Project Image Bank

Image bank introduction 
Whilst conducting research for my image bank it became apparent that the area which I wished to explore in this series of shoots (the way that language is tied to photography) was something not explicitly documented by many photographers making research for this project extremely difficult.  As a result of this I have researched the genre of surrealism as a whole as it is this dark and subnormal genre that I want to focus on in my idiom based photoshoots.  I felt that focusing on the surreal for this reason would allow me to assess popular conventions of the genre as well as explore ways I could experiment around it through the use of physical mediums.

1.



This image appeals to me as only the subjects head and hands are visible for the purpose of applying her makeup.  This conveys the idea that women's only purpose is to be beautiful with the purpose of appeasing out patriarchal society.  The image is surreal due to the fact that only the models head and hands are visible creating a composition similar to mounted head of an animal killed on a hunting trip and kept as a trophy.

2.

This image is an advertorial poster for American Horror Story: Hotel I like the image due to the way in which the key has been placed in the subjects mouth and the subjects face has been altered in photoshop.  I find the use of the key particularly important as I wish to explore how similar effects can be achieved using prosthetic makeup techniques in order to convey the themes of idioms.

3.

This image interests me due to the way that the images lighting creates an almost otherworldly appearance for the model due to the high levels of tonal contrast which gives her a more skeletal appearance.  The costuming of the model also adds to this as the white outfit and pale skin of the model create a further element of contrast with the plain back background of the image.

4.

This image appeals to me due to the tonal contrast present between the dark black and navy tones of the image when compared to the bright white and pastel pinks present in the subjects outfit and the flowers in the image.  I also like the way that the subject has had an image of flowers overlaid over their face as it adds a sense of ambiguity to the image which draws the viewer in.

5.

This image appeals to me due to the use of coloured gels and what appears to be light trails in the image as the provide an interesting mixture of colours and tones which create a very eye catching photo.  I also think that the varying colours used in the image as well as the bright lighting creates an interesting sense of depth to the image.

6.

This image appeals to me due to the way that the dark colouration throughout the image creates a sinister edge to the image.  The contrast of tone between the models pale skin and the dark background gives the image a striking appearance which draws the viewers eye to the image.  The viewer is also drawn to the image a s result of the bold red tones used.  The models sharp features as well as the red tones of the models costume and makeup give the image a harsh appearance and carry connotations of violence however the red also carries connotations of sexuality this suggests that the image may symbolise the way that female sexuality can be used as a weapon and reference femme fatale characters.

7.

This image appeals to me due to the way that the subject is making direct eye contact with the camera and therefore the audience this combined with the angle of the subjects head and the dark colour scheme of the image gives the it an unsettling feel.  The subjects costume is a reference to tribal wear and this carries connotations of violence.

8.

I like this image because of the way that the complimentary colours of pale pink and turquoise have been used to create a high sense of contrast.  I also feel that the placement of the flowers in the image is significant as they are placed on around the female models body and flowers and a symbol of female fertility throughout many media texts.  The pink of the flowers also carries connotations of femininity.

9.

This image interests me due to the way that pink has been used throughout the image as the subject is female and pink is a traditionally feminine colour.  I also like the way that black has been used in effect similar to that of war paint due to the fact that this adds an element of danger and violence to the image as well as ideas of female empowerment.

10.

This image interests me due to the way that the subjects lack of clothing creates a sense of vulnerability which is amplified by there posing and positioning with their head in a jar.  The jar in the image gives it a dark and experimental appearance with the yellow tones throughout creating an illusion of sickness and death.  There is a string element of tonal contrast throughout the image which is largely created by the shadowing formed from targeted lighting.

11.

This image interests me due to the way that popular culture figures and texts have been combined with surrealist portraiture in order to make a striking image series.  I like the way that editing software has been used to give the image a more intense and unrealistic appearance.

12.

This image appeals to me because of the way that there is a strong tonal contrast in the original black and white photo but a further element of contrast has been added through the use of physical manipulation by painting butterflies onto the print.  This addition makes the image far more eye catching and makes the image more interesting to the viewer.

13.

This image appeals to me due to the way that projections have been used in order to create a pattern across the subjects body and colour has been added to the image through the same method giving the image a pastel range of tone.  I am also interested in the way that the artist has chosen to add the image of the eye before taking the photo as this is different method for altering an image through the collage style.

14.

I find this image interesting due to the way in which the artist has used computer manipulation to alter the appearance of the image opposed to using physical collage techniques in the style of Hannah Hoch.  I also like the way that the colours stand out against the grey background of the image and add to the abstract style of the collage.  The use of flowers in the image subvert traditional views of masculinity as flowers are generally associated with women.

