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I have started a new blog for my final year of my degree check it out:
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@victorialmphotography
New Blog
I have started a new blog for my final year of my degree check it out:
http://victoriameades1105222.wordpress.com
Removing People From The Frame
I tried out the idea suggested of removing the people from the frames to see what it looked like. I took some of my original images and took the clothes of the person out of the frame so only the objects were floating. I felt that the images did not look as good as the originals, as you could not see the story between the series of images which connected them. You could not always clearly see that the objects were floating in the images and they did not look very professional. I am glad I tried out this idea but I will stick with the original images with the people in to work with my invisible persons theme. Also the images link better as a series, you can see their story and look professional.
Private View- MA Art And Design
I went to the private view of the MA Art And Design students at my university to see what sort of work they are creating. My favourite piece from the exhibition was from the artist Parjanya Shankar, they explored animal rights and poaching through the jungle book story. Images were made to show what the jungle would look like now with the death of animals during to extreme poaching and hunting of animals for there ivory.
Another piece I liked was by artist Sam Watola who explored the how we are becoming more digital in our lives. He turned handwritten types into digital fonts to keep his grandma’s handwriting alive after her death. I liked how the type looks still very handwritten like and random as not everything we write looks the same. Digital fonts look very formal and there is no randomness to it, as each time the same letter is typed, it will come out the same. It made we consider how we want to keep old traditions and ways of doing things alive as we become more digitally dependent.
I feel from seeing this exhibition I understand how popular children stories can be reappropriated to explore and bring to life important world issues to an audience and the public. Also how the past effects and influences the future and how we try and hold onto it.
Private View- Inner Grey
I went to the private view of “Inner Grey” by Nicoló Giudice. He is a visiting lecturer at my university. This exhibition was about people who embarked on a drug rehabilitation programme for drug addiction. It explored how the war on drugs had failed through I series of grey film images. Each image looks at the issue from a medical and psychological viewpoint. The consequences they have on the person and how they have overcome drug addiction. I did not understand how all the images documented this notion, as they were grey images of bodies and everyday scenes. But I feel the shades of greys in the images reference the struggle of the person overcoming drug addition, and dealing with the issues that got them in the situation in the first place. I did not understand all of the images but feel viewing this exhibition helped me see how effective film photography can be as a medium to document a sensitive issue.
Open Studio
I went to one of my tutors open studios to see where they work on projects and what they use the space for. His studio is in Bethnal Green and he shares it with two other artists. Each of them pays £100 a month which includes internet and electricity, which is cheaper than I thought it would be. The space has no windows in and is white to make using it as a photo studio an easy option with lighting it evenly, as two of the artists are photographers. It is a decent size and meets all the needs of what the three artists want the space for.
My tutor uses the space occasionally to work in or do photo shoots, but mostly a space to store his work in. Both of the other artists he shares the space with use it to work in rather than a main storage space. I found it useful to see the studio to understand what they can be used for and what you can get for your money. If I want to get my own studio I need to make sure it meets my needs and allows me to make the art I want to in it.
Peer Feedback On Project
I presented my project to my class for peer feedback. I got mixed feedback as half the class like the more human looking pictures, while the other half like the more invisible, trickery images. Personally I prefer the more trickery, invisible people photographs as I feel it meets my brief better and looks more dramatic. They said my work reminds them of the work of the artists Eva Stenram and Maurizio Cattelen. Both I have researched into before for previous projects and I can see why there is a resemblance between our works. We all challenge the truth and creating impossible scenes in our images.
I got very positive feedback about how I had really pushed myself and my photography and editing skills in this project to produce something different. As my project evolved my images also touched on the subject of exploring the role of the man and women in the home. Breaking typical stereotypes of the women doing all the housework as both sexes work now and do the housework. The class agreed that I meet my brief and it did not look like my normal style of work, so it will improve my portfolio. The only negative feedback I got was that they did not get the 24 hours in an invisible persons life theme from the images. I feel this was because some of the images are more human like than others. I will not change the images, as I like them as a series, so when I display the images I will have a description next to them to explain the ideas behind them.
