THIRD TEST SHOOT

To wrap up my series ready for printing I decided to do one last shoot. For this shoot I had more of an aim than with the others, as I wanted a picture of me and my partner together, as I have selected two photos already one of each of us, I decided we needed a photo together to create a link to the two individual photos of us. I wrote down a list of scenarios I wanted to explore and create so we set aside a morning to try and complete them when the lighting was just how I wanted it.

In the first scenario I wanted us to be together doing something we enjoy together which is brushing our teeth. So we set the camera up in a few different ways and here are the results:

Clean

Mint

The first photo 'Clean' I took inspiration from my initial portrait research as they took a photo in a mirror together and it really worked. In the photo it still felt candid even though it was making you aware the camera was involved. So I tried to make that idea my own. I quite like it, I like the framing and the lighting a lot. I still feel it appears candid without the camera intruding on the intimacy. My only negative is that the mirror was still fogged up so it isn't as clear as I would have liked, but I could avoid this next time by waiting until it was clear. The second photo 'Mint' is probably my favourite. After me and my partner brush our teeth we like to kiss, it's something we have always done and just feels intimate. Again I can appreciate the lighting and framing, although I would like to possibly straighten the image as the camera was balancing on a towel rail. 

In my second scenario I wanted to capture our intimacy skin to skin without it being sexual. We enjoy just holding each other and it feeling so special without any sexual connotations to any of it. I wanted to try and see how we could create this by experimenting. Here are the results:

Touch

Stripe

Minute 

With the photo 'Touch' I wanted to capture the feeling of skin on skin when we lay together, it's such a relaxing and safe feeling. However when I first started this process I didn't want any of our tattoos being in the photos as I feel it directs the focus to them instead of the photo. Thus I am disappointed in the way I framed that on that image and should have taken more time to set the framing up right. The second image 'Stripe' I really like, I feel the exposure is just right and I enjoy the framing as it is very central but doesn't give away our faces. Even though all these pictures are set up, I still feel they appear candid. As for the last photo I thought it would be nice if we had a little more of our faces in, again I can appreciate the exposure, however the back drop I don't enjoy as much because I had to zoom out to get our faces in, and then allowing my chest of draws in shot. But maybe that is something I can adjust in PhotoShop or work on in the future with my framing. 

I hope you enjoy. Thank you. 

DIGITAL VS ANALOGUE

As my portrait collection is coming to a close with one more shoot left, I still have many unanswered questions in my head and creative avenues not explored. My initial portrait research was all shot on an analogue camera, and that was what attracted me to the collection in the first place, the texture of the photos was so rich, vibrancy and the saturation was just gorgeous. However, I am quite afraid to use analogue as the uncertainties and lack of control over the photos. I fear that the analogue film is so precious that I cannot simply just take photo after photo, that I have to be thoughtful and construct my image in order to get a good result. In a way this could be a beneficial thing for me, as I can so easily take hundreds of photos without even thinking about it and get only one good result. Yet, my fascination with analogue still plays in the background as I have been taking my portraits. I am very pleased with my results so far, but they lack the texture I want. Talking to some peers today I discussed I was wrapping up my project soon and ready to print, they reminded me of my initial research and showed me some other collections shot on film, and fell in love yet again. A friend of mine encouraged me to finish my last shoot digitally, but also take a little analogue disposable camera and play around with it, then get it developed and see the results. After thinking about this I feel this could be a good idea, even if I do not use the analogue photos in any of my final pictures, at least I would have tried something new.

I hope you enjoy. Thank you.

EXPERIMENTAL SOUND DESIGN

For our experimental sound project, we have been asked to create a soundtrack between 30 seconds to 1 minute inspired by a piece of artwork. We were given 8 to choose from and I decided to choose Francis Bacon's Portrait of Pope Innocent X. I like this piece a lot and enjoy Bacon's work so I thought it would be a good idea for me to choose this. When looking at the piece I decided to think of sounds that I could record and manipulate in Adobe Audition. I created a short list and will add to it as I record this weekend:

• Washing machine 
• Microwave
• Squeaky doors 
• Cupboard doors slamming
• Dog barking

Portrait of Pope Innocent X

I shall record sounds this weekend and start my own Adobe Audition project to start creating my soundtrack. I hope to have a nearly finished piece by the end of the week for a tutorial with James.

