For this photoshoot, I got 4 of my team mates to take photos of, I asked them to go into different posing, with consistent, Rembrandt lighting. Its important to use this lighting technique as it adds a dramatic effect with a lot of the face being in the dark, while keeping it natural looking. It adds a small triangle under the eye that’s in the shadow, drawing more attention towards it. The eyes normally tell the biggest story in a photo so its important to keep the eyes easily visible in a photo. For the camera settings, I set it to manual with iso set to 200. This is to keep the images crisp, as well as giving me control over the focal length with the f-stop and exposure time with the shutter speed. This allowed me to experiment more with these two effects. For some of the shoots, I kept the camera on a tripod, but then decided to keep it off, since basketball isn’t a consistent, repetitive game. So to switch it up I kept changing the camera angle and position to keep it interesting and in the theme of an intense sport. After getting some studio shoots, I had a short amount of time left to get some photos in the indoor sports area. My main inspiration for these images was the sports photographer Neil Leifer.

I plan on doing more of a story like photoshoot next, but since this is my first photoshoot, I didn’t what to go straight into it, so I kept it light hearted and playful. This was to show the importance of basketball for these people, and how much enjoyment they get from playing it.

Here are 4 united portraits of my team mates, with the same Rembrandt style lighting for each. I asked them to keep a neutral face at first, but I ended up choosing different images, which presents there personality more, making this montage of images a bit more interesting. For example, harry (bottom right) put his headphones on because he’s always listening to music. I used a flash light on a 45 degree angle to there face, allowing me to keep the ISO as low as possible to get very crisp and high quality images.

Above I asked them to hold the ball in front of them, as its a common basketball pose. I think these images work better on there own but when I get to the experimenting phase I will try a multi-exposure or try to crop it so a montage will work well.

Here are two images that I edited in black and white with the settings above. For the top Image, there was a lot of the studio showing which I didn’t like so I used layer masks to remove it. However, for the lower image I didn’t end up cropping or layer masking the studio parts out, since I think it acts as a frame to the image, keeping the attention on the subject.

Here I experimented with selective colour fill to draw more attention towards the basketball, while keeping the rest in black and white. My friends face is very serious instead of deadpan, making this image more dramatic. I also used Rembrandt lighting again to further add a dramatic effect. I used a very slow shutter speed to give a sense of motion from the spinning ball, adding a sense of time to the image. I also like this image as it looks like those pictures which, when you change your viewing angle it changes the image shown.

This image at the top was heavily inspired by famous sports photography, like the one below it, a photo of LeBron James dunking from Dwyane Wade’s assist, leading the heats to victory, as well as being one of the most iconic basketball photos ever. To replicate it, I asked my friends to do a similar movement to the athletes. I shot this image portrait instead of landscape because I wanted my own twist on the image, as well as showing each of the subjects fully. The main difference between my image and Gash’s 2010 shot is that his is a documentary and mine is a tableaux. Here is my edited version of it:

I’m not to sure about this edit, where I increased the contrast, decreased the shadows and added a layer mask covering the subjects, as it look a little scary when it was suppose to be a light hearted image, so I think Ill leave the image as is.

Here is a montage I put together which I quite like above.

Here, I took a lot of inspiration from Tom Woods photos, where sometimes he would get teens to pose in the camera, however with my photo I took it in a studio instead of in the street. This photo here almost looks like a boy band which I find funny. I edited the colour grading a little bit to give an older look.

Explanation

With these photos, I hope to add to each of them over time to get more choice in the images I want to use so the chances of getting a good image is improved (e.g. with better lighting, emotion, angle, ext). I will likely use these photos in my story booklet at the start to build up to the main story with another basketball player I will be using, as well as adding ‘comic relief’ if the photos end up being a bit too dramatic. Some of the Neil Leifer style photos will also be used in the photoshoot to add to the overall basketball theme that I’m trying to achieve. I also like how none of these photos have my main subject in as I am trying to over exaugurated his love for the sport, that he isn’t included himself with the rest of the team. This will make my photos more dramatic with him in, as he is all alone in the booklet.

Shoot 2: arrange for a few friends to act as models and produce a fashion shoot using an urban/ street setting. (choose right time of the day), select appropriate location/ environment, models clothes, hair, make-up, poses and expressions.

Prompt style

William Klein’s visual style is bold and dynamic, capturing the energy and chaos of urban life. His high contrast black and white images are gritty and raw, often featuring unconventional compositions and close-up shots. Klein’s photographs are a visual assault on the senses, reflecting the vibrancy and intensity of the cities he captures.

