What is the story?

The photographs in the final selection had a certain vibe. They had a theme that I’ve noticed and that theme was that the photographs captured a certain relationship between people. I wanted to present the story of different people in different places, having the same similarities as places perhaps you were in and grew up in. In wanted to show that us as humans, we all form relationships with each other, this is exactly what the objective is of this storyline. In St Malo, I realised what made the most interesting photographs for me were the ones where people showed care and love for each other. This care can look completely different depending on the type of relationship between two people, for example, the love shown between a mother and daughter may seem different than the love shown between a couple. What is very interesting is that anywhere and everywhere in the world there will always be people forming new relationships with one another. this is why I took the opportunity to go to St Malo as one where I can create a link between those in France and jersey as people show themselves feeling the same care towards one another despite living in a different region.

The pictures I plan to use that show peoples relationships:

What is also interesting is how every picture presents itself differently, when I looked back at all the pictures i saw many patterns and soon I began to realise a storyline, this storyline being relationships we experience from the first couple years of our lives. This is why I want to show photographs of parents and their kids as first couple photos in the zine. i want them to later contrast between the early teenage life, adulthood, and late life. showing the different relationships we tend to get in to and form at different stages of life. like when we are children it is usually our parents, then growing up we focus on friends rather than family, and then we get into romantic relationships.

How I plan to tell this story is by specifically focus on the placement and order of the images, starting with showing relationships, and love from a young age, then later, adulthood, etc. I want the viewer to feel like they are growing up with the book, although it is not of the same people, its a part of everyone, and everyone goes through it.

Zines are a tiny magazine that are usually produced by one person or a small organization. they are not seen in a bigger mass produced scale as the quality and production process is cheap and easy to produced, thus it can be done by just one person. they usually present a subject that person is interested in, meaning they are quite direct. they are a common way of photographers to get their work displayed. Usually a zine wouldn’t carry a lot of content, meaning it is ideal for displaying a focused photoshoots.

I have both digitally and physically researched different formats and existing zines that have been created by various people.

What I’ve noticed is how on each page the photographs link together, they all have a certain theme that runs through the zine and the photographs on each page compliment each other in a way where they a sort of similar. The arrangement of photographs is so impart ant for the narrative that runs through the whole zine. Some pages that have an additional writing to create more of a storyline, are effective, however what i think is best is when there is an evident storyline shown through the photographs and the arrangement of them, this is because tit gives ore freedom to the viewer to create a more broad response which doesn’t have to be right or wrong.

I have used the new adobe photoshop (beta) to create an experiment with new technology. as AI has gained popularity by helping in knowledge and art, it is also a useful tool to use in photography and image making. In the new photoshop program, it is very useful to simply type in a desired object and choose between a couple of generated options. for all photographers and editors, this changes their ways of working to a much simpler one. what is also very interesting to experiment with is making the photographs look unrealistic and quite abstract.

this incredibly changes the digital image alterations, as instead of having to go through additional process of gathering material yourself, it is all already available for the photographer.

Bellow I have experimented with other images following the same processes as above, I experimented with other presets, and generating other items. for example bellow I have selected a green landscape mixer, then when I was happy with the opacity of it I started generating abstract swirls. this made the image look more abstract rather than real.

Photoshoot

Sub Selection

Editing

Final Images

Street photography

street photography is genre of photography that records everyday life in a public place. This is often a form of photography which links with portraiture as the photographer is able to take candid photographs of people, without them knowing. it is also a form of documentary-style photography that captures scenes in public places, often without prompting or posing from the subjects. It’s about capturing people and their surroundings, creating meaningful images that tell stories.

There is another variation of street photography which is more under the name of urban photography, which could be photographs of the street itself but there aren’t any people in there, or people are not the main focus in the photograph.

Who- people on the streets of St Malo, especially people that show a connection between each other. Meaning people that represent human relationships.

What- as I am going to be focusing on street photography, the objects that I will usually capture are going to be buildings, shops, street signs and elements like bins, benches and plants.

