Femininity:

The social expectations of being a women. It refers to the roles, behaviours and attributes that are considered appropriate for girls and women in a given society.

Masculinity:

The social expectations of being a man. It refers to the roles, behaviours and attributes that are considered appropriate for boys and men in a given society.

Summary

Femininity and masculinity are a binary opposite, which means they are relative terms, which mean the opposite. Examples of binary opposites:

• Good vs Evil

• Light vs Dark

• Young vs Old

• Peace vs War

Binary opposition originated in Saussurean structuralist theory in Linquistics (scientific study of language). According to Ferdinand de Saussure, binary opposition is the system by which, in language and thought, two theoretical opposites are strictly defined and set off against one another. Using binary opposites can often be very helpful in generating ideas for a photographic project as it provides a framework, which provides a set of boundaries to work within.

Influences on Gender

Someone’s femininity or masculinity may be influenced by the place they live, or the upbringing they have. This can be due to different cultures, society, workplace etc. Culture can influence gender identity (femininity and masculinity), because it can either maximise (women should be a mother and housewife), minimise (men and women are seen as equals in most things, but not all, so there are still some set rules for each gender) or eliminate gender completely (men and women are totally equal and have no set roles). This shows that femininity and masculinity is just a made up construct and stereotypes are not always correct, but can also sometimes be more pushed depending on culture, upbringing, place or origin etc. Some examples of stereotypes that push the idea of femininity and masculinity are:

• Women are supposed to be housewives and mothers

• Men are supposed to be tough and strong

• Men are supposed to singularly provide

• Women are not supposed to be business women

Stereotypes are societies way of influencing gender (femininity and masculinity), because it promotes a certain standard that ‘everyone should follow by.’ Society causes some people to follow these stereotypes, because it makes them seem more socially desirable. This means that society can cause women to be more feminine, or men to be more masculine, even if that is not what they want or how they feel.

However, there are many groups in society, which do the opposite, such as pride. Pride promotes that you can be yourself, so if a man feels more feminine he can be, or if a women feels more masculine she can be.

Even workplaces can sometimes promote or not promote femininity and masculinity. Some workplaces may believe that business women do not have time for kids, family or a relationship at the moment, as they are so business orientated. This goes against the female stereotype that women should not work, because they should be a housewife and raise their children. Stereotypically they are now seen as less feminine and more masculine, because the men are stereotypically seen as the workers and providers.

Claude Cahun

Claude Cahun, born Lucy Schwob was a French photographer, sculptor, and writer. Cahun changed her name from Lucy to Claude, because Claude is a gender neutral name, meaning it can be used for a women or a man. She did this to experiment with gender fluidity. She is best known for her self-portraits in which she assumes a variety of personas, including dandy, weight lifter, aviator, and doll. The Jersey Heritage Trust collection represents the largest repository of the artistic work of Cahun who moved to the Jersey in 1937 with her stepsister and lover Marcel Moore. She was imprisoned and sentenced to death in 1944 for activities in the resistance during the Occupation. However, Cahun survived and she was almost forgotten until the late 1980s, and much of her and Moore’s work was destroyed by the Nazis, who requisitioned their home. Cahun died in 1954 of ill health (some contribute this to her time in German captivity) and Moore killed herself in 1972. They  are both buried together in St Brelade’s churchyard.

In this image, Cahun has shaved her head and is dressed in men’s clothing. She did this to defy conventional ideals of beauty and femininity, so she could show society that she didn’t have to be extremely feminine to still be beautiful. She once explained: “Under this mask, another mask; I will never finish removing all these faces.” This can be interpreted as that there are so many different levels to her all hidden beyond the surface and that just because of how she looked it does not have an impact on her personality or beauty.

Cahun was friends with many Surrealist artists and writers; André Breton once called her “one of the most curious spirits of our time.”

While many male Surrealists depicted women as objects of male desire, Cahun staged images of herself that challenged the idea of the politics of gender. Cahun was championing the idea of gender fluidity.  She was exploring her identity, not defining it. Her self-portraits often interrogates space, such as domestic interiors  and Jersey landscapes using rock crevasses and granite gate.

In 2017 the National Portrait Gallery in London staged a major exhibition Gillian Wearing and Claude Cahun: Behind the Mask, Another Mask showing their work together for the first time. Slipping between genders and personae in their photographic self-images, Wearing and Cahun become others while inventing themselves. “We were born in different times, we have different concerns, and we come from different backgrounds. She didn’t know me, yet I know her,” Wearing says, paying homage to Cahun and acknowledging her presence. The bigger question the exhibition might ask is less how we construct identities for ourselves than what is this thing called presence?

