Shoot 8 - work diary

This shoot was solely focussing on showing the influence of Chuck Close by experimenting with using his technique. This is where the subject is placed on a black background with a bright light which mainly focusses on their face so only the he'd can be seen. Then a blurring  filter is applied which blurs all areas around the dye of the face, focussing on the main facial features. In this shoot I experimented with different lighting methods which produced the most similar outcome to Close. I used a main spotlight placed directly in front of subject from a high angle, and also attached a honeycomb to attempt to focus the light onto the subject. I found that it still allowed light to the rest of the body and wasn't as concentrated as I wished. I then attached a snoot to the light which worked very effectively. In photography, a snoot is a tube or similar object that fits over a studio light or portable flash and allows the photographer to control the direction and radius of the light beam. Snoots can isolate a subject when using a flash. They help by stopping "light spill", or when lighting falls in a larger footprint than intended. Then in photoshop I change the photo to black and white and even applying brown colours to gain a slight sepia effect. After this I used a new layer and applied a layer mask, following this I used a vignette blur and reduces the opacity to make it look more realistic and effective. Finally I sharped the main facial features to allow them to stand out.

Here, I have used the blurring technique and honeycomb lighting on a female subject in order to enhance her femininity. By using the honeycomb light grid it allowed for moderate light spill and very soft lighting which opposes the intensity create by using a snoot. The lighting I used is soft which compliments the blurring applied. A sense of mystery is produced due to the way in which the subject is merging from the black background and the eye contact with and facial expression made is very intense. The eyes stand out the most in the composition due to them being completely black with white marks of reflection. I enhanced tis contrast by using the sharpening tool on photoshop.

This is my favourite photograph from the shoot as I feel it shows the most resemblance to Chuck Close's work. This due to the fact that only the subject's head and neck can be seen, similarly to Close. I managed this by making him wear a black t shirt which caused him to blend in with the background. Also here I used a snoot which directed the light as his face, minimising any light spill. The subject is looking directly at the camera which creates a connection with the viewers. The blur has allied for the focal point to be the face and in particular the eyes which show the most contrast and detail. I enhanced the detail by using a sharpening tool specifically on the eyes nose and mouth and even some patches of the hair. 

Form is shown very well through the shadows and also provides a sense of shape and structure.

Progression: 

In my next shoot I will do a location shoot which will also show blurring but in a different way, I will attempt to show a great sense of depth of field by blurring the background.  I could also apply makeup to make the subject look dirty.

Shoot 8 - Straight Images

Shoot 8 - Chuck Close Blurring - contact sheet

Shoot 7 - Aylia work diary

In this shoot I went on location with a model. The model I photographed was 5 years old and also is born in Bangladesh but has moved to England for a better standard of living. The fact that the model is originally from an Asian country allows me to explore ethnicity and religion in this shoot. This also allows me show a great influence from Steve McCurry's work as this is where the majority of his photography takes place. Allowing me to gain a similar outcome due to the model being having similar culture, ethnicity and overall look to his. In this I experimented how different colours can provide different feels and moods which correspond to the facial expression and body language. Also continued using the burn tool in similar ways to before.

In the two images above I have created two different moods through just altering the colours of the same photo. The left image is brighter and more vibrant than the right which makes it look more colourful. It looks more exposed and the colour scheme producers a rather peaceful mood. However the right image has a completely different effect. I have made the subject look less saturated with much more contrast and darkness. I also used the burn tool in order to make the boy look dirty and more vulnerable which corresponds to the serious emotional facial expression. The colour scheme is slightly more yellow which makes him look less colourful and therefore convey illness which is one of the connotations of yellow. The difference in the vest between the two images above can clearly be seen as in the left it is much darker and more visible, making the one on the left look over exposed. In order to do this I selected the vest by using the lasso tool and lowered the brightness and changed the colour to make it suit the whole colour scheme. I both cases I have darker the background in order to make the subject stand out which enhances the depth of field where the background is blurred. I have also sharped the eyes too also allow them to stand out and intensify the eye contact and they also contain great emotion.

In this photograph I have created a completely different mood to the previous images. Through the use of a smile facial expression and much warmer colour scheme I have been able to create a much happier and positive atmosphere. I have taken this image from a slightly different camera angle which is slightly above eye level. Once again there is great depth of field through the blurred background. The colours are much brighter and saturated where tones of browns and oranges can be seen, contributing to the warm colour pallet. Also I sharpened the the eyes and mouth in order to allow for these to be the focal point and maximise the influence of the facial expression. The reflection in the eyes also allow the eyes to stand out.

