LO5 Blog Evaluation

Upon reflection of my finished blog that I have worked through, I have come to the point where I feel I can evaluate my blog effectively.  I studied the theme of nature opposed to city life and the contrast that them two subject matters create. I chose this subject matter because I was sure it would be unique and its something that relates to the theme of identity and it interests me. This subject matter ahs many interesting aspects, such as the different emotions and personalities that nature can be perceived as through the use of photography, an also the different narratives and meanings that they can convey. The main rule of photography that applies to this theme is narrative as it helps convey the meaning.

I have recorded my experiences through screen shots of different steps, but mainly planning before hand. I have also recorded my experiences through evaluations in depth analysis's explaining my thoughts throughout the project and my intentions. I focused on the double exposure aspect of my project as it was the back bone behind the narrative aspect, which meant I had to take twice as many photographs; but this specific aspect especially came up when editing. I generally focused on composition in terms of photographic elements.

I have represented the scene I have photographed accurately but in the idea that I'm going to change the background and transform the scene anyway. I wanted to accurately portray the scene as it will directly contrast with other scenes through double exposure. I changed what you see to create the visual contrast and to create my narrative. Even though my new images are abstract they convey realistic themes and narratives.

The main photographers I was inspired by were; Martin Parr, Duncan Philpott, Irving Penn and Sufiskoo. Martin Parr was linked to the social reportage genre, he focused on photography the gritty realistic aspects of photography and showing a clear message; this inspired me to create my own narrative through combining his realistic aspects and double exposure. Duncan Philpott inspired the nature aspects of my project, as well as the making contrast a vital element in my project. Irving Penn inspired my heavy use of a model throughout the project. Sufiskoo focuses on double exposure and create visual contrast, this inspired my use of double exposure in my project. I studied them because they interested me and directly linked to my project through their unique style and elements. Comparing my work to all these photographer I was inspired by, I would say I have been heavily inspired by all of them and all my photographs include some aspect of each of the photographers.

Throughout the project I tried to use a variety of photographic techniques including; composition, focal point, rule of thirds, texture, narrative, light. I have found out by using these techniques that it makes photography much more visually interesting and gives the photographs more meaning and narrative. The experimentation behind these all were successful and effective in giving me an idea which to include in my final set of photographs. I feel as though having specific elements to focus on has assisted my development as a photographer through giving me small goals to reach the final larger goal, its helped me focus and get better at photography. I have combined two aspects in my photography, being photography and double exposure. The combination was very successful at creating my narrative and creating meaning and purpose, I found that double exposure can link themes and create contrast successfully as well as being visually interesting. I didn't include many digital techniques while considering them, them being; cropping and scaling, layers, green screen and text and image.

I have tried to include many technical aspects in my photography throughout the project. I thought very carefully about aperture, shutter speed, ISO etc. before hand when planning and when taking the photographs. Focus was a very prominent aspect, throughout the photoshoots I had to contemplate what would be in focus and out of focus, to give a focus and make certain aspects more prominent. Rules of photography were a large aspect of my photography and allowed me to create the narrative and visual meaning and purpose I wanted to create. Depth of field links to the focus I previously mentioned, being the struggle I had deciding what aspects needed to be prominent in the photograph.

My final photograph fits the brief being that I had to present a personal response of identity and link it to the Millennium Gallery in the process, being that nature is a large aspect of the gallery and identity and conveying the voice and personality of nature links to identity. My final photography clearly shows meaning, in certain shots the nature is denoted as small and not relevant connoting that nature is overlooking and needs a voice and an identity to represent it. In other shots the nature is seen as beautiful and large conveying the power and relevance of the nature. I was only trying to highlight a specific concept being the narrative and meaning conveyed by my project; I feel as though I have highlighted such aspects successfully and they are the most prominent parts of the project. My intentions when taking the photographs were raising awareness of nature giving nature identity and a personality, I also wanted to highlight the contrast between city life and natural habitats.

I have learnt a lot about photographic techniques throughout the project, it has helped me develop my photography skills and develop as a photographer.  I specifically focused on nature and portrait photography as well as double exposure and social reportage. I feel as though I developed these topics successfully and created an original response. My future directions are to develop further as a photographer and further my ambition and interest in this field.

