Final Project Evaluation

We have now reached the end of this project and I am very happy with the work I have produced over the last three months. Looking through my blog, I am amazed at just how much work we have completed and just how my photography skills have developed in such a short time.

I have really enjoyed working on this project as I think it allowed me to see what works best for me. I was able to experiment with the angles and the lighting and find ways to manipulate them in order to take some good photographs. At first, I wasn't too sure about how I should take pictures to show certain formal elements but after a while, I became familiar with the different techniques that I could use. I became much more confident when going out to shoot pictures. I especially enjoy going out on walks because it's different to college campus and there are a lot more things I can photograph. The change of scenery allows me to take photograph of things that have not appeared in my work before. 

Although this project is over, I hope to spend more time in the studio during future projects. I spoke about this in my mid-project evaluation; our time in the studio is very limited because we had to make sure that everyone had a fair amount of time to get their pictures. I used the time we had to change up the lighting or the background so that I could achieve what I was trying to. In the future, I would very much like to use props and make up when in the studio. I think this will be really fun and interesting to work with. I would also like to try and replicate some of Terry Richardson's portraiture work - I really like his work and it would be really fun to look at his best pictures and see if I can use the techniques he uses.

Overall, this project has been exciting and has made me much more optimistic about when it comes to photography; I now know there is so much more to this subject that just going out and photographing things. My photography skills have improved immensely and I can see a big difference between my most recent work and my work from the very beginning of this project. 

Work Diary - Walk One

For this session, we had to go off college campus and photograph the theme of Autumn. This was really fun and I absolutely enjoyed it. I could photograph whatever I wanted and could experiment with scenery outside the college. I didn't really take a lot of pictures at first because this was the first time I could photograph anything I wanted. However, I soon began to take a lot of pictures and I enjoyed experimenting with the different angles and the Autumn colours to get a good selection of pictures. 

Out of all the pictures I took, this one is my favourite. This is because it shows contrast, a sense of journey, colour and the theme of Autumn is emphasised - through both the colour and the leaves. I also like this picture because it gives off a chilly atmosphere, allowing me to feel the cold, crisp air of Autumn. Also, there is a leading line in this picture, almost inviting the viewer on this walk. The end of the path is cut off to create curiosity and a sense of adventure.

On the other hand, this picture wasn't very successful. The building in the background ruins the photograph, preventing the tree from standing out. I think I could have taken the picture at the different angle, one where the building would not be present. I think this picture didn't work out because the branches and the leaves blended in with the building. As the sky was completely white on this day, the tree would have really stood out if I took it at a different angle.

If we could do this session again, I would like to concentrate on leaves - mostly because in Autumn, leaves are falling off everywhere and the variety of colours found in leaves are really interesting. By concentrating on leaves and capturing the different colours, I'll be able to show Autumn through nature and the angles in which I can photograph the leaves are unlimited. 

I will also be able to show contrast while doing this.

Pre-completion Evaluation

As we approach the end of this project, I am beginning to see just how much work we've been doing during these last few months. Photography keeps on getting better and better; I am really enjoying what we are doing and I think I'm caught up with all the work. I am now more confident and know exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. Personally, I enjoy the practical work more than the written work and I think that my photography skills have developed as we progressed with this project.

My favourite bit so far has been the second walk -  I mostly enjoyed it because we could pretty much photograph anything we wanted. The theme was Autumn of course but there was no limit on what we could take pictures of. I found it really fun and it was a good change because we'd normally walk around college to take photographs. I like experimenting with the different angles, I found it really interesting.

I also really enjoy studio work. I enjoy working with the lighting and the different backgrounds to make sure my main focus stands out and is emphasised. However, I think I need to develop my studio work even more. I would very much like to spend more time in the studio so I can experiment even more and come out with a good selection of pictures.

Overall, photography has been amazing and I am enjoying it very much. I can't wait to finish our current product and I look forward to the next one.

