Action Plan:

I intend to research artists that create portrait photography, as well as location photography with views and buildings, people who edit photos and people who also create handmade artwork in ways to destroy and manipulate work. I intend to shoot locations and people focusing on fashion photography, trying to carry on ideas from the ‘Sense of Place’ project. I intend to shoot a series of shoots to be able to work with when experimenting and editing. These shoots will be both location and studio shoots. I will need a Camera, lighting, trigger, models, Computer with Photoshop. My ideas have come from my own passion in portrait photography, I want to be able to produce effective work that communicates a sense of mood through the art of altering an image through manipulation. They key elements that will contribute to the success of this assignment will be making sure I get the work done by having models that are able to be flexible and available. I want to make sure I show a gradual progression in the topic and show experimentation.

This first task we did with AJ, was studio practice. We were asked to recreate photos in the style of Anton Corbijn. The camera we used was Mamiya 645 film camera, then we used a tripod, a trigger, sync cable, flash and a light meter. This was the diagram I recreated to show what position everything was in the studio.

On the front light we used an F stop of 16 and the rear light we used an F stop 22, with an ISO of 100 on both. Our group decided to chose a low-key lighting shoot with a black background. To be able to control the F stop on both bulbs we used the light meter to make sure the exposure was right, we didn’t want bad lighting on the face and on the back. We held the light meter up against the models face and kept changing the units on the light until it was correct. We also made sure the focus was right before we took the shot by having the setting set to 16.

Scans:

I loved the way these pictures came out, the effect the Mamiya 645 film camera gives off is textural with the way the specs on the picture are over the models. The picture gives off a yellow/ green tinge to the colouring of the picture, which makes the black have a hint of dark green, which I liked. I chose a dark background which created this mysterious and space like feel. The way we positioned the lighting created this shadow, which complimented and went well with the black background. Shakerah’s dark features also contributed to this effective dark photograph.

Anton’s work:

Anton Johannes Gerrit Corbijn van Willenswaard is a Dutch photographer, music video director, and film director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2, having handled the principal promotion and sleeve photography for both bands over three decades.

Anton Corbijn. I watched a video where he is expressing why he takes the photographs he takes, what is the meaning behind his style and what they give off. He says how if you don’t have a passion or motivation for it then you won’t get anywhere. He likes to take photos because it also gives him a social side where he can meet different people/ links to then carry on and take even more photos of different people. Something that was also mentioned was how people didn’t want to use his photos because sometimes they wouldn’t show the model’s faces e.g. the Joy Division photo in the upper right hand corner. However, Anton’s message was trying to show what the truth is and how the main attention within that band was Ian Curtis, so he had him be the only one turned around. It wasn’t until Ian Curtis’s death where people started to respect and appreciate Anton’s work because they saw Ian’s pain through these beautiful, deep/ dark and tonal photographs. Anton said you should put your all into taking photos, don’t be scared and just put everything into it. He was trying to say be bold and confident, thats what will help you with taking a good photograph.

Second task:

With the Mamiya RB 67 Camera and the Manfrotto tripod we shot in colour outside. I partnered with Callum and we took portraits of one another as well as close up detail shots. We made sure we moved location for the different shots. We kept into consideration the background and the colours due to this being colour film. However, we did go inside for the last shots because we could pick out more vibrant colours that we thought would look good on camera. Each shot we used the light meter by getting the shutter speed and the f stop and 1S0. By holding the meter close to the model’s face and tilting it a bit forward achieves this, once we had a result we would then change the shutter speed and aperture to match these readings. We could also focus the camera and fine focus it by pushing a white button inwards that brought out a lens to look through, which gave us a more clear and crisp shot. Once we had our shot we then pressed the capture button and wheeled it back for the next picture.

Scans:

Different types of medium formats:

Fujifilm – Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, trading as Fujifilm, or simply Fuji, is a Japanese multinational photography and imaging company headquartered in Tokyo. Fuji began producing cameras in 1948 with the Fujica Six. Until the late 1970s, many cameras made by Fuji were called Fujica, a contraction of Fuji and camera (cf Leica, Yashica etc.). The company started producing digital cameras in 1988. Fujifilm was the most agile among film makers in adapting to digital imaging.

Size is 6 x 9, a digital camera.

FUJICA FUJIFILM GW 690 6×9
Fujinon 90mm f/3.5

Hasselblad – Victor Hasselblad AB is a Swedish manufacturer of medium format cameras, photographic equipment and image scanners based in Gothenburg, Sweden. The company originally became known for its classic analog medium format cameras that used a waist level viewfinder.

