kaipt-hnd

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Illuminate Research

Reciprocity:

https://valentinaperaltahnd1.tumblr.com/post/612299412783431680/illuminate-research-reciprocity-law Noise Avoidance & Removal:

https://aishasphotos.tumblr.com/post/611671286891069440/digital-noise-avoidance https://siobhanchalmersphotography.tumblr.com/post/611672958387224576/digital-noise-removal Photographers:

https://dariuszhn1photography.tumblr.com/post/611672966729711616/painting-with-light-photographer

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Illuminate Research

Troy Paiva

Troy Paiva has done night photography since 1989 and has since become an influential figure in the world of light painting photography, going o to publish 2 books on the subject. He says that what draws him to locations is the sense of isolation and loneliness, “I love the surreal feeling of wandering through an abandoned subdivision, alone, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night. Your senses become heightened and you feel the weight of time.”  His work is self-defined as “documentarian, yet surrealist - sometimes playful, sometimes haunting”. Paiva views his frames as dark stage sets to control and manipulate with hand-held, often coloured light during the exposure to evoke mood and lead the viewer’s eye through the composition. Shooting only at night, on or near a full moon night, he uses long exposures to “capture the palpable passage of time onto a single frame”.  Circa 2005, Paiva shot on 35mm chrome film with a Kodak 160T but has since switched to the Canon 20D & 60D with a wide angle lens, typically shooting with an ISO of 100 or 200 at f/5.6 or f/8 and shutter speeds between 2 - 8 minutes. He also doesn’t use any bigger lights with stands, umbrellas or sync cables, preferring to use one hand-held source, such as a torch or LED light, from several angles over the course of the exposure, shaped and coloured by snoots, gobos and gels.

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Recycle Research

This still life image was created using discarded plastic that the photographer found in nature, commenting on the state of our environment. I too would like to create an image with a meaning behind it, be it serious or not. I like the sense of pattern in this image, despite every object being slightly different and a black background worked here - a more interesting one could have been used but it may have made the image too busy. Avoiding shadows must have been difficult with the objects placed directly on the background, although the lighting is very flat and even across the whole image. Photo by Barry Rosenthal.

Speaking of pattern, the repetition and simplicity in these 2 images caught my eye. Very simple and everyday objects repeated in an aesthetically pleasing pattern to create a minimalist & monochromatic still life. I particularly like how the lines are tilted in the first image as it creates a more interesting composition, juxtaposing the ordered lines. However, backgrounds don’t add to these images much, which is something I would like to investigate more. There seems to be some directional lighting in the second image to add some shape but it doesn’t playa huge part here either. Photos by Alison Haigh (left) and Jan Kmetko (right).

The pattern in this image creates a more abstract composition with the soft lines making the image feel more dynamic and the shapes resembling paint brush strokes. I like how busy the image is and the tight cropping, showing no background and emphasising the form of the lines. The lighting here emphasises the page lines on the edges of the books and seems to be coming from slightly above the camera as the top of the image seems brighter than the bottom, although it’s unclear whether this was intentional to add shape and form to the subject. Photo by Kenneth Josephson.

The lighting in this image is impactful as it’s filtered through the egg shells so less and less shines through as more shells are layered towards the bottom, giving a nice gradient of light, colour and tone. Making such a mundane, everyday object such as this look so artistic through use of light, shape, form and perspective is a big part of still life photography. It probably would have been difficult to achieve an even exposure across the whole image as the lighting varies so much, which will be why the shell in the top left of the composition looks a bit blown out. The black background contrasts nicely with the light tones in the top half of the composition and, although I don’t feel that the shadows at the bottom add to the image, I wonder if the white background underneath the subject was used to mirror the light at the top of the image, creating a more balanced image overall. Photographer unknown.

I would like to use old clocks as my subject for this brief. I have a lot of old clocks around the house that no longer work and were never fixed so are all set to different times. I would like to explore what time represents and the way in which people today give it so much importance, worrying over and shaping our lives by something which is essentially a (meaningless) man-made construct, taking inspiration from Salvador Dalí’s The Persistence Of Memory, among other things.  I like how the backgrounds in these images add to the image, giving a more rustic feel. I will be finding a background that adds to my own composition such as wallpaper or something rustic and will experiment with having the subject on the background and further in front of it, lighting them separately. I also like the chaotic atmosphere of the first and third images caused by lots of clocks with different faces and times showing, making for quite busy images and this is something  would like to emulate in my own work. Photographers unkown.