Where- on the streets of St Malo but mainly within the old town region, as it is close to the beach, some photographs may feature that location

When- the trip is supposed to be taken out on the 14th June 2023, between mid-day and early evening. this means we would have around 5-6 hours. This means the times the photographs will be taken is going to enable the photographs to turn out the best due to the high contrast between natural light and shadows between those times.

How- as I am going to be capturing people that are moving quite quickly, I will need to use shutter speed mode and keep a closer attention to the shutter speed as well as a high aperture because it is going to be bright. in order to not have the photographs blurred I will need to ensure that the shutter speed is roughly around around the speed of 1/250sec and 1/500sec. I want to achieve high contrast in my images and sharp detail.

Why- to develop a higher skill set when it comes to capturing people that are unaware of the photograph being taken of them, in other words I will practice my street photography skills and get outside of my comfort zone when it comes to taking photographs of strangers. I think St Malo is a great place to that as most of the people there will not recognise me whereas if I were to complete this in Jersey there is more of a likelihood that I could come across someone I know.

Photography and Truth: Can a photograph lie?

Photography, the first invention of its kind, served a purpose for this monumental invention that would later become so normalized that now billions of photographs are shared, produced, and reproduced all around the world. Its purpose was to capture precise details and the accuracy of what was seen by humans, offering a different means of capturing reality compared to existing methods such as drawing and painting. Louis Daguerre, who would later become known for developing the daguerreotype process, introduced a revolutionary method of photography. This groundbreaking technique was unveiled to the world in 1839, widely regarded as the inception of practical photography. However, Daguerre’s metal-based daguerreotype faced competition from William Henry Fox Talbot’s paper-based calotype negative and salt print processes, both of which were demonstrated in the same year, 1839.

From the text “The Pluto’s Cave,” I learned that the use of photography began in 1871 by the Paris police during the murderous roundup of communards. Since then, photographs have been regarded as the most realistic form of truth and evidence. In another article titled “The Pluto’s Cave,” I found an intriguing statement: “Photographed images do not seem to be statements about the world so much as pieces of it, miniatures of reality that anyone can make or acquire.” I agree with this statement because a photograph represents a specific moment and can never truly capture an absolute truth. Instead, it becomes an object that preserves that captured moment after it has passed.

Photography represented a significant advancement from drawing and other mediums. The fact that it was not created by a person’s brain and transferred onto paper, like drawing, but rather by a person clicking a button and the machine producing the image, made it more trustworthy and believable. People relied on the physical object and the technology behind it to produce the most accurate version of reality, unlike a person’s painting or other artwork, which could easily be altered. However, what many may be unaware of or tend to overlook when observing a photograph is that an image can also be manipulated. Even before the advent of modern technology, such as Photoshop or other digital photographic tools, manipulation occurred in the darkroom during the early days of film photography in the 19th century. Photographers would adjust lighting in specific areas, darken or lighten certain elements, and remove unwanted objects. Today, with widely used digital tools like Photoshop, the possibilities for alteration are even more extensive. In a text I have read, I learned that the process of manipulation begins as soon as we frame a person, landscape, object, or scene with our cameras. We make choices like selecting a portrait or landscape format, and then further manipulation can involve adding non-realistic filters, editing, altering, or cropping the image.

AI and modern image altering

However, in today’s world, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made a significant impact on society, including photography and image-making. AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think and learn like humans. It is crucial to recognize the influence of AI on photography, as it not only changes how people perceive photography but also challenges the authenticity of the images encountered.

AI systems rely on algorithms and computational models to analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, make decisions, and solve complex problems. However, it is important to note that AI can both assist and distract. It can expedite the editing process of images, such as color correction and enhancements. AI can also categorize images through image recognition and restore images by improving the quality of blurry or old photographs. However, the most astonishing aspect of AI is content creation. AI-generated images are based on pre-programmed instructions and blending millions of photographs within the system to create entirely new and fictional compositions.

It is important to understand that while AI brings numerous advancements, it will not replace the creativity and vision of photographers. Instead, AI serves as a powerful tool to augment and enhance their abilities, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in photography.

