louisthomsonhnd2a

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Bibliography

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Competitions

Association of Photographers (AOP)

The AOP awards is a very popular and prestigious award competition in the photographic community. Importantly, they have a student category which allows student photographers to make submissions to get their work seen and also for a reduced price - usually from about £9 per entry.

British Photography Awards

These are awards are one of the most well known awards in the uk, and have a whole range of different categories so is very inclusive in terms of different types of photographers and their varying subject matter.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Winterfest Speaker Reports

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

The Photo-Imaging Sector

The 'Photo-Imaging' sector, which includes photography, is one of the larger sectors in terms of employment and revenue within the creative industries, and had 280,000 filled jobs in 2022. More specific to photography alone, with over 8000 practices nationwide it produced over £1.7 billion in revenue for the UK economy in 2019.

Photography is a practice that has always been utilised by other sectors within the industry, such as fashion, advertising, TV and film etc so there are many job opportunities available for photographers.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Creative Industries in the UK

Value & Significance

The creative industries sector produces a significant amount of revenue for the UK economy, and this amount is only continuing to grow each year, totalling out at £124.6 billion in 2022. This is the amount after growing by about 12% after the covid pandemic, and has doubled in size since 2010 - so the demand for job roles within the many sectors of the creative industries is only continuing to grow as well.

The above graph visually shows how the creative industries GVA (gross value added) accounts for a massive 66.9% of the overall DCMS (Digital, Culture, Media & Sport) sectors GVA, and thus, the UK economy. Meaning that in terms of revenue being produced, the creative industries is the most important to the UK economy when compared to all of these other sectors.

And the above graph here further highlights the importance of the creative industries by showing how its GVA, and thus overall contribution/value, grew over twice as much as the UK economy itself from 2010 to 2022. (9.8% vs 4.4%)

Jobs Created

There were 2.4 million jobs filled through the creative industries in 2022, which was a massive increase of 14.1% across the period of 2019-2022, despite the difficulty of the covid pandemic. This increase was by far the largest in terms of employment in the uk when compared with all other job sectors in the UK. as shown below:

Furthermore, the job positions within the creative industries make up 7.1% of all jobs in the UK - so there is plenty of opportunities for creatives to make an earning doing what they enjoy most in the UK.

History

The term “creative industries” is relatively new, despite creative Jobs having always been present in the UK. However, there hadn’t been a recognised or official economic terminology to group all of them together so that their economic contribution to the country could be accurately measured by the government. This was the case until the new labour government in 1998 created the DCMS mapping document, which combined job roles and sectors in digital, culture, media and sport into a singular entity known as the “creative industries”. Since this time, the government has came to value the creative economys importance when it comes to the social and cultural impact of the country, and also its distinctive image when compared to other countries. Because of this there is much in the way of grants, apprenticeships, funding, facilities and projects available for creatives so that they have the best chance to grow their practice and be successful.

An example of this is the 2009 UK government publication “Creative Britain” which brought attention to the planning of children’s education and the importance of being exposed to creative practices and activities during this time.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

I am pleasantly pleased with the outcome of my video. The multiple scenes being put together in different orders as well as the fast paced nature of each frame I feel really adds to the overall suspense of the work. The use of silhouette also adds a clear sense of mystery while the use of only the colour red allows for consistency but importantly a sense of danger to come across to the viewer.

Target Market

I feel that the clear horror aspect of the video would mean it would best be targeted at those who have an affinity for this particular genre, especially young adults. Because of the shorter length of the video, I feel like it would be best viewed as a reel on instagram. This way it would also reach the highest amount of people because of social medias massive influence on young adults.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Moving Image - BTS & Lighting Set ups

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Moving Image - Contextual Media & Cinematography

The Blair Witch Project

Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, the film was one of the first of the 'found footage' horror franchise, drawing viewers in with how realistic a feel it has. I want to try and emulate this in my own video with how they have captured the fear and panic in the subjects. In terms of lighting I want to emulate, there is a frequent use of flash lights being the only light on the characters with their faces very close up to the camera, which adds to the sheer intensity and fear they are experiencing throughout the film.

