Paul M Smith

Paul M Smith is course director for the BA Hons Photography at Coventry University. He originally studied Fine Art at Coventry University and as part of his course he undertook a research project into contemporary art which included living on an Aboriginal reserve for four months.

After completing his degree at Coventry he completed a Masters degree in Photography at the Royal College of Art. During this time he examined the meaning and construction of masculinity, concentrating on the cultural and visual creation of various alpha male identities.

Smith’s commissioned work includes pieces for Channel 4, Matterson’s, and the CD cover for Robbie Williams’ Sing when you’re winning. His work has been shown at the Saatchi Gallery, Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil in Mexico City, The National Portrait Gallery, The Photographers Gallery, Technisches Museum Wien in Austria the Australian Centre for Photography.

In 2004 Goliath published ‘Paul M Smith, Photographs’. This book catalogued his work from 1997–2004. Smith’s work can also be found in ‘Digital Art’ published by Thames and Hudson.

Clare Rae

she said:
I’m an artist I also teach in photography and I’ve been making artwork for about nearly 20 years that utilizes my body in relation to architectural space.

In her photographic practice Clare explores ideas of performance and gesture to interrogate and subvert dominant modes of representation. Her work is informed by feminist theory, and presents an alternate and often awkward experience of subjectivity and the female body, usually the artists’ own.

A central interest within her practice is the exploration of performance documentation, specifically how the camera can act as a collaborator, rather than mute witness, to the performer.

Known for her engagement with domestic and institutional spaces, recently Clare’s work has been captured and exhibited in locations such as the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), the National Gallery of Victoria, Monash University, the Abbotsford Convent, Sutton Project Space and the Substation, Melbourne.

In 2020 Clare began a PhD at the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne. She completed a Master of Arts by research in 2014 at Monash University, and received first class Honours in Fine Art in 2009 at RMIT University. Her work is held in public and private collections nationally, including Art bank, The National Gallery of Victoria, Monash University, RMIT University.

Clare is a founding member of LAST Collective.

with the photography I took its been baced on 2 artist Anastasia jobson and Ilse Bing, the photos in green I used the style of self portraiture which Ilse Bing and I involved roller skates like some of the photos which Anastasia jobson, and I also do similar with the photos which are highlighted in blue via the roller skates and similar poses.

which the best raw photos are flagged

best raw photos –

with this photos I took it quite like Anastasia jobson but the facial expression is more so like Ilse Bing

these photos are inspired by Ilse Bing by the they have been taken as self portrait mirror selfie.

Anastasia jobson

stuff she has said on her website about her –

“A little about me and what I do… I am a bit of a rolling stone, I have lived and worked in four different countries. Formerly a professional dancer, now I’m a professional photographer and video creator operating in Birmingham, West Midlands. I am really excited to see where my craft takes me next!”

“Simply put, I love working with people, hence why portrait photography is my passion.“

“As a former professional dancer and choreographer, I understand the way the body moves. I have transposed this skillset into my photography; I can instruct my clients to make subtle body adjustments that will transform an image in a spectacular fashion!”

“I’ve been studying posing for years and I believe there’s no “one pose fits all”. To me, effective posing requires a personal approach. I work with every single client by studying their body language, in order to find the flattering shapes, angles and poses specifically for them, and the personality they are trying to project.”

“I deeply believe that every single person I photograph should love their portrait, especially when it comes to a professional headshot/business portrait. I know how frustrating it can feel having a photo that you’re not particularly happy with, on a public display representing you. “

examples of her work – on a photoshoot of roller-skating –

analysis –

visual –

with in this photo you can see its in black and white and see the hole body of the subject, which shows a natural expression and that the pose in a natural one which normally you wouldn’t use roller-skating within. furthermore the expression shows happiness within the subject. also there isn’t much in the background of this photo, other then a slightly textured wall.

technical –

lighting – is quite bright on the subject and background showing a light and happy mood.

aperture – the background is in focus but nit much in the background though.

shutter speed – its quite over exposed

also one other artist which more links in with the previous artist reference, which showed femininity and masculinity –

Ilse Bing –

a pioneering German-born photographer known for her innovative work and use of the Leica camera. Often referred to as the “Queen of the Leica,” Bing played a significant role in modernist photography, blending artistic creativity with technical mastery. This passage highlights her early life, academic pursuits, and eventual pivot to photography, which became her lifelong passion and career.

examples of her work –

analysis-

visual –

a self portrait, with a person holding a camera with in 2 thirds of the photo which is the rule of thirds and she doesn’t have much of an expression on her face

technical-

lightning- is quite natural lighting throughout the photo

aperture – the background is in focus

shutter speed – exposure is quite under exposed, making see quite dark around the face but in the top left corner it’s looks very exposed

Ideas For Photos

A Mood Board For Inspiration

These are the type of ideas I’m trying to achieve during my photoshoot.

