Unit 32 Experimental - More Experimental

Unit 32 Experimental - More Experimental

Burning in paper flames

Softness of flowers 

Crown formation with experimentation with milk

 smoke - home experiment

smoke - home experiment

Unit 32 Experimentation with light.

Unit 32 Experimentation with light

Experimenting and Painting With Light.

Painting with light

Unit 31 Planning (PowerPoint Presentation Slides)

Unit 31  Planning (PowerPoint Presentation Slides)

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Unit 31 Specialist Location Photography - S.W.O.T Analysis on The Fashion Shoot.

Unit 31  Specialist Location Photography - S.W.O.T Analysis on The Fashion Shoot.

Fashion Shoots

Commercially  fashion shoots create amazing photographs to display clothing and fashion items in their best light, on location. Normally a full team of assistants are required for styling, make up, hair and lighting to produce the desired effect.

Many fashion shoots are taken on exotic locations. Places such as streets, historical houses, places of natural beauty like forests and in my case for unit 31 Kirkstal Abbey.

The following is a SWOT analysis on my fashion shoot for unit 31.

STRENGTHS   

. Planning had been carried out, permission to photograph had been obtained.

. good communication skills with model and public

. good weather

. patience

. 

WEAKNESS

. Lack of experience in location fashion photography

. people in my shots

. not having enough assistants

. not knowing if the work is good enough ( can't check on the computer screen the final image)

OPPORTUNITIES 

. Enter local competitions

. Display work in exhibitions. If people like it they may use me as their photographer.

. Creating a portfolio of work.To drum up business opportunities and for individual client work.

THREATS

. Bad weather on the day of the shoot

. Public in my shots.

. Not enough TIME for LIGHT OR SHOOTING IN THE ABBEY

. Unreliability of a inexperienced  model 

Unit 31 Specialist Location Images and Evaluation

Unit 31 Specialist Location Images and Evaluation

CONTENTS

1. Aim
.Texture
. mood
. Light
. Composition
. Photoshop
2. Evaluation and Images
3. Conclusions
4. Future Shoots and Problems
5. Research and Inspiration

6. References

1. Aim

My aim for this project was to produce a series of images that could be used in a fashion magazine. The theme was Dark Fashion. I chose Kirkstall Abbey, (one of the most complete examples of a medieval Cistercian Abbey in Britain); as my location because it's historic architecture gave a dramatic backdrop to the shoot.

The characteristics of the model had to match the mood of the shoot so I  chose my model carefully, she had dark hair and highlights that reflected the stone work. 

I wanted to do something different to my first project, landscape photography. I wanted to challenge myself by creating a series of images that told a story for a  fashion magazine that had an editorial feel and style. I wanted the images to feel glamorous and clothes to look expensive.

I wanted to show the clothes and accessories, so they could be advertised, without compromising the image and the backdrop. I also wanted the images to look coherent and consistent, the style I had noticed in magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, In-style, Tattler, Marie Clare etc. 

Although I used the background for creating the mood of the shoot, I didn't want to distract from the model and the clothes and accessories. I tried to provoke emotion of dark glamour, that's why the model is not smiling in the final chosen images.

Texture

I used the stone texture, tones and ambient lighting to my advantage, to create a series of images that flattered the clothes. I tried to have features of interest like the Abbey walls, stone work, gates, windows, fencing, garden surroundings of the Abbey to create interest and mood for the series of images.

Mood

The model was posed to  best advantage the clothes and create the mood. The position of the sunlight was always behind her head or to the side of her. A white reflector was used to bounce light back into her face to  softly smooth out dark shadows under the nose and chin.

Light

I relied on natural sunlight for most of the shoot and a white reflector. I timed the shoot for 3.30 pm onward
( completed at 8 pm). This was the "golden hour" because the light from the sun is of softer quality, there is more detail in the shadows and no harsh light edges.

Light was the most challenging part of the shoot on location, the risk of losing detail in the image was a high. Using a large white reflector at 45 degrees to the model, improved the quality of the images. This is achieved by bouncing light back into the model's face and eliminating shadows under the chin and nose; also ensuring there was a softness to the face..

