Tim's Proposal

For the project student life, I propose that I am going to shoot a series of images that represent students in a balanced way. Such as showing the party side; were they are drinking, smoking etc. Also the student side; studying and learning. I am going to shoot these images and later edit them using gaussian blur on photoshop. I am choosing to edit in this way as I feel it makes the image appear much more professional and not like amateur photography. 
I am going to shoot images which incorporate all aspects of student life. This includes behavior in collage compared to home and how personalities can change when in different environments. Some images that I can imagine shooting are young people standing under a street light on a street corner at night, metaphorically this could communicate that students are like moths attracted to light; wanting to find warmth in a cold and unwelcoming society. Another idea for a shoot would be showing the life after student life. I would use my brother, an ex-student, as my model. I will take a photograph of him in representation of a student, this will show fashionable clothes and a relaxed attitude. In comparison, I will take a image of him in his work clothes, a suit. This will communicate my chosen idea for the whole project which is that students do not stay in this lifestyle phase forever, and at some point will grow up.
In previous experimental work, I have experimented with various In-camera and digital effects. However, I would like to broaden my understanding and perceptions of this topic so am planning to experiment with other effects. This will include changing the shutter speed to give images a dream-state effect. I would also like to experiment with different forms of light and how allowing more/less light into the image changes the perception of it. I am interested in peoples emotional and phycological response to mood in connection with colour and light so would like to show this in the images.
The images created in this project, although for the purpose of a project, could be used for various promotional and artistic circumstances. This includes advertisements for the collage, political statements of the representation of youth culture, marketing in a positive/negative way, for exhibitions or as part as inspiration for other forms of art/photography.
I have already shot some early images not focusing on particular students, but objects relating to them. These include cigarettes, graffiti and pizza boxes.

Dervin's proposal

For this project, I propose to produce an image which successfully shows my understanding of the various techniques used in studio photography, which I researched along with different photographers. I want to focus on duplicating the use of shadows and colour, and not focusing on other particular aspects. This, I hope will produce an effective image that shows how colour can be used in an image to manipulate the mood. This involves how bright colours communicate happiness and dark the opposite. This is a different image then I would usually choose as it involves bright colours while I usually prefer to shoot in black and white. 

In this shoot, I want to use makeup to incorporate an art aspect into the image to make it much more interesting and make a connection between the coloured makup and coloured light.

Devins evaluation.

For this project, the brief provided informed us to create and also broaden our knowledge of studio photography and techniques associated with studio photography. Also, lighting and other technology used to create professional and effective looking images. At the start of the project, my knowledge of studio photography was limited, and I was unaware of the amount of equipment and processes used to create an effective image.

To start of, I wanted to research different studio photographers to establish ways they use techniques to communicate various emotions and story's. This was primarily communicated through colour, shadow and camera angles.(camera looking upwards intimidating. Looking down, empowerment.) I was particularly interested with the work of Michael Williams and how he uses coloured lights and shadow to create depth in the images. This research helped to establish my personal likes and dislikes in studio photography which I was unaware of before-hand.

I then established which photograph I was going to duplicate for the final image. This was the image taken of the singer La roux By the photographer Michael William's. I chose this image, as I liked how the photographer used light and shadow and thought it would be informative and a challenge to recreate it. 

When I recreated the image, I focused mainly on the shadow and light replication. I then used photoshop to make the blue light-tinge.

I think the final piece worked well in showing what I wanted to communicate and was effective in duplicating the image.

I think I could have improved on my final piece by adjusting the lighting so that the shadow was on the correct side on the image.

Tom- Proposal for Documentary shoot.

For this section of the project, I have chosen to photograph a series of documentary photographs using the brief 'Person X'. I have chosen to do the project on my mother, who was a dancer on television throughout the 60's and 70's. I would like to focus on her background as a dancer and the impact it has had on her life now, and how her life would be different if she was still a dancer. To create this story, I am going to use a mixture of film and digital photography to make the images have a vintage feel like the period of time that my mother was a dancer. I am also going to shoot most of my photographs in portrait to make a much more personal connection with the subject and make a emotional connection with the audience. I will stage some of my images to incorporate things such as costumes and pictures into the background of the portrait. This will connect the present day with the past, so it seems like a memory as apposed to objects that would regularly be there.
The images will be shot in colour with the possibility of some black and white shots. I am hoping to separate certain sections of the projects using single black and white shots. This will help in communicating the story behind the images with subtle photography techniques. 
Also, I will shoot the majority of the images in our home, which will show the family connection with her.
I will use natural light for the photographs as I want them to look natural and not staged. 
For the photographs that I am going to stage, I want to make them look staged. I want to do this by making her look at the camera as apposed to looking like a photograph is not being taken.
Some photographers that I will take inspiration from for my shoot are; Martin Parr and Gertrude Blom

Martin Parr

Gertrude Blom

Task 7-Tim, Evaluation.

