Purpose of my images

Purpose of my images

The images that i will create will be in the themes and stylings of fine art photography, my intentions are to create scenes in which hold minimal relevance to any other form of photography, except that of location photography, this is due to the fact that removing all thoughts and themes of commercialism, i will have to portray the images in a complex nature that holds true to fine art themes. Intend for my images, although being fine art pieces to also include a comical nature, to intrigue and amuse the viewer, while achieving this i also want to assure that the meaning and stories behind the image are not merely handed on a plate to the viewer but to be worked and investigated for. The images will be for use as exhibition pieces, to be viewed in prestigious and tasteful exhibitions of which holding a quirky and comical nature.

Aswell as for exhibition purposes, i realised that my images could also be used for advertisements, in researching labelling and other aspects of adverts and labels for weed killers and bug repellents, i noticed the trend which remained throughout that of all adverts for bug repellents and weed killers, all holding to images of bugs and greenery, with capital letters, bold fonts, using bold statements and claims portraying their purpose.

Using the above bottle of slug and snail killer as my inspiration i formulated a comical and quirky advertisement from one of my images:

The above is an example of how one of my images can be used for advertisement purposes, showing its flexibility in not just being able to be used for fine art but also for that of advertisement purposes.

Technologies, Materials and Processes Used For Final Shoots

For my location photography i used various materials, techniques and processes in order to accomplish the images i was looking for, 

The materials i used were:

Fences, bushes, trees and forest debris, these natural components are the variables for what i used in order to collaborate my final images, i used these natural scenes and settings, manipulation with resources that i had naturally to hand, adding only what was natural and taking away from the scene in order to create the portrayal of features i.e. removing fence panels to form a mouth and adding leaves for eyes. This was to the full extent of the materials that i used as the shoot was to be kept as natural and primitive as possible.

I also used, during my shoot a pair of branch cutters, i used these in order to have the ability to quite literally chop and change aspects of my image like branches, fences and trees, cutting away and physically modifying aspects of my image to suit my needs.

The technologies i used were:

Camera: I used for the project digital photography, this was due to the fact that all of the images were based on the look, the scene, the image that i was confronted with, to be shooting these scenes using film cameras, meant that i was not able to preview what it was that i was shooting until i had developed the image, meaning that i could have exposed the film, completely unaware that the images i was capturing were not to my specified idea and intentions. I chose to shoot in digital as it meant that i could rely upon my cameras ability, knowing that there was not a chance of light leek or any problems with the film within the camera, allowing for every exposure to be accurate. Lastly i used digital techniques as my intentions following the capturing of the images, i was to be using digital post production techniques, meaning that, for convenience sake, i could quickly and effectively upload the images onto my computer for editing.

Lenses: I used a variation of different lenses in order to adapt to the zoom capabilities that i needed, these options being needed in order to adapt to an array of scenes, ensuring that i can always get in close or far enough away from the scene in order to portray really what it is im seeing. I used 2 lenses for my works an 18 - 55mm and 55-200mm lens, this ensured that i had maximum capabilities of focal length at my disposal, meaning i had the full ability to produce the images to my full potential.
Remote shutter release: I used a remote release, along with a tripod in order to set off the shutter on my camera externally even if i wasn't beside my camera, allowing for an easy, free range of motion.

Tripod: I used a tripod in many of my works as i was setting scenes, some of which required a steady hand and balancing leaves and other objects, i used a tripod so that i was able to operate my camera without having to constantly stand by it, often supporting and adjusting my scene to be captured.

Processes used:
Pre Production: Prior to my shoot i adjusted my camera settings in order to accommodate for all my images, following the same look and feel as the next, i used a high iso along with a custom white balance, only adjusting variables of focus, focal length, aperture and shutter speed within my camera. The fact that i used a uniform iso (ISO - 1000) for all my images, meant that they all achieved a vibrant, harsh, contrasting and noisy look and feel about them.