I used a Nikon DX AF- S NIKKOR 35mm 1.8G lens. The ISO in the images varied from 220 to 400. The depth of field varied between F 3.5 to F 5.6 this was to ensure the model was in focus all the time.
The exposure time varied in accordance with the aperture setting, it varied from 1/60 sec to 1/125 sec.

For most of the images I have used short depth of field, blurring out the background so the model and the clothes was the main focus of the image. I used the neutral camera angle, approximately waist height for most of my shots. I felt it was safe choice and worked well with showing off the clothes.

Styling was very important to create the mood and show the clothes and accessories as a story line for dark glamour. I felt that the abundance of jewellery adds wealth and glitz to the images that are already rich in tone and colour.

Fashion shoots for high end magazines or "stories" can have an enormous budget for clothing, accessories and location! I tried to create an expensive look in a very cost effective way. I borrowed most of the clothes and the Abbey was free to take pictures around.

Model and I did the make up prior to the shoot. The bright red lipstick was the look I wanted and was reapplied when needed. My model was excellent for this project, she was at ease with my direction, confident and changed quickly from one outfit to the next.

Composition

Image composition was mainly, the model posing by standing straight, I felt these poses gave good commercial fashion images. However I have tried to create images that are interesting and evoke emotion with how the model interacts with her surrounds.    

Photoshop 

Editing in Photoshop. I tweaked a few images by cropping them using the crop tool in Photoshop. In most of the images I have used the spot healing brush tool to paint over any imperfections. Levels were changed in all the images to control the contrast, and curves to enhance tonal ranges. In images 9 and 10 I used the Dodge tool to darken areas of the Abbey that were over exposed.

2. Evaluation and Images

Image 1
F  3.5, Exposure Time 1/60 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

Most of the images are shot from the front. In image 1, I wanted the model to make direct eye contact with the camera. I think this captures the viewers attention and the direct eyes "speak" to the viewer and draws you into the image. The emphasis of the image is fixed on the model's face. The gold necklace demands the viewers attention. The soft lighting at the back flowing through the image highlighting the Abbey stone walls complement the gold necklace and hair.   

The model is has had light reflected onto her face, but the image works for me because of the contrast in the way the walls of the Abbey are bouncing with light. The window with the light shining through creates a real interest.

Image 2
F 5, Exposure Time 1/100 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

In Image 2 the sun is at the back of the model and does allow her to open her eyes. The sun creating a rim light that highlights the models hair and shoulders. The catch light in her eyes is created by the use of a reflector ,this improves the sharpness of the image. Even though the hat created shadows onto the models face , using the reflector to bounce light back into her face eliminates these dark shadows.

Image 3
F 3. 5, Exposure Time 1/60 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

I achieved this close up simply by moving the camera position closer to the model. This concentrated the attention on facial features and expression. By excluding other details from the picture the impact of the image is dramatic. The lighting was behind the model and a white reflector was held at 45 degrees to the model. This reflected the light into the models face to avoid harsh shadows and diffuse fine lines.
The image works well to sell the jacket and bracelet.

Image 4
F 5, Exposure Time 1/100 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

Image 4. I was lucky with this shot, because a gust of wind blew my model's shirt. This injected movement and life into the image. The shining through the shirt is also interesting and the pose gives it a real editorial look. Losing part of the shoe is the one thing I could have improved on, but I was in a hurry to catch the movement and not loose the shot!

Image 5
F  4.5, Exposure Time 1/80 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

In image 5 the gold hat created a warm yellow hue on my model's face. I feel it's not my strongest image but I have included it in my final ten because I really like the composition. If I was to repeat this pose again, I would maybe use a different hat, or one that doesn't allow light to filter through on to the models face. Maybe line the hat with white fabric!  In the future I would light her face independently by a flash with a diffuser.