For this project, we firstly had to research different in camera effects that we would later recreate to form images of our perception of 'student life'. I chose to research The vaseline effect, Using cling film and soap over the lens and Flare artifacts. I think my research for task 1 was successful in showing how in camera effects can be used to create soft focus effects in different mediums without the need for photoshop. It also showed the effect that soft focus can have on the representation of the images and how it can change the perception of them, such as making them seen dream like. Also were these effects can be used in everyday life, such as at weddings or to make them appear romantic.
We also looked at the health and safety consequences of using these effects, such as in the classroom, studio and outdoors.
After this, we then recreated some effects that we had previously looked at in research (task 1). Although I recreated them quite well, I think I could have improved on the perfection of the recreation, such as making sure the lighting and environment was correct. This is something I think I could re-shoot at a later time. I chose to shoot these images as I thought they would be simple but still look effective and would be good to replicate with the surroundings of the collage. I enjoyed using this technique as I could change the position of the cling film on the lens to fit the image, in contrast to using photoshop were this would be much harder and look just as effective.
In the next task, we looked at using photoshop to create the same effects. I chose to look at soft focus, vignette and colour filter.  I preferred using this to traditional in- camera effects as i think the effects looked more clean cut and professional. This task also helped me improve on my photoshop skills as they were limited before hand. Throughout all the tasks in Tim's project, I think this is the task I learnt the most with.
In Task 5, I incorporated previous techniques that I had used throughout the tasks to replicate 3 soft focus images. Due to bad weather, the lighting on these were not good, however the technique is still shown and i think is effective in showing the materials used to create the images. I think I could improve on this task on a day when the natural light is better.
Task 4 was about using modern techniques(photoshop) to produce a set of experimental test images. These were practice images of different techniques that I had already looked at in detail to prepare for the final 'student life' task. In this task, I showed in detail materials I had used to create the effects. I am happy with these images as they showed experimental techniques and allowed me to use techniques I regularly would not have used.
For the student life project, I chose to primarily use photoshop to edit the pictures as I think I am better at the techniques on photoshop then manually. For these images, I chose to shoot things that I thought society views students as, such as junk food, smoking etc. I still need to shoot more images for this project. I think I was successful in communicating different aspects of student life such as controversially not showing what students are really about, which is learning.
Overall, I am happy with this project as I think I have challenged myself in the techniques I have used and learnt techniques that I can incorporate into other projects in the future.

Task 5 Evaluation, Tom

Task 5
Evaluation.
Throughout the project; Documentary photography, we were asked to represent work that showed research of successful documentary photographers and our images in response to their work. I chose to research William Eggleston, David Gillanders and Weegee. The reasons for choosing these photographers is that they all shot there images in a different time period (1930's, 1970's and 1990's) and all use different techniques and styles to illustrate a narrative. I thought using these photographers as a basis for my research would help me explore different ways to use documentary photography and experience how different time periods can change the mood and meaning of the image.
After researching these photographers, I then started to focus on individual projects that they had created. These projects focus on a particular subject matter that they are passionate about, which they illustrate using images. Through research about these projects, i wanted to discover different ways to present a story or message through the use of images and ways to sequence them in order to present the story. I found that the use of colour and camera angle can change different emotional connections to the image and determine whether it will be a positive or negative message/story. This will be useful for when I create my own documentary photography images and may change the way I view certain images in the future.
After researching individual projects, our next task was to produce images that duplicated some of there photographs from a chosen project that we had previously researched. I chose to focus on dupliacting the use of colour and I also wanted to capture techniques that highlight the time-period the shots were taken and also how camera angles can effect the message of the image and the personal/impersonal connection to the audience. I think my images were succesful in duplicating the message and use of colour that was highlighted in the original images.
In these tasks, I could have improved on the accuracy of the images that were created by duplicating other photographers work by taking the photos in more interesting backgrounds, that would have been relevant to the original pictures. Also, I could have used props and studio lights to make more interesting and professional looking photographs. 

