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Structure Evaluation

For my structure brief I decided to shoot our college. The main reason I choose the college was that it was a structure that I am familiar with and I knew there were certain areas that I wanted to shoot. 

I was pleasantly surprised with the images I took. My weakest one is probably the stairs but at the same time I really like the composition and the colour temperature of it. In order to get an image of the exterior of the building I got up very early on a Saturday morning and headed to the college. I knew I didn't want any people or cars in the image so that Is why I went around 7am on a Saturday morning as I knew that the area would be fairly quiet. I was lucky with the weather that day as it was very bright which allowed me to get a good clear image. For the interior I wanted to concentrate on the different shapes and dynamics that the architecture of the building creates. I didn't realise how difficult it would be to take good balanced images that were not only flattering but had different dynamics too it. Over all it was a brief that was more fun that I thought it would have been. In post editing I didn't change to much and only upped the contrast slightly as well as lightened some of the shadowing. If I could do this again I would take a lot more time in trying to take different angles so that in post production I could balance my perspective control. I could also have picked a better time of day to take the images as with the sun being behind the college the lighting wasn’t as good as it could have been. I didn't like the way my final images turned out as I found using the perspective control in photoshop a lot more difficult to master as I have never used it before. I will work on that in the future.

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Evaluation

I enjoyed working on the illumination project even though it didn’t go strictly to plan. I had given my self plenty of time to get set up for my shoot but the original tree that I was planning to light was not as nice as I originally thought and I found it a lot harder to light the tree equally and at the time I just wasn't happy with the the exposure I was getting with the light. the sky was beginning to darken so I promptly changed to a beautiful bush that was next to the tree which had a lovely yellow flower buds. I was really happy with the definition of the sky and the reason I choose the direction of the shot was I liked the windmill in the background. 

I think it could certainly be a better image if I had have composed it differently. The rushes in the picture detract from the focal point of the actual bush. I really like the definition of the sky. I also feel that a lot more depth could be added into the image. It is quite one dimensional and more light in the background would certainly have been beneficial. 

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Major sectors within the creative industries

There is a wide range of creative industries to choose from ranging from Advertising, fashion, games, photography, publishing, music, TV &film and many more.

Advertising

A few examples of leaders in this division in the UK are AMV(https://www.adbrands.net/uk/amvbbdo-uk.htm)

adam&eve (https://www.adbrands.net/uk/adam-and-eve-ddb-uk.htm)

McCann (https://www.adbrands.net/uk/mccann_uk.htm)

BBH global (https://www.adbrands.net/uk/bbh_uk.htm)

Arts and Culture

By combining innovation and tradition, arts and culture continue to draw audiences, clients and partners worldwide. The contribution made by the UK arst and culture industry is measurable in terms of direct impact. Based on a report from 2016 the industry was responsible for a £21.2bn turnover and created 137,250 jobs Total jobs in 2017 were 674,000. This includes musicians, performing arts, museum jobs and libraries

Design

UK TV & film

The UK TV and Film sector is an international success story. Its long history in film making and TV production is recognised globally with a lot of critically acclaimed screen content made in the UK. The UK’s independent television production sector is stronger than ever, creating formats and content that are covered by buyers the world over. The TV exports business is worth an estimated £1.2bn, with no country exporting more TV formats than the UK.

Historic development

Statistically there were estimated to be 261,000 jobs in the TV, film, radio and photography sector in 2017. This is a great improvement as studies show that there was a 24.1% rise in the number of UK jobs between 2011 – 2017. In 2014 alone, the sector was able to generate £10.8bn of Gross Value added.

The UK’s creative industries are now currently worth £84.1bn to the UK economy. British films, music, video games, crafts and publishing are taking a lead role in driving this.

The impact of the creative industries upon the culture of Scotland and the rest of the UK has been huge. The creative industries contribute to the UK’s economy in a bigger way than most people would imagine as it not only pays into the economy but also brings other industries and world-wide connections to it.

The below link is a great way to learn about what it takes to be in the creative industry and shows exactly what kind of skill set you need to make yourself known in the industry.

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/creative-arts-and-design/overview-of-the-creative-arts-sector-in-the-uk

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Structure

Architectural Photography is something that I am not very interested in so with doing this brief I hope to get a better understanding of why it is important to other photographers. I understand that some buildings can be beautiful and if I was going to choose a building then I would probably choose an old building as I think they are more interesting to look at than contemporary buildings. However, I am open to changing my mind set.

The colours in this image is what captured my attention. I also really like the composition and the way the photographer decided to angle the camera. I am curious to see what the building looks like in its entirety.  The curves make it interesting and the colours add to the diversity of the structure. I presume the creator wanted the building to look modern and colourful. The photographer has managed to capture that essence in his image. I think if I was taking this picture that I would have done it either on a cloudier day or later in the evening to give the colours a chance to pop more.

Once again it was the colours that captured my attention with this. The framing of the building and the triangular look to it peaked my interest. It makes me curious enough to want to see the whole building to see what the rest of it looks like.  The colours on the building and the almost straight lines really make this image pop. The picture is extremely sharp and the clouds coming behind it sparks an interesting contrast.

The symmetry of this is quite fascinating to look at. This image would not be as interesting if it was not taken at this exact angle. The photographer did well in setting up the right composition to add to the effect. For an interior shot this is a fascinating insight as I have a feeling that without looking at the exact angle then the illusion that the image creates would not be as easy to find. I think that by converting to black and white and adding more shadows the image would have been even better.

