Tuesday, 4 October 2011

Reflection

My concept was to create a series of images that enhanced the expressions of the figure photographed with varying lighting conditions. Through this, my aim was to give the audience a powerful emotional experience.

My chosen model wore plain, everyday clothes – nothing that stood out – to ensure that this was not the focus of the audience’s attention. I then suggested emotions to show through her facial expressions which corresponded to the lighting conditions chosen for that particular shot.

I chose an urban, concrete set for my backgrounds because it was plain enough not to draw too much attention away from the emotions of the image, but was interesting enough in terms of texture and subtle features to be manipulated for many different moods of shots. I wanted to keep to the same aesthetic of the background – the urban look – to compare how I could change the mood with just the lighting, not with the background as well. This was a refinement of my concept from previous shoots where I had used many different locations.

Obviously the time at which I chose to shoot was dictated largely by what lighting conditions I wanted for a particular image, depending on whether I wanted the basic lighting bright or dim. In the end, I spread my shooting over the course of an afternoon, making use of the high sun for the happier emotions and the setting sun over the progress of the evening as I moved through the sadder emotions.

As I developed my concept, I came up with a loose storyline that would link my images together as a series. To begin with, the environment is shot as open and bright, reflecting the happy expression shown by my model. As the sequence progresses, the camera closes further and further into the figure as she becomes increasingly fearful – an emotion echoed by the darkening lighting. I feel that I was very successful in capturing the emotion in my images and reflecting this in the lighting that I chose to complement each image with.

Final Images

Saturday, 1 October 2011

Shoot 3 Favourite Images

Image3  Image4

Image5  Image6

Image7  Image8

Contact Sheet 3


Open publication - Free publishing - More light

This was my final shoot and I felt it was very successful because I managed to get a linking series that gives the viewer quite an emotional impact - my aim for the series. I shot a progression of emotions as the light faded over an afternoon/evening.

Wednesday, 28 September 2011

Contact Sheet 2


Open publication - Free publishing - More light

In this shoot, I was experimenting with the possible expressions I could show through light, bearing in mind that I was going to plan the times for these properly when I knew exactly what shot I wanted for what emotion. At this point, I was looking at contrasting emotions and trying to find two emotions to play off against each other with different light. This wasn't greatly successful, so in a final refinement of my idea I decided to have a story linking my images that ran through from light to dark, showing the progression of emotions, as enhanced by the environmental light.

Friday, 16 September 2011

Research/Inspiration Project 3

As my idea is to use lighting to reflect and enhance the emotion portrayed in an image, I have done some research into images which do this. The first image utilises high contrast and bright lighting to invoke a feeling of happiness in the viewer, which is the emotion being shown by the model in this image. The second image I think is really interesting in that it has faded colours and a tint that represents  the sad emotion shown by the model. This is a definite possibility for the style I want to explore in my series. The third image is showing sadness through darkness and a close up shot, however, the high contrast still in this image is something I want to address as I don't want the darker images of my series to be quite this bold. I like how you can't see the background in this image because of the dim lighting however - it works nicely to make the face the focal point of the image, which draws the viewer in and takes the negative feelings shown in this image to a new level. The fourth image is something I want to explore in my series also. I like the way some of the background is lit, but fades out quickly to black - this could potentially be a transition to a photo modelled on the previous image which has a completely black background.

Link to site
Link to site
Link to site

Thursday, 15 September 2011

Shoot 1 Favourite Images

Shoot 1 Image 2Shoot 1 Image 1

I like the first image because it has a really nice contrast which makes the image eye-catching. The focus is drawn to the figure in the centre who is looking straight up at the camera. The expression fits well with the image and although I don't think this particular image will fit in my series, I like this aesthetic - a location with high potential for my shoot. The second image expresses emotion really well, but I don't think it's using light so well, so I will be pursuing the possibilities for development that exist in the first image.

Contact Sheet 1 - Test Shoot


Open publication - Free publishing - More light

In this shoot, I was testing out many different locations and possibilities for my 'light' sequence. I wanted to see how different backgrounds could represent different emotions and so ventured in search of contrasting backgrounds. At each location, I asked my model to pose for a different emotion. The problem with this, I found, was that the emphasis was more on the environment than the lighting, so I decided to refine my concept to just one constant aesthetic for the background.

