Themes:

Femininity: Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviours, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity are socially constructed gender profiles, like masculinity is, and there is also some evidence that some behaviours can be influenced by both cultural factors and biological factors. Femininity is usually associated with characteristics such as empathy, nurturing, gracefulness and kindness, often including qualities like emotional intelligence, supportive, communication and collaborativeness. Women were often valued for their looks and not their actions, for example, having soft, clear facial features, curvy figures and bright eyes. Historically, the only things women were supposed to be were housewives and mothers to their children, and women that were forced into working environments outside of their household were viewed negatively by society.

Masculinity: Masculinity is typically the social expectations of being a man. It is a set of attributes, roles or behaviours which are associated with males, such as physical strength, authority, power and independence. Regardless of biological sex, anyone may exhibit masculine traits. Masculinity can be influenced through other people and socially constructed, but there is also evidence that some behaviours considered masculine are influenced by both cultural factors and biological factors. In the early 1900s, men were usually relate to politics or working jobs outside of the household. At the beginning of the 20th century, average families had only one income-earner, the male. Men were the leader and dominant spouse in the household. In addition, the government entirely consisted of men; they ran the entire country because they had the power to.

Binary Opposition: The themes of ‘Femininity and masculinity’ are a binary opposite, which is a pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning.

Common stereotypes of men:

1. Self Sufficiency: Men should be independent and figure things out on their own without help from someone else.
    
2. Physical Attractiveness: Male characters are likely to be shown as unusually muscular or good looking in the media.
    
3. Heterosexuality and Homophobia: “…men should avoid being gay or perceived as being gay.”
    
4. Acting Tough: Men on television are less likely to show emotions compared to the female characters, including empathy.
    
5. Aggression and control: Men should use violence and the power they hold to gain respect and should always have the final say about decisions in a relationship.

Common stereotypes of women:

For women, there are usually only four basic kinds of gender stereotypes.

1. Personality traits: Women are often expected to be accommodating and emotional, while men are usually expected to be self-confident and aggressive.
2. Domestic behaviours: Some people expect that women will take care of the children, cook, and clean the home, while men take care of finances, work on the car, and do the home repairs.
3. Occupations: Some people are quick to assume that teachers and nurses are women, and that pilots, doctors, and engineers are men.
4. Physical appearance: For example, women are expected to be thin and graceful, while men are expected to be tall and muscular. Men and women are also expected to dress and groom in ways that are stereotypical to their gender (men wearing pants and short hairstyles, women wearing dresses and make-up.

Nowadays in the 20th century, women finally feel accepted and equal in society and can be whoever they want. Lots of women feel as if they don’t fit into the ‘feminine’ category for them, so they now have the freedom and opportunity to be comfortable as a transgender male.

PHOTOMONTAGE:

What is it?

Photomontage is the process of changing photographs by rearranging and overlapping two or more photographs into a new image. This means that having a combination of several shots joined together creates an effect of creativity and imagination.

Examples:

Brno Del Zou – ARTIST INSPIRATION

Brno Del Zou is a French photographer, sculptor and artist, born in 1963. In his work, he takes pictures of faces and bodies at various angles and combines the different photos into one. The result is a combination of several prints, leaving a distortion to the face or body.

Examples of his work:

My Contact Sheet:

My edited photos:

For these photos, we went to the studio and experimented with different facial angles to figure out which one worked better with montaging. I used the same image but edited them in different ways to experiment. I used photoshop to edit these images, and I also then produced them in black and white which makes the image more interesting due to the contrast.

I took inspiration from Brno Del Zou because I really like the artistic effect of his work, and I wanted to try it myself.

I think my final images were really successful because they look similar to the artist’s, and her face is changed around to seem distorted.

DIAMOND CAMEO:

What is it?

‘Diamond Cameo’ styles of photography is where four oval portraits are presented of usually the same individual person but they are positioned at different angles. The four oval portraits create a diamond shape when they are placed in a certain layout. Sometimes, artists decide to use different people which makes this technique really unique.

Examples of Diamond Cameo methods:

Artist Inspiration– Henry Mullins

Henry Mullins was a British photographer who moved from London to Jersey in 1848, which he then set up a studio known as the ‘Royal Saloon’ in the prime location of the Royal Square, St Helier. Initially, he was in partnership with a Mr Millward, but by the following year he was working alone and continued to work out of the same studio for another 26 years. He produced thousands of portraits of islanders between 1848 and 1873 at this highly successful studio. While numerous photographic studios opened across the town of St Helier in the 1850s and 1860s, Mullins continued to be the photographer of choice for leading members of Jersey society and successful local and immigrant families.

Examples of his work:

My Contact Sheet:

My edited photos:

Here is a few examples of my attempt at using the technique of Diamond Cameos. I used four portraits of the same person in different positions and facial expressions so it could look as effective as possible.