15.

The depth of field used in this image appeals to me as it draws the viewers eye to the subject of the image.  I find the symbolism of the crown interesting as it carries connotations of royalty which can be subverted by the use of the tinfoil to create the crown but carries connotations of childhood.  The dark tones in the image exterior also draws the viewers eye to the subject as the subject is pale by contrast.

16.

I like this image due to the way in which pink tones have been used largely throughout the image in order to highlight the femininity of the subject.  The use of blue in the image is particualry striking as it is a complimentary colour to pink which creates an interesting element of contrast in the image.  The saturation of the image makes it extremely eye catching and plays on Andy Warhol's use of bright colours which is important in reference to the shoots name "Candy Warhol".  The use of the lollipops is symbolic as girls are generally associated with sweet things which can be referenced in the nursery rhyme "sugar and spice and all things nice that's what little girls are made of".

17.



This images lack of saturation and white tones appeal to me as it shows the perceived innocence and purity of femininity.  This can be contrasted however through the use of flowers in the image which can related to female sexuality.  I like the way that depth of field has been used in this image as it draws the viewers eye to the focus of the image which is the subjects legs and the flowers.

18.



This image interests me due to the way that it has been composed physically from various smaller images as well as a sheet of text.  I also find the images composition interesting particulary the way that the compositions is not symmetrical but instead uneven this gives the composition a more realistic feel.  I also like the way that despite the colour scheme not being bold there is still an element of one present through the use of blue tones in each image.

19.



This image appeals to me because of the way that the photographer has used paint to create an interesting tonal range within the image as well as creating an illusion of negative space as a result of the high levels of contrast present throughout.  This interests me as it shows that an image does not have to saturated and bright for it to be striking and engaging to the viewer.

20.



The day that staging has been used in this image interests me particularly the way that the subject and the bell jar are all that is visible to the viewer as a result of the use of a dark background and targeted lighting.  This effect has been enhanced in photoshop in order to make it appear as if the subjects head has been decapitated and placed in a jar.  This idea of a woman's head being placed in a jar follows the idea that women are objects to be controlled by men.

21.



I like this image because of the colour scheme used as they create a very cool tone throughout the image.  This helps to create a sombre tone throughout the image which when combined with the low saturation of the image creates a deathlike appearance of the subject.  This idea of death throughout the image is amplified by the subjects hair and makeup which is styled in a gothic way reminiscent of horror story brides.

22.



This image interests me due to the way that there is a strong red tone present throughout the image with the blood on the mug, the subjects dress, the bullet whole and the subjects lips a;; having a red tone as wells the persons shirt in the newspaper article.  These areas of colour make the image more dynamic and engaging to the viewer working to draw them in.

23.



The way that props and makeup have been used in this image to create a character is really striking and works to engage the audience.  The use of reds and purples suggests connotations of violence and passion with darker undertones being created in the image with the use of animal skulls black contact lends and tribal face paint.

24.



This image appeals to me due to the fact that I like the pastel tones featured throughout the image.  I also like the way that innocence and beauty of the flowers can be contrasted with the way the fact that shoes toed around a telephone line generally link towards drugs being sold in an area.

25.



This image appeals to me due to way that the bright tones of the flowers in the models hair are similar to the tone of her eyes and as a result pull the image together for the viewer.  I also like the way that the white background used enables for the viewers full attention to be directed towards the models opposed to distracting the eye with other image components.

26.

This image appeals to me due to the way that it incorporates standard portraiture with fx makeup in order to create a surreal image.  I am aiming to further explore this field of photography so this image is particularly important to me.  I also like the muted tones throughout the image as I feel that they provide the image with a more sinister edge.

27.

This picture appeals to me as it shows a connection between two humans through the merging of their faces with flowers.  I also like the way that the flowers are the only element of the image which is in saturated colour opposed to the more monotone colours of the rest of the image.  The overall cool tone of the image also intrigues me as does the androgynous appearance of the models.

28.

I like this image because of the fact that the snakes in the models hair carry connotations of Medusa from Greek Mythology.  I also like the way that the models blue eyes and the blue background contrast with the orange tones of the snakes.  The cool tones in the image also interest me.

29.

This image appeals to me due to the way that the artist has chosen to implement embroidery in the image after it had been printed.  This style of physical photography interests me and I would like to explore it further in my project.  The unsaturated colour scheme adds to the ghostly appearance of the subject which is heightened by the smudged appearance of the image.

30.

The faded effect around the image gives the photo a blurred appearance which draws the viewers eye to the subjects face in the images centre.  The black and white tones add to the blurred effect and shadows create an interesting tonal balance.