Dervin- Studio shots.

Final studio shots.

These are the shots I created by trying to duplicate an original picture by Michael Williams. I tried to duplicate the use of shadow and the effectiveness of the studio lights giving the shot a mid-key look. I also used a stripe of blue eyeshadow on my model to seem like the orange stripe in the image. I chose blue as it would show up more clearly in my images and also would match the lighting colour. I think my images are effective in showing similarities between the original and the duplicate. If i could improve this shoot, I would change the lighting position so that the shadow is on the other side, like the original image. I also would increase the intensity of the light to make the shadow much more dominant.

Original image inspiration

Student life-Task 6

Using Gaussian blur on photoshop, I created this set of promotional material for collage which highlight my view on student life. This includes smoking, junk food and graffiti. This represents young people as lazy who vandalize the streets, which I think is what society views young people as. I chose to photograph these pieces as I thought they were an abstract way of looking at student life, contrary to images of a collage or university. 

Other techniques

Lens blur

This image show different types of blur on photoshop. The image below is the effect Lens blur. To create this, I created a new layer, went to filter, blur then lens blur. I then increased the noise and blur density. This created the grainy and blurred effect which I think gives the image and vintage and unique effect.

Tim Task 4

Experimenting with in-camera and modern techniques.
Following from research made about using in-camera effects to produce soft focus images, i wanted to experiment using various materials and techniques. As these are experiments, not all were successful, but are useful for referring to in the future. I think that the cling-film and photoshop techniques were the most sucsessful and produced an effective soft focus look. It worked particularly well on landscape images.
Some health and safety risks for these experimental photographs are:

• While using cling film, be aware of suffocation risks
• Tin foil can be sharp, so there is a risk of harming yourself
• equipment can be left on the floor so it can be easy for people to slip and fall
• Vaseline has a risk of slippage 

Cling film

Paper

Tin foil

In camera-paper

In camera-tin foil

In camera-cling film

Using photoshop- Gaussian blur

tim task 5

Traditional in-camera techniques replication.

For task 5, i wanted to incorporate techniques that i had previously experimented with to create effective images. I chose three images that i thought would be easy to replicate with my environment , so i chose nature images. To create this effect, I used cling film and tin foil. I chose to use these materials as in previous experimental work they seemed the most effective. I think if I could improve on this project, I would improve the lighting used, such as using a stronger flash, and using more experimental materials which were new to me.

After reviewing these images, I decided that they needed to be improved. I have decided to improve them by reshooting to improve the replication. I have improved the positioning, color and blur effect of the images.

Task 3 - Tom

Creating our own images using inspiration from researched photography.
In connection with previous work, in task 3 my chosen aspect to capture is colour and the use of it to portray different emotions and subject matter in photography. I also want to capture techniques that highlight the time-period the shots were taken and also how camera angles can effect the message of the image and the personal/impersonal connection to the audience.


Weegee - Sammy's.
Following research about WeeGee's project named Sammy's, for task 3 i wanted to create my own images using techniques and styles that he used. The images I chose to photograph capture the personality and tongue-in-cheek attitude of the cabaret club Sammy's in 1930's New York.
Although the images are in black and white, which sometimes can be viewed as changing the mood of an image to depressing or negative, Weegee used a bright flash which brightened the black and white making it appear much more positive. 
To create this I used flash in natural light and turned my ISO to 200, shutter speed to 1/125 s and exposure to -2. This made the images have a bright focal point and the background appear darkened. 
After shooting, I used photoshop to make the images black and white and also used curves to change the exposure of the images.

David Gillangers- Street kids of Ukraine

This is an example of how black and white photography can be used differently to emote sadness and desperation. The photographer shot these in the 1990's. As David Gillangers uses such a strong message in his photographs, I wanted to recreate one of his iconic images using colour and camera angle. Using flash, natural light, ISO 200 and   exposure 0, i created a darker black and white image. Moving onto photoshop, I firstly made the image black and white, then i made my model appear dirty and darkened her hair colour in an attempt to made her look homeless.

William Eggleston- Troubled waters.

