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.

Death- Straight images

This image is a photo joiner composed of numerous images of different sizes in order to create the larger and final image.  The image was shot in a  studio with two soft boxes and a tripod in order to prevent camera shake this equipment set up as well as the use of a macro camera was used in every image from this shoot.  Both this image and the one below were edited in photoshop to reduce their saturation creating muted tones, contrast was also increased and curves were altered to create a more striking image.  I chose to use a dark blue background in order to prevent the image from appearing overly dark whilst still maintaining the dark and sombre imagery associated with lily's.  

This image features a shallow depth of field focused around the dead lily in the images centre with a subjects torso and the backdrop out of focus.  The image uses overall dull muted tones in the image this helps to maintain the sombre imagery associated with white lilies.  The fact that the subjects head is not visible in the image gives the image an air on anonymity and mystery which intrigues the viewer as well as reminding them that death and loss could happen to anyone.

This image was created by increasing the images contrast but decreasing it's saturation and altering the colour levels present individually.  This creates a crisp image with a deep range of tone and shadows whilst drawing the viewers eye directly to the lily in the subjects hand due to the strong contrast of colour between the light subject and dark image background. This image was shot with a macro lens allowing for a great deal of detail to be captured in the image.

Love- Straight images

This image was shot at my house opposed to in the studio meaning that I had to be careful with the lighting used to prevent it from becoming overly orange in appearance as a result of tungsten bulbs.  I worked out a couple of possible locations to shoot and found that the white marble appearance of the counter top gave the best contrast to the ring in the box and the rose used.  I choose to position the single rose next to the open ring box as these objects are both symbols of love which is what I wanted to convey in this shoot.  I used a shallow depth of field in this shoot as I wished to draw the viewers eye towards the subjects of the image this is also achieved through the close range which I shot at and the contest between the countertop and the objects that are the images subject.  When editing the images in this series I choose to lower the images saturation in order to give them a nostalgic appearance as well as increasing the images lightness and brightness but being careful not to augment the petal structure in this process.



In this image I have placed the ring box in the left hand third of the image this allows the viewers eye to be drawn to the ring box invoking the idea of love.  This is further enforces the link between roses and petals as a being symbolic of love.  My least favourite element of this image is the fact that the rose petals appear to be somewhat symmetrical in placement however the fact that the petals are all in varying shapes and sizes as they are natural objects symmetry is further broken here by the shallow depth of field which pulls focus to particular areas of the image.

The extreme close up combined with the shallow depth of field used in this shot draws the viewers eye to focus mainly on the petal that sits in the images centre.  I like the way that the petals in this image appear to fall randomly as this alludes to the chaos of love and emotions.  I feel that it would have also been interesting to capture a similar image using a wide depth of field and would look to explore this concept in future projects.

I choose to make the roses form the shape of a heart for this image to further showcase their link to love and romantic gestures over time.  This image is one of my favourites from the series as the shallow depth of field and shadowing adds a sense of depth to the image besides making it appear more dynamic.

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword- Straight images

This series was intended to be shot using gel lighting however there were none in the studio so a union jack flag was used instead of gels.  To create the same effect the flag was held over the snoot and removed between shots to avoid over heating occurring.  The images shot were all altered in photoshop by having their saturation decreased and their brightness increased in order to allow more detail to be seen.



This image was lit in a style that reminisces film noir and is deliberately dark I like this aspect of the image as I feel that it amplifies the sinister undertones of the image.  I find this image particularly powerful as it displays someone collapsed on a desk of paper work symbolising the mundane routine of life and the fact that anyone can die at any moment.

This image is an extreme close shot of the wound on the subjects forehead and the blood dripping down his forehead.  I feel that the red is particularly powerful in this image as it carries connotations of anger and passion as both emotions can be seen as being linked to murder.  

This is one of my favourite images from the piece as the dull blue tones give the subject a sickly and pale appearance as well as providing a sense of contrast for the blood dripping down his head.  The leading lines of the paper are interesting here as they direct the viewers eye towards the subject and his head wound.

This is my favourite image as the pen wound is most visible here as it provides the clearest lighting.  I also like the way that the subjects eyes are gazing directly into the camera with a dead pan expression creating the illusion that he is dead.  I also like the fact that the lack of a coloured gel in this image allows the white paper to create a stark contrast against the black of the backdrop and that the leading lines of the paper are also more prominent and clearly leading towards the subjects eyes.

