After receiving feedback regarding my images from a various audience, people chose two images that I did not at first consider worthy to be in my 'Top Six'. These are the following below, and it is worth noting that both images had extensive HDR editing using the software on my laptop, and also received slight photoshop work regarding the contrast and saturation.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97258549@N04/9259792907/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97258549@N04/9259792579/in/photostream/
From audience feedback, these images look the most visually appealing and sinister. Again, the two image qualities I have been looking to produce in my work. They especially like the image of the villain in the lift, and many audience members did not notice the figure in the back at first. The reflection in the glass blocks some of the visibility of the villain, thus causing the victim to be more or less in focus. The pot of basil, signifying murder, is still in both shots. A flash-head was used to make more light, thus making more detail.
Thursday, 11 July 2013
Evaluation
Evaluation
In this project I attempted to create a image for a burglary awareness campaign that also had a hint of natural beauty with it. An image that was kind to the eye but not necessarily to the mind. It was to be a brutal, sinister image that raised awareness to the audience that not necessarily everyone in the world is sane, and you need to shield away yourselves and your property from them. My original plan was to use tungsten in the images, however after trying out flash still in a dark environment I found the image still looked as equally sinister but also more detailed, and at a higher quality. Different ideas came to light following every single test shoot, and eventually we decided to branch outside of the studio and into the outdoors. What I would like to do from this onwards is to attempt to create a similar out of the ordinary image that is both striking, shocking but at the same time visually appealing to the audience. From the initial proposal, I have developed more ideas over the weeks that I have been producing test shots. During the outdoor takes, there was no plan involved as we were just going to cruise around looking for appropriate places to take the images. We found a fire escape at the back of a building, and decided to take some shoots there. We also took some on a sofa, the main entrance of college and near a lift. Judging by audience feedback, the images taken at both the fire escape and the lift were excellently composed and well taken. A sinister figure lurking around a dead person in different areas sets a daunting image on the viewer.
Thursday, 4 July 2013
Top Two
Top Two Images
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97258549@N04/sets/72157634476172713
These two were the images I personally chose best out of all my work during this project. Looking back at Duane Michals' images posted earlier, again there is a sinister figure lurking around an extremely vulnerable person. The body language of my villain is as equally spooky to the hooded figure in Michals' work, and my victim is as equally as vulnerable as the girl in the images. There was never really a mention that my victim was dead, it was up to the audience to imagine.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97258549@N04/sets/72157634476172713
These two were the images I personally chose best out of all my work during this project. Looking back at Duane Michals' images posted earlier, again there is a sinister figure lurking around an extremely vulnerable person. The body language of my villain is as equally spooky to the hooded figure in Michals' work, and my victim is as equally as vulnerable as the girl in the images. There was never really a mention that my victim was dead, it was up to the audience to imagine.
Final Six
These are my final six images
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97258549@N04/sets/72157634482501304
I chose these images purely as they were the best composed and most highly detailed shots of the set. Out of about thirty various images taken, these six were both given high praise from both myself and others, and did receive more verbal feedback regarding the visual qualities, which was what I was after.
Top Two Images
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97258549@N04/sets/72157634476172713
These were the top few images I chose that work well. Again, the chiaroscuro effect works well in my favour casting a sinister mood over the audience. The victim and the villain are clearly distinguished from the make up. We also added a pot of basil into the image. In Renaissance paintings, objects were placed into images by artists to send a message to the audience. In these times, a pot of basil signified murder. Although most things seem to have worked, what didn't work as well was the use of tungsten. I find flash worked a lot better, and the sinister qualities still seemed to remain in the image.
Post Processing
For all images used, a minimal amount of photoshop was used. I tend to use a program software on my laptop 'Windows Live Photo Editor'. I have used this software in the majority of my work over the past two years, and used this to produce a HDR-style edit. This involved draining the highlights out of the image, and increasing the saturation and contrast at a steady and similar level.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97258549@N04/sets/72157634482501304
I chose these images purely as they were the best composed and most highly detailed shots of the set. Out of about thirty various images taken, these six were both given high praise from both myself and others, and did receive more verbal feedback regarding the visual qualities, which was what I was after.
Top Two Images
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97258549@N04/sets/72157634476172713
These were the top few images I chose that work well. Again, the chiaroscuro effect works well in my favour casting a sinister mood over the audience. The victim and the villain are clearly distinguished from the make up. We also added a pot of basil into the image. In Renaissance paintings, objects were placed into images by artists to send a message to the audience. In these times, a pot of basil signified murder. Although most things seem to have worked, what didn't work as well was the use of tungsten. I find flash worked a lot better, and the sinister qualities still seemed to remain in the image.
Post Processing
For all images used, a minimal amount of photoshop was used. I tend to use a program software on my laptop 'Windows Live Photo Editor'. I have used this software in the majority of my work over the past two years, and used this to produce a HDR-style edit. This involved draining the highlights out of the image, and increasing the saturation and contrast at a steady and similar level.
Go Outdoors
After completing my images in the studio, I decided to go outdoors and take similar images using only my Nikon D3000 and a flash-gun. The flash-gun was used to project more light, thus allowing the camera to pick up more detail in the shot. Here is a set from Flickr of my efforts.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97258549@N04/sets/72157634481478568
There wasn't much that I would say 'didn't work' with this practice, as it was more a test bed project. However, one image was produced that I have decided to edit and use as part of my final two images.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97258549@N04/sets/72157634481478568
There wasn't much that I would say 'didn't work' with this practice, as it was more a test bed project. However, one image was produced that I have decided to edit and use as part of my final two images.
Duane Michals
Artist Research- Duane Michals
Duane Michals is an American photographer. Michal's work makes "innovative use of photo-sequences, often incorporating text to examine emotion and philosophy.
This is Michal's image entitled 'The Bogeyman'. It is a series of seven images that tell a story, in a similar manner to the series I would be looking to create. The 'villain' appears out of nowhere and snatches the child away. The villain is clearly distinguished by their outfit, and their body language. If there was a normal man or woman in this image who takes a child away, the viewer may instantly think that may be the child's parent. A ghostly figure in a cloak suggests otherwise, proving how costumes and make-up definitely creates a completely different view towards the audience.
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