Part 8
Souvenirs
The past is dangerously addictive. Nostalgia, especially second-hand nostalgia such as mine, often threatens to become an endless placebo in place of living. How alluring the past seems when we convince ourselves of having experienced it for a brief moment through culture and art.
The ghost story writer M.R. James lived with this addiction to the past more than most.
James…
In light of the announcement that Hélène won’t be touring with Harry and the fact that a bunch of people despise her photos, I, as a photographer, am going to do an analysis...
(And when I say ‘I'm a photographer’ I mean I went to college for this, not that I take pictures with my iPhone haha)
1. This is a pretty basic portrait. He's leaning on a rock staring pensively into the camera. The monochrome coloring works okay if she was going for a melancholy feeling for the photo. It's a nice pic.
2. I for the life of me do not understand why he's cropped all the way in the corner when the photo is supposed to be showcasing him. I mean there's rule-of-thirds and then there's taking photos of just smoke and lights. I'm not wowed.
3. I like the coloring of this one. The orange in the sky looks nice with his turquoise pants. Casual candid photo correctly utilizing rule-of-thirds. Not too bad.
4. I can't even find Harry in this photo. She's photobombing taking a basic mirror pic, meanwhile there's so much going on I can't even find who is supposed to be the main subject.
5. I like this one and think it fits well with the aesthetic of the TPWK music video. It's pretty nice.
6. If she's supposed to be his photographer I don't understand why she's photobombing the pic. Photographers are supposed to stay behind the camera. It's in the job description😂
7. This...this is unfortunate timing. If I took this photo I would not have it up as one of the first on my website, but to each their own.
8. This however, is better timing. Classic whale-rry. Coloring is nice. The pic is solely focussed on him (as it should be). Much better than others.
9. I like the colors of the background with his shirt. But he’s just standing in front of a wall. He’s not even smiling. For the second time: not wowed.
10. This is a better one. He's smiling and dimply. I think it could've been edited better tho. Seems a bit dark for my taste (and also H's sunny smile).
This is going to get long so...
11. Again photobomb. Not really sure what pose this is that Harry’s doing either.
12. Just...why? He’s half covered up, so what’s the point?
13. Again bad timing and unflattering face for Harry. Don’t understand why you would post it under those circumstances.
14. Backside of Harry surrounded by smoke. Like come on. Where’s the emotion? People’s backs do not show expression.
15. Ok, all her other pics did not have me prepared for this one. This is a really cool effect and looks awesome. This is definitely one of her most elite photos.
16. Bless you, Harry! He looks like he’s mid-sneeze. Why would you post this?
17. This is a cute photo. I just wish it wasn’t in black and white as I feel color would better compliment his facial expression.
18. The blurry thing in the left bottom foreground of this image bothers me. It’s distracting me from Harry.
19. You can’t even tell what’s going on in this photo. It honestly makes me feel like I’m having a nightmare.
20. I’m sorry…is he DYING?? What even is this?
21. This is a very cute and creative photo. It also has good colors. Very much a retro feel.
22. This is more of what I expected her stage photography to be like. This is a nice photo and again, good colors.
23. This is one of her best. It’s a cool angle and good use of reflection. (Although, is that her finger over the lens in the top right?)
24. Her group pics generally aren’t bad. They’re just all the same. Five people standing in a row in front of some wall. Not exciting but not necessarily “bad”.
25. I am forever amazed by the pics that get chosen to post. Just..why? It makes it seem like this was the best picture she took of the whole concert and if that’s true, that’s just sad.
26. He’s just a cute precious baby. Good capture on her part.
27. He looks like he just smelled cauliflower cooking. Again, I don’t understand why it was posted.
28. This one is a bit more interesting and a bit more edgy. It’s a completely different style than the other pics though. When you’re documenting something the photos should have cohesion.
29. Is this even Harry Styles? The world shall never know.
30. Did anyone notice how blurry and out of focus this was before they posted it? No? Just me?
Well I think that thirty example photographs more than covers Hélène’s work.
To sum this all up:
Is she a good photographer? This depends on the perspective of the person viewing her work. I personally think she might’ve only been hired because she’s worked with other artists. Ultimately, some will like her work and some will hate it. Personally, it is not to my taste. She has a few gems in there, but if I were Harry, those wouldn’t warrant me keeping her on as my tour photographer.
If Harry had continued using her on his tours, I would have inferred that he was happy with her work and liked it. However, now that she has announced she’s not touring with him anymore maybe this is Harry’s silent agreement with us fans that her work was not up to snuff.
(PS: I am not here to tell y'all how to view her pictures. I am simply giving my honest photographer’s point of view on her work. And if you’ve made it this far, I appreciate you sticking with me for all this!)