Although these images are bot created, I do feel like I could recreate these, having some of my friends dress up and have quite bold makeup, not too much but enough to notice it. I could get them to look to at the camera or look away, i would only get their head and shoulders into the frame, and the background, I would need to town while it’s somewhat busy and have them stand still while I try and capture some good images. Although this is slightly different from William Klein’s images. It still has a small element of his work. The idea that they are dressed up all fancy and in the middle of the streets, almost as if the streets play a role as the studio where they are being photographed, which I quite like. It could be quite hard to capture as people in the background would be moving, therefore I would have to make sure my camera settings are right, I need to try and take the images during the day so that the models have more light on them. I do like how these images are in black and white as there isn’t anything in the background taking the attention away from the model. For example, the image on the top right has quite a few people in the background but there is something special about the model that stands out. It could be due to the fact that the model is in the centre of the image and most of her body is seen in the image or that her facial features tend to be the darkest and stand out the most. 

I would also like to try and get some staged images of the models in full, meaning having them stand in town and possibly pose for me or stand however they would like while they are dressed up. I would be using the town as my studio. Although the model is very important in my images but the people in the background hold a big importance as they are going to be in each image I take, the background will change every photo. I feel like when dong my photoshoot, the process of getting the model ready will take quite a long time as I need to make sure they stand out from the rest, they either have more dressed up clothing or more makeup than other, although in town I could come across other people dressed up, it could add to my image and make it look more mysterious. One thing William Klein kept in his images was the background focus, he didn’t blur the background which make everything important in the image, I feel like I would like to try and make the background blurry, this would make my images more original to me, it would also make the model in full focus, I don’t want to make the background too blurry that the background is unnoticeable . When dressing up my model I do need to be careful in the clothing that the model is wearing as my images will turn black and white. 

I would also like to try and get different poses where the model is looking at the camera and when the model is not looking to be able to see the difference, and spot which image holds more power. I believe that the model not focusing on the camera could make the image look better and more dynamic. William Klein has a mixture of images that I have taken inspiration from, and I believe his work will help me a lot during this project. I really like the bottom image on the left, where the model is walking across a zebra crossing as the model is wearing some stripes on her dress which blends well with the surroundings, this photo is obviously planned but that doesn’t take any of the meaning away from it. There is also another model in the background wearing a similar dress but in white. This makes the image look more detailed and it’s also showing me that no one else in the background is looking at the model in the black dress except the other model, even though they stand out they don’t catch other people’s attention, it’s almost a way of saying people can judge you but other people aren’t bothered about your presence so it doesn’t matter what your wearing, as long as your content.

For my personal study I am going to focus on photographing my family and restaging older images. Therefore I chose to create a mood board using these old images which I gathered from old photo albums and boxs.

For my first photoshoot, I went to St Malo where I was able to take my street photography. Henri Carter Bresson was my inspiration for this photoshoot so I tried to imitate his style so I focused on getting natural photos of people.

Henri Cartier Bresson inspired

People

Architecture

Although I was focusing on Henri Carter Bresson I also did want to take some photos where I focus on the architecture in St Malo.

I really liked this image above I found this interesting wall down one of the lanes where it had been heavily graffitied but on the side of it was a drain which worked well in my favor. When looking down from this angle the drain acts like a divide almost as if it is two images stuck together.

For this photo tried to use the pillars within the architecture to frame the picture as it was a beautiful building however the greenery within the middle open part really brightened up the image. The building itself is quite monitored with just the natural beiges of the brick which was used however having all the plants in the middle I found it added a lot more dimension to te image and it also made it more unique as it’s not something done very often or not to this degree.

Artist Case Study 1:

Jim Goldberg

Jim Goldberg is an influential American photographer and visual storyteller best known for his intimate and socially conscious work that explores the lives of marginalized individuals. His most renowned project is Raised by Wolves (1985), which captures the lives of homeless teenagers living in the streets of San Francisco during the 1980s. This project, which blends documentary photography with personal narratives, provides a raw and empathetic look at the struggles of these youth as they navigate survival, identity, and hardship.

Jim Goldberg was born in 1953 in New York City. He grew up in a family that fostered his creative interests, particularly in the realm of visual art. Goldberg attended the San Francisco Art Institute, where he began developing his photographic style. His education there helped shape his approach to photography as a tool for social commentary and personal storytelling.

