more images of ‘the sublime’ in photography and art

From this variety I decided to have a go at trying to take photos how Rosanna Jones did. She normally does a lot of physical work as well as digital. This allowed me to get creative both ways when having to work out what to do.

These are the images I chose to recreate digitally and physically.

For this photoshoot I was able to get a range of images with different outfits, poses and lighting. At home I designed and created physical copies decided to recreate some of her iconic images. I then categorised it further into to colour and rating

I managed to categorise it by the starring it and colour coding it. I was then able to put the images I’m replicating in the same category to make it easier for myself when I’m editing digitally.

Original Images

Comparison

Editing

Final Images

ArtSteps Presentation

With this being my mood board I decided to take inspiration from one image and chose to take a more creative outlook showing the make of the makeup look, to give an almost behind the scenes mood.

Technical: The lighting looks like it could be natural as the hair is looking more golden than the rest of her meaning the sun could be shining on her. However, studio lighting could be used just to brighten the image up and get clearer features. For the white balance I don’t think theres any setting changed as tungsten wasn’t used because she isn’t blue and daylight wasn’t used because she isn’t yellow or really bright. I think the photographer asked the person to be located against a white wall in a studio or a home to give it a more sophisticated and clean look. The image doesn’t look over exposed although the saturation looks quite high to create an almost doll-like effect. The photographer decided to keep the tonal range warmer showing lots of different shades of orange and yellow contrasting with the whiteness of the t-shirt and the background. For the aperture it looks like a standard lens was used to take an upper body picture, the image isn’t blurry and uses sharp and focused depth of field. The ISO looks like it’s on a medium setting (maybe 800 – 1200) as the image isn’t grainy or coarse. Texture can be seen through the image from the veins on her hand to the way her hair is layed, this shows that she was the main focus.

Visual: Cindy Sherman decided to go with a warmer tone and colour through this image creating a more inviting space instead of using a cool toned palette perhaps to not ‘scare’ the viewer. Sherman layed out the model by making her look away from the camera but still smiling as if she’s looking at something that she’s enjoying. The image looks less formal than normal as the model looks like shes in casual clothes and has an averting gaze – it is almost as if its a non staged, staged photo trying to make her seem ‘casual’ and ‘easy-going’. The image doesn’t have symmetry but has a good focus on face so she isn’t hidden and blurred.

Conceptual: To my knowledge, Cindy Sherman doesn’t see herself as a self portrait artist as everytime she does a photoshoot she’s alway playing a new character(s). With this photo I think she might of wanted to break away from women stereotypes people create and show the real meaning of being a girl. The messy makeup look shows the beginning of something: her trying out a new style or practicing for the first time. Most of her photoshoots have normally been about over exaggerated things like the clowns or the traditional housewife but for this shoot, she kept it more simple and let her face do the work instead of her body.

Contextual: At the time of the 2000s fashion and bright fun makeup was very big. A lot of women decided to come out their shell and experiment with what they could do, this was shocking because before then women were traditionally seen as objects or people that were subordinate to men. The stereotyping to women came heavily when it came to photoshoots as they were meant to be perceived for the male gaze however, after Sherman’s photoshoot from 1977 I think she realised how much the world has changed about their view on women and how they should act, dress and look.

I worked with different heights, lighting and poses to give a variety of images to choose from. This allowed me to make a further selection in which images I want to edit and makes changes to.

Original Images

I then did the behind-the-scenes esque photoshoot where I pretended the camera was the mirror I was doing my makeup in.

Editing + Experimenting

I chose image 6 to be my final image to compare the original photo as I think I positioned myself best and used the the same facial expressions as Cindy Sherman. I also think the lighting and height were more accurate than the other images I could’ve chosen because I think the photo is angled lower rather than at head height.

Here I took the image I think fits best with Cindy Sherman’s photo and edited it to look similar. I cropped and upped the saturation to give an almost doll-like look to the image. I also used the drawing tool to give myself the same colour nail polish which allowed me to get the same effect that Cindy Sherman used.

For these images I decided to take on my own approach giving an almost behind-the-scenes take on it. I took pictures during me putting on the bright makeup. This to me shows a feminine side as growing up as a girl to me is exploring and finding out how to do makeup. The use of the bright makeup allowed me to be more creative with this shoot and editing because I needed to try and accentuate the brightness and extremeness of the look.

Here I also decided to mesh to photos together to create almost a story of how i’m getting ready. I think it looks good because the haziness of the left photo blended with the right makes it seem as if it were intentional. If I were to do this again I would make sure the camera is more focused which would make the image look clearer yet, it still works with how it’s normally taken.

My Final Images + Gallery

Next time, I’d use a tripod to help me set up and get the images straight which would mean less editing for me. It would also help me by having a place the camera can be set, I’d also try and use natural if possible as you can tell in the images how fluorescent the lighting is.

Identity is what makes us as a human. Everything we do leads to our identity which defines who we are. This could be a range from your finger print, hair colour and behavioural traits etc.

