Experiences, Encounters & Meetings.
Visual Collage
Ink Droplets in Water - (First starting point)
For my second starting point I'm going to photograph ink droplets in water. This involves dripping colour dye into water and photographing the emerging substance within the glass. I will observe the patterns and shapes which the ink produces. With the use of a pipet or syringe, the ink is injected into the water with a greater force which helps produce interesting patterns. Just pouring ink into the water can make the shapes appear different: not as defined and less contrasting, therefore a pipet or syringe will give a better outcome. It could also be interesting to insert the ink into water that is already coloured. For example, colouring the water red or yellow and then projecting a black ink dye into the water. This could create an interesting effect as the photograph could appear more contrasting with it being against a different back round other than just water.
Ink Droplets in Water - Digital Response
For my digital response to Ink Droplets in water, I used a syringe to inject coloured ink dye into both clear water, and coloured. I started off by just injecting the ink into clear water. I thought the red patterns produces were interesting with the swirls created. However, I thought the ink appeared bland and undefined. I then tried injecting black ink into red water. The large contrast between the red and black created a well defined and sharpened image. I preferred this outcome because the image is brighter and more colourful.I edited the images on photoshop hoping to define the image even further. I wanted the ink to have a clear contrast with the back round, similar to the above pictures. I noticed within my research that many photographers used a white back round, clearly preferable to a usual cream back round. Therefore I felt that the coloured water helped achieve this rather than the clear water. Over all, I am happy with the outcome as I feel I achieved what I wanted to. However, if I were to develop this idea further I would possibly try inserting the ink into different liquids i.e. milk, or diluted juice. I would observe how the patterns changed within each substance.
Film Noir - (Second starting point)
The scenes of film noir are all disturbingly familiar, as are the characters: the hard-boiled detective, the dangerously alluring femme fatale, and the well-heeled villain surrounded by gun-toting thugs. But even so, it is the visual style – canted camera angles, deep-focus shots, high-contrast lighting – and ultimately subversive message that are the hallmarks of classic film noir.
Yet, in spite of its recognizable elements, this deeply complex film genre – yes, it is a genre – has been the source of much discussion since it appeared in the early 1940s, later giving rise to modern neo-noir and tech-noir and forever changing the face of American cinema. Today, movie buffs attend film noir festivals, colleges offer courses on the subject, and critics argue whether the latest film is a noir or something just a bit different. The topic is as vibrant and intriguing now as it was 70 years ago.
Film Noir Studies found its own origins in a college course and a long-time fascination with old black-and-white movies. Its purpose is to continue the discussion about film noir – perhaps even fueling the fascination with the topic – by focusing on the classic noir films of the 1940s and ‘50s.
Yet, in spite of its recognizable elements, this deeply complex film genre – yes, it is a genre – has been the source of much discussion since it appeared in the early 1940s, later giving rise to modern neo-noir and tech-noir and forever changing the face of American cinema. Today, movie buffs attend film noir festivals, colleges offer courses on the subject, and critics argue whether the latest film is a noir or something just a bit different. The topic is as vibrant and intriguing now as it was 70 years ago.
Film Noir Studies found its own origins in a college course and a long-time fascination with old black-and-white movies. Its purpose is to continue the discussion about film noir – perhaps even fueling the fascination with the topic – by focusing on the classic noir films of the 1940s and ‘50s.
Film Noir - Digital Response
For my digital response to film noir, I had three models do various poses involving a gun and more than one person in some shots. I composed the models in a dark alley way in the early evening, so I could still catch some light, and it wasn't pitch black. There were also street lamps in the alley which created the atmosphere I wanted: gloomy and rough. I edited my photographs on photoshop, adjusting the brightness, and contrast. I also changed the photograph into black and white. I decided not to take the photos in black and white because the light and colours weren't captured to a high enough contrast and level. I am happy with my outcome as I believe my photos have captured my starting point of film noir. However, if I were to take my photos again, to improve I would use a better setting and maybe try and add some mysterious effects, e.g smoke.
Helen Chadwick - Meeting of Elements
Helen Chadwicks' work shows the repetition of flowers. She often used organic materials, such as, meat, chocolate and flowers to reflect her uneasy relationship with her own body. She is perhaps most famous for her 'Piss Flowers' piece: bronze sculptures cast from cavities made when urinating in the snow by both Helen Chadwick and her husband David Notarius. She also did close ups of flower petals, to create interesting patters as the red photo below illustrates. The pleasure of a taboo act exalted through the object, their flower pistils cast from the cavities melted in the snow by hot urine, strong and warm from the woman, diffuse and cooler from the man, are an inversion of human genitalia. The central female form is penile, the male labial.
