Developed Ideas

Senayt Samuel - I found this image whilst researching my theme, and I was instantly drawn to it. This image is really creepy and unnatural because the Samuel's reflection in the mirror is turning around of its own accord. What is even more sinister is the fact that whilst the 'real world' woman is looking into the distance, the woman in the mirror is turning to look at the audience directly which I found really unnerving.

Kehinde Wiley-These pieces of work I thought were interesting from several different perspectives. Wiley is known for his highly naturalistic painting style and portrayal of young black men in heroic poses, and addressing the issues faced by them in contemporary cultures.
I was attracted to his work because I am looking into reflections of yourself, and I've liked the effect of having more than one version of himself in one piece, in different positions.

This piece I particularly liked, and I found it liked almost perfectly with what I wanted to show. I liked the connections between each of the men, the fact that they were palm to palm and all wearing the same clothes. I also like the backgrounds to Wiley's work, I think the almost abstract designs give the pieces an individual and unique quality to his work.

The Art of Football

My first photoshoot edit - I'm thinking at some point I want to incorporate mirrors into my work, but for now I'm going to keep it as duplicates in the image. I wanted to create the same eerie mood as Samuel's image with the reflection, and had several different photos of me edited into one frame, all looking at each other. One thing I would like to improve upon is the background. I think it's too plain, and I think adding something to it would improve the mood of the image.

Continuity, 180 Degree Rule, Camera Angle Rushes

This video is a compilation of the footage we filmed one day when learning about 180 degree rule and different camera angles and how to pay attention to continuity whilst filming.

First Photoshoot Images

After a lot of deliberation, I have deviated from my first thoughts of photographing people's possessions and started thinking that maybe looking into reflection was a more interesting topic. Reflections are a totally individual interpretation of one's self, and I found it a really fascinating idea.

On this note I did a photoshoot of myself, directing a friend to take the photos. The aim of the photoshoot was to create a series of images that I could use as reflections of myself. I am planning on edited the photos with 2+ versions of myself in them, as if one of them is me looking at my reflection. With this in mind, I took a lot of the images with my hand up, so that when it came to editing I would be able to flip some of the images and edit them together with another image as if the two me's were standing palm to palm, or just somehow connected physically within the image.

I was also quite interested in the idea of maybe putting some reflections into the eyes, so I directed several close up shots to be taken of my eyes.

Initial Ideas

We were given the theme of Self Portrait, and we could interpret this as we wanted. I decided to look at it from a different perspective. I thought it would be quite interesting to look at things from the idea of peoples possessions, and I began to research some artists who photographed peoples possessions. I thought it was a really interesting idea, not knowing the subject at all, what they looked like, what their story was, what their personality was like etc, just seeing these objects they owned and wondering the story behind each.

Foster Huntington - The Burning House
This was a project where Huntington asked the question; if your house was going up in flames and you had a few minutes to gather up a few things to save from the fire, what possessions would you choose?
People were then asked to send in their response.

I found these images really interesting due to the variety and diversity of the items in each photo. The fact that we don't see who these people are, we have no reference other that these items on which to form an opinion on, and no context as to why these people chose this objects which I find really fascinating. There is a lot of intrigue behind these photos, and the lack of a story provided with each image gives you the freedom to imagine your own story behind the items which I find quite refreshing.

Practise Photos

These photos were taken whilst practising using different kinds of lighting in the studios. 

We were asked to try to replicate this photo of Steve Jobs.

We made sure we had a white background in place, as there is in the Steve Jobs photo, and used two background lights and one key light directed onto one side of the subjects face. This created quite a harsh shadow, so we used a reflector to try and soften it a bit.

Softening the shadow with the reflector made quite a lot of difference in the image, and made it more accurately represent the image we were trying to duplicate.

We had to use a light meter to measure how much light was reaching the image. First we entered what ISO we were using on the camera, and what shutter speed we were using and then we'd use the lights to give us an accurate reading of what we needed the aperture to be to get the best lighting.

After replicating the photo, we began changing the lighting to see what effect it would have, creating darker shadows and using a darker background to see what effect it would have.

I really like how the lighting on the above images came out, especially the second one. It might have come out a bit dark, but I think the streak of light across the background and just illuminating parts of her face and reflecting in her eye make for a really nice photo. The light isn't cold, but warm, adding to the mood of the photo.