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Artisan Research

Mindhunter - Directed by David Fincher. Fincher uses a variety of interesting camera techniques to engage the audience and connect them to the characters such as camera tilt, panning and tracking. In Mindhunter (and his other work), he often has the camera follow the subject at the same speed, the way your eyes might naturally, which harmonises subject and viewer, creating a seemingly deeper connection. In this scene, however, Fincher uses mostly quite static shots that are just as effective at setting the scene and creating links between the characters with each other and with the audience. The direction that the subjects are looking earlier in the scene shows their positioning in the office with regards to each other while the the two sitting together tilt their heads in unison, suggesting concurrence. My favourite element of this scene is the music fading in over the speech, demonstrating the characters’ attention shifting as the excitement builds, which is emphasised further by the slow zoom in on each character. In the lift, the leading lines and rule of thirds are applied for an aesthetically pleasing and balanced composition. Despite all characters facing forward, they’re still clearly in accord as they look subtly towards each other without making eye contact, remaining professional, as smiles slowly and simultaneously appear on all of their faces as they attempt to contain their excitement over the good news. 

Shotgun - George Ezra music video (first), directed by Nelson De Castro and Carlos López Estrada. The behind the scenes video (second) provides insight into the making of this music video but doesn’t provide much technical information. The video was filmed with a camera jib, essentially a mechanical arm with all the dimensions programmed into it which orbits around the set smoothly. Two different platforms were used and then edited together with the help of blue screens to allow for various skies/backgrounds so it looks as if the set is flipping seamlessly which feels a bit like an optical illusion.

Artisan Coffee Shop advert. The advert for this Edinburgh coffee shop employs a mixture of camera techniques and dynamic transitions. The wide angle shots give an overall impression along with the fly-on-the-wall style shots of the cafe bustling with customers which portrays a welcoming and enticing atmosphere. The close-up shots serve the purpose of showing viewers what services, food and drinks the cafe has to offer while being aesthetically pleasing frames revealing details of the shop. They have also consistently used moving shots that pan and track slowly and each only last a few seconds to help the video flow smoothly.

John Lewis 2018 Christmas advert featuring Elton John. (I apologise for using The Sun’s video but I couldn’t find it anywhere else.) This video starts with a wide shot that pans around a living room to a man (who we don’t yet know is Elton John) playing the piano which sets the scene followed by close-ups of his face and then hands, establishing the subject’s character in the details - who he is, his age, style, marital status and more. As the music starts, tracking is used and the camera pans along to Elton performing in a music venue, under a spotlight. The locations and outfits change, showing Elton perform in different locations in reverse chronological order, going further back in time as demonstrated by the fashion and audiences but the smooth panning and consistent music make it look like it was filmed in one take, as opposed to edited together which it has been. The shallow depth of field with things in the foreground out of focus also adds to the scene and atmosphere. The portrayal of a young Elton John is most likely nostalgic for many viewers and tugs on the heart strings a little as we see a child resembling Elton John open a piano on Christmas. The video draws to a close by transitioning from a close-up of young Elton’s hand to his hand now then his face again, mirroring the start of the video and showing his emotion as the camera slowly zooms out again to show the rest of the living room as the crowd cheers in the distance.

https://vimeo.com/192834629

The Heart Of Soba by Andrew Gooi. This video is very aesthetically pleasing to watch while effectively telling the story of how soba noodles are made. Lots of close up, slow tracking shots are used, with a shallow depth of field and each frame lasting no longer than 3 seconds to create a smooth but dynamic pace. Several shots are repetitions of the one directly before them but with a tighter crop, highlighting detail and creating a link between frames. Some slow motion shots are used to enhance the movement of water or flour, a technique I would like to attempt in my video. A lot of the shots are close ups of the artisan’s hands, to follow each step that she’s taken and emphasise the practicality of the craft.

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Illusion Research

I like these fairy-tale inspired images and am leaning towards doing something like this for my image - thankfully behind the scenes shots are available to I can see roughly how they did it. However, in this image the model was shot in a studio along with most of the background and only additional hair, sky and details seem to have been added post-production whereas I would be shooting my background on location and my model in the studio so would need to ensure lighting matched for all elements. I love the fantasy element here while still being reasonably achievable. Photo by Annie Leibovitz.