Proposal - Light

Lighting is one of the biggest factors in dictating how we read an image. Whether an image is brightly lit, dimly lit, has shadows, has highlights, is saturated, or is desaturated determine our feelings towards what we see. Ominous, scary images will be darker and more sinister, more of the image concealed in ominous shadows, whereas happy images will be well-lit, warm and inviting. I want to explore the very fundamental roots of feelings through photography by breaking it down to key emotions and choosing the best lighting to portray this.

I will be using a model consistently throughout the series, to link and portray the feelings through facial and body expressions, which will be reiterated through the lighting.

After having done a first test shoot, I have decided to use a plain, urban, industrial looking background. Why? Because it’s simple enough that it can be manipulated to imply a multitude of different emotions, yet interesting enough to be of contribution to the images.

The times of my photoshoots will differ, as I plan to use different natural lighting as a base for my light study. This will be enhanced with flash lighting in the darker scenes, for highlighting and casting shadows in different parts of each image. 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Proposal/Reflection (as on final presentation)

My intention was to show the development through a child’s life as a girl grows from babyhood through to teenhood. My images are thematically linked by a bow that is incorporated into all the photos. This is a reflection on the change a female child undergoes as she grows from a baby to a teen. We are so absorbed with commercialised objects today that I wanted to explore how, over time, girls change from unaffected infants into teens who are shaped to fit with today’s standards of society. Time here gives rise to the continued process of change as we observe the child at different points in her life.

At 6 months, the girl simply sucks on the bow, as with all other objects at this age – it has equal importance to all other objects that she explores with her mouth.

At 2 years, she has it clipped onto her ragdoll as she plays with it over the edge of her cot – she recognizes it as pretty and begins to use it as an accessory, but for her doll.

At 5 years, she has it clipped onto her schoolbag as she gets ready for her first day of school – not yet interested in fancy hairdos, she treasures the bow but uses it as a bag tag instead.

At 8 years, she uses it as part of her outfit, clipped to her dress as she reads in the corner – starting to explore fashion, she focuses on completing and coordinating outfits.

At 10 years, she begins to explore putting it in her hair as she matures and wants to make herself look pretty.

And finally, at 13 years, as she hits puberty and the start of womanhood, the hairpiece is used for its intended purpose, as the child becomes absorbed in the world of cosmetics and beauty.

Final Photos

What is 'Time'?

So the concept for this project is Time. But what is Time? I did some research into it earlier into the project and omitted to include it in my blog. When you get down to it, 'time' is a really hard concept to describe...


To get a background on 'time', I searched it in Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time, and dictionary.com, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/time, and on Google, and came up with a few interesting definitions:
"the system of those sequential relations that any event hasto any other, as past, present, or future; indefinite and continuous duration regarded as that in which events succeed one another."
and
Noun: The indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.


Going on the last definition, if I chose my 'whole' to be a child, then the continued progress is the child growing up, being shaped by their surroundings. Therefore 'time' is the focal point of the series, being the catalyst for change in the child's life.


Since my last progress post, I altered my concept to include a hair bow which links the images together. This bow represents the change going on in the personality of the child and shows how the girl portrayed in my images is changing as she grows from a baby to a teen. We are so absorbed with commercialised objects today that I wanted to explore how a girl is affected over time by this as she grows from an unaffected baby into a teen who is shaped to fit in.

Saturday, 20 August 2011

Week 5 Exercise - Time Difference


Looking at the same subject, framing etc. but showing a lapse of time between the photos - here, contrasting the plain park by day, normal and unthreatening, with the slightly eerie park by night, shadowy and ominous.

Contact Sheet 3

Saturday, 13 August 2011

Week 4 Exercise - Short/Long Exposures

Short exposure - capturing motion of waterfall

Long exposure - portraying pedestrian motion over time

Thursday, 11 August 2011

Shoot 1 Contact Sheet

About to photograph first model...

