Landscape Straight Images / Work Diary -

Landscapes - 

This photograph is of the architecture at Greenwhich and I personally felt that the black and white, plus increasing the contrast, added to the pastiche in the style of Ansel Adams despite the different subject matter of architecture compared to natural landscapes. 

This photograph is from Greenwhich where one side of my family originate from and has thus been a common place to visit during my childhood. I felt that the black and white created a sense of nostalgia in the same way that the landscape does for me.  

The framing of this photograph is aesthetically pleasing as the centre of the image is the subject of the photograph. The trees also create a fairytale like shroud surrounding the architectural building. This connotes the magic or childhood. 

This image is of a church spire which can be seen from Greenwhich park but could not be reached. The stark difference between the tonal regions of light and dark creates, again, a fairytale idea. The battle between light and dark is a common theme of fairytale and the trees blocking the path to a tower links with such fairytale stories as Rapunzel. The image is also eerie and brooding like the work of Ansel Adams. 

This image is my least favourite of these straight images. The architecture of the building was aesthetically pleasing but I had to cut out a section that was intended to be in frame due to modern signs. The trees in this case provide a frame to the image but also obscure it somewhat.

Progression - 

To improve my landscape photographs I would, first of all, shoot in various locations to build a more in depth idea of landscapes which have shaped me and thus my photographic work. I would also work on the compositional framing of some of the images as I became over excited by employing the natural against the man made. The second image could also use more editing in Photoshop to increase the contrast in tone and make the image more dramatic like Ansel Adams who uses the negative space to add detail to the subject of his photographic landscapes. 

Composite The Fourth Plinth Straight Images/ Work Diary -

The Fourth Plinth - 
I edited the below images using Photoshop CC 2014 after taking the photographs of the statues in the studio with the settings f/11, ISO 200 and shutter speed of 1/125. I also took the landscape photographs earlier in the year in fully manual.

Caution Deer Crossing:
My idea behind the use of the deer statue is that I wanted to promote the idea of combining the rural with the urban and to try to make people aware of wildlife.

I like this image as it demonstrates the blending of image manipulation. I was able to replicate one ornament and change its appearance to create both a stag and a doe which I changed the colour of using Photoshop and casted shadows using the burn tool. 

I like this final outcome as the colours work well in cohesion although, if I was to improve this work then I would have improved the shadows beneath the ornament. 

Modernity and Peace:

My idea behind the use of  Buddha was because Buddha promotes peace and in modern life it is very difficult to find peace when always busy with work, homelike etc. 

This image turned out well  in reference to scale, colour and form. I was able to cut out the shape/ contours of the ornament. Also, it connotes the differences between western and eastern cultures. 

This final image is the worst of the favourites. The shadows created using the burn tool was patchy but on a positive note the colours work well together as I employed selective colourisation and adjusted the colour to work well with the surroundings. 

Evaluation:

To evaluate, some of the images appear better than the others. The first deer image is better than the second as the quick selection tool cut the area more smoothly. I also attempted to create a shadow with the burn tool which was more effective on the first as it was all in shadow whereas the second deer image went across various backgrounds menacing the burn tool was not as effective. 

Furthermore, the set of Buddha images are reasonably acceptable. The quick selection tool worked extremely well with both creations but the burn tool, which I used to create the effect of a shadow, was not as effective due to the background landscape photograph. 

Therefore, I could improve these images in the future by learning how to create a drop shadow in photoshop and I could also experiment with histograms to achieve the same level of lighting as featured in the background images. 

Progression - 

To improve from this point I would practice my Photoshop editing skills and techniques to create a better shadow rather than using the dodge and burn tool. 

Composite Straight Image / Work Diary -

The Brain Landing of 1969 -

The images used below to make the one image are sourced online and not my own. The work completed on the image was done by me in Photoshop CC 2014 and the idea is my own. I wanted to create a surreal manipulated image that could infer a variety of meanings from an audience. I used techniques such as quick selection and burn tool to help create the shadows giving a more three-dimensional appearance rather than fully two-dimensional.

Documentary Straight Images / Work Diary -

Documentary Photography - 
The idea for the series of photography was "My Life" which inspired me to document my family life in a series of candid photos draw from the photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson.

This image is dramatic and a pastiche of Bresson although I chose to depict the domesticity of family life and rituals or celebrations such as christmas. 

This image depicts the bonds between mother and child and the facial expressions fondly show this. The decisive moment is evident in that this exchange was extremely brief and I captured the frame at the exact point to display the narrative. 

This image depicts a nostalgia of reminiscing ones childhood and birth place. I also linked this documentary to studying my self-identity and my heritage from the majority of my family being from London. 