Lisa Creagh - Meeting of Elements
Her images are a product of a slow, ponderous process of assembling ‘pieces’ which are then formed into a whole. She follows the design of the Ardabil carpet quite closely. She introduces photographic elements such as soft focus, hard edges to create a sense of distance and deep space. The black background, so soft and womb-like in the Dutch flower paintings, became for her a laboratory space. This black digital void is a virtual space where pieces of the jigsaw of the composition fly together. A moment caught, perhaps by an astrological camera or a microscope, a scientific-looking moment with impossible intentions, a perfect moment on a journey through sciencespace, a sort-of falling down the rabbit hole moment of discovery and excitement where living things played their own musical compositions in the shape of form, colour and harmony. An ancient moment situated in the present.
Lisa Creagh - Photo Analysis
In this photograph Creagh uses lines of symmetry to create delicate patterns. The photos consists of three pink roses which are reflected in four different lines of symmetry. Pink is usually associated with love and calm. This is represented in the photograph as it appears very delicate and pretty. Her work is bright but glamourous, this is how her work is reflected in my own. She uses pink roses in her work and therefore I used roses in my own work to create a similarity here. The use of her picture against a black back round increases its contrast to high levels which makes the photograph much more eye catching. In my own work I like contrast and therefore this is another way in which I shall relate to Lisa Creagh.
Meeting of Elements - (Third starting point)
For my third starting point I'm going to photograph objects floating in water. After looking at Creaghs' and Chadwicks' work, I decided to do a strand on flowers. Helen Chadwick focus' on her flowers on snow filled with urine. My photographs shall relate to hers as they will be floating in a liquid, however I have chosen clear water. I decided to float my flowers in clear water because I think the contrast with the two shall we greater and the image will appear finer and ore delicate. In this sense, my work shall relate to Lisa Creaghs'. I shall make my photographs appear delicate and pretty, as well as vibrant, like Lisa's.
Meeting of Flowers in Water - Digital Response
For my third starting point I decided to photograph the contrast of brightly different coloured flowers in water. I placed brightly contrasting flowers in clear water, with the tap running in some cases, to create my photos. I used a white and red rose together in my photographs because they are the same flower, just different colours. The meeting with water, created an interesting back round for my photos. The water appeared crystal-like and some of the water which got on the flowers made the photographs seem much more detailed and intricate. I tried different lighting settings, including a bright light focused of the flower, all lights off, and just the main light on. I preferred the photos with the bright light focused on the flower because the water appeared much lighter and the rose far redder, this created a further contrast which I liked. To develop this idea I want to put flowers with people to show more detail and a more full photograph.
Meeting of Elements - Development
For my development of 'meeting of elements' I'm going to take photographs of everyday flower stall holders. I'm going to Columbia flower market, a weekly event where stall holders present their flowers to the public for sale. This relates to the exam title as there is the meeting with the stall holders, and also the meeting of the different flower types.the over all market atmosphere also relates to the exam title involcing 'encounters' as people are bound to bump into one and other, resulting in an unexpected meeting.The photographs shall appear bright and full of colour becuase the market will be bursting with brightly coloured flowers. What I shall do next is to align models with flowers and take sets of photos so the pictures become slightly more glamourous.
Development - People and Flowers
For my next set of photographs I wanted to merge people with flowers. I decided to buy interesting looking flowers and to put them with seated people. The meeting of elements. I composed my models on a black sofa for contrast and dressed them all in black and then in different colour. I wanted this to show a contrast. I don't like this set of photographs very much; I think a lot could be improved. Because there are five people the photographs aren't very detailed and focused. I therefore think the photographs appear out of focus and they didn't achieve the look I was trying to achieve. In regard to editing, I chose to edit each photograph in a different way; I had no precise process. I chose to experiment between black and white, and colour. One of the photographs consists of black and white, and colour to show the different experiences someone colourful may have compared to someone bleak and rebellious. To improve this set of photos I have decided to just focus solely on one model to create a detailed more effective set of photos.