Post Production: After completion of my shoot, i uploaded my images onto my computer, this was in order to achieve the required finishing touches needed to fully bring my images to their full powerful potential. Using photoshop, for each image i adjusted the contrasts further for each of the images, along with the vibrance, saturation and other complete variables in the look of the image before i began editing individual aspects of my images. Once i was satisfied with the overall aesthetics of the image, i then began to adjust various individual aspects of the image, paying greater attention to individual details within the image. The modifications i made were simple and necessary, only made to ensure that my image was easily read and understood by the viewer. The modifications i made were:
Burning in aspects of the image, darkening the colours and contrasts, this was done to achieve things like a more recognisable moth and eyes.
Dodging parts of the image, lightening and adjusting brightness to individual parts.
Blurring and sharpening different parts of the image, blurring in order to draw attraction from the image and sharpening in order to transfer the attention to another aspect of the image.

Lastly, upon completion of my final images, i printed each image, mounted neatly within a plain black book. I then coated the cover of the book in glue and rolled into the dirt in order to maintain a nitty gritty feel, while still maintaining a professionally, yet quirky feel to the whole project.

My Chosen field of location photography

My chosen style of photography is Fine Art photography;

Fine art photography is imagery in the form of documentation of the ideas and imagination of photographer. Fine art can lay host to many different themes and styles of photography, all holding true to 2 components of the genre:

1) It is the photographers, scene, not a documentation of what is happening like that of photojournalism, but the documenting of exactly what is the photographer wants. Like a painted scene that does not exist, this is the documentation of the painters ideas, an example of a fine artist would be Salvador Dali: Dalis images are all creations of his imagination, impossible scenes in which he has formed based upon his dreams and imagination.

 2) Images of fine art are for the purpose of art and to be used in exhibition, they are not created with the idea of advertisiment, fashion or any other art themes but purely for the purpose of artists wants and for formal display.

'Fine art photography refers to photographs that are created in accordance with the creative vision of the photographer as artist. Fine art photography stands in contrast to photojournalism, which provides visual support for stories, mainly in the print media, and commercial photography, the primary focus of which is to sell products or services.'
Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine_art_photography

Final Images and Artist Comparison

When i began to shoot images for test shots and for the use of final imagery, i quickly realised the complications of my idea, to come across a scene in which a face is mysteriously presented by natural forming and acts of nature, i soon came to the conclusion, after hours of searching and cycling that the forming of these natural portraits could only be effectively achieved by slight, physical alterations on what was already there. In order to achieve this, i had to manipulate my surroundings in order to turn the setting to favour my idea, to assume the effect of a human portrayal. For example:

This image is of a broken fence that i found, already a gaping hole had been broken in the lower of the image and numerous slats had been broke  off the upper of the image, with the supporting wooding running through the middle of the upper hole, the fence already began to assume the role of a face. The image was so close to being complete, yet without the finishing touches i made the fence could not fully portray a face. First i removed a couple more slats from the lower hole and inserted a pointed slat through the wire face in the foreground of the fence to emulate the look of a nose.

In all of the images i have created for the use of my location project, i have made small tweaks and changes to the scene although the majority of the scene is already natural set beforehand. I believe my images are most suited for the use in an exhibition, portrayed as fine art photography. I believe my images desired audiences are of a wide variety due to the inclusion of numerous styles of photography these including: Fine Art, Portraiture, Location, Comical and Landscape styles of photography. I believe this primary shoot went really well and am pleased with the shots that i have acquired, upon the next shoot i will choose a different location, following similar themes and settings, along with the same idea of the portrayal of a face in everything i look at along with different techniques and processes in order to achieve this.

David Shrigley

David Shrigley; an artist of many extravagant talents, Shrigley's works cover a vast array of techniques, materials and processes, Shrigleys main bodies of works include music production, sculpting, illustration and photography. Shrigley's photography work, is all based on location, manipulated natural, simplistic images with the use of small adaptations, like this image:

The original scene in which is set with small, yellow flowers, Shrigley has added a larger, vibrant, tall, strong and powerful red flower; the image is titled Diana, the image represents the beauty that was princess Diana, almost a funny play on a 'rose between 2 thorns scenario. The dominance and 'break the mould' visage of the flower tells a short story of the wonderful life of Princess Diana, the 'beautiful flower', the lives that Diana changed all across the world is obviously very highly regarded by Shrigley and commended as with his very high representation of her.