My peers really liked the bed sheet and washing machine pictures but there favourite was the suit image. An interesting thing some of them said was they want the clothes of the subjects to be taken out of the images so only the objects would be floating. I would want to try out this idea to see how it would work and if the images would still be understandable. Unfortunately I am very busy with other units which must take priority, so if I get time this year I will try out this idea or I will try if after I finish university. I am not sure if the idea would work or if it would be taking the idea of invisible too far and not be understood.
Final Review
All the artist research I did helped me see what was possible in this style of impossible photography. When I came across this style of photography I was amazed how much impact the images had and how it makes your imagination run free. You stare at the pictures and try and work out how they were created and how amazing life would be if their pictures were actual real life. I was surprised that some of the artists I looked into capture their images in one frame and just erase the harness wires rather than making the pictures up from several images.
I feel this project really pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged my editing skills and me as a photographer. I don’t normally edit my pictures that much, I prefer to capture as much as possible in the camera itself. I needed the images that I would take to be perfect as several images are fitted together like a jigsaw to make one image, as it is not captured in just one frame. I tried my best in this project and really excelled myself to learn new editing skills and a new style of photography to really master this project.
I find editing photographs very hard work sometimes, as I am not confident in doing complex edits that make dramatic changes to the images. This project has improved my editing skills in Photoshop a lot and I am now confident to complete complex edits on images, so not limiting my creativity or photographic boundaries. Adobe TV videos helped me to use more of the tool in Photoshop to improve my level of editing. I now can blend layers together using colour matching and the clone tool. I used layer masks to do accurate erasing to make several layers merge into one layer. I can now push myself more in the editing of my images to make them match my creative ideas. This high level of editing made my final images have a very strong impact, look very effective and professional.
The work experience I managed to get with a local commercial photographer I feel really helped me understand how lighting can really affect an image. I can now see how different lighting can create more or less shadow in an image, also how far away the subject is from the background. I will take these skills to use in further shoots in a studio to get the images I want and the lighting effects. Talking to him about how he set up his own photo business, connects with clients and advertises his services made me see more how I can get my photography business better known. I now know how to start out in the business and to move up the ropes of the photography business to improve my photography skills.
From reading the books I did, I learnt how we depend so heavily on photos now to capture everything now, so we don’t forget it, as our minds are liquid like. I got a broader insight into photography work and how people respond and perceive it in different ways. I learnt that when we view art in our brains we link what we see to a memory to have a personal connection to the piece. Also the photographic image has changed over the years in society to become a big part of our lives as photos are taken of most things now.
The exhibitions I viewed gave me an insight to the range of responses to the same theme. It was very interesting to see how the artists had responded to the brief in very different ways but all explored it in great detail. How emotions and relationships can be strongly documented in images to get these messages across to the audience viewing them. I learnt how portraits could be taken from many different angles and each gives a different connection to the audience and tells a different story. This needs to be considered to make sure the angle of the images complements its meaning and thoughts behind it.
Although I was not too happy with the presentation of the private view I saw, it taught me important lessons, as well as the ones I already knew about how to conduct private views. I learnt how to present and label my work effectively and with enough information. This means the viewer would be able to better understand your pieces, as they would know the ideas and views behind the piece. I saw how important it is at private view for the artist to talk to the people that have come to visit. It allows the viewer to feel valued and included, it will make sure they truly understand your work. They are more likely to talk about the private view to others in a positive way and so hopefully recommend you and get you more work.
This project taught me patience and perseverance as it was time consuming with the detailed edits and not all my shots and editing went to plan. When the final images were created it made them worth it and you can see all the hard work and effort put into them, as they were a high quality and complex. Also the impossible photography theme came to life and made the audience really look at the images in detail to understand them and work out how they were created.
