Work Diary - Studio Form

Evaluation

We were asked to use the studio to take pictures of the formal element form, using people. I originally done this and failed miserably as I used two lights during my shoot which allowed no room for shadows to occur; everything was just bright. I also took photos that had wasted space as the end of the backdrop was visible, meaning that the background wasn't all one colour; it was evident that I was in a studio. Furthermore, another reason that contributed to my poor quality photography was the fact that I took photos of legs and feet and clothes. These do not show form in the slightest, especially with two lights shining. Therefore, I decided to completely reshoot this topic, and the outcome second time around was much more successful. I used just one light to ensure that shadows were being produced, and focused on people's faces rather than their legs and feet.

This one of Josh was my favourite photograph from the shoot. His laughing pose was natural and the angle that his head was positioned portrayed his 3D nature. The section that the light is shining on made the front of his face clear and bright whereas the side of his face involves a lot more shadow as there's no light beaming from this direction. Form is illustrated effectively through this picture. This was also taken in my second shoot, success.

This was a photograph that I captured during my first attempt of 'studio form'. The failure of this session is leaking through this picture. Seen as though I was using two lights, unaware of the effect it had on the shadow, it meant that I struggled incredibly with trying to find any form of shadow anywhere. Even though there is shadow in this picture, it is extremely vague. The difference in the quality of this picture and the one above is evident, incredibly. 

Progression

In order to progress the quality of my studio form photographs, I would next time gather more models to take pictures of so that I had an assortment of different pictures. I would also experiment with completely different angles, like from the back with their head turned towards the camera perhaps. This would allow me to have different kinds of studio form photographs, meaning more originality and more variety. In future, I may also take pictures of different features other than a persons face, just so long as I remembered to use two lights instead of one. 

Online Portfolio - Top 20 Photographs

Work Diary - Back of Head Portraiture - Location

Evaluation

Taking photographs of people's heads on location was a lot more difficult than when I was in the studio. We were asked to put the camera in a setting that allowed us to blur the background of our subject. This task sadly was a lot more challenging than it seems. It took me multiple attempts at trying to correct this which meant that I ended up with a lot of pictures that all looked identical. The perks of taking pictures of the back of people's heads on location however was the variety of backgrounds that I was able to choose from. My favourite one was the brick wall, which I have presented  below as being one of my more successful pieces of photography.

Positioning Frankie to the left side of this frame was a success in my eyes. Doing this enabled me to capture the different shades and tones of colour in the brick wall. If I'd have placed her in the middle of my frame, the background wouldn't have been as effective as it would've been wasted. Her light hair bounces off of the backdrop and each strand is visible, meaning that this was an appropriate background to locate her in front of. I also succeeded at blurring the background in this picture.

This photograph of Josh however was an overall disaster. I have placed his head on the left side of the frame to, once again, show more of the background, however there isn't much to show really. The background I chose was random and ineffective as you're able to see inside the tinted glass along with seeing the reflection. This meant that the background had  jumbled up features and therefore holds no photographical purpose. Furthermore, the white beam on the glass is being overlapped by Joshes head. It interrupts with the subject, so spoils my photograph.

Progression

If I were to further the quality of my photographs, I would change the location to one that had more than just a flat background like a brick wall and glass window. I'd locate my subject in a 3D area for example a lake or the woods which would both exhale different vibes. The lake would represent peace and tranquility whilst the woods would represent spookiness and mystery. I'd also attempt to perfect the blur of my background to ensure I had a collection of decent photographs. Below I have demonstrated three examples of the kind of pictures that inspire me. I'd like to take photographs that look just as professional as the ones below. I also believe that the hairstyles and clothing contribute to the quality of a picture so if I were to reshoot this topic I'd improve all of the features that I've identified. 

Work Diary - Back of Head Portraiture

Evaluation

Taking pictures that covered 'back of head portraiture' was really enjoyable on Monday's photography session. Using the studio allowed me to capture pictures with a vareiety of coloured backdrops. I was able to change the background to suit the hair colour of my model. Josh and George were both wearing dark clothes along with having dark hair so they looked best infront of the white and pink backdrops. Frankie was wearing a pink top so looked best infront of the white and black backdrops. It was a challenge to constantly be changing the height of the lights to match the height of the model but this is an unavoidable situation. Although I found taking pictures of the back of someone's head against different backdrops to be entertaining, I found taking the same style of pictures to be quite repetetive and I wasn't able to be very creative. I think that a fancy hair style and outfit would jazz this up.