The inspiration for my images came from the works of Shrigley in which some of his images, Shrigley has incorporated his own stylings to a natural scene, Shrigley has then on adapted the scenes to portray that of human features or personna. The image below is another of my final images, the original setting was a dock leaf plant in which was already naturally formed, i manipulated the dock leaf in order for it to portray a face, to achieve this i tore various holes in the leaf, in order to create a mouth and eyes, along with this a well positioned leaf created the nose of the dock leaf 'face'. While in the lower image, Shrigley has used an already fallen tree in which he has already fallen and been 'attacked' by nature, Shrigley has put the finishing touches upon this image by adding that of eyes, features which are notably human or living characteristics. I chose to use Shrigley's works as my inspiration as all of his images use such great simplicity yet effective, techniques creating an in depth and complex image capturing the viewers fascination.

Preparing for a photographic shoot on location

When performing a location shoot, there are many situations, variables, equipment and other things we need to take into account to ensure that we are fully prepared these things are:

Weather; If the shoot is out in the elements, weather will play a key factor in the success of failure of the shoot, depending on which is intended we need to make sure the weather will be acceptable for the desired outcome. In order to almost 100% assure that the weather will play in our favour, ways in which we can do this is to check the weather forecast beforehand either online, on the TV or from the newspaper. This is still not completely accurate as the weather has been proven to be temperamental and on the day could fail to be whats expected. If bad weather occurs, the photographer can either postpone the shoot if the desired image cannot be created to its full potential in the unexpected situation or the photographer can work with what they've got and still produce the desired result or still even exceed expectations.

Subject; If using a subject or numerous subjects, communication is the most important factor without communication there are many problems that could occur, some of these are;

Availability; Assuring that the subject will be available for the shoot, this can be assured by booking their time well in advance.

Transport; If the subject is unable to travel to the location then provisions need to made in order for the subject to obtain transport to the location.

Communication; If the subject isn't completely clear of everything thats going on, then problem will definitely start to arise. If the subject has no idea as to the style or purpose of the shoot, then they will be very much stuck in understanding what it is you want of them, like what positions to take, clothing, what to wear and how to wear it and if the shoot desires controversial aspects like nudity partial/full, to be grotesque of nature or for the subject to do something which is possible to endanger their safety, problems with co-operation could arise.

Equipment; When shooting on location there are many aspects of equipment issues that need to be taken into account to avoid any unreasonable situations;

Power supply; any equipment in need of an external power supply will call for the need of a generator (which also needs fuel for itself) or any other power supply, this will have to be taken into account. Equipment that relies on the use of a battery pack is far more reasonable and should be prioritised above equipment in need of an external power supply, but this still could pose problems with battery life expectancy, assuring the batteries are fully charged and spares are available can accommodate this event.

If the weather is raining, windy, snowing (wether intentional or unintentional) or any other bad weather occurrences, equipment safety needs to be taken into consideration, this could be the use of batteries to avoid electrical power issues. Protection of equipment from the elements, like a a solid structure to contain equipment, a rain cover/case to 'proof' the equipment. Being sure to have all equipment that could possibly needed at your disposal, taking into account all eventualities, adequate equipment is needed to overcome this for example; if location is darker than expected a flash will be in order, if the shoot requires a self portrait a tripod and remote release could be needed and if lighting is needed away from the camera position i.e.. meters away from the camera like behind the subject, then a remote trigger is needed for the camera to trigger the flash externally. Cargo of equipment; as by now the list of equipment is most likely quite extensive it is imperative for the equipment to arrive in safety, this can usually be easily accomplished by car or if the equipment is well packed and is compact then generally can be carried securely on the photographers person, assuming all the equipment is well concealed in cases and bags. Reliable equipment should only be used, if previous problems with equipment have occurred then equipment should be thoroughly checked and would be recommendable to only use completely reliable equipment.