The long depth of field and the fact that this image is black and white works together very well in this image. The photographer must have had great patience to wait just for the right time to get the sun to create the equal amount of shadowing in the image. I feel that the contrast could also have been better as I think that would have brought more sharpness to the image.

I really like the reflection in this image. It is quite fascinating to look at. The only part I don’t like about the image is the fence and cars as I fell that takes the look away from otherwise nice photograph. I think it was important that the photographer chose a clear day as the reflection adds to the blue tone as well as captures the other building that must be opposite to it.

I found it quite difficult to write this brief as I felt stumped for words to say about the buildings I was looking at. The photography behind them is fantastic but at the same time it is quite a boring subject to me.

I am still unsure what building I am going to shoot. I intend to go around and recce a few areas in Glasgow and the surrounding areas. I know that I want to concentrate on the interior of each building as I think that interests me a little more.

Perspective and distortion control

DISTANCE

HEIGHT

FOCAL LENGTH

TRANSFORM TOOLS

TILT SHIFT LENSES

I don’t have much understanding of the perspective and distortion in photography so in my planning of this I have researched what the meaning is. The perspective distortion is determined by the relative distances at which the image is captured and viewed, hence the apparent relative distances differing from what is expected. It can take two forms, wide angle distortion and long lens distortion.

The tilt-shift encompasses two different type of movements. Rotation of the lens and movement of the lens. Tilt is used to control the orientation of the plane of focus which can make the image sharp

Through digital post processing you can correct converging verticals and other distortions that arise after you have captured the image.  Photoshop has several ‘transform’ options to achieve the desired fix although you would need to make sure you leave space at either side of the image in order to give you enough room to make the changes.

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Illuminate

Digital Noise

Digital noise in photos are random pixels that are scattered all over a photo. It is very similar to ‘grain’ in film photography and it can degrade the photo quality.

It usually occurs when you take low light photos or when you use very slow shutter speeds or even high sensitivity modes. In night photographs the amount of light measured by each pixel of the CCD(electronic sensor)  is low. When the light intensity is very low it can become too close to the level of noise naturally found in CCD. In this case some pixels can appear as noise. With your shutter speed if it is open for too long then more noise will be introduced to the photo because the amount of noise integrated is significantly close to or higher than the actual light measured.

While it is pretty impossible to completely prevent digital noise there are a few options that allow you to decrease it. What you have to think about is in low light scenarios is sensitivity and shutter speed.  You should always make sure your camera is in manual mode and you should play about with a few different shutter speeds and sensitivity pairs to find out which will generate the least amount of noise.  Some cameras also have a built-in feature for noise reduction. If you do not have this then you can also use a PC based software to try and reduce the noise in post production.

IMAGES

Image by Bruce Wunderlich

The main source of light in the above image was the lampposts on the bridge above the river. The photographer also used a strong high-powered spotlight. Light was also shown on the rocks at the foreground. Exposure was 69 seconds and aperture was set at f/14 to maximize the starburst on the street lights. I really like the way the water is smooth. If the same scene was shot with a lesser shutter speed, I don’t think the picture would have been as aesthetically pleasing. I do like the lamp posts and the star light that has been created. I do think the picture would have been better without the bridge though. I f they had cropped the image to below the bridge you would maybe be mistaken in thinking that the image was taken in a beautiful location.

Image by Keith Kapple

I really like this image. The old house looks extremely majestic and I like the blue toned lighting coming from inside the house. I believe that the house would have been lit by lights directly facing the house. The photographer then would have gone around the house looking for the best angle. I like the angle here as he captures the outhouse and the house looks haunting from that angle. I am not as big a fan as I usually am of the star structure. I think that the photographer intended to get the star structure that way, but I think a lesser shutter speed would have been better as I don’t like the circular star effect.                    

Jenny lake by Dave Black

This is my favourite image from the 5 researched. I really like the composition and the way the lighting bounces off the mountain creating a parallel shadow. The long depth of field also adds contrast which is really nice. The way the light shows up the rocks almost feels like you are being let in a secret of what is under the dark water. If I was to do anything different, I would probably have place two other strobe lights on the water at either side of the mountain, but I understand that maybe that would take away from the look of the mountain. I also like how the sky reflect off the surface of the water.  I don’t think the photographer could have done anything more with the sky as there no clouds but I think if there had been a few more it would have added another layer to the shot which would have improved it.

Image: Photographer unknown

This image is beautiful. I love everything about this one and it is one I would probably want mounted and displayed in a room. I think the time of night was paramount to capturing this image and I presume that the photographer had to have a lot of patience to make this image work. The lighting may have taken some of the natural colours away a little, but I don’t think that detracts from the picture. I like the depth of field and the contrast in the sky. I think a longer shutter speed would have benefitted this image as I do think that it would have added a lot more character to the sky.

