The Patent Diamond Cameo photograph was registered by F.R. Window of London in 1864. Four small oval portraits (1″ x 3/4“) were placed on a carte de visite in the shape of a diamond, each portrait being of the same person photographed in a different position. A special camera made by Dallmeyer was used in which the one glass negative was moved to a new position in the back of camera after each portrait had been taken, and when the paper print had been pasted on the card a special press was used to punch the four portraits up into a convex cameo shape.
Step 1: First I uploaded my preferred picture from my headshots photography folder into an A4 paper in photoshop.
Step 2: Next I selected the elliptical marque tool and created an oval shape on the subject face, making sure I include most of the face. Then I selected the move tool and moved the oval shape which created a cut out of the face of the subject.
Step 3: Shortly after cropping the oval shape of the subjects face, I moved the tab at the top where the picture is and then created a new plain A4 tab. I grabbed the cut out and placed it on the plain A4 paper.
Step 4: I repeated this three more times to create a that Diamond cameo. Then pressing on each cut out I wanted to blend in the pictures, so I right clicked on my mouse and selected blending options and selected all the blending options below. However adding blending is completely an option.
In photography a multiple exposure is the superimposition of two or more exposures to create a single image, and double exposure has a corresponding meaning in respect of two images. The exposure values may or may not be identical to each other. Its the the repeated exposure of a photographic plate or film to light, often producing ghost like images.
This is a style of photography is a technique that layers two different exposures on a single image, combining two photographs into one. Double exposure creates a surreal feeling for your photos and the two photographs can work together to convey deep meaning or symbolism.
Double or multiple exposures are an illusion created by layering images over the top of each other. Artists have used these techniques to explore surrealist Ideas and evoke dream-like imagery, or imagery that explores time / time lapse – as if they were a ghost.
Photomontage is an artistic practice that has endured almost since the birth of photography itself. At its most basic level, the photomontage is a single image combined of two or more images. Photomontage is the process and the result of making a composite photograph by cutting, gluing, rearranging and overlapping two or more photographs into a new image. Sometimes the resulting composite image is photographed so that the final image may appear as a seamless physical print. Its a montage constructed from photographic images and uses the technique of constructing a photomontage.
My response:
Why is photomontage important?
It was first used as a technique by the Dadaists in 1915 in their protests against the First World War. It was later adopted by the surrealists who exploited the possibilities photomontage offered by using free association to bring together widely disparate images, to reflect the workings of the unconscious mind.
In my headshots I am going to use a range of photographers to inspire my work so that I can make my images more appealing to viewers, more creative and look more professional.
Thomas Ruff: Artist Research
I would like to use inspiration from Thomas Ruff’s work as his images resemble a passport photo using the deadpan aesthetic. This would be the criteria for his subjects.
Eyes must be open and clearly visible, with no flash reflections and no ‘red eye’
Facial expression must be neutral (neither frowning nor smiling), with the mouth closed
Photos must show both edges of the face clearly
Photos must show a full front view of face and shoulders, squared to the camera
The face and shoulder image must be centred in the photo; the subject must not be looking over one shoulder (portrait style), or tilting their head to one side or backwards or forwards
There must be no hair across the eyes
hats or head coverings are not permitted except when worn for religious reasons and only if the full facial features are clearly visible
Photos with shadows on the face are unacceptable
Photos must reflect/represent natural skin tone
I personally like this technique of headshots as they look extremely formal, very clean and you can see every part of their face without having to make the detailing photographers are pressured to do to make it unique which makes it bland but appealing as it is different. However, no facial expressions, no accessories and no background may make it difficult for the viewer to understand and read the model as who they are or what the image is about itself. Therefore, this technique is very controversial but I personally like its features no matter the value.
RUFF’S IMAGES
The Deadpan Aesthetic
The word “Deadpan” can be traced to 1927 when Vanity Fair Magazine compounded the words dead and pan, a slang word for a face, and used it as a noun. In 1928 the New York Times used it as adjective to describe the work of Buster Keaton, however Thomas Ruff familiarised himself with this aesthetic i his work too.
Deadpan photography shows people in their natural state, emotionless and detached. These subjects are not posed, are not dressed up for the occasion, and seem completely honest. I really like this aspect because it gives a tone of authenticity to the work and broadcasts people in the real world truthfully.