An Eye For An Eye- Straight images

The images in this series were all shot against a black background in the studio using low-key lighting.  This lighting was chosen to allow the subject to blend into the images background.  The images were then edited in photoshop where saturation was reduced and contrast was added as well as curve alterations being implemented in order to shift shadowing and highlights without losing the low-key effects.  The images are all self portraits which I fired using an external flash and framed using floor markings aside from the image of the hands holding the eye which was shot my me off a different subjects hands using a macro camera.  

The above image is a close shot of the subject positioned in a 3/4 turn towards the camera.  This positioning adds a sense of depth to the eye wound and allows the subjects face to blend effectively into the darkness around their face creating a sinister and surreal dreamlike appearance.  The positioning of the subjects places them in the left third of the image playing into the rule of thirds and allowing the viewers eye to be drawn towards the subject.

This image is an extreme close up of the subject in a 3/4 turn towards the camera however this time the subjects eye wound is directed towards the camera forcing the viewer to look directly into the wound.  This placement of the subjects eye in relation to the lighting gives it a hollow and shadowed appearance adding an additional layer of grotesque horror.  

This image is interesting to me as the subjects only takes up a small piece of the image as I was off mark with my framing however I feel that the image turned out well and that the fact that the subject is positioned in an almost profile view interesting as it shows that even when the hole is not visible that the wound still alters the subjects face.  The image has been cropped to a square format in order to remove a large area of dead space present in the image which was drawing the viewers eye away from the subject.

This image makes full use of the shallow depth of field which I was shooting on as I aimed to capture the subjects disfigured eye socket in the images background with the missing eye ball in the subjects hand taking up the majority of the framing.  This was successful and I like the overall image however I feel that this image is the weakest one from my straight image series.

This image features much cooler tones than the other images in the series and this was deliberate as I wished to give this image a less horror-esque appearance in order to allow it to channel emotions such as sorrow and remorse I feel that this has been achieved through this image allowing it to demonstrate that "An eye for an eye" is not always the correct course of action to take.

Physical Manifestations- Straight images/Physical photographs

Each of the images in this series was shot using two soft boxes with a macro lens in the studio against a black backdrop in order to capture detail in the subjects face as well as to help make them stand out against the background.  The images were then edited in photoshop where there saturation was decreased and their curves were altered (each of the images has the same editing technique as I layered them and then made layers visible to save as jpegs in order to create constant edits).

This image was formed around the idiom "Two heads are better than one" and was formed through tearing one image and then laying it over the over and glueing it down.  I felt that the ragged edges created by the rips were important as it gives the image a more raw and less clinical appearance than what would have been achieved through using scissors to cut strips of the image.

This image was formed around the idiom "Plenty more fish in the sea" I pierced the image with a needle and then threaded the hook through both holes in order to prevent the paper from splitting or tearing under pressure.  I choose to use  gold wire as this matched the collar of the subject in the image and helped to join the physical additions to the base image.

This image was formed around "Bite the bullet" I created the bullet holes by piercing the image with a pencil after laying it over a cardboard box.  In order to further demonstrate that the holes are bullet holes I choose to lay targets from shooting ranges over the image.

This image is based around "Lips sealed" I chose to execute this with black thread and stitched through the paper with a needle and thread.  This was difficult as I had to be wary of tearing the paper as this would have destroyed the detailing in the image.  I chose to use black thread due to it's sinister connotations such as death as well as the fact that it provided a good level of contrast to the subjects skin.

Plenty More Fish In The Sea- Straight images

The above image was shot using a snoot and a blue gel covering against a blue background.  I choose to use directional lighting in order to create more dramatic shadows and give the image a more eye catching appearance.  The blue gels are used in order to further draw attention to the idiom plenty more fish in the sea as the colour blue can be linked strongly to the ocean and therefore fish.  The dark backdrop was used in order to give the image a more sinister appearance however I choose to use black opposed to navy blue to prevent the image from appearing overly blue.  The subject is positioned in a 3/4 profile pose and has a dead pan expression suggesting an absence of emotion and adding mystery as the viewer is unaware of what the subject is looking at outside of the images frame.  When editing the images saturation has been slightly lowered however no drastic saturation changes were made in order to avoid losing the blue tones in the image and a clone stamps tool was used around the wound site in order to attempt to blend the hook into the skin.

