Portfolio

Final Pieces

Final Evaluation

I found it difficult to choose a topic for this unit as I did not have any ideas coming into it. I eventually decided to pick the topic of evidence as I was quite a broad starting point and a few ideas came to me when creating a mind map for this. The first thing I thought about shooting which related to evidence were obvious examples of evidence for example litter on the ground or footprints in the mud, so my initial shoot consisted of pictures like this. Because of my lack of ideas, a lot of my images were similar and I ran out of ideas of what to photograph. Although the images I had taken showed evidence very clearly, I wasn't too keen on the composition of most of them. After this I decided I wanted to use props to show evidence, and create a scene. The studio lighting allowed me to show form and reflection in my images which improved the quality. Before this I was not used to photographing props but I enjoyed it and I think that through this shoot I improved my composition skills, as I was focussing so much on this when doing the shoot. Because I enjoyed this shoot so much I decided to do more photography using props, this time on location. I think that this shoot mainly helped me become more skilled in setting up scenes using props as I found myself moving the props around a lot in order to create the best composition, and a scene that looks natural. Because I had the freedom of shooting in different locations, I managed to create a realistic and slightly moving scene, and was very happy with the outcome of this shoot.

When creating an initial mind map at the beginning of this unit I realised that evidence would also be shown through vandalism or destruction photography, and I found this quite interesting. I liked the way there was a lot to look at in the image and the negative feel it created. I especially enjoyed photographs of graffiti as I found it very artistic and appealing to the eye. I wanted to create images like this so I decided to go to Brick Lane in London to take some photographs of a large variety of street art. This trip combined street photography, which I had been a fan of and enjoyed taking beforehand, with art and I managed to take some pictures which I am really happy with. I think that this trip helps me to think about sense of depth in my work as I had taken pictures of a lot of graffitied walls and wanted to find an angle that emphasised the depth. I also think I had improved my skills and knowledge in basic camera angles and composition, which I had taken with me into shoots after this one.  The shoot had made me realise just how much I enjoy taking street photography and I'm sure I will continue to take a lot of it in the future.

Something else Unit 2 has helped me to notice is my interest in taking portraits. After I had done multiple vandalism shoots I wanted to try something different, that I had only briefly touched on in the previous unit; portraiture. Rather than using a studio, I thought about how I could use various locations in order to help convey a certain feel or atmosphere with the photograph. The first portrait session I did I decided to shoot in a very urban location, so that backgrounds such as graffittied walls, alleyways, and bridges were available. I wanted to shoot in this sort of area because the model I had chosen had a very strong urban/grunge look, which is the reason I had picked her. As I wanted to make these images as interesting as I could without overcomplicating them, I decided to dress my model in a urban outfit, with grunge makeup including black lipstick, and fake piercings. This complimented the location very well and I was very happy with the outcome of these images. This was the first time I had picked and dressed a model to match a certain location and I feel that I had learnt so much about creating a scenario in this shoot, which I had taken and will continue to take in future shoots. It was this shoot that helped prepare me for my exam shoot, where again I had focussed on portraiture. This time, I focussed more on the faces rather than the surroundings, showing tone and emotion. Despite this, I remembered how effective my images from the previous shoot turned out due to choosing an appropriate location depending on the look of the model, and used this again in my exam. This helps to reinforce an urban feel and really made the images look like realistic scenarios, which I am very happy with.

Overall I have really enjoyed this project and I know It has helped me to significantly improve many of my existing skills. I have learnt to think more about the composition of the image when taking it, and have improved my skills in composing images, as well as photographing depth. I have also learnt some new skills for example creating my own scenario by choosing certain props and locations in order to create a realistic image. I believe I have improved in portraiture and street photography as I have focussed on these two aspects a lot during this unit, as it has helped me to realise that I enjoy these kinds of photography. As well as photography, I feel I have improved editing skills as I have explored with different aspects of Photoshop for example when creating my computer edits, and surprising myself by finding an effect that creates a really interesting and abstract image. Physical experiments have aswell improved my creative skills and I have thoroughly enjoyed burning, cutting, and destroying my work to create an abstract piece of art. When looking back at my work from the beginning of the unit, and then looking at my exam work and the shoots I had taken towards the end, I can see a significant improvement and I am very happy with the outcome of this unit of photography for this, as well as helping my find my areas of interest as a photographer.

Work Diary - Shoot 11

Evaluation

I found this shoot very enjoyable and am happy with the result. I decided to go to Brighton as this is one of my favourite places and I thought it would be a good place to go for street photography. I wanted to take more street photography images as it is an aspect of photography that I quite enjoy and have had experienced in. I took a lot of photographs as there was a lot to take pictures of. I found that due to the sun my pictures showed highlights, shadows and tone very clearly, which improved the quality of them. There was also a lot of depth to photograph due to the many rows of shops and long streets, which was a good quality in many of my images.

If I had to point out a negative aspect of the shoot it would be that I tended to use similar camera angles when taking my pictures, rather than a large variety. This is because I mostly took pictures of long streets or walls, so I used a similar camera angle to capture the depth. Despite this I think this camera angle works effectively as the depth is clearly established and the size of the area is emphasised, and the images still vary due to content.