LO5 Analysing other Methods of Display

LO5 Digital Techniques

Cropping and Scaling

Cropping and scaling was relevant to my photography as for the first photograph I edited, I had to crop the image so it was symmetrical. But in terms of scaling, when creating the double exposure I had to scale the second image so it lined up with the first when blended together. If I were to do this project again I would of made more use of cropping and scaling, especially cropping as I only cropped one photograph so that it was symmetrically proportionate.

Layers

Layers was a very important aspect of my photography, due to creating double exposure I had to have lots of layers which were placed appropriately and on the right  layers. I had to create clipping masks combining the layers, and change the opacity and blending settings to actually blend the layers together. Managing the layers was very important, labelling the layers and making sure I know which order I need to organise them into.

Green Screen

Even though I didn't use a green screen in my project, I contemplated using one so that the model couldn't stand in front and I could replace the green screen with one of my photographs, this would have made it easier to select the area around my model and make it more accurate. I didn't use a green screen because I needed the model stood in front of such photographs instead of in front of a green screen. Green screen could have been a very helpful tool, and could of made the editing process a lot easier, but sadly I didn't have access to one and didn't consider it an option until after my photoshoots.

Text Image

Text was never really an option in my photography. I never considered adding text into my photographs when presenting them, but if I had to id probably add the title I gave to them, but it would be faded into the background; it wouldn't be a significant part of the photograph. I added text to my final presentation to explain the titles, but I wouldn't actually interfere with the actual photograph itself.

Time of day and Lighting

Time of day and lighting were a very important part of my photography, when planning the photoshoots and actually taking the photographs I had to consider the time of day and lighting. I had to make sure I had enough light so the photograph wasn't too dark, but not too light so the photograph was washed out. Since most of photography was taken in day light, the aperture and capture settings were low and faster.  

LO5 Improvements

There are many improvements that could be made to my project as a whole, including; how successful the outcome is, number of shoots, photographic elements, the theme as a whole, some of my justification.

With some of my final photographs the final outcome wasn't as successful as I would like it to be, due to having to create 10 final photographs some of the photographs are vaguely similar to some other final pieces. If I were to go back and take some photographs again and do some more photoshoots, I would have more of a diverse range of ideas and come up with visually creative ideas, so that no two images are similar. I feel as though I had to reuse some photographs from the same shoot, if possible id prefer to not do that. And also I feel as though the quality and finish of some of my final pieces could of been vastly improved.

I completed three full photoshoots, one of them being a practice shoot and two of them being final photoshoots which would consist of my final photographs. If I were to do this project again I would complete more practice shoots and final shoots to have more of a range of photographs and more practice with the camera, so I was more used to adjusting the settings and such of the camera. Other practice shoots would allow me to test out more photographic elements and any ideas I wasn't sure of, it could create more variety in my final pieces and a better quality finish.

My theme for the brief was about nature and even though that was a strong enough theme on its own, I had a sub theme of double exposure which worked well together and it made my photography more visually interesting. If I was to do the project again I would choose a theme and a sub-theme which worked together as well as nature and double exposure did. If I was to do this project again I would make nature a more prominent aspect, because the most prominent aspect in my photograph is the model which isn't what I was trying to achieve; the model was there to link the theme and sub-theme and to relate to identity.

LO5 Method of Display

I imagine my photographs will be displayed on a 30" x 20" canvas which can be changed around to display the differently positioned photographs. A single canvas of this size would cost £60 but has gone down in price to £30. So to present my 10 final photographs for my exhibition it would cost £300 to display them all on canvases. I would display my photographs on canvases of this size because it would influence the viewers to look at the little details within the photograph, and grasp more of the meaning and narrative behind my photographs.

The timing implications for my exhibition will be as followed; my photographs will be displayed for roughly a 2-3 months depending on the popularity and interest.

The advantages of displaying in a gallery setting is; presenting to a wider audience/ raised awareness, convey more meaning and narrative, present it in a more professional format and easily accessible. The disadvantages are the cost, time constraint and more criticism.