Camera “Kiev-88” + Camera lens “VEGA-12B” Camera: “Kiev-88”
Type / Format: TLR, medium-format, a film type 120, size 6×6
Year of manufacture / Country: 1983, USSR

Film camera.

Maymiya – Mamiya Digital Imaging Co., Ltd. is a Japanese company that manufactures high-end cameras and other related photographic and optical equipment. With headquarters in Tokyo, it has two manufacturing plants and a workforce of over 200 people.

6x7cm format, Leaf Shutter, Revolving Back, Bellows Focusing, Single Lens Reflex, Film camera.

Bronica – Bronica also Zenza Bronica was a Japanese manufacturer of classic medium-format roll film cameras and photographic equipment based in Tokyo, Japan. Their single-lens reflex (SLR) system-cameras competed with Pentax, Hasselblad, Mamiya and others in the medium-format camera market.

6×6 film camera.

Sculpture task:

Following on with the work of Peter Banks from the photo puzzles and photo sculptures, I created these paper sculptures to link with this style and approach to photography. I printed images and stuck them down to card and cut in between the middle and then attached the 4 sides together to create the first one. I did the same, then used a scalpel to cut around the parts on the second sculpture, I did this four times to create this 3D effect. Finally, I stuck white paper to connect the sections together so it stood up right. I enjoyed this task because it was tricky, but was a creative way to make photography more interesting and more dynamic than just having a picture on a screen.

Glass shoot:

For this shoot we propped a glass object that represented femininity, for my option I used a pink women’s perfume bottle. I placed it on a table with a light box behind it. Throughout the shoot I experimented with the object having white and black paper underneath it and behind it, even on the sides in angles to see what result I got. I noticed by having black paper behind and underneath the perfume it darkened most of it out, picking up the dark pink edges which created an interesting effect. However, when using white backgrounds it captured the perfume much clearer bringing out its full potential. Using glass as the bottom on the object gave it a nice reflection, so I put another white piece of paper on an angle on the side to make the glass pick up more of a white reflection. I also tried moving the light on the right hand side and behind the camera, which gave the shots a different perspective. Once I put coloured plastic paper behind the light box I realised it didn’t give much of a strong look so this made me change the light to a bulb, this brought the colours out better. The last step was to shoot the perfume on a curved plastic board that had a light bulb behind it underneath, which created a floating effect with the object. I placed different coloured plastic sheets again here too. Another method we used with the coloured sheets was putting half and half in the light, which made this effective blend of two colours behind/ through the glass.

Favourites:

In these photographs, I think what is successful is how the choices of light and coloured backgrounds portray the perfume bottle. I made sure there was a lot of experimentation with black paper as the backgrounds with the coloured sheets in front of the light, because the bottle itself was a dark shade of pink, so these colours would compliment the gradient tones.

Bending light:

• I created an 4×6 landscape 300ppi document (from Print tab) in Photoshop
• Opened a photograph that I am interested in adding text to
• Dragged the image into the document and resized as I saw fit
• Clicked on the pen tool from the Tool section bar (left side) and at the top, changed the option from ‘Path’ to ‘Shape’
• Found an area where I would like to add text on a curve and clicked on the first point
• Once I clicked on the second point, I held the click and moved the cursor to create a curve
• I then rejoined the curve to the starting point to complete the shape
• I then selected the Text tool option and clicked at any point on the curve where I wanted my text to start
• I then began typing
• I removed the shape I created by ‘turning off’ the eye from the layers

I made sure I increased the exposure, saturation, contrast, offset, gamma correction and vibrance. The font was not too hard to find to make sure it looks similar to the original perfume logo. I like how it came out, however I struggled trying to make the bottom as soft as possible due to the original having a lot of imperfections that I had to remove using the spot healing brush tool. I love how the bottle looks as if it is floating from earth to space with the use of the lighting and editing. The curved plastic sheet the perfume was balanced on worked well in creating this interesting result.

Advert task:

I wanted to communicate this effortless and gentle style to represent the stereotypical representation of a woman that is in the media today. Pink is a feminine colour, especially ‘hot’ pink, it can be seen as a ‘sexy’ colour, which women should be portrayed as, pink is a colour that our society has set to associate females with. Woman and even men can be sexualised and used as objects in the marketing industry. Here are some examples in perfume adverts.

