My Visual Logbook: November 2016

Experimenting

11:55

After shooting some more landscapes which have a more tropical feel, I attempted to fit my images together to see if they work together coherently. Below are my first attempts. The first image I am really happy with; I think they work together really well and bring together my vision of combining my minimalism with patterns.

I experimented with my newest landscapes, but I am not very happy with how they came out and think I need to re-shoot. I plan to do this this coming weekend. Although they don't work as a three, the two either end although side by side do work together, and my aim is not to produce four sets pf three images, but twelve which all work together.

Ever since I took this image I have always returned to it as a successful shot and I love the composition and the styling together. I was looking for ways for this to still fit into my current work in light of how its progressed since taking it. I went back to the textile designer which I worked with for my other shoots, and used her digital prints and digitally placed it behind the model. This was just an experiment but I'm really happy with how it came out and it works really well alongside my other images.

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Fourth Portrait Shoot

23:23

Today I got to experiment with using the backdrop I printed using a second year Textile students design. For this shoot I cast a model which I hadn't worked with before, I chose her as she matched my aesthetic; she has an edgier look than my previous blonde model which works better.

I really like the way my work is developing at the moment but I can conscious about bringing everything together and being able to achieve 12 final images in the given time. Especially with my moving image still in the ideas stage.

1/160 f/5.6 Canon 5D

This is my personal favourite from the shoot, even though I tried to stay away from pink, the pink top goes really well with the blue in the background and the models complexion.

1/160 f/5.6 Canon 5D

1/160 f/5 Canon 5D

Whenever I shoot portraiture I now always try out a few shots which I could use for still life as studio time is precious; I

1/160 f/5 Canon 5D

I really like the shirt in both the images above and below. It matches the pattern really well and pulls the image together. I can really see my reference images, from House of Hackney, shine through from the styling and use of pattern and colour.

1/160 f/5 Canon 5D

I also experimented with a plain background. I had the tropical leaves in the styling and didn't necessarily need them in the background also, I really like the outcome of this experiment as it maintains a minimalistic feel through my images.

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Third Still life shoot

22:36

Today I shot my third set of still life images. I used the background I used previously as it worked really well and I was really happy with those images. This first image is my best outcome from the shoot. The composition works really well. I think including a model in my still life really brings the product to life and I prefer this to having the bag just on its own.

1/125 f/7.1 ISO 200 Canon 5D III

For styling I used the bag from the previous shoot, and a jumpsuit which I had experimented before but belongs to me. The background and the outfit go together really well, I think its nice how I can see my personality come from within the image, my work is finally starting to reflect me which is something I really want to come through to the viewer.

1/125 f/7.1 ISO 200 Canon 5D III

I need to watch the distance between my background and the subject, It was a struggle because the background was A0, so I was still struggling with how far out I can shoot without dropping off the background, but with my portrait and other images the shadow isn't so prominent and works better.

1/125 f/7.1 ISO 200 Canon 5D III

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Rhianna Ellington Textile Design

12:14

In my crit with Sophie this week I showed my still life images where I was experimenting with the addition of a tropical element into my images, and my upcoming collaboration with a textiles student. She gave me the names of a couple designers who I should have a look at. One being Rhianna Ellington, who's designs have been featured on clothing for Motel Rocks, Kuccia for ASOS, menus for All Bar One, and Accessorises for Sanctuary Studio, and more.

Looking through her lookbook and her clients images of them using her prints, I have found inspiration for shoots my own patterns for this project.

This image immediately stood out to me as it reminded of when Corinne Day shot for Penthouse Magazine in 1997; the yellow of the flowers together with the styling here work really well together and its a good example of choosing a location for a shot really works over shooting in the studio.

I selected this image to show here as I plan to try and link my portraits/still life together with my landscapes with the inclusion of patterns and/or plants included in the composition.

I love the composition of this image, both the model and the guideline for swimmers at the bottom of the pool and each corner works really well to eliminate blank space and pull the focus together and towards the model.

I plan to reference this image within my still life, working with different, more interesting crops and using the model to help enhance the shot, with the focus here being on the skirt and jewellery.

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House of Hackney

17:30

When Ellen saw my images yesterday, in particular this landscape below, She thought of House of Hackney, a British interior and fashion and lifestyle brand reworking traditional for a new generation.

There is such a strong juxtaposition between my incredibly minimal images and the busy, highly patterned shots of their campaigns, that they become similar.

Even though the patterns are busy, the composition itself of them isn't; its very simple, a single sofa, cushion, or even less; in the case of the fourth image, where the shot explores a very simple form of asymmetry. The frame on the wall provides a break and distracts the eye from an otherwise very simple image.

The images never totally lack context, whether it be a model putting context onto the bag or a complete set design.