In the image on the left it is Cahun is the model and the photographer. In the image on the right the model and photographer is Gillian Wearing, who was inspired by Cahun and her experimenting with gender fluidity when it was dangerous and not accepted in her time. In this photographic self-portrait, Gillian recreates Cahun’s self-portrait from the ‘I Am In Training Don’t Kiss Me’ series which Claude made in 1927. She did this by photographing her creation a mask that looks like Claude Cahun’s face in the series and then holding another mask to her right which is a replica of her own face.

‘We are only just catching up to her’

Gillian Wearing said this about Claude Cahun, which suggests how Cahun was so ahead of her time, while she was experimenting with gender and gender fluidity. She is now a huge inspiration to modern day people, like the LGBTQ community.

I agree with Wearing’s statement here, because society were only just starting to accept people who had the same beliefs as Cahun, and it is now much more normal and accepted, whereas in Cahun’s time it was dangerous to experiment with gender fluidity and to have her belief’s. However, Cahun still did this and presented it to the world.

Cahun represents the idea that masculinity and femininity do not have to be defined and that anyone can be either feminine or masculine, no matter their gender. She shows this by looking and creating more masculine artwork of herself, a women, to really push the idea that femininity or masculinity are not a main factor in beauty and anyone can beautiful either way. She pushes the idea of gender fluidity, which means she can either be masculine or feminine depending on what she wants and finds beautiful at the time. This supports her analogy of her endless masks, because it shows that she will forever keep changing and will never stay the same, especially not just for social approval.

Image Analysis

This photograph was taken by Claude Cahun and is of Claude Cahun. However, she is dressed up and becoming another ‘character’, or ‘version of herself’, as she is ‘removing another mask.’ This image really looks into the topic of femininity and masculinity, because Cahun (a women), who should be seen as more feminine according to society standards, actually looks much more masculine. She looks much more masculine, because she has short hair, a suit and even the pose she is in is making her look more masculine. The mirror being used as a prop also enhances Cahun’s masculinity in this photograph, because it shows Cahuns facial structure very well in the pose that she is in, and the pose makes her facial and bone structure look more masculine here. This suggests that stereotypes are not always correct for everyone and that gender fluidity is important to Cahun. This also suggests that individually Cahun is not like stereotypes either and that she is gender fluid, because she is more masculine, even though she is actually a female.

This photograph of Cahun’s also looks into the themes of masculinity, as Cahun (a women), who should stereotypically look more feminine, actually looks more masculine, because of the stereotype that men should be tough and strong, and should protect the female. Cahun relates to this stereotype, because of the prop she is using. She is using a prop weight in this photograph, which suggests she is strong and tough, which is more of a masculine trait in society. Cahun has dressed up as a more masculine ‘character,’ or another version of herself,’ so she can show society that gender fluidity is a real thing and that stereotypes are not correct most of time and that females can be masculine (vies versa). However, Cahun’s makeup also suggests that she is quite feminine, as women were the only gender that wore make up back in this day as this was what society deemed correct. Cahun wearing feminine make up, while using a more masculine prop really enhances her gender fluidity, as she can be feminine and masculine at the same time. This is proves the stereotype that men are strong and tough and that females are weak and emotional, because her being feminine while carrying the weight, suggests that women can also be just as strong and tough as men can.

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman experiments with different female stereotypes, such as a housewife etc, by masquerading as a myriad of characters. Cindy Sherman (American, born 1954) invents personas and tableaus that examine the construction of identity, the nature of representation, and the artifice of photography. To create her images, she assumes the multiple roles of photographer, model, makeup artist, hairdresser, and stylist. Whether portraying a career girl, a blond bombshell, a fashion victim, a clown, or a society lady of a certain age, for over thirty-five years this relentlessly adventurous artist has created an eloquent and provocative body of work that resonates deeply in our visual culture.

Sherman works in series, and each of her bodies of work is self-contained and internally coherent; yet there are themes that have recurred throughout her career. The exhibition showcases the artist’s individual series and also presents works grouped thematically around such common threads as cinema and performance; horror and the grotesque; myth, carnival, and fairy tales; and gender and class identity.

Cindy Sherman experiments with gender identity and femininity, by show casing the socially desirable female and how different ways culture defines a women.  Her art plays on the feminist idea that gender arises exclusively within culture and deconstructs dominant gender ideologies, representing the underside of popular culture’s definition of “woman.” She exposes the arbitrariness of performativity and presents a variety of female identities that are found within popular culture, and reveals that these are nothing more than constructions. Behind each character there is no central identity. Each is a series of manipulations according to cultural conventions. There is no essential femininity, instead that the whole self is an imaginary construct that can be changed through performativity.

