Best Images

Evaluation:

What went well?:

I believe my project follows the overall theme of the Male Gaze, I have used techniques such as including images from a males perspective to highlight the male impact on the female life. I think that my images are good and have been thoroughly experimented with in order to create effective shadows, light and overall interesting to look at. Throughout my project I have made sure to keep minor details up highlighted such as the use of light and shows to convey emotion.

To Improve:

To begin, I wish I had researched the work of Cindy Sherman more thoroughly, mainly because sometimes I felt slightly confused to what her images were meant to be conveying, however it is possible that Sherman’s work can be confusing because it could have so many different meanings and allows you to be confused in order too interpret your own meaning. Secondly, I should’ve taken more images, particularly ones similar to the costumed images by Sherman.

I began by placing my second image over the first image and sizing out how big i wanted it.

Using the Magnetic lasso tool, I manipulated the image to have 2 of the same characters, in order to create a story for my subject, I believe it makes it seem ominous as if something was about to happen when she walks down the road.

I began by placing my image into photoshop, i then used the magnetic lasso tool to cut out the outline of the mirror on the wall.

I then placed the image a second time into photoshop where i then dragged the image onto my first photoshop window, using the resize tool i resized the image to fit in the mirror. I then placed the second images layer behind the first creating the mirrored illusion.

I have chosen too create a tryptic for these 3 images as together, they create movement. I experimented on photoshop to make mock-ups too see whether the images look better on a black or a white mount. I have decided I am going to go with the black card simply because I feel the images look much more detailed, however on the white card, I feel certain aspects of the imaged became muted due to the clash of the white sheet in the photos as well as the light grey skin complexion. On the black card the white sheet contrasts the black background nicely and allows us to be able to see the finer details within the images such as: the shadows of her back.

Like I did previously, I made mock ups of these images on both black and white window mounts. I have decided to chose the black mount because the images are of a deep and dark ominous road. I have chosen to do this on a window mount because it creates more physical depth for the images similar to how the images seem as if the road goes on forever, the window mount creates a sort of opening to the image transporting you into the road as if it was a portal.

I have decided to use these 2 images together to create the illusion of a deconstructed body. I have chosen a black background to contrast the heavily white/ light aspects of the images that could become muted on white backing.

First Set

This is my first set of edited images, Within these images, I have gone for an overall black and white theme, focussing on only tone and presence. I have focused on anatomy as a link to my overall theme of the male gaze. In order to take these images, I had guidance from a male which allowed me to take images of a female from a males perspective. After researching photographers such as Kohei Nishiguchi, I felt inspired to focus heavily on lighting in regards to creating a story. this collection of images I believe communicate the light beyond sadness, creating a metaphorical relationship between light and emotions through the use of black and white editing as well as enhanced shadows, in this case, the sadness and darkness that many women are left feeling while living in a patriarchal society, where women are often exploited for their bodies as well as seen as sexualised figures. The use of photographing things such as bones, subverts the dehumanisation struck onto so many women in the media making them alienated and allows them to be seen much more as human beings rather than pleasures for the white heterosexual male.

Second Set

This is my second set of images, I captured these on a long shutter speed in order to capture movement as well as blurriness, blurring the male gaze. I wanted to include movement within my images to create a sense of freedom, and breaking out of a patriarchal society. I included dark shadows within the image to highlight the features which are considered ‘imperfections’ within women.

Third set

In this set of images, i emulated the style of feminist photographer Cindy Sherman, using an array of costumes, makeup and settings to create stories of characters based off of old Hollywood. These images highlight the ‘female experience’ capturing things such as housework while dressed up in a fur coat and makeup highlighting the need to be presentable at all times.

In this image, the subject is seen in a white vail referencing the biblical ‘Madonna’ – a morally pure and chaste woman, also known as ‘The Virgin Mary’, within this image i have placed focus on her over lined dark lips as well as bold eye makeup, i believe this image defeats the traditional expectations held over women and highlights the modern liberating views of sexuality for women and perhaps contrasting to the classic biblical views of women.

Fourth Set

For these images, I wanted to create a sense of stalking, similar too many of Sherman’s ‘untitled film stills’. Having the subjects back faced to the camera suggests that they aren’t aware they are being watched. The dark never ending road also creates an ominous feel for the images and suggest that whoever is watching poses a threat to the woman, highlighting the threat and damage caused daily by the male gaze on women.

I began by importing my images into Adobe Lightroom into a folder called simple/complex. I used the star rating tool to choose between which images I liked and were suitable and the images which lacked. I used 5 stars for yes, 3 stars for maybe and 1 star for no.

For my second photoshoot, I wanted to create a few different characters similar to Sherman. I used makeup and costumes on my subject in order to create the illusion of different characters as well as creating that classic Hollywood makeup look.

Here are a few images which I looked at in order to gain inspiration for this shoot

I

My idea for my first photoshoot was to blur the male gaze, to do this I captured images of the female subject moving around on a low shutter speed in order to create a blurry image as well as an image which displayed clear movement.

I also wanted to create a character profile within these images, I decided to capture images of my subject dressed up and crying, similar too the style of Sherman.

Idea- Creates characters/ Cindy Sherman inspired.

where- My house/ outside/ dark road (possibly the German road St peters valley)

props- sheet for backdrop, artificial light e.g. bright lamp, clothes male and female, accessories

focus point- creepy ominous photos, performance.

Inspo

Photoshoot 1

Idea- Sherman/ capture anatomy/ movement

where- house, inside, bedroom

props- sheet for backdrop, artificial light e.g. bright lamp.

focus point- capturing shadows and lines.

Inspo