Image 6
F 5.6, Exposure Time 1/125 sec, ISO 220, Focal Length 35 mm

In image 6 I have shown a full length shot of the model to emphasis the models general appearance. The full view of the Abbey was framed to place the shoot in the location. The viewer can appreciate the clothes their monochromatic colour, texture and design. The lighting conditions were better so I caned the ISO level to 220. The depth of field was 5.6, to still to retain the model in focus.

Image 7
F 4, Exposure Time 1/60 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

I really like this image. The sun is behind the model highlighting her hair and I am holding a white reflector to bounce light back into her face to illuminate it. The is a lovely soft image. I also like it because the model is very comfortable and relaxed and is caught unaware. The image still advertises the necklace and dress. 

Image 8
F 5, Exposure Time 1/100 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

Here the light is behind the model. The shadows cast by the hat are reflected by the reflector held at 45 degrees close to the models face. The ring is sold! 

Image 9
F  3.5, Exposure Time 1/60 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

Again the Abbey wall evokes mood and atmosphere. The patchwork of tones, bends, emphasize the textures and sell the bag. The ISO is 400 to compensate for the dark area, but the light on the model's face is perfect.

Image 10
F 5, Exposure Time 1/100 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

For this image I moved to the corner of the Abbey were the stones had a Winters feel. I felt the colours reflected the winter feel of the jacket. The ISO is 400 to compensate for the light conditions but the sharpness of the image is not compromised.
If I was to re-do this image I would change my white balance to shade to improve the skin tones to  appear warmer.

Below are some images that didn't make the final 10, but they were considered.

F 3. 5, Exposure Time 1/60 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

For this look I moved to the dark corners of the Abbey. The area was shaded  so I changed the ISO level to 400. I forgot to check my white balance setting and this is something I will play about with in the future. The appearance of texture gives the viewer additional information about the tactile qualities of the clothes and stone walls. The ambient light, and the reflected light and shadows give contrast between the lit, raised surface areas of the beads on the jacket and the shadows in the hollows, create a three - dimensional illusion to the image. I feel the wide range of tones and the eyes of the model draw the viewer's eye into the image. 

F 5, Exposure Time 1/100 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

I felt this image works well because it has the view of the Abbey, which is out of focus. The shallow depth of field allows the model and the clothes to be in focus. The sun is behind the model, highlighting the rim of the hat and shoulders. A reflector was placed at 45 degrees to bounce light back into her face resulting in a lovely soft light in her eyes.

F 5.6, Exposure Time 1/125 sec, ISO 250, Focal Length 35 mm

In this image diffused light ensures there is no shadows on the models face, and the top of her hair and side of her face have caught the sunlight to create a gentle rim light. 

F 5, Exposure Time 1/100 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

Here I tried to use filters to enhance the image in Photoshop to give a highly glossy final picture. I like the image but have not included it within my final 10 because it is very different and doesn't fit the final series.  

F 5, Exposure Time 1/100 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

 I liked this image because it shows a flash of red! The composition is fun.

Image
F 5.6, Exposure Time 1/125 sec, ISO 400, Focal Length 35 mm

Bu using the arch in the Abbey to frame my model, unwanted detail was removed and focuses the attention to the clothes and model. I like this image because it's not perfect. The light is causing irregularities on her trousers and left side of her face. But the framing works to focus the attention of the viewer and leads them into the image. However I did not include this in my final ten series because it is too much of a controversial choice. some people may find the light interesting, others may fine the light irritating! 

3. Conclusion

In conclusion I felt my project went well and I am happy with 6 out of the 10 images that I have submitted.

Advance planning was essential for this project. I am glad I obtained permission form the Abbey and took plenty of pictures prior the final shoot to look for areas of interest and how the light was around the venue.

I am glad I could use the reflector but was frustrated I was unable to use the flash with the reflector due to lack of assistance. This is something I would improve on in the future.

I used a Nikon D X AF - S NIKKOR 35 mm 1.8 G lens for all of the shoot. I had to use this lens because I was also holding the reflector to bounce light into the models face. for this reason I was unable to use the telescopic lens. Hopefully in the future I would like to develop the project with different lens for improve creativity.