Adding elements that you wouldn’t expect to see in this context is another side of this type of photography - not quite fantasy but the combination of two real things that don’t naturally go together such as a computer screen type message and a road, in this image. It looks as if the photographer may have shot the subject on location and only added the “screen” and glow/shadows from it. Visualising where the elements that are being added in post would be is a huge part of it so that the angles and sizes all match and the subject is looking the right direction. Photo by Erik Johansson.

https://youtu.be/Qdh4gcMP2UA

This artist provided the elements that they composited together and a Youtube video showing roughly how they did it, which is helpful - although they seem to have sourced some stock images rather than taking them all themself. A lot of the adjustments seem to be matching the colours and lights from the various images as that is crucial to make the final image look natural. Photo by Mh Pekster.

I would love to try something like this but shooting the background would be incredibly difficult in terms of location and equipment needed and shooting in an aquarium isn’t ideal due to the reflections on the glass. Surprisingly, the fish were the only thing added in post-production - the model is a deep sea diver who posed in 40-foot deep water for this image, which is incredibly impressive for both the model and photographer to capture her floating completely still in the relatively short time that the model can hold her breath. Photo by Miss Aniela.

An image like this would be reasonably easy to create by shooting the background without the model there then shooting the model in front of it, without moving the camera, layering them together in Photoshop and using masks to reveal the layer below. However, this idea wouldn’t fit with out brief unless I shot the model in the studio and added them post-production, adding the complication of ensuring the angles and lighting and perspective match across both images. Photo by Yasir Quazi

I have included this image as a bad example of a composite image - it’s very obvious that the subject and background were shot separately, the subject’s hands and knees don’t look like they touch the steps and the edges are too hard, as if someone has cut her out of one image and stuck her on to another (which they have). I will try to avoid making these mistakes as the image ends up looking very artificial and not pleasing to the eye. Photo by Roger A. Dallman Jr.

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Catch Me If You Can - Research

Most sports photography is about capturing the action, which this image demonstrates well - the subject being the only part of the image in focus and being the only player in frame draws your attention to him. It wouldn’t be nearly as effective in this instance if the facial expression couldn’t be seen so a fast shutter speed, which the bright daylight and flood lights allow for, is essential to capture fleeting expressions and to freeze the subject in the air like this. Shots such as this would require fast and/or tracking autofocus to capture quick moving subjects and likely used burst mode to take many photos in quick succession. Sports photographers often shoot in JPEG as opposed to RAW to allow for faster bursts as the camera and SD card process them quickly and they can be transmitted directly to a company/employer to be used without editing, although I will be shooting in RAW for more flexibility in post-production. Photo by James Crombie.

The other side of sports photography is capturing the reaction - good or bad, fans or participants. I love the raw emotion captured in this image and the fact that they all express their glee differently. The fairly tight cropping makes for quite an intimate group shot while the leading lines of the track direct the eyes in and the woman on the right looking in a different direction balances out the composition. The athletes’ participation cards pinned to their torsos give the viewer context for the photo, something Andy Buchanan advised us to do. As it is unlikely that the photographer was very close to the track, a telephoto lens with a wide aperture would probably have been used, as you can tell from the shallow depth of field, to allow lots of light in for faster focusing and shutter speeds. Photo by Ken Geiger.

Detail shots like this are also very effective as you can tell a lot about the sport or athlete from a small detail, such as the wrist braces and jewels on these athletes’ outfits. I like the composition, the tension created by the tight crop and the shallow depth of field, bringing the eye into one athlete’s hand, which is a very dynamic and expressive detail to focus on. I would like to attempt some shots like this for my brief, giving context and a story in the details. Photo by Dave Black.

The pattern and balance created in this image is very interesting, along with the suspense of the athletes frozen in mid-air which must have taken excellent timing as they all jumped in unison. Sports photography can capture lots of unusual shapes, especially when shooting from unusual angles like this. The strong lighting gives very bold, clean shadows. For all of these images, the lighting in the arenas is very bright and even so additional lighting hasn’t seemed to be needed to achieve fast shutter speeds. Photo by Dave Black.

I like the concept and composition of this image but the colour scheme doesn’t appeal to me. I would like to try a long exposure shot like this at the trampolining event that I’ll be shooting as it can create beautiful shapes and illustrate movement very effectively. However, the lighting at indoor events like this may not be ideal and this needs to be taken into consideration and creating interesting lighting (with speed lights and reflectors, perhaps) will give shots like this more depth. Photo by Richard Booth.