Image Analysis

This photograph of Cindy Sherman, that she also took using equipment such as a timer, looks into the topic of femininity and masculinity, as she is producing many different female stereotypes. Sherman dresses up as many different common stereotypes, like she has in this photo. She has dressed up as a housewife, because a common stereotype is that women should be mothers and housewives. This photo also suggests the idea that she is a mother, because she is looking over her shoulder into the distance, which could suggests she is watching a child, while trying to cook dinner or lunch. We are given the impression she is cooking, from the props, which include salt, dish soap, the handle of a cooking pan etc. This suggests that she is in the kitchen, because this is where all these props are commonly found. Sherman also looks more feminine in this photo, because another stereotype of women is that they should look more feminine, because this is what society deems correct. Sherman presents all these different stereotypes to show that she can be anyone, as she has dressed up and been all of these ‘characters’ and stereotypes. This shows that no one knows the real Cindy Sherman, just like no one knows people beneath their stereotypes.

This image is of Cindy Sherman and also taken by her. This image looks into the theme femininity and masculinity, because it shows a stereotype of women. The stereotype that Sherman is presenting in this image is that women are weak and too emotional. She presents this, by having her crying in this image, with mascara and tears dripping down her face, leaving streaks in her makeup. She also uses props in this photo, which includes a cocktail glass, which suggests she is drinking alcohol, while crying, which suggests that she is having a big meltdown. Another prop is her cigarette in her hand and the lighter on the table, showing that she is very stressed and upset and that she is smoking a cigarette, to try and help her calm down. The mess on the table is also used as a prop to show how distraught and emotional she is, as it looks like tobacco all over the table. This suggests that she was so distraught and crying so much, that she couldn’t really see what she was doing while rolling her cigarette and was spilling it everywhere. She also looks more feminine with makeup and having mascara and makeup streaks while she is crying, because it shows that she is more feminine, as makeup was only worn by women at this time, as that what was deemed correct by society. She is looking more feminine, because another stereotype of women is that they should wear makeup and look more feminine, because that is what society deems expectable. Sherman is becoming this stereotype, as well as all the other stereotypes or ‘characters’ she has become, so she can show everyone that a women could be anyone and so could Cindy Sherman, as no one knows who the real Cindy Sherman is, they just know all the different stereotypes that surround her, which is the same as every women or man, who has been stereotyped.

All the photographs of Cindy Sherman, where she is dressed up as a ‘character’, to present different stereotypes are called Film Still #… This is because each of her photographs were taken from a scene from different movies. This shows how stereotypes were widely spread by the media and society and that this was how women were represented and how stereotypes were massively used and portrayed.

Cindy Sherman and Claude Cahun

Cindy Sherman and Claude Cahun both presented similar work, and did it in a similar way. Both presented different stereotypes in their work, and wanted to fight societies ideas of women and stereotypes. They both did this by becoming the different stereotypes and dressing up as different ‘characters’ to show that they could be anyone and that no one knew the real them. However, they also had differences in their work, as Sherman only portrayed the more feminine stereotypes, whereas Cahun presented both feminine and masculine stereotypes, as she was really pushing the idea of gender fluidity. Sherman also took her stereotypes from stereotypes in different movies or in the media to really present how wide spread these stereotypes are. Whereas, Cahun took her stereotypes from society and challenged society with the different stereotypes, and with gender fluidity, as she became more masculine, when she was a women.

Femininity: The social expectations of being a women. It refers to the qualities or attributes regarded as characteristics of women or girls in a given society.

Masculinity: The social expectations of being a man. It refers to the roles, behaviours and attributes that are considered appropriate for boys and men in a given society.

Summary

Femininity and masculinity are a binary opposite, which means they are relative terms, which mean the opposite. Another example of binary opposites are good vs evil. Binary opposition originated in Saussurean structuralist theory in Linquistics (scientific study of language). According to Ferdinand de Saussure, binary opposition is the system by which, in language and thought, two theoretical opposites are strictly defined and set off against one another. Using binary opposites can often be very helpful in generating ideas for a photographic project as it provides a framework, which provides a set of boundaries to work within.

Identity Politics

Identity politics is a term used to describe people of a particular race, religion, gender, social background, class or another identifying factor and how they are more or less venerable to oppression. Some social groups are more likely to be oppressed, such as women, ethnic minorities or sexual minorities, because they are seen to have less power or privilege. However, some people are less likely to be oppressed and are more favoured are mainly whites, or men, because they are seen to have more power or privilege.

The term was coined by the Combahee River Collective in 1977. It took on widespread usage in the early 1980s, and in the ensuing decades has been employed in myriad cases with radically different connotations dependent upon the term’s context. It has gained currency with the emergence of social activism, manifesting in various dialogues within the feminist, American civil rights, and LGBT movements, disabled groups, as well as multiple nationalist and postcolonial organizations, eg. Black Lives Matter movement.

Culture Wars

Culture wars are cultural conflicts between social groups and the struggle for dominance of their values, beliefs, and practices. It commonly refers to topics on which there is general societal disagreement and polarization in societal values is seen.