ISO was 400 for most of the images because the light was fading and the dark walls of the Abbey absorbed a lot of the light. However the level of noise in the images and overall colour and detailed are of an acceptable standard.
In the future I would like to develop my camera skills by playing with ISO values and white balance issues that may arise on a project like this.

4. Future shoots and Problems

If I was to do this shoot again I would like to use a soft box or a beauty dish with it's own portable power supply, so l could control the lighting on the models face. The other alternative to use a powerful flash with reflector ( to reflect the light on to models face), I will try this next time with an extra assistant.

I would have liked to shoot in the Abbey for longer, we go there at 3.30 pm and it closed at 4.40 pm.

The interior location of the Abbey was full of people, I wished we could have used it when it was closed to the public! The shoot was made difficult because odd people kept wondering in and out of the shots.

I definitely could have done with a stylist and helpers to hold reflectors etc. If I was being paid for a shoot I would factor this into the cost.

I would in the future, experiment with white balance setting to achieve a warmer tones in some of my images.

I did take my tripod with me to the shoot, and carried it around. Unfortunately I had no need to use it on this occasion because I didn't use high shutter speeds and there was no risk of camera shake. However I really like image 4, I would like to develop this project by having more movement of clothes and model and may use a tripod then.

If I was to do this project again I would shoot in raw, so I had complete control of the image!
I could correct the image afterwards in Photoshop. I could change exposure, white balance, the colour saturation, correct shadows and highlights etc. I know this is cheats way out, but it does allow you complete control over the final image!

Finally I feel I created 10 images that for-fill the brief and  hope the images are strong enough to appear in magazine, brochures, catalogs, advertising campaigns etc. 

5. Unit 31 Specialist Location - Fashion Photography Research and Inspiration

Three Historical photographers that have inspired me for this project were Norman Parkinson, Bob Willoughby and Edward Steichen. The three contemporary photographres I chose were, Brian Duffy , Rankin and Mario Testino.

All these photographers were inspirational to me for this project. I used their images to experiment with poses for my model. With Norman Parkinson's work, I concentrated on how he has used short depth of field  on location photography to keep the model in focus and create mood with the backdrop.

Bob Willoughby created iconic images that are still popular today and instantly recognisable. I really think his work is fantastic and he was a great inspiration to me on this project. I love the way he lit the models face. I know that his work was in a studio, but I love the use of hats in his images. Using  reflectors I have bounced light back into the face to compensate for shadows created by hats.

I really admire Edward Steichen's work, it almost looks like art with his soft focus style. The women in his images are strong. There is a real modern feel to his work with clean lines.Though Steichen didn't invent fashion photography, an argument can be made that he created the template for the modern fashion photographer.
His work has inspired me for the way I planned the fashion shoots. It is astonishing how his work is still so relevant today and still very modern.

The Contemporary photographers the have inspired me were:-   

Brain Duffy's work for  fashion photography on location. Again I really like the work because  the images tell a story of fashion around locations in London. I think the compositions are interesting 

and the clothes are in focus advertising the clothes works well.

Rankin's fashion images are contemporary, dark, edgy and inspiring. Although the images are taken in a studio, the mood and feel of my shoot was inspired by some of his images. I really like the composition and creativity cropping making the images more powerful. Again I have tried to be inspired to recreate this, for example in Image 3.   

Mario Testino was actually my main inspiration for Unit 31, I was fascinated by the rich textures and amazingly well lit his images are. Looking at them they feel expensive and rich with an alluring quality to draw the viewer in. In most of the images the model has eye contact with the camera, the styling and the dark glamour give the an expensive look. He has used short depth of field for all his images so the model is the main focus; great for advertising from clothes to perfume. 

Three historic Photographers that were inspirational for unit 31

Norman Parkinson

Parkinson was born in London, and educated at Westminster School. From 1935 to 1940 he worked for Harper's Bazaar and Bystander magazines. From 1945 to 1960 he was employed as a portrait and fashion photographer for Vogue.