This photograph was one of my favourites. My reasons for this are that the bright pink backdrop was a colour that allowed the subject in this picture to stand out. Josh's dark hair and jacket compliment well with the candy coloured pink as it reduces the brightness of this picture. If josh was wearing light clothes, too much would be going on in this picture. I felt that the pink backdrop was the most effective out of the three that I used: pink, white and black.

This was another one of my favourite pictures. This is the opposite to the photograph above, as Frankie has light hair with a bright top against a dark backdrop. Her top would have blended in with the pink backdrop, hence why I modelled her infront of this one. I made sure that there was no wasted space in the left side of the frame to ensure that this picture was as effective as it could be. The only thing I dislike in this picture is the black backdrop not being a block of colour. From where I have raised the level of brightness in this picture it meant that the background brightened too, creating light and dark shades in the backdrop. There is also an evident crease in the backdrop which spoils the quality of this photograph.

Progression

Altering the backdrops in the photographs on Monday's session was really enjoyable for me. I would like to experiment with a range of different colours in future for example, the blue one, the orange one etc. I feel that having a bright backdrop means that the photo will stand out no matter what the subject is. Colour always attracts the audience. If I were to make this topic escalate further I would also like to try out different hair styles on the models that I use; my favourite hairstyle is a plait running down the back of the subject. Furthermore, having several heads in a photo could be effective and this would be something that I'd attempt if I were to reshoot this topic. An example of two heads has  been demonstrated in my location progression. Something else that inspires me would be to dress the subject of the picture in a fancy head piece or scarf to give my photographs more interesting features. The pictures that inspire me have been included below.

Straight Images - Photojoiner

Studio Form Shoot 2 - Improved

Straight Images - Back of Head Portraiture - Location

Photographer Research - Solve Sundsbo

Solve Sundsbo

Why I've chosen him 

The reason that I have chosen Solve to be a member of my photographer research is because his pictures focus on a single model with a key feature for example, the yellow and orange dresses below, and the red afro. These are pictures that inspire me for my future photographs because I want to capture pictures of fancy elegant characters in crazy outfits or just one colour outfit. Moreover, colour is my favourite formal element and a lot of it is used in Solve's photography. 

Biography

His bizarre, cleverly manipulated images have made him fashion photography's hottest new star. When fashion photographer Solve Sundsbo started his career, for a while it seemed as though he would get no further than the dole queue. "People would say to me, 'I'm not sure I can hire you, I'm not sure what you're doing. What is your style?' I was mortified and thought I was never going to make a living as a photographer." Norwegian fashion photographer and filmmaker Solve Sundsbo infuses his imagery with sharp, otherworldly concepts and experimental techniques, including x-rays, 3-D printing and pyrotechnic and smoke effects. He arrived in London in 1995 to pursue a short course in photography at the London College of Printing and became a photography assistant for acclaimed experimental image-maker Nick Knight. That pivotal role and Knight's mentorship, which spanned four years, helped Sundsbo become a highly decorated fashion photographer in his own right. Voted best newcomer at the International Festival of Fashion in Hyeres, France, in 1999, his editorials have also featured in publications like Love magazine, i-D Vogue China, Interview, Numero, and Dazed and Confused. His advertising campaign clients include Gucci, Chanel, Hermes, H&M, and Yves Saint Laurent.

This photograph could perhaps represent nature and the simple beauty that it brings. This woman looks as though she's dressed as a human yellow flower with petals blowing in the wind. Her large dark afro could represent the pollen section of the flower. Costume has been used in this picture to allow me to gather this assumption. The white background contributes to the natural effect that this photo has rather than a black background which would create a bold feel. This photo inspires me to dress any future models in just one colour with a plain background so that the viewer doesn't get too distracted when looking at the photograph.

Here in this photograph it may look like the woman's orange dress is the only form of colour in this picture, but this is not the case. It brings a pop of life to the picture and would perhaps look more effective if everything else was in black and white. Nevertheless, the models slim figure compliments the tall heels and neon orange attire which creates an interesting piece of photography. Her pose looks almost intimidating as it's evident that she is a confident individual rather than a shy timid one. The accessory on her head is extremely bizarre, but this is a key feature of Solve's photographs. It's similar to an Elizabethan Collar that some dogs are required to wear.

