Sunday, 22 November 2015
Mid-Project Evaluation
At the start of the project I thought about applying paint to a models face in a very abstract style which would show the influence of Alexander Khokhlov's work. I was thinking about painting colours, accompanied by words on to the models face in order to portray their emotions/feeling and even suggest issues in the current modern society. I don't think I will end up doing this exactly but I feel that I could apply paint and makeup in order to make the subject look dirty and less healthy. I decided to discard my idea of experimenting with UV paint and also coloured powder as I felt that it wasn't as relevant to my topic as other work. I decided to not focus on photographers such as Rankin and McGibbon as their work is very vibrant and colourful and I want to focus on rather dull and muted colour schemes similar to the work of Steve McCurry and could even dabble in researching culture and identity. I could now experiment with lighting and the specific moods which they create. I also decided to not further my idea of photographing buildings in London and altering their appearance of some monumental landmarks and attractions. This is because I want to explore the emotions and moods of humans and the effect colour has on this.
Up to this point I have been focussing on very saturated and vibrant colours and the connotations that they have. Specially through using the technique of gel lighting which shows a great influence of my chosen photographer of Nadav Kander. I feel that my outcomes are very effective and are very successful in creating certain moods. I particularly like the way in which I could create masculine and feminine atmospheres each both on males and females. I have heavily researched the psychology of colour to allow me to have a more in depth understanding on the connotations of colour and what they mean. From this point on I am not going to focus on very vibrant and saturated colours. I am now going to experiment with using very muted and unsaturated colours in order to produce very different moods and also illustrate an influence of my other chosen photographers. I will be creating very gritty, dark and gloomy accounts which will be very emotional and deep. I feel that this is much more relevant to me as it suits my tonal style more.
Shoot 4 - masculine and feminine lighting work diary
In this shoot I once again experimented with gel lighting but this time I explored how I can change the atmosphere of a photo due to the colours included and their connotations. In this shoot I used colours which are not stereotypically associated with the model and therefore creating very unique pieces which have very interesting effects. Here I used considerably masculine colours on the female subject and then feminine colours on the male model. I used the same setup as before which lighting gels either side of the subject and also used the technique where I directed one of the lights on the background in order to make it a specific colour. In this shoot I attempted to create specific colour schemes where a certain colour is dominant and i feel that my outcomes are very successful as they fulfil my original aspirations.
Lighting Diagram
For these images I used a black background and two gel lights plead slightly behind the model in order to allow her to stand out. I have been able to create a slight type of lens flair or mist which contributes to the overall colour scheme of blue. I have used two different tones of blue gels which are stereotypically masculine. This colour is one of trust, honesty and loyalty and seeks peace and tranquility above everything else, promoting both physical and mental relaxation. It reduces stress, creating a sense of calmness, relaxation. However here I feel that I have created a particular cold mood due to the brightness and shade of the blue. In order to continue the blue colour pallet I enhanced the colour of her eyes in order to make them stand out. The two edits above illustrate a difference which I explored in photoshop. In order to amplify the cold mood I changed the temperature of the piece in order to alter the colours and specifically the skin tones of the model. Making her appear much paler and less vibrant.
I feel that this photograph from my shoot is also very effective due to the overall feminine mood created. I achieved this by using pink gels. I directed one of the gel lights onto the background in order tog provide it with colour and then directed the other towards the subject from slightly behind. This light provides a sense of shape, from and structure as it defines the left side of the subject's face, particularly around the temple cheek, jaw and neck. As identified before the colour pink is feminine and romantic, tender and intimate, thoughtful, sensitive and caring which is normally related to female personalities. This therefore illustrates a clash between the colour and the gender of the model which I feel is very unique and effective. Due to this, there is a deeper meaning to the photograph that originally doesn't become apparent. In fact this colour imply the sexuality of the subject through these of colour.
Progression:
Similarly to shoot 3 I would like to do a shoot where I can experiment with my editing techniques in order to improve my pictures significantly. I would like to be able to alter the appearance of the subject in order to make them look gritty and dirty rather than just apply makeup. I could perhaps do this with a male model in costume and create a particularly dark gloomy and gritty mood.
Saturday, 21 November 2015
Shoot 3 - feminine gels work diary
This is another shoot where I experimented with gel lighting but this time I had a slightly different approach. Here I have investigated different ways in which I can enhance the femininity of the female figure. I has tried to create this effect through using different colour gels, poses and also backgrounds. In order to get a colour background I didn't just roll down a different colour backdrop, instead I used a white background and directed one of the back lights towards it. By placing a gel onto this light it allowed me to project any colour that I wanted into the background and I could also alter tyne brightness and shade of the background my changing the intensity off the light. I tried to use different colour gels such as light colours like pink, purple, yellow, peach and orange which projected a much more soft and feminine light.
Lighting Diagram
In this image I included a pink background by placing pink gel on the back light and directed it towards the white backdrop. You can see where the light is coming from as the brightness of the red side of the background is much more intense. I could perhaps try to eliminate this in photoshop and decrees the brightness to make it seem that the background is a solid flat colour. I ensure that the subject was placed in the centre of the composition and looking directly at the camera pulling a serious facial expression to connect with the audience. In photoshop I enhanced the highlights and shadows in order to show the form, shape and structure of her face, highlighting her feminine features. I did this by creating a new layer where I lightened areas such as the nose, cheeks, eyes, eyelid and mouth and darkened areas such as the crease on the eyelid, around the nose, mouth and also around the jaw in order to add definition. After doing this, the areas which i have editing would be very bold and visible, so then I decrease the opacity of the layer in order to make the effect look more subtle. Ultimately creating a softer effect where the subject appears smooth and feminine.
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 color 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 to 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 here 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.
Progression:
In my next shoot i aim to once again experiment with gel lighting but this time I would like to explore masculine lighting with a female subject and also feminine lighting with a male model. This would allow me to see his much the lighting can change the mood and look of a photograph. Also In the near future I would like to experiment with my photoshop skills in order to make the models look gritty and dirty.
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