Bibliography

Canvas Sizes and Prices - https://www.photobox.co.uk/shop/wall-decor/canvas-prints/sizes

Martin Parr - http://www.martinparr.com/

Duncan Philpott - http://duncanphilpott.com/

Irving Penn - http://irvingpenn.org/

Sufiskoo - https://picsart.com/sufiskoo/

Millennium Gallery - http://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/museums/millennium-gallery/home

Focal Length - http://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/article/g3cu6o2o/understanding-focal-length.html

Influential Photographers - http://uk.complex.com/style/2013/06/the-most-influential-photographers/

Sheffield City Centre - https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/city-centre.html

Double Exposure Photographer Andre Defreitas - http://andredefreitas.com/Double-Exposures

LO5 Photography Presentation - Natures Voice

LO5 Meaning and Fitting the Brief

The general meaning for all of my photographs relate to the theme and brief of my project. The meaning connoted by most of my photography is showing the relevance and beauty of nature which has been vastly overlooked, my project was to raise awareness of such issues and get people thinking more. The narrative created by my photography was general aimed at making nature seem more alive, and give it a personality. I have tried to show both the gentle and beautiful aspects of nature and the staggering and powerful aspects, to show the viewers both sides and again to give them a grasp of the personality.

The brief is all about identity, this is a very relevant theme as my aim was to show the identity of nature, give it a voice where it had none and make it known that nature is relevant to all our identities. I also fitted the brief further by making my photography more personal by including my model in every shot, to further the idea of identity.

LO5 Titles and Descriptions

Natures Voice

Umbra

I have chosen to name this photograph this because it is the Latin translation for shadow which is a key visual theme in this photograph.

2/03/16 - Midday

In this photograph a models face has been double exposed with a forest to convey a narrative about natures demise due to the industrial climate.

The meaning shown behind this image is that nature is falling, and people need to be reminded how beautiful and relevant nature is to the world.

My Intentions

My intentions behind this work were again to make nature relevant again, while at the same time show that it can be beautiful.

The use of rules of photography were quite varied in this photograph, I used; composition, texture, focal point, narrative and light. The editing techniques for this photograph were quite simple, I just changed the opacity of the second image and then changed the contrast and vibrancy of the image to make the contrast more prominent.

Silvarum Incola

That is the Latin translation of "Forest Dweller." I feel this is a relevant name for my project.

2/03/16 - Midday

In this photograph my model has been put in a forest background which has been combined with a city/ industrial setting to create contrast and meaning.

The meaning shown behind this image is that nature and industrial settings are always fighting for balance, and I wanted to show that nature is vital to communities and that its relevant and beautiful.

My Intentions

My intention was again to show that nature is important and vital, as well as beautiful and vibrant. I wanted to raise awareness of nature and make it relevant again.

There were many rules of photography including; composition, narrative, focal point, texture, light. All of these are common rules of photography throughout my project, especially narrative and composition.

The editing techniques used in this were fairly minimal; I used the opacity settings, metallic lasso tool and the hue/saturation and vibrancy/contrast.

Adtactus

I have named this photograph this because it is the Latin translation for "Contact" and that is relevant because the photograph is being taken in a telephone booth and used to contact each other. The telephone booth represents the contact that needs to be made to raise awareness of this issue.

02/03/16 - Midday

In this photograph my model is being photographed in a telephone booth which represents communication and the contrast between the industrial atmosphere and nature.

The meaning for this piece is to show the contrast and power balance between nature and the struggle that nature faces. I have tried to further the contrast using the model and the prop rose.

My Intentions

My intentions were to make everyone more aware about nature and its struggles. I also wanted to show the beauty and vibrant aspects of nature, and also to show the identity and personality of nature.

Many rules of photography were used in this photography including; composition, narrative, texture, light and format.

The editing techniques used in this photography weren't too complicated, creating double exposure in the background and creating contrast using vibrancy and contrast.

Gressus

I have called this photograph this because it is the Latin translation for "Step" and this links because it is the metaphorical steps that are being taken to raise awareness of this issue.

02/03/16 - Midday

In this photograph my model has been positioned to stand on the step in that specific pose, I felt this was successful.

The meaning for this photograph was to show the metaphorical steps that need to be taken to raise awareness of this issue, and the rose is there to further the visual theme of nature.

My Intentions

My intentions behind this photograph were to show the beauty and relevance of nature, also I wanted to show the metaphorical step that nature will take.

I used many rules of photography in this photography including; narrative, composition, texture, view point.