Progression

In my next shoot I will explore the technique of blurring in further depth and show depth of field very well. I will also do some shoots in the studio to experiment with Chuck Close's blurring technique.

Shoot 7 - Aylia Straight Images

Shoot 7 - Aylia Contact Sheet

3000 word essay

An investigation into the concept and psychology of colours and their many representations.

1. Introduction

Colour is influential and dominant in every aspect of life. Colour can potentially alter thinking, change actions, and cause reactions. It affects society immensely as it provides a platform for communication between producer and consumer. Colour can determine the mood of something and can therefore cause a chain reaction. A person's mood can determine their productivity which in turn can affect their success and satisfaction levels, ultimately influencing their happiness. It is important to explore and study the psychology of colour as it provides people with an understanding on the connotations of colour and how they can effect people.Following this, an investigation on the psychology of colour can provide a more in depth understanding on how to use colour effectively and achieve a desired outcome which is generically understood. For example, the colours Red, Yellow and Green are used in the design of traffic lights which send the universal message of stop, get ready, go which is understood world wide. In an operation room, the colour green is used to make patient calm. A white wedding dress is symbol of being good luck. Every colour has a meaning, function and purpose. 

2. Brief History

Colour photography has been the dominant form of photography since the 1970s, with monochrome photography mostly relegated to niche markets such as art photography. Colour photography was first attempted in the 1840s by several experimenters such as American Daguerreotypist Levi Hill and Edmond Becquerel around 1850 but struggled to maintain the colour of an image through viewing. Hill invented the "Hillotype" process whereas Becquerel achieved better results but still failed to find a way to prevent the colours from quickly fading when the images were exposed to light for viewing.

It is established that the first colour photograph was made by the three-colour method which was theorised by James Clerk Maxwell in 1855. This method is also referred to a colour separation where an image is formed by photographing black and white photos three times through red, blue, and yellow filters, then recombining the images into one colour composite. The first photograph of a tartan ribbon was later taken in 1861 by Thomas Sutton which is shown below.

In 1935, the first modern "integral tripack" colour film was introduced by American Eastman Kodak and called it Kodachrome. Its development was led by Leopold Mannes and Leopold Godowsky, Jr. By 1960, colour was much more common but still tended to be reserved for travel photos and special occasions. Colour film and colour prints still cost several times as much as black-and-white but by 1970, prices started depreciating. 

Instant color film was introduced by Polaroid in 1963. It consisted of a negative-positive peel-apart process which produced a unique print on paper where the negative could not be re-used and was discarded. After a transition period which mainly centered around 1995-2005, colour film was relegated to a niche market by inexpensive multi-megapixel digital cameras which can shoot both in monochrome as well as colour. Film continues to be the preference of some photographers because of its distinctive retro "look" and fondness of the format. 

3. Two current photographers

Nadav Kander is a current London-based photographer most renown for his portraiture and landscapes. Nadav tends introduce colour most effectively through the use of gel lighting in order to create a particular mood. A colour gel or colour filter, also known as lighting gel, is a transparent coloured material that is used in theatre, event production, photography, videography and cinematography to colour light and for colour correction. His style of composition is very effective as well as the way in which he darkens the areas around the outline of the subject - Allowing them to stand out and also provide a 3D effect. 

http://www.nadavkander.com/# - Ridley Scott

In this photograph, the subject is Englush film Director and Producer Ridley Scott, he is known for his atmospheric, highly concentrated visual style. Though his films range widely in setting and period, they frequently showcase memorable imagery of urban environments. Nadav has used coloured gels over the lighting in order to introduce colour into the photo. A green/blue gel would have been placed over the light which is positioned to the right side of the composition at a relatively high level. There is also a red/orange glow coming from the bottom left hand corner of the frame where the other light is positioned. This light can be seen on the underside of the table and also the subject's hands and left side of his face. The blue light provides a rather cold mood whereas, when the red glow is introduced from a low angle, a rather mysterious and sinister atmosphere is created. The impression is furthered through the fact the subject is facing away from the camera, accompanied by a serious facial expression which provides a sense of evil, wrong-doing or mischief. There is also a pencil in his hand and scrunched up paper on the table, perhaps suggesting that he is in deep thought.The overall colour scheme is considerably dark and subdued with low saturation, enhanced by the black jumper and cold lighting. Another interpretation is in relation to the fact that the subject is holding a pencil at a table with paper scrunched up. This has references to school and the model's distanced look suggests a period of reflection and reminiscence on childhood days.

