Evaluation

For this NFT project we started by researching what exactly an NFT is (non-fungible token) and then continued our research by looking at examples of NFT’s and really trying to understand what they are. We then discussed as a group what the question, ‘What will the future of Jersey look like as a community in the Metaverse?’ means and how we will go about creating a 30 second animated video to link to the question. We started by creating mind maps of what a community is and what it means to be a community. We then created mind maps and mood boards on our chosen theme; which we decided to create a film based on fashion. After we made the mood boards we created a statement of intent to decide exactly what we were going to do and how we were going to do it. Within the group we decided on multiple different ideas which varied from using a projector to project different sort of patterns onto a model wearing plain and simple clothing to the model wearing clothes that replicate fashion trends over the years. Additionally we also spoke about how we may be able to use Photoshop or a similar software to edit over peoples original clothing, which may show that the digital world of fashion can be easily manipulated. Our last idea was to print out original photos which we have taken of our models and either collage or embroider over them to create different designs. We decided that we were going to have our model wearing clothes that best replicate fashion trends over the years. We then done a contextual study on NFT artists that link to our theme of fashion and researched NFT artist Toby Evans who focuses on digital fashion. After that we done a contextual study on the Bayeux Tapestry as it also links to the embroidery project we are also doing with Yulia, where we each made an individual embroidered piece that links to Jersey. After discussing more as a group how we were going to create the film we created a story board. We decided we’re going to start off with a wide shot and then zoom into a person wearing a 70’s inspired outfit (flares and a crop top), after that there would be an outfit change. Next, there will be another outfit change into a 80’s inspired outfit (mom jeans and a bomber jacket), then there will be a change into a 90’s inspired outfit (black dress). The clips will be shot with the model facing the camera and the clips will cut between outfits as the model walks forward towards the camera. The model will then change into a 2000’s inspired outfit (tracksuit) followed by an outfit inspired by current fashion (baggy jeans and a top). After deciding exactly how we were going to film it we brought in different pieces of clothing that we had at home to try to recreate old fashion trends. Making the outfits look as though they were from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s was one of the biggest challenges we faced as we only had our own clothes to use. We decided on which clothes best fit each year and then booked out a space in the studio so we could start filming. We started by preparing the studio for filming by setting up all the lights and getting are model in the first outfit. We decided to film on our phones so that the videos would be portrait. We had our model walk towards the camera in the first outfit as we recorded her and then repeated this in all the other outfits. We then chose our favourite clips and started by importing all the videos onto Adobe premier. We then cut each clip at specific times to make it look as though she was walking towards the camera while her outfits changed. We then decided which music to use as a group and uploaded it to the video. After the video was filmed we made a digital image from the video. We decided to edit the images we took on the day of filming in photoshop to make them more interesting. To edit the images I duplicated the image and then used the FX tool on the duplicated layer to turn off the green and blue channels on the layer. I then moved the bottom layer slightly to the left to create a 3D effect. As well as the edited photoshop image we also created a Gif. We used all of our images and copied one image after another to make it look like stop motion and create an illusion that the image is moving. We copied each image over another and created a new animation layer in order to play them one after another and create a frame. This turned out well as it achieved our aim of showing the different changes in fashion through decades by creating a gif and making it look like its one big moving image. Once all of the layers were there we included all the images we wanted to use and created a timeline to create the final gif. We also done an embroidery workshop that links to the question about community in Jersey. For the workshop we took all of the individual pieces of embroidery we have done as a group and placed them together on a big piece of fabric. We sat around the table as a group and decided whether or not we liked the positioning of the individual pieces on the larger piece of fabric.  As there wasn’t enough individual pieces to fill up the fabric we had to overlap some and leave some spaces in the fabric. Once we decided that we liked the placement we all chose thread colours that we like and started stitching the pieces onto the fabric.

Final Digital Image:

Final Film:

https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/744704d6-9530-45ed-90ef-886d0c5627f8

Community NFT – Final Image and Video

Link to video;

Womankind

https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/ebad8b1c-a10f-4ba2-b4bd-803164699d50?list=studio

Final Image;

Evaluation

Overall, I believe that our final image and film have turned out very successful as they relate strongly to our initial intentions of commemorating the women who have fought for their own rights throughout history. I am really proud of what we have accomplished during this project, learning new skills on different software such as Premier Pro has been really beneficial in discovering the limitless elements of photography and all we can do with it. I believe our final film succeeded greatly due to our setting, lighting, camera angle and casting – using a model who has such a timeless look helped us portray different decades and styles which all together sustained the aesthetic of our film. Additionally changing our idea to using a static camera shot, instead of panning along as the model moved, assisted with the fluidity of each video; we developed our ideas well as a team by working together and listening to each other’s input. I believe that our message comes across clearly in our film through our use of visual imagery and audio, the idea to use clips from historical interviews helped focus on our main objective. Our final image was created by choosing our 4 favourite images from our shoot and editing them together to form a collage as if our model were seeing different versions of herself through a mirror. I believe we really captured a sense of pride in this image, it represents looking back on the empowerment and rights we have been given by our ancestors, feeling confident in oneself of all that has been accomplished. One part of this image that I think works particularly well is its repetition of the colour orange, symbolising strength and confidence being such a bold colour while also keeping a theme of regality throughout. If we were to have more time on this project I would have liked to improve my skills in digital animation using Adobe After Effect, we brainstormed how we could use this software in our final film but couldn’t come up with an idea of the right standard. Nevertheless, I am extremely pleased with how our final film and image have evolved and developed – I believe they represent a fight for gender equality and female empowerment successfully.

