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Final Prints

I took some final photos 2/3 days before handing in. Oh how much I regret. In reflection I wish I gave myself time to test print. The final prints look fine, but had potential to be better. The photos came out so vibrant, warm and darker. I looked at the photos from multiple screens before sending them in to reassure that they might come out similar, but unfortunately that is not the case. i paid $32 on these 4 8x12 prints (matte) and that is my fault on not experimenting and not having enough time. 

I am still happy with the photos, but I am able to see how they could have come out better and more accurate to the files I actually sent in.

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Richard Shoot

The white balance was off when shooting, so I manually adjusted them in Photoshop. I like these photos the most. I took photos of Richard in the garden too but the lighting was very hard to counteract because of the harsh blue skies and harsh sun. It was also hard to use the flash and make sure it didn’t flash back from his glasses.

--------- Didn’t make the cut:

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Jess Shoot

Jess is a vibrant, wholesome chick who loves a bit of banter. Her room is something that represents her and her style very well. She enjoys being comfortable and she is a pretty laid back person too.

Final Photo:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19AK8fZn1zpi5FiVIiDmelzyTOEiF-zXu/view?usp=sharing

I used and external flash with all my shots, including the other shoots. It seemed to make the lighting more consistent and fill in harsh shadows.

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Amy Shoot

I had a fun time shooting these photos. The aesthetic of the room made everything easier to shoot. The room is clean and explains how Amy likes to live. The shoot with her computer is significant because she studies very hard and is always studying, at least 6 days a week Amy is on her laptop reading, listening to podcasts, watching videos and attending lectures. 

She is a dainty lady who portrays herself in a very well manner.

Final photo:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_6qPLYrvQw1ULaNEkhtIe9Lv7BnccBtW/view?usp=sharing

Final photos:

-------- Photos that didn’t make the final cut

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April 9th Critique

Photoshoot from the weekend before. Feedback needed to improve the way I take photos.

Richard, in his kitchen preparing to make noodles. Successful shot because of lighting. The natural light is nicely coming into the room. Can see his face, candid shot, maybe a little dark?

Too dark, not as successful as the shot before. If Richard was looking at the camera and maybe more light in this shot, might be a little more successful.

Too dark. Nice candid shot, needs an external flash to make it successful. 

Very successful shot, although there could be some changes. Crop into the shot, place kombucha on the table, move the heater, move the table so that the figure is directly in front of the ceramics. The ceramics, yellow room, lighting and the colours on Amy’s top are all successful, just need to rearrange the image to make it better, but still an excellent shot.

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Lighting

Let’s talk about manipulating light. Reflectors, diffusers, speed lights, placement of light.

Using reflectors and diffusers can be a very effective way of mechanically manipulating how an image can turn out.

Reflector/Diffusers

These images were yielded on a cloudy day, so the gold reflector stood out more than trying to diffuse light. The golden reflector illuminated Hama in a very flattering way. Her skin looks glowing and warm.

On Camera Flash

Speedlights can be so effective when you understand how to bounce that light. I think in the future I will take advantage of the on camera flashes when shooting interior portraits. The direction of the flash is so important when trying to create a successful and flattering shot. 

TEST SHOTS:

Direct

Behind the camera (Large space behind)

Above

Behind camera (Small space)

Flash pointing to the side

Flash pointing above

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Artist Research

Victoria Birkinshaw 

Birkinshaw is a New Zealand based photographer who shoots for publications like The Telegraph, FT & FT Weekend, Guardian Magazine, Independent, NYT. This means she has to photograph important people who are featured in these publications. 

Birkinshaw’s environmental portraiture style is very successful because you get a sense of who the person is without knowing who they are. This might make you more interested in who they are. 

SIR DAVID TANG (FT)

This photograph is successfully shot. The square format brings this image together, making it easier to focus on Sir David Tang. Everything around him represents who he is. The amount of suitcases and his suit suggest that he is a very successful businessman. The decor suggests that his life is quite busy but he is sitting down with a cigar, that implies that he is relaxed and in his zone. The lamps in the room light up the image quite well. The colour palette is composed of warm tones, like browns, yellows and golds. There is one case that is green which draw your eye to that area of the image, which is where the individual sits.

LAURENCE FOX (The Telegraph Magazine)

ALLIE CATTON (Sunday Magazine/Sunday Star Times)

Glenn Busch

Busch is a New Zealand photographer who has shot some very significant environmental portraiture. Taking photos of ‘working men’ and other great projects like ‘The man with no arms and other stories’ that document the reality of nine people with disabilities. 

MAN PAINTING HIS FENCE

Displays a man in his painting element. He has a brush and a paint pot in each hand. He is wearing gears that are covered in paint and it looks like he is painting the fence behind him. He looks to be very hard working and engulfed in what he does.

MAN AT THE OUTDOOR CAFE

This man looks to be at his local cafe that may be apart of his daily routine. His briefcase, his suit and tie, his polished shoes and glasses portray a hardworking business man who needed to take a break.

Johnny McCormack

“Johnny has been a professional and senior photographer spanning almost two decades and contributing regularly to a variety of local and international publications and for a diverse stable of commercial clients across the globe. He has traveled the world extensively, creating and capturing some of the snow industry's most iconic images – with a focus on remote alpine regions and the Pacific.

Now based in Auckland, shooting and spending a portion of the year working in Sydney and traveling on specific assignments and commissions. He has a Bachelor of Design from Victoria University, Wellington and works also as a Senior Designer and Art Director – specialising in print, advertising, branding, publishing and packaging production.

Clients include: Visa, Monster Children, Transfer, Billabong, DC Snowboards, Electric Visual, Oakley, The North Face, Transworld Snow, TWS Japan, Analog, Mountain Dew, LAN Airlines, ACP Publishers, MiNDFOOD, Penguin Books, Methven, Spoke, Manual Magazine, Air New Zealand, Allpress, Qantas, 37South Yacht Charter.” - Johnny McCormack’s ‘About’ page.

This guy is photographed in a very earthy spot, he has his skateboard and skate shoes on as if he was just taken out of his environment and shot. 

Although this image doesn’t capture the individuals face, you can tell this person has had a big day at the mountain. He is having a rest and the lighting in this shot is pretty breathtaking. His environment represent him.

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What is an environmental portrait?

“A camera is a passport to people.”

An environmental portrait explains a person without words but with the mise-em-scene. It is a genre of portraiture.

Artists to research/look into: Glenn Busch, Victoria Birkinshaw, Johnny McCormack, Virginia Woods-Jack.

Ideas: ‘D-Street’ Flat

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Contents

- Research (Artists, portraiture, lighting, reflectors, on camera flash, diagrams, “What is a Portrait?”)

- Idea building.

- Exploring thumbnails (Tests, developmental work.)

- Presentation notes.

- Pieces that didn’t make the final edit.

- Critique notes from April 9th.

- Presentation.

- How to get a successful shot? (Self evaluation, bouncing light, displaying images.)