I like the concept of this photo. A lot of light tones have been included in this picture along with one section of colour. The girls afro is clearly the main attraction and subject in this picture because it's the only thing that has a bright colour. This photograph could perhaps be used to advertise a hair colouring product. The fact that she is leaning across a table demonstrates her vulnerability and weakness. If she was to be seen as a confident individual like the woman in the picture above, she'd have been standing in a confident independent pose.

This photograph is different to the others. It does't involve a light backdrop with a sophisticated woman dressed in glamorous and fancy attire. This picture instead involves an open mouth breathing a fog of smoke which will give the viewer the impression that the model is a smoker or simply a woman who enjoys taking drugs, which isn't a positive message to give through photographs in my opinion. Even though the message of this picture may not be so clear, it doesn't change the fact that I admire the rosy red lips as being a focal point. This inspires me to (if I were going to photograph mouths) focus on different expression through the mouth; a smile, an angry expression, a moody expression or an upset one. There's all sorts of reactions that could be portrayed through a mouth and this picture inspires me to attempt that, perhaps in a multiple imagery.

How he's influenced me

Solve Sundsbo is extremely influential to me because his pictures don't actually look as though they take too long to create. He doesn't have a set up, all he focuses on is a model as the subject of the photograph. Most of his photography consists of models only with a key aspect of the picture e.g. the third picture I've selected includes the colour white, and only her hair is the colourful feature. This emphasises the colour which is what I like. If I were to use Solve as an inspiration for my project then I'd aspire to cover one of my photographs in just one colour to stick to a theme, and have another colour stand out amongst the photograph. Costume is used in the 1st picture that I've selected to produce a picture that looks like a human coming out of a bright yellow fluttery flower. His photography could be classed as simplistic, which inspires me to create my own simplistic pictures. However, after studying 5 photographers from my research log, I have to admit that Solve's photography is my least favourite when compared to the other four because his work is less creative.

This was a computer experiment/print technique of mine that I edited in a way that I was influenced by Solve Sundsbo. His third image I included in my photographer research was all in white except for the hair. In my picture I have left Rosie's lips red, but discretely. It's a subtle colour and I think worked slightly well, however I am going to retake this kind of image to attempt an improvement.

This is the example of my improvement. I took this image for one of my multiple imageries along with my Mapplethorpe improvements. I told the model to wear something white of light grey so that it would blend in with the background and her long dark hair would be the focal point. Solve influenced this portrait picture of mine because I wanted there to be a main colour of my photo, and in this case that is Anika's hair. 

Solve has definitely been my main inspiration for this project. His photograph of the plump dark red lips with the smoke influenced me to focus one of my multiple imageries on lips. I told Danielle to wear red lipstick and asked her to model every action in this multiple imagery. This was my favourite multiple imagery and it was one inspired by this photographer.

Summary

Solve Sundsbo strived to achieve his career in the fashion photography industry, and with help from a fellow photographer he captured this dream of his. His photography is unique and most definitely creative, but comes across as though it contains less effort than other photographers that I have included in my research. His photography contains mostly one subject in nearly all of his pictures with something that tends to stand out in all of them. This is exaggerated by a different colour or different shade. 

Straight Images - Back Of Head Portraiture

Image Bank - Back Of Head Portraiture

All of these images below portray 'back of head portraiture'. They all have a backdrop/background that fits the feel of the picture for example, the man in the cap is clearly standing infront of a train track wich could hint at suicide. It's a photograph that exhales a lot of impact on the audience and creates quite a negative mood. Not one of these pictures is of just a head infront of a plain backdrop. Each pictures tells a story and that's what I like about photography. They all have separate meanings, yet all cover the same topic no matter how different they may be from each other.

A popular reaction that could be created through this picture is "that's soooooooo cute". The miniature cat contributes to this popular reaction. It's head is at an angle nearly identical to the girl's. This portrays a close bond and trustworthy friendship between the girl and the cat. The colours in this photograph look vintage which is what I really like, so the white background compliments the subject.