I hope you enjoy. Thank you.

EXPERIMENTAL FILM: DIGITAL MATERIALISATION

With a new week comes a new mini experimental film brief. This week it was on digital materialisation and how modern life and technology control us and have changed our lives. In lesson Anne showed us some artists who had created this technique but with analogue film instead, creating double exposures with printers instead of editing software. 

Me and Danielle decided to do this film together and we played around with a few ideas but couldn't quite settle on any. Then Danielle showed me how to glitch photos to create lines across the screen and we started to build on that idea. We took photos next to bright coloured screens and then photos of old technology and glitched them. We then filmed us interacting with the online robot Evie. We recorded her responses to some sentences we typed and then warped the audio. Here are some photos and the processes: 

To do this you have to open the picture into its code, and then start the random process of deleting whatever code you like and re saving the image every time. You then achieve this look, I feel this is definitely something Danielle and I could build on, and we had a lot of fun doing so.

Here is the final film: 

I hope you enjoy. Thank you.

EXPERIMENTAL FILM: TIME

2 weeks ago we were set a mini task to create a short experimental film on the subject of manipulating time. I had so many ideas for this project but not enough time, possibly though I could chose to explore this in more depth and that excites me. I played around initially with the idea of a day in my life starting with me going to bed, and then a dream sequence. However I found that a bit too big a project for 2 weeks. I then thought of using materials to create a pleasing if not calming feel to a film whilst still manipulating and controlling time. This lead me onto my final idea of getting my partner to highlight the features on my face using paint, then start being playful and swirling the paint together all over my face to just create colour. I then reversed it in post production and the result was incredibly satisfying seeing the paint peel off of me.

Initially this idea didn't really have any other deeper meaning that just satisfaction visually whilst still manipulating time, when I showed the final product to the class my feedback was interesting. Some people commented that it could be paying tribute to women accentuating their features with makeup, but instead I used paint to be more creative, or another peer said it could be my partner taking off the mask I show to other people and end up the natural me for him, and lastly another peer commented saying it could be a mask that I put on to society to hide parts of my personality, and the colours being things I would like to cover up, then the video is me removing that at the end of the day and being the true me. I am interested in all of these valid observations, and if I do choose to explore this for my final experimental film piece I shall certainly look into these ideas.

Here is the finished piece:

I hope you enjoy. Thank you.

SECOND TEST SHOOT

After doing some more research I decided to get back into experimenting with my pictures and made a list of things I wanted to capture that me and my partner do. The list includes eating, bathing and brushing our teeth together. I decided to have a little play with bathing and see what I could achieve. I  didn't want to reveal too much of myself so I showered and then laid in the bath tub and took some photos. I staged them to try and look candid and I felt i achieved that. I enjoy the intimacy you feel with these photos without having to reveal too much of my skin. Although I am going to adjust the straightness in Photoshop as the camera was at an angle. Here are the photos:

Time

Giggle

I am pleased with how these images came out, I like the exposure and although the framing could have been better I am still happy. I feel these reflect the fun and silly time me and my partner have together, we never take things too seriously.

More research and pictures to come.
I hope you enjoy. Thank you.

PORTRAIT SERIES RESEARCH II

After getting some feedback in my initial research a peer of mine pointed me to another photographer that had a similar style to what I am wanting to achieve. The photographer is Igor Prorrt. After looking at his website I am hooked by his style. With my previous portrait work on the human form he has opened my eyes to a new perception, colour and style. Throughout his collection called 'Betelgeuse' you see his naked self in various different places and positions as well as landscape and it's so beautifully, you can see how much ownership he takes of his body and when viewing the photos you are reminded subconsciously how natural nudity is. There a few photos of him and his partner that are truly beautiful and some self portraits of his I adore. Here are a few that inspired me:

Betelgeuse II

Betelgeuse VI

Betelgeuse VI

Betelgeuse II

Betelgeuse IV

From looking at these photos I feel a lot of peace. I see safety in his own body and exploration with his partner also.The intimacy with him sharing his body with us too I admire and is something I enjoy seeing people feel confident with their own skin. I adore the lighting too something I am endlessly fascinated with. Especially in the second and third picture they draw me in. I feel I can analyse these photos and see what interpretation I could create with my partner, it has certainly given me a few more ideas to go and explore with.

I hope you enjoy. Thank you.