A look into Killing Eve’s S3 photography: Leading Lines
“Leading lines are actual lines (and sometimes imaginary ones) in a shot, that lead the eye to key elements in the scene”
It is used to direct the viewer’s eye and to connect the character to essential objects, situations, or secondary subjects. Whatever your eye is being drawn to in a scene, leading lines probably have something to do with it.
The quote that I started this analysis with said that not only actual physical lines can be considered as a “leading line”. So, what's an example of those “imaginary lines” that we’re speaking of?
Camera movement
Let’s go back to the last scene in episode 5:
The camera starts moving until we get to the character in an almost continuous shot. In this case, the movement of the camera inside the bus is in fact a leading line, along with the symmetry that the seats create.
Same thing happens in this scene for a few seconds:
We follow lines like roads.
In a movie, there’s something that’s different from photography, and that is the fact that things are not only moving in it but sometimes through it and often even the camera is moving. “This means lots of rehearsal. Actors moving through a frame have to hit their marks at extremely predictable times. Therefore, your camera operator needs to accommodate motion through the frame and motion of the frame all the while keeping a pleasing arrangement that drives the story.” -videomaker.com
There are camera shots in which the leading lines might not be an obvious one, but it still subconsciously drives the viewer’s eye into the part of the image where the subject is.
Another interesting way of using this technique is by using light and shadows as leading lines. Notice the light in this sequence? We could say that this is another example one those “imaginary leading lines”:
Even when the lines are not obvious it will almost inmediatly create an interest in the image, and once you start noticing the leading lines you can definitely see how they give so much information to the frame and the beautiful symmetry that sometimes it helps create.
Can you think of some other leading lines from season 3? We’ll definitely see them again when we talk about symmetry in a future analysis. Here are other examples of shots from Season 3 with interesting leading lines:
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All original images belong to Killing Eve (BBC).
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Other Killing Eve Season 3 Photography Analysis:
A look into Killing Eve’s S3 photography: Rule of thirds
A look into Killing Eve’s S3 photography: Camera Angles
In this image the main source of light is the natural sunlight coming in through the window at a 45° angle. It casts soft shadows across the right side of the subjects face. There are very small, subtle catchlights in the eyes which indicate that the light source is far away - the sun.
This image is another example of 45° lighting. There are both harsh and soft shadows cast on the subject. The softer shadows are noticeable next to the mouth and eye, whereas the harsher shadows can be seen on the shoulder/neck. The catchlights in the subjects eyes suggest that there are multiple sources of light other than the main 45° lighting.
In this final image there is a natural side lighting illuminating the left side of the subject. As a result of this soft shadows are created on the neck and side of the nose whereas harsh shadows are created on the side of the face/neck. The viewers attention is captured by the bright catchlights present in the dark eyes.
‘There is a spectre inside every photograph.’
– Deborah Levy, The Man Who Saw Everything
There comes a point when trying to get a book off the ground (i.e. published) where you have to accept defeat. As will no doubt become an increasingly familiar scenario, judging from my recent experiences with British publishing at least, the projects that fail to find a home on paper will eventually be…
Hey, so I just read through your post about her photography. You totally missed the opportunity to quote “In my professional opinion” bc I graduated two months ago and I can’t stop 😅
Anyways, I agree with you 100%
Rule of thirds is a big thing. The composition in general should be pleasing and not distract yourself from the subject, which you commented on too… Cropping is also part of the job next to the colour correcting and light…
AND FOR THE LIFE OF ME IDK WHY THERE AREN’T ENOUGH FLATTERING FACIAL EXPRESSIONS?! Like, sometimes when that happens( blink, flare their nostrils, mouth is in an awkward position) but the pose is good we have to edit in a face from a good shot. Otherwise there won’t be any photo’s. So you better avoid that and choose the best photo you’ve taken… Especially for promotions and portfolios.
Maybe she felt that would make it less candid and real? And they were going for a “rougher” vibe like Mick Jagger?
Right. 😅
Sometimes I feel like even some fans take better photos at gigs…
But yeah…do you have examples of concert photography you think is actually solid?
In my professional opinion😂 I just think that some of Helene's pics are too bad to be passed off as a "vibe". Even your examples of Mick Jagger weren't that bad in comparison haha And yes, I agree with you that a lot of times fans take better photos.
As far as other concert photography, Taylor Swift has always had really good pictures. I've always loved the ones where her hair is blowing :) https://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/Taylor-Swift-Reputation-Stadium-Tour-Pictures-44828469
I also like Charlie's work that he does with Louis.
And what I've seen of Shawn's is generally good too. https://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/photo-gallery/46264598/image/46264606/Shawn-Mendes-Starts-North-American-Tour-Portland-Photos