Femininity are qualities in which are ‘female’ or ‘girly’. The word is normally used against women as they are seen as more let loose and bubbly however there are other ways femininity can be seen as a bad way to describe how women act because males often see women in household settings like, cooking or cleaning because this is seen as a feminine thing to do as its almost a delicate way of living because they are home bound and not doing ‘masculine’ activities.

Masculinity are qualities in which are ‘male’ or ‘acting tough’. The word normally links to men as they are usually seen as having to be masculine. This means instead of doing household work they’re outside providing for the women showing that they are in charge of the house. However, the thought of having to be ‘masculine’ can effect boys’ mentality as they think they need to fit in a specific category causing them to think which side is wrong or right and which one they should fit in.

Identity, Femininity and Masculinity can be strongly influenced by where you’ve lived, who you surround yourself with and many other attributes. Cultural identity allows people to be closer to who their family are but can lead to aspects in which people might not want to participate in like having an arranged marriage set up for a woman who doesn’t want to but with her culture its allowed. Social identity is also a major problem as society is a big part of the world but this means it can lead people judging and giving their opinions on how someone should act, dress or look like. This can affect someone deeply if it’s coming from people you might know or just a group of people who have opposing views from you. This leads to stereotyping and prejudice against women and men having to act how the rest of the world wants them to act. Women stereotyping are seen as doing delicate jobs and only helping their higher male figure, while men are seen ass doing the hard stuff providing for their families, laying back, playing sports etc however when either gender steps out of that category society sees this as a personal attack as they ‘aren’t fitting in society’.

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman was a key figure of the movement Pictures Generation. This movement was a transformation that reveals identity as role-play, where femininity appears as something that is shaped by male expectations. The pictures were profoundly intriguing to intellectuals of the time.

Before becoming a photographer, in 1972 Sherman enrolled in the visual arts department at Buffalo state University, where she majored in painting. However, when she finished school in 1977 she moved to New York where she would begin working on what would become the Untitled Film Stills.

Her main key goals were to explore with themes such as identity, gender, and the role of women in society. She achieved these goals by using herself (self-portraiture) to create fictional characters to explore such themes. A range of personas are created as she uses make up, costumes, lighting and settings to make each of them different like, Clowns (2003-2004) a series of colourful images where Sherman portrays herself as a variety of clowns, or Untitled Film Stills (1977-1980) a series of black-and-white photos in which she plays various female characters inspired by film noir.

Cindy Sherman Mood Board

Photoshoot plan 1 & 2:

• location: my house —> my room, kitchen, living room and dining room
• People: myself in different settings —> self portraits
• lighting: natural lighting using windows or artificial light to emphasise the image setting
• how i’m going to do it: using my Sony camera
• editing ideas: use Lightroom to turn most images b&w or turn up the saturation

Rosanna Jones

Rosanna Jones is a photographer and mixed media image maker based in London. She is a graduate in Fashion Photography from Falmouth University. Her work specialises in an experimental blend of art and photography; celebrating the physical possibilities of an image, rather than simply its two dimensional form. Her trademark aesthetic has been built through years of painting over, ripping up, burning and otherwise distressing her photography to create tactile portraits that defy the flat images they once were.

She finds destroying the photographs a largely therapeutic process and her work “draws attention to portrait photography’s central conflict—the idea that taking a person’s photo can immortalize them, in a way, but it can also be an act of violence.” Jones also did another collection called “Skin” about how body image, positive or negative, can impact identity.

A lot of Jones’ work is making a statement about misogyny and the male gaze within the art/photography world, as it is still mainly dominated by men. Her manipulations of the photographs and the fact that in most of them the majority of the model’s bodies are painted over or edited so that they are unclear, even to the extent of being torn up could symbolise that Jones refuses to let her model’s bodies be exploited and wants people to focus on the photograph and why she creates it the way it is, rather than only focusing on the model’s body itself. This is clearly shown in another of her collections called ‘Girls’ where she manages to convey more attention to what’s going on in the image rather than the girls in the picture.

Rosanna Jones Mood Board

Photoshoot plan 3:

• location: friends house —> their room, plain walls —> outside, shed, hammock
• people: friend —> style them to fit the different shoots (including hair, makeup etc). —> myself to add contrast to the images (helps link to other photos in the mood board)
• lighting: —> mostly artificial lighting as most images are set in a studio, some natural lighting
• how i’m going to do it: using my Sony camera, my polaroid camera and my cheap digital camera to capture an old style of shooting.
• editing idea: print out most photos —> tear them up, paint over them, glue and layer them —> edit them in Lightroom where i can turn them into b&w if need to

I used images from the studio lighting photoshoot to be able to create these images. Whilst doing that I also used coloured gels to give the images a different look to them making none the same.

I put all the images into lightroom where I would be able to see all of them in better detail. This also helped me choose which photos I wanted to use and which ones I didn’t. We used a range of poses to see which ones would look the best and different shutter speeds to see how it would look against the coloured gel.