The term is commonly used to describe contemporary politics in western democracies  with issues such as abortion, homosexuality, transgender rights, pornography, multiculturalism, racial viewpoints and other cultural conflicts based on values, morality, and lifestyle being described as the major political cleavage.

In the photograph above it is Grayson Perry, who goes on a Big American Road Trip, where he travels across the US, exploring its biggest fault lines, from race to class and identity, making art as he goes along. He travels to the Midwest to find folks bitterly divided over identity politics and hot issues like abortion and vaccination.

Gender Identity

Gender identity is how a person describes there gender. This is your deeply-held inner feelings as to whether you are a female, male, both or neither.

Cultural Identity

Cultural identity is a part of a person’s identity, or their self-conception and self-perception, and is related to nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, locality or any kind of social group that has its own distinct culture.

Social Identity

Social identity refers to people’s self-categorizations in relation to their group memberships (the ‘we’). These categorizations are often assigned to us or something we are born into.

Geographical Identity

An individual or group’s sense of attachment to the country, region, city, or village in which they live. It is also the key characteristics with which a particular country, region, city, or village is associated.

Political Identity

Political identity is a form of social identity marking membership of certain groups that share a common struggle for a certain form of power. This can include identification with a political party, but also positions on specific political issues, nationalism, inter-ethnic relations or more abstract ideological themes.

Lack of/ Loss of identity

The loss of identity can refer to a range of experiences in which an individual feels disconnected from their sense of self, purpose, or values. This can occur due to various factors such as major life changes, trauma, mental health issues, or societal pressures. This can also cause mental health issues for some individuals.

Stereotypes

A stereotype is a widely held, but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. There are many different gender stereotypes that influence femininity and masculinity. Examples:

 • Women should be housewives and mothers

 • Men should be tough and strong

 • Women are too emotional

 • Men should souly provide for the women

Prejudice

Prejudice is a favouring or dislike of something without good reason. It is having unfriendly feelings directed against an individual, a group, or a race.

Photoshoot- Edits

The photographs that are highlighted green are the photos I have chosen to edit, because they use a variety of lighting, positioning and poses.

Set Up

There were multiple different set ups for the different types of lighting used. However, the same two studio lights were used. One light was a honey comb light, while the other had a snout. The snout directs the light to a specific place, whereas the honey comb light creates a strong spot light effect. I also used coloured disks and sheets to create different coloured lighting.

Split lighting-

For the split coloured lighting the light with the snout was on the right side of the model with a coloured disk inside it and the honeycomb light was on the left of the model with a coloured sheet help over it. Both lights were to the side of the camera at a 45 degree angle, but the snout light was slightly closer the the model, as it is a less powerful and bright light.

Spotlight behind-

To create the coloured spot light behind the model. while the model is a different colour, the snout light needs to be behind the model on her left pointing at a 45 degree angle onto the background wall. Whereas, the honeycomb light needs to be on the right of the model in line with the camera on a 45 degree angle directly onto the model. The snout light has a coloured disk inside and the honey comb light has a coloured sheet held in front of it.

Editing- Diamond Cameo

I chose to edit these 4 photos, so I would be able to create a Diamond Cameo with them, as they include all the positions/ angles needed for it.

I edited this first photograph to increase the exposure, so the image would be less dark. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites, blacks and vibrancy, while decreasing the shadows.

I also created a black and white version of the edited photograph, by creating a virtual copy of the edited photo. I also used a spot removal tool to get rid of any blemishes.

I edited this photo to also increase the exposure, so the image would be lighter. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, texture, clarity and vibrancy, while decreasing the blacks and whites.

I also made a virtual copy of the edited photograph and made a black and white version.

I edited this photo to make it brighter, so the model is more visible. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the whites and highlights.

I also made a virtual copy of the edited photograph, so I could create a black and white version.

I edited this photo to increase the exposure and to make it brighter. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights and whites. I also used an eye brightening tool, so the eyes stand out more.

I also made a black and white version of the edited photograph by making a virtual copy. I also used a spot correction tool to get rid of any blemishes.

Final 4 Coloured Images for Diamond Cameo

Final 4 B&W Images for Diamond Cameo

Photoshop- Diamond Cameo

This is my first attempt of creating a diamond cameo on photoshop. Firstly, I imported my four photos which I wanted to use for my diamond cameo onto a background on photoshop. I then selected them all together to resize them to fit the background perfectly. Then, I positioned my four layers where I want them.

Then I select a layer and select the elliptical marque tool and select the feather at 15, so the edges of my ovals fade in and aren’t sharp ovals. Then, I cut out my desired size and shape oval on the selected layer and right click in the oval click layer via copy to create a copy of the oval cut out.

Next, I delete the selected layer without the cut out oval and then repeat this for all the four layers.