This photograph depicts the mourning of family who are gone. The sun rays were an artistic choice which I was able to achieve due to the positioning of my camera. Compositionally the grave and the two subjects fit into the grid technique cross-sectional intersections. The subject, to me attest, is particularly moving as they grave is home to my grandparents whom I never met and at the temporal point of production my uncle was also very ill. 

This final image does not directly depict family but instead is a monument to my family. The composition is intriguing an the use of levels brings the viewer closer to the subject of the image almost as a metaphor for bringing them closer to the details of daily life. 

Progression - 

I was extremely happy with the outcome of this particular photographic series documenting my family in birth, life and death. To improve I would have liked the opportunity to photograph other subjects such as old family polaroid photographs arranged in an interesting manner. I would also like to have photographed the pregnant member of the family to tie into the life cycle of birth, life and death. However, in relation to the final outcomes I m extremely pleased.

Low Key Lighting Straight Images / Work Diary -

Straight Images - 

I like this image as the the low key lighting is known for hiding segments of the face but somehow elves deeper into the concept of identity. The central focal point is the light reflection on the eye of the subject. The negative space surrounding the face gives the impression of isolation. The stark contrasts between light and dark tonal areas helps to emphasise contours of the face. 

This second photograph is another of my favourites as I enjoy the side composition of the subject rather than being central. With this piece I intended to study perceptions of youth in society. The right sided weight of the image gives the impression of being parted from the norm, implied as deviant from the norm of society, and the lack of lighting on the eyes, supposedly the window to the soul, gives the impression of ambiguity and that the individual serves almost as a figurehead for all youths. 

This is my final favourite of the low key lighting series as it doesn't explicitly study identity or the hiding of identity. The shadows create an idea of battling light and dark and the hand is often referred to as displaying identity through fingerprints. This image was created to replicate the ideas of Macbeth in which Lady Macbeth asks why her hands will never be clean of her sins. The idea is that low key lighting can help display ideas of light and dark. 

Portraiture Straight Images / Work Diary -

Portraiture - 

Thomas Ruff

The above images are in the style of the portrait artist Thomas Ruff who focused on deadpan expressions with contrasting vibrant backdrops.  I like these images as the composition and colour are reminiscent of the photographer Thomas Ruff. I am pleased with the visual outcome although I believe that it could be improved using a variety of background colours. These images were taken in a studio using the settings 1/125 shutter speed, ISO 200 and f/22 on fully maul settings using manual focus. I believe my attempt was reasonably successful in acquiring a pastiche of the photographer who served as inspiration. The images replicate the passport style size of pictures, the deadpan expression and the vibrant highly saturated backgrounds. 

Richard Avedon -

The above images were taken in the style of Richard Avedon's series focusing on the 'American West'. I like this image as it demonstrates the basic composition used by the photographer Richard Avedon. Avedon also often included props relating to his subjects and thus I included the prop of a camera to obscure the identity of the subject and show how photography takes on a large role in their lifestyle. This image is successful due to the use of vignette, highly contrasted black and white through levels and the central composition of the subject. However, I think that during editing I have made these images too dark and if I was to improve upon them I would adjust the contrast in Photoshop. 

Progression - 

To improve from my current Thomas Ruff inspired final outcomes I would retake the bottom left hand image as the subject does not conform to the same composition and facial expressions as the other three.    To improve my second series inspired by Richard Avedon I would not edit the final images as much as I have. The final images vignette is too far in and shrouded the subject of the image. 

Joiners Straight Images / Work Diary -

Joiners -  
The below images were taken by me using a Canon EOS 450D and edited using Photoshop CC 2014. These images study personal identity and the distortion of identity within individuals minds. For instance, the gas mask symbolises the need to protect oneself from the poisonous nature of society in influencing who we are and how we are composed in our individual identities.

Joiners Landscape -
All of these images were taken using a Canon EOS 450D and were edited in Photoshop CC 2014. In today's session I chose to focus on the man made landscapes of the concrete jungle father than the natural landscapes. This is partly because I still wanted to include my identity of the local area of which is predominantly man made. Of the below images the top is my favourite due to the surreal nature of the photograph whilst the bottom is my least favourite for the joiners subject as it simply appears like a panoramic photograph. The middle image of the three is my second favourite as the light in each section of the joiner varies and is evidence of gamut range.

Progression - 

To improve from this extra shoot I would create another small series under both studio and landscape. Also, I would also increase the 'Brightness/ Contrast' in editing to make the images lighter. The second studio image could have been more revolutionary as I used one base image and added a few simple layers over. 

Sculpture Straight Images / Work Diary -

Sculpture  - 
All of these images were taken by me using a Canon EOS 450D; I took the below photographs using the 'Manual' setting. The specifics include: f/20, 1/20 and ISO 800. Afterwards, I edited these images using Photoshop CC 2014 focusing on the 'Brightness and Contrast' tool.