The Raised by Wolves project, which Goldberg began in the early 1980s, is perhaps his most defining work. The title refers to the metaphorical idea of teenagers being abandoned or left to fend for themselves, with little or no support from family or society. Goldberg documented the lives of homeless teenagers living in the streets of San Francisco, focusing on their struggles and resilience.

What makes Raised by Wolves unique is Goldberg’s method of combining his photographs with the teenagers’ handwritten notes, journal entries, and letters. This combination of imagery and text gives a voice to the often overlooked and voiceless subjects in his work. It also allows the viewer to connect with the teenagers on a deeper level, revealing their personal experiences, dreams, fears, and moments of vulnerability.

The project provides a window into the social issues surrounding youth homelessness, but it also humanizes these teenagers in ways that challenge stereotypical portrayals. The images show them in a range of contexts: from moments of hardship to moments of defiance and joy. The handwritten text in the margins of the photographs often reads like personal diaries, bringing an emotional depth to the narrative.

Goldberg’s work is characterized by its unflinching realism and sensitivity. He often spends extended periods with his subjects, allowing him to develop trust and access to more intimate moments. His ability to capture the humanity of his subjects, particularly those living on the margins of society, is central to his approach. The combination of photography and text creates a dialogue between the image and the narrative, emphasizing the power of storytelling.

While Raised by Wolves is Goldberg’s most famous project, his body of work spans many years and addresses various social issues, including poverty, identity, and the human condition. Throughout his career, Goldberg has used his photography to challenge the viewer’s understanding of these issues and to highlight the resilience of individuals who are often ignored or stigmatized.

Artist Case Study 2:

Jo spence

Jo Spence (1934–1992) was a pioneering British photographer and activist, renowned for her deeply personal and socially engaged photographic work. Throughout her career, Spence used photography as a tool for self-exploration, political critique, and social change, tackling issues related to class, health, gender, and identity. Her work is known for its raw, unflinching portrayal of the human condition, particularly focusing on the realities of working-class life, illness, and the body’s transformation.

Jo Spence was born on June 6, 1934, in London, England, and grew up in a working-class family. After leaving school at the age of 15, she worked in a variety of jobs, including as a secretary and in the civil service. Her early life experiences in the working-class community shaped much of her later work, particularly her interest in class-based inequalities and the way they intersected with broader social issues.

In her early career, Spence worked primarily as a commercial photographer. She was a freelance photographer for several years and gained success for her work in the fashion and portraiture genres. However, she grew disillusioned with the commercial side of photography and began to focus on personal, experimental projects that questioned the nature of photographic representation.

Jo Spence’s photographic practice was deeply tied to her personal and political beliefs. Several key themes run through her work:

1. Class and Identity: Spence’s working-class background heavily influenced her work, and much of her photography addresses issues of class, social inequality, and identity. She used her own experiences to highlight the ways in which working-class individuals are often marginalized or erased in mainstream narratives.
2. Feminism and the Body: As a feminist, Spence critiqued traditional representations of women in the media and sought to reclaim control over the representation of her own body. In projects like The Picture of Health and her later series The Body Work (1987), Spence explored the intersections of gender, health, and the medical gaze, using photography to confront the societal expectations placed on women’s bodies.
3. Autobiography and Self-Representation: Spence’s work is also highly autobiographical. She used her own body and experiences as the subject of much of her work, allowing her to explore issues of identity, health, and personal transformation. Her photography often served as a means of empowerment and resistance to the societal forces that sought to control or define her.
4. Collaborative Approach: Spence was also committed to collaborative photography. She worked with others, including marginalized communities, to create photographs that were informed by the subjects’ perspectives rather than being imposed by the photographer’s gaze. She believed that photography could be a participatory, communal experience rather than one that objectified the subject.

Artist Study 3:

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman was born on January 19, 1954, in Glens Falls, New York, United States. She was raised in a middle-class family and developed an early interest in art. Sherman attended Buffalo State College in Buffalo, New York, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1976. It was during her time at college that she began to explore photography as a medium and began to shift her artistic focus towards conceptual photography. She was influenced by the work of photographers like Diane Arbus, whose focus on identity and unconventional portraiture was a precursor to Sherman’s own exploration of self and representation.

Sherman’s artistic breakthrough came in the late 1970s when she began creating a series of self-portraits in which she dressed up and assumed various roles, frequently using costumes, makeup, and props to create different characters. Unlike traditional portrait photography, where subjects are captured as they are, Sherman’s work questioned and deconstructed the concept of identity, with the artist becoming both the creator and the subject of her work.