Parkinson always maintained he was a craftsman and not an artist. From his early days as a photographer up to his death he remained one of the foremost British portrait and fashion photographers. His work, following the lead of Martin Munkacsi at Harper's Bazaar, revolutionized the world of British fashion photography in the '40s by bringing his models from the rigid studio environment into a far more dynamic outdoor setting. 

I like the new technique of shooting fashion out side and took inspiration from this for my project.

I really like the compositions of these images. The model is the main focus of the image but the background sets the mood. In each case he has used a short depth of field approach where the model is always in focus and the background is out of focus. This is the technique I have tried to use for my shots. Taking fashion images outside on location makes the image more interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Parkinson

Bob Willoughby

iconic picture of Adurey Hepburn

In his distinguished career as a Hollywood photographer, Bob Willoughby took iconic photos of Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Fonda, but remains unequivocal about his favorite subject:  Audrey Hepburn.

As Hepburn’s career soared following her Oscar-winning US debut in Roman Holiday, Willoughby became a trusted friend, framing her working and home life. His historic, perfectionist, tender photographs seek out the many facets of Hepburn’s beauty and elegance, as she progresses from her debut to her career high of My Fair Lady in 1963.

Bob Willoughby (1927-2009) took his first photo at the age of twelve. By 1954 his exhibitions of photographs of jazz musicians and dancers led to a contract with Globe Photos, followed by work at Harper's Bazaar. After shooting Judy Garland during the filming of A Star is Born he became the first "unit photographer"—hired specifically by movie studios to take on-set promotional "stills". The author of numerous books on photography, he lived his last years in Vence, France.

The following images were inspired by Bob Willoughby. I really likes his compositions and the playful confident way the model is relaxed and the clothes are still sale-able.

Bob Willoughby created iconic images that are still popular today and instantly recognisable. I really think his work is fantastic and he was a great inspiration to me on this project.

http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/film/all/06318/facts.bob_willoughby_audrey_hepburn_photographs_19531966.htm

Edward Steichen

Agnes Inspired  by the image above

Inspiration from EDWARD STEICHEN

THE FIRST "MODERN" FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER: EDWARD STEICHEN

Edward Steichen (1879-1973) was already a famed Pictorialist photographer and painter in the United States and abroad when he was offered the position of chief photographer for Vogue and Vanity Fair by Condé Nast. Upon assuming the job, the forty-four year old artist began one of the most lucrative and controversial careers in photography.

To Alfred Stieglitz and his followers, Steichen was seen as damaging the cause of photography as a fine art by agreeing to do commercial editorial work. Nevertheless, Steichen’s years at Condé Nast magazines were extraordinarily prolific and inspired. 

He began by applying the soft focus style he had helped create to the photography of fashion. But soon he revolutionized the field, banishing the gauzy light of the Pictorialist era and replacing it with the clean, crisp lines of Modernism. In the process he changed the presentation of the fashionable woman from that of a distant, romantic creature to that of a much more direct, appealing, independent figure. At the same time he created lasting portraits of hundreds of leading personalities in movies, theatre, literature, politics, music, and sports, including Gloria Swanson, Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford, Colette, Winston Churchill, Amelia Earhart, Jack Dempsey, Noel Coward, Greta Garbo, Dorothy Parker, and Cecil B. De Mille. 

Greta Garbo

Steichen's approach to fashion photography was formative, and over the course of his career he changed public perceptions of the American woman. An architect of American Modernism and a Pictorialist, Steichen exhibited his fashion images alongside his art photographs (generating quite a bit of controversy among contemporary artists at the time). Steichen's crisp, detailed, high-key style revolutionized fashion photography, and his influence is felt in the field to this day—Richard Avedon, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Bruce Weber are among his stylistic successors.

Above are just a few examples of an extraordinary body of work by Edward Steichen. 

I really admire Edward Steichen's work, it almost looks like art with his soft focus style. The women in his images are strong. There is a real modern feel to his work with clean lines.Though Steichen didn't invent fashion photography, an argument can be made that he created the template for the modern fashion photographer.
His work has inspired me for the way I planned the fashion shoots. It is astonishing how his work is still so relevant today and still very modern.