The editing techniques were just to create double exposure on the models part and increase the vibrancy and contrast of the background.

Arafa

I have used this name because it is the Latin translation for "Giant"

02/03/16 - Midday

In this photograph my model is made to stand next a tree to show how large and powerful nature can be, this was furthered by the comparison between the size of the model and the size of the tree.

My Intentions

My intentions behind this photograph were to show that nature can be powerful and strong. As well as beautiful and vibrant, I also wanted to show the contrast and relevance of the nature opposed to the model.

The rules of photography used in this photograph are; composition, viewpoint, light, rule of thirds and texture.

The editing techniques were really simple in this photography, I made the background monochrome and made the model more colourful and vibrant.

Oculorum Caligo

I have named it this because it is the Latin translation for 'Blurred Vision' this is because the background is out of focus and I feel it suits the image.

02/03/16 - Midday

In this photograph my model is intensely looking at the rose and trying to preserve and protect it. The model is stood next to the tree for effect, because the tree is larger in comparison.

The meaning conveyed by this image is the preservation of nature, and the idea that we can do more to help preserve nature. The meaning is also suppose to convey that nature is beautiful.

My Intentions

My intentions in this photograph were to show the beauty and relevance of nature, I made the background out of focus to put focus onto the rose and make it relevant. I also wanted to give nature a voice and an identity.

The rules of photograph used in this photograph were; rule of thirds, composition, texture, light and narrative. The editing techniques used in this image were blurring the background, and then changing the vibrancy, contrast, hue and saturation.

Fluens Aqua

I chose this name because it is the Latin translation for 'Dripping Water' which relates to the spheres that are covered in water.

02/03/16 - Midday

In this photograph my model is stood around a city setting which I have combined with a forest setting. This creates visual contrast and also creates the narrative for this photograph being the war between man made and nature.

The meaning behind this photograph is about the preservation of nature, and the balance between the two.

My Intentions

My intentions in this image were to show the beauty and vibrancy of nature, as well as the identity and voice. I also wanted to blend a city landscape with a forest path, so that it would seem as though they are just as important and relevant as each other.

The rules of photography used in this photography were; centre of interest, texture, narrative, light, composition. The editing techniques used in this picture were simply changing the opacity, using the metallic lasso tool to select and delete specific areas, and apply filters.

Primus Inter Pares

I have chosen this name for my photograph because it is the Latin translation for 'First Amongst Equals' I felt this was relevant as I wanted to point out that nature should be treated equally to us, and the fact that the model is sort of blended in with the flowers furthers the visual part of it.

02/03/16 - Midday

In this photograph the model has been made to stand amongst the flowers and nature, which I have edited to make it look like the model blends in slightly to show the comparison between the two aspects.

My Intentions

My intentions in this image were to blend the flowers and the model and to make them seem as relevant as each other, as the focus is on the model it may spread the focus to the nature also. I also wanted to show the beauty and vibrancy of nature.

The rules of photography used in this photograph were; texture, narrative, composition, centre of interest and light. The editing techniques mainly used in this photograph were changing the hue/saturation and vibrancy/contrast and adding filters over the top.

Eluit

I have chosen this name for this photograph because it is the Latin translation for 'washed out' I felt this is relevant because it shows the visual aspects of this photograph, as well as connoting some strong meaning.

02/03/16 - Midday

In this photograph the model is seen crouching down next to a soil patch holding a rose, trying to plant it. The meaning behind this photograph connotes trying to raise awareness of nature and wants to populate the Earth more with nature and flowers. The washed out aspects of the photograph connotes the overlooked aspect of nature.

My Intentions

My intentions were to wash out the photograph to blend the nature and the model. My intentions were to show the beauty and vibrancy of nature.

The rules of photography used in this photograph were; narrative, composition, texture, centre of interest and light. The editing techniques used in this photograph were changing the hue/saturation and contrast/vibrancy, and also applying filters and changing the blur settings in the background.

Viridi Oculos

I have named this photograph this because it is the Latin translation for 'Green Eyes' which links heavily to the main theme of my project.

02/03/16 - Midday

In this photograph the model has been placed next to a piece of nature in the middle of centre of town. This has been done to create contrast and create a visual narrative. The meaning behind this image is to show that nature can take up more than you think, it can be a larger part of your life than you think and therefor you should be respectful of it and appreciate it.