 

The above image is one of my successful ones from the shoot that I went on the edit, showing a vandalised wall. Firstly I took it from this angle in order to clearly show the formal element of depth, emphasising the length of the wall. Due to contrast, the clear lines of graffiti can be seen. The bins in the distance add to the image and the graffiti on them can be clearly seen even though it is far from the lens as the white contrasts significantly against the dark green. The fact that we can see the building is quite dirty adds to the urban, feel and reinforces the idea that this is an abandoned building. The metal shutters on the windows also does this.

 

This picture is one of the weaker ones from the shoot. The main problem with this image is that there is not specific focal point of the image. Because of this there is a lot to look at and the image is quite complex. Despite this, I like the range of colours in the picture.

 

James Grundy

James Grundy is a portrait and street photographer from Australia. All of his photography is black and white. I decided to pick this photographer to write about as I find his work unique and like how he photographs action shots to tell stories. I also like the way the elements of contrast and depth are clearly shown in his photography. 

I like how this image is slightly out of focus and the skaters are in motion as it establishes movement and makes the scene more realistic. The fact we cannot see their faces creates a sense of mystery but allows us to focus on the surroundings. I also like how they only take up a small amount of  the frame, as again we can focus on other parts of the image, for example the clear depth. The road, trees, and lamposts help to clearly show depth. We can see that the road gets thinner the further into the distance it gets, and the white lines on the road get closer together. The trees also get smaller the further into the distance they are and the lights from the lamposts become closer together and more out of focus, establishing depth. The skater that is further ahead looks smaller than the one nearest the camera which again shows depth. The lampost light significantly stands out against the plain black sky, and creates a dark silhouette shadow under one of the skaters with a clear outline. The black and white effect helps to bring out the tones in the road in order to show texture, and in the trees in order to show form.

One of the reasons I like this image is because of the sense of adventure that it creates. The image is very contrasting. The people in the image create silhouettes as they contrast against the white sky, and the outline of them is very clear. The wire fence also contrasts against the white sky, creating a pattern over the image, making it more appealing. The image also shows depth, as the lines separating the wooden floorboards get closer together as they travel into the distance, and the fence looks as if it is getting smaller. My favourite aspect of this image is the sense of journey and adventure created by the reckless silhouettes entering the 'no entry' zone, as we do not know where it leads. As well as a sense of adventure, the picture also creates a sense of mystery as we are unable to see the peoples faces, and the facial features are important for revealing a persons feeling and emotions.

 

This is a very contrasting image as it consists of shadows and highlights. The first thing I noticed about it was the clear silhouette of a person. This creates a sense of mystery as we cannot see any features of this person. The outline of this can be seen very clearly due to the significant contrast between it and the lighter background. I also noticed that the formal element of depth is clearly shown as the train track gets thinner the further into the distance it travels. The way the image is black and white works very effectively in this case as the contrasts between inside the tunnel and out of it.

 

This image is very contrasting. Because of this significant contrast, although they are small, the silhouette of the person and the balloons are very clear. Depth is also clearly shown as the rows of trees look smaller and closer together the further into the distance they are. I like the way this image is very minimalistic as it is very effective. The lack of colour creates a slight eerie feel reinforced by the sense of mystery created as we cannot see the person in detail. The treetops create a rough texture which adds interest to the image.

After looking at the work of James Grundy I feel inspired to explore with minimalistic photography as this is not something I have tried out so far. I think this will emphasise contrasting order to create a clear focal point in an image. I also want to practice with depth photography in more detail in order to create some really effective images. I could do this by photographing rows of trees like in the bottom image, fences or roads. I will experiment more with black and white in my work where I want to emphasise the contrast of my images.

 

Looking in more detail at James' work I noticed that there is quite a variation of images for example portraits and street photography, and though it is all black and white which some people may not enjoy, I still appreciate and enjoy this photographers work. I especially enjoy his action shots as a sense of mystery and adventure are created which I really like in photography. This is a feature I would like to include in my own photography at some point.

Aneta Ivanova

 Aneta is a 23 year old photographer living in Bulgaria. She focusses on multiple exposure photography, and portraits which include the element of nature. I have decided to write about this photographer as I think her work is very unique and abstract, and I like the way she brings together both nature and portraiture. 

Although there is a lot of empty space in the frame of this image, the portrait still significantly stands out as the background is plain white. I like the way the different tones in the face and the highlights and shadows allow form to be shown, so the image does not look like a flat silhouette. I also like the way the birds spread out gradually as if they are making up the girls face, and the fact that they are flying in the opposite direction. Although there is no blurring to suggest movement, the position of the birds imply that they are in motion. The facial features can be seen clearly and the outline of the face is also very clear due to the contrast between it and the background. The same goes for each individual bird. 

I think that this image is clever in the way that the girl looks like she is gasping for air due to the sea line reaching her mouth. I also like the colours and tones in the sea and how it is blue on the top but includes more green tones the deeper it goes. The reflection of light on top of the water is appealing and adds to the image. Highlights and shadows in the girls skin allow us to see form, so that she does not just look like a silhouette. The background is plain white which allows us to focus on the foreground and keeps the image simple. 