Next, I experimented with my diamond cameo, by changing the background to black by using the gradient tool to fill in the background with black paint. I also experimented with giving my diamond cameo an older look, so I could try and replicate a Henry Mullins diamond cameo.

I made an older looking diamond cameo like Henry Mullins by using the filters on the top right of my screen and changing how harsh or light I want them.

Double Multi-Exposure

These are the two images I am going to be using for my Multi-exposure photographs, because they are similar, but also have a very obvious difference, which is how the model is using her hands to pose.

I edited this photos to make them brighter and have a greater exposure. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, vibrancy, texture, clarity and saturation, while decreasing the whites and highlights.

This is my first attempt of a double multi- exposure photograph. I created this on photoshop, by firstly layering my two chosen images on a plain background. I select one of my layers then adjust the opacity of the one layer, so it is more transparent. Then I position the more transparent layer on top of my opaque layer where I want it.

Juxtaposition

This is the photo I have chosen to edit for my juxtaposition photos, because it has a good composition and is a close up head shot.

I edited this photo to make it brighter and have a higher exposure, so the model would be more visible and so the image would be less dark. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, blacks, texture, clarity and vibrancy, while decreasing the highlights and saturation.

I then made a virtual copy of the edited photograph and created a black and white version for my juxtaposition.

Sequence/ Grid

These are the images I have chosen to edit, because they are my top 9 photographs. This is because they have the best compositions, poses, lighting and editing skills.

I edited this image to make the models face brighter and for the image to have more exposure, so the model was more visible. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, texture, clarity, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the blacks.

I edited all these images to make them brighter, so the colours used to photograph with pop more and are more vibrant and colourful. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation on them all, while also decreasing the highlights and blacks. I also used the brightening tool on the models eyes in all of these images, so the eyes would pop and stand out more.

Montage

These are the two images I have chosen to edit and use to create my montage, because they have the best composition, poses and lighting.

I edited these photographs to make them more vibrant, so the colours pop more. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, vibrancy and saturation on both, while decreasing the whites and blacks. I also used the brightening tool to brighten the eyes of the model, so they stand out more.

Headshots

Diamond Cameo-

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.

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.

Headshot – A photograph of someone’s face, head and shoulders.

Headshots are mainly used as passport photos, resumes and for actors and musicians. This style of portrait helps to clearly define the subjects facial features as well as provide a clear basis for people to make assumptions on someone’s character, possibly based of appearance (like how they dress).

The first person to experiment with headshots in 1839 was Robert Cornelius. However, in 1854 André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri produced a more cost effective way of taking headshot photos, by cutting up full-sized plates into 4 seperate small portraits. These photos soon became known as Carte-de-visite.

These grew in popularity across both Europe and the US, where families of wealthy class got them to exercise their wealth. With some people such as queen Victoria getting one to flex her status.

The modern headshot is now used as an art form, for exploring different ways of portraying the face. They can also be used as professional headshots of someone with an influential status, like a celebrity. These can be used as a marketing purpose and can be sold. Another thing headshots are used for today are passport, or ID photographs. These are used to show someone’s age, identity and that they are suitable to fly.

Headshots and Techniques

Lighting-

The technical definition of lighting, or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aesthetic effects. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight.

There are different types of lighting, such as soft lighting, natural lighting, artificial lighting and hard lighting etc. Soft lighting is a type of light with few hard shadows that’s bright yet balanced. In soft lighting, the transition between the light and the shadows is more of a gradient and much smoother. When your subject is bathed in soft light, there will be little to no shadows on their face.

Hard lighting is a focused, often bright light that casts harsh shadows and draws attention to a specific part of a photo. In hard lighting, the transition between the light and the shadows is very harsh and defined.

Framing-

Framing in photography refers to the process of composing a picture. It involves choosing what you’ll include in the frame and what you’ll leave out. The goal is to create a pleasing composition that directs the viewer’s attention to the subject matter.

Headshots-

A headshot is a tightly cropped photo of the face, from the shoulders up. The subject is camera aware and typically looking right in the lens. Years ago, headshots were reserved for actors and models. For talent, these images are in some ways more important than a resume.

Focusing-

In photography, focus is the sharpest area of the image. It is the area where the lens works to highlight an object, a person, or a situation. Focus is one of the pillars of photography, along with ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. You can either use automatic or manual focus.

Focus on eyes-

In photography, focus is the sharpest area of the image. It is the area where the lens works to highlight an object, a person, or a situation. Focus is one of the pillars of photography, along with ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. You can either use automatic or manual focus.

Using AF (Autofocus) place the square, or set of squares on one eye of your subject. If the subject’s other eye is not on the same horizontal plane as the AF square, it will be out of focus. So, move your subject, or tilt your camera (if you can without ruining composition) so that the eyes are on the same plane.