I am very pleased with my final images as it brings my invisible people idea to life. The people that have seen the images have given me feedback saying they are amazed with my images and are shocked at how realistic they look. They always ask me how I created the images to look so professional. I feel my final images met my project brief by dramatically improving my editing skills and making impossible things look possible with my seamless images. Overall from this project I have become a better photographer and photo editor. Also I have mastered a new style of photography to expand and improve my portfolio.
Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2013 Private View
I went to the private view of the Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2013. This is a contemporary art exhibition in Bristol, of artists who are final year students or graduated from a UK art school. It is an annual show, which tours the UK. 46 artists were in this exhibition spread over two locations, as there was so much work. The range of work was from installations, sculptures, video, photography, painting, textiles/clothes to animations.
The private view was very busy in both locations, but there was no free drink like there normally is for private views. There had to be two locations for the amount of work, but they were not near each other. Both were different sides of the city so you had to travel to them. A small event guide was given on entry but not a lot of information was included in it. Tags were put on the work but only said the artist name and title of work, nothing about artist or what the work was about. I found out more information about the work and artists from my own research and talking to the artists themselves.
Overall I enjoyed going to this private view as I saw a range of interesting art, but did not understand it all. I feel it could have been labelled better with more information but gave young artists a chance to get seen. From being at this private view I will take away how to show the relationship between people through an image not using words. Also how a range of mediums can be used to create an outcome to an idea and make it come to life.
Joanna Piotrowska- Frowst
These are large black and white images of people, and document the intimate relationship between the two people in the images. When viewing the images you feel like you are in a privileged situation viewing a private moment between the subjects. The images look at power in relationships and our behaviour towards others. I like how intimate the images are and their documentation of our relationships between people.
Final Images
My final images
These are my final images, they show my theme of 24 hours in an invisible person’s life through chores and relaxing. Also how gadgets would make our lives easier so we would not have to do chores. On all of the images I really considered compositions to make the images work well and have a large impact against their plain backgrounds. I minimised movement between shots and used a tripod to keep all the shots taken at the same angle. This was also helpful as several different shots were needed to make up one image, for example, the plain background, the subject in the shot, objects in the shot, so editing them all together was easier as the angles were all the same.
I took the limbs of the subjects out of the images and only kept their clothes in, so the pictures could be understood and look effective and the people are seen as invisible. If I took the clothes out as well then the images would not work or been seen as based on invisible people and tricking photography, or be as effective.
The picture on the chair with the t-shirt up has limbs in it, as it would not work with out it and this image shows when a person starts turning invisible so is half seen, half not. I feel this image shows how a normal scene can be totally changed to give it a different meaning. The shock on the subjects face, links in well to what is happening to him, and how he does not understand what is going on. I feel the angle of this image really accentuates the action in the frame.
I put a lot of hard work, time and effort into the images and editing to make them look effective. It makes them striking, the audience do a double take of the images; they draw you in and get your attention. It makes the audience question how the images are made and they are shocked at how realistic they look. Each image is made of a lot of layers to make them work and look effective. I really considered the compositions of the images so all the images fit together in editing.
I really improved my editing skills in this area of photography and Photoshop in general. I used layers, blending, building up colours, making up objects, clone tool and colour matching giving a clear crisp edit to the images. I am now confident in these techniques. I feel some of my images have a light and floating feeling like Sam Taylor Wood pieces, while others don’t, it depends on how well the editing was done and if you can see it in the images. Also if you can work out how the images were created then they are heavier than the ones you cannot.
The bike picture was the hardest and most time consuming picture to edit, because it of the amount of detail in it, but I am so pleased and proud of it. I feel it shows off the real skill of my editing and layering up to complete the image to a high quality, looking like just a one layer image. It is really effective and poses the questions of how it was made, and what you would do if you were invisible. I feel this is the strongest image out of all the images I produced as it questions how the bike is stood up if no one is on it.
I feel the self-ironing shirt picture is very surrealist linked in its vision. I want the audience to want their shirts to be able to iron themselves to make their lives easier. Also the image was made so realistic and has a large impact because of the quality of my editing. This photo creates the question of how these images are created and made to look so real and not faked. I left the hand in the image or it would not have worked with the shirt ironing itself, it is like the shirt has a body of its own. I feel this quirky idea of an image works a lot better than I thought it would, it really catches your imagination and looks high quality.