Carter Baran

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carter Baran (@carterr_)

Baran is a Canadian low-light artist I discovered on instagram, whose current work heavily features the use of a smoke machine as and coloured gel lighting which provides a very mysterious and cinematic appearance. He also often shoots from inside his own house to create quite creepy and unnerving subject matter, such as using doors and windows etc - very similar to what I want to achieve in my own video so plan on referencing him closely as I complete this moving image project.

Daniel Landin - Under The Skin

John R. Leonetti - Insidious

Leonetti has worked on the cinematography for a multitude of different horror franchises, one I feel particularly striking and effective is in the movie insidious. When going into "The Further" later in the movie, which is the realm of the dead where evil spirits reside, the way the house has been lit with very minimal lighting and the use of smoke really gives off the sense that you are in another evil dimension - which is something I will try to turn my own flat into when executing my filming.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Moving Image - Shot ideas

Because my moving image will not use a set storyline from start to finish and instead feature multiple different shots played one after another in a sequence, I thought more about what shot ideas I wanted to shoot. However I knew I wanted my front door opening with smoke emerging to be my opening shot. And for my final shot I wanted my arm being pulled into the shadows as this would be a dramatic end and good way to tie up the video.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Moving Image - Equipment

Canon 5D Mark II

I will be filming the entirety of my project on my Canon 5D mark II DSLR. I have had this camera for a while now so am well versed in how to use it to shoot video and is also a full frame camera so will work better in the low lighting conditions in which I will be shooting.

Frame Rate

I intend to shoot all of the parts for my video at 1/30, as this is good for the pace that I want for my video, and don't intend to shoot anything in slow motion so will not require a faster frame rate. This will also allow more light into the camera so my videos will not be too underexposed.

Canon 24-105mm lens

I will be using this zoom lens as it will allow me to achieve a multitude of different focal lengths, including close ups and wide angles so my video will have a good amount of variation.

Smoke Machine

I purchased a smoke machine off of amazon for my graded unit, and I intend to use this to feature smoke in a lot of my scenes as it will really provide a mysterious feeling to the end outcome and help it feel more cinematic. It is also remote controlled which will help as I can activate it while filming.

Lighting

For lighting I plan on using one yongnuo LED panel with a red coloured gel attached. This will provide a good amount of light to my scenes and can the power can be adjusted at the back, while the red coloured light will be vital to providing the sense of danger and suspense to my videos.

**I will be using a tripod for my project as I intend to feature only myself in the videos so I will be acting as both videographer and subject.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Moving Image - Contextual Imagery

Below are some photos from my graded unit, I want my moving image to follow a similar theme of these outcomes, and I should be able to make the creepiness and suspense of my video even better as I will be introducing motion in the silhouettes etc as well as music.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Moving Image - Plan

For my moving image project I decided to follow the same theme as my graded unit - which focuses on a low-light setting with a cinematic feel and very ominous and eerie imagery. I figured since I wanted the images from my graded unit to be cinematic in appearance, then creating a video with this style will result in a very cinematic and striking final outcome.

Following the theme of "A Sense of Place" I decided to shoot all of my videos from within my flat, as this is a place that means something to me being where I live and spend a lot of my time. Using red lighting as well as a smoke machine will create a creepy feel which will help get the idea that my flat can be quite a creepy place at night, especially when I am alone.

I intend to feature only myself in my video so it is more representative of my own personal experience and will also be easier than having to rely on others.

Schedule

In terms of a shooting schedule, I plan on capturing the majority of the media for my video while also completing my graded unit - as the use of lighting and style will be very similar I will be able to kill two birds with one stone. Then I have shot all of the scenes I want I shall begin post production using iMovie in mid-may.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Own Brands Research Task

Sportswear - Nike

Nike is one of the oldest and most well-known sportswear brands that has been thriving for the last 60 years, being founded in 1964. Their advertising and marketing has also changed drastically with the times and has become more integral to their success as a company with sportswear becoming a more and more competitive market due to demands to do with modern life.