Image by Kapple Mulimedia

This is another image from Kapple multimedia and it is one I wanted to add in because of the story they have captured. This is an old school house in America. I think the composition makes this image. Taking it from this view point and the way it is lit adds creates a breath-taking contrast. I like the blue tint from the inside as it goes well with the bluey tint. I like the detail in the sky and the fact you can spot some stars as well as see the definition of the clouds. I am not sure how long the shutter speed was set for in this image but I would imagine it could have been about 60 seconds,

After researching images for this brief, I have a few ideas for my own. There is a bench in a local beach in Donegal that sits between two coves looking out to sea. I think if I can get the lighting right and right time of dusk, I could possibly create a beautiful picture. I intend to recce a few different locations as I know that my time in Ireland will be limited and I do not want to set my sights on only one place as I certainly want to practice with this as I believe understanding this skill would be extremely beneficial to my photography. I think I would like to incorporate water into my illuminated photographs so I will be looking for locations near lakes, rivers or beaches.

Strathclyde Park - poss location

Plan

·       Go out this weekend and recce a few areas around Strathclyde Park

·       Fill out risk assessments for areas

·       Buy the right lights in accordance of how I want to illuminate my picture

·       Go to locations and shoot.

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Artisan

‘Birth of a book’ by Glen Milner

As an avid reader and a massive lover of books in a generation of kindle users I really enjoyed seeing this video. I found it extremely fascinating how the traditional printers put a book together. I understand that technology has moved forward where the process is even easier now but at the same time, watching the process that used to go into making a book was very interesting. It is something I never really thought about before. I also really liked the way the video has been put together. I like the panning and sequence of the video. There is mostly static shots with slight movement. Each shot only lasts 2-3 seconds which adds an urgency to the process. My favourite part of the video was the audio. I think they done it really well adding the noise of the actual machinery with the overtone of the faster melody.

‘The Sword Maker’ by ETSY

This was really interesting to me.  As I was watching the video I was struck by the tone of the film. I am curious to know if I would have got the same feel of the video if I came across it in a general situation instead of looking for videos to study. It is quite powerful how it educated me so much in only a couple of minutes. Not only do we find out that the sword maker is one of very few left in that kind of sword making but we also see the passion and life-long commitment to perfecting a forgotten craft. I like the way use of panning and close ups. I think they have jumped from telephoto lenses to wide angle. The lighting used is also very apt. The use of the fire to contribute to the lighting adds another intimacy to the feel of it. It is almost like a mini documentary as well as an artisan video as it highlights the history of the Japanese sword making as well as how the ‘master’ wants to teach his ‘disciple’ to be even better than he was.

‘Motorcycle Maker’ by Henrik Hansen

I am not sure how I feel about this video. There is aspects I like but I didn’t like the way it kept jumping from scene to scene so quickly. It almost felt that they were trying to hard to make it unusual. I did appreciate the macro shots as I thought they were really well done but I didn’t like the ‘jumpiness’. I realise that that was what the maker was going for and although many would appreciate it, it just wasn’t for me. One highlight was the personal shots, which I think would have been used with a standard lens. I didn’t see any interesting technical work. I think if he had added a little more camera panning and a more justified tracking process it might have been able to maintain my attention.

  ‘The Magic Mirror’ by Irwin Wong

I enjoyed this video as it is the first I have come across in this brief that the videographer uses quite a few different approaches to the sequences. I did notice, however, that he had quite a lot of camera shake which took away from the professionalism but since my film will probably be quite amateurish it is nice to see that others out there also don’t have an expert execution. I liked the pulled focus and the way he moved forward with some of the scenes. I am not sure of the technical term but its when the camera moves forward as it enters the room. Maybe front panning? I also enjoyed the macro P

Make Up by L’Oreal & European Make-up artist

The below video is definitely more like the one I can see myself making. The videographer uses very basic left to right panning and dropped focus. I like the depth of field used in the eye lash shots as well as the personal feel to it. I also like the calm melody used for the audio as it adds a calming tone which further emphasises the easy going feel of a person having their make-up put since it can never be a rushed process.

I have also copied a link to a sixth video which tumbler will not let me add as it exceeds the 5 videos allowed.

https://vimeo.com/143025486

The L’Oreal is extremely fascinating to watch as it is done so seamlessly. Once again, I really like the panning and close up shots. I also like the way they have also included static shots of the actually make up products. It has added a whole new dimension to my own thoughts in my video and here I want to go with it.

After looking through numerous videos and also making our group practice video I feel a lot more comfortable going forward with my own. I am excited to try the different techniques. Especially the paining, close-up shots and drop focusing. I will be videoing a make-up artist whilst she works and although I want to capture the process of the make-up being applied to the face, I also want to focus on the tools she uses as well as the different products.

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Movie Poster

Movie posters are very important parts of a new films marketing ploy and if not done right can actually lead to a negative impact for a movie distributors marketing ploy.

An example of how it can go wrong are in the below pictures.

Breaking Dawn – I think they were trying to represent the run to the upcoming fight, but it comes across really stunted with no speed or drama at all

Blonde and Blonder – I don’t think any explanation is needed for this poster. Not only does it look extremely fake it also seems last editing. It looks like the plane at the top was just an after thought that they decided to stick in.

Good luck Chuck – Once again, lazy editing. They are obviously referring to the John Lennon and Yoko ono famous picture, but it just looks ridiculous. Although in fairness, the film was just as ridiculous as the poster.

I remember when Scream came out and being extremely excited to see that Drew Barrymore was going to star in it, or so I thought. The marketing for this movie was very good and the poster added to it by placing Barrymore at the forefront and making us believe that she had a bigger role in the film. I like the placement of the characters under the woman mid scream.