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I colour coded my contact sheet to help me decide which image to submit for Clean White. Red images are ones that I wasn’t happy with and wouldn’t take further, yellow meant that I’d consider taking them further but probably only as a “Plan B” and the 2 green images are the ones that I edited in Photoshop and finally settled on DSC0172 to submit. 

This is my final image which was shot at f/8, 1/125s and ISO 100. In post production, I made the image monochrome, adjusted levels/curves, removed a few tiny but distracting specks on the jumper, ensured that the background was a clean, even white across the whole image and cropped to make it square, which I think made the composition more interesting. 

Although I am happy with my final image, there are things I would do differently, were I to do it again. For example, I would have experimented with the lighting more and tried a variety of attachments to achieve different shadows and effects. I also would have double checked that I had a clean white exposure across the whole background so I wouldn’t have to alter it in post-production. However, I am generally happy with the lighting on the face and this is one of my favourite photos that I’ve submitted for Portfolio 1.

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Soft Proofing

Allows you to see your digital image as it would look printed on specific types of paper.

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Panning - f/13, 1/60s, 100 ISO. I was happy that I got a shot where the watermelon is fairly crisp, while the background shows movement due to the slow enough shutter speed and I like the vibrant colours. I used f/13 to give myself some flexibility as I had to focus before the object started moving, predicting where it would go and a wider aperture would have made the depth of field shallower and I would have had to focus very precisely. If I were to do it again, I would shoot from a different angle to prevent the direct sunlight from bouncing off the surface of the melon as it’s a little distracting. A friend further up the hill released the skateboard when I was ready, which took a bit of trial and error.

Frozen Movement - f/5.6, 1/800s, 100 ISO. I used a shutter speed of 1/800s to capture the oranges in mid-air with the aperture wide open to allow enough light in for such a fast shutter speed. This also created a shallow depth of field which I think works well for this image, with some oranges in focus and others not. I like that the subject’s face is covered by an orange, drawing your attention to the flying fruit and away from him - I find the writing on his shirt a little distracting though and, in retrospect, would have chosen a plain tshirt but I do think that the vibrant, contrasting orange and green take your eye away from this. 2 friends below the frame threw the oranges after a countdown to catch them in mid-air, this also took lots of trial and error to get the timing right.

Wide Focal Length, Extended Depth of Field - f/29, 1/10s, 100 ISO. I used a very small aperture to try and achieve extended depth of field for this image. The shutter speed was slow to allow enough light to compensate for the small aperture and I used a tripod to reduce camera shake. With a focal length of 26mm, I was happy to capture 2 elements in one image. Unfortunately, the background wasn’t quite as crisp as I would have liked but I was reassured that this was likely because I was using a basic zoom kit lens so if I were to shoot again, I would borrow a better lens for the job from the store, perhaps one with a fixed focal length.

Enhanced Movement - f/16, 1/30s, 200 ISO. A slow shutter speed was needed to capture this enhanced movement shot while an aperture of f/16 allowed for a bigger depth of field, making it easier to have everything in focus without being able to predict where the balls would bounce. I felt that the grass looked a little too green/yellow so tried to balance it out post production but am happy with the different colours of ball - I would maybe get brighter colours if I were to do it again. As I was on my own, I had to set the camera up on a tripod with a self-timer which gave me 10 seconds from pressing the button before taking the picture - this took a few attempts to judge when and where to throw the balls to best capture them spread across the frame.

Telephoto Focal Length, Shallow Depth of Field - f/5.6, 1/80s, 100 ISO. I used a very wide aperture here to create a shallow depth of field and my focal length was 40mm. I like that it looks almost monochromatic, despite being taken in colour and the pattern of the water droplets with the edges of the sphere falling out of focus very quickly - it feels a bit like spheres within a sphere, though I don’t know how spherical the droplets actually are.

The third and last image are my favourites from this project, however I was not as happy with this project in general as I was with some of my other submissions. If I were to do it again, I would do more general research to help me come up with some more creative experiments and images. Although I think some of these images creatively demonstrate the techniques required for the project, I realise some could have had more inventive compositions and lighting techniques.