The bed making image references the chores we wished we did not have to do in life but we must do. Taking the subjects limbs away but leaving their clothes, makes the audience think of gadgets which would make their lives easier. The angle of the subject works really well, with the objects around them, it is a strong stance. It is like the bed is making itself while we just step back and watch.
With the plant-watering image, I like how the watering can just floats in the air so it creates the question of how it is made to float. This is an example of good editing to make an object whole again after having to erase part of it. You can’t see where the layers start and finish so just look like one whole layer. The location links in well to the subject matter to create a strong impacting photo.
This reading image shows how I made up the inside of the shorts legs to make them look normal after put several layers together. The colours of the subject’s clothes work well against their background to highlight their shape. This shows a relaxation activity, and the audience questions how the book appears to be floating in the air. They feel the images are amazing and show impossible scenes.
The suit image shows how I used several images to make up the bigger whole image to make all the element work together. I like how I got the whole of the suit with a briefcase to add to the image. It also shows a working person ready to go off to work and the suit and quality of editing, make this image look really professional. The suit looks like someone is in it, but yet there are no limbs, so puzzles the audience how is looks so realistic.
The towel floating out of the washing machine gives it a life of its own, linking into the invisible, magical theme through out all of the images. The angle of the photo makes you look at the washing machine first and see the action, then the window into the distance. This is another example of where the picture makes the audience think of gadgets which would make their life easier. I used my editing skills in this picture to make back up the towel and back of the t- shirt so it looks like one whole, complete image.
I am very happy will all the images as I did my best and learnt a lot about editing to make them have a strong impact.
Fourth shoot review
While doing my shoot I ticked off the images from my shot list as I took them, so did not miss any. This meant I would be able to have all the images I needed to create the final photographs. I did smaller shoots for each image to get them right and working really well before moving location. While shooting the images I used a tripod to make sure all images were taken at the same angle and framing. This was for continuity and to make the editing easier with all the layer fitting together.
I really thought about lighting in the images, so took them throughout the day to get them correct and not too dark or light. I considered shadows or lack of them to made sure lighting in the pictures was all the same so in editing there was no differences in the layers. I made sure the backgrounds of the images were not busy so that the action stood out.
I used a slightly different editing techniques this time, to make the colours all blend in together for a seamless look to the images on the different layers. I did this by trying to erase as little of the images as possible to keep the original colours, using sections of the image to make up the missing colours to avoid different shades in the image.
I took pictures of objects against a white sheet to give a plain background so I could use them to make up the bigger images. I took these images at the same distance away from camera that the original scene images were taken, to fit them easily together and keep proportions correct.
The bike photo was the hardest image to edit correctly together, and most time consuming. I had to make up the entire bike correctly with several layers, once that was done I remade the background up, finally remaking the clothes. All the images are made up of several layers to make them look effective and to rebuild all the elements in them. I feel once the images are completed, they have a strong impact and are effective as they get the audience to question how the images were created. This is because they cannot see all the layers in the images so you only see the one layer.
Even though I had put all these techniques and skills in place some pictures still did not work out. This was because I could not get colours to match and layers to fit together to give a good image, due to lighting and complex actions. So I chose to leave these ideas and concentrate on the images that were effective and worked in editing.
Work Experience
Dave Pratt is a Local Bristol commercial photographer. I contacted him and managed to arrange some work experience with him at his studio. I wanted to learn new skills and improve on one’s I already had to advance and benefit my practise.
In the first session we had a long detailed talk about how he got into the photography business. After college he assisted local photographers for six years before setting up his own photography business. This time allowed him to decide what area of photography to go into, he chose commercial portraits as he loves documenting people and there personality’s. He mainly takes images for school prospectuses and businesses for advertising purposes.