 I like the placement of this poster. I remember seeing this poster before the film came out. I had heard people talking about the film and was already interested in the film itself. Leonardo Di Caprio was a young actor at the time who already had a lot of films under his belt, so I was excited to see him in it. I like how they incorporated the ship in the poster by making it the central part.

As soon as I heard the brief for the movie poster, this film popped into my head. I thought that with our previous work in the studio, I would be able to challenge myself by controlling the light at it could be fun to do. I decided against it though when it was explained that we must incorporate a location background in the shot. Although doable I just think you really need the black behind to add the dramatic effect.

I wanted to include a sci fi action poster in this brief as I find them very interesting to look at. This is my favourite poster from the marvel franchise. I remember seeing it and getting excited about the movie release date as it shows all the different characters that were going to be included in the film. It makes you want to look closer at the poster to find out more about it.

This is the poster that I have decided to recreate. What captures my eye with this poster is the power that the ‘queen’ exudes. The composition and cropping of the poster just adds to the intensity of the look.  I am going to put my own spin on it but this kind of close up and intrigue is what I want to incorporate. I am planning to go to a Hampton Court Palace this weekend to take some location pictures that will be able to be incorporated in my picture.

#Update: I did go to Hampton Palace and took my location shot. However, since then I have decided against this poster for a more festive feel.

With the movie poster brief my biggest issue has been worrying about getting a model to come into the studio. So, instead of choosing my movie around a theme I like I have been trying to find a movie that suits the model that can come into studio. I have finally decided to go Christmassy because, why not. My movie is going to be about a Granny Grinch. Not necessarily with a green deformed face but with an older lady looking pretty upset that it is Christmas time!

Below are some posters that I will be using for inspiration.

 Right now I am undecided which one I am going for but I will probably pull out aspects of both.

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Catch me if you can!

Track

Cameron Spencer took the above picture of Usain Bolt. I have added it into this brief just for fun as it is the photograph I think of when I think of sport photography. The photographer has stated that it was a lot of luck that was involved in the taking if this picture, but I also think that it was talent as well. Spencer really took a chance and it obviously turned out to be a great gamble when Bolt decided to turn around and smile!

 Netball

Since I play a lot of netball I wanted to include a netball picture in this. I was tempted to use netball as my sport, but I have chosen a football game as I believe that it will be more challenging for me to get the kind of shots I want. This photograph seems to be a general frozen action shot with a large aperture. This photograph work because of the intensity that the player is going for the ball. I can completely understand that look on the players face as you can see she is really fighting for the ball. I am presuming that the photographer was on burst mode and was following the players and ball very closely. I like the composition of this picture, but I think I would have liked it slightly better if the photographer was positioned more to the right of the player and I think I full frontal shot would have had more effect. I understand that it is very hard to be in the right place at the right time when taking these shots and pre planning definitely needs to be done in order to place yourself at the best angle for the action.

 Gymnastics

  I think that this picture is a lot more staged than a natural sports picture, but I wanted to include it as it still shows the absolute athleticism of the athlete. The lighting and the chalk certainly add to the ‘look’ that the photographer was going for. I think that the photographer would have used a very fast shutter speed in order to make the subject so sharp. It is obviously a frozen movement capture and I think I would have preferred it even more if there was some delayed blur in the leg instead of the chalk as I think that the effect would be even more powerful, and it would show exactly how quick that jump is in real life.

  American Football

 Absolutely love the above picture. There is so much happening in this picture but what you do take away from it is that no matter what the player Tomlinson was going to get over those players. I think this is a great example of panning or blurred movement. It makes me think of speed when I look at it. I also really like the way the other players almost become one. You can’t tell where one limb ends and you can see the high impact they are each making but you can’t make out the individual players. After looking at this photograph as well as the others I am beginning to realise it isn’t just about clicking the picture with the right shutter speed, iso and aperture, but also the positioning of the photographer. Whilst researching this brief, I realised that in a lot of sports the photographers don’t have an option of where exactly they can get their shots from. You would certainly want to be close enough to the action in order to catch as much as possible.

 Football

The kind of picture above is exactly why I have chosen to photograph a football game. It is no secret that footballers can be extremely aggressive and dramatic when going for the ball. When I go to my scheduled football game I will be hoping to catch some of this action as I think it makes an exciting shot. I like the composition of the photograph and how the ball is in the players line of sight even though his opposition is currently flying over him. I think the photographer would have needed a strong zoom lens. Certainly at least 300mm to catch the players so sharply. I also think it would be interesting to see the contact sheet of this. I don’t see how the photographer could be in a better position for this shot as it seems to have all that you want. The ball is slightly blurred which shows the movement of the picture but at the same time the two players are extremely sharp.

 Wheelchair racing

If I look through other wheelchair race photographs I am sure I will see a lot of better shots but there was something about this one that stood out. It’s something about the concentration on the athletes face that stands out to me and with the second athlete behind him adds to the urgency of the photograph. I really like the depth of field in this and the frozen movement. The main subject is so clear that you can almost imagine it being a still shot instead of captured motion. You can imagine the power and speed that the wheel chair is going and the power that is in his arms to make it happen. I am guessing this will also have been on burst mode as I feel that with the ways his arms are up actually adds to the power. If I had these shots I would probably pick the same one to publish as it highlights the power needed to go as fast as possible.