Work Diary - Multiple Imagery

For this session, I was a bit confused at first. This seemed a lot like photojoiner and I wasn't sure on how I was going to do this. However, after thinking about it and deciding on what I was going to photograph, it became fairly easy. I tried thinking of things I could photograph which would look exciting when put together on photoshop. It was very fun taking different angles as I had to think about how I was going to put the pictures together and what the best angles would be.

I really like this picture because it almost looks like an illusion. I find it very interesting and fun to look at. I like how the different angles all look fairly similar but they are all extremely different to each other. What I also like about this picture is that it looks like a painting - the silhouette of the tree adds to the excitement this image brings. The angle was chosen well as the sky creates silhouettes, allowing me to create this 'illusion'.

If we did this again, I would like to look at objects and zoom in on them and take pictures of the different parts of the object. I think this will be interesting because it prevents the viewer to see the whole object but yet, they an still imagine it clearly in the heads by putting the pictures together.

Work Diary - Walk Two

I really enjoyed this session because there was no limit on what we had to take photographs of. Of course, our main theme was Autumn but we also took some pictures showing contrast, journey and back of heads. The change of scenery was great because I had the opportunity to photographs completely different objects/scenes rather than the usual college scenes. However, I was holding back at first because I wasn't entirely sure whether I could photograph exactly anything I wanted but as we continued on our walk, I became more confident in what I was supposed to be doing and started taking more and more pictures. I found it interesting to find new ways of photographing scenes or objects.

This picture was successful because it shows contrast, colour and emphasises on the theme of Autumn. The colours are really bright and colourful, bringing life to the picture. It also contrasts with the green grass, making it stand out even more. I like the variety between the colours of the leaves; the contrast between the yellow and brown further shows contrast with the grass and makes the picture more colourful and more attractive. The muddy pathway also shows contrast with the leaves. The angle in which I took the picture shows depth, portraying a sense of journey.

I think this picture could have been better. I could have stood right in front of the stairs and get a better view of it. I should have also used a lower angle in order to really show a sense of journey, by showing the element of depth. I think this was a great photo opportunity; the greenery contrasts with the stairs, making it stay out. It also shows a sense of journey as we can see that the plants have overgrown and starting to cover the stairs - this portrays adventure and suggests that not a lot of people go through this way, highlighting some sort of journey. The muddy leaves on the ground contrasts with the rest of the picture and suggest cold weather conditions - the leaves are also found on the stairs as it goes up, emphasising on how muddy it is.

If we do this session again, I would concentrate more on the orangey colour of Autumn, I think this will really highlight the theme and will automatically make my pictures look more colourful and exciting. It will also give out a cool atmosphere.

I will be able to show depth, allowing me to photograph even more leaves, showing off the orangey colour.

I could show contrast between the orangey colour and the blue sky.

Work Diary - Mapplethorpe (Studio Shoot)

After watching the Mapplethorpe video, I had an idea of what I wanted to achieve. However, this was harder than I thought. Also, the time we had in the studio was limited so I didn't get as much as I would have liked done. I found that facial expressions were a big deal in this particular shoot as they made sure the picture look like Mapplethorpe's work. I had to make sure a bond would be created between my subjects and the viewers because Mapplethorpe's work does exactly that. To do this, I knew I had to capture my subjects in an intimate state. Facial expressions were a great way to do this. It allowed me to choose what feelings my pictures each gave out and how it would create a connection with the viewer.

I quite like this picture because it's very Mapplethorpe like. I like the facial expression because it adds a very promiscuous feeling to the picture, once again, adding to the whole Mapplethorpe theme. It also creates a bond with the viewer through the theme of intimacy that is being portrayed. I used soft lighting for this photograph so that form is also shown as he can see shadows on his jawline and how his jacket blends in with the background. I think the slight red colour in his cheeks further adds to this idea of Mapplethorpe's work; it makes my subject look delicate and graceful. The black background helps to show off his cheeks as the black contrasts massively with the pink. His lips are also a light shade of pink, complimenting his cheeks. The fact that his hair fades into the background and cannot be seen forces the viewer to focus on the face of the main subject, allowing them to create that relationship.