In 1977, Sherman moved to New York City, where she started her career by working for magazines such as New York Magazine. She also began making experimental photography, blending traditional portraiture with art-making. Her early work is often considered a reaction against the glamorized, idealized images of women commonly portrayed in popular culture and advertising.

Cindy Sherman’s work has had a profound influence on contemporary photography and visual culture. Her focus on self-representation and the performance of identity has been pivotal in discussions of gender, identity politics, and the role of women in art. By challenging the viewer’s expectations of the female form and the role of the artist, Sherman has redefined the boundaries of portraiture.

Artist study 4:

Lorna Simpson

Lorna Simpson was born on August 28, 1960, in Brooklyn, New York, United States. She grew up in a working-class family, and her early experiences in New York City influenced her later artistic career. Simpson developed an interest in art at an early age and went on to study at The School of Visual Arts in New York City. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1983.

Afterward, Simpson attended the University of California, San Diego, where she earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in 1985. It was during her time in San Diego that Simpson began to develop her distinctive visual style, which combined photography with text, and began exploring issues of identity and race in her work.

Simpson’s work spans various mediums, including photography, video, and installations. However, she is perhaps best known for her photography and multimedia works that frequently incorporate text, which plays a significant role in shaping the meaning of her images.

In the “Wigs” series, Simpson photographed women wearing various types of wigs, each wig becoming a visual metaphor for the different ways in which Black women negotiate their identities in a society that often marginalizes them. The wigs become symbols of societal pressures to conform to specific standards of beauty and appearance, while also questioning the idea of identity as something fluid and constructed.

• What you want to explore?
• Why it matters to you?
• How you wish to develop your project?
• When and where you intend to begin your study?
• Which form you wish to present your study (photobook, film, prints etc)

In my photography project, I am going to delve into the complex and painful relationship people have with their identity, particularly the pressures that lead individuals to hide their true selves. I’ve decided to focus my project on young person as I’ve observed first hand how my peers often feel compelled to mask their identities in order to fit in with societal expectations/ friend groups, for example: adjusting behaviour, altering appearances (by using makeup etc), or hiding emotions. I feel like people fear of being judged, ridiculed, or rejected if their true self is revealed. This sense of concealment and the desire to conform is something that I want to explore in my project. In this project, I’m going to start by photographing the idea of disguise in identity. I will do this by taking photographs of different peers in the studio and then using the work of different artists to emphasise the idea of a fragmented identity. For example, I will be looking at the artists: Aneta Ivanova, Manny Robertson and Brno Del Zou/ David Hockney. Aneta Ivanova’s work links to the theme of disguise in identity as she often uses complex visual compositions and costumes to blur the line between reality and fantasy, creating characters that reflect the performative aspects of identity. Her use of masks highlights how identity can be distorted, challenging the viewer to question what is hidden beneath the surface. Additionally, Manny Robertson’s work also fits the theme as his portraits capture the tension between the external façade and the internal self. His work reflects the emotional and psychological layers of disguise and how individuals navigate the multiple versions of themselves that exist. Finally, Brno Del Zou uses digital manipulation to reconstruct facial features. This reflects the concept of identity as its constantly shifting and sometimes fragmented, representing people not being whole as they often hide their true selves.

As my project develops, I want to shift the focus towards exploring the beauty and strength in embracing one’s true identity, despite the risks of vulnerability or rejection. By the end of the project, I hope to portray a journey of self-acceptance, showing how people can learn to take off their masks and be unapologetically themselves. Through this progression, I aim to demonstrate that the courage to embrace one’s true self is both empowering and liberating, and ultimately leads to a deeper sense of fulfilment and connection with others. To depict this, I will be taking inspiration from Marcelo Monreal. I feel his work covers the theme of embracing identity as he incorporates flowers and natural elements which evokes the idea that identity is a process of continuous growth and transformation. Flowers, which bloom, wither, and regenerate, mirror the way human identity can change over time, influenced by experiences, emotions, and external factors.

I am planning to present my project in a photobook format followed by a series of prints. I am going to use Photoshop to create photomontages and use AI technology to show how easy it is for people hide who they truly are online now days due to the easy access people have to these tools which are able to blur the lines between reality and imagination. I hope my images will be able to represent the internal struggles people face when embracing who they really are and to encourage them to not hide their true selves just to fit into society and individuality is what makes everyone unique and special.

