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.

Plenty More Fish In The Sea- Contact sheet

Plenty more fish in the sea- Work diary

Basic information:
Date: 01/12/16
Camera used: College studio camera macro lens
Props or subject: Subject
Editing program: Photoshop CC 2014
Camera settings: 1/125, f/9, ISO 200
Technique used: Low key gels
Camera set up: (Diagram created using www.lightingdiagrams.com/creator)- Snoot x1, blue photography gel, Tripod

Favourite image:

The above image is my favourite from this series due to the way the subject is positioned in profile with half of her face hidden by the use of low key lighting.  This directed light shows only half of her face and draws the viewers focus to the subjects face as there is no shallow depth of field to direct the viewers eye due to the use of an f-stop of 9 in the image. The profile view and consequent obscured face creates an aspect of mystery in the image.  This mystery helps to give the image a more powerful meaning to the viewer and may make them question the story behind the symbolism of the idiom of "Plenty More Fish In The Sea" a phrase often associated with relationships and the search for love.  The use of blood in the image as well as the gruesome way that the hook has punctured the subjects skin provides a darker edge to the image making the viewer question whether the subject has had a bad romantic experience in the past.  This idea of the image having darker connotations can be seen again through the blue tone of light used this was intended to give the image a colder feel whilst also retaining the symbolism of the sea and creating a high level of contrast with the red of the blood on the subjects face.  The subjects dead pan expression also creates a dark and harsh sense in the image and upholds the mystery by giving away no emotional clues.

Least favourite image:

This is my least favourite image due to the subjects framing in the image specifically the dead space above the subjects head and to the subjects left as this confuses the viewers eye in the dramatic image.   The lack of focus on the subjects face and the hook in her mouth also take away from the images impact as the viewer is unsure of where they should be looking.   I feel that the lighting in this image was poorly executed as there is orang or red toned lighting coming from behind the subject where another light as triggered in the studio.  I also dislike the way that the lighting has created a particularly uneven edge along the hook prosthetic and that it has not been correctly blended into the subjects face post production.  I also feel that the image is over exposed in the areas where it has been lit resulting in the subjects shirt and face appearing almost luminous this distracts the viewer and makes the image look overly saturated and garish.

Concept- Plenty More Fish In The Sea (Shoot 4)

Mid-Project Evaluation

My personal project is based around the influence that literature can have on photography and vice versa.   At the point of writing this evaluation I have completed three shoots all of which have been focused around creating visual representations of phrases and idioms through the use of surrealist photography.  I have targeted surrealist photography through my use of props in my first shoot “Bite the Bullet” which focused around the inclusion of shot gun shells in my image as well as using special effects makeup in the latter of my shoots “Lips sealed” where I create the illusion of the subjects lips being sewn together and in my most recent shoot “Don’t cry over spilt milk” where I have added white tears to my face to create a self portrait.  

I feel that the shoot I have completed which has been most successful was "Lips sealed" due to the fact that I feel that the lighting, makeup and camera settings used have combined to make a very thought provoking series.  I feel that the least successful shoot in my series was "Bite the Bullet" which featured high key portraiture for this reason it is unlikely that I will attempt to complete another shoot featuring high key portraiture and have appropriately adjusted my shoot plans to accommodate this change in approach.  I find that the shoots I complete with the use of a block colour background such as black are very effective in the way that they are able to add a sense of darkness to the image which translates into the imagery and emotion perceived by the viewer.

I would like to further develop my variation of shots in this project as I feel that looking into a wider range of shot types would give my series a better and more engaging appearance.  One way that I may look into would be using a macro lens and possibly colour gels in later images to create a more engaging image series producing a more detailed look at the techniques used to create the images as well as using emotive and symbolic colouration.

I aim to complete a series of seven portraiture shoots and then later three still life shoots as I believe that the addition of still life flower photography would add an additional link to my project and the English Language due to the way that Victorian flower language has imagery over time in photography, media and literature.