http://www.nadavkander.com/# - Tinie Tempah I

In this photograph a model is placed in front of a grey background; he is also wearing a grey shirt with a white collar so he wouldn't normally stand out. However, here Nadav has included one of his unique techniques of darkening the areas around the outline of the subject, providing the sense of a shadow. This allows the model to stand out from the background. The model is looking away from the camera towards the left side of the composition. There is a light placed at the left side of the set up which allows for the left side of the subject's face to be highlighted in contrast with the darker right side. The different tones illustrate the formal elements of form, structure and shape of the face. Also there is another light positioned to the right but is much softer. It allows for the temple and ear to show their form due to the highlight and shadow areas and also allows the shape of the lips to be seen. This time colour has been introduced through the use of paint/spray paint where colours such as pink, purple, blue and green can be seen. This is generally used of the right side of the face and even on the collar, bow tie and shirt. These colours and the way they have been applied can be associated with the modern moments in both art and music. The moment of gaffitti (spray paint) is a considerably modern art movement where artists express their view and ideologies to the public. Also the artist in this piece is Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu, better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, an English rapper which contributes to the modern feel to the piece.

The majority of Steve McCurry's photography revolves heavily around colour and ethnicity as most of his work has been taken in the Indian region through travelling, therefore focussing on the formal element of colour. Also most of his work is portraits, which I would like to experiment with in the future. Steve McCurry has been one of the most iconic voices in contemporary photography for more than thirty years, with scores of magazine and book covers, over a dozen books, and countless exhibitions around the world to his name.

http://stevemccurry.com

This photograph is a close up headshot of a young girl taken from a high angle where she is looking up directly at the camera. The supplies a sense of innocence and vulnerability. Colour is introduced through the clothing and the eyes of the subject. The head scarf is teal but a rather muted teal, implying a sense of grit and dirt.This is complimented by the blue coloured eyes of the little girl, the scarf frames the face and matches the eye colour which allow both to stand out from the composition. This is because the rest of the composition is very dull and bleak, the background is dull and dark as it is assumed to be a wall as it is shot on locate alike a lot of Steve's portraits. Also there are shadows towards the bottom of the girls body and also around the girls face which produce a vignette effect. There are also dark lines on the clothing which provides a sense of its texture. This therefore allows the face of the subject to stand out as it much lighter in tone, contrasting with the rest of the composition. There are very soft shadows on her face which exaggerate her youth and femininity. Unlike Kander the subject stares at the audience which allows for a better tension and connection to be made.

http://stevemccurry.com

Similar to the photo above this image is in landscape orientation which is very effective in producing large spaces either side of the model. These large areas is the blurred background which is considerably dark, allowing the model to stand out due to the contrast of colour. Colour is shown through the subjects hair and beard which is yellow/orange. This colour has connotations of illness and weakness which implies the health condition of the man. Due to contrast of tones on the arms of the subject, he appear very skinny and looks frail and old which is also shown through the formal element of line, illustrated through his wrinkles. Once again the subject is placed in the centre of the composition, acting as the focal point. The model is looking straight int the camera, making very intense eye contact. His facial expression is very emotive and can be considered as a plead for help. The lack of clothing also infers a sense of vulnerability. 

4. How does your work fit in to this

In this photograph I have once again used a pink background in the same way as before because i feel that the colour pink is is feminine and romantic, tender and intimate, thoughtful, sensitive and caring. It tones down the physical passion of red replacing it with a gentle loving energy. In color psychology, pink is a sign of hope. It is a positive colour inspiring warm and comforting feelings. I included a yellow gel light coming in form the left side of the composition. However when reviewing the image I felt that the yellow was too bright and harsh on the image to in Photoshop I changed the hue and saturation to make it into a much more warm colour which compliments the overall colour scheme. I made sure that the front light intensity was quite low to reduce the contrast. Once again I had editing the skin of the subject where I altered the highlights and shadows on the facial features like I did previously but much more subtly this time. This time I also ensure that her cheeks looked slightly rosy through the use of the paint tool in photoshop and the decreasing the opacity to make it more subtle. This contributes to the femininity and beauty of the model as it makes her look warmer and also makes it seem as if she if wearing makeup. The made the model do a pose where she flicked her hair and I took a picture during the process. By doing this a sense of movement is created through the lines of the hair all pointing in one direction. I enhanced the lines of the hair by sharpening these areas. I still ensured that the subject is making eye contact with the camera in order to allow for a connection with the audience to be made. Her facial expression appears peaceful and relaxed which enhances her beauty as she seems to be effortlessly an elegantly moving. The fact that she is placed in the centre of composition and that a vignette is used allows for the attention to be directed towards the subject, making her be the focal point as desired.