I am going to be taking mainly tableaux images as I will carefully construct pieces that are able to tell a story of the journey of identity. I want to reassure the people who look at my work that discovering who you are isn’t necessarily a straight path and that its okay to want to hide sometimes but ultimately, I hope my project will inspire people to embrace themselves for who they are and to be unapologetically themselves.

Essay Notes

Literary sources: Go to this blog post here: Theory: Literary Sources and copy relevant key texts relating to the subject of your essay and list in alphabetical order in your bibliography. In addition, find your own key texts in relation to artists selected for in-depth analysis in your essay and list these too. These texts could be interviews with the artist, or reviews/ critique’s written by others. See useful online sites/ sources here .

• Research and identify 3-5 literary sources from a variety of media such as books, journal/magazines, internet, Youtube/video that relates to your personal study and artists references .
• Begin to read essay, texts and interviews with your chosen artists as well as commentary from critics, historians and others.
• It’s important that you show evidence of reading and draw upon different pints of view – not only your own.
• Take notes when you’re reading…key words, concepts, passages, page number to be used for in-text referencing etc.

Sources

• Kelly, A. (1998). ‘Self Image: Personal is Political’ in Photography: A Critical Introduction. London: Routledge.

Essay Question

• Think of a hypothesis and list possible essay questions
• Below is a list of possible essay questions that may help you to formulate your own.

Some examples of Personal Study essays from previous students:

• How is ‘narrative’ used in Tableaux Photography?
• In what way does Francasca Woodman and Yury Toroptsov use a narrative response to portray their story?
• Can personality and identity be expressed in a portrait?
• How Can Photography Reflect Inner Emotions Such As Fear and Isolation?
• Does a portrait tell us more about the person portrayed or the photographer?
• ‘How do Paul M Smith, Ben Zank and Rut Blees display emotions through self- portraiture and environmental photography?’
• In what way is movement captured in surf photography?
• Can photography truly capture the essence of a moment, ultimately questioning why we take photographs?

Edits of questions suited for my project:

• How do Shannon Taggart, Lieko Shiga and Ralph Eugene Meatyard display emotions through self-portraiture and environmental photography?’
• In what way does Shannon Taggart, Lieko Shiga and/or Ralph Eugene Meatyard use a narrative response to portray their story?
• In what way is movement captured in Surreal photography?

Essay Plan
Make a plan that lists what you are going to write about in each paragraph

• Essay question:
• Opening quote
• Introduction (250-500 words): What is your area study? Which artists will you be analysing and why? How will you be responding to their work and essay question? Think about an opening that will draw your reader in e.g. you can re-formulate the essay question. You should include in your introduction an outline of your intention of your study, e.g. what area of photography, or subject-matter are you exploring? Which artists/ photographers are you going to investigate/ analyse/ interpret? Why does this subject/ work interest you? What are you trying to prove/challenge, argument/ counter-argument? What historical or theoretical context is the work situated within? Include at least 1 or 2 quotes for or against. What links are there with your previous studies, if any? How has this subject and chosen artists/ photographers inspired your own images/ responses? How will your work develop? What camera skills, photographic techniques or processes have you experimented with, or are you going to experiment with?
• Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography and visual culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian. 
• Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
• Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
• Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
• Bibliography: List all relevant sources used

• Essay question:
• Opening quote:
  
  ‘To photograph is to appropriate the thing photographed.’ (Sontag 1977:4)
• Introduction (250-500 words): What is your area study? Which artists will you be analysing and why? How will you be responding to their work and essay question?
• Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography and visual culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian. 
• Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
• Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
• Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
• Bibliography: List all relevant sources used

More Notes

• shapes society and reflection not just mood
• what if the moment was staged? would that still be a true captured moment or a fake one? does the mood change?
• essence – mood of the moment
• taggarts reason for taking photographs is due to her deep curiosity about the mysteries of life, death and the unseen – documenting spiritualism and these themes.
• photographs only vaguely preserve the full depth experience of that moment. however people still take photos as a record of these experiences for personal or historical reasons. they also use it as a way to express their ideas, thoughts and feelings
• images help convey messages and tell stories which words alone might be hard to describe with.
• photography reflects a human desire to document, share, and interpret experiences even with it’s limitations
• an essence of a moment is accompanied by emotions, sounds and other sensory experiences.
• its mood also depends on subjective interpretation
• susan sontag says images are mere shadows of reality – Medium article
• Memorabilia –  Things that stir recollection or are valued or collected for their association with a particular field or interest : mementos.
• Spiritualism photography was a way to document visual evidence of the supernatural.
• It’s this occult perspective she tries to capture in her images of spirit visitation. “It’s impossible to photograph this stuff conventionally because the interior element is so huge,” she said. “It’s unphotographable.” Nonetheless, lengthening exposures and allowing other products of “accident and error,” into the work allowed Taggart to photograph it.  “I’m not really looking for proof,” she said. “I’m looking to go deep into the experience.” Think of Garforth and the big hand — whatever explanation you prefer, Taggart’s images capture her experience precisely. I found them deeply unnerving.
• 1950
• Meatyard haunted the world of inner experience, continually posing unsettling questions about our emotional realities through his pictures.
• A desire to document his growing family led to his purchase of a camera in 1950. From the 1950s onward, he would photograph exclusively in his hometown of Lexington, Kentucky and the surrounding countryside. – Meatyard