On the other hand, this picture didn't work out very well. The cat ears were cut out and I think a better facial expression could have been used; for example, a more aggressive one as that would have added to the Mapplethorpe theme. I should have made sure that everything was included in the frame. However, Robert Mapplethorpe doesn't use any props in his pictures so this diverted away from the topic we are studying.

If we did this again, I would focus way more on the lighting and on the position of the my subject. I would also like to use two main subjects to show some type of relationship between them. Props will also be a good way to highlight my main subjects.

I could show a intimate relationship between my subjects and use props to bring out a Mapplethorpe theme.

Work Diary - Contrast (Studio Shoot) 2

For this session, I found it simple at first as I used my subjects to show contrast through hair, clothing, size, gender and distance. However, after a while, I found it hard to find new ways to show contrast. I tried experimenting with my subjects by making one sit down and the other one stand up to see what I could work with. I found this hard because I couldn't think of any other way to show contrast and my pictures were all really similar, even to the ones I took in the first studio contrast shoot we did. All I could do was experiment and see what else I could come up with.

I think this picture was successful because contrast is shown very clearly. The hair colours of my two subjects really stand out along with the clothing. The background helps me to show off the contrast between my two subjects, making them both stand out. I like how my two subjects each have completely different styles of fashion, this gives a viewer an idea of their personality and creates a relationship.

On the other hand, this picture wasn't very successful because I didn't put emphasis on the contrast. I could have manipulated the lighting to focus on one particular subject instead of both. Also, there are shadows on the background, which I should have avoided. Despite this, I quite like the facial expressions on my subject's face as this gives a more friendly feel to the picture.

If I had the chance to do this again, I would use props and make up to make my pictures more exciting. I wouldn't focus on the human faces as much but more on other parts of the body or objects. This will be fun to experiment with and it'll be interesting to see what I can come up with.

Work Diary - Contrast 2

In this session, we went out to shoot contrast once again. As we had already done this shoot, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to come up with new ideas. However, I still managed to find new ways to  show contrast. Since I focused more on objects in the first shoot, I tried focusing more on the contrast that can be found in nature for this shoot. I also tried shooting more exciting pictures rather than just showing contrast through colour or size. I think I spent half of this session experimenting with the different ways I could show contrast. I was able to look at how the lighting from the sky would affect my pictures and what I could do to use the lighting in order to show off my pictures. I also experimented with different angles.

This picture is successful because contrast is shown in three different ways between the colour of the shoes. As the colours stand out from each other, a big difference is shown between the white, blue and black. The shoes also contrast with the ground as they stand out. The different colours around the image introduces variety and automatically makes it even more exciting. The element of patterns is also shown in the ground along with repetition. The laces on the shoes also create a pattern and shows contrast between the ground, moreover, the arrangements of the shoes also create another pattern, which adds to the picture and further adds to its excitement. I like how the shoes look brighter than the ground, the white shoes almost look as if they are glowing. This is due to the lighting of the Sun and the angle in which I took the picture, which has benefited me in showing a variety of different elements throughout the photograph.

This picture was not successful because it wasn't clear enough. I was trying to show the difference between land and water, and also show reflection but I did not achieved this. Maybe if I positioned my camera differently, I could have captured this scene better. I could have also taken this picture on a brighter day, when the distinction between the puddle and dry ground would be clearer and easier for me to highlight. Also, the leaves in this picture ruin it as it takes the attention away from what I am trying to achieve. I think that choosing a different angle, where the leaves could be avoided would have been better.

If I could do this again, I would like to use actors. I think this would bring my pictures to life and make it extremely interesting and exciting to look at. I could show contrast through their clothes as they can contrast to the background. Also, I could also show contrast through size.