Later today I'm meeting with my first model (age 6 months) and mum for my first shoot and later with my second model (9 years) for my second shoot. I've decided to go at the series from a few different angles and then select the one which turns out the best with all the different children. Firstly, I'll be asking the child to show me three things which are most important to them at that particular moment in their childhood - I've heard that a few photography students have done this in the past as a reflection on what is important to a particular age group, but I want to show how these important things that shape the child's identity change over time. Secondly, I'll be shooting them with a teddy bear I'll be taking along, and seeing how the ages from 6 months to 13 years respond to the teddy - I expect that at around 3 years will be the best age to play with the teddy, but I'm intrigued to find out and record the different interactions with the toy at different ages. This will be reflecting on the somewhat sombre idea that children grow out of things that are iconic of childhood as they make their way to teen and adulthood. Lastly, I'll be handing the child a wrapped chocolate bar and recording how they react to a gift and the chocolate inside - this was an idea I discussed with Matt as a way to show altering attitudes to this as the child matures.

Wednesday, 10 August 2011

Progress

Since my last post, I've been considering my idea and rethinking how I could successfully portray a clear theme of time through my childhood series. I have been thinking about using a motif to link the series together, like a height chart, that shows a clear development of time as the child grows. Or I could incorporate a second motif that explores reactions to a particular object and how they change as the child grows - I discussed this with James - something that seems amazing and wonderous to a small child might seem really mundane to an older child/teen, like chocolate :) Although the older child is likely to appreciate it, the younger child is naturally likely to be more excited about a few squares of confectionery.

Also, in more research, I really like the aesthetics of this painting by William Adolphe:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:William-Adolphe_Bouguereau_(1825-1905)_-_A_Childhood_Idyll_(1900).jpg
I think the slight desaturation of the image gives the image a timeless look - so the images would show a graduation in time, but it would take away the association of an image's aesthetics with a particular time period - the focus is on the progression, not the pinpointing of, time.

Proposal - Project 2 - Time

My intention is to create a sequence of photos that show a child growing up and leaving behind the previous stage of his childhood. I will show this through dropping and discarding toys, distancing the child from things associated with babyhood and showing a progression of time as he grows up. I am in contact with a parent of three young boys as potential models for the project, and should be able to do regular shoots with them. I intend to take the series in the children’s home so that they are portrayed in an environment familiar to them, with readily available props etc for the photos. The aesthetic I want for this project is an aged look, not sepia, but desaturated colours, showing an aged look and reflecting the passage of time that I want to portray.

Friday, 5 August 2011

Am currently awaiting a reply from the mum of my photography model(s) in order to arrange an inital photoshoot - watch this space :)

Wednesday, 3 August 2011

Inspiration...

Link
I really like this photo as it captures the moment of the child looking sad/thoughtful - as if she's been all dressed up and isn't very happy about it! My series is going to be focussed on moments, so I really like that this has that quality.


Link
I really just like the aesthetic of this photo - the black and white, the plain background, and the child looking intrigued by the camera - maybe not exactly what I want in my series, as I think I'd rather have the child oblivious to the camera, but I still like the appearance of this photo - simple, pure, like childhood itself.




Link
Further to the capturing of a moment theme, this photo is an excellent example of freezing time - the child is just about to get stuck into eating the lollipop - something I'm sure many people can remember doing as a child.


Link
Again looking at capturing a moment - this child is playing in wild grass and the movement is captured with a fast shutter speed. This particular set of moments is looking at the joy felt by the child while she plays, very much conveying feelings through 'paused' time.


Link
Link
In both of these, there's a very short depth of field which is something I want to utilise in my series. I feel it really puts the focus on the subject (the child).

Tuesday, 2 August 2011

Ethics

I have been considering the ethical side to my project, and the potential issue that I have been photographing children in context with my playground shoots... Therefore, I did some research into the matter and found this webpage on a photography site. Following this, I have made sure that all of these general ethical rules have been followed; I ask the parents permission to take photos before making any attempt to do so, to make sure they are aware of what I'm doing - all of them have been quite happy for me to photograph for the project. I'm not using these photos for any commercial purpose, and all my subjects have been quite comfortable with me taking the photos.

Project 1 - Space - Final Images






Selecting the Final Images

This was by far the hardest part of the project... I spent several hours arranging, rearranging, swapping... etc. And finally, with the help of a few friends, selected the final series.

Possible series no. 1
Possible series no. 2

Possible series no. 3

Possible series no. 4

Possible series no. 5

Possible series' no.s 6 & 7

Possible series no. 8

Possible series no. 9

Monday, 1 August 2011

Sunday, 31 July 2011

Friday, 29 July 2011

Second Shoot


1) Here, I was looking at the empty playground, but was struggling to convey my intentions with no kids playing, and also thought the play equipment with no human interaction was rather boring - the bliss of childhood play is what I'm trying to convey and I can't do this with no one in the photos! The children aren't the subject of the photos, but they give meaning to the space.