Split lighting task:

Set up:

To achieve this split lighting we put the light source 90 degrees to the left of the subject. Where we place the light in relation to the subject will depend on the person’s face. I looked at how the light fell on Callum and adjusted accordingly. I realised in true split lighting, the eye on the shadow side of the face does pick up light in the eye only. If by rotating their face a bit more light falls on their cheek, it’s possible their face just isn’t ideal for split lighting. I feel my subject worked well with split lighting, there was a strong even amount of shadow and light on his face. They look like professional and intense photography pictures.

Loop lighting:

For this task to create loop lighting we created a small shadow of Callum’s nose on his cheek. To create loop lighting, the light source must be slightly higher than eye level and about 30-45 degrees from the camera (depends on the person, you have to learn how to read people’s faces).

For loop lighting the source needed to be somewhere around 30-45 degrees from the camera. It also needed to be slightly above Callum’s eye level so the shadow or loop of his nose angles down towards the corner of his mouth. That is one mistake that is often seen beginners make with reflectors is to place them down low and angle it up. That lights up the bottom to the subject’s nose and does not create a flattering pattern.

Rembrandt lighting:

Here I had Callum turn slightly away from the light. The light was above the top of his head so that the shadow from his nose falls down towards his cheek. Not every person’s face is ideal for creating Rembrandt lighting. If they have high or prominent cheek bones it will probably work. If they have a small nose or flat bridge on the nose, it may be difficult to achieve. The aim here was to flatter the model and create a mood, then I will know the light is working. I had to block off the window light to achieve this sort of lighting.

Butterfly lighting:

Lighting booklet:

Lighting manual

This shot created a gentle grey undertone, with the background. Sophie’s body is very dark with her black clothing but it communicated a strong mood. I feel this flatters the model in its own way, even though you can’t see her with a bright white clear lighting, it has flattering shadows with with her facial structure and features

Lucy Ridges inspired digital double exposure work: Experimentationsx

In Photoshop I experimented with overlaying images and changing the blending mode for the layers. In this first one I mostly played around with using the gradient tool to over lay the two images as well as inverting. I liked how it came out, by overlapping the two images it created an interesting effect with how the mood is shown. It creates a mixed emotion, which is how the altering makes the original picture different.

Here I changed the blending to dissolve for the first one and then hard light for the second, I liked how hard in contrast these effects made the two overlapping each other. Making sure the faces are in line with each other and scaling the two to match up to my liking, made the shapes and lines work well with one another. I love the gradient within these crossing shapes.

I used the blending ‘Lighten’ to create this double exposure edit, I like how the dark parts were ruled out as if it becomes transparent making the under layer visible. The next step I turned off the G once double clicking the layer to open the blending options on Layer Style, this then enabled me to move the ocean ice layer around to create this glitch pink effect, which I love.

https://www.pexels.com

This technique is using ‘Dissolve’. The harsh outline of Sophie’s figure is bold against the negative colouring behind her. I like how here the shapes are sectioned of in different colours creating this contrast. It is quite dark and demonic with the negative face and hell like sky background, which changes the concept of what the original peaceful Yorkshire setting is.

Here ‘Screen’ was chosen to have this gentle fade. The fade into the sky within her head I wanted to achieve with a negative space background, again having a strong element of contrast.

Here I again changed the channels on layer style by double clicking the first layer. I unticked G and moved the picture to the right with it being above the duplicated layer. I made sure the original picture of mine was highly saturated and bright because I wanted those colours to be prominent with the glitch effect. I used a picture, again, off pexels.com and placed it on top then changing it to colour dodge that made this effect.

Original edit:

I used a similar process for this edit but turned off the R and B channels and move the layer left and chose the tree picture off pexels to dissolve. I wanted it to be dark and raw looking to blend well with the edit look, so I increased the hue and saturation all the way up to achieve this strong look.

Here, I chose the lighten effect with this picture I took of Callum. I love this effect how the ocean picture from pexel blends smoothly with his body. It is as if there has been a negative space effect with the background and the shapes of his build.

More inspiration for my style:

Altered image Proposal form

Which 5 techniques do you wish to explore for your final images?

1. Experimenting with RBG channels in Photoshop
2. Overlapping two layers and changing the effects putting them together in Photoshop
3. Uploading my own pictures of patterns/objects and editing them in Photoshop
4. Experimenting with the mane editing tools such as contrast, saturation and lighting etc. within Photoshop on my photos
5.  Taking photographs that are focused on people with dark and professional lighting in the studio

Do you wish to start with one image or a series of different image? What is the meaning of the image/s to begin with?