Work Diary - Mapplethorpe

For this session, I had a good idea of what I wanted my pictures to look like. I wanted to have my subjects facing the camera, only showing part of their face. I was inspired to do this by Robert Mapplethorpe. However, after a while, I soon realised that almost all of my pictures were similar. I didn't know how to make my pictures look different as Mapplethorpe's work all consisted of the same concepts but then I decided to try using different angles and photographing different parts of my subjects' body so my pictures weren't repetitive.

I think this picture was quite successful because the whole frame is used; there is no wasted space. I also like the fact that only half my my subject's face is showing, this relates to Mapplethorpe and automatically makes the picture even more exciting. His face is also blurred a little bit, which further adds to this whole Mapplethorpe theme; it's controversial as the background is sharp and the subject is not, which isn't very common in photography. I also like how the background is a huge contrast to my subject as he is wearing dark clothes. This orange colour makes the photography look brighter and more attractive.

However, this picture didn't turn out as good because the face of the person is not present. This seemed like an interesting idea at first but it didn't work as well as I thought it would have. If I had included my subject's face with an expression, the picture could have been successful. A different angle could also have been used to take this picture, this would have allowed me to portray a Mapplethorpe theme and show the face of my subject. I also think the background and my subject kind of blends in so it very hard for me to show off my subject.

If I had the chance to do this session again, I would work on the facial expression which are on my subject's face. I think that by using certain expressions, I can set particular moods with each picture, giving my work more meaning.

I could show intimacy and create a bond between the viewer and my subjects.

Work Diary - Contrast

This session was very interesting. I was excited to start shooting and see what I could find around college campus. As contrast was found pretty much everywhere, I found this session fairly easy. I wanted to experiment with this element and see how I could manipulate my pictures to make them a bit more exciting. I tried finding ways to separate my main focuses to make the element of contrast even more exaggerated. I found this the best way to show contrast as it's clear to the viewer what I'm trying to separate. This was successful as shown below.

These pictures both have something separating the two different objects/people that I wanted to show contrast between. This makes it clear to the viewer what I'm trying to achieve and puts emphasis on the element of contrast. The theme of opposites is also made clear in these pictures as there is a line in between the objects/subjects showing a clear distinction between them. With my subjects, contrast has been shown through their clothing and facial expression as well as their gender. This is a simple but interesting way of showing contrast and by separating them by the wall in the background, the viewer has no voice but to focus on the differences between the two subjects. The same concept is used with the windows. Not only is contrast shown by one window being closed and one window being open, but the fact that the open window shows light and the closed window is quite dark, this further emphasises on my use of contrast.

On the other hand, this picture didn't turn out as good. I was trying to show contrast between the sizes of the two square-shaped items but this is not clear enough. I think all the buttons, lights, writing and logos on the bigger box stole the attention from what I was trying to show the viewer. If the box had been plain, contrast would have been shown perfectly. I could have used a different angle, for example, a side view of the boxes; this would have avoided all the buttons and writing from distracting the viewer. It would also have been clearer as it would have shown two rectangles in different sizes rather than squares. 

If I could do this session again, I would go further and look at buildings. Contrast can be found everywhere on or in buildings and I would like to experiment with this, to see what I can find and how I can photograph it.

I can show contrast through the use of colour on buildings.

Work Diary - Contrast (Studio Shoot)

For this session, we set up the studio and we began to think of different ways to show contrast. This was harder than I anticipated because it soon became repetitive; I found it hard to find ways of positioning my subjects so contrast is shown clearly. However, we were then told that little changes in position of the subjects such as one of them facing the camera while my other subject has his/her back towards the camera could show contrast. I found that the easiest way to show contrast was through the use of colour. However, I tried challenging myself and avoid this method. Instead, I concentrated on moving my subjects around to find other ways to show contrast.

Out of all the pictures I took, this one is one of my most favourite ones because contrast is shown through several different ways. For example, the clothing and the hair colour of my subjects contrast with each other. The distance between them and the camera also show contrast. However, I should have avoided the shadow that has been created on the red background by one of my subjects, I think this ruins it a little bit. I focused the lighting on my main subject (the one at the front) so that the viewer focuses on her rather than the other one. I also should have blurred the my other subject slightly so that the focus is kept mainly on the girl at the front. This gives the viewer one thing to focus on rather than exploring the picture and getting lost, moving away from noticing the contrast that I am trying to show.