I really like the crop of this image, similar to that of my still life where the focus is purely on the accessory, rather than the model, who my focus will be on for my portraits.

The A-symmetry in this image compliments the contrasting patterns. I only plan to use one model within my work but I really like the idea of exploring Asymmetry as well as symmetry as seen in Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel.

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Matthew Stone

16:44

Yesterday in my 1 to 1 with Ellen she suggested I looked at the work on Matthew stone, a London born photographer, painter, sculpts and performing artist who is most recognisable for his countless iD covers and content, including his most recognisable below. I hadn't heard of him previously but am familiar with some of the covers he has shot.

Ellen suggested me to research into his practice as a route for how I could potentially develop my work in the studio further; digitally manipulating and distorting my models or doing it by hand instead. I did a similar project during my A level photography which I have shown at the bottom. I cut and stuck everything by hand. Looking back on it now looks very amateur, but the principles are still there.

Ellen showed me both Stone's photography and painting to demonstrate a level of consistency across the mediums. I am fascinated by Stone's paintings; where he first paints strokes in 2D, and then photographs them, then using about 7 different softwares, sculpts 3D figures and selectively applies the strokes to the figures. The final image is digitally printed onto Linen. The final outcomes are totally amazing and incredibly beautiful.

My very amateur A level work

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Second Still life shoot

15:00

Yesterday I was in the studio shooting my second set of still life images. After my first successful shot of the bag with the blue and red background, I wanted to pursue a stronger aesthetic, away from a totally pastel washed image. I chose to photograph against a plain background as well as experimenting with something a little different.

I am really happy with the outcomes of this shoot, the colours on the first image below work really well together and has received positive feedback from my peers. I am also pleased with my test using the patterned background and am looking forward to collaborating with a textiles student to produce some more exciting, vibrant work.

After my 1 to 1 with ellen today I felt really inspired and wanted to try and shoot involving prints someway. I already have ideas to collaborate with a textiles student for a fashion shoot next week, however I wanted try something today, so I used what I had around me and used a pattered jumpsuit as a background and made a flat repeated background in post to create the image below. It is a rough idea of what I hope to achieve next week.

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Tyrone Lebon

23:53

I found Tyrone Lebon's work whilst researching towards my 300 word task on what still life means to me. Lebon has most recently shot the Calvin Klein campaign, which his the main body of work I recognised, but the way he composes his still lives, with a model, especially in these shots for Céline, is something I am looking into including in my work.

Out of all the images from the campaign the one above is my favourite. I am always fascinated to see images where you can see over the edges of the backdrop and the image goes further beyond. The use of strong directional lighting, which I'm assuming is a mix of both ambient and flash, also really emphasises the purpose of the image, which is for the model to feel empowered.

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The Grand Budapest Hotel

16:05

After Ellen Rodger's lecture on Friday and seeing all the different mediums from which she draws inspiration; from video games to films, I made an effort to expand the pool from which I find inspiration. Films was my obvious genre, and Wes Anderson's films in particular are so considered, you could pause the film at any time and it appears as each individual shot was composed as a single still image or painting.

Auteur- A filmmaker whose personal influence and artistic control over a film are so great that the director is regarded as the author.

The aesthetic, full of pinks and blues, the bright purple uniforms of the cast become part of the set. Every single aspect of the film was made with purpose, every graphic, newspaper, map, was authentic and exact. After researching into the film further, I have a much greater appreciation for the production and set up; the graphic designers and camera work; Anderson is a big fan of long tracking shots, he enjoys seeing actors play the scene through and pushing them, building the tension. These may take ten or twenty takes, and each take may need new props, all identical. The tiniest details are present; even those the camera may not see for more than half a second, they help to build an authentic set for the actors and directors to work around.

Andersons signature use of symmetry is present throughout, this article talks about the science behind why we instinctively fall in love with Anderson's films, and the secret is symmetry. We all have an innate reaction to symmetry, from research demonstrating children as young as four months old recognising symmetry, to adults finding someone attractive because they have a symmetrical face.

Symmetry creates a point of interest, adds humour, and makes for a more interesting portrait.

Frame within a frame was another key compositional technique Anderson used to fit more within the small square aspect ratio used in the 1930's based part of the film, using aspect ratio of 1.37:1, the 1960's ratio of 2.35:1 and 1980's 1.85:1 fitting with the current cinematography of the time period.

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My Visual Logbook

Experimenting

Fourth Portrait Shoot

Third Still life shoot

Rhianna Ellington Textile Design

House of Hackney

Matthew Stone

Second Still life shoot

Tyrone Lebon

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Auteur- A filmmaker whose personal influence and artistic control over a film are so great that the director is regarded as the author.

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