Moodboard

Hands are unique because they combine dexterity, strength, and precision in a way that few other body parts do. The human hand’s ability to perform fine motor tasks, like writing or playing an instrument, is unmatched in the animal kingdom. The thumb allows for gripping, manipulating, and creating tools, which has been essential to human evolution and culture. The complex arrangement of bones, muscles, and tendons in the hand also enables a vast range of movements, from delicate gestures to powerful actions, making it a remarkable feature of human anatomy.

Family is important to me because they provide love and support. The people surrounding me also give me a sense of belonging, helping me push through life’s challenges and celebrate my successes.

Identity is important because it shapes how we understand ourselves and our place in the world. It influences our values, decisions, and relationships, helping us navigate with a sense of purpose and direction. A strong sense of identity fosters confidence, self-acceptance, and resilience. Ultimately, understanding who we are enables us to live authentically and connect fully with others.

Love is important because it forms the foundation of human connection, empathy, trust, and understanding. It provides emotional support, helping us through life’s struggles and amplifying its joys. Love nurtures personal growth, encourages kindness, and strengthens relationships, creating a sense of belonging and security. Love is what binds us together, making life richer and more meaningful.

Studio Lighting is any form of lighting equipment used when taking photos. It’s also used by photographers, often when working in a photography studio, to enhance their photography. Most professional photographers have different light kits they use depending on the situation they find themselves shooting in.

The purpose of studio lighting to illuminate their images and videos. Lighting is a very important tool when it comes to controlling the image. And using studio lights in an effective way is an art in itself.

The Three different types of point lighting are:

• Key Light – 1 point lighting
• Fill Light – 2 point lighting
• Backlight – 3 point lighting

One-point lighting would involve just one light and this would be illustrated as the key light. The way in which we would utilise this light effectively would be to use a softbox in order to convert the light into a powerful diffusion light source.

Two-point lighting is a basic lighting technique used in film and photography that involves the use of two light sources to illuminate a subject. This setup creates depth and dimension, enhancing the visual appeal by casting shadows and highlights that define shapes.

Three-point video lighting is all about creating a three-dimensional look. By placing three light sources at strategic points around the subject, each light source illuminates a separate dimension of the subject and creates an image with greater representation of height, width, and depth.

Rembrandt Lighting, Butterfly lighting, Chiaroscuro

1.  Rembrandt lighting is characterized by an illuminated triangle (also called “Rembrandt patch”) under the eye of the subject on the less illuminated side of the face. It is named for the Dutch painter Rembrandt, who occasionally used this type of lighting.
2. Butterfly lighting is a lighting pattern used in portrait photography where the key light is placed above and pointing down on the subject’s face. This creates a dramatic shadow under the nose and chin that looks like a butterfly.
3. Chiaroscuro lighting refers to the intentional employment of highlights and shadows to draw attention to the shape of the subject. In order to produce striking contrasts, this approach usually entails employing a single light source — such as a lamp or window — positioned at a certain angle.

Artist Research:

David Bailey is an English fashion photographer best known for his images of celebrities, models, and musicians. Born on January 2, 1938 in London, United Kingdom, Bailey dropped out of high school to serve in the Royal Air Force where he developed an interest in the photography of Henri Cartier-Bresson. Over the course of the 1960s and 70s, the artist gained attention from the press after a string of high-profile marriages to Jean Shrimpton, Catherine Deneuve, and Marie Helvin. In 1965, he published his first photography book Box of Pin-Ups, a collection of black-and-white images portraying Mick Jagger, The Beatles, Twiggy, and Andy Warhol, along with several other celebrity figures.

Bailey has gone on to receive the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II, and in 2016 a Lifetime Achievement award from the International Center of Photography in New York. The artist’s photographs are held in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Technical: the lighting is artificial as the photo was taken in a studio where the flash was used as the lighting technique used is split lighting, where half of the face is lit up whilst the other half isn’t. The level of contrast in the face is not that major as the right eye is still very visible and bright, although the right side of the blazer is a much lighter grey than the right shows that the light was more angled at the blazer. A reflector could of been used to create the lighter right eye so the viewer would be able to see a full face. The ISO seems at a low sensitivity as the image isn’t grainy so it doesn’t show that much texture but enough to see it on the blazer. The shutter speed seems quite fast because enough light has entered where it’s not over-exposed but also not under-exposed. The white balance was probably set to daylight as the photographer used a flash trigger.

Visual: the image has been set to black and white to show its tone and contrast better. This also gives a darker, moodier feel to the photo which adds character to it and makes it not boring. You’re able to see the texture of the jacket showing depth . The model is in the centre of the lens which means he is in the middle ground.

Contextual: the photographer normally took pictures of famous singers of the time so Mick Jagger was a perfect model as he was in The Rolling Stones. At the time british rock music was popular so bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and singers like David Bowie would be good candidates.

MOOD BOARD

My aim is to achieve at least 3 good photos with each technique whilst being in different poses and using different colour gels. This would get me a good range of photos to edit as I would have a nice variety to post. I’ll also use the reflector to bounce the light onto the models face to see what that would look like and see what effect is created and with doing that I’d also do a range of different shots and angles: close-ups, rule of thirds, low angle etc this would allow me to get images like David Bailey whom I’m getting inspiration from.