#grey goods

[scoutmob]

Grey Goods on Shoppe by Scoutmob

[girlwithonelens-blog]

Studio Session #2 - Review

(12/10/12) The session in the studio this week was the first session booked to begin taking images for the Big Mac Challenge, and to take more Grey Goods images. The first half of the session was spent photographing some more 'Grey Good' images, this time with a Macro lens. In the first session I didn't have access to a macro lens, and after the feedback session given in the workshop, I felt that an approach to the project that I'd like to take would be shooting images with a Macro lens. After reviewing the images, I'm not 100% pleased with the outcome. Whilst I liked the ideas that I was developing and creating during the studio session, I feel that the images taken are not as strong as the ones from the original session. 

Images where the Macro lens has been used, the edges/outlines of some of the items aren't in focus. Additionally, in others, the parts of the items wanted in crisp detail again, aren't in focus. 

Overall, I feel that the images taken in the original session are of a much higher standard.

During the second half of the studio session, I shot the first images for The Big Mac Challenge. The brief states that I am "required to produce two photographic images of a Big Mac, before and after." After researching the process of advertising the 'perfect' Big Mac, I wanted to mimic this process and see if I could re-create it as much as possible. Knowing that the food stylists use the exact same ingredients as they do in the restaurants, it was key that I only use the ingredients given to me with the burger when purchased. 

The first image, or the 'before' image that I wanted to create, would be to line up all the ingredients individually, so the audience would be able to clearly see each ingredient that makes up the iconic Big Mac. 

However, after taking a few photographs of this idea, I knew that the idea simply wasn't working. The ingredients didn't look clear enough, and they were each surrounded by shadows, something that I knew would become an issue when editing. For both images I wanted to create a sterile look, meaning that the backgrounds would be completely white, with the only colour coming from the burger. Shooting the image in the way that I did, made it very hard to make the backgrounds completely white.  The second image, or the 'after' image would be of the burger stacked up, in the order that it is presented in the restaurant. Using the same method as the stylists do, I carefully arranged the ingredients round to the front of the burger, to where     the image would be taken from, making sure that all the ingredients were clearly displayed. 

However, despite trying to make the burger look as appealing as possible, none of the photographs taken were working. I knew that I needed to research and structure my ideas further.

Even though the photography session wasn't a successful one in terms of producing the perfect images, it gave me the opportunity to test out some ideas, and gave me the chance to identify the pros and cons with each one.   

[girlwithonelens-blog]

Grey Goods - Workshop Feedback

This week I was required to bring six images for the 'Grey Goods' assignment along to the workshop so that we could receive feedback on the work produced.  The feedback that I received was incredibly humbling, as there wasn't an image that I'd produced, that fellow students and tutors didn't like. There were of course some images that were preferred more so than others, but overall there weren't any negative comments.  Feedback given in the workshop helped to identify the strong points in my work - for example my use of lighting. From this session I was able to identify what aspects worked well and what an audience found appealing about my photographs. All of this information I will be able to apply to the next stage of my project - The Big Mac Challenge.  

[girlwithonelens-blog]

Studio Session #2

Later today, (12/10/12) I will be returning to the Photography Studio to produce some more 'Grey Goods' photos. Last week I feel that I produced work that I was incredibly pleased with, however I have since bought a 90mm Macro and a 50mm lens which I would like to test in the studio and see if I produce more images that I feel are of a higher standard than those produced last week.  Additionally, I will produce the first images for the Big Mac Challenge, which I will be able to receive feedback on in Week 4's workshop. 

[girlwithonelens-blog]

Grey Goods - Studio Session #1

In preparation for week three, I booked out the photography studio in order to start producing the four Grey Goods images. The three hour session in the studio gave me the opportunity to put into practise what I'd learnt in the workshop that week, enabling me to feel more confident with the equipment. 

All my images taken this week were taken using the infinity curve.

Using the infinity curve allowed me to produce the look and tone of the images that I wanted to capture. 

Above are the 6 images that were taken during the studio session, that I've edited using Photoshop, to present in Week 3's workshop, where I will receive feedback on the images.  The slideshow below presents the other images taken during the shoot, which haven't been edited.

Grey Goods - Studio Session One 

[girlwithonelens-blog]

Studio Assignment - Grey Goods

"This assignment is designed to develop and extend the technical and conceptual skills you have learnt in the first year. You will produce a series of photographic images that consider objects within a studio context, covering the genres of still life and advertising within the media and how meaning is conveyed to an audience through the structure of a non-verbal system of communication."