Final evaluation

My project has been focused around a fairly unexplored area of photography: the physical representation of idioms and symbolism in photography.  I chose to focus largely on surrealist photographers to begin with as a result of the fact that the images that I wished to create in my project were generally gory visual effects inspired by my interest in effects makeup.  The photographers which I found most useful at this original level of research include Kyle Thompson and Irving Penn.  I found the way that these photographers implemented studio setups to their stylistic advantage particularly interesting as this is my preferred location for shooting.  I was also interested in Penn's editorial still life work for Vogue as this showed an ability for a photographer to cross between photographical genres.  Thompson's work features more of the striking visual effects that I wished to include such as body paint and props such as hooks.  Another notable photographer who provided a great deal of influence to me was Miss Lakune who shoots portrait pieces based around bold and surreal visual effects pieces.

Over the course of this project I have further honed my skills in the studio exploring more challenging lighting set ups such as the incorporation of gels and low-key lighting to give shoots symbolic colourisation as well as how to achieve high-key set ups for more cleaner and editorial style images both of these techniques have been improved upon since last year.  Throughout this project I have also branched into shoots outside of the studio as can be seen in the "Love" shoot challenging me to be more creative with my lighting methods other challenging shoots have been self portraiture shoots which had to be undertaken due to the visual effects used to create the final image (here I used a remote to trigger my camera).  Framing was the most challenging aspect of these images and the images were able to be shot by myself using a remote.  My Photoshop CC 2014 skills were forced to develop over the course of this project as I was required to learn how to use the "clone stamp tool" as well as the spot healing brush to blend the edges of some of the prosthetics used in order to improve the appearance of the final images.

I have developed my photography skills since the beginning of my course and this can largely be seen through the way that my work has shifted more from casual or amateur style photography to a blend between fine art and politically charged messages.  This sphere of fine art has given me plenty of room to explore numerous techniques such as multiple flash which I enjoyed immensely in the beginning of the year so decided to revisist for my final shoot "Two heads are better than one" this shoot was challenging as it required me to direct my subject in the correct way to move to compliment the existing flashes image whilst being unable to see how the movement translated to camera until the end and under strict time constraints.  Political undertones have taken a far more subversive route this year compared to my work last year which was heavily featured around Feminism however it can still be seen in the connotations of shoots such as "Lips sealed" which focuses around the way that victims of abuse and rape are often shamed into silence.

When looking back on my work it is evident that I tend to try to spend the majority of my time in the studio and this is the reason that I would like to branch into documentary photography as one of the mediums for my next project where possible.  I feel that I will still be able to translate political undertones into my work through this medium and it will give me a chance to branch into another element of photography other than the studio based work which I am currently centred around.  I would also be interested in experimenting with either standard or instant film in my next project as I feel that this will give what I produce a more raw feel.

The genre of photography which I am most successful in and most comfortable with is studio portraiture which I was able to fully explore with a range of different lighting and editing techniques over the course of my project.  I feel that I have significantly improved my competence in the studio over the past year as well as my understanding of what different genres of photography entail such as surreal photography and the way that photography is linked to everyday life through both the images themselves and their connotations.

Print experiments

Text

1. Edit image as you wish (above image is edited with a reduced saturation and lowered brightness as well as curves).
2. Insert text using text tool.
3. Edit text size, coloration and positioning.

Black and White

1. Open image.
2. Crop as wished.
3. Alter saturation using adjustment layers.
4. Alter brightness using adjustment layers.
5. Alter lightness using adjustment layers.
6. Alter contrast using adjustment layers.
7. Alternatively alter each colours saturation individually using the saturation tool.

Layered saturation

1. Create 40cmx40cm white square background.
2. Open the image you wish to use in a separate tab.
3. Drag selected image into white square.
4. Repeat as many times as desired (four layers are used above).
5. Evenly shift layers to create a staggered or step like effect.
6. Reduce opacity of layers 2,3 and 4 in order to create semi-transparent layers (opacity approximately 40).
7. Alter layers saturation in order to create an interesting composition add new saturation layers between each layer of image.
8. Crop white background around edited image to create a 2x6 composition.