However, I don't think this picture worked out as well because both of my subjects look quite similar. Apart from their height, contrast is not really shown. I could have used a prop to make one of my subjects look different. I could also have asked one of them to lean down a bit more so the height difference is more noticeable. Alternatively, I could have used two subjects with different coloured hair so that contrast is shown even further. I could have picked a better background, maybe one with a lighter colour so that it doesn't distract the viewer from my subjects. If I could take this image again, I would have used a lower angle to further emphasise the difference between the heights of my subjects.

If we had the chance to do this session again, I would focus on using the sky to create contrast, especially sunsets. I would like to experiment with this and see in what way I can capture a scene and use the sky or the sun in the background so contrast is portrayed.

By capturing silhouettes, I think a will be able to show a sharp contrast between the sky and the scene.

Work Diary - Photojoiner

This particular session was confusing yet interesting. Even after it was explained to us how photojoiner works, I was still unsure on how I was going to take photographs of scenes/objects/people in a way that would allow me to then put it together again. However, once I started talking pictures, I soon began to understand the concept of this and the techniques required in this topic. I found it fairly hard to work out how I was going to take pictures of an object/a scene so that it would look interesting when recreated on Photoshop. I still don't think I know how to do this but I think with a bit more practice and experimenting, it will become clear.

I think this picture turned out really good after I recreated it on Photoshop. It shows different angles of the scene and the Sun made some part of the picture darker than the others, which I think made the picture even more exciting, showing the scene on different times during the day. The sky is also in a couple of different colours; they are different shades of blue, which once again, shows the different times during the day and the different weather conditions in that day. I didn't put the pictures back exactly how it is in real life when I edited it on Photoshop because this would have made it boring and less attractive, the way I arranged the images introduces variety.

Although this picture is quite good, I still think it could be better. I should have zoomed in on the features on her face more and focused on one facial picture at a time, this would have given me more pictures to put together in Photoshop, making the picture bigger and more exciting. Also, unlike the picture above, I don't think this should consist of pictures that are dark and light; they should all have the same lighting so that it doesn't look odd.

If I could do this session again, I would take loads more pictures of the same person or object. I think this will give me more ways of putting the picture back together and more choices of how I want the picture to look.

I would like to take pictures of different people so it'd look more interesting and varied when I put the pictures together in Photoshop.

Also, I would like to use a bigger scene and make it look like a fish eye effect like in this picture.

Work Diary - Form (Studio Shoot)

For this session, we were told to go into the studio and shoot form. We were told about how lighting is used for this element in order to show shadows to emphasise the 3-dimensional element of the pictures we were going to take. This was quite easy at first at it was straight forward but after a while, it got repetitive and I eventually ran out of ideas. Most of my pictures consisted of someone standing in front of a black background, the only difference is that they have turned their bodies to face a different direction or that I have photographed a different part of their body. I tried using one or two props but this didn't really work. 

I think this picture is successful because half of my subject cannot be seen due to the shadows I have created. This shows the 3-Dimensional element of my main subject as her back is bright, whereas her front is completely dark. I used soft lighting in order to emphasise on the shadows and thus the form of my subject, this also helped to make her stand out. I like how her hair contrasts with her shirt, it makes his picture even more exciting. 

However, I don't think this picture was successful because no shadows are present so the element of form isn't really put forward. I think that if I maybe moved her body round a bit or used a different angle, form could have been shown. I initially thought that the movement of her hair would somehow show form by creating shadows but this didn't really work out. 

If I had the chance to do this session again, I would like to focus on hands. I think will give me a lot more to do and get my pictures to vary. I could manipulate the person's hands to create shadows and make my pictures look way more interesting. By being able to include different gestures, the pictures won't be repetitive and will all be equally as exciting.

I will be able to experiment with the lighting, thus manipulating the shadows.