American Beauty Theme
For my next strand within the title 'meeting of elements' I've decided to take an American Beauty theme. With the red brightly coloured petals surrounding a model, the meeting of the petals with the water shall create a vast contrast with the delicate surroundings. The American Beauty theme is supposed to represent passion and love: of a girl becoming a woman and the loss of innocence.The photographs from the film are very glamourous and bright, I hope to achieve this in my own work. For my photographs I need to pick a model that is glamourous to convey the correct image. I plan to do a set of photos opposite yet similar to this theme by using white petals and a more 'innocent' looking model.
American Beauty - Photograph analysis
Within this photograph one main meaning is conveyed of going from pure, innocence to passion and depth. The photograph shows a woman lying in a bath. The bath is filled with red rose petals. The rose petals could symbolise both love and sex. The colour red is usually associated with danger and energy. The woman in the bath could represent girls going from childhood to adult hood; in metaphor as they convert from the white rose to the red: this is what I have conveyed within my work. Therefore my work relates directly to the film American Beauty.
American Beauty - Digital Response
For my response to American Beauty I decided to place my model on a bed and cover her in white roses. I decided to use white roses instead of the original red roses which are associated with American Beauty, because I wanted the model to represent purity and innocence as opposed to being passionate and seductive. I believe the photographs worked well and conveyed the message I wanted them to. Because I edited them into black and white the roses are more noticeable and contrasting showing the 'Beauty.' To develop this idea I would consider doing a model in a bath of red roses to make the American Beauty theme obvious and definite.
Final Selection
Out of this set of photographs, I think that the ones below were the best ones. They conveyed the correct message which was the opposite to American Beauty: pure and white. These photographs consist of white roses showing the meeting of elements also the experience of being pure and innocent. These photographs are detailed in the best possible way making it a successful outcome. I did prefer the coloured pictures over all because they made the image I was trying to get across better because she looked more innocent and pure against the cream rug and white flowers. Therefore my next set of photographs shall be in colour rather than black and white.
American Beauty - Development
For my development of my theme 'American Beauty' I have decided to use the theme of flowers again but to take a different approach. Instead of using red flowers I used white, to represent purity and innocence. Because my previous set of photographs seemed more frisky and rebellious I decided to make a contrast. I dressed my model in a white top and skirt, the skirt was almost knee length to make sure she looked 'pure'. I used neutral make up on her to suggest being young and innocent. I believe my model conveyed the idea I wanted to. The white roses in the photographs add colour by standing out against the model's hair and the back round. I decided to edit my photographs into black and white, because the photographs appeared more defined and eye capturing. Over all, I am happy with my outcome.
Below is a few from my set of photographs. They are un edited and I haven't specifically selected them because I want to edit them. The second set of photographs are the ones I have specifically selected. They have been edited for refinement. I am very happy with my outcome because I believe it portrays my theme of American Beauty very clearly.
Below is a few from my set of photographs. They are un edited and I haven't specifically selected them because I want to edit them. The second set of photographs are the ones I have specifically selected. They have been edited for refinement. I am very happy with my outcome because I believe it portrays my theme of American Beauty very clearly.
Edited Photographs - American Beauty
The photographs below are the photos I thought were the best out of the set. I edited the photographs, by enhancing colour and air brushing. I believe the editing has made the photographs glamourous through the bright red petals and dramatic makeup which clearly shows the theme. I am very happy with my edited photographs.
Final Outcome and Evaluation.
For my final outcome I selected one photograph from my American Beauty series and edited it so that it was a flawless photograph. I decided to pick this photo because it demonstrates my photography skills by capturing the models face before she went under water. It also shows beauty. Because her eyes are closed and the petals are around her, her features are emphasised and she appears more colourful and bright. I believe this photograph shows my ideas all being pulled together as it consists of flowers and a model: meeting of elements. Meeting of elements is also shown as the models skin is touching water, as are the petals which can relate to my other initial idea of putting substances in water. Over all, I am very pleased with my outcome because it shows the type of photography I like: glamourous and glitzy, yet it also conveys the message of going from purity to passion and thus relating to my theme of American Beauty.
I mounted this photograph onto foam board at a size of A2. I think it works well because the colours are bright and defined. However, to improve this I could have thought about getting the photograph on perhaps A1 rather than A2 as I think it would appear both more eye capturing and it may convey the image clearer. However I am still pleased with my final piece!
I mounted this photograph onto foam board at a size of A2. I think it works well because the colours are bright and defined. However, to improve this I could have thought about getting the photograph on perhaps A1 rather than A2 as I think it would appear both more eye capturing and it may convey the image clearer. However I am still pleased with my final piece!