This image is very minimilistic. As well has having a plain white background, the picture has been edited black and white. I think the simplicity works well in this case and the black and white effect allows the different tones in the sea to be visible I like the way the sea gets darker the deeper it gets, and how individual waves are visible on the top of the water due to a discrete outlines. Highlights and shadows allow us to see the form of the models skin, so that she does not just look like a flat silhouette. The contrast between the dark sea and the bright white background allows the outline of the woman's body and face to be seen very clearly. I also like the position she is making with her body and the shape it creates. In this case we cannot see her facial features in detail which creates a sense of mystery. 

I like the mixture vivid tones that are used in this portrait, as it really makes it stand out against the plain background. I also like the unusual feature of parts of the portrait being missing, as it allows the portrait to blend well into the background. The way the outline of the portrait is not specific makes the portrait seem more artistic and slightly resembles watercolours. The dramatic position of the model adds interest to the image and makes it more memorable. It also may create enigmas for viewers. The highlights and shadows allow us to still see the form of the woman's face and hands. 

Looking at Aneta's photography, I feel influenced to experiment a bit more with photomontage in my photography. I have not had much experience with photomontage however seeing these images and how well they bring together nature and portraiture makes me want to have a go at it. I already enjoy taking portraits so expanding on this and experimenting with Photoshop may result in some interesting and abstract imagery. 

After exploring Aneta Ivanova's photography in more detail I have realised that a lot of her creations are very similar. Although I find her style and photomontage techniques very interesting and abstract, a lot of them are very similar, using models in similar positions and overlapping them with similar images of nature or locations. I found that after a while I began to loose interest as there was a lack of variety in her work.

Mike Olbinski

Mike Olbinski from Arizona focusses on wedding photography and landscapes, mostly of storms. I decided to pick this photographer  to write about as I really like depth shown in a lot of his photography, and find the colours of the sky in the different landscapes very appealing.

My favourite thing about this image is the colours in the sky. I really like the variety of different tones and how they come together to create the form of the clouds. I also like the way the vivid pink stands out against the blue and grey colours as it attracts the eye and makes the sky look very appealing and unusual. I like how the sky is very contrasting against the ground, as it is very colourful and bright while the ground is very dull and plain. The road shows depth as it gets thinner the further away from the camera it gets. Something I realised about this photograph is that long exposure has captured the headlights of a car travelling down the road. This colour matches the pink tones in the sky and I think it is a nice touch to the image. The outline of the mountains in the distance can be seen clearly as the dark blue silhouette of the mountains contrasts against the lighter blue sky. 

I like this image because it is quite minimalistic. The shape and lines in the bright white lightning can be clearly seen as they contrast significantly against the deep purple sky. I like how the lightening is not central in the frame so that more of the minimalistic landscape is visible. This composition also works because there is not much else in the frame to distract the eye away from the lightening, so it does not need to take up much of the frame to stand out. Different tones can be seen in the top half of the sky so that the form of the clouds can be seen. The outline of the mountains on the horizon can be seen clearly due to the contrast between them and then sky which is slightly lighter. Something I think really adds to this image is the small lights in the bottom right corner. This establishes that there is a town in this location. 

I find that this image is very appealing to the eye. I really like the different tones visible in the sky and how they fade into one another. I also like how the different tones show the form to establish the cloudy area. The point where the ground becomes the sky is very clear as the very dark ground contrasts against orange horizon. The stars really add to the image as they create a pattern and make the scene look more fascinating. The car adds a sense of journey and adventure, and as there is no blur of movement it is implied that the car is stationary. Even though it is black against black, we are still able to see the car due to the light reflecting off the body, and the white contrasting wheels. The inside of the car is also lit up which draws the eye in. Because the horizon consists of light orange tones, we are able to see where the shape of the car more clearly. If the sky was dark at the bottom, it would blend into the car and it would be harder to identify.

This image is different from the others, as it shows a close up vehicle rather than a landscape or storm. The colours in this photograph are quite dull and dark, which I think emphasises how the vehicle is quite worn away. The lines on the side of the vehicle show texture, which the different tones in the ground also do. I like the way the sun is shining through the corner of the windscreen, as it attracts the eye and adds to the image. We can see a clear outline of the front of the vehicle as it contrasts against the bright plain sky. The way the door of the vehicle is open creates a sense of adventure or journey.

Looking at Mike Olbinski's photography, I feel influenced to experiment with sky photography. I really like the different colours visible in a lot of his landscapes, and this is something that I would like in my own photography. I would also like to clearly show the form of clouds in the sky as I think it makes the images a lot more interesting and gives the eye more to look at. This can be achieved by increasing the contrast of sky images, which is something I might try. I would also feel like I want to focus more on depth, as in Mike's photography the clear sense of depth really makes the images more interesting. 

After looking at more of Mike Olbinski's photography and exploring his website in more depth, I noticed that a lot of his photographs are similar, not only his storm photography but also his gallery of 'lost things'. Although he is obviously a very skilled photographer and I do enjoy looking at his work, I find that his images slightly lack variation, which doesnt leave me intrigued to carry on looking at more of his work.