I chose this photographer as he is very different then the previous photographs in the colours he uses and his message. As the photographer shot these images in the 1970's, the images appear sharp and have a red tint to them. The message he portrayed was the simple life of southern america and simple pleasures. I tried to recreate this by photographers things in my home such as my fridge and one of my living rooms. To create these images, i used flash, set my aperture to F5, shutter speed to 1/125s and ISO to 200. Using the program Picasa(similar to photoshop) I made the images sharper, and added a red graduated tint which i feathered throughout the image.

An example of 1970's 'red tint' photography quality- Parents wedding album.

Dervin- Task 3, 4, 5 and 6

Following my research about studio/still life photography, I wanted to create my own shots using inspiration from other photographers. This includes recreating their styles and shot types, whilst still incorporating my own ideas.
For my shoot, I decided I wanted to use makeup creatively to make my images subtle, yet interesting.
Light research
Understanding light's effect on makeup and various shades and pigments is important. The following are among the basic rules of light: nothing has color until light is reflected from it; an object appears black when all of the light is absorbed; an object appears white when all of the light is reflected. If certain rays are absorbed and others are reflected, the reflected rays determine the color.

Lighting controls makeup to a high degree. Makeup can lose its effectiveness due to incorrect lighting. Conversely, skillful lighting can greatly aid the art of makeup.

Michael Williams.

This is the picture I am going to recreate. I like how the photographer has used shadow and light in this image as well as strong eye makeup.
Although unfortunately i will not be able to use coloured light to make the blue tinted shadow, I will still attempt to create the shadow.
Health and safety

Classroom.

• ·     When using the computer, have regular one hour breaks and every ten minuets focus your eyes on something else.
• ·     No food or drink
• ·     No running
• ·     Respect each other and the tutor.
• ·     Sit properly on your chair.

Studio

• ·     No trailing wires
• ·     No running
• ·     No food and drink
• ·     Do not be in the studio unless told so by your tutor.
• ·     Don’t leave equipment switched on or left on the floor.

Outdoors.

• ·     Ask permission to take photos of members of the public.
• ·     No running
• ·     Be carful of busy roads and cycle paths
• ·     Be cautious of slippery surfaces.
• 
  

Studio set-up
As I am using a studio to see up my images, I am considering the process of setting up the studio. Firstly I will set-up the lighting of my chosen theme. This will consist of two studio lights either side of my model, pointing at her. I will then use the light meter to get the correct exposure, this is essential. Then for my camera, the canon 1000D, I will select the correct shutter speed, aperture and ISO needed. I will then set up the transmitter and receiver to trigger the flash heads.
Using photoshop
After I have shot my photographs, I will transfer them to the mac and been editing them using photoshop. This will include using a color filter, levels and curves. I will then resize the image to 10x8 ready to be printed and mounted up on foam board.

Task 2- William Eggleston, Tom

Troubled Waters.

William Eggleston's colour photographs pinpoint the moment when colour photography began to be generally accepted as part of the language of art photography. Adopting processes previously used to manipulate advertising images, Eggleston set the precedent for colour documentary and art photography of the last twenty years. Eggleston finds in places such as shopping centres and ordinary interiors, "the uncommonness of the commonplace", as photographer Raymond Moore described it. Inspired by the beauty of family snapshots, Eggleston looks at the everyday and the overlooked in order to reveal them as remarkable.

Eggleston photographs everyday items that don’t command attention in the everyday. He did most of his work between the sixties and the eighties, primarily in the Deep South, where he was born. It was there that he developed his focus on Americana, though Americana that has more to do with Biblical Gomorrah than Bible Belt Memphis. None of Eggleston’s work is gratuitous. He never goes for shock or a violent impression, even when photographing ostensibly shocking material. Instead, his art is in capturing the horrifying stillness of the mundane. It’s like Eggleston’s camera draws the ghosts from whatever objects comes within its frame.

This series of images includes a variety of portrait and landscape, using landscape for buildings and signs and portrait for clothing. I think Eggleston uses landscape to portray a impersonal image, such as a street sign or large building. He uses portrait to give a much more personal view, such as the image of a woman's dress that appears old and worn. This sets a story for the image.

As the images were taken between the sixties and eighties, the photographs are taken using a film camera. This gives the images a hazy, almost red tint. As this is the effect given to the images, they can be read as soft and dream-like and with a positive attitude.

The images in this series are all similar in message and content and contain three repetitive colours; Blue, white and brown. 