Statement

The evolution of women’s rights into the future Metaverse, a time when diversity and equality are the norms, where a woman can choose what she does with her body without the input from the government and society around her. The concept of our NFT film is to explore the three major waves of feminism in the last 100 years and to celebrate the women who have fought for women in the present to have equal rights to men. The name of our film came from a play on words for Mankind, because as a society in general we are referred to regarding men, by switching the prefix Man to Woman we are making a statement on the power of women collectively. We capitalised the K as an ironic reference to the stereotype of women being gentle and sweet-tempered. Conveying ideas about women’s rights throughout the years, suffragettes, protesters and so on, we show the cyclical theme of women standing up for what they believe in and gaining confidence, that we should all have, in themselves.

Review and Reflect + Project Plan

From your Personal Investigation based on IDENTITY & COMMUNITY write an overview of what you learned so far (both as Yr 12 and Yr 13 student) and how you intend to develop your Personal Study.


5. Plan your first photo-shoot as a response to initial ideas. Must be published on the blog by Wed 2 Dec.

Themes and Techniques I have studied:

Life after lockdown/isolation, the natural world, repetition, pattern, rhythm, reflection and symmetry, Astrophotography, Street Photography, Candid Portraits, Studio shoots, photo montage, Landscapes, Macro, Romanticism, new topographics, Anthropocene, Identity, Community, Family archives.

I have mostly used digital photography to explore these themes and techniques, but recently have used video in the NFT project, as well as stitching a tapestry.

some artists I have researched and referenced are: Alfred Krupp, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Henri Cartier, Claude Cahun, Ansel Adams, Lewis Baltz, Jeremy Carroll, Lilli Waters, Mike Winkelmann

Portrait of Albert Renger Patzsch by Sabine Renger on artnet

The software i enjoyed using the most, as well as where i feel i improved the most at using Adobe Lightroom, where i edit images to portray a certain feeling to the viewer. My favourite ay to edit images is with high contrast between colours and tones to create a more impactful image that draws the viewers eye. Aswel as this i have used Photoshop, InDesign and Premiere Pro

Identity Mind Map

My thought behind this id map is having multiple parts of your identity, mainly having a time to spend alone and your own identity, then the time you spend with other people and your social identity. I think the contrast between these images are interesting as they can portray two sides of the same person, as some images may appear to be introverted and lonely, but other images can make the person seem extroverted and sociable. Showing that a persons identity doesn’t have to be fixed and can change depending on the situation. These sets of images also shows the different emotions this person can be feeling as well as making the viewer feeling a certain way too. I also like the contrast between the posed and thought provoking images of the one person alone, and the candid and in-the-moment style of the social images, the almost un-professional style of photo makes the viewer relate to the image as if they were really there.

Statement of intent

What you want to explore?

I would like to explore the topic of identity, broadly as a whole, as well as how people can have multiple identities. The direction i would like to go with this is mainly Alone vs Social identity. I find this comparison interesting because of the contrast that can be created between the two through the actual contents of the image as well as how the image can be edited. Ideas like group photos with faces covered could show that they have a social identity as a group, but each individual has a separate identity and life of their own outside of that environment.

Kendrick Lamar's 'Good Kid, mAAd City': A Lesson In Storytelling
‘Good Kid Mad City’ Album cover – kendrick Lamar taken by Paula Oliver

Why it matters to you?

I feel like this matters to me because it applies to me and my friends. We all have our own identities individually. But when we are together we have a group identity and show the social side of our identity, as well as our own personality and identity showing through too. I find that everyone has this contrast between their identity when they are by themselves and when they are with others, their personalities come together and show through the image, especially with friend groups, less with strangers. I think when people see the images created they will be able to relate to them, creating a deeper meaning and making the image more personal.

How you wish to develop your project?

I plan to have two contrasting styles of photography within my project, one being a crisp, aesthetic portraiture of a single subject. This will portray one side of a persons identity when they are alone. These images will be more though provoking, meaningful and perhaps metaphorical in their finished state. The other contrasting style will be a more casual, candid, almost less-professional style of portraiture, street and event photography. These will include multiple subjects and mostly be ‘old-school’ and ‘vintage’ looking, as if they were taken on a film camera. As well as these two contrasting styles, I may include images blending the two, with one subject alone, but in a social environment, showing that even though the person is in a social situation, they still have their individual identity. I will then edit these images to further bring out the meaning and emotion behind them.