Here I intended to create a type of pastiche of McCurry's work. However my work is slightly different due to the ethnicity of the model and I feel that it provides a sense of mystery. Above, the left image depicts my original unedited photograph and next to it is my editing which illustrates the grate amount of editing which I applied to gain the final outcome. The cultural context of a sari provides a sense of identity due to their association with India. I desaturated the background in order to allow the vibrant subject to stand out very effectively. I then selected the sari by using the lasso tool and altered the colour balance to change the colour of sari. I transformed the sari from a pale purple to a bright saturated blue/turquiose which is very similar to one of Steve McCurry's photographs. I feel that the fact that the model is placed slightly below eye level as the camera is looking down on her makes her look innocent and vulnerable. The eye contact made is considerably mysterious and I also slightly edited the colour of the eyes to match the colour of the sari in order to form a blue colour scheme. I then used the burn tool to make her to dirty and gritty and sharpened these areas to make it seem more realistic and less edited. This slightly difference is shown through the image below where the image looks more realistic and provides a sense of texture in the skin. I also changed the colour of the subject's lips in order yo make her look more natural and also altered the curves and levels of the piece in order to increase the amount of contrast.

5. The Future

Colour photography can be furthered developed in relation to shooting in raw. A camera raw image file contains minimally processed data from the image sensor of either a digital camera, image scanner, or motion picture film scanner. Raw files are named so because they are not yet processed and therefore are not ready to be printed or edited. Precise adjustments can be made before conversion to a "positive" file format such as TIFF or JPEG for storage, printing, or further manipulation. Also using 4K resolution is being introduced into visual fields  such as television and cinematography. It refers to a display device or content having horizontal resolution on the order of 4,000 pixels which has a very realistic outcome, enhancing the vibrance and realism of colours. Also the theory of colour could perhaps be used in the future to effect the mood of people. Colour could have a specific purpose and meaning, for example, a room could be painted a warm colour such as pink and criminals could be placed in this room in order to reduce their violence levels. Or hospitals could be painted blue in order to calm people. 

6. Conclusion

Ultimately, the psychology of colour is proven to be an influential part of everyday life and specifically photography. Through studying this topic I have gain a further understanding on the extent in which colour impacts our life and also have an improved knowledge on the psychology of colour and the particular connotations that they have. This has allowed me to consider the colours in much more depth when photography/editing as I now realise how effectively they can create a mood.

Bibliography of all sources used

http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/meaning-of-colors.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_photography

http://stevemccurry.com

http://www.nadavkander.com/#

Shoot 6 - Steve McCurry Shoot - Work Diary

In this shoot I decided to go on location instead of shooting in the studio.This allowed me to experiment with depth of field by blurring the background and focussing on the subject in the foreground. This shows a great link and influence of Steve McCurry's work due to the fact of my shoot being on locations, showing depth of field and also through the use of a sari for costume. I brought in a sari and got a model to wear the sari around her head and top half of her body. In doing so I was able to display the similar sense of culture and ethnicity to Steve's work. However, I wasn't able to photograph a more cultural/religious model which I originally wanted so I could in future shoots photograph this type of model. Despite this I feel that I have still remained to produce successful pieces which show a great influence to McCurry's work.

Here I intended to create a type of pastiche of McCurry's work. However my work is slightly different due to the ethnicity of the model and I feel that it provides a sense of mystery. Above, the left image depicts my original unedited photograph and next to it is my editing which illustrates the grate amount of editing which I applied to gain the final outcome. The costume of a sari provides a sense of culture due to their association with religion. I desaturated the background in order to allow the vibrant subject to stand out very effectively. I then selected the sari by using the lasso tool and altered the colour balance to change the colour of sari. I transformed the sari from a pale purple to a bright saturated blue/turquiose which is very similar to one of Steve McCurry's photographs. I feel that the fact that the model is placed slightly below eye level as the camera is looking down on her makes her look innocent and vulnerable. The eye contact made is considerably mysterious and I also slightly edited the colour of the eyes to match the colour of the sari in order to form a blue colour scheme. I then used the burn tool to make her to dirty and gritty and sharpened these areas to make it seem more realistic and less edited. This slightly difference is shown through the image below where the image looks more realistic and provides a sense of texture in the skin. I also changed the colour of the subject's lips in order yo make her look more natural and also altered the curves and levels of the piece in order to increase the amount of contrast.