My Intentions

My intentions behind this photograph were to make nature the subject and make nature the focal point and for to be relevant in the image.

The rules of photography used in this photograph were; composition, texture, rule of thirds, centre of interest, light and narrative. The editing techniques used in this photograph were changing the opacity and hue/saturation and vibrancy/contrast and adding filters.

LO5 Evaluating Edited Images

I selected this image to edit because I had this idea from the very beginning, this was the initial idea that spawned the idea for my project. I retook this photograph with the proper equipment  with my original intentions and edited it as I had planned to. I selected this exact photograph out of all the ones I took similar to this because of the emotion connoted from the facial expressions and then the landscape because of the contrast it would create when double exposed.

The image has been edited as planned, there hasn't been too much editing involved in this piece; the main editing was to make the photograph double exposed and combining both photographs. This photograph has been enhanced greatly by being edited, it now connotes a narrative and emotion, this is all because of the facial expressions being more prominent and contrast created by the editing.


I feel as though although some of my photographs have been edited drastically with photographs being combined and not being recognisable from the original, while most of my other photographs have hardly been edited at all. Most of my photography has been subtly edited with a single filter, or changing the brightness settings or the contrast, another main thing I did when editing was to blur the background making it out of focus and making the focal point the model in the fore front of the photograph.


The meaning behind my photography through the use of editing has been increased. The meaning behind this photograph is showing the link between nature and emotion, I wanted to show the relevance of nature and show the beauty and emotion captured by my photography. The other meaning of this photograph was the nature is being built over and gradually being depleted, I wanted to show that nature is still beautiful and shouldn't be destroyed.



My photography fits the brief because the brief was about identity, I feel as though the link between nature and identity is strengthened by the use of a model in every shot, it makes it more personal and relevant. Also my photographs fit the theme of identity because nature is an issue close to my heart, I see the beauty of nature and feel it shouldn't be destroyed. My photography also fits the brief because I am giving nature an identity, I am giving nature a voice; hence the name of my project being Natures Voice. I am giving nature a voice and identity, making it stand out and be heard, this is something I am passionate about and therefore its part of my identity.

In particular I think the very first image links to the brief very well, as it has a model to relate the personal aspects of identity and has a clear link to the theme of nature. I feel the first image I edited was my most successful in terms of visuals and meaning and narrative.

I think I could easily create titles and descriptions of each photograph, as even though they are all very similar in meaning and narrative, they are all uniquely different and relate to specific aspects of my theme. The names I would create for these photographs would link to nature and the brief of identity, but also they would be quite short and the descriptions would be straight to the point.

I worked in the style of various photographers including; Duncan Philpott, Irving Penn and Martin Parr. I have already mentioned this in a previous post going into detail, but when editing and taking the photographs initially I have worked in the style of these artists to achieve my final goal. Another very influential photographer that inspired my project was Sufiskoo who specialised in double exposure which was one of the main aspects in my project.

I achieved this by creating as much contrast as I could when editing, this was to work in the style of Duncan Philpott who's photography is very vibrant and contrasting. I worked in the style of Martin Parr by showing the realistic aspects, one of my main goals was about creating the narrative that needs to be nurtured and needs a voice to be heard, even if that meant connoting what's currently going on. And I worked in the style of Irving Penn by working closely with models.

I used the rules of photography religiously throughout my photoshoots and when editing, the main rules I used were; composition, narrative, focal point, texture and sometimes view point. Narrative was key to achieve the meaning behind all my photographs and create a plot line and story. Texture and view point were just to add visual interest and possibly change a point of view or scenario. Focal point was obviously the model throughout the project.

I was able to enhance some of these photographic elements through the use of editing, sometimes with the different filters and double exposure I created it furthered the narrative and gave the piece more meaning. It also created a lot of contrast and highlighted the focal point being the model, I did this by sometimes making the background out of focus to make the model more prominent and relevant.

Throughout my editing project I combined photographs from different photoshoots, meaning I combined them to create a hybrid design. I feel that creating hybrid designs were effective because it combined the best aspects of both shoots and showed development and creativity. I usually combined the photographs from the two shoots using double exposure, as this made it easy to see both photographs and made it visually interesting as well as furthering the narrative and giving the piece meaning.