One photographer that takes photos in the film-photography style i am going for is Caleb Triscari:

Caleb Triscari — Kill Your Darlings

Another artist that takes photos in the style i am going for with individual identity is Noah Silliman:

Feeling SAD? Here's how to cope with it this winter | London Evening  Standard | Evening Standard

First Shoot Plan

My first shoot will be a portrait or a shot from behind the subject of them alone. The location for this shoot will be a wide open area to show that the subject is alone with their thoughts and identity, showing that the photograph reflects them and only them. This will be the far end of St Ouens bay up on the hill. I will edit these images to be high in contrast between the lights and the darks to create a more moody photograph. I will also use warm tones to make the image more inviting for the viewer, to give an autumn type of feel to the image.

Artists Reference 1: NFT artists

Mike Winkelmann

Michael Joseph Winkelmann, known professionally as Beeple, is an American digital artist, graphic designer, and animator.  Working under the name Beeple, his long-running project “Everydays,” a series of digital compositions that he makes and shares daily. In recent years, the “Everydays” have slowly turned to the theme of garish cartoon sensibility. Here are some examples of what Mikes “Everydays” work looks like…

Greg Mike

Populated by gleefully twisted characters, his world is unsettling, mischievous and uniquely captivating. Currently based in Atlanta, Greg Mike is a multi-platform studio specializing in branding, apparel design and visual production. His work is based around the unique colour world with cartoons that intrigue all age ranges.

Overview: Reflect + Review

Over the past year and a half we have studied different photography topics, I enjoyed the abstract and landscape photography the most.

Abstract Project

I studied the works of Jaromnir Funke, Ray Metzker, Keld Helmer-Petersen and Albert Renger-Patzsch.

These were the two main photographers I studied and created responses to. These two photographers work have got strong geometric shapes in them.

To create my final outcomes I used photoshop to layer images over each other and edit the lighting to black and white. I also edited the pictures to have a high contrast to get the shapes stronger.

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This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is edited-photos-slide.jpg

Landscape Project

Rural landscapes

Started this project looking at different artists and learned a lot about compositions. Like the Golden Ratio and Rule of Thirds which helped me develop my photography skills and create interesting images which were more appealing to the eye and told more of a story in some situations.

Lisa Wood – David Gibbeson – Charlie Waite

These three artists caught my attention by the colours and shapes they had in their images specifically Charlie Waite and Lisa Wood.

Some of my outcomes:

Identity Project

We were given the theme of Identity to start a new project. I chose to look at the word identity it self and to not focus on my own identity to start with.

I looked at the different approaches from each photographer looking at Identity as a topic and took Alec Soth’s and Raina Matar’s styles to create my own outcomes focusing on my identity but also the way that outside influences have on our identity.

Some of my outcomes:

Industrial + Urban Landscapes

After researching many photographers like Alexander Apstol, Ed Rushca, Rut Blees and Lewis Baltz I chose to focus on The New Topographics which is a theme about landscapes which have now been man-altered like urban areas being turned into parking lots, suburban housing and warehouses. I also focused on old urban landscapes and was inspired by the works of Eugene Atget who took images of the constantly changing Paris architecture and streets.

Lewis Baltz:

A Conversation Between Lewis Baltz and John Gossage (2010) – AMERICAN  SUBURB X
Lewis Baltz's The Tract Houses/The New Industrial Parks Near Irvine,  California/The Prototype Works - BOMB Magazine
Lewis Baltz - Photographs New York September 2014 | Phillips

Eugene Agtet:

Eugène Atget's photos found in André Derain's home | Christie's
Atget's Paris, 100 Years Later - The New York Times
The empty streets (and parks) of Eugène Atget​ • V&A Blog

Identity + Community

This project helped me with selection of my images and understanding more about why certain images go together or contrast and why photographers choose to sequence images together.

learning about selection ad sequencing

In this project I also used Lightroom for the first time and have found this helpful in my current work.

Using Lightroom for the selection process

In all my work I have enjoyed looking at compositions and shapes within different landscapes and objects.

Education and Sport in Jersey – Poster

Me and Michael get given the topic ‘Education and Sport’ to make a poster on related to Jersey.

We used the island identity report to list facts and information about these topics, as well as images to visually show the islands education resources and sporting life.

We also answered these questions on the poster:

1. What makes Jersey special and why does it matter to you?
2. What does it mean to be ‘Jersey’, now and in the future?
3. What can we all do to solidify a cohesive and positive Island identity?
4. Are there barriers to a positive and inclusive Island identity? (What requires a greater focus and what is being missed?)

Below is the final product: