yet all the things she photographs are of rich sentimental meaning to her. Both photographers also make use of archival images and objects, Costa utilises this to show a deep connection to her mother whereas due to the nature of Markosian's work, her archival objects are used to show her father as being someone she is detached from.
Bibliography:
Bright, S. and Van Erp, H.(2019). Photography Decoded. London: octopus Publishing House
Mackdonald, Fiona (2019).“Diana Markosian: A father cut out of a family album”. BBC culture
Szarkowski, John (1976), William Eggleston’s Guide. New York & Cambridge, MA: The Museum of Modern Art & The MIT Press
Tagg, John (1988). The Burden of Representation. Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan
This book is a large sturdy book with a hard back cover. It is a relatively heavy book which connotes quality as well as time and effort spent in the production of the book. The pages inside are glossy and smooth to the touch. This slight sheen helps to enhance the images within and brings out the natural colours of the photographs. The title ‘Sans limites’ translates to ‘without limits’, clutivating the mood of the book from the very beginning that freedom is almost a state of mind.
Content and Imagery:
The images are all full bleed, double page spreads with a landscape orientation. They are all high resolution, colour printed images focusing on landscapes and scenes captured on a road trip with friends. The scale of the images helps incorporate the concept of being in the limitless outside world, out in nature. The book focuses on the idea that the world is beautiful and shows the meaning of true freedom and memory making with our chosen families. The images are all literal, yet they posses some poetic feel to them as they are supposed to carry a message and emotion of how it felt to go on this breathtaking journey. The sequencing of the image follows Gosselin and his friends on a chronological journey, showing the different aspects of the road trip, focusing at points on the car journey itself, and the driving, or a run along an empty road in the middle of a beautiful countryside.
Conducting a sixth photo shoot for my personal investigation has allowed me to obtain more imagery which explores different aspects of my Grandad’s lifestyle which I have not previously captured. Regarding my narrative, my Grandad was and is the ‘head of the house’ and head of the family hierarchy, thus I decided to dedicate this shoot to him, in order to capture strong imagery of him which will help this narrative be illustrated in my photo book. In my initially stages of this investigation I talked about my Grandad being religious and a business man, and so I wanted to capture these elements, as well as produce imagery which breaks the boundaries of intimacy in order to reveal more about his lifestyle and personality. I decided to photograph my Grandad in his bedroom, bathroom and office, which are considered his ‘private chambers’, where he spends a lot of time alone. Doing this will allow me to gain a clearer understanding and showcase his personality and how his lifestyle has affected his traits. With regards to camera settings I intend to keep it naturalistic to maintain authenticity within my outcomes, ie my shutter speed will be quick, ISO low etc. In addition I intend to just use the artificial lighting found in these rooms stated above in order to present a naturalistic setting and ambience towards my outcomes.
Edits:
First Edit – Flagged
Second Edit – Star Rating
Third Edit – Colour Rating
Final Outcomes:
As like previous shoots, I decided to keep the edits simplistic by editing my outcomes into black and white or in colour. I decided not to take a more contemporary root to editing as I felt meaning and reality to the imagery would be lost, loosing the point of the photographs. In order to achieve these outcomes below I simply adjusted the white, blacks, shadows, contrast and structure in order to achieve my intended affect. Along side this, I explored with the idea of slightly desaturating an image in order to create a vintage feel towards the imagery. The photograph this is done on is the one of him working at his desk, this affect works as it contextually shows how he has been working all his life in order to create a happy and luxurious lifestyle for his family, showing his motivation and hardworking qualities, I believe this edit clearly showcases this through the desaturation.
Analysis:
The photograph above is my top outcome from this photo shoot. Conceptually, the photograph represents my Grandad’s Christian belief through him praying on the bed. He has always been a Christian and has been raised around the idea of their being a ‘God’ and how this figure created life on earth and life in an afterlife. Being regular attendants at their local church, they explore their reasoning for their existence and look for hope in the future. The line in the bible ‘Love our neighbour as much as we love ourselves’ is one drive which he stands by. He believes that everyone should be treated with equality and fairness, and that a neighbour isn’t just the person who lives next door but all the disadvantage people around the world. Due to this thought him and his wife intend to help all through many different ways, for example volunteering every Friday at he hospital with the tuck shop going round the different wards. Contextually, religion has been with my Grandad from a young age, due to the popularity of it during the 1940’s when he was born and raised. He has reflected his beliefs onto his offsprings by teaching them moral lessons he has learnt at church, and by providing them with prayers which they say nightly.
Visually, we are presented with my Grandad who is leaning against his bed with his eyes closed na d hands joined together. In this he is saying his nightly prayer where he thanks God for all that has happened today and asks for a successful day the following day. Taken at a straight on angle the formal elements of tone, shape and texture is clearly presented through the composition of the frame. The photograph itself is presented in black and white, which allows for a higher tonal contrast as well as a more serious atmosphere to be created, illustrating the importance of religion on his lifestyle. The background of this image is of a bedside table and a door to the rest of his house, which suggests a sense of safety and intimacy as his room is a place where he can speak to God. The way in which the photograph is taken showcases the rule of thirds due to the positioning of my subject. Technically, the imagery has used a quick shutter speed and slightly higher ISO, due to no intended blur but some noise being presented due to the sensitivity of the lighting. An aperture of around f/5.6 was used in order to create a slight narrow depth of field and allowed enough light in. In addition, artificial lighting was due to the naturalism of the scene, as I was capturing his reality.
Evaluation:
To evaluate, I believe I have produced strong imagery which breaks this boundary of intimacy. The photographs capture him on a more personal level, creating vulnerability allowing a higher impact on conceptual representation. Capturing him in his bedroom, office and bathroom, has allowed more conceptual elements of his lifestyle to be illustrated, such as religion, working and his personality towards his luxury lifestyle. Making there artistic decision to just capture my Grandad, allows the sense of authority and top of the family higher archery to be with stained, which allows my narrative and aims of this investigation to remain focused. In terms of ability, I have been able to provide further evidence for my ability to capture high quality imagery as well as use Lightroom to effectively edit the photographs for intended effect. In addition, I have shown further exploration by experimenting with the saturation of my imagery. In conclusion, I believe this photo shoot was successful as I have produced intimate imagery which allows the narrative to flow, while reinforcing my capability to capture and edit imagery.