Pose-

If you pose for a photograph or painting, you stay in a particular position so that someone can photograph you or paint you. Eg. position yourself, sit, model, strike a pose etc.

Expression-

Expression is the action of making known one’s thoughts or feelings. In impressionist photography you create an image to communicate to others, using visual language, how you feel about a specific idea or a subject.

Henry Mullins is one of the famous photographers in Jersey, producing over 9000 portraits of islanders from 1852-1873 at the time when the population was around 55,000. The record we have of his photographs comes through his albums , in which he placed his clients in social hierarchy. The arrangement of his work of ‘who’s who’ in the 19th centaury Jersey are highly politicised.

Henry Mullins Album showing his arrangements of portraits presented as cartes de visite

About him

When Henry Mullins arrived to Jersey in 1848 there were no photography studios to visit and no archive to consult. His was a community supported primarily by agriculture and maritime trades, and an emerging tourism industry. Mullins was already highly skilled in photography, so he set about setting up a highly successful business attracting Jersey’s wealthy upper classes to his studio. This cemented that his clients statuses among the island were elite. His most productive years were 1867-1872.

His work

Henry Mullins started working at 230 Regent Street in London in the 1840s and moved to Jersey in July 1848, setting up a studio known as the Royal Saloon, at 7 Royal Square. This is where he would photograph Jersey political elite, such as; The Bailiff, Lt Governor, Jurats, Deputies etc. as well as mercantile families, such as; Robin, Janvrin, Hemery, Nicolle etc. and military officers and professional classes such as; (advocates, bankers, clergy, doctors etc.

His portrait were printed on a carte de visite as a small albumen print, which was the first commercial photographic print produced using egg whites to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper. It was a thin paper photograph mounted on a thicker paper card. The size of a carte de visite is 54.0 × 89 mm normally mounted on a card sized 64 × 100 mm. In Mullins case he mounted his carted de visite into an album. Because of the small size and relatively affordable reproducibility cartes de visite were commonly traded among friends and visitors in the 1860s. Albums for the collection and display of cards became a common fixture in Victorian parlors. The immense popularity of these card photographs led to the publication and collection of photographs of prominent persons.

Portrait of Philip Baudains, Writer, Advocate, Constable and Deputy of St Helier. The four headshots of Baudains are presented in a Diamond Cameo.

Diamond Cameo- It is a process in which four separate portraits of the same subject are printed on a carte-de-visite.

Some headshots by Mullins of both Jersey men and women produced as vignette portrait which was a common technique used in mid to late 19th century.

Mullins and Sank

Michelle Sank arrived to Jersey as the inaugural Archisle: Jersey Contemporary Photography Programme Photographer in Residence to complete a new commission of work for the Social Jersaiase Photographic Archivein response to insulur culture and society in 2013. With Mullins and Sank’s work we can therefore traffic 165 years a history. Over that period of time the lives of people in their portraits and the descendants and ancestors that lived between them have been radically changed by developments in every sphere of life. The photographic medium as a visual has also developed and changed due to constantly evolving technology.

Mullins and Sank’s work

Here are images of Mullin’s work from the years 1848- 1872 compared to Sank’s work from 2013 to modern day. The difference in their photographs of how men, women and children lived them compared to now are significant. There is also very obvious technology changes. Mullin’s photograph were in black and white, because technology wasnt very advanced, however Sank’s photographs are in colour.

I used ArtSteps to create a virtual gallery of some of my best Rembrandt, Butterfly, Chiaroscuro lighting photographs.

I used a mixture of black and white images, colourful images and of all the different lighting techniques.

Firstly, I picked a virtual gallery on ArtSteps that I liked and wanted to put my photographs in. Then, I dragged the photos I wanted to use for my gallery from my documents into ArtSteps and gave them all unique names. Then, I inserted the photos into the gallery, positioned them where I thought looked good and added a black frame to each one.

I took a close up picture of one of the walls of the gallery, so the photographs details and features could be seen clearly. Next, I took a photo of the whole gallery from a distance, so all the photographs could be seen, and so the layout of my gallery could be seen clearly.

Photoshoot- Edits

The photographs that are highlighted green are the photos I have chosen to edit, because they have the best poses and composition. They also display the different types of lighting the most effectively and well, so it is easy to tell which lighting was used for each of these photographs.

Chiaroscuro Lighting

Chiaroscuro lighting, which is also known as split lighting shows a split of the lighting, where there is half dark and hark light. This is how you recognise Chiaroscuro Lighting. The set up, which was used is shown below;

The light was positioned at the side of the model and camera and was angled on a 45 degree angle, to face the model. The light was about 2 feet higher than the model and slightly tilted down, to shine onto the model. The camera was also positioned on a 45 degree angle to face the model, or directly in front of the model at the same level. The reflector is then positioned under, or to the side of the model on an angle, so the light reflects of it into the models eyes, to make them brighter and more visible.