 In summary

Since I have been aware that this may have been a project I have been looking forward to it. Sport photography is not something that really interested me in the past until I happened to sit next to a photographer in Dubai at the Dubai tennis open. He had his Nikon camera and his telephoto lens and as I struck up a conversation with him I discovered that he was actually in Dubai to talk at a seminar on behalf of Nikon. He very kindly spoke to me a bit about composition and how to set up a good picture. He gave me his camera for some of the game and sent me the pictures I took which I was delighted with.

I was astounded by the amount of thought and mistakes you can make and exactly how on point you have to have your settings to perfect the image.

 In preparation for this brief I recently went to an under 15 girls football game in order to get some practice in and to try a few different techniques before I go to a real game.  As there were little spectators I was able to stand exactly where I wanted and naively presumed that I would be able to get some great shots due to the slow pace of the game. I was mistaken. My biggest problem was not watching the game through my lens. I kept waiting for the action and by the time I realised there was about to be a good tackle or kick it was already over. I missed quite a few good shots due to this. I also spent too much time following the ball instead of trying to place the camera where it was going to land which ended with my composition being very dodgy.

Moving forward I am going to practice a little more of my panning as I think this is going to be my biggest challenge. I am 99% sure which football game I am going to photograph, and I am now just waiting on word if I can get into the photographer’s area. I would like to be behind or beside the goals as I think that I will get the best shots from that area. I will plan to go early or even visit the pitch before the game to suss out where I will be allowed to be and figure out the best positioning for the most action.

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Clean White

Photographer: Platon Antoniou This is the first portrait by Platoon that I will be using for this project. I have spent a lot of time trying to find 5 pictures that represent what I want to create for my own pictures. I am still undecided between two themes so I have included both. I really like the depth of field and use of a wide angle lens and the height of the lights used create a deep sense of calmness over the subject. He looks very comfortable and subtlety powerful. The black clothes make an even bigger impression because even though you can see the light bouncing off of the top of the black jacket, it doesn’t take away from the contrast on his face or hands. The cache light on the right of his eyes confirm that the light was probably hitting him from a height above and to the right. I like that his ring is almost ‘weighing’ his hand down. You can see the light on the side of the ring but not on the front as it touching the table.  Al Pacino looks extremely relaxed in this picture, almost as if he is bored listening to a story. The shadows on the left side of his face along with the hand on the cheek really add to the contrast on his face which show character and depth.

Photographer: Annie Leibovitz Annie Leibovitz is one of the most famous photographers in the world and rightly so. I seem to have chosen another picture where the hands are influential to the finished product even though they are taken by different photographers. To me it looks like the lighting is slightly to the right of Angelina because of the cache light in her eyes as well as the shadows at the side of her left hand side. She is giving us an intense look and seems extremely confident in her pose. I think that shadows can certainly add a different dimension to a photograph as well as Angelina’s highlighted face. I am curious to know what artistic direction Angelina was given and if it was her idea to feature her hand by covering her eye.

Photographer: Patrick Shaw Patrick Shaw is a renowned photographer famed not only for is technique but also how aesthetically beautiful he makes his pictures. This is such a ‘pleasing’ photograph to look at. I love the beauty of the model and also the way she is looking at the camera. Her make up looks really understated but at the same time accentuates her eyes. The lighting is obviously coming from above and I am guessing the light was quite close to her face.  I also think that maybe a reflector was used by maybe placing it under her chest to send some light back to her chin. I think Shaw purposely decided to shadow out one side of her face. There is such an innocence to this picture that it almost makes me want to keep looking at it.

Photographer: Albert Watson This photo is of Steve Jobs and taken by photographer Albert Watson. Albert has been applauded for his artistic flair seen in his photographs. I think he situated his lights slightly diagonal and above Steve which give the shadowed effect on his right side. He could have used a reflector or foam core to create the contrast on Steve Jobs by bouncing some of the light back. He is controlling exactly where he wants his light to go. I also noted that Steve’s hand is lit just as well has his face. The black top really makes Steve stand out and because the shadow work is lighter, it allows you to see his shadowed features whilst getting a nice depth of field.  Steve was obviously a very smart and successful man. I feel that the portrait portrays Steve as exactly that. He seems confident, friendly and thoughtful.

Photographer: Richard Avedon I love the shadows in the above picture. The white background and the way the lighting is aimed almost infuses the subject to its background. Obviously. Due to the fact the subject’s eyes are closed, you can not see a cache light in the eyes. I definitely think the light is shining down on the model from above, maybe even slightly behind him. I also think that the use of a reflector was used but probably at a distance from the face so that some of the face is highlighted but not enough to take away from the portrayed look. There is so much character to this photo that the shadows and the fact it is black and white really show the mood. I love how defined his face is especially because if we start at the hairline, which blends in with the light, and skim slowly down the picture the subject becomes more and more defined adding a lot of emotion. The shadows playing off of his face definitely add to that emotion.

For my own portraits I am going to try and use one flash and a reflector to emphasise the shadows around one side of my models face and use their own hands and facial expressions to add a new depth to my photograph.

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References:

briangriffin.co.uk, 

streetlevel photoworks, 

www.bjp-online.com, 

Daily Record, 

Wikipedia

Exhibition Review

Exhibition Review

Brian Griffin

Brian Griffin gained prominence as a commercial photographer in the late 70’s and 80’s. He is known as one of the most eminent photographers of his generation. He shot album covers, posters, single sleeves and press.

