Work Record 4

Work Record 4 

Plans for shoot:   Discuss what you planned to do and the resources/techniques you will use.
I want to focus on creating a series of images that relate to the abstract work of Florence Henri using mirrors to create portraitures and experimenting with abstract subjects and framing.

Research influence:
This shoot is mainly influenced by Florence Henri work in which she creates portraits and other images that use mirrors to create and abstract image. 

This photo is good in using mirrors as a framing device in an abstract way. The use of two mirrors makes a simple image of fruit far more complex. The image cuts of parts of the subjects creating a much more complex image. There is also some reflection in the base that an orange which adds another dimension to the image.

The image uses a mirror to frame the subject. Because the camera is at an angle we can't see it. This allows for the frame to only be framing the subject and not distracted by anything else. The subject fits centre frame in the mirror but slightly to the left of the of the actual image. The mirror is put up against a plain background, can't say what colour it is becasue the image is in black and white but we can see that it is just a solid colour, this means that the frame and its contents are undistracted and nothing else becomes takes the focus away.

Contact sheet:

My Best images (target 4 - 6)

Images that require improvement:

The framing on this image is poor and would need to be reshot to be used 

This images framing is incorrect as the subjects head is cut off. Needs to be reshot. 

Camera did not focus either due to being set in manual or it focused on the wrong part of the image. 

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.
My Shoot went well with using mirrors as a way to create a frame, I did not go further enough with creating an abstract frame. I did explore using an abstract subject in the form of long exposure light drawings. Some of images did not turn out well due to difficulty with angling the subject within the frame, some images had some settings that were incorrect causing out of focus shots and poorly framed images. 

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.

With this image I want to explore using curves to edit the image and see how it will effect the reflection. 

Using curves I wanted to make the background much darker and make the reflection much brighter allowing the frame of the mirror to blend in and make the reflection to be more confusing.

To do this I made the blacks blacker and the whites whiter in curves as the background is mostly black and the reflection is mostly white.

For this photo I want to use curves to create a similar effect as I did with the last photo, making the frame bland in with the background and make the reflection stand out more. Then I want to rotate the photo 180 degrees so that it makes the reflection much more confusing relating to my chosen artist. 

Firstly I edited with curves to make the black parts of the photo much darker so that the dark frame blended in with the black background. This made some of the whites whiter so I made the whites a little whiter by just restoring it to its pervious whiteness. 

I then went on to rotate the photo 180 Degrees so that the it looks like a first person photo which creates an a lot more confusing image. 

With this image I want to do a similar edit to what I did for the last by cropping it slightly, making it a little bit darker and the rotating it 180 degrees.

I started first by cropping the edges slightly as the looked messy and where not intended to be part of the photo. 

I then went on to use curves to make the photo a little darker. I made the darks darker and the whites just a little bit more whiter. This made the reflection much clearer. 

I then rotated the image 180 degrees which made the photo look first person and makes the reflection confusing. 

For this photo I mainly just want to use curves to work on contrast making a stronger reflection. 

Making the dark parts of the photo darker allowed for the reflection within the photo to be much stronger. I did make the white parts a little whiter as well as I didn't want the photo to be too dark which is slightly happening in the left side of the photo.

With this photo I was focusing on working with using an experimental subject and using a reflection to show it. I just wanted to start with a simple long exposure rather than applying something more complex. with regards to editing it I only want to work with allowing the photo to blend into the background, for this I would need curves to work on creating a darker image.

I used curves to make the blacks blacker which allowed for the frame to blend more with the background but due to the light being pointed at the frame it is seen in some places. 

AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.
Looking at Florence Henri's work allowed me to focus on using mirrors in an abstract way rather then using them as just ways to create portraiture, it allowed me to focus on making confusing and more complex images and inspired me to focus on using abstract subjects rather than just a person. 

AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements. 

With this photo I think it relates with Florence Henri's work as it uses reflection in an abstract way.  

I believe I have created a strong series of images that relate to the work of Florence Henri and the use of mirrors in an abstract way. Also the use of abstract subjects works well when following the work of Florence Henri. The darkness contrasting with the brighter subject works well in creating a strong and visible frame.

Progression: 
I would like to go on further to explore using the frame in more locations and not focusing on just portariture but focusing more on creating disorentating images using the mirror. 

Work Record 3

Work Record 3

Plans for shoot:   
For my third shoot I want to expand on my first using natural frames to frame the image. Such as windows, doorways and archways. 

Research influence:
nd on my first using natural frames to frame the image. Such as windows, doorways and archways. This shoot will be focusing on the same artists as the first:  John Szarkowski and Eugene Atget. They used framing devices in the urban landscape, using existing elements rather than creating the frame. 

Contact sheet:

My Best images (target 4 - 6)

Images that require improvement:

With this photo I used auto focus which caused the frame to be in focus rather than the subject. For this photo I would just need to reshoot it using manual focus making sure that the background is in focus. 

This photo has the same problem as the last where the frame is in focus rather than the subject. This just requires a reshoot using manual focus.

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.
My intention with this shoot was to continue from my first shoot with regards to create images that used pre-existing frames instead of creating frames. I followed my intentions of using doorways, windows and archways. Following with artists research would require more shoots using people's as the subjects rather than a simple landscape. 

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.
For this shoot I used my cannon 5D, keeping my f. around 5.6 and shutter speed around 1/500 with an ISO of 250. My camera settings worked for this shoot and the most of the photos did not require changes to the settings but some photos did require switching from auto focus to manual focus. This was because the camera would focus on the glass or have trouble focusing because of reflections on the glass, using a manual focus rather than auto helped dramatically with achieving the photos I want and to make sure that my framing devices worked as a frame rather than becoming the subject. 

AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.

For this photo I want to crop out the top part which does not add to the frame and then use levels to make the frame darker allowing a focus on the car.

I started by cropping the top part of the photo out which was a small part of the wall that the window was in. I kept the frame intact by keeping the actual window frame. 

I then moved on to use Levels within photoshop to increase the blacks which were mostly the frame. This allowed for the frame to become much darker which allowed for the subject to be framed much better by removing all distraction that wasn't within the frame. 

With this photo I want to crop out the left side of the image as it is not part of the frame nor subject. Then I want to use levels to create a darker frame to highlight the subject more. 

I started off by using crop in photoshop remove the left side of the image that was out of focus, not part of the frame and not part of the subject.

I then used levels to make the dark parts of the photo darker. This included the frame which soon became mostly black which allowed for complete focus to be on the image

This photo requires the same style of editing as the others. Some cropping is needed to remove the left side of the image as it part of the next window and does not work with frame I am using as a subject. I also want to work with levels to create a similar style as the others, having a dark frame and increase the whites within the frame.

I started off by cropping out the left side of the image. Which allowed for focus on the contents within the frame. 

I then went on to use levels to create a dark frame that allowed for focus on the contents within the frame. I also made the whites whiter allowing for the snow to become brighter which created more of a focus snow and removes focus from the frame. 

AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements. 

With this image I like how the frame breaks up the subject and uses a harsh contrast between the red of the car and black of the frame. The frame being entirely black allows for the subject to be without distraction, it also adds the effect that it was added on in post. 

With this photo works well with its frame but the subject of the photo is too bland and basic but with some progression I could use the same frame with a different subject to create a much more interesting photo.

Progression:

To continue from this shoot I want to use people as the subjects rather than the landscapes, that would link to the artists I have researched and would progress the images further as they currently lack an interesting subject.