The Location; depending on the location itself, permission may be needed in order to photograph there without bother from any authorities or owners of the land. Permission can be acquired by either directly asking for the land owners or if unable to directly ask the landowners then contact details can be obtained from the local council or if council owned land then permission can be obtained by contacting them. If the location is within enclosed land i.e. fenced off or within a building then permission is imperative and it may be a case of requesting along with permission, the accompaniment of a key holder to allow you access. Generally permission will be easily obtainable if the landowner is promised copies of the pictures acquired and as long as the land owner is not put out of their way for your gain. Risk assessment is highly important when a subject and equipment are involved with risk assessment the main things to take into consideration are:

Awareness of surroundings in which you are located, this could be a case of equipment safety when using electrical equipment around in a wet environment, if a building is derelict, awareness of rubble, debris, unstable objects that could inhibit safety for your equipment and subject. If the subject involves the the danger of safety for both you, your subject and equipment, then it is crucial that you embark on the shoot at your own risk of yours, your equipments and subjects safety 

Risk assessment is a crucial part to every shoot regardless of its purpose, if anything goes wrong and anyone is injured responsibility will most likely fall into the hands of the photographer.

Contingency plan: If a backup plan is not made then a certainty that can be relied on is in an emergency all will crumble and failure will be inevitable, failing to plan is planning to fail.

Location Compositional Techniques

The rule of thirds; in doing this, the artist is focusing on a 3 x 3 grid of 9 equal sections, in this, the most important elements are to be displayed either on the (imaginary) lines of the grid or within the grid, composing the image with the intentions of maintaining interest throughout the whole of the image. If this rule is followed correctly, the image (dependant on subject matter) will have the ability to be split into 9 separate images and still still maintain interest in each, making the overall image more complex and compelling to look at. Its a technique commonly used, as a rule of thumb but also sometimes not used, dependant on the intentions of the photographer. This technique will also ensure that the overall image composition is good and not wonky or carelessly taken.

From top to bottom third:

1: Sky and sheep

2: Field

3: Boots

The same can be achieved looking at the image from left to right.

A Pattern; is a recurring event, or object often found in art, architecture, science and maths, commonly found visual patterns like in deco can be stripes, dots and zigzags. Patterns are predictable and consistent, usually used for decoration but can be used in more complex ways to compile the whole scenario like in art, patterns can be used as an extra in deco, i.e. borders, they can also be used to link numerous images together, in a series of images, setting a trend by which they all follow and then in pattern within a single image i.e. mirroring within an image and repetition of subject matter.

Pattern: Lines, shapes and circle, mirrored and reproduced numerous times

Rythm; is a principle of composition, this is the trend represented in an image, used to tour the viewer around different aspects of a scene, with elements that connect elements to another, complimenting different aspects of the image and drawing the viewer into the next piece of interest. The rhythm in an image uses aspects that justify other elements of the image, weaving the image together, strengthening the image as a whole by connecting more than one interesting aspect together. This technique is used to maintain interest for the viewer, helping to move the viewers eyes around the image taking the whole image as one by its individual strong points.

Consistent trends(rythm): Mountains and wall throughout image 

Depth of field; is a technique widely used to compose the image in order to change the focus of the viewer around the image, for example; to take the focus off a subject or background and to focus directly on the part of the image desired by the artist. By using this focusing technique, other parts of the image can be ignored or 'pushed to one side' and just to focus on a specific area, while at the same to a shallow depth of focus can be used to add mystery to the image e.g. a subject hiding or neglected and to conceal the identity of a subject.

Top image: Long depth of field

Bottom: Shallow depth of field

Negative Space; This is the space surrounding the subject(s) of an image in which the main focus become the negative space, a space that is distracting the viewers attention from the subject. This could be that a more interesting scene or design, which overpowers the interest towards the subject captures the viewers attention over that of the subject. This is a technique that could be used to tell the story of what is going on around the subject, maybe the subject is infact a passer by of little importance. Although this is a very complex and specific technique that an artist may use, it is not uncommon for this to happen by default, in order to avoid this type of situation the artist has to find a way to promote the subjects importance in the image by ten fold. The negative space will be the area of the image in which the design of the image promotes the viewers interest to be solely on a certain space the place where the viewers interest can rest.

