'For a light to shine bright, there must be darkness present'
-Francis Bacon
For this project, I have chosen the theme of light & dark for the reason that, in my opinion, the contrast between light and dark can symbolise a vast number of emotions and meanings. Also, I love that light can be used in various forms to display a variety of unique visuals. The first idea that I had conceptualised consists of a studio shot in a dark setting. I would hope to shine light through a filter, cutting it into lines, and projecting it onto a model through smoke. I believe that the light patterns combined with how the smoke will be illuminated will produce a unique and elegant effect. If I have learned anything from my last project, however, it is that my ideas cannot be unrealistically ambitious or the final product definitely won't turn out as I intend. Initially I will experiment with lighting of different patterns and styles, but I think when I get to grips with studio lighting I will explore using different colours because it can totally change the face of the photo and what it stands for. I will use different colours to delve into creating distinct emotions and how they affect a photo and the viewer's perspective. For this project, I will ideally develop the skills of setting up, using and experimenting with a studio set up as it is something that I have not touched upon in detail. Not only will it assist me with this project, but it is also a valuable skill to have for any further projects. In addition, I will hope to further refine my photoshop skills, as, especially for light, photoshop is a remarkably valuable tool for photography; it will be useful for any project that I will do and more advanced skills would've greatly supported my previous conflict project, as it did not look particularly satisfactory. To do this, I may have to watch tutorials on YouTube. As with any project, I will further develop my general camera and creativity skills. I will research distinctive light & dark photographers, providing me with more ideas.
Research
Light & Dark Moodboard
Artist Research
George Mayer
Content |
Composition |
A studio shot has been set up to take this photo. It consists of a dark background with a spotlight illuminating the model from behind, creating a silhouette. It is black and white in colour and the model's face is illuminated from the right side of the shot and, in my opinion, George Mayer has manipulated the photo using Adobe Photoshop to create the illusion of the two mirrors depicting the model's face from various angles. I interpret this shot as quite recent because of the Photoshop manipulation. It is hard to tell where this photo was taken, but we do know that George Mayer is a Russian photographer. The photographer has decided to not use any props except from the mirrors. In my opinion, this was done to not take any attention away from the model's face, which I think is the primary focus of the photo
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As the camera would've needed to capture a lower light level, I am under the impression that the shutter speed would've been set slightly slower than normal. It has been cropped so that the model's feet are not shown; the lower section of the photo is too obscure to observe. The photo has been taken at the face level of the model, to further emphasize that it is the focus of the photograph. The lighting is rather harsh; there is an immense contrast between the two sides of the face as the light is only illuminating the left side, leaving the right side completely obscured. There is a distinct line where the light meets the middle of the face, almost creating a line of symmetry on the face. Although it is not as conspicuous, there is are slight leading lines on the upper and lower edges of the mirrors, leading the viewer's eyes across them. Although the model's body is directly in the centre of the shot, the reflections in the mirror are in the top right third of the photo, meaning Mayer has utilised the rule of thirds to create a balanced frame and to draw the viewer's attention to the reflections in the mirrors. As the background is slightly blurred, I believe that Mayer has taken this photo using a slightly high aperture, producing a photo with a deep depth of field. The model is stood in the mid-ground of the shot, which reveals not only her face but her body; it is not a close up. There is no sense of scale as it is a studio shot with only the model visible. In this particular shot, a tripod would not have been needed. In my opinion,
however, Mayer has used a tripod to create a more steady and professional shot. |
Context
This photograph was taken by George Mayer, a Russian photographer. 'George was born in Nizhny Tagil, Russia in 1985. In 2004 he graduated from the Ural College of Arts and Crafts with honors where he majored in environmental design.' - georgemayerstudio.com. This series of shots is part of his "Libido and Mortido" project.
Connection |
Comment |
In my opinion, this photo symbolises your thoughts when you are scrutinising yourself and your outward appearance. I think that the multiple mirrors display the feeling that every inch of you is examined by society. This relates to my own project because, along with the light and dark imagery, I also want my project to convey a message that relates to emotions and mental health. Also, it has been taken similar to how I want my own photo to be taken, with the partly illuminated face and the dark, obscured setting. I will use this photo along with others to inspire my own ideas, as I think that light and dark can be used in many unique ways that are outside the box.