Progression - 

To progress from this point I would experiment with various other compositions  and perspectives. Also, there are limited sculptures available in the local residency and thus the shot were dramatically limited. 

Depth / Wide Angle Straight Images / Work Diary -

Depth of Field - 
Depth of Field refers to the distance between the nearest and furthest objects in an image. For the images with a wide depth of field (the background in focus) I used a higher f/stop value such as f/22. For the images with a narrow depth of field (the foreground in focus) I used a lower f/stop value such as f/5.6. I worked in full manual mode using the shutter speed opt 1/125, ISO 200 and f/5.6 or f/22.

 Background in Focus - 

Foreground in Focus - 

Background In Focus -

Foreground in Focus -

Progression - 

This shoot was ultimately successful and there was not much room to improve. 

Motion/ Movement Improvement Lesson Straight Images/ Work Diary -

Motion - 
These are my favourites of the motion picture to improve upon my previous ones. The settings I used are:
ISO: 200
F/29
Shutter Speed: 0"3

These images are an aimprovement on some of my prior motion/ movement photographs as I had more experience with the camera and editing software. I also employed a tripod which was an error in my previous photoshoot. Thus, the images are more focused and more aesthetically pleasing.

Progression - 

I have progressed from my prior movement/ motion photoshoot as I employed the use of tripod and lowered the exposure. 

Motion/ Movement Straight Images / Work Diary

Motion -
All of these images were taken by me on 'Shutter Priority' mode using a variety of settings for the appropriate time taken to capture the moving subject. I used a shutter speed of about 1 to 6 seconds and an f/stop of about f/16 - f/24.

I like this image as it is not only an example of motion but also of light trails due to the slow shutter speed. However, if I were to take this picture again I would adjust the aperture priority to decrease the exposure of the overall image.

This image is very similar to the first and again I like it as it is an example of motion that we see in everyday context but may not particularly pay attention to. The style of the image shows how busy everyday life is and is an example of chaotic motion with the light trails and the blurred cars and people also present.

This image is one of my favourite five as it features a person but the main subject of the image is the light trail created by using a torch and a slow shutter speed equivalent to about 3 - 6 seconds. I am happy with the appearance of this image as the exposure is good but I do believe that the use of a tripod would have improved the overall effect, specifically regarding the figure in the picture.

This image is similar to the photograph above, and below, in that it focuses on light trails created through the use of a slow shutter speed. Again this image could be improved upon through the use of a tripod to steady the other aspects of the photograph thus giving the foreground subject more prevalence in the image.

I also like this image as it again uses shutter speed to create an image that would otherwise not be seen. The light trails are exaggerated by the dark background and therefore stand out more. Although, if I was to retake this photograph I would implement the use of a tripod to steady the background of the image. 

Progression - 

To improve from this current place I would definitely need to employ the use of a tripod. Due to nature of having to complete long exposure photography the images became blurred if the camera was not kept completely still. For the outside photographs I would also lower the exposure levels by changing the aperture and ISO values. 

Reflection Straight Images / Work Diary -

Reflection -
All of these images were taken under the theme of reflection. The images feature a variety of reflections from mirror to window and water. The first image below is inspired by Vivian Maier and her self portrait photographs.

I am pleased with this particular image as it is evident that it is inspired by Vivian Maier's self portrait photography. Additionally, I am pleased with the tone of the image as the reflection appears a tinted blue whilst the red bricks create a contrast. If I were to improve this picture then I may edit it in photoshop and make it black and white so that a viewer would understand the direct link and inspiration from Maier's work.

I am satisfied with the overall appearance of this image as the reflection is focused and detailed and due to the composition and rule of thirds the viewers' eye is automatically drawn to the reflection. I am pleased with this image and would possibly experiment with editing it into black and white using Photoshop CC 2014 however I would happily leave this image as it is.

I like this photograph as not only is the theme of reflection the main focus of the image it is also representative of framing. I am pleased with this image because the reflection of the eye is the only part of the image in focus, as I used a narrow depth of field, but it also fits well into the three part grid system thus drawing viewer attention directly to the eye. Furthermore, I am satisfied with the composition of the photograph as it is an 'Over the Shoulder' angle / perspective.

I am pleased with this image as it is an example of reflection but also of analogous colours due to the use of yellows and greens. Furthermore, the use of the puddle frames the reflection of the light and this image also fits into the the grid cross-section and is composed well. 

This is the final of my favourite five images as the reflection is somewhat distorted. Additionally, this is one of my only images where the object being reflected is also depicted in my photograph. However, if I were to improve this image I would possibly edit it in Photoshop and adjust the contrast to make the reflection more exaggerated.

Progression - 

To improve from this point I would further study reflection in the style of other photographers. Vivian Maier is a good example of a portrait photographer who utilises reflection to study self identity. I would like my reflection work to be more implicitly studying social groups.