I think these Diamond Cameos are really successful, and I like the way in the last one that the added filter creates an old-fashioned affect. I experimented with three different ways of presenting these images. Personally, my favourite is the vintage-like one, as it holds the most emotion behind the presentation of images. The photos have a yellowish, warmer tone to it as this brings an affect of nostalgia. I was inspired by Henry Mullins’ artwork as I love how his photos look really old and vintage, so I tried to similarly do the same with mine.

DOUBLE/ MULTI-EXPOSURE:

What is it?

Double/multi exposure photography is a technique that layers two or more different exposures on a single image, combining more photographs into one. Double/multi exposure creates a surreal feeling for your photos and the two photographs can work together to convey deep meaning or symbolism.

Examples:

Artist Inspiration- Man Ray

Man Ray (1890-1976) was a famous American photographer, who used the technique of Double/multi-exposure images to improve his photographs. His exploration of multiple exposures allowed him to create images that were layered with meaning and symbolism. Man Ray “used chance and dislocation of ordinary things from their everyday settings to surprise his viewers into a new awareness.”

Man Ray’s photographic efforts with combining the seemingly unrelated in the same composition began in earnest with his Rayographs, which he started producing in 1922. To create them, he arranged objects onto photographic paper and then exposed the composition to light, creating a series of photographs that transform the banal into meaningful and complex imagery. 

Examples of his work:

My Contact Sheet:

My first photoshoot:

For my first photoshoot, we used a really low shutter speed to create the blur effect. This gave me an idea of how I would like my photos to turn out like, although I will continue to edit and finalise these photographs.

My edited photos:

This was my first go at trying to use this technique, so I didn’t achieve the final product I would’ve liked to.

My second attempt went well and I really like the outcome. I used photoshop to create the multi-exposure effect.

The three different images represent different facial expressions and emotions, which I was hoping to achieve.

Evaluation:

Overall, I really enjoyed this project and I’m very happy with the final outcomes. These photos were really fun to make as it was really creative.

Photoshoot one:

For my first photoshoot, I will be taking photos to use for double/multi exposure. These photos will be portraits of a singular person, using different facial expressions. I will try and have a contrast of lighting by using a dark backdrop and light illuminating the face with no shadows, so their face is clear and focused. Finally, I will use photoshop to edit these photos to create to multi-exposure and blur effect.

Photoshoot two:

For my second photoshoot, I will be taking passport-like images to therefore use for Diamond Cameo. These photos will need to also have one subject, but with a straight facial expression. I will choose whether or not I want to use a light or dark backdrop and I will use a bright, artificial light.

Photoshoot three:

For my last photoshoot, I will be taking photos to create a photomontage. For this, I will be experimenting with different facial expressions to see what works best. Then, I will edit these images by cutting, rearranging and over-lapping the images to make a final result.

WHAT IS CHIAROSCURO LIGHTING?

Chiaroscuro is an Italian term used to describe the technique of using light and dark in artwork. It is a high-contrast lighting technique that uses a low lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background. The final images produced include a well-lit subject and it is three-dimensional, with exaggerated shadows and highlights. It has a dark, full of contrast look, with dense shadows, though the background doesn’t always have to be completely black.

WHY DO PHOTOGRAPHERS USE THIS LIGHTING?

Photographers use this type of lighting because it emphasises the texture of the subject and it adds depth to portraits. This lighting is good for photographers to use because it creates a sharp contrast that makes a more dramatic and often assertive photo. This is a common technique used as it can emphasize power, glamour, and drama.

EXAMPLES OF CHIAROSCURO LIGHTING:

LIGHTING SET UP:

For Chiaroscuro lighting, we only used one light source and we did not use a reflector, unlike the other lighting methods. We placed the subject centre in front of a black background, and used the lighting source on one side of their face. This then creates the effect of split lighting.

CONTACT SHEET:

MY FINAL EDITED IMAGES:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

I edited these photos using Adobe Lightroom Classic. For all of these photos, I increased the exposure and contrast to make sure I was making the shadows intensified to create the idea of ‘split-lighting’. My favourite image I edited is the last one shown above because the Chiaroscuro lighting affect is shown clearly and accurately. The contrast between light and dark here is affective as it is clear where the lighting is split into the two differences.

WHAT IS REMBRANDT LIGHTING?

Rembrandt Lighting is a technique that was taken from a famous painter in the 1600s, Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Reign, named after the way he used light in his portrait paintings. Rembrandt lighting is a technique utilising one light and one reflector, or two separate lights. It is a type of side lighting where the side of the subject is in shadow creating a lit-up triangle underneath the subject’s eye on the less illuminated area of the face. The background of the image is also usually shadowed and dark, putting the subject front and centre. The black background emphasises the contrast between light and dark. This can be highly effective in making a two-dimensional image appear three dimensional. The Rembrandt lighting technique results in a moody and dramatic effect.