For this photoshoot I am going to focus on colour, looking at how colour can create interesting contrast between two different subjects. Unique forms and compositions will be created from this highlighting bold shapes and patterns overall producing very visual and attracting images. Inspired by Saul Leiter I want to explore this concept of colour, perfect compositional elements like lines, peoples silhouettes, to shadows, which all come together to produce this very visual and attractive image. I want to create interesting and unusual contrasting elements between the subject and background with that being railings, coloured wall, shop windows (reflections and shadows), signs and posters to wording. Through this I will capture unique formations of patterns and lines that will be emphasised against the subject. I want to create a narrative between this having the subject relate to these features displayed in the background. I feel this will create depth and meaning, as the viewer will question why the subject is positioned the way they are in front of this, what they are thinking, is it revealing something about the subject. Capturing the subject in front of signage to prints and letters, I want the subject to pose in such ways that communicate a response of this that clearly shows a relation.

I want to stage aspects of this photoshoot, like posing the subject: leaning against the wall, in front of windows – so the reflection is visible, wearing contrasting outfits between the subject and background. I am going to make this photoshoot about my sister, in a way that still follows the genre of street photography and capturing unstaged moments. However I feel like having control over aspects of this, shown through the clothes worn, expressions, and poses, will create a visually appealing series of images, which all link together to create this interesting narrative and meaning which will draw the viewer in. I am going to photograph her in a series of locations throughout the streets of st helier, during late afternoon to evening. At this time very strong compositions will be visible, with interesting shadows and tones coming out through this. I feel at this time of day and it being winter will create an interesting atmosphere as it already creates a dimmed and sharp tone. So by having the subject dressed in bold colours and styles of clothes, photographed against a contrasting background, will emphasise this concept. Then using adobe lightroom to further develop this, to bring out these tonal colours and shadows inspired by Saul Leiter.

Capturing different features I find along the streets and come across including signs, bold prints, arches, contrasting background (walls, doors, windows, railings) will come together creating these contrasting features, mixing with the diverse colours and shapes which never fails to attract the viewer.

What I am going to look for:

Mirrors, window reflections, puddles (where reflections are shown), contrasting features (architecture, trees, people, bold colours, lines, shapes, colours and patterns.)

Saul Leiter Inspiration:

Lee Friedlander inspiration:

Developing photoshoot:

Using lightroom, I am going to make adjustments where colours, texture, lines, contrasting tones and brought out through interesting architectural buildings (as background) and silhouettes. I like how leiter uses things like windows, doors, sides of walls as a frame, creating this focus around the subject itself. I love this effect as this interesting form leads you into the silhouette of a person that blurred.

Josef Sudek was best know for his photos of the streets of Prague and dubbed the poet of Prague for this very reason, However, He started out his life as a bookbinder and getting his certificate at the age of seventeen. Sudek began to experiment with a box camera and became fond of self portraits. Taking his camera with him during the acts of world war two he produced three albums, however he lost his right arm while serving. After the war Sudek turned to photography.

Heavily influenced by Impressionism, Pictorialism, and Czech Poeticism, there is a romantic flow to Sudek’s images where the glass and roses meld into one to transform what once may have been mundane, to have a grace in which would have gone unseen before. In every image the light has been carefully used to add a glow to the subjects.

“Everything around us, dead or alive, in the eyes of a crazy photographer mysteriously takes on many variations, so that a seemingly dead object comes to life through light or by its surroundings….to capture some of this – I suppose that’s lyricism.”

Josef Sudek

Sudek used objects such as flowers, egg shell and glasses of water to carry meaning through his photographs. He would often work with material in his studio, sometimes on commission but in later years as photographic exercise and investigation. His still lives were undoubtedly inspired by his large collection of paintings, books and by his relationships with painters in Prague.