In the early stages of AI becoming prominent, the authenticity of images begins to lose its meaning. Particularly concerning is the potential for AI to create false images. Although AI requires human input to generate images, it can quickly produce images that never existed before with just a few minutes of input. This poses a significant risk, as anyone, regardless of their artistic abilities, can create an image that represents events that never took place. Such images can have a profound impact on viewers, especially when they portray important people or topics. They can cause confusion and harm to various groups, while also being used as supporting evidence for a story. When such images are printed in reliable sources like newspapers, many individuals may unquestioningly accept their authenticity based on the trust they place in the source. Consequently, it becomes crucial to trace the origin of an image to understand its reality. However, in today’s modern world, with the abundance of altered, subjectively taken, and AI-generated images, discerning the authenticity behind them becomes increasingly challenging.

Many argue that documentary photography is the most realistic form of photography. This perception stems from the association of documentary photographs with capturing the truth. When these photographs appear in well-known media sources like the Discovery Channel or National Geographic, which have a reputation for “telling the truth,” people are more inclined to believe them. Individuals are more likely to trust photographs and videos depicting unfamiliar places or things they have not encountered before. For example, an American who has never traveled outside their country may have a limited perspective of what reality looks like based on their everyday experiences. Thus, they find photographs of an unseen area more believable. In the absence of personal visits, photographs and stories serve as evidence of the existence of those places. However, this is where questions arise, such as “Can we truly trust photographs?”

The truthfulness of a documentary photograph is not guaranteed solely because the photographer identifies as a documentary photographer. Multiple factors come into play when capturing photographs in a documentary context, and many people fail to realize that photographers, especially those working for prominent media companies, often focus on specific topics that are interesting and eye-catching. For instance, in an urban area of a foreign country, a documentary photographer may choose to photograph homeless or economically disadvantaged individuals. This does not imply that the entire area is exclusively populated by such individuals. However, due to the selective nature of documenting, we are led to believe a particular version of the truth—a representation of how a certain place appears without actually experiencing it. This does not mean the photographer is intentionally presenting a false view of the area, but the limited focus and selective approach can lead to misinterpretations.

Regarding the photographs themselves, although some documentary photographs are un-staged and capture spontaneous moments, providing a sense of authenticity, it is essential to acknowledge that purposefully staged photographs can also be included in documentary photography. How a photographer frames a shot, how they choose to edit the photographs by cropping, altering, or adding filters, contradicts the notion of complete authenticity. On the other hand, unedited or raw photographs may not grab viewers’ attention as much as edited ones. One might be perceived as more realistic than the other, although both depict the same subject. The intentional alterations made during editing aim to create a certain mood and elicit specific emotional responses from viewers, something that an unedited photograph may not achieve to the same extent.

Past Image altering

Above is an image by Robert Capa, depicting a Spanish soldier on the front lines of the Spanish Civil War. This photograph is Capa’s most famous work, gaining popularity due to allegations that it was “faked” or staged. The story goes that Capa was tasked with photographing soldiers during the civil war. However, since there was little action at the time, Capa allegedly asked the soldiers to simulate being shot. Unfortunately, as the soldiers emerged from their hiding spot to act out Capa’s request, they were spotted by the attackers and the soldier in the photograph was actually shot. This event highlights that as early as 1936 (and even earlier), photographs were not always true representations of reality. While photographers were limited in their ability to alter images, they could still manipulate the actual events captured. This manipulation could involve asking subjects to act or pretend in certain ways. Although the truth behind the image raises questions about the authenticity and harshness of war, the photograph remains impactful in delivering its message. Without knowledge of the story behind it, viewers will see what is presented to them. However, understanding the meaning behind the image can change a viewer’s response. Nevertheless, the initial emotional response a person experiences when looking at a photograph remains valuable.

Pablo Picasso Famously said “art is a lie that makes us realize truth” my interpretation of this quote is that art being created by a human, and being created by another person, whatever it is they create, photographs or paintings, that will be a representation of that persons reality. However, usually why artists do that is to make more people feel what they have felt, representing their own reality. These feeling are potential triggers to another persons truth and are truthful to them.

In the texts I have read, I found myself intrigued by several questions. One of them is whether manipulation is the first association that comes to mind when people think of photography, and what implications this has for the value of a photograph as a reflection of reality. Additionally, there is the question of what an authentic photograph really looks like.