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I absolutely adore the way this photographer has used lighting in an almost radically different and unique way. I also think it's very classy. As a photographer, however, the model could've been positioned in a different way; for example utilising the rule of thirds with the model to create a more balanced shot.
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Content |
Composition |
This photo's model is stood directly in the middle with her body facing the camera. Her head is slightly tilted; she is facing to the side with her eyes closed. Her torso is visible in the shot and, like the previous photo, the whole shot is obscured except from a few of her facial features. Another similarity with the previous photo is the fact that a section of the model's face is illuminated by a mirror at the side of her head. A spotlight illuminates the model from behind, creating a silhouette of the model's body.
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This photo has been taken at the direct head level of the model. I think that this photo has been taken with a high aperture setting as the background is relatively blurry, meaning there is a deep depth of field. Also, the fact that the photo is very dark means that it may have been taken with a high shutter speed to be able to capture as much light as possible. The rule of thirds has not been used; the subject is directly in the centre of the photo. Perhaps the photographer has done this to put more of an emphasis on the model's face. Another way the photographer has put emphasis on the face is by only illuminating that portion of the photo. The rest of the body is completely obscured. As this is a studio shot, a tripod was not necessarily needed to take this photo but one may have been used for a more professional shot.. This photo has used eminently hard lighting with distinct lines separating the white light and the obscured face, creating a substantial contrast between the light and dark.
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Connection |
Comment |
This inspires my project as I plan to use similar techniques and styles used in this photo. The dark background, the lines of contrasting light and the remaining obscurity all correlate to my plans. Furthermore, this photographer has introduced me to different ways the model can pose, for example various facial expressions, body language and gestures. I will use this in my own project so that the model creates the mood and atmosphere that is suitable for the theme.
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Like the previous photo, I love this photo as it is classy while also being unique. The only thing I would improve and implement for my own shoot is using the rule of thirds to display the model in a more balanced composition that is more visually pleasing. I think that this photo represents how the idea of "perfect" can be viewed from many angles and perspectives.
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Setup 1
Experimenting with lighting & shadows
Using gels to manipulate light
Worst Image |
Best Image |
This is my worst photo of this shoot. This because, firstly, it is not in focus. Also, you can visibly see hands in the background as other people were also using the set up at the same time. Also, the light, alongside being unsightly and basic, is extremely inconspicuous. After experimenting, I concluded that a visible light is not suitable for my shoot or any future plans as it did not produce the visual that I had intended . Finally, the flat positioning of the dominoes was not aesthetically pleasing, nor was its position in relation to the composition.
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This photo is my best of the shoot as, in my opinion, the angle that I have used makes the photo quite interesting. Also, I have used the rule of thirds to position the dominoes within the photo. Also, I love the angle of lighting along with the way the red and blue gels have enhanced the light. The way that the light has only been cast on the side of the dominoes also makes the image more engaging. The shadows that were cast on the background also enhance the photo. Also, The way that the dominoes are blurred with the background makes the image unique.
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ContentA location shoot, this photo consists of two girls walking. In the background are bleachers, with a wire fence directly in front of the camera. From the looks of it, I think that it has been taken in an American high school. It is in black and white, giving it an antiquated feel. Also, their style of fashion suggests that this image was taken quite a few years ago. As it has been taken through the fence, it has used the theme of framing, with the individual diamonds in the fence framing the girls.
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CompositionA main focus of this photograph, which has been taken at a worm's eye perspective, is the girl on the right. Here, the photographer has used the rule of thirds to position her body in the right side of the shot, thereby giving the photo a more natural look. There is a leading line along the bleachers, making the viewer draw their eye across the shot to important parts of the photograph. There is a considerable amount of contrast in this photo; between the bleachers and the sky and between the girls and their dark clothes and hair. As the background is perfectly clear with the fence blurred, this photo has a moderate depth of field. Perhaps the photographer has used a relatively high aperture setting in order to achieve this. As there is no motion blur in this photo, a fast shutter speed setting must've been used, meaning no tripod was needed. This is also supported by the fact that this image seems to be a candid.