This style originated in Germany and is descended from Neue Sachlichkeit, New Objectivity, a German art movement of the 1920s that influenced the photographer August Sander who systematically documented the people of the Weimar Republic.
Deadpan portraits are typically shot in a straightforward, uncontrived manner. The photographer does not use any special angles, lighting, or props to create an emotional or dramatic effect. Instead, the subject is simply captured as they are, in their natural environment.
In my work, I could use coloured gels to add more life and saturation into the image as my subjects will be emotionless.
Bruce Gilden:
Bruce Gilden is an American street photographer. He is best known for his candid close-up photographs of people on the streets of New York City, using a flashgun. He has had various books of his work published, has received the European Publishers Award for Photography and is a Guggenheim Fellow.
Bruce Gilden is one of the most iconic street photographers known for his confrontational and graphic images of a close-up subject. His work is around this due to being fascinated by the life on the streets and the complicated and captivating motion it involves in his childhood. His work has a high degree of intimacy and directness which have become signature in his work called FACE. Typically, people used are not the average person and have blemishes or look uncomfortable/awkward. Many people may say he is the most aggressive street photographer due to the rawness and realness of his images.
I like this aspect of his work because once again it documents the reality of life on the streets of places such as America, Great Britain, and Colombia during 2012-14
Personally, I like these images as they keep natural and realistic without using texture to make them look smoother. This could link to social media effect and how society is not realistic whereas his photos remind everyone they are.
Gilden’s Images
Man Ray:
Man Ray took multi exposure photographs which is something that greatly intrigues me in my work as they provide a great sense of mystery to the viewer and have a large sense of detailing to eye catch the viewer. I also personally feel that the images this technique creates can resemble identity depending on how the subject is represented, such as this:
Usually, to take multi-exposure photographs you:
Take your first photo. The camera shutter opens to expose the film to one image, then closes.
Photomontage is the process and the result of making a composite photograph by cutting, gluing, rearranging and overlapping two or more photographs into a new image.
Double or multiple exposures are an illusion created by layering images (or portions of images) over the top of each other. This can be achieved in the camera settings, or on Adobe Photoshop by creating LAYERS and then using BLENDING OPTIONS and OPACITY CONTROL. Artist have used these techniques to explore Surrealist Ideas and evoke dream-like imagery, or imagery that explores time / time lapse.
Since 1959 Bernd and Hilla Becher have been photographing industrial structures that exemplify modernist engineering, such as gas reservoirs and water towers. Their photographs are often presented in groups of similar design; their repeated images make these everyday buildings seem strangely imposing and alien. Idris Khan’s Every… Bernd And Hilla Becher… series appropriates the Bechers’ imagery and compiles their collections into single super-images. In this piece, multiple images of American-style gabled houses are digitally layered and super-imposed giving the effect of an impressionistic drawing or blurred film still.
In my headshots I am going to use a range of photographers to inspire my work so that I can make my images more exciting and mysterious.
Thomas Ruff:
I would like to use inspiration from Thomas Ruff’s work as his images resemble a passport photo using the deadpan aesthetic. This would be the criteria for his subjects.
eyes must be open and clearly visible, with no flash reflections and no ‘red eye’
facial expression must be neutral (neither frowning nor smiling), with the mouth closed
photos must show both edges of the face clearly
photos must show a full front view of face and shoulders, squared to the camera
the face and shoulder image must be centred in the photo; the subject must not be looking over one shoulder (portrait style), or tilting their head to one side or backwards or forwards
there must be no hair across the eyes
hats or head coverings are not permitted except when worn for religious reasons and only if the full facial features are clearly visible
photos with shadows on the face are unacceptable
photos must reflect/represent natural skin tone
I really like this form because the photographs produced are clean cut and look extremely formal.
The Deadpan Aesthetic:
The word “Deadpan” can be traced to 1927 when Vanity Fair Magazine compounded the words dead and pan, a slang word for a face, and used it as a noun. In 1928 the New York Times used it as adjective to describe the work of Buster Keaton, however Thomas Ruff familiarised himself with this aesthetic i his work too.
Deadpan photography shows people in their natural state, emotionless and detached. These subjects are not posed, are not dressed up for the occasion, and seem completely honest. I really like this aspect because it gives a tone of authenticity to the work and broadcasts people in the real world truthfully.