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For the first image, we approached the guy and his friends who were very happy to sit for us. It seemed very natural to him and he needed little to no direction on how to pose. We bounced light towards him using a reflector and his white hat seemed to reflect it down onto his face, which made for quite flattering, soft light. f5.6, 1/400s, ISO 200. The second subject needed more direction so I asked him to stand in the dappled light so that the light caught his eye. I like the different shades of light and shadow over his face and how the light makes his eyes pop. He had a dog but unfortunately the images that were further away from the subject didn't show the dappled light on his face as clearly. f5.6, 1/400s, ISO 200. 

The girl in the third image didn’t need much direction either and the light was diffused by the clouds evenly, giving a soft and very flattering light across the face with minimal shadows. Her and her boyfriend were happy to pose but I preferred the way the light caught her hair. I have since edited it further to remove the label from the scarf as I thought it was distracting (see below). f/5.3, 1/160s, ISO 200.

For the final image, this man wanted to keep a hold of his leaf. He mostly posed himself but I directed him to tilt his face so that the direct light was only on half of his face. Although the light is very bright, I didn’t think it was too harsh and I liked the angle it hit him at. f5.6, 1/200s, ISO 200.

This was my favourite project of Portfolio 1. I was very anxious about approaching strangers but I love portraiture and the natural lighting was so dynamic and interesting to work with. I struggled a little with directing the subjects as this was so new to me and I didn’t want to bother/keep them long. This means that if I were to do this again, I’d try to be more confident in both approaching and directing people. For example, I would have asked the guy in the first image to remove his backpack or adjusted the 3rd girl’s scarf to save me the hassle of editing it out in post-production.

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Contact sheets for Seeing The Light shoot at the Botanic Gardens.

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Initially, I tried to photograph my cat sitting in my bedroom window (images 01-04) for my Location image but I had trouble correctly exposing both my cat in the foreground and the street out the window in the background. I considered layering several exposures together in Photoshop to achieve this but decided to find a more interesting location instead. I later went to Loch Ard to shoot my Location and Object images. I don’t have much experience shooting landscapes so this shoot was mostly trial and error (images 11-13 & 18-20). I tried putting a dark filter over my lens to allow for a longer shutter speed without overexposing the sky, in an attempt to capture some motion blur in the water or clouds. I didn’t see any motion blur but the filter did help to keep the clouds from being overexposed. After taking some in landscape format, I realised that I should also take some in portrait so that all of my images can be the same orientation on my tryptic, as my self-portrait is already in portrait. I was relatively happy with some of these (18-20), though the filter added a dark orange hue to image 19 but I can fix that in editing. I wasn’t happy with how crisp the image was as I was looking for an extended depth of field but it’s unclear as to whether this was caused by focusing in the wrong place or using a kit lens. I am hoping that layering a few exposures together in Photoshop, which should work as I used a tripod, will give me a final image that I’m happy with.

My Object shoot at Loch Ard went reasonably well (images 14-17) - I tried different compositions and was happier with the portrait versions again. I felt that you couldn’t see the glasses clearly enough in image 14 and having them sitting up on the rock with the loch in the background out of focus looked better so I will use either image 16 or 17. My self-portraits (images 05-10) were shot in Bob’s flat, as planned. I struggled to get an interesting composition as I could only spin from the floor, meaning I’m very close to the bottom of the frame and lots of floor would be in shot and when I climbed, it was difficult to move the fabric enough to make dynamic shapes. I set up my camera on a tripod, got the exposure with a long shutter speed (with some trail and error) and set up my lights for a rear-sync flash in order to capture the movement and freeze me in place. I was happiest with the shape in image 10 and the almost symmetry or balance in the composition. I will lighten it a bit in Photoshop, make it look a bit more “punchy” and possibly extend the wall to the top of the image to get rid of the white ceiling.

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Exhibition Review

Linda McCartney majored art history at the University of Arizona and attended only 2 photography lessons at night school. These classes introduced her to photographers such as Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange, who she drew influence from, along with Edward Steichen, when she was later introduced to his work. McCartney was particularly interested in the history of photography and payed homage to William Henry Fox with her handcrafted cyanotype prints, though she experimented with many printing processes along with a great deal of polaroids.  While working as an editorial receptionist for Town and Country Magazine, McCartney took advantage of an unused invitation to a Rolling Stones promotional party aboard the SS Sea Panther on the Hudson River. There she documented the event, taking candid pictures of the band which the magazine then published, kicking off her photographic career in the 1960s and by 1968 she was the first female photographer to have a cover photo on Rolling Stone magazine. Many of the photographs at the Linda McCartney Retrospective exhibition feature her family; husband and musician Paul McCartney an their children, Heather, Mary, Stella and James. Her documentary style photography captures her subjects often candidly in natural situations and the influence of the likes of Dorothea Lange is evident here.