Initially, I want to focus on experimenting on singular photographs that I have taken to put all my attention to that piece. This will enable me to get an understanding of this way setting up the kind of style and look I want on my photos in the studio. Eventually, this technique will help me to branch out and then create a series of different images for the final product that also be digital film. For instance I would like my images to have a theme, which will be portraiture. I want to communicate a meaning of mood through my different images, the body language and facial expressions will be a focus of mine to show this meaning.

What do you think the intended meaning will be after the manipulation?

These series of different images will then be edited on in a glitch like way within Photoshop as well as incorporating digital film photos of patterns/ objects and edited on the portrait photos. The editing in Photoshop with colour, lighting etc. will be another way I show the meaning, because this will add to the photos and create an moody altered series of different images. This will show these concept/themes of altered image can link with the ‘mood’. As you destroy an image this idea is similar to moods like anger and serious facial expressions/ body language, which is photos that I will be representing a meaning of. I want this concept of ‘Altered image’ to be executed in a way that shows its full potential, I want to use what I have learnt in a successful way. The main focus is on this glitch/ manipulated portrait theme.

What health and safety considerations will you need to complete for your images?

1. Safety in the studio with light bulb heat and electrical wires/ devises.

2. Safety with cameras and flash with the model’s eye.

Shoot 1 for final images:

I took these shots in the studio with two lights that were on a slant either side of the models. I wanted to take these shots to build up my ideas towards my final pictures. I will be editing these photos in the making of the final product, which will be a series of five different images. I am using Photoshop to edit my photos.

For this first edit I placed the first picture of Callum into Photoshop and then duplicated the image twice and positioned the photos in this three. I then put the second image of Callum into Photoshop but turned it upside down to create this look. I then played around with the effects and chose to use ‘Hard light’ this created that overlaying and dark style, which I found effective. I placed the shell picture I took and used the effected ‘Overlay’ and made sure the opacity was low so the figures were still visible. On the layers I made sure the RGB channels were adjusted by double clicking the duplicated layers and selecting the channels on ‘Layer Style’, to make this cross over from blue to yellow. The next step was to alter the brightness, contrast, hue and saturation and colour balance, which made the figures pop and bring the photo from a dull tone to a brighter and warmer tone. Even though it is a dark photo I like how it has a unique look about it. I wanted it to give a sea/ water theme with the colouring and shells. The moods in this piece are representing a cold and intense meaning, which I wanted to communicate because I relate the ocean to connotations of cold and deep.

2.

For the second piece, I placed the two images of Shakerah into Photoshop and changed the effect to ‘Pin light’ which created this doubled blended effected with her face. I then duplicated both different images to then adjust the RGB Channels again, which resulted in these different colours acting as layers, I loved how this effect came out. I then placed my picture of the pattern and used the effect ‘Overlay’ that made this gradient subtle background. Here I didn’t alter the saturation and contrast etc. because I felt the picture itself was already effective with the colouring.

3.

In the third piece, I wanted to present a neon/ glitch theme by really altering the image. I duplicated the image twice and changed the channels to make this three glitch effect. I then used my plant picture and selected ‘Overlay’. On this piece I increased the hue and saturation high to achieve this bright look. The colour balance was changed to make the pink and green sides pop more. I like how this turned out, however it is different to my other photos but this is what I want to experiment with and show difference in my final images. This shows the concept I am trying to communicate that is of manipulating something which is ‘difference’ in itself, there is difference from an original to an ‘altered image’. Colours are a big factor in this one because I wanted to link colours to a mood. Callum is serious and the difference here is how Shakerah is smiling, there is different moods being given off.

4.

Here, I approached the style in a similar way to the previous one, I wanted a sense of glitch within my work. I initially placed the first photo into Photoshop and then duplicated it. I made sure the original layer had it’s R channel off so this double transition was made. I then turned off the R and B channels, by double clicking the duplicated layer, which opened up Layer Style. I moved the layer to the right creating this double glitch effect. The next thing I did was place my picture of the aged wood which made the image look more disrupted, like a glitched television effect. The effect ‘Saturation’ was what made the picture so interesting with the high resolution colouring, which I liked. Another contribution was the altering of the exposure by increasing and the vibrance and colour balance.