This style originated in Germany and is descended from Neue Sachlichkeit, New Objectivity, a German art movement of the 1920s that influenced the photographer August Sander who systematically documented the people of the Weimar Republic.
Deadpan portraits are typically shot in a straightforward, uncontrived manner. The photographer does not use any special angles, lighting, or props to create an emotional or dramatic effect. Instead, the subject is simply captured as they are, in their natural environment.
In my work, I could use coloured gels to add more life and saturation into the image as my subjects will be emotionless.
Bruce Gilden:
Bruce Gilden is one of the most iconic street photographers known for his confrontational and graphic images of a close-up subject. His work is around this due to being fascinated by the life on the streets and the complicated and captivating motion it involves in his childhood. His work has a high degree of intimacy and directness which have become signature in his work called FACE. Typically, people used are not the average person and have blemishes or look uncomfortable/awkward. Many people may say he is the most aggressive street photographer due to the rawness and realness of his images.
I like this aspect of his work because once again it documents the reality of life on the streets of places such as America, Great Britain, and Colombia during 2012-14
Man Ray:
Man Ray took multi exposure photographs which is something that greatly intrigues me in my work as they provide a great sense of mystery to the viewer. I also personally feel that the images this technique creates can resemble identity depending on how the subject is represented, such as this:
Man Ray made his “rayographs” without a camera by placing objects-such as the thumbtacks, coil of wire, and other circular forms used here-directly on a sheet of photosensitized paper and exposing it to light.
Usually, to take multi-exposure photographs you:
Take your first photo. The camera shutter opens to expose the film to one image, then closes.
Rewind the film and take your second photo.
Develop both images in one photo
Examples of his work:
Surrealism:
Man ray was a surrealist photographer, which is what multi-exposure photography stems from. Artist have used these techniques to explore Surrealist Ideas and evoke dream-like imagery, or imagery that explores time / time lapse.
Surrealism aims to revolutionise human experience. It balances a rational vision of life with one that asserts the power of the unconscious and dreams. The movement’s artists find magic and strange beauty in the unexpected and the uncanny forms of the human face, the disregarded and the unconventional.
This art form was developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I. The art produced depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself.
It can be described as : “psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express – verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner – the actual functioning of thought.” – André Breton said this which can be more simply defined as an artists way of seeing past reason and rationality, thinking outside the box into something that makes the viewer question the image. This can be described as a dream-like art form.
Here I decided to experiment with my headshots I had taken previously. To do this, I first opened up a landscape, blank page on photoshop then used the bucket tool to make the page black. I then opened up the image I wanted to use and selected the quick select tool and went around the outline of the person. I then pressed layer via copy and dragged my cut out onto the black page. I repeated this step until I had the desired amount of people on my page. Next, I changed the opacity of some of the images to create the sense of depth. Finally, I went onto adjustments, cinematic and then experimented with giving my photographs a blue or sepia tone.
In my photoshoot I am going to produce some Diamond Cameo photographs of my models. I will do this by taking four separate portraits of my models and editing them onto the same document in photoshop.
Double/ Multi-exposure-
Double or multiple exposures are an illusion created by layering images over the top of each other. This can be achieved in the camera settings, or on Adobe Photoshop by creating LAYERS and then using BLENDING OPTIONS and OPACITY CONTROL. Artist have used these techniques to explore surrealist Ideas and evoke dream-like imagery, or imagery that explores time / time lapse.
1989.55.12 001
Juxtaposition-
Juxtaposition is placing two images together to show contrast or similarities. For example, portraits of Henry Mullins and Michelle Sank are juxtaposed to show comparison/ similarities/ differences between different social and professional classes in Jersey mid-19th century and early 21st century.
Juxtapose images can be according to shapes, colours, repetition, object vs portrait.
Sequence/ Grid-
Henry Mullins make sequences/ grids, which are pages and re- constructed contact-sheets from his portrait albums.
Montage-
Photomontage is the process and the result of making a composite photograph by cutting, gluing, rearranging and overlapping two or more photographs into a new image.
I am going to attempt to create each one of these techniques with my headshots. I will achieve this by taking multiple photos in the studio and editing them in Lightroom. Finally, I will do each technique in photoshop.
