Evaluation and inspirations

 

In the course of completing this project I encountered several obstacles. I was unsure how a DSLR worked and how the settings would affect the outcome. As it was also the first time I had worked in a photography studio, the lighting and measuring the power of flash proved to be a task for me. While working on this project, I quickly learnt the basic settings and how to use a light meter. I feel that this introduction to the use of DSLRs boosted my confidence in handling SLR cameras and gave me more of an understanding of how they operate. Uploading images and editing was also made easy by this camera. As a visual communicator, this new-found knowledge will help me significantly in my course, not to mention its usefulness in my future career.

 

After trying out these cameras, I decided to use portraiture as my main focus. I completed some test shoots and found it somewhat challenging trying to adjust the light so my images would not be too bright and not show enough shadow to compliment the facial structure. The more time I spent in the studio, the more I began to evolve. I then decided to take some full length figure shots and research fashion photography. I found this less challenging and more interesting in a way. I wanted to incorporate some of my visual communication ideas and add simple illustration to gain more of a visually interesting effect.

 

I used a number of basic technologies which included photoshop, scanners, printers etc. No real problems occurred with any of the process allowing me to document many of my images. I tried to ristrict myself from the use of photoshop because I wanted to try another form of illustration, drawing by hand.

 

My main inspirations were the photographers Jill Greensberg and Maki Kawatika. The main reason I was so interested in their work was because they didn’t stick to the familiar portrait and fashion photography guidelines and produce traditional or clichéd images. Instead, they both were adventurous enough to step outside of the boundaries and produce visually stimulating photographs. In the future I hope to continue using DSLR’s and try out Fashion Photography in depth using studio and outside locations.

 

If I were to tackle this project again, I would have spent more time documenting my process even though I felt that a great deal of the available time was spent learning how to use an SLR and taking images than researching. I have decided to display my final images on card hopefully giving my photos a more professional look. Overall I was happy with the outcome of my final images and even happier with the knowledge I have gained from this project.

 

Irving Penn.

The start of fashion photography had part to do with a man called Irving Penn. He was one of the first photographers who introduced using a white or black background against the models to draw the eyes to the subject being photographed. Instead of using expensive lighting, he used natural light from a window for his portraits. He focused on clarity, composition and arrangement. 

 

http://www.fashion-photographer.net/images/irving_penn_02.jpg

 

http://stylemens.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/11/irving_penn_h.jpg

Ideas.

 It all started when hand drawn prints of clothes were placed in magazines. Fashion photography is devoted to clothing. You find many of these photographs displayed in magazines such as Vouge and Vanity Fair. Fashion photography has changed a large amount over the years. When it first became popular it was rare not to photograph models in studious but as the years went on photographers have been working on exotic locations and with props such as animals landscapes. 

I am very interested in Fashion Photography and believe it have shown small elements in my work. However, In my work i feel more focused on the photographing the person than the clothes. Initially I started working towards fashion photography but the direction led my towards portraiture. I wanted to capture an image and recreate a background using simple materials. I wanted to try and use the same approach as a photographer who used graphics, but without the use of computers. I wanted to portraits to be able to be seen as a portrait and an advertisement. 

Jill Greenberg.

http://magfree.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/end-times.jpg

 

 

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg62/witchyhoy3/jill_greenberg_stefani.jpg

An american artist who inspires me . She seems to capture emotion very well, precisely at the right moment. Her work is has been critized for using toddlers and capturing their distresses. She used the giving a child candy and then taking it away approach to generate emotion. She says her images don’t have to be evidence of an actual event which i admire. Her photographs have an embossed, silver feel to them which is unique. It allows a photograph to look almost like graphics/advert aswell as looking like a portrait. She manipulates her portraits with photoshop and lighting and uses children to monkeys.

Below is a short clip i found on Jill Greenbergs work : – 

More editing.

Using simple felt tip pens and a slight change of contrast on photoshop.My final images are images which i felt challenged the notion of fashion photography by adding drawings. The images i produced had a tiny element of the type of adverts i would find interesting to look at but would still sell the product (which in this case would be the clothes). I wanted to produce photographs which didn’t just focus on selling a product but also the art that goes into it.

Maki Kawakita

I was inspired by Maki Kawakita’s work and found her photographs very visually stimulating. She started photography in 1997 and mixes her experiences with Japan and American pop culture to create this photographs. Her portraits have inspired many celebrities. Her love of photography and dance shines through her photographs. Below show some of my favourite images by Kawakita, found on google images.

http://www.artnewyorkcity.com/wp-content/uploads/kawakita_lr_l.jpg

 

 

 

http://www.lostateminor.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/maki-kawakita-4.jpg

http://www.shebreathes.com/blog/images/2008/01/22/silverkawacollage1.jpg

I love her use of bright colours given the photos a sort of ‘paradise’ look to them. She includes props such as the ocean, plants and neon coloured clothing. I also appreciate the use of illustration in her photos.

X-mas Break

Over the Christmas holiday I photographed friends using my canon digital camera. I wanted to encorporate both portraiture and landscape backgrounds. I was very happy with the outcome

 

While taking these photographs I tried to plan out the landscape and background behind the image. Although these images turned out quite well I wanted to break the barriers and try out something i haven’t before which was mixing illustration with photography. I will be using white backgrounds and not planning out the mise-en-scene as i would normally do.

More Editing.

Using photoshop is a technique used alot on my course. I decided that I wanted to stir away from the use of photoshop and experiment with photos and illustrations. Using regular lumocolour felt tips i added backgrounds to my chosen images. I want to achieve something differen’t and i found that a few of the images below had representations of some images used for Ad campaings for H&M Clothing and GAP.

Studio session number 3 .

I did a third studio session where I took photos of a friend focusing on full length body shots as well as portraits.  Below shows the images i took followed by a few edited shots which i feel stood out.

My second studio testing.

After my first studio shoot I decided that i wanted to have a little more time in the studio and allow myself to try out more things such as shutterspeeds and using props. I was experimenting with long shutterspeeds and a light beam. I was pretty satisfied with the outcome.

DSLR Cameras.

The SLR camera uses an automatic moving mirror system. This means that whoever is taking the photograph can see through the viewfinder, what will come out exactly in the photograph. Normal digital cameras often  unlike a normal digital camera, can’t see what exactly will appear but gives a close taste.

DSLR cameras stand for ‘Digital Single Lends Reflex’ SLR stands for ‘Single Lens Reflex’. DSLR’s and SLR’s have many features such as changing lenses so you can suit your camera to your vision.  With SLR’s you can change your lens, for example if you want a focused shot with a blurred background you can use a macro lens. SLR’s are a camera body so adjusting it and replacing parts is very familiar and easy. I prefer using SLR’s because I feel that the image turnout have a greater effect. Images are clearer; include more detail and more colours. However, SLR’s cost much more than a digital camera and are bulky and heavy, making it quite difficult to carry around.

 

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http://lightart-spot.blogspot.com/2007/12/working-of-slr-camera.html

Showing the growth of SLR’s.