I think the images are extremely successful in telling there story and also allows your imagination to create a background and reason for each photograph.

Although each image is similar in style, they do not have a sequenced order. I think this is a disadvantage and if able to change, could be improved on. This project was made for the book portfolio  'Troubled Water's' which included 15 dye transfer prints and was published in 1980.

Bibliography

http://www.egglestontrust.com

Portfolio: Troubled waters

http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/photography/photographerframe.php?photographerid=ph020

Task 2- David Gillanders, Tom

Street kids of Ukraine.
This series of images documents the everyday life of homeless children in the Ukraine. Its shows evidence of drug use and disease. Nobody knows exactly how many children  are homeless or living on the streets of Ukraine. Estimates range from 50,000 to 3 million. Many children living on the streets are regular drug users, progressing from using glue to injecting lethal homemade concoctions of ephedrine and vinegar from as young as 6 years old. Levels of HIV and aids have reached epidemic proportions in Ukraine. The world health organization and the UN estimate that 1.4 per cent of the population of 48 million is effected. Last year 2,025 new cases of HIV positive children were registered. This is the text that accompanies the images.

Most of the images in this project are shot in landscape to show the background living environment as well as the child. These shots, and also all of Gillanders projects, are shot in black and white. This is to create the atmosphere of sadness and set the mood for the images. Also i think it shows the harsh reality that these children do not have a childhood, and have to grow up very fast.

The beginning images of the project show the living conditions and single shots of children playing with fire. It then progresses to children drug taking and then ends with a young girl crying and looking up to the sky. I think this sequence shows the progression of drug taking from experimenting with fire, to drug taking, then possibly the realization that the child has HIV/AIDS.

The images are very successful in communicating the subject as I think the photographer has shown subtly but effectively the lives of the children and communicated a strong message in sometimes a disturbing but moving collection of images.

The opinions of the photographer, I think are obviously in this project. He feels that the state of life of the children is wrong and the government needs to do more to stop homelessness. Also that the children need to be educated about drug use and prevention of HIV and AIDS.

These images were made primarily for a gallery exhibition at  "BESPRIZORNIKI" Melkweg Gallery, Amsterdam.

Bibliography

http://www.davidgillanders.com/bio.php?project=exhibitions

Task 2 - Weegee, Tom

Weegee - Sammy's
Sammy's was the scene of many of Weegee's most lighthearted and humanistic photographs, a great contrast to what was taking place on the street or curb or just outside the front door. The "poor man's Stork Club" became a refuge for Weegee, a safe haven allowing him to escape the blood and guts that his more salable photographs contained.
These iconic images show some of the cabaret's famous faces, which appear regularly in Weegee's crime photographs.

Norma Devine is Sammy's Mae West, December 4, 1944

December 4, 1944

 These images were shot in portrait to show a more personal connection with the person and focus on that particular part of the image.
The photographs show the care-free attitude of the club and communicate a different, light hearted side to Weegee. Also, i like that he showed a larger looking woman in a beauty-shot way, contrary to 40's hollywood beauty's.

Weegee worked as a press photographer, though his photographs are now viewed as a mixture of art, documentary and photojournalism. Apparently his nickname (Weegee's real name was Arthur Fellig) was derived from the word ouija, due to his uncanny ability to arrive at a scene only minutes after a crime had taken place. Consquently Weegee's images reveal an unflinching image of life in the city that is often violent and distressing. Yet he also captured the carefree attitude of New York society life between the wars.

Weegee used the basic press photographer equipment of the time, which was a Graflek camera and blue flashbulbs, which give his work its stark graphic quality. He would develop his images via a makeshift darkroom in the trunk of his car, allowing him to deliver his freelance shots to the newspapers as quickly as possible.

The entertainers working at Sammy's bar are quite unusual. The oddball acts included singers, dancers and dwarfs. You an tell from these images that they are working class as they are trying to be like high society with fancy hats and clothing, but they still look shabby and cheap. I think the pictures communicate a theme and story of 'working class Hollywood'. I think they are successful in telling this story as the pictures are subtle in communication but are still strong images.
Since Weegee came from a working class background, i think he wanted to show working class people in a positive way and he achieves this by showing happiness and joy.
These images were for the newspaper that he worked for at the time.
Bibliography
www.museum.icp.org/museum/collections/special/weegee/
www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/november/weegee