Edits

I edited this photo to make it brighter, so the model would stand out more and so the background would be brighter. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, whites, highlights, blacks and clarity, while decreasing the shadows. I also used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up the models eyes and used a correction tool on Lightroom to get rid of any blemishes on the models skin, hair etc.

I then made a virtual copy of the edited photo and edited it again to make black and white version, to really help show that split lighting of dark and light.

I edited this photo to make it brighter and more vibrant, so the model and her accessories would stand out more. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, whites, highlights, texture and clarity, while decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up the models eyes and used a correction tool on Lightroom to get rid of any blemishes on the models skin, hair etc.

I then also made a virtual copy of the edited photo and edited it again, so I could create a black and white version.

I edited this photo to bring more highlights and light onto the models face, so that it has more contrast, with the dark and light split lighting. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites and clarity, while decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up the models eyes and used a correction tool on Lightroom to get rid of any blemishes on the models skin, hair etc.

I then made a virtual copy and edited it again to make a black and white version, so it has more of a contrast between the light and dark and so it shows different tones.

I edited this photo to bring more highlights onto the models face and to make it lighter, so it enhances the contrast between the light and dark. I also thinks this gives the photograph a different mood. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites and clarity, while decreasing the blacks and shadows. I also used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up the models eyes and used a correction tool on Lightroom to get rid of any blemishes on the models skin, hair etc.

I then made a virtual copy of the edited photo and made a black and white version.

For all my Chiaroscuro photographs the camera settings were;

Aperture: f/10

Shutter Speed: 1/25 seconds

ISO: ISO-100

Top 8 Chiaroscuro Lighting photographs

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think this photoshoot went well, as I understood the lighting technique and managed to achieve portraits using this lighting technique, because I was able to set up the studio correctly for the different types of lighting. I also experimented with different backgrounds, such as black or white backgrounds, to give the photograph a different mood. I was also able to direct my models to try different poses and to sit at different angles or facing different ways. This helped change the mood of the photographs. I also experimented a lot with my editing skills, as I used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up my models eyes, so they would be more visible and stand out more. Furthermore, I also used a correction tool on Lightroom to correct or get rid of any blemishes on my models skin, hair etc. I then also experimented with making my photos black and white, so it would give a complete new portrait and a complete new mood.

Photoshoot- Edits

The photographs that are highlighted green are the photos I have chosen to edit, because they have the best poses and composition. They also display the different types of lighting the most effectively and well, so it is easy to tell which lighting was used for each of these photographs.

Butterfly Lighting

Butterfly lighting is lighting that displays a butterfly shadow under the nose. This is how you can tell it is butterfly lighting. The set up which was used is shown below;

The light was positioned directly in front of the model, but raised about 2 feet above the model, so the light would shine down onto them. The camera was also positioned directly in front of the model, but at the same level as the model. The reflector is then used to reflect the light into the models eyes to make them brighter and more visible in the photograph. The reflector is positioned either under the model on an angle, or to the side of the model on an angle. 

Edits

I edited this photo to make it much brighter, so that the model was more visible. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights and whites, while also decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also experimented with editing in Lightroom, by using a brightening tool on the models eyes, so they are brighter and more visible. I also used a correction tool to get rid of any blemishes on the skin, hair etc.

I also experimented with the editing by making a virtual copy of the edited photo and making it black and white.

I edited this photo to make it much brighter, so that it was more vibrant and the model could be more visible. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites and clarity, while also decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also experimented with editing in Lightroom, by using a brightening tool on the models eyes, so they are brighter and more visible. I also used a correction tool to get rid of any blemishes on the skin, hair etc.

I also made a virtual copy of the edited photo and edited it again, so it was black and white. I did this to give the portrait a different mood and to just experiment with different tones and contrasts.

I edited this photo to make it brighter and more vibrant, so the model and her features were more visible. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites, texture and clarity, while decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also experimented with editing in Lightroom, by using a brightening tool on the models eyes, so they are brighter and more visible. I also used a correction tool to get rid of any blemishes on the skin, hair etc.

I also made a virtual copy of the edited photo and edited it again to make a black and white copy. I then started to experiment with different backgrounds, so I used a black background instead of white background.

I edited this photo to make the model more vibrant and the photo brighter, so that the model would stand out more. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites and clarity, while decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also experimented with editing in Lightroom, by using a brightening tool on the models eyes, so they are brighter and more visible. I also used a correction tool to get rid of any blemishes on the skin, hair etc.

I then made a virtual copy of the edited photo and edited it again to create a black and white version.

