Bite the bullet- Work diary

Basic information:
Date: 28/10/16
Camera used: Nikon D3500
Props or subject: Subject
Editing program: Photoshop CC 2014
Camera settings: 1/125, f/8, ISO 200
Technique used: High key lighting
Camera set up: (Diagram created using www.lightingdiagrams.com/creator)- Soft box x3, Reflector, Tripod

Favourite image

This is my favourite image as it displays the shot gun shells in the image most clearly displays the shot gun shells in the pasta this was important to me as the shotgun shells are the surreal element of the image.  This is due to the fact that they carry a negative connotation of death but the subject is being forced to eat them and "bite the bullet" and follow the wishes of society.  I also like the way that the images composition which places the subjects plate in the lower left third of the image draws the viewers eye to the plate opposed to the subject which is the case in some of the other images from the series.  The subjects index finger also points towards the shotgun shells creating a leading line for the viewers eye to follow.  The fact that composition draws the viewers eye to the shotgun shell is important as the camera settings used (f8) do not provide a shallow depth of field in the image and therefore do not direct the viewers eye through focus.  The low saturation in the image adds to the surrealness of the image.  

Least favourite image

I like this image overall however I feel that is one of the weakest images from this series as a result of the lack of colour in the image with large portions of the image being taken up by white background which appears empty due to the high key lighting used.  It is possible that the introduction of text could have added to the image however I feel that as a whole the image world as the viewers eye is drawn to the yellow shotgun shell as it is the brightest colour present in the image.

Bite the Bullet- Connecting essay 1

Photographer Image- Aleksandra Kimbo

Artist Image- Andy Warhol

My Image

This image focuses on physically altering specific areas of colourisation in order to mimic the style of the pop art era.  This style is somewhat surreal as it challenges the viewers notions of what an item is supposed to look like.  I feel that the use of a yellow backdrop to  photograph a banana on was a good stylistic choice as it means the the majority of the banana blends in whilst the section that has been painted pink contrasts heavily drawing the viewers eye to the altered area specifically.  A similar effect has been achieved throughout the use of red nails as it helps to make the subject stand out against the images  background.  The framing of the banana is interesting as whilst it is central it does not entirely fit into frame this limits the amount of empty space in the image and gives it a more interesting appearance.

Warhol's image is that of Marilyn Monroe and was one of his most famous works of art due to the combination of his striking style and the iconic subject he used.  This print of Marilyn is particularly interesting as various versions of the print exist with different colourisation leading to them being displayed in numerous different configurations in galleries with their bright contrasting colours creating an aesthetically pleasing arrangement however they are presented.

My image is related to these works through the varied use of colours incorporated in the image as well as the stacking method of presentation used which was widely incorporated by Warhol throughout his works.  I choose to keep the plate of spaghetti in its natural colourisation through the use of the colour select tool in order to mimic the way that physical photography was used in Kimbo's series to alter the colour of a specific area of the banana.  I feel that the use of selective colourisation also helped to draw the viewers eye to the shot gun shells amongst the spaghetti and highlights the reason for the shoots name "Bite the Bullet".

If I were to recreate this series I would consider shooting at a closer range as I feel that this may achieve a more striking and emotive response.  I would also consider shooting in macro if I were to shoot close up as I feel that that would provide a higher level of detail.  It is unlikely that I would shoot in high key again as I feel that the effect achieved was overly stark and unnecessary.

Overall I feel that this shoot was a success as I created a number of striking and engaging images.  I am particularly happy that I was able to tie in a pop art artist as this is one of my preferred artistic eras.

Bite the Bullet- Straight images

Each image from this series has been edited in photoshop to reduce it's saturation in order to give it a more sinister appearance whilst the contrast has been increased along with the brightness in order to help make the image appear bolder and more striking.  The clone stamp tool has been used in this shoot in order to remove creases in the table cloth where it is in shot as the creases were distracting from the overall effect of the images.

I was pleased with the outcome of this image as the framing appeals to me particularly the way in which the subjects positioning in the shot is symmetrical and the leading lines of the table draw the viewers eye towards the subject at the image centre.  The elements of framing that I dislike in this image are the fact that the camera was not positioning directly centrally to the table as the cloth is cropped at different angles on both sides of the image.

This image appeals to me as the high key lighting used has provided a strong sense of contrast between the subject and the background giving the image a clean and precise feel.  The lack of focus on the spot gun shell in the images foreground draws the viewers focus away from the shot gun shel and to the subjects deadpan expression which allows the viewer to focus on the emotional context for this image however this technique of shallow depth of field diminishes the clean and precise appearance of the image.

This image appeals to me as the closer nature of the shot allows for the viewer to more clearly view the shot gun shells and the actin shot of the subject eating the shot gun shells gives the image a more "real" appearance this was not necessarily the effect I was attempting to achieve when creating the image series and for this reason I dislike the image.  I also dislike the portrait framing used as I feel that the way that the subjects elbows are cropped out of the image gives it a cramped appearance.

This is one of my favourite images from the shoot as it puts the most focus on the shot gun shells and the pasta allowing them to be visible.  Focus is also drawn towards the shotgun shells as a result of the shallow depth of field used.  If I were to recreate this shot I would consider using a macro lens in order to gain a greater element of focus in the image however overall I am satisfied with the image outcome.  I may also try to find an alternative colour of shot gun shell such as red in order to make them stand out more against the yellow of the pasta.

Bite The Bullet- Contact sheet

Concept- Bite The Bullet (Shoot 1)