                                                                                                       Depache Mode

Brian very quickly became the main chronicler of Post-Punk, New Wave and the New Romantics. He was a financially unstable photographer and had to use many inventive and creative processes to forgo expenses as he did not have the money to buy certain equipment at the beginning of his career. It is said that because of his technical ‘naivety’ he was able to create whole new ways of ‘visual invention’. Griffin predominately worked from his own studio which was based in Rotherhithe and many of his masterpieces were created there.

                                                               Freur- doot doot was taken in his studio.

A lot of his pictures are printed in square format because most of his album covers were in square format. He had to think square because composition and arrangement were important when he was shooting.

Griffin has said that he never felt nervous or bothered by photographing famous people and he enjoyed the challenge of capturing real emotion from his models. Some of his techniques to make the models be emotive were to sometimes act like a charming inexperienced photographer or even goading the models into a reaction.

His inspiration for many of his photographs come from fine art, film and literature. When asked what advice he would give to aspiring photographers, Griffin said, “Working as a photographer is incredible. It’s very difficult and I have seen many talented photographers give up, but if you’re passionate enough and are willing to sustain the efforts it takes, it can be an incredible thing. But you’ve got to be a little obsessed and you need a strong disposition.”

Griffin’s photographs have been in over 50 solo exhibitions. He has published over 20 books and even won the ‘Best Photography book in the World’ prize in 1991.

Nik Turner stood on top of his VW camper fan and Brian used a battery-operated searchlight to project Nik’s shadow on Lloyd’s building in London.

                                                                                                                Iggy Pop          For some reason the above picture is what I kept going back too at the exhibition. I love the colours and the shadows. Griffin said that whilst shooting this he was going through his phase of lighting the background and then using spray paint. When I look at the photograph and knowing it is an album cover it confuses me from what they are trying to convey.

Steven Berkoff

Our next exhibition is from Steven Berkoff, who is more known as an actor, author, playwright and theatre director.

     Steven Berkoff – aged 5

Steven was born and brought up in London, England. During the WW2, he was evacuated to Luton.  Afterwards, with his family, he moved to New York to stay with relatives for a few months before relocating back to London. Berkoff has stated that he had an unhappy childhood which included a bad relationship with his father. He even had a short stay in a borstal (children’s prison) for stealing a bike. He struggled as an actor at the beginning of his career until his big break in ‘Albee’s zoo story’ which brought him critical acclaim.

He just happened to be in Glasgow in the Autumn of 1966 working as an actor when he decided to go out and photograph the streets of the ‘Gorbals’. He was completely fascinated by the terrible slums and conditions that the locals were living in. He also emphasised with them as he had been photographing the slums in London around that time and the area reminded him of where he grew up.

Many of the buildings that were photographed by Steven at that time are long gone.

I believe many of the pictures taken by Berkoff were just before the old buildings were knocked down to build new high-rise tower buildings. Unfortunately, they did little to help the area. The buildings were of bad design and low quality. The flats very quickly developed mould and structure problems which led to many health and social issues for the residents.

Glasgow has always been very proud of its people and even now its slogan is ‘the people make Glasgow’. I think this was also true for the Gorbals in the 60’s. I feel like there is such an honesty to the above picture that this is one of my favourites. I have heard many stories from my father, who grew up in Glasgow at the time. He was smoking from a very young age as the stigma and health problems weren’t as known. From hearing his stories, I could almost picture him as this little boy. He always spoke about the shirt, jumper and jacket he would wear that was handed down by other family members and how he used to go out and play on the streets. There was such a community feel that the neighbours had as much power in disciplining the kids as their own parents did. The photograph represents this time perfectly to me as it is exactly how I imagined my dad to look.

Steven Berkoff’s exhibit of the Gorbals 1966 is a profound and excellent addition to the history of the town and it gives the younger generation a chance to see what our parents or grandparents lived through. That is one of the powerful aspects of  photography as it can capture moments in time that we can share for generations to come and I feel like we owe Steven Berkoff, a hobbyist photographer, a huge debt for documenting such a historical time.

[jennacannyhnd1-blog]

Sphere

Panning

wide angle, long depth of field

Shallow depth of field

Long depth of field, wide angle

Enhanced movement, long depth of field

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Exhibition Review

Exhibition Review

Brian Griffin

Brian Griffin gained prominence as a commercial photographer in the late 70’s and 80’s. He is known as one of the most eminent photographers of his generation. He shot album covers, posters, single sleeves and press.

                                                                                                       Depache Mode

Brian very quickly became the main chronicler of Post-Punk, New Wave and the New Romantics. He was a financially unstable photographer and had to use many inventive and creative processes to forgo expenses as he did not have the money to buy certain equipment at the beginning of his career. It is said that because of his technical ‘naivety’ he was able to create whole new ways of ‘visual invention’. Griffin predominately worked from his own studio which was based in Rotherhithe and many of his masterpieces were created there.

                                                               Freur- doot doot was taken in his studio.

A lot of his pictures are printed in square format because most of his album covers were in square format. He had to think square because composition and arrangement were important when he was shooting.

Griffin has said that he never felt nervous or bothered by photographing famous people and he enjoyed the challenge of capturing real emotion from his models. Some of his techniques to make the models be emotive were to sometimes act like a charming inexperienced photographer or even goading the models into a reaction.