Three modern Photographers that were inspirational for unit 31

Brian Duffy  

In 1955 he began freelancing as a fashion artist for Harper's Bazaar. It was here that he first came into contact with photography. Inspired by the photographic contact sheets he saw passing through the art director's desk he decided to find a job as a photographers assistant. 

In 1957 he was hired by British Vogue where he remained working until 1963. 

Along with fellow photographers David Bailey and Terence Donovan, he captured, and in many ways helped to create, the "Swinging London" of the 1960s: a culture of high fashion and celebrity chic. 

Apart from Vogue, Duffy also worked for publications including Glamour, Esquire and French Elle for two periods the first between 1963 and 1968, and the second between 1971 and 1979.

As well as fashion photography, he was also successful within the advertising world shooting award winning campaigns for both Benson & Hedges and Smirnoff in the 1970s.

Brian Duffy has been enormously influential to British culture and fashion and his images inspired my work for unit 31.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Duffy_(photographer)

These are the images I have found of Brain Duffy's work for  fashion photography on location. Again I really like the work because  the images tell a story of fashion around locations in London. 

In the first 3 images the model is not making eye contact with the camera, but the location creates interest, and the clothes are in focus advertising the clothes works well.

Rankin

Rankin has photographed some of Hollywood’s most famous people and has shot some world-renowned campaigns, including Nike, Umbro, Reebok, Marks and Spencer’s, Rimmel, L’Oreal, Hugo Boss, Levi's, Shiatzy Chen, Thomas Wylde, Longchamp, Aussi, Madonna for H&M, Dove, BMW, and Coca Cola.

Rankin's fashion images are contemporary, dark, edgy and inspiring. Although the images are taken in a studio, the mood and feel of my shoot was inspired by some of his images. I really like the composition and creativity cropping making the images more powerful. Again I have tried to be inspired to recreate this, for example in Image 10.   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rankin_(photographer)

Mario Testino

Mario Testino (was born on October 30, 1954) is a Peruvian fashion photographer. His work has been featured in magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair. His career highpoint came when he was chosen by Diana, Princess of Wales, for her Vanity Fair photoshoot in 1997.

Testino has shot fashion stories for Vogue, V, Gucci, and Vanity Fair, campaigns for Burberry, Gucci, Michael Kors, Dolce & Gabbana, Estée Lauder, Valentino and Versace and Tom Ford's designs.

As well as having published seven books of his work and edited one other dedicated to contemporary art and artists from his native Peru, Mario Testino has had many successful exhibitions in galleries and museums around the world.

In 2002, The National Portrait Gallery in London staged the landmark exhibition “Portraits” by Mario Testino that to date remains its second most successful exhibit. For ten years it had the highest attendance of any exhibition ever to be held there. Over the next four years the exhibition went on tour to Milan, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Tokyo, Mexico City, and Boston.

He is my personal favorite fashion and portrait photographer. his work glossy, rich and incredibility well lit. There is a contemporary edge to the compositions that are inspiring! I hope the images I have created reflect a hint of the style of the master 

Testino.

Mario Testino was actually my main inspiration for Unit 31, I was fascinated by the rich textures and amazingly well lit his images are. Looking at them they feel expensive and rich with an alluring quality to draw the viewer in. In most of the images the model has eye contact with the camera, the styling and the dark glamour give the an expensive look. He has used short depth of field for all his images so the model is the main focus; great for advertising from clothes to perfume.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Testino

6. References

1.John Hedge Coe's New Book of Photography. Published by Dorling Knindersley. 1994.

2. Studio Photography. John Child. Focal Press . 1999

3. Langford,s Basic Photography; the guide for serious photographers 8th edition, Langford M,Fox and sawdon Smaith, Focal Press 2007.

4. Photographing Models by Eliot Siegel Published by Bloomsbury. 2012

5. Photographing Shadow and light. Joey L. Published by Amphoto Books 2012

6. Light Science and Magic 4th Edition. By Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua, Published by Focal Press 2012.