Two heads are better than one- Work diary

Basic information:
Date: 09/02/17
Camera used: Nikon D3500
Props or subject: Subject
Editing program: Photoshop CC 2014
Camera settings: 4.0s, f/32, 4.0s-6.0s
Technique used: Multiple flash
Camera set up: (Diagram created using www.lightingdiagrams.com/creator)- Soft box x2, Tripod

Favourite image

This image appeals to me due to the way that I was able to position the subject in a way that allows for her head to be featured at two points in the same image with minimal movement in her body.  This positioning creates the illusion that the subject has two heads which illustrates the name of the series "Two heads are better than one".  The subjects black top helps to add to this illusion as it blends into the background making it hard to distinguish where the subjects body ends and the background begins.  The reduced saturation present in the image gives it a sinister appearance as does the subjects deadpan stare as she looks directly towards the camera.  The lack of movement in between flashes also helps to give this image a surreal appearance as it appears still and precise opposed to blurred and manic.  The fact that a long exposure of 5 seconds was used here is also important as it means that the subject had plenty of time to move her head into the correct position without feeling rushed and blurring the image.

Least favourite image

This image is my least favourite from this series due to the way that the subjects head is blurred excessively which removes detail from the image.  The multiple blurs achieved through quick movements and flashes creates a stacked appearance and the multiple numbers of heads present in the image goes against the series title.  This images composition is unappealing however could likely be improved through cropping the image to a square format to draw focus to the subjects face.

Two Heads are Better Than One- Straight images

This image was created using multiple flash in the studio against a black background with two soft boxes.  The effect was created by triggering the flash whilst the subject was in one position and then triggering the flash after she had moved into the secondary position.  In order to capture this change of movement a 6" exposure was used which means that a tripod was used to create a steady shot.  The images saturation was then lowered in photoshop in order to give it a more surreal and washed out appearance whilst the clone stamp was used on the subjects neck in order to create a cleaner blend between both poses.

This image uses the same techniques as the previous image however features both myself and another subject meaning that after the 6" exposure had been set up and the flash had been triggered the subject had to move out of frame and I had to step into frame and onto a pre-set marker in order to get the framing accurate.  Someone else had to trigger the flash as I could not reach the light from my position.  The saturation was again lowered in photoshop and curves were used to alter the colourisation of the image in a more complex way.

The same techniques were used in this image as the images above as the subject was required to change positioning once in order to create the twin effect with the same editing techniques also being used.  The twin effect bears similarity to the appearance of the twins in the popular horror film "The Shinning" and serves to unnerve the viewer.

This image was also a 6" exposure however more flashes were implanted in order to create the chaotic appearance of the subjects face.  This image creates imagery associated with mental distress and possible questions about identity as the subjects face has been blurred.  The same editing techniques were used in this image as in the image prior.

This image features 3 poses with the subjects head turned both left and right and then facing forwards.  Due to the overplayed shots of the subjects hair an orange effect was formed in the images centre this required selective colour alteration using the quick select wand, reduced saturation and curve manipulation to counteract and allow the image to maintain its low saturation appearance.

Two Heads Are Better Than One- Contact Sheet

Death- Work diary

Basic information:
Date: 31/01/17
Camera used: Macro camera
Props or subject: Object
Editing program: Photoshop CC 2014
Camera settings: 1/125, f/9, ISO 200
Technique used: Standard lighting
Camera set up: (Diagram created using www.lightingdiagrams.com/creator)- Soft box x2, Tripod

Favourite image

This is my favourite image from this shoot as I like the way that the subject the lily appears central in the image which draws the viewers eye to it opposed to the person who is holding the lily.  The lily is able to effectively stand out as a result of subtle shallow depth of field as whilst this image was shot at f9 a mare camera was used with a low depth of field.  The fact that the lily is a contrasting pale beige against the persons deep plum jumper also helps to make it stand out from the rest of the image.  This use of colour is particularly important is there is no shallow depth of field present in this image.  I feel that the framing of the image which cuts the persons head from the frame also helps to add a sense of ambiguity to the person and therefore draws the viewers eye to the flower being held.  This image is similar in style to Brooke DiDonatos work in its muted colonisation as well as its composition.

Least favourite image

This is my least favourite image from this series as I feel that it doesn't follow the same style as the other images in the series.  It still appeals to me however due to it's use of muted colours and the way that the fragmentation of the joiners can be seen as symbolic of the fragmentation caused by loss and death (traditionally focused around white lily's).  I feel that the image may possibly have been improved had it featured more of the lily and less of the subjects arm or had featured sections of the lily thought the decay process.