5.

In the final edit I didn’t change the channels, I wanted to show a different approach to altering an image. Originally, I placed the image of Izzy into Photoshop and then placed my patterned image changing the effect to “Overlay” to create this pattern mixing into her clothing. I liked this effect because it looked effective as if her clothes had been changed. For this look I made the pattern’s effect to ‘Lightner colour’. I wanted to edit the vibrance, brightness and contrast, exposure and hue and saturation to achieve a different colour style to my other previous images. It brought a orange and rich tinge to the image. I then placed the image of Izzy down again and turned it upside down, also changing it to ‘Overlay’. Finally, I placed another patterned image of mine and changed that effect to ‘Colour’ and this made the photo have this matching orange tinge. I like how there is contrast from the orange to the black and white.

Lighting diagram in the studio:

Final evaluation:

The main idea I set out to communicate was this idea and theme of ‘altered image’ I wanted to show how images can me changed and manipulated. I liked the idea of communicating this through colours and moods within a photograph. Choosing portrait photography was a fitting option because you can show this through body language and facial expressions. When editing these images to produce an altered image, the two platforms of digital photography and Photoshop work will communicate this idea. I cam up with this idea because I liked the concept of moods within a photograph, which can be achieved by editing and how you construct your shoot in the studio. So, I wanted the idea to show how you can produce bodies of work that are deep with colour and disruption to show mood.

I looked at artists such as Cara Thuringer, Lucy Ridges, Stefan Sagmeister, Maurizio Anzeri, Julie Shackson, Helen Chadwick, Oliver Blohm. I chose to look at Cara Thuringer because she produced chemigram work, which worked well with ideas towards destroying and manipulating. Her work influenced my work because I liked how she created these unique hand made pieces of art and I wanted to incorporate this into my work. So by creating my own on printing paper and using things like paint, oil, nail polish, bleach etc. was an effective way to create work. I then scanned them in and edited them onto my digital photos and this is how she influenced me because it was an alternative. It boost my work up in ways to manipulate and alter an image, which I think was successful. Lucy Ridges was another artist that I chose and influenced my work because I loved her gentle and sensitive double exposure work. She produced work that had a colour scheme and similar themed images, which I found worked well when creating a body of work. So I experimented with layers in Photoshop to play around and see what I could do to capture that way of working. I liked how my work turned out because it shows a big step in where I wanted to take the project and where my interests where. Maurizio Anzeri’s work was so interesting to me that he influenced me to produce more hand made work and then scan them in, which I then edited on. His sewn work shown a different side to altering an image and I liked it. I sewn onto a printed picture of a photo I took and then scanned it in to then scan my chemigrams and edit it all within Photoshop. I loved how this came out because I experimented with colours and really got more of an understanding and skill in Photoshop. Julie Shackson also influenced me through her handmade artwork, the intricate work replicating her surroundings in Wales made me want to start creating archives for potential layers that would be used as my final images. I created small hand made sewn pieces and drawings as well was water colour paintings, I wanted to approach the art and design with texture.

My idea has changed since I first starting exploring it due to the fact at the start I knew I wanted to produce an edited body of work but not at this level and detail. I was unaware of the Photoshop skills I would need, however being taught the skills and getting an understanding helped me. It made me produce edits that were completely different to what I was intending at the beginning. I also wanted to bring my style from the previous project ‘Sense of Place’ in my final images. This was to have 5 different images that were portraiture and location shots with buildings or views. I didn’t follow through with this idea, I stuck with portraits for the full five images. I did this because as my project went on and I experimented with different editing techniques and physical work, I wanted to stay with the running theme of portraits. Instead I focused on patterns and artwork to include in the manipulation process.

I think the most successful element or aspect of my work is how I have experimented gradually in the topic with scanning handmade work and my Photoshop work with layering, editing the colours etc. It may not be the best but I liked how most of my edits came out. I made sure that my final five images were altered and manipulated to its full potential with what I knew, which I think was a successful part. I would like to improve my time management because this could have made my photos more effective. I didn’t focus on location portraiture, which I will make sure to do in the future by making it a priority and set a date and time with people. I think my final work communicates my idea effectively because I have made sure my colours and choice of editing has represented a sense of mood. The body language and facial expressions contrast with the colours, and this idea of destroying and manipulation creates an interesting effect with my theme. It is colourful, glitch and presents an intense approach to moods through the art of altering an image.