I edited this photo to make it brighter and to give the model’s face more highlights, so that the shadow under her nose stood out more, so it was easier to to tell it was butterfly lighting that was used. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites, texture and clarity, while decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also experimented with editing in Lightroom, by using a brightening tool on the models eyes, so they are brighter and more visible. I also used a correction tool to get rid of any blemishes on the skin, hair etc.

I also made a virtual copy of the edited photo and edited it again to make a black and white version.

For all my butterfly photographs the camera settings were;

Aperture: f/14

Shutter Speed: 1/80 seconds

ISO: ISO-100

Top 9 Butterfly lighting photographs

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think this photoshoot went well, as I understood the lighting technique and managed to achieve portraits using this lighting technique, because I was able to set up the studio correctly for the different types of lighting. I also experimented with different backgrounds, such as black or white backgrounds, to give the photograph a different mood. I was also able to direct my models to try different poses and to sit at different angles or facing different ways. This helped change the mood of the photographs. I also experimented a lot with my editing skills, as I used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up my models eyes, so they would be more visible and stand out more. Furthermore, I also used a correction tool on Lightroom to correct or get rid of any blemishes on my models skin, hair etc. I then also experimented with making my photos black and white, so it would give a complete new portrait and a complete new mood.

Photoshoot- Edits

The photographs that are highlighted green are the photos I have chosen to edit, because they have the best poses and composition. They also display the different types of lighting the most effectively and well, so it is easy to tell which lighting was used for each of these photographs.

Rembrandt

Rembrandt lighting usually displays a triangle on the cheek under one of the eyes. This is how we can tell it is Rembrandt lighting. The set up of Rembrandt lighting, that we used in the studio is below;

The light was on the right hand side of the camera on a 45 degree angle, onto the model. The light is also roughly 2 feet higher than the model and positioned to point slightly down. The reflector was then used to reflect that light into the eyes of the model to make them brighter and more visible in the photo. The reflector is positioned either under the model on an angle, or to the side of the model on an angle. The camera is then positioned directly in front of the model.

Edits

I edited this photo to make it brighter, so the model would stand out more. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites, texture and dehaze, while decreasing the shadows, blacks and clarity. I also then made a copy of the edited photo, which I edited again to make it black and white. I also used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up the models eyes and used a correction tool on Lightroom to get rid of any blemishes on the models skin, hair etc.

I then took another photo of the model, but experimented with the background, and tried out a black background.

I edited this photograph to make the model brighter and exposure higher, so the model would be more visible and the viewpoint of this photograph. I edited this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites, texture and clarity, while decreasing the shadows and blacks. I then also made of copy of the edited photograph and edited it again to create a black and white version. I also used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up the models eyes and used a correction tool on Lightroom to get rid of any blemishes on the models skin, hair etc.

I then started to experiment with different poses, using hands, arms, legs, or body movement. In the photograph below I ask the model to turn to sit facing the side and to hug her legs and then look at the camera.

I edited this photograph to make it brighter, and to create more of a light contrast on the models face. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites, texture and clarity, while decreasing the shadows and blacks. I then made a copy of the edited photograph and edited it again, to create a black and white version. I also used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up the models eyes and used a correction tool on Lightroom to get rid of any blemishes on the models skin, hair etc.

I then asked the model to sit facing away from the camera and turning around over her shoulder to look at the camera.

I edited this photo to make it brighter, so the all the models features were visible. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the blacks and shadows. I then made a copy, to create a black and white version. I also used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up the models eyes and used a correction tool on Lightroom to get rid of any blemishes on the models skin, hair etc.

I then experimented with different backgrounds and used a black background, instead of a white background.

I edited this photo, to make it brighter and give it higher exposure, so the model was more visible against the darker background. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights and whites, while decreasing the blacks and shadows. I then also made a black and white copy. I also used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up the models eyes and used a correction tool on Lightroom to get rid of any blemishes on the models skin, hair etc.

I then experimented with the space around the model, by making the model much closer and bigger, with less space around her.

I also made a black and white copy of the edited photograph.

For all my Rembrandt photos the camera settings were:

Shutter speed: f/14

Aperture: 1/80 seconds

ISO: ISO-100

Top 9 Rembrandt photographs

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think this photoshoot went well, as I understood the lighting technique and managed to achieve portraits using this lighting technique, because I was able to set up the studio correctly for the different types of lighting. I also experimented with different backgrounds, such as black or white backgrounds, to give the photograph a different mood. I was also able to direct my models to try different poses and to sit at different angles or facing different ways. This helped change the mood of the photographs. I also experimented a lot with my editing skills, as I used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up my models eyes, so they would be more visible and stand out more. Furthermore, I also used a correction tool on Lightroom to correct or get rid of any blemishes on my models skin, hair etc. I then also experimented with making my photos black and white, so it would give a complete new portrait and a complete new mood.