From this photo it is evident that the subject is at a wedding, in a wedding dress with a hair style that probably took hours to create. The wedding scene is portrayed through the floral blur in the back groud. Most of this picture is white and refreshing which is the stereotype of a white wedding. It's an extremely pretty picture, but could be improved by the woman being more in the centre standing at less of a twisted angle.

The setting that this woman is surrounded by is established in this picture. It isn't only a photograph of the back of her head, but also the fact that the viewer can see that she's in the middle of a field with the sun shining down on her perhaps hints at it being a warm spring day. Her holding her head illustrates how she may possibly be worn out, nevertheless this picture still looks relaxing and peaceful. 

I love this picture. The sunshine is deonstrated through the different shades of the girls hair. Sun in the middle of a frosted scene is an extreme contradiction, but one that also looks breathtaking. The beanie is an effective accessory in this photograph as it make the woman look warm even though she's in the middle of possibly Antartica. The background that's been used in this picture is extremely photographic and it really captures the viewers attention.

Image Bank - Portraiture Photography

Portraiture is a Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture plugin that eliminates the tedious manual labor of selective masking and pixel-by-pixel treatments to help you achieve excellence in portrait retouching. It intelligently smoothens and removes imperfections while preserving skin texture and other important portrait details such as hair, eyebrows, eyelashes etc. These 6 images  below are perfected examples of portraiture, each model having flawless skin with a brightened effect to enhance the appearance of their facial features.

This photograph includes virtually the same colours throughout, even in the background. These identical colours give this photo a neutral effect and the usually dark shades are brighter through editing.

Cling film has been wrapped around sections of this woman's face and neck which appears to look like water, creating a clever piece of photography. The picture has been lightened to make the cling film look more transparent.

Most of this picture is white, with tiny areas of shading except for the model's eyes and eyebrows. These are the two features which stand out due to the effect that's been used which illuminates her skin.

Areas of this picture have been darkened to exaggerate the formal element form. Her ginger hair pairs nicely with the light shade of teal background. This photograph has edge and character and her eyes look crystal clear.

Definition Post - Portraiture Photography

Portraiture: The art of making a portrait.

Words that can be used to describe 'portraiture':

- Image

- Picture

- Photograph

- Revelation

- Person

- Memory

- Treasure

- Model

- Pose

- Stunning

- Elegant

- Emotion

Four annotated online pictures:

This portrait of Anne Hathaway is simply beautiful and elegant. The light illuminates nearly every feature on her face making her skin a lighter complexion causing it to stand out against her brunette hair and dark background. Anne is looking directly into the eye of the camera making her eyes the focal point in this picture. Her eyes look emotional which matches her having no expression on her face. Her hair is blowing to the side which indicates a fan being used during this picture, therefore the viewer is aware of her being at a photo shoot. She looks stunning in this photograph and her model features are beautifully presented.

This is a portrait of a young girl with hippy style hair. The single plait in her hair portrays her character as being edgey. She is also in the foreground of what the viewer would assume to be a forest as blurred bushes/trees are evident behind her. Her eyes in this picture are crystal clear, again looking into the lens making her connect with the person admiring this picture. The setting she's situated in and the fact that she is wearing nothing on the top half of her body gives the impression that she is a girl who loves the outdoors. This picture is filled with freshness and nature. It's beautifully natural.

This is the one portrait where the model is looking away from the camera. In my opinion, her hair seems to be the focal point. The viewer can just about see her clothing around her shoulders but her face is the main subject in this picture. Her eyes focusing on something other than the camera perhaps means that the photographers intention was not for the audience to feel a connection towards the female modelling. Her brunette hair and natural make up makes her character seem down to earth. She looks quite timid in this picture from the way she's wrapping something around her for maybe protection. An effect has been used on this photograph which brightens up her facial features.

Emma Watson looks as though she is wearing minimal make up here in this picture yet her face and hair style looks absolutely beautiful. Natural beauty is being presented in this photograph which is extremely admirable. The brightness and lighting in this photo are tools that enhance Emma's beauty. Her being against a white background demonstrates purity and freshness whereas a dark background would suggest boldness and confidence. Emma looks like a fairy in this picture and the white material on her right shoulder exaggerates this impression the viewer may get.

My definition of 'Portraiture': A photograph presenting a character's facial features as being the focal points through increased brightness and lighting.