My Love, Linda McCartney, London1978 – Colour C-type Print

This classically 70s image has a large depth of field as the cars in the background and the reflection in the mirror are all in focus, suggesting that McCartney used a small aperture and no lighting equipment, for obvious reasons. The contrast in this image is what interests me – between far and near, cold and warm tones, detachment and intimacy. The focal point of Paul’s eye connects the viewer and the image and leaves me wondering what he was looking at - his wife, Linda, the camera or was he simply glancing in the rear-view mirror for other cars? The composition is interesting as you are drawn to the reflection of eyes even though they take up a small part of the frame which contrasts greatly with Mapplethorpe’s image in which his eyes dominate the frame. Paul McCartney, spoke about it in and interview with The Guardian, “I’m driving, and I think Linda is taking the picture with one of our babies on her lap – if you look, there’s a very faint reflection in the windscreen. Talk about multi-tasking.” This seemed to be her style; taking photos as and when the moment arose, rarely planning or composing them in advance, which gives a fairly real and unedited - though picture-perfect - view of her life, through a possibly “rose tinted” lens.

Robert Mapplethorpe studied drawing, painting and sculpture at the Pratt Institute, influenced by artists such as Joseph Cornell and Marcel Duchamp. His photographic journey began in1970 when he was given a polaroid camera by artist and filmmaker Sandy and incorporated early images into his collages as he felt it was “more honest”[2]. Honesty is an interesting concept in Mapplethorpe’s work as in his early self-portrait’s, he dons characters and personas, exploring different aspects of his personality and it isn’t until his later work that we see Mapplethorpe portray his true and vulnerable self in his images. His documentation of New York’s S&M scene in the late 70s astounded the photography world and beyond, both due to the usually taboo and hidden subject matter and his advanced technical aptitude.

His work exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery traversed his more provocative, controversial images, his self portraits in which he plays a role and the later images where he captures himself authentically and emotionally after his AIDS diagnosis.

Self Portrait, Robert Mapplethorpe,1988 – Gelatin silver print on paper, 27.10 x 57.50cm.

This powerful and deeply personal self-portrait was taken 2 years after Mapplethorpe was diagnosed with AIDS and he died only a few months after this. Though incredibly cliché, the phrase “the eyes are the window to the soul” springs to mind and seems to ring true with this image – we see Mapplethorpe’s emotion, his fear, his apprehension, his anger and his courage as he stares down death itself, painfully aware of his own mortality. It feels particularly intimate as his eyes take up the whole frame, unlike McCartney’s image where the eye is detached from the rest of the composition, which feels more like a mere glimpse in comparison to this intense eye contact, which Mapplethorpe has insured is unavoidable. This image seems to have been shot in a studio with artificial or strong and strategically manipulated natural light, as seen reflected in his eyes, which casts a diagonal shadow across his face. However, he is not squinting so we could assume that the flash wasn’t overly bright, was likely out of his eyeline and that a fast shutterspeed was used to avoid capturing any movement or blinking. It could be inferred that the eyes being cut by shadow with half in light and half in dark are symbolic of his state or mortality, representing life and death but regardless, they do represent his vision as a photographer, in both a literal and artistic sense. In 1988, he established the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, providing grants to support photography on a global scale and later to help fund medical research for HIV/AIDS – his life and legacy inspiring and positively influencing people to this day.

 Bibliography:

https://www.lindamccartney.com/biography/

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/jun/26/paul-mccartney-on-lindas-best-photos-seeing-the-joy-between-me-and-john-really-helped-me

http://www.mapplethorpe.org/biography/

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/robert-mapplethorpe-11413/photographs-robert-mapplethorpe

https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/90651

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Clean White Research

This iconic photo of Jude Law is recognisably Bailey’s. He often has the subject lean towards the camera and cuts the top of their head out of frame which creates tension in the image while lighting the background prevents shadows and contrasts the subject against it. The styling and cigarette along with dramatic shadows on half of the subject’s face create a dramatic character which can the viewer recognises instantly, whether this character is the subject’s own or one projected by the photographer is unknown but I suspect the latter. The harsh contrast in this image - truly black blacks and white whites, only detail in the midtones - adds to the impact while the use of Rembrandt lighting keeps both eyes lit despite the dark shadows, further enriching and flattering the subject’s character. Photo by David Bailey.