Defining a “real” photograph proves to be a challenge because, on one hand, an image can become a physical object once it is printed. However, when it is viewed, it is displayed on various devices, which introduces another layer of transformation and interpretation. This ambiguity arises from the subjectivity of what the image represents. There is no definitive way to determine what a real photograph is in absolute terms.

While a photograph may strive to capture the essence of reality, it is ultimately influenced by the photographer’s vision. The photographer’s interpretation and creative choices play a vital role in shaping their version of reality within the image. Therefore, an authentic photograph can be seen as a representation of the photographer’s perspective and their unique interpretation of the world.

Influence of images

In today’s world, the problem of images representing a false reality and being perceived as the truth is becoming increasingly common. For example, when planning vacations, people often come across edited photographs that misrepresent the actual appearance of destinations. This creates a disconnect when they visit these places and find that the reality doesn’t match what was presented in the photographs. Alterations in colors, timing, and mood can change the perception of a place in images, but the place itself remains unchanged.

The widespread dissemination of non-truthful images across media is a growing concern, particularly for younger generations. Altered images of celebrities and models create unrealistic beauty standards, impacting individuals’ self-perception. For example, in magazines like Vogue, significant alterations are made to photoshoot images. This manipulation leads viewers to believe the edited version represents reality, unaware of the original photograph’s appearance. While cameras capture reality, photographs can be altered, highlighting the need for critical media literacy.

In the case of photographs from the same shoot featuring Lady Gaga, there is a noticeable difference between the image on the left and the image on the right. While lighting and angles play a role, the significant alteration occurs through editing and other forms of manipulation. Many individuals, without seeing the original unedited image, might assume that the edited image on the right is unaltered, as they are unaware of how the original photograph appeared. Thus, while a camera can capture reality, the reality portrayed in a photograph can be altered through manipulation.

According to the website https://movableink.com/blog/29-incredible-stats-that-prove-the-power-of-visual-marketing, our brains are naturally inclined towards visual information, with 90% of the information processed by the brain being visual. The human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text, taking only 13 milliseconds to process an image. This explains why incorporating images into different platforms, including newspapers, can enhance storytelling and aid in better comprehension. Due to the brain’s quick processing of images, people tend to accept them without much questioning. As a result, social media platforms, in particular, often see the circulation of false images due to the tendency to accept visuals without scrutinizing their authenticity.

Henri Cartier-Bresson, who was born on August 22nd, 1908 in the northwestern region of France, is widely recognized as one of the most impactful photographers in history due to his unique and curious approach to capturing portraits, and is an early user of 35mm film. His renowned photobook, titled ‘The Decisive Moment,’ stands as an iconic example within its genre, delving into his exceptional skill in capturing spontaneous moments in street photography. The Decisive Moment is a term coined by Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Initially drawn to the world of painting and drawing, Bresson’s creative journey took a turn towards photography due to limited access to art supplies. Through photography and capturing images, he discovered his true passion. Motivated by a fervent desire to combat Fascism, Cartier-Bresson eagerly volunteered for the war effort and was assigned to a film and photography unit in Metz, France, in 1940. However, his aspirations were cut short when he was captured by the Germans shortly after enlisting, leading to a three-year period of captivity.

Despite two unsuccessful escape attempts, Bresson eventually found refuge in a nearby farmhouse. Throughout the remainder of the war, he dedicated himself to aiding others in their liberation while simultaneously documenting the occupation of France using his cherished Leica camera. Recognizing his talent and vision, the American Office of War Information commissioned Cartier-Bresson to create a documentary titled “La Retour” (1946), focusing on the return of French prisoners. This documentary became the centerpiece of his first solo exhibition, held at the Museum of Modern Art in 1947. Remarkably, the exhibition had initially been planned as a retrospective, as Cartier-Bresson had been mistakenly presumed dead. However, the artist defied expectations by being very much alive and present at the exhibition’s opening.