2) This photo is a retake of one I took in my last shoot, just experimenting with a slightly different angle and composition. I also boosted the colour a little more in this shot, so as to convey the novelty and 'newness' of it in a child's mind.

3) I was very lucky that this photo is so focussed on the far child because I noticed after taking the picture that this captures her as she 'jumps' at the very top of the seesaw's movement! I love how this captures a very peak moment.

4) This is a beautiful photo - capturing in first person the joy of child's play. It was a spur of the moment picture that I took while on a tangent from my photoshoot that I took to play with a child who needed someone on the other end of the seesaw as her parent was with her sibling on another part of the playground (photo 5). It has a nice balance between the two sides of the photo (partially incorporating the climbing frame and swings on each side) and with the central seesaw focus, but has enough of the space to still be focussing on that rather than solely the child who was on the other end of the seesaw as I took this photo.

5) This photo has near perfect proportions according to the 'rule of thirds' and I really like it for that. It freezes a moment in time of blissful play between father and child.

6) This is the same part of the playground at a later point in time when two siblings were playing together, taken from a different angle also. I love how this shows the space being used cooperatively by siblings.

Tuesday, 19 July 2011

Shoot 1 Contact Sheet


Unedited images from the first photoshoot

Proposal - Project 1 - Space

The playground is a place to explore, have fun and just be a child. There is a certain blissful ignorance that surrounds child's play and I'd like to explore photographically the feelings and memories that exist in a space such as this.


To ensure the photos are viewed from a child's point of view, I will be utilising low angle shots as if little people themselves were taking the photos.


It is in the middle of the day that children are generally most active, and hence the most activity takes place in a play park, therefore I will be shooting my series around noon each day to ensure similar lighting conditions throughout. As sunshine is assimilated to happiness, the weather must be fine for the shoots. I also intend to make use of lens flares as a direct link to this sunshine.


The location needs to be relatively local to enable me to revisit conveniently for regular shoots, while also being a popular area for parents and caregivers to bring their children - the playground in Central Park, Brooklyn, is just this, while being just 10 minutes walk from my current place of residence.


"You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing.  What!  Is it nothing to be happy?  Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long?  Never in his life will he be so busy again."  ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762

Artist Precedents

First of all, my main starting point for this entire topic was this poem, by Tania Brady, studied in a past paper in an English exam prep class, way back in '08. It's called The Dragon's Playground.


The dragon's mouth opens wide




to let the children in. They stand,
and grin, gripping broken teeth –
no longer razor sharp –
their rubber soles indented by
worn off fangs that must have eaten
a gazillion of them by now,
but spat them out.
None are missing after all.

Perhaps it is the taste?
It seems a monstrous waste.

With teeth so white, shiny
golden hair and skin that glows
they'd be a delicacy –
each fleshy morsel, plump pink limbs,
so young and fresh and ripe.

You'd think that giant creature –
newly painted scaly aqua bright,
underbelly royal blue, floating
on a sea of softening bark –
would snap it's jaws shut tight
and steal them off
into a shadowy night, delighting in
treasured gulps of sweetness
and light, with a bundle of
goodness in every bite?

One day it MIGHT.




This got me thinking about all the adventures I had as a child on playgrounds, pretending I was in all sorts of outrageous imaginary situations, and how, to a child, the world seems so different.

---------

I then came across this image by Guy Bourdin, which made me think of having the photograph potentially showing the child's view of the playground on top of the real-world adult view.


http://dailyserving.com/2009/03/guy-bourdin/

I absolutely love this photo taken by Monica Elena Kost's of two young girls playing with a hula hoop. I just think it creates such a happy, carefree atmosphere which is perfect for what I want to convey about the playground as a space.


http://pirouetteblog.com/tag/childrens-photography/


Finally, the bright colours and bright lighting seen in this series of photos by Olivier Ribardiere are something else I'd really like to push in my work. I think it really conveys a fun, childlike atmosphere which fits perfectly with my photographic intentions.



http://pirouetteblog.com/tag/childrens-photography/