Mise-en-Scene

Australia (2002)

The setting for this scene is in a destroyed camp of some kind, which is clear from the evidence of peoples belongings scattered around the frame, all charred and broken.

There are many props in the scene, including several fancy looking trunks that have been left open as if abandoned in a hurry and are now covered in ash and dirt. The most prominent prop in the scene is the trunk/box that the character is sitting with a hat hanging of the corner. This type of hat is a bush hat, commonly used in the Australian outback giving the viewer more detail as to where it’s set.

There are also upside down tables and chairs, but we are clearly outside as we can see a large tree and parts of branches on the dirt floor, giving further confirmation that we are in some kind of deserted encampment.

The characters costume is of high quality design and is wearing riding boots and breeches. This combined with the hat on the corner or the trunk, which is an Australian bush hat commonly used in the Outback strongly indicates that the character is on some sort of horseback journey through the wilderness.

Whilst the character is wearing good quality items, they are covered in dust and dirt and her hair is falling out of place, showing that the character has gone through some sort of physical ordeal, probably while she was riding as that seems to be a strong theme in the frame.

The lighting in this scene is really beautiful, with the backlight against the tree trunk is casting shadows over the scene, and the light that’s shining around the edges of the tree filtering through the dust particles in the air. This gives the frame quite an eerie atmosphere and the colours in the frame show sepia tones, helping to set the mood for the scene. The sepia also helps to indicate the time of when the film is set, which is 1939 and 1942.

The single figure is in the middle of the scene surrounded by the destroyed camp. Her body language is exhausted and defeated, as you can tell from her sagging shoulders and bowed head.

6 Photos I Like

Nadav Kander

I chose this photo as I really love the lighting across the subjects face. In this particular image, the subject is Christopher Lee, a renowned actor, and I think one of my favourite things about the image is the way the lighting casts shadows on the Lee's eyes and various other facial features such as age spots and his cheekbones. I also think it's really interesting how Kander has his face as the sole focus of the photo, with nothing but blackness surrounding it, like the image was done using negative space.

Margaret Durow

This photo I thought was interesting as the exposure on the streetlights is really high, casting the only person in the frame into shadow. At first glance, your eye is drawn to the light in the corner, and then to the man in the centre. This photo sort of has a sense of alien abduction, like a scene from the X-Files. The man is gazing into the light with kind of longing, looking into the unknown. I really like the use of silhouettes in this image.

James Ellroy

This image I thought was really powerful, as it's taken from a real crime scene. It's one of a series of images called LAPD '53. Ellroy didn't actually take the image himself, what he did was go through the LAPD's photo archive and found a lot of great photos from 1953 and decided to compile a book of them. I was drawn to this image as I find that hands tell really fascinating stories about people, and in this image the person has clearly been a part of some sort of physical violence. the bruising on his hand could come from punching someone, or maybe getting his hand crushed by something. This sort of image leaves a lot to the imagination which I like.

Daniel Arnold

I like this photo because of the look in the mans eyes. There is clearly a lot of tension in the air between theses two characters. The man on the left is in a uniform, maybe a police officer, and the man on the right is wearing a ridiculous headdress with facepaint and not a lot else, and a very challenging look in his eyes. I love the framing in the image as well, we can't see the man in uniforms face but we can tell from his body language he's facing down the other man. I really enjoy the contrast between these two characters.

Andrew Eccles

The lighting in this image is really nice. I love the shadows under the brim of the hat, and how you can only see one eye staring at you. His position is very relaxed, yet there is still a steely glint in his eyes and I get the impression he doesn't really care what people think. I also really like the sepia tones in the photo, I think it works really nicely with the white shirt and the mans skin tone, really complementing the contrasts in the image.

Sebastio Selgado

This photo I find very playful, despite black and white often being used to portray more somber scenes. The thing I notice first in this photo is the child's eyes. They are big and innocent, and the child is giving the camera a small smile, and it makes me wonder the context behind the photo. Did the child know the photographer? Did he ask the child to smile for the photo or did it happen spontaneously? Either way I like the way it engages the audience. I also really like the massive hat the child is wearing, it frames the images in a really wonderful way, balancing out the background and casting some interesting shadows.