At its core, the book conveys Cartier-Bresson’s conviction that within every captured scene, there exists a crucial moment that holds tremendous significance. This moment, according to him, relies on an instinctive intuition and a profound understanding of composition and visual appeal, qualities that Cartier-Bresson believes are indispensable for any photographer.

The book showcases Cartier-Bresson’s mastery of candid street photography, where he captures spontaneous and fleeting moments with his keen eye and impeccable timing. It emphasizes his belief in the importance of intuition, composition, and aesthetic value in creating compelling photographs.

Through a collection of his iconic images and insightful writings, Cartier-Bresson conveys the power of photography as a medium for storytelling and capturing the essence of human experience. The book serves as an inspiration and guide for aspiring photographers, encouraging them to develop their own artistic vision and be ready to capture the decisive moment whenever it arises. this inspires me and will use this advise taken from his photographs, to capture decisive moment while photographing people on the streets of St Malo.

Nostalgia is a feeling we experience on a daily, which is a sentimental longing for the past. We tend to think about the past sentimentally as some memories are comforting and make us feel good when looking back on them. Because we already know what has happened, even it is not reality anymore, but an illusion in someone’s mind, it still is truthful to that person. it is easier to think of the past as that already happened, where if a person thinks of the future, it is an abstract thought that is not real or truthful, meaning the future or thinking about the future is unsteady and not certain to happen. Nobody knows what is going to happen in the future, therefore it is much more comforting to think about the past.

Above I’ve created a mood board of what to me nostalgic photographs look like. some are of a places that give a comforting feeling, or are a documentative photographs of places that no longer exist, for example someone’s bedroom from the 90s, where all items are a description of that time. some other photographs I’ve included are of people doing activities that are nostalgic to them, like roller-coaster rides. I think the photographs that look the most nostalgic to me are more old fashioned photographs, that would be taken with a film camera, as they have an older feel to them. Same with images purposely edited to give that similar effect.

As people feel good when they think of positive memories, most of the photographs are of happy moments or moments that a person can look back on in a positive way. This is why I think to capture nostalgia in photographs, it should represent a place or person in a positive, cheerful way, so that when another person is looking at it, the photograph also connects to their nostalgic past.

Above I’ve created a mind map of what the potential “triggers”, which are categories that would make people think of a specific memory because of a certain specific smell, experience, food etc. It is a certain thing that links to memories, for example when eating a certain food, the taste could remind a person of a time when they tasted that for the first time.

People- a person can bring back memories in all kinds of ways, for example not seeing a family member or an old friend for a long time, then suddenly visiting them again in the future would bring back nostalgic memories of what you did with that person in the past. even not seeing a person for a long time alone, could make someone nostalgic of them, and start to miss them as they are a reminder of the past.

Food- following a similar concept of not experiencing a certain taste for a long time can cause not only longing for the food but also for the memories that are linked to the taste. for example being a child ad having warm milk before you go to sleep would be a link to a pleasant memory of laying down in the covers or watching tv etc., then by having warm milk as an adult, this could trigger the memory of when you would have it as a child.

Places- places is quite a broad one as every memory happens in some sort of place, however by going back to a place you grew up in will make you nostalgic of memories that were formed in that place, especially if someone was to move somewhere and left “home” behind, visiting then makes it more meaningful. in everyday life, when we are unable to visit a childhood place, which could be a comfort zone, what often some might do is find new places that give a similar feeling as the past one, and find a new home in them.

Media- this is tv commercials, music, movies, or any other media material. Seeing a movie that you once saw before will bring back the memories of maybe the people you were with or the place. same with music, when you randomly would be reminded of a song that you forgot even existed, the sound will sound similar and bring back memories associated with that song, like what life stage you were at, who you were with, first time hearing the song, etc.

Experiences- Again experiences are quite broad as any of the past, places, people, music, all like to past experiences, as all memories are experiences, however doing a certain activity, like sailing, could bring memories of doing this for the first time or in the past in general.

Scent- Scent could also come in the pair of food, as scent is very recognisable when your eating a food. but maybe the smell of the place or even a person, which could be the actual place or person from the past or a new place or person, could trigger a though of experiencing that in the past. for example the smell of fresh backed bread in a bakery, could be a link to another place you would visit in the past of a similar smell.

the images were an attempt to recreate his childhood memories of Fort Regent.