  

Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk- Work Diary

Basic information:
Date: 17/11/16
Camera used: Nikon D3500
Props or subject: Subject (Self portraiture)
Editing program: Photoshop CC 2014
Camera settings: 1/125, f/9, ISO 200
Technique used: Portraiture
Camera set up: (Diagram created using www.lightingdiagrams.com/creator)- Soft box x2, Tripod

Favourite image:

This is my favourite image due to the subjects framing and the way that the subject is positioned with her eyes in the images centre this positioning draws the viewer to the subjects eyes and gives the image a more emotive appearance.  This is important as it gives the viewer something to focus on as the image is shot with a wide depth of field as a result of the stop f9.  I feel that the use of white face paint has effectively created the appearance of milky tears and am happy with the opacity of the tears as milk is not a completely opaque fluid when it is on a surface in a thin layer such as a tear.  I find that the lack of lack of bright colours in the image creates a somber effect and like the way that the dark theme has been upheld through the coloration of the subjects brown eyes and hair and the way that this compliments the black background.  Saturation has been reduced in this image in the aim to tie the colours throughout the image together more effectively.  I feel that the closeness of the subjects face to the camera gives the image a somewhat comical appearance which bears a resemblance to the art of Roy Lichenstein which focuses around the face of a crying woman.

Least favourite image:

This is my least favourite image as the lighting is uneven in the image which creates an overly exaggerated shadow behind the subjects nose.  The images lighting also appears to be overly exposed which leads to the image having a washed out appearance an effect which diminishes contrast throughout the image and lightens the subjects features such as hair and eyes giving the image a far less striking appearance.  I am also unsatisfied with the images framing particularly the way that the subject shoulders and chin are not featured as a feel that the image has been cropped in an unusual and unappealing manner.  This framing does not direct the viewers eye as there are too many places for the viewers eye too stray an issue which is only made worse by the way that the lighting shapes the subjects face in the image.

Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk- Connecting essay 2

Photographer- Man Ray

Artist- Roy Lichenstein

My Image

The image by Man Ray "Larmes" or more commonly "Tears" was shot on black and white film using a mannequins head and glass beads to mimic tears.  The subjects faces proximity to the camera creates a more emotive appearance as does the glossy appearance of the eyes and the way that they reflect the light in a way which is reminiscent of tears.  The images lighting helps to give the image depth by creating shadows around the subjects face which is particularly important as a result of the wide depth of field used as this does not create any depth from out of focus areas.  The uneven placement of the tears on the subjects face helps to give the image a more natural and less staged appearance. 

The image by Roy Lichenstien is a piece of artwork from the pop art era and again employs a close portrait angle to create the maximum emotive effect and allow the viewer to engage with the subject. The bright colours contrast heavily with the solemn appearance of the subject and is particularly striking when compared to Man Ray's black and white work.  This style however was the signature appearance of the pop art era and was intended to give the images created a larger than life and cartoonish appearance.

In my image I chose to use a narrow depth of field as well as a close angle shot in order to create an intense and striking image.  I particularly wanted to draw the viewers eyes to the subjects eyes and tears as they are the most striking point of the image.  I feel that it was necessary for my image to be coloured opposed to black and white as this helps to highlight the fact that the tears are white and milky in colouration in order to allow the viewer to process the link between the link and the idiom.  I also felt that the tears had to be placed unevenly on the face in order to follow through with the concept that tears are a natural response opposed to something manufactured in order to create the best response from the viewer.  I feel that an additional sense of depth was added through the use of a black background as well as the light formed by multiple soft boxes as it created some slight shadows on the subjects face.

If I were to improve this shoot I would consider using shooting more close up images and possibly implanting macro photography in order to gain a more defined image.  I would also be interested in exploring different angles of the subjects face in relation to the camera something that I feel would be easier to achieve if I had not carried out this shoot as a self portrait.

In conclusion I feel that this shoot was successful and that I was able to draw from both artists in order to create a striking and emotive image which has conveys a message that has been presented by photographers through centuries.