When he first started out in the business he had to advertise to get cliental by creating a website and business cards. He got himself known by a few design agencies, which found him work. Now he has built up a name for himself that he does not really have to advertise his services to get jobs anymore. Previous clients and design agencies well come back to him as they like working with him and the high quality work he produces. His clients use word of mouth to recommend him for other possible job so he is always getting new clients as well as keeping regular ones.
How I edited the images
This is the process I went through to edit the images together:
Firstly I erased all the areas I wanted to be invisible in my image.
Then I added a new layer to the image, which was a photo of the scene with no one in it. This was to make up the background in the top layer erased areas.
Once I got the background layer in the correct place, I made up any objects that had been erased while erasing the subject’s limbs. I used a picture of the empty scene to copy over areas of the objects, which were missing to make them back up, to fit into the image.
Then I used a range of tools to blend the layers together. The burn tool darkens the area it is used in; the dodge tool lightens the area.
I used the clone stamp if the dodge and burn tools were not helping me match the colours in the layers. The clone stamp, clones a part of the image so you can place it somewhere else in the image to make up a colour or outline.
I used colour balance to change the overall colour of the image of make the layers mix together.
Levels were helpful to adjust the tonal range of the image to make all the different layers highlights, lowlights and mid tones match.
Finally once all the layers fit well together and I had edited all the colours it does not look like several images but just one, with a strong, effective impact.
fourth shoot
As I feel my shoots are not turning out as well as they could, I am going to try a different approach. Instead of doing one large shoot of all my shoots; I will do smaller shoots of each scene to create one image. Once I have taken all the images to make up one photo of a scene I will edit them to make sure all the layers fit together and the angle is right. If it all works together then I will move onto another image, if not I will reshot until it is perfect and looks realistic. This approach means I can see what I need to change sooner rather than doing a whole shoot with no images I can work with. I made a shot list I could refer to, so that I did not move location before I had captured all the images I needed to edit the scene together.
To make sure all my images were taken from the same angle I held the camera still while shooting to make the images easier to fit together in editing. I used the original framing of the images, which worked best and really worked on controlling the light to make the images correctly exposed. In doing this I had control over where the shadows would be in my images or if I would have any as I could shoot at different times of the day.
As in editing I struggled to make objects back up, I chose to take separate pictures of the objects against a white background to assist me in this. I found this helpful as I took the image the same distance from the camera I took the scene images to keep the object in proportion.
Third shoot review
From editing the pictures I realise there were some major issues wrong with them and I would have to re- shoot them. Not all the layers fitted together seamlessly, this was because with the flashgun on top of my camera, it was very heavy so pulled my camera down even though I was using a tripod. This meant that not all my pictures were taken at the same angle, leading them not to fit together correctly. To prevent this issue in the next shoot I will hold the camera still and level to make sure all the images are at the same angle and view. As I did not write down a shot list I forgot to take some background pictures for some of the scenes so I could not make the pictures up. Next time I will write a shot list and refer to it to avoid missing any photos I need.
I had to change some of the angles of the pictures due to things out of my control being in the frames. This meant that now some of the images did not look as effective so I will try and use the original framing. Some of the background images are different colours to the rest of the image this was because with no one in frame more light is reflected back into the camera. I tried to blend these areas into the images but it was not successful. To address this issue I will work on different editing techniques to help blend layers together.
third shoot pics
third shoot
From the last shoot I picked out the photo ideas I felt had potential and re- shot them. I still kept the 24 hours in an invisible persons life theme but refined my pictures to produce the best series of images. I picked images I felt had a big impact and visually made the audience question what they see and how the image was created.
Issues in my last shoot were that the layers did not mix in colour wise as the lighting kept changing on the location due to the sun. To try and avoid this issue I will make sure that the when I take the images that the sun will not go behind clouds, which changes the lighting. I will really consider shadows in my images and their placement as the lighting with the sun causes shadows. I will make sure no or all of the shadow is in frame, to look professional. I paid special attention to my compositions to make sure the subject was in the right place in front of the background, to avoid objects coming out of heads. To achieve this I made sure the angle of the images were perfect to make the images have the biggest impact.