“I have tried to picture things not as they were, but in the strange ways they appear in dreams and hallucinations.” he said he remembers it intensely but owning just a handful of photographs.

As he has autism, he states how much it effects the love and passion he has for Fort Reagent. he said many autistic people have a certain love for specific things, like birds or trains but his is for Fort Regent.

Alongside photography he wanted to experiment with the new potential offered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. he wanted to see if he could visualise concepts from just outside reality – by creating collages from photographs and using them as a basis for the Al to respond to. he said There was a lot of trial and error but eventually he made something arguably closer to how he remembers it.

What i like of what he said that some memories are like stories, “some explode in intense fragments of colour and sensation.” “In my mind the Fort can be a place that is alive with the flashing lights of the funfair, the neon hum of video game arcades, cascading fountains of light and water.” this descriptive description shows the longing he has for the past. shows the nostalgia of the place fort reagent. this exhibition is a response to the nostalgia he has for his childhood. this is what makes other people viewing his work nostalgic is well as it forces a person to think on their past. how it makes me feel is not only nostalgic for my own past , but i try to link my childhood with the images, bringing positive memories.

What I like most about his images is how they make me feel uncomfortable but intrigued. every landscape is surreal and out worldly yet it has a sense of comfort in them. they are great representations of dreams as they show that anything is possible. I like how some images are just slightly distorted but you can still tell what the image is of, like with the above image where the only thing that makes the image look abstract is the sky and water, but in others, like the photograph next to it, it is an image representing something, but it’s unclear what that something is. all the shapes and colour make sense but their rearrangement confuses. that’s the images I find most fascinating, the ones that need the viewer to write their own story to them.

As he used AI to produce these images, he said haw over the 2 to 3 years of working on them, AI has grown massively and it threatens to have huge implications for art, culture and even what we understand as the truth of reality.

he said AI is appropriate for what he is trying to do, which is to recreate the way his mind jumbles things together to create memories. he said autism affects his imagination where he cant come up with anything new, but can come up with creative combinations of things seen before. looking at an AI image he has to question how much is reflecting in it of his past and how he remembers it.

This image above is very interesting to me as although there are some distorted shapes to guide you of what’s happening, it is entirely up to the viewer to make a judgement of the scene. different people will see this image as different scenes. as I spoke to my friend he said he saw a merry go round ride, and showed me why he thinks that, suggesting that some of the shapes represent horses and people. I found that interesting as I saw something different, I saw a restaurant on a late night, where people are dinning in, being sat by the tables. This concept is interesting because the image is so abstract that it is unclear what it shows, giving the viewer full freedom of deciding what it could be. this concept links to dreams in general because many might have a basic idea of what they saw in the dream or what they dreamed about, but can’t fully picture it. it feels like a blurred and distant memory, and although the concept of what the dream was about is there, many cant see it in detail. “When you revisit an old memory it isn’t important for everything to make sense.” this quote relates to this image and explains quite why it looks so abstract.

Looking back at the beginnings of the portraiture outcomes, I gained a good understanding of environmental portraiture, as I have done a lot of research on the topic, I knew how to approach this task. I remember this was also not a comfortable photoshoot to do, as I approached strangers in their working environment. However because I did that I was able to make many different photographs, and the outcomes varied from each other, the downside of this was that I needed to be quick so although there was a big variety, there was roughly 2-3 photographs per person produced. this narrowed down my picks as some images came out blurred. The easiest part about this was to create a theme between them and edit them in order so it suits the place and person.

another form of environmental portraits i have created was of the school show. this was another difficult photoshoot, as when it came to taking the pictures i had to not only focus on producing images for my blog and for artistic purposed, but also to produce images for the school. I am happy I did it as it allowed me to have outcomes that give me a contrast to other items, and are different then other images , produced by me or others. when looking at images usually produced by me, they followed my style, therefore what I didn’t like about this was that the subject I was photographing was not my style at all, rather a documentative photography. however the outcome the photograph I am most proud of and like the most is the bello image on the left, this is because it may even be a sort of performance act as the actress stood still for a while, giving me time to capture it, other images from the shoot have more movement in them, but this one is rather calm.