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ConnectionTo an extent, this image connects to my own work as, although I am not necessarily doing black and white, my project involves working with light and dark themes. The strong harsh contrasts of light in this image is also similar to what I am trying to achieve and, like my idea, this is also an image of people. I can also take inspiration from the fact that, in this photo, there are strong leading lines that contrast with the rest of the photo. As I am experimenting with shadows and contrast, I could perhaps incorporate this into my photo also. That being said however, my project requires a studio setup, unlike this photo, which has been taken on location outdoors.
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CommentI like the fact that this image represents the days of adolescence, before life puts its responsibilities on you. I think that this image definitely plays with the idea of innocence, with it being taken in a school and with the girls looking relatively carefree. Furthermore, I think that the use of black and white gives this photo the "days long gone" feeling, perhaps making adults reminisce on their younger days, giving them the feeling of nostalgia.
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My Original Plan - Setup 2
Although the previous shoots have been successful, they do not particularly link to my original plan of shooting models with patterns on their faces. For my next shoot, I set up a projector as it is creates patterns much more effectively than a lamp. Shoot one of this setup consists of mostly experimenting with different patterns and how they look on the model.
Shoot 1
BestOut of shoot 1, this is the image with the best composition. Along with the principal aspects such as correct exposure, shutter speed and focus, the colour and shape of the pattern, combined with where the line lands on my model's face, produces a unique, aesthetically pleasing effect, akin to the images that I had collected in my research moodboard. The contrast achieved between the lines achieved also fulfills the project's theme of light and dark.
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WorstA vast contrast to the image on the left, this photograph is not in focus, suggesting that I either did not focus the camera properly or I was not in the correct stance to shoot. Although the pattern is visually pleasing, the thick red line illuminates too much of the model's face; the contrast in brightness I wanted to achieve was not present. The model is also laughing, giving the image an unprofessional look. It is not suitable to use as an outcome.
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Shoot 2
Refining using Adobe Photoshop
In order to further advance my images, I have used Adobe Photoshop to create the impression of the floating mirrors reflecting the model's face.
Using blending options to make the mirror appear 3D
Final Outcomes
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Project Evaluation
At the start of this project, I was given the opportunity to opt for either the theme of Framing and Light & Dark. I chose to do Light and Dark as, in my opinion, it looks more visually pleasing and can be meaningful. Light & Dark is up for any interpretation - There were many paths I could go down for this theme. The contrast between light and dark can be used to portray the contrasting emotions we feel - or the different paths life takes us, akin to my previous conflict project. An enjoyable part of completing this project was experimenting with the endless ways the projections landed on my model's face, observing how they can be captured on the camera. A huge portion of this project was spent doing just that - experimenting. Different setups, different ideas, different subjects. Realising my initial plan was too ambitious to be achieved in a school environment, I had taken other images. From dominoes under different lighting to using a black infinity curve, my project had gone down different routes. After numerous weeks of mediocre shoots, I thought back to my initial idea. I improvised and took the steps to replicate it as far as I could, using a classroom projector instead of gobos. Although restrictions out of my control meant that the images were not how I had originally wanted them (eg. the room not being able to be in complete darkness and the inability to use a smoke machine). Nonetheless, I was satisfied with these images. Taking inspiration from George Mayer's work found in my research, I wanted to create the impression of floating mirrors reflecting the model's face. Because of my rather inept knowledge of Photoshop, more experimenting and learning took place for me to be able to properly create this effect, utilising blending tools such as drop shadows and bevels to build a more professional, realistic outcome. This has undoubtedly benefited me as, along with improving my proficiency in using Photoshop, it has developed my skill of using initiative to overcome similar obstacles while completing future projects. However, improvements that could be made include my ability to consider more plausible ideas that could be completed in a restrictive school environment. Alternatively, I could take images out of school, on location or at home in my spare time.