The soft light in this image is very flattering to the subject as her features are still defined by soft shadows. The catch light in her eye brings your attention there, despite only one eye being shown and the subject filling the frame creates a sense of mystery and intrigue. The placement of the hand across her eye disrupts the symmetry of the face which, along with the tousled hair, makes for a more dynamic and engaging image than the typical beauty shot. Furthermore, the exposed shoulder and slightly parted lips add to the vulnerability and femininity of the image and, while I don’t doubt Angelina Jolie knows how to pose, these were likely all conscious decisions made by the photographer. Photo by Annie Leibovitz.

This is the image I think I’d like to emulate for the project, if vaping in the studio isn’t an issue - I will bring a backup image just in case. In contrast to lots of Bailey’s work, this photographer has the subject both tilted away from the camera and looking away from it with their eyes. The whole head is in shot so, while there’s less tension, there is a sense of mystery and perhaps even a cool apathy from the subject’s character, which the smoke adds to. The smoke hides what could have been seen of the right side of the subject’s face, making for a clean profile but breaks up the hard lines and contrast seen around the rest of the subject. There are minimal shadows, although those that can be seen are quite hard shadows, defining the jaw and suggesting quite strong lighting, which is easier to do in this case without the subject squinting. The shallow depth of field drops the shoulder out of focus and adds dimension to the image. Photo by Luka Svetic.

The framing of this shot is quite unusual, with only the subject’s face in frame, cutting off most of the neck and hair - though none of the moustache - while creating a lot of tension in the image, due to the angle. This tension is reflected in the subject’s facial expression, though we don’t know if this was Dali’s choice or the photographer’s - I suspect in this case that the photographer didn’t have to conjure a character for the subject as this seems to display the subject’s character that we already know. As the subject seems so close to the camera, we can see lots of detail in the face and there is very little shadow obstructing the facial features, only a little under the nose and dropping off under the jaw, due to relatively soft lighting. The catch light in the eyes brings our attention there but they look almost cartoon-like as his eye colour is dark, making his irises hard to see in black and white, so it looks like massive pupils on bulging eyes, enhancing the manic character portrayed here. Photo by Philippe Halsman.

This image doesn’t have as dramatic contrast as the other images which, along with the shallow depth of field and virtual lack of shadows, creates a very soft portrait - likely using soft, diffused lighting such as a soft box.The white shirt blends into the background a little, directing our attention to the subject’s face which has a neutral but slightly charming expression, seen in the very slightly raised eyebrow and corners of her mouth. The negative space around the subject adds to the sense of calm and brings the eye to the whole face. Photo by Sela Sheloni.

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Seeing The Light Research

I like the use of shadows in this image, I think the sections of light draw attention to the subject’s face, as do the leading lines on a relatively plain background and the shallow depth of field. It looks as if this was taken around sunset (or sunrise), when the sun was low in the sky and the white buildings would have acted as a reflector, bouncing some light towards the subject. Photo by Dean Martindale.

This window-lit shot is interesting as the lace curtain (I presume) creates an intricate pattern on the subject’s face, making for a more textured, detailed portrait and creates a delicate and feminine atmosphere. A shot like this could possibly be achieved at home with a lace curtain but I would most likely need to shoot someone I know as opposed to a stranger due to the location. Photo by @s.m.p_photography.

The direct sunlight in this shot is very flattering as most of the face is in gentle shade, due to the angle, which creates a very soft portrait and allows the subject to look directly at the camera without squinting, while the shallow depth of field creates soft but rich tones in the background to bring attention to and compliment the subject. The photographer may have bounced light onto the subject’s face using a reflector but it may not have been needed if it was a sunny enough day. Photo by Kamau Akabueze.

The use of shadows and positioning of the model, both in the frame and the leading lines that she creates with her pose, draw the eye to her face in this image. The tones are fairly muted which helps to avoid distracting from the subject and I think that the clear, contrasting shadow of the subject’s face on the white wall has a lot of impact. The light is shining mainly on the subject’s face and some of her body, throwing the rest into darkness and separating the subject from the background. There’s noise in the image as it was shot on film, which I feel adds to the atmosphere but I don’t think I will be attempting to shoot on film for this project due to time constraints and lack of experience. Photo by Ben Sasso.