(early/first advertisement) This image works well for the "there is no finish line" statement which shows the brands introspective and encouraging ideology which is being emulated to the viewer as the scale of the athlete compared to the vastness of the rest of the scene and the length of the road they are on. The photo is well balanced in terms of composition with the road as well as the telephone poles acting as leading lines leading the viewer up from the foreground to the mid ground. Because of the style and composition of this image I could see it being put on a large billboard so that the vast scene being captured is done justice and shall grab peoples attention.

(on location) Featuring the model in the outdoors on a sunny day is a good idea as people will want to put themselves in the models shoes enjoying the outdoors while being active which is something nike is always trying to push people to do in their campaigns. The harsh sunlight present created stronger shadows and contrast which helps the image appear more dynamic, as does the models pose. Compositionally, I like how the slanted wall in the background divides the composition in two, framing the model in between. This would be a good image for something like a magazine cover because of its boldness and framing - making it more likely to be picked up and looked at.

(studio) This is a very well considered image in terms of lighting as the blue and red helps outline the models silhouette against the nice light blue background, which in turn highlights the stretch of the material and how well fitting it is which is what I think the brand is trying to get across about the product. I think this would also work well as part of a spread in a magazine or for a front cover because of its simple composition yet boldness and use of form.

Food/Drink - Mount Gay Barbados Rum

Mount Gay is a popular premium rum brand that sells a variety of different types of rum including dark, gold and spiced rums made from cane sugar exclusively from Barbados - dating all the way back to the beginning of the 16th century. They are staple across many cocktail and tiki bars and the featuring of cocktails made from their rums are often featured in their advertising imagery.

early advertisement - The image has been skillfully composited, using the water coming out of the bottle does well to symbolise the connection between the rum itself and where is comes from - Barbados, being a Caribbean island associated with the sea. The use of the word “outpouring” in the slogan also helps to reinforce this. This water also creates a smooth transition to the image above depicting the people on the boat which further promotes this tropical and exotic narrative that they usually push in their advertising.

(Location) - Featuring of cocktails along with the bottle of rum helps viewers understand more about how versatile the rum is and how many cocktails can be made with it - also a good way of getting more colour into the adverts to make them more eye catching and visually striking. The strong natural sunlight also promotes the idea of summer and being on holiday which instills in the viewer that they will have a similar experience when drinking the product.

(studio) - The low-key nature of this studio shot caused by the lighting together with the dark wooden surface, which also goes well with the black bottle, implies the the viewer a sense of luxury and that this particular type of rum is of a special quality and is more expensive. Having just the rum in the glass instead of cocktails like their other advertisements further implies this - as it is common for higher quality rums to be enjoyed on their own so the full flavour of the rum itself can be enjoyed instead of mixed with other flavours when made into a cocktail. Cosmetics/Skincare/beauty - Dove

Dove is one of the oldest skincare brands stretching back over 70 years - with a key part of their branding being how their cream formula cleanses your skin while also moisturising it, unlike soap which is known to cause dry skin.

Early advertisement - featuring the doves as the background and being out of focus provides a good amount of context to make it visually clear what brand the advert is advertising, while also giving the image depth. Having the model being immensely covered in cream also implies how addicting it is and moreish it is. The colours in the image as well as the text at the bottom make me think this would be a good advert for a billboard back in the mid 20th century when it was released.

Location - Featuring the model in the bath gives clear context to how the product is to be used and that it is for skincare. Image is very well lit with a good variety of tone, so I think it would be good as a spread in a magazine given the image and the use of text.

(studio) The image is shot with high-key lighting which promotes the brands clean/positive aesthetic, while the droplets of water on the bottles provide texture which is nice to look at which draws the viewer in. The condensation on the window behind adds context of a bathroom while also acting as a nice background while blurring helps the bottles to stand out. I would say that this would be a good image to use as a social media post as it is likely to draw the eye of someone on a phone rather than in a magazine etc.

Energy/Service - BT

BT is a British telecommunications company and has operations in over 180 countries worldwide.

Going by type of phone and the style of the poster this is an older advert from the early 80s. Phone takes up most of the frame so is clear and concise about what is being advertised to the viewer.