His inspiration for many of his photographs come from fine art, film and literature. When asked what advice he would give to aspiring photographers, Griffin said, “Working as a photographer is incredible. It’s very difficult and I have seen many talented photographers give up, but if you’re passionate enough and are willing to sustain the efforts it takes, it can be an incredible thing. But you’ve got to be a little obsessed and you need a strong disposition.”

Griffin’s photographs have been in over 50 solo exhibitions. He has published over 20 books and even won the ‘Best Photography book in the World’ prize in 1991.

Nik Turner stood on top of his VW camper fan and Brian used a battery-operated searchlight to project Nik’s shadow on Lloyd’s building in London.

                                                                                                                Iggy Pop          For some reason the above picture is what I kept going back too at the exhibition. I love the colours and the shadows. Griffin said that whilst shooting this he was going through his phase of lighting the background and then using spray paint. When I look at the photograph and knowing it is an album cover it confuses me from what they are trying to convey.

Steven Berkoff

Our next exhibition is from Steven Berkoff, who is more known as an actor, author, playwright and theatre director.

     Steven Berkoff – aged 5

Steven was born and brought up in London, England. During the WW2, he was evacuated to Luton.  Afterwards, with his family, he moved to New York to stay with relatives for a few months before relocating back to London. Berkoff has stated that he had an unhappy childhood which included a bad relationship with his father. He even had a short stay in a borstal (children’s prison) for stealing a bike. He struggled as an actor at the beginning of his career until his big break in ‘Albee’s zoo story’ which brought him critical acclaim.

He just happened to be in Glasgow in the Autumn of 1966 working as an actor when he decided to go out and photograph the streets of the ‘Gorbals’. He was completely fascinated by the terrible slums and conditions that the locals were living in. He also emphasised with them as he had been photographing the slums in London around that time and the area reminded him of where he grew up.

Many of the buildings that were photographed by Steven at that time are long gone.

I believe many of the pictures taken by Berkoff were just before the old buildings were knocked down to build new high-rise tower buildings. Unfortunately, they did little to help the area. The buildings were of bad design and low quality. The flats very quickly developed mould and structure problems which led to many health and social issues for the residents.

Glasgow has always been very proud of its people and even now its slogan is ‘the people make Glasgow’. I think this was also true for the Gorbals in the 60’s. I feel like there is such an honesty to the above picture that this is one of my favourites. I have heard many stories from my father, who grew up in Glasgow at the time. He was smoking from a very young age as the stigma and health problems weren’t as known. From hearing his stories, I could almost picture him as this little boy. He always spoke about the shirt, jumper and jacket he would wear that was handed down by other family members and how he used to go out and play on the streets. There was such a community feel that the neighbours had as much power in disciplining the kids as their own parents did. The photograph represents this time perfectly to me as it is exactly how I imagined my dad to look.

Steven Berkoff’s exhibit of the Gorbals 1966 is a profound and excellent addition to the history of the town and it gives the younger generation a chance to see what our parents or grandparents lived through. That is one of the powerful aspects of  photography as it can capture moments in time that we can share for generations to come and I feel like we owe Steven Berkoff, a hobbyist photographer, a huge debt for documenting such a historical time.

[jennacannyhnd1-blog]

Who am I?

Below are five self-portraits that I found fascinating throughout my research for the ‘who am I’ project.

Arnold Minillier is a French photographer who specialises in fashion and advertising. He is currently based in Chile. I couldn’t find out much information about the photographer, but I think the picture can speak for itself. I find it very fascinating to look at. I wasn’t sure if I was going to choose this one as I keep going back and forth in my interpretation of it. I am not sure if I want to say he has a quirky personality or a slightly disturbed one. I can see how much detail he has put into the picture, from the choice of background, to him hugging his teddy bear. I like how he is the focal point of the picture even though he is not in the centre of it. My eyes go straight to him every time I look at the picture before then scanning the rest. I like the magnifying glass on his eye. I am probably taking it out of context, but I interpret from that is obviously one of his most important features. As a photographer and film-maker his eyes are extremely important so by enlarging that part of his anatomy it is almost like a hidden ‘nod of the head’ to the importance of his sight. In the photo, before I even noticed the poster of the circus, I already had the ‘cirque de sol’ theme running through my head. The placing of the doll and teddy show a childlike outlook, but the lighting and colour tones create a more disturbed portrayal of his personality, but then again, he could be just trying to show that he is a flamboyant man with a pendant for toys and the circus.

Kimiko Nishimoto is an 89-year-old photographer who only began her photography journey at the age of 79. She is well known for doing satirical self-portraits. At the age of 82, Kimiko was given her first solo exhibit. There were lots of self-portraits to choose from with Kimiko but the above picture is what I wanted to write about due to the way it made me smile. I think Kimiko is someone I would have hours of fun listening too. She is showing us all that there is no age barrier to this craft. Kimiko is showing us all that, just because you are a certain age, it doesn’t mean you have to act a certain way. Kimiko takes all her self-portraits on a tripod and self-timer. All of Kimiko’s edits are done by herself which is extremely inspiring. Kimiko’s face in the portrait is of a very happy and content lady who is not afraid to make fun of the common misconceptions of older people. The ‘shock’ on the drivers face is exactly how we would all react if we seen a little old lady running down the street with her walker.