Progression:

In my next shoot I will explore and experiment with Steve Mccurry's work further by doing a location portraiture shoot with a model of asian ethnicity.

Shoot 6 - Steeve McCurry Shoot - Straight Images

Shoot 6 - Steeve McCurry Shoot - Contact Sheet

RAM SHERGILL

Ram Shergill is a an internationally acclaimed British fashion photographer who has worked with some of the most recognised names in the industry. Shergill's photography is strongly influenced by memories of his early childhood, when his early poor sight led him to imagine a fanciful rose-tinted, perfect world in which everything was beautiful. Shergill’s work has been exhibited at the Whitechapel Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Sotheby’s London, as well as at the Galerie Du Passage in Paris. He is also founder and editor of Drama Magazine, a publication dedicated to fashion and performance.

Ram's work is very influential to mine when considering the shoots I did when dressing my model in formal attire. His photography provided me with inspiration towards poses, light positions and also colour schemes. Below are a couple examples of his work.

Photographer Research Iain Crawford

                                                            Iain Crawford

                                                                     Biography

Iain grew up in Africa and Malaysia and developed a passion for photography at an early age. On moving to London, he worked as an account handler for Saatchi & Saatchi but left to pursue his photographic career. After spending several years living and working in New York, he is now based back in London but continues to work internationally. His career has lead him to shoot campaigns for many of the world's top brands and receive commissions from a host of top international magazines.

                                                        Why I chose this photographer

I chose Iain because he loves to capture images that have a strong graphic and textural quality while maintaining the personality and emotion of the subject. He loves the mix between paint and model. The excitement and anticipation as we waited to see the next piece of unpredictable chaos was electric. There was something magical about how random chance materialised into beautiful images in front of our eyes.

This photograph is a longshot taken in a landscape orientation. It depicts a woman merged into fog where only the top half of her naked body can be seen. This produces a mysterious feel to the piece as the female can only just be seen. The fact that the fog is pink allows for a very feminine atmosphere to be created. The dark background allows for the fog and subject to be seen clearly as they are light in comparison. The density of the fog can be seen through the tone of pink in the composition. The lighter tones of pink indicate a thicker density whereas the darker tones imply a thinner consistency. Where the fog is thinner, the female begins to become visible. It seems that there is a light source positioned towards the right of the composition as highlights can be seen on the right side of the model whereas there are shadows on the left side. 

This is a close up of what it seems to be a female model who is wearing a wet sheet of transparent fabric over the top of her face. This transparency provides a very light tone of the subjects face. There dark green paint placed over the top half of her face. There seems to be a light source coming from over the top of the subject which causes little shadow where most of the darker tones are on the neck of the subject. However, there are slight shadows which illustrate the form and shape of the subjects face. These shadows also depict the facial features where outlines are created. The shape of the features allow it to be clear that the subject is a woman. The lines on the subjects face and hair illustrate how the fabric is wet which enhances the shape of the subjects face. The structure of the models face is very feminine as she has a petite nose, big round lips, prominant eyes and jaw line.

Here in this photo colour is introduced through the use of paint. It is applied very messily  and rash which seems very abstract but also implies a sense of beauty as can be  considered to be art. The side profile of the subject can be seen through the light  background. This also shows the hair which is illustrated through the long wavy lines seen. There are a lot of shadows caused in this piece which allows for the focal point of the piece  to be the model's eyes and face. This is due to the very dark shadows around the throat  which gradually lightens towards the cheek, implying a sense of form and shape which is  also shown in the mouth of the woman.

Here a particular colour scheme has been created. The overall colour palette consists of blue/turquoise. This is created through the fact that the background, props of balloons and the eye make up all be the same colour. There are very round shapes include in the frame of the piece as in the background there is a circle and there are also two other semi-circles where the balloons are partly out of the frame. These shapes can be seen through contrast between the dark tones and the bright colour. There are patterns seen on the top of the subject. The subject is facing towards the left of the composition whilst looking directly at the camera. Her very serious facial expression implies a mysterious mood as it looks as if she is looking down at the viewers which is also shown through the level of the camera being lower than eye level. It is possible that lighting gels have been used as there are both  colours of blue and red seen on the right side of the subject's face.