(location)- the featuring of the horizon line in the distance with all of the rooftops gives the viewer a sense of vastness of the number of houses, consolidating the amount of people using BT and connecting them to eachother to the viewer. The very subtle rainbow in the distance just above the “BT” part of the text also helps lead the viewers eye to the name of the company being advertised.

(Studio) - although this image does not appear to be taken in a studio, the fact the scene is within a large space that is evenly lit implies the use of both natural and additional lighting. One of BTs main services is providing broadband for people and businesses, and the context this image provides about the subject in the frames job by featuring all the globes suggests he is a globe or atlas maker - which is quite a unique and specialised job so is Inkeeping with the “whatever your business” phrase on the advert.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Interrupted Landscape - Research

Frank Gohlke

Gohlke is an American landscape photographer, noted for his pioneering work capturing the man-altered landscape in the American south and mid-west in the 70s, ranging from trailer parks to industrial sites. Gohlke was one of only 10 photographers whose work was chosen to be featured in the 1975 exhibition "New Topographics - Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape" held at the George Eastman House's International Museum of Photography. The Exhibition was an outstanding success and permanently changed the aesthetic and conceptual approach to American landscape photography - leaving behind the traditional, fully natural approach for a more modern take.

I would describe Gohlkes photographs as being quite static rather than dynamic - his images are quite deadpan in the fact that they lack any kind of aesthetic beauty. There is also often large amounts of empty space in his compositions which I think is to further emphasise this, with the midwest being a good place to find big open areas to suit this style.

In terms of lighting, the photographer captures only what natural lighting is available in the scene and does not use it in any particular way to attempt to make the scene look more aesthetically sound - which again adds to the deadpan narrative of the images.

Gohlke shoots in square format for a lot of his work, which I think further adds to the simplicity of his compositions and to give equal visual value to all of the objects within the frame, allowing the viewer to view the image in whichever way/order they choose.

In order to capture the immense detail and sense of scale and perspective within his landscape work, Gohlke shoots in large format using black and white film. His use of black and white I think helps consolidate the contrast between the natural landscape which often represents the dark/midtones within his images, and the man made structures usually standing out with their brighter white tones.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Lighting up the Dark Research Task

Todd Hido

The American artist Todd Hido isolates the houses from the rest of the composition often by having a key light emerging from a single room, making a clear focal point, as seen in this image here. He has also shot during a foggy night to emphasise the beauty of the light while also creating an almost eerie atmosphere whilst conveying a sense of mystery.

In his projects that feature these houses at night, Hido uses the available ambient lighting present in the scene rather than additional lighting - like how he features the glow from the street light that is behind the house in this image, which I think is important to have as it stops the house from merging with the dark sky in the background which would make the image less dynamic and flat. The glow from the window to on the left side of the house also helps this.

The artist shoots almost all of his late night work on colour negative film, which helps add to the grainier quality that this type of low ambient lighting looks good with. He also deploys the use of longer exposure times so that this ambient lighting can fill more of the scene, while also giving it that nice glowing effect which is present in many of his other works. He uses a tripod for doing this and has said he finds himself driving around in his car for hours on end late at night until he comes across a certain house or scene with the right look and lighting.

Barry Underwood

Underwood is an American Photographer whose use of long exposure techniques coupled with additional lighting and the natural landscapes available natural light, turns ordinary everyday locations into surreal visual experiences. He often uses handheld lighting equipment such as coloured torches to create vivid 'sculptures' of light, that contrast strongly and stand out against the natural surrounding scene, which results in very unique images.

With the above image, it appears he has exposed for the sky in the background, then has used three additional lighting sources to light up the foreground - one being the red string of orbs to act as an immediate focal point, another to light up the edge of the ridge at the top to help it stand out more against the sky in the background, and a third subtle blue light coming from the right hand side to illuminate the darker rocky surface and add a hint of colour variation.

Underwood would have used a tripod as he would have shot at a slightly longer exposure in order to produce the nice glow coming from the red orbs, as well as helping the additional lighting to illuminate the foreground effectively.

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Advertising Research Notes

[louisthomsonhnd2a]

Landscape Research Notes