I would present these images in a film because I feel if a certain impactful song is playing, it could possibly further the meaning and narrative behind my project. Also if I create a video it makes it more visually interesting and innovative. But I will edit my photographs into a gallery setting to see what it would like if my shoots were part of an exhibition.

How Editing Enhances Meaning

Editing the photographs enhancing the meaning, it makes it possible to adjust certain aspects of the photograph that would enhance the narrative or evoke some kind of emotion. Through editing the photographs you are able to sculpt the photograph in many different ways, giving it multiple meanings; this could be through double exposure, adjusting contrast, vibrancy, hue / saturation or cropping and scaling. Any editing enhances certain aspects. In my photography editing has helped create the narrative through double exposure, I was able to include nature into my otherwise nature free photograph which was based on my theme and narrative.

LO4 Link to Photographers when Editing

My main inspirations for these photograph was Duncan Philpott as one of his specialties is landscape photography, also the way he edits/ captures some aspects of his photographs. In his photography a common theme is contrast, a divide between the colour and then a definite part of black, usually with gleams of colour edging over. I've tried to capture the contrast in his photography in most of mine when possible. Another way I have been inspired by his work is always colourful and vibrant, I have tried when editing to make sure my photographs are both colourful and vibrant, but also dark in places to create contrast.

I also wanted to capture his love for nature and landscapes in my photography, I wanted to make landscapes and nature a key focus in my project, this made it possible for me to direct a strong narrative towards my work, as well as making my photographs more visually interesting.

Another major photographer in terms of my influences was Irving Penn; a portrait photographer. I have tried to transfer some his techniques and style into my work.

In a lot of his work his photography is monochrome and therefore takes on more depth and possibly a deeper narrative than if it was regular colours. I have tried to transfer this monochrome style into my photography, not fully but in some photographs I have made the background monochrome and made the model colourful and vibrant to create contrast.

Another aspect of his photography is the model/ portrait aspect, he focuses on portrait photography to which I have tried to include in my own photography. I have included a model in all my photography on the first photoshoot and have included it in all my editing. Most of his portrait work is up close and borders the face, while most of my photography captures most of the models body, one photograph in particular I have focused on bordering the face and capturing all the details of the face. In this photograph I have combined the picture of the models face with a landscape photograph of some woods, the branches and shadows cast by the tree captures more depth and definition in the face.

Another photographer/ editor that has been vital to my project was a double exposure photographer called Sufiskoo. He inspired the double exposure aspect of my photography, which turned out to be a key theme in my project. In every edited photograph apart from one I have included double exposure, through the use of double exposure I have combined nature and city settings along with models, creating a deep narrative and message.

LO4 Editing Before and After

LO4 Editing Photographs 10

First of all I put the poster edges filter over the image, making the edges more prominent but also blending the whole image together.

I then placed an image of landscape from my second shoot over the image.







I then proceeded to change the opacity of the image to 52% and change the blending settings to multiply joining the two images. I combined these two images to enhance the texture aspect of the image. I then changed the vibrancy and saturation of the image, increasing them.

LO4 Editing Photographs 9

First of all I used the magnetic lasso tool to select the model and the rose. I then went to select and selected the inverse settings, therefore selecting the background.

After selecting the background I then went to the blur settings and made the background more out of focus, therefore putting the model and the prop in focus, making them the focal point.

I then changed the brightness and contrast settings on the whole of the image, making the darker parts more prominent and making them stand out. With most of the image being bright, this was ideal.

The last part of my editing; I decided to put a filter on the image to make it more visually interesting and possibly increasing the contrast. I placed the smudge stick filter over the whole image.

LO4 Editing Photographs 8

I started by putting a filter over the whole image, I used the poster edge filter. This filter made the image more visually interesting and smoothed it out, blending all the aspects together.

I then changed the brightness and contrast settings, because I felt that the image was too blended together, this made the darker parts more visible and separated them parts from the rest.

I then changed the colour balance settings, giving the image a yellowish and pinkish tint to it, making it more visually interesting and having a subtle colour behind it. This also draws out the colours of the flowers making them more prominent in the image.

I then changed the vibrancy and contrast settings, again to make the darker parts stand out and separate them from the rest of the i