I went through the images and chose 9 final ones to edit. I chose these pictures because I felt I had the most creative freedom to do something with it. I inspired colours from Spider-man using the red and blue and making Emma pose as if she’s just found out she’s been bitten. Using other movies the blue and red reminded me of Star Wars, good vs. evil. I made Luke and Emma pose on either side of the light to show the contrast

Creative Portrait Edits

Here I used two images and layered them. I then turned down the opacity of one creating a split effect. I also used a high saturation setting to create the vibrant colours, I like this image because you can still see both pictures even if they are layered. The clothing from each picture are also opposite colours which adds a nice contrast.

In this image I used the same technique as the one before to create the overlay effect. This created a cool layering of colours on the clothes and in the background giving the picture depth and tone.

With this image I used the smudge tool where I would use it to almost erase her eyes and used the spot blemish tool to fully erase her mouth to give it a creepy look. The harsh lines of red and blue on her eyes give a nice contrast to the blended blue and red on her jumper.

I went for a more simple look just overlaying one image on another however, both images are completely different creating strong contrast between both pictures.

For this image I layered multiple of the same image and either moved them up or down to create the desired effect. I then lowered the opacity to create a multi-exposure look like Alexander Rodchenko

For this image I decided to overlay the same image and flip it upside down. I also turned the original image black and white so the upside image with the selected overlay setting would be visible and create a cool effect, curating a contrast between pictures.

Lastly, I used the original image of the red and blue and decided to incorporate the colours by surrounding them in the neon versions of them, this created a ‘trippy’ effect.

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.

Contact Sheet:

This is my school contact sheet where I went around school and found teachers and students to photograph. This gave me a range of ages and different looks to people as they were all doing something different. This also allowed me to get comfortable with asking people to pose as I started in a place I know.

This is my out of school contact sheet where I was able to capture pictures of people in their work or doing their hobby. I went around town and managed to capture images of people in the market doing their everyday job. I also was able to get images of my friends in their bedrooms which helped me to get my inspiration photos.

I went through and flagged which of the images I prefered this helped me choose which pictures would be in my finals choices. In doing that I also starred some images to help choose my final pieces.

Original Images

This image was able to capture two teachers in their natural area being a classroom. I managed to capture them in their original positions showing how neutral looking they are. They are engaging the audience by looking at the camera inviting them in.

In this image I was able to photograph two sisters in their room where the lighting was more blue and calmer. The facial expressions are neutral and I made sure they had eye contact with the camera. I also posed them in a neutral position as if they just got stopped having a conversation. This created a very enclosed environment because it shows that they were turned inwards and are look at the viewer as if they’ve been interrupted.

I was able to capture this photo by going in to town where I went to the shop ‘Chaos’ and took a photo of the man sorting out his cds. To switch it up I directed him to look away from the camera so it would be less personal. The chaotic background helps distinguish the man from his surroundings as he is in darker clothing.

I managed to capture this photo by going into a charity shop where I posed the man in front of the clustered background. The blue jumper links the blue to his left which adds a nice cool tone to the picture instead of a warmer one like the pink is making in the back. For this image, I asked him to look away and hold a prop of a couple books to show what he was doing that day. When he stopped he was already holding the books in a very neutral position which was good as he didn’t have to act in a way he didn’t want.

In this image i was able to link all the colours in the photo to something else in it. Like the yellow bananas with the yellow logo in the background. This image stands out from other images as its someone doing their job outside in town rather than a little shop. I directed him to have a neutral facial expression however, I didn’t have to do much as that’s how he naturally looks anyways, which helped when telling him how to act. I also asked him to pose neutrally as is he’s waiting for someone to come and order.

In these photos I decided to create a more ‘homely’ feel as the bedroom pictures are more personal and intimate as it shows off their personality and what they are interested in. I got two images of the same girl as she shows a neutral expression throughout the whole shoot these two images stood out to me because of how everything is positioned. In the 1st image I posed her neutrally as if she’s just relaxing on her bed this also allowed us to see the view of her room and how she’s decided to decorate it. Whilst in the 2nd photo I have her posed with her guitar showing what her hobby is. Again I have her in a neutral position with a neutral facial expression looking at the view almost like playing something to them.

Edited Images

For the bedroom photos I decided to turn the saturation higher so it would match Michelle Sank’s style of editing as her photos are normally bright. She also gets them to pose naturally almost showing off the bedroom instead of the person.

I tried putting this image in black & white however, I prefered how it looked in normal colour as it showed off more features of her and the room. I also edited it so she would be brighter than the room to create more emphasis on the model but it just made it look strange so that’s why I decided to stick with it in colour.

Whilst I didn’t use the bottom two I wanted to edit them just to see how they would look in the Arnold Newman style of being black and white. I put the top one in black and white to fit with the style and it so he would stand out from the noisy background however, it fits with Newman’s style of photography because in the photos he usually directs the person to have something in their arms/hand or stuff in the background that correlate to what the model does as a hobby or a job.

Overall I think I got pictures that were inspired by the two artists I chose and more abstract ones that I took in my own direction. However, next time I would prefer to get more angles to give more variety to my photoshoots. I’d also want to get some images of typology to give me another thing to post on the blog.