This image uses the same lighting techniques as the image above as well as the same editing techniques however the framing used here is a mid shot whereas the framing of the above image was a close shot.  This variation of shot allows for the string to be stretched away from the subjects face which provides a leading line and engages the viewer drawing them from the images outer edge to the subjects face and directly towards the hook.  Again a dead pan expression is used here which gives the image a somewhat unnerving appearance.

This image features a close shot and the same lighting and editing techniques as the image before.  The profile of the subjects face in this shot allows for the wound and hook on the subjects face to be fully seen and draws attentions to the hook.  An interesting tonal contrast can be found when looking at the light blue of the string against the dark background as well as the blood against the subjects pale face.

This image features the same editing techniques and lighting as the images above however features a 3/4 profile of the subject in a medium close shot.  The strong can again be seen as a leading line linking the subjects face and the hook to the images edges and acting as a guideline for the viewer.  The only variation between he editing of this image and the prior images is that this image has been additionally lightening and therefore has a more grey/blue background and lower level of contrast between the subject and the images background.

I dislike this image however have chosen to include it in my straight images due to it's drastically different appearance and to highlight my attempts at experimentation.  In this image I used a soft box on a low setting as well as a snoot with a blue gel.  This lighting created an odd orange glow on one side of the subjects face which I was not happy with.  I also failed to blend the hook into the skin effectively and feel that the absence of string makes the image appear far less dynamic than its counterparts.

Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk- Straight images

This image was shot with two soft box lights in order to provide a soft and even tone.  The framing was difficult to achieve throughout this series as they are self portraits however I was able to shoot them myself using a camera remote.  The image has a decreased saturation as well as colourisation shifts created through the use of curves.  I choose to keep the tears as a somewhat transparent white as I felt that this was more in keeping with the consistency of milk and despite the somewhat comical appearances of the images I wanted to attempt to maintain some elements of realism.

The above image has the most defined tear lines as a result of the subjects face to the camera.  I found that this appearance bears a resemblance to the work of Roy Lichenstein a pop art artist who created an exaggerated cartoon of a woman crying.  This image uses the same shoot techniques and editing techniques as the previous image.

The subjects positioning in this image creates a sense of sadness in the image due to the downward gaze and iconography of the tears.  This evokes a feeling a pity in the viewer for the subject and makes the image more memorable.  The lighting in this image is different from those above as it only features light from one side as one of the soft boxes failed to fire however I still like the image as I feel that the hidden portion of the subjects face adds a sense of mystery to the image.  I used the same editing techniques as the images prior in the series.

This image again features a failed flash from onside however I still like the image die to the contrast found between the subjects white eyelashes and the shadowing on the subjects face as it stands out as odd and surreal to the viewer.  I used to same editing techniques as I did with the other images.  Had I wanted to reduce the shadowing in the image I would have reduced the images contrast as well as lightening the image.

Lips Sealed- Straight images

The close up used in this shot allows the viewer to fully see the stitching on the subjects lip and this gives the image a more disturbing appearance than some of the other images in the series as the wounds appear to much more raw when seen from a close angle.  It would have been interesting to explore macro work in this series as it would have given a more detailed image of the subjects lips.

This image has a more dynamic composition than the image prior due to the way that use of the subjects hand making a "ssshhhing" motion in front of the subjects face.  This motion gives the image a more emotive appearance due to the connotations of secrecy linked to a finger to the lips whether it be self imposed secrecy or forced secrecy and oppression.

This image appeals to me because of the sinister connotations of the subjects head being bent in an unnatural manner.  This sinister appearance is further shown through the use of soft yet directional lighting and a black background which creates a stark sense of contrast between the subjects skin and the background when combined with reduced saturation in the image this effect gives the subject a somewhat sickly appearance.

The symmetrical appearance of this image as well as the subjects deadpan expression gives the image  a striking and uniform appearance.  The use of the stitched lips gives the image a more sinister appearance however and inflicts a sense of fear upon the viewer as the deadpan expression makes it appear that the subject is looking directly at and through the viewer in an detached and subhuman manner.

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.

Low key gel- Straight images

High key fashion- Straight images