Out of the whole environmental portraiture project, I was most disappointed in not creating a photoshoot responding to Michelle Sank. as I ran out of time, I still wanted to create images that look similar to hers. I found her work very interesting. hence I did a detailed study of her work. although i didn’t produce a response to her work, I still learned many values from studying her.

Another outcomes I think are les successful are the environmental portraits done around school, this is because to me the simply look like ordinary photographs, and I haven’t put much effort or thought before taking them. to someone these may look like good photographs as they can create a new story to them, but because I know the original thought wasn’t intriguing, they loose value.

Focusing on studio portraits, was a good learning experience for me, as I was able to focus on the importance of different camera setting and the different effects they would have on the subject being photographed.

I prefer the bellow pictures rather then ideas exploring different lighting.

Although the bellow pictures show the main lighting ideas, i think depending on the person being photographed , different lighting would suit other in different ways. I like learning and exploring these different lighting as I was able to make a decision on which one I prefer to use. this is why my favourite image from bellow is the one on the far left, which was Rembrandt lighting.

As I had a go at producing a diamond cameo example, I think it turned out quite successful as comparing to the example image that I was basing it of, it looked very similar. What I would have done differently is to make an outline on the photograph as it blends in with the website, or have shadows around the oval faces, so that they stand out more.

I really like colour in my photographs, therefore when it came to experimenting with coloured gels it was very fun. I am disappointed that I haven’t produced more outcomes, maybe with a different models and poses. as I stuck to quite strict , straight and serious poses. I am happy that I was able to change these pictures then later as a digital shutter speed experimentation, because this is what made them a bit more interesting photographs.

As I experimented with shutter speed, I’m glad I did a digital version as well as a real life version of the outcomes. I have learnt the adjustment that are needed to be made in order to create the bellow image on the camera. it was quite tricky to do as there were many fails during my first attempts, however the second time I have got around to experimenting with the technique again, the outcomes were much better. with this photoshoot I didn’t have many intentions of how it would turn out, simply because it is hard to predict how a photograph will be taken by the camera, but i am the most happy with the image bellow.

Photographs that I have taken to relate them to an artist reference study were so successful that I decided to include the bellow one as my final image. although I didn’t produce an overall many photographs from the shoot, I has 1-2 that stood out. Why I like about the whole response as a whole is that I was inspired to try something similar to the artist, but I haven’t done everything exactly the same. I like how I was able to be influenced by the idea but though of another approach to the effect.

Finally the last photoshoot responding to femininity and self identity had outcomes that varied aesthetically. This was because of the style of editing I have chosen. the bottom 3 images didn’t really relate to the artist study I have done, although I have been inspired by the artist before, the outcomes didn’t look exactly like the artists work. However why I love these photographs, especially displayed in a sequence bellow, because of how well they fit with what I was trying to achieve. What my intentions were was to make photographs that feel very feminine as well as meaningful and images that have a storyline that flows. these have these qualities, however the only thing I would change I the technical aspects when taking the pictures. I wanted to achieve a dreamy effect and these do just that, but technically taking photographs against the light is quite tricky on the camera. it was hard to add on a dreamy, soft looking filter on top of an image without it blurring it as it was. this is why the far right image is not in much focus especially on the face it is hard to figure out the image, as there’s only shadows for the main features of the face.

What I’m most happy with was how the bellow image links so well to a classical historic painting of this field. I was aware of the traditional artwork that used to be made, and I thought that that would link to responding to femininity, especially because I was exploring traditional view on women and the exaggeration of it. I think this image was very successful as it responds to the artist very well and even looking at the technical aspects, is a good quality photograph. This photograph also met my expectations as it showed a traditional look on women, especially how they were seen in art, and historic art.

Overall the outcome I’m most happy with out of the whole portraiture project are the photographs most recently produced, as a response to femininity and self identity. This is because I have given the most meaning to them and story. However what I noticed is that the most unsuccessful photographs were the ones that I don’t have a good relationship with. where I might have not thought about them well enough or meaning.