I like the colours in this Golden Hour shot and the styling and positioning of the model draws your eye in. The light catching the subject’s hair is a nice effect that I might try to replicate but I’m unsure as to whether the circle by her face caused by glare from the sun adds to the image or not, I think that the glare from the sun intercepting her hat would have been enough, though the circle may not have been intentional. The rich orange tones from the sun pair nicely with the subject’s hair colour, coat, soft features and makeup. Also, the railway lines draw you in without distracting as they’ve been dropped out of focus with a shallow depth of field and, although there is lots going on in the background, the subject’s face sits above it, contrasting against a mostly white sky. Photo by Anton Muhin.

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Spheres Research

I like this example of frozen movement. It looks as if they’ve used a flash to illuminate the subject’s face and a fast shutter speed to freeze the basketballs in mid-air. I’d like to attempt something similar but probably not sports related. Photo by Marcus Eriksson.

I love the simplicity of this image and the expression on the dog’s face. The photographer most likely used a flash or reflector to bounce light onto the dog. The repetition of the uniform tennis ball looks good. I don’t know what this could be an example of for the purposes of our project. Photo by Danica Barreau.

I think this is almost extended depth of field. I would like to use my glass ball to shoot the extended depth of field image for this project. The tree is a very handy stand for the crystal ball and the timing and location of the image are perfect as the sunset is so vibrant. Photographer unknown. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/323414816991560379/?nic=1a

This is a clever use of shallow depth of field. The photographer must have had to anticipate where the baseball would be to focus beforehand. Again, I like the idea but will probably avoid the sports theme. Photographer unknown. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/323414816991560428/?nic=1a

I really like the colours in this image. The use of shallow depth of field and reflection of trees in the bubble make draw your eye in to the center of the image. I’m unsure as to whether or not the photographer’s reflection is intentional but I don’t know how they would avoid this. I’d like to try and incorporate bubbles into my project if possible but it’s hard to control where they go in order to focus accurately and control composition. Photographer unknown. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/323414816991560374/?nic=1a

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Erik Johansson

“Imagine a place where the impossible is possible - where fish are islands, landscapes melt into one and perspectives are distorted. That is my world.”

About

Erik Johansson is a Swedish photographer who lives in Prague but often photographs near the southern Swedish town of Götene, where he grew up so Northern European landscapes feature heavily in his work.

“For me, creating an image is about problem solving, and finding a way to capture the impossible and how to overcome it. Photography is my medium for bringing the pictures in my head to life. I photograph ideas, not moments.”

Photo-surrealism

Fantasy and everyday realism juxtapose each other in Johansson’s creations, depicting a world just different enough from our own that we almost believe it for a second, almost like a parallel universe where everything’s been refracted slightly but not turned completely on its head. These fantastical elements are just enough to grab your attention, drawing you in to look closer in awe or even mild discomfort, without being so outlandish that you dismiss its authenticity immediately.

“Every problem can be broken down into smaller problems. That’s what it’s all about: problem-solving.”

Process

Johansson takes all the original photos himself to create his montages, avoiding computer-generated or external archive images. He uses a medium-format digital camera and processes his work using mainly Adobe Photoshop. The process begins for him with an idea, drawing inspiration from his surroundings and asking himself “what if?”, jotting down thoughts and sketches in a notebook as he goes. He works through different versions and plans his montage for anywhere between 1 and 12 months before setting out to shoot all of the images needed. While shooting (for between ½ day and a week), he ensures that all his images have consistent perspective and light to allow for a smooth transition between photos, using a large depth of field and often taking several shots with varying focuses to compensate for any loss of crispness he might have, had he used a smaller aperture. Processing his images is the longest stage, taking 1-6 months, roughly 20 hours of which are “effective processing time”. 80% of the processing time is spent on the “final polish”, which can take up to 6 months or more as Johansson needs time away to forget the image before he can return to it completely objectively, allowing him to see the bigger picture; forest, trees and all. Finally, he publishes the montage online, collating feedback and reactions before posting a finalised version on his website.

Bibliography

All images from tumblr.com

All quotes from Erik Johansson

Imagine by Erik Johansson, text by Göran Segeholm, published by Max Ström, 2016