Left image: Negative space = 2 face looking at each other

Right image: Neg space = Vase

Close up; is a compositional technique, usually used for portrait and still life photography, this technique can be used to 'get onto a personal level' with the subject, e.g. to avoid the subject being isolated in the image, keeping the intended main subject, the main subject in the image. This helps avoid unwanted distractions in the image and assures that the subject is fully composed in the frame, close cropped and obviously composed to be the main part of the image. A close up shot would not usually be used for landscape photography as a wider scene is intended and a close up shot is used to display a specified subject on a smaller scale.

Macro: An indepth close up of a lizard/snakes eye drawing in the complete focus of the viewer

Images from:

www.google.co.uk/images,http://z.about.com/d/photography/1/0/O/C/-/-/finalist-shoes-kalue.jpg

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/drake104/architecture/goldsworthy.jpg,http://livinglifefinally.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/depth-of-field-pro-3-1.jpg

http://www.photos4travel.com/wallpaper_stock_images/251106/large/China_Simatai_China.jpg

https://ahsawnm08p2alyssas.wikispaces.com/file/view/Negative_Space.jpg/32550655/Negative_Space.jpg

http://www.potzak.com/v7/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/macro_photo_1.jpg

Location Photographer Research

My chosen outlet for location photography is to focus on artists that manipulate within already present surroundings in order to present and portray their own ideas, the vigour in which these artists pursue is subject for great admiration due to their images strength in complexity, ideas, techniques and processes:

Andy Goldsworthy

A sculptor, photographer and environmentalist, Goldsworthy's site - specific works are a wonder for all to see, mostly so delicate, but at the same time so vast, so carefully considered and often apparently carelessly placed, open and unprotected from the harshness of nature. Goldsworthy works with objects found and natural to the environment in order to create beautiful, awe - inspiring sculptures and images. Goldsworthy's sculptures are massively varied, completely dependant on that of the location that they are placed, in this Goldsworthy also faces the decision in which his hard work is a permanent fixture or a delicate masterpiece, waiting to be savaged by nature. The beauty and imminent, eventualities of Goldsworthy's sculptures 10 folds the viewers emotions, a harsh realisation that life is so short and delicate but very much beautiful.

David Levinthal

Levinthal works with toy miniatures, creating historic and fictional scenes, composed in small scale, but ignorant to the large, surrounding world. Levinthal creates his own locations in which he portrays his scene connecting the model to its surroundings. Levinthal's works, progress and develop constantly throughout his career, working with tiny action figures to dolls, depicting military scenes to explicit scenes of a sexual nature.  Levinthal, very skillfully conjures scenes of any style nature in  which, although it is blatent that the subjects are dolls and made of plastic, the viewer is still enthralled and compelled to stare and investigate the image further, discovering a new depth to the image. As Levinthal's work is on such a close and small scale, meaning the struggles and almost impossible factor of maintaining focus in the right areas and a strong overall clarity.

Ger Van Elk

A location photographer of unsurpassed talents, Elk, uses intriquate techniques in which he manipulates simplistic surroundings in order to persue the idealisms hes looking to present in his image. In most of Elks works, it is not always soley the location or setting of the image, it is about the adaptation, the way that Elk transforms a setting in order to intrigue, fascinate and confuse the viewers. Elks images all derive from an original and almost basic setting but with careful observations, manipulations and with great technicallities and wit Elk's image are transformed in to complex images to admire and confuse. 