WHY DO PHOTOGRAPHERS USE THIS LIGHTING?

It’s a popular technique for photographers to use because it creates images that look both dramatic yet natural. The Rembrandt method is considered low-effort while producing high-impact photographs. Secondly, one of the reasons professional photographers go with Rembrandt lighting is to achieve a dramatic visual effect called the chiaroscuro effect.

EXAMPLES OF REMBRANDT LIGHTING:

LIGHTING SET UP:

This diagram describes the set up of Rembrandt lighting. to achieve our photos, we used one reflector placed at eye level and one main light source placed on a 45 degree offset from the subject. The reflector projected the lighting back onto the subjects face to create the small triangle of light under the eye, illuminating the model’s face.

CONTACT SHEET:

MY FINAL EDITED IMAGES:

Here are some before and after comparisons of some of my favourite photos to show Rembrandt lighting. I edited all of these images using Adobe Lightroom Classic. To show the lighting technique more accurately, I increased the shadows and intensified the highlighted areas on the face to emphasise the contrast between the light and dark, creating a lit-up triangle underneath the subject’s eye on the less illuminated area of the face. I like the outcome of these edited images because it helps show the enhancement of the triangle of light that is created by using the reflector to bring highlight to half of the subject’s face, whilst the other half of the face is shadowed. The black and white edited photo helps to creates a more effective image as the shadows are made to appear darker and softer, whilst the highlights on the face are sharp and harsh.

WHAT IS BUTTERFLY LIGHTING?

Butterfly lighting is a portrait lighting pattern where the key light is placed above and directly centred with a subject’s face to create a shadow under the nose that resembles a butterfly. The lighting is soft on the face. This lighting is often seen in glamour shots and particularly with headshots. 

WHY DO PHOTOGRAPHERS USE BUTTERFLY LIGHTING?

Photographers use this method to take flattering, glamorous portrait photos. It is a popular setup because it has the effect of slimming the face due to shadows that are created on both sides of the face. This provides a flattering look that emphasizes a subject’s facial features, highlighting the eyebrows, cheekbones, and nose in a photogenic way.  Another reason why photographers use this lighting pattern is that it is easy to set up, doesn’t require a lot of fancy equipment, and it creates a natural but strong look.

EXAMPLES OF BUTTERFLY LIGHTING:

LIGHTING SET UP:

To achieve this lighting, first, we placed the main light source above the subject at a higher angle, pointing down towards the subjects face. We then placed the camera directly under the light source on a tripod. Lastly, we used a reflector to bounce the light back up and soften the shadow under the chin and under the nose. To do this, we positioned the reflector under the subject’s face. The only other thing we used was a black backdrop.

CONTACT SHEET:

MY FINAL EDITED IMAGES:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Photoshoot 1:

Photoshoot 2:

For these 2 photoshoots, I made the mistake of using my phone as a camera. Therefore the quality is not as detailed and the subject isn’t as focused as they would’ve been if I used a Digital Camera. I do like these images because both of these photoshoots provide portraits of people within different social environments. Photoshoot 1 is of my work colleague playing chess, and naturally posing for the camera. The subject is aware he is being photographed, but I could’ve improved these photos by making sure the subject was looking directly at the camera and making a connection with the viewer. In these photos, the subject is the main focus as he is the only person present, making it clearer to the viewers about what is happening. Photoshoot 2 is purposely a lot different, as the subject was not aware he was being photographed. Also, in these photos there is more than one person present, making the ‘subject’ not fully focused on. Although, it is clear to viewers that the DJ is supposedly meant to be the main focus of the image. I also should’ve tried to make the subject more centred, and as we can see the photos were taken on an angle so this made it difficult to include more of the background. The lighting also affected these images because we were in a dark environment, with only artificial and coloured lighting. The low light helped create a sense of gloom and mystery. Some of these images appear to be more blurred than the others, and this is because it was difficult to get a still, focused shot of the DJ when he was not aware of the photoshoot at that moment. This subtracts the effect from the images, as it looks as though the photos were not planned out or thought through enough.

Photoshoot 3:

Photoshoot 4:

Photoshoot 5:

Photoshoot 6:

Photoshoot 7:

Photoshoot 8:

Photoshoot 9:

Photoshoot 10:

Photoshoot 11:

Photoshoot 12:

Photoshoot 13:

Photoshoot 14:

Extras:

Overall, I did around 15 photoshoots altogether. I used different people in different environments to create stories behind the images. My favourite photoshoot I did was photoshoot 7. I like these images because it is clear what environment the subjects are linked to, and also in some there is only one subject and in the rest there are 2, therefore it adds contrast. I also like photoshoot 8, because the subject is looking directly in the camera with a serious and dead facial expression. This creates a mood of frustration for the viewer.