This self-portrait really stood out when I seen it. Not necessarily because I had any connection to the theme but more so because I found it slightly terrifying. The broken pieces on the floor, the liquid that could or could not be blood, the dark undertones of the lighting used, the run down and unkempt room and also the blurriness of Francesca Woodman. My initial thoughts were that of curiosity of what could possibly be going through the photographers mind to create this scene. It could either be a memory of emotions felt at one point in her life which she wants to represent or it could show the emptiness and depression that she goes through. Due to the fact that this picture was taken pre photoshop, I love how she got her blurred movement. I think she is trying to show us how an ‘out of body’ experience may look in a photograph by using movement and long exposure. The picture became a lot more harrowing when I investigated who exactly Francesca Woodman is, or should I say, was. Francesca became depressed and suicidal in the early 80’s and committed suicide on her second attempt in 1981 at the young age of 22.

I absolutely love this self-portrait by Carrie Yuan. Carrie is a documentary photographer specializing in telling honest stories of everyday life. The realness of this photograph is quite gripping and shows the ‘unfluffed’ view of motherhood. When I think of my friends and family who have had children I think of adorable children sleeping in the cot and doting mothers who just sit and stare at their child for hours and love the sound of them waking up for their next feed. My friend had twins and I was so excited for her. I just thought of the fact that you could dress them the same and how cute they would be. I didn’t realise the strains and stress that she would have to face juggling not just one child but two. When I would visit, I would go at times that suit, so usually the twins would have been fed, bathed and settled before I went in. It didn’t really connect how she would need to juggle everything to get to that point. I love how Carrie is showing off her stretch marks whilst she is holding the children. I also love the fact you can’t see her face. I think it would be an unnecessary addition to this portrait as I think she trying to make the point that it is the children that she sees when she looks in a mirror now. It’s almost like her face is lost in the process as she is no longer the most important person in her life.

This is definitely my favourite self-portrait that I have come across during this project. This photographer produced a series of photo’s in her ‘haunted series’. The self-portrait is by Cristina Otero who I believe is from Spain, but I was unable to find much information on her. For me it is all about the eyes. They are extremely intense, and the shadows and lighting used in the production really make them stand out as the focal point. I think she is going for a stand out look that shows not only beauty but a uniqueness. I love how one eye is more focal and sharper than the other. It actually took me a third look to notice that, but I don’t think it takes away from the intensity of the photo. I love that the picture is black and white and uses the shadows to add to the effect of her haunted look. The photograph makes me want to not only see more of her work, but also find out what kind of person she is and how she came about making her self portrait as expressive as she does even though it has non-existent props or background. 

To summarize, I think my self portrait, place and object will be inspired by these pictures and many more that I have seen during this process. I almost want to incorporate the fun of Kimiko, the wackiness of Minillier, the honesty of Woodman, the realness of Yuan and the intensity from Otero. Throughout my research I have certainly gained a lot of inspiration. I already had an idea of what I want to do but I think, thanks to the above portraits, I will be able to add a whole new creative aspect to my own work.

[jennacannyhnd1-blog]

New Photographer

Photographer: Steve Curry​

Book: Untold - The stories behind the photographs (2013)​

 Delving into Steve Curry’s photography makes me ashamed to admit that I have not seen his work before. Or so I thought. Whilst looking through Steve’s book I discovered more than one photo that I have seen over the years without investigating who the photographer was.

Telling a story through an ​image is my favourite part of photography and it is something that Steve Curry does very well.​

When you take linguistics out and just add an image it is the photographer’s job to create a level of emotion for their ​audience. It all depends on the viewer just what that emption will be.​ His work has been published all over the world, which is unsurprising after looking through his book.

Steve Curry creates a tone, story and realness to his pictures that makes you want to investigate further. ​

The picture I have chosen to exhibit is titled 'young Hazara boy standing guard', from Kabul, Afghanistan, 1993.​

 ​Without garnering any information and just by looking at the picture my first thoughts are sorrow, anger, helplessness and​ even humility.​

The young boy has such a look on his face that you can tell straight away that he has not been a 'child' for a long time.​ His eyes and face show a maturity and hollowness well beyond his years. Seeing a child completely weighed down by ​ammunition is quite horrifying. The picture itself raises so many questions.. ​

Why is this young man carry a gun?​

How old is he?​

Where is his parents?​

Why is he not at school?​

Who made him do this?​

How often has he had to use that gun?​

Why is he in this situation?​

This is just an example of the many questions that raced through my mind as I was studying the photograph.​

Through research I have learned that the young boy is only 14 years old and that he is manning a neighbourhood checkpoint​ in Kabul. At 14 years old I was probably sitting in McDonalds on my lunch break from school wondering if I should ​have the nuggets or the burger. The contrast in my life to this boy’s life was so astronomical that it is difficult to imagine. I can certainly show empathy but whether I can grasp exactly what a life such as his entails is another matter altogether. It is very easy to say that you understand what someone is going through. ​​

If you focus on the technical aspects of the picture I think Steve Curry done an excellent job in making the boy stand out. ​I find it interesting that he chooses to blur the barrel of the gun. I think that it creates a more ominous feeling. ​The fact that the boy is leaning on a

Steve is a photo journalist who I’ve learned is the photographer of the world famous 'Afghan girl' photograph. ​The ‘Afghan girl’ is one of the most famous pictures in the world.

Steve did a follow up with the girl 20 years after the photo was taken. Sharbut Gula is now 45 years old and has four children of our own.

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