In this image by Elk is of a road with a passing car, the crack in the road has fish head portruding from it. The concepts of the image are very complex and can confuse the viewer as to the purpose of this image. To me, the concept of this image is the representation of what it is we are doing and have done to this world, this environment that we inhabit and share with thousands upon thousands of other species in which we have 'set up' base in and taken over due our sheer force over the rest of nature. This representation portrays to me how we've taken over so much of this world, tearing down trees and forests for houses and buildings, inhabitting baron land akready inhabited by numerous other animals but conquering it for our own gain to the filling in of rivers, seas and lakes for excess land. The road cracking is a portrayal in which the lake below or animals below are 'breaking free' reclaiming their environment in which we have claimed as our own, while the passing car is a representation in the destruction we leave behind, without a care in the world and not looking back at our mistakes and what we've done. I have chosen to research Elks works as i feel my work strongly relates to many of his own in which the image revolves around the foreground, while the back ground pulls the story together, shaping fully the scene that Elk has set. All of Elks images follow this style of trends and it is this famed and notable techniqe that has made Elk's works so valued and prestigious.

Footsteps Brief - Project Proposal

Title - Candid Conceptual

Details of Brief

For this project I plan to be investigating candid, location portraiture in all forms; looking at naturally formed portraiture. My intended locations will be on the location in which the  is already based, un-staged and unaltered, the image will be produced in a completely natural form. My inspiration for this comes from nature and street candid styles of photography. I intend to find a mid ground for this in developing images that connect both forms of photography together.

Context 

My conclusion is that I will be producing images to inspire and bewilder the viewer, aiding to development of a new style of photography. In order to create this unique and fresh feel, my intentions are to use complex and out of the ordinary techniques such as framing, timing (spur of the moment, and exposure), clarity and contrasts along with extravagant photoshopping techniques and skills.

Statement of intent

My aim is to produce 8 final images, shot on digital and film, as i intend to maintain a very candid 'spur of the moment' kind of feel, in addition to achieve this, i will be minimally using photoshop.

My prints will be 12" x 14" and presented on matt, black card.

The equipment i will use will be: Nikon D5000/D200, Olympus OM and trip series cameras using Ilford FP4 film, Metz hammerhead flash with remote release and a tripod.

Upon commencing shoots for my location final images, i have come to the conclusion that in order to acquire these shots completely uninterrupted, naturally formed, void of all contact by human nature, the project would surely become too extensive and could take weeks, months or years to produce 8 images of a unique nature. It was upon this conclusion that i decided to instead, to physically manipulate the image but as little as possible, adding nothing to the scene, only rearranging and taking away in order to portray a natural feeling image, still with meaning and the portrayal of human features.
 
My inspiration for this idea comes from:

Philip Lorca DiCorcia

DiCorcia's works sport strong, spontaneous stylings in which DiCorcia works on the basis of completely candid techniques, surprising and shocking the subject and catching them unawares. DiCorcia worked on a series of images in which he set up a camera, flash and tripod on a street corner, photographing passers by when theyre not expecting it, in these numerous portraits, its often a peculiar sight to see the mixtures of people depicted together, like the above image, in what appears to be a business man walking with a 'thug', a gang member, it is an odd thing to see this mix of people, from such vastly different walks of life, depicted in the same scene. The image of the businessman and gang member, also plays quite a humorous stereotypical role-reversal scenario in which it appears that the businessman is stalking the black man, with an uneasy look on his face, its a comical portrayal as typically people are intimidated by gang members and it is usual or a general occurrence that gangs typically stalk and target lonesome people, generally ending in a mugging or attack, its almost imaginable that the businessman's intent is to do this. 


The scenes that DiCorcia creates are completely candid, the reactions of the subject completely spontaneous and un-staged, it is in the style that i want to represent my work, with 'spur of the moment' stylings, my intentions are to recreate the feel of DiCorcia's works but using my own techniques. The images i intend to create will be natural portraiture in all forms, this is predominantly the portrayal of the features of a face depicted in any way possible, for example: A tree trunk, aged weathered and decayed over the years, if depicted correctly to some eyes, this could portray a face. Sticks, broken, thrown about again could there be some features in this? My aim is to create portraits of natural forming, finding facial features in the most unsuspecting scenes, objects and areas.