How they have influenced me 

Iain has inspired me to create colour schemes in my photography which can be formed by  the use of background, clothing, make up and props all being the same colour. Also he has made me want to experiment with paint and materials which I can apply to the face of the  subject.

Shoot 5 - Army shoot work diary

In this shoot I decided to explore the importance and effect of using costume and makeup in order to create a certain mood. Here I got a male, military aged model to wear two sets of army costumes which I had purchased. One of the outfits consisted of a smart attired with a blazer, shirt, tie and hat which were stereotypically worn in the official soldier portraits. The other costume was a camouflage overall with a bullet vest and a helmet. These costumes are very recognisable and make to identity of the subject very clear. In this shoot i experimented with different lighting techniques to see which suited the costumes best. I tried using brighting lighting with the smart costume as I tried to replicate the original portraits layout, colours and composition. However, I felt the most successful lighting was the much darker low key lighting which worked very well with the camouflage costume. This also worked very well with the makeup I applied to the subjects face which enhanced the dirty gritty feel. I also experimented with the intensity and positioning of the light source in order to gain different moods and themes. I also experienced a problem in this shoot as I applied makeup to the subjects face but forgot to apply it to the neck so therefore it didn't look very effective. However, by using the burn tool in photoshop I was able to eliminate this problem. Overall I felt that this shoot was very successful and felt that the colours used and makeup/tools/costume all come together in order to produce successful outcomes shown below. These can be considered to show elements of Steve McCurry's work due to the content and themes surrounding war.

Lighting Diagram

In this portrait photograph I used low key lighting in order to create harsh shadows towards the left side of the subject's face which contribute to the mood greatly. The light source is coming from the right side of the composition which causes shadows, which are very effective in showing the form of the face and neck. I like how the lighting has caused a reflection in the subjects eyes, allowing them to stand out. I sharpened the eyes of the model to allow them to stand out even further. Here I also applied makeup to the subject's which in attempt to make him look gritty and dirty and seem as if he has been in action, providing stereotypes associated with soldiers and the army. In photoshop I used the burn tool in order to contribute to the dirtiness of the neck and some areas on the face. I also sharpened some areas more than others in order to imply a sense of texture. I ensured that the colours of the photograph remained very dark with shadows and browns which contribute to the overall earthy mood. Also the black background furthers the darkness in the image which works well with the dark tones and shadows. The fact that the figure is looking away from the camera and is deep in thought provides the sense that he reflecting on his time in the war.

This photograph is from a different angle to the previous, this time I took the photo from a side on angle whilst being more zoomed out. I also made the subject where the helmet as well as the rest of the costume. By taking the photo in this way I was able to capture the country flag/badge on the arm of the model which I feel provides a sense of pride and identity. By using a black background and placing the lighting in front of where he is facing, the profile of the model's face is enhanced and the shadows form shows the structure and form. Once again through using the makeup and burn tool I was able to make to subject seem very dirty and made it seem as if he has been in action. Here I also applied the burn tool and also the paint tool on the costume of the subject to show continuity and also to continue the dirty theme. By sharpening areas, specifically on the cheek I was able to show the texture very well. This rough texture works very well in attempt to imply slight grazes and deterioration to the skin. The colours are once again very dark and gritty which I feel works very well with my intensions. I reduced the warmth slightly in order to gain a colder effect which can be related to war.

This photograph has been taken from a close up front on angle with the model looking directly at the camera. His facial expression appears to be straight but holds great emotion and seems very intense. Through the use of the low key lighting the majority of the left side of the face is covered with shadow. This implies a sense of mystery as it seems like he is hiding something, his past. The shadow is dominating the image and therefore resembles how his past is dominating his and still effective, demonstrating the effects of war. I sharpened the eyes again which allows them to stand out and make the eye contact more tense. I then decided to apply a black and white effect which effects the mood and feel of the piece very well. It causes for a very emotional piece to be made with the big contrast. I once again used a black background which contributes to the whole dark theme. This implies themes of sadness and even regret through the colours and facial expression used; illustrating the psychological effects of war. 

Progression:

In my next shoot I would like to continue with improving my editing skills in regards to making the model seem dirty and gritty. I could perhaps relate this to Steve McCurry's work in order to provide a sense of culture through the use of costume.

Shoot 5 - Army shoot Straight Images