Progress Review

1 - Which materials and techniques have you experimented with during this project?

Throughout this project, I have experimented with several different techniques both in the dark room and digitally. In the dark room, I have done double exposure, the 'bokeh' effect and also toning, and digitally I have experimented with 'the vintage effect', light and layer blending techniques and just generally changing colours on photoshop.

2 - Have you explored and developed your ideas imaginatively? How have you demonstrated this? (Give examples, links to posts or include images).

During this project, I think that I have explored and developed my ideas imaginatively. I've demonstrated this by trying out quite a few techniques (as mentioned above) and researching about them for example I found the 'bokeh' technique and then researched how to do it and tried it out in several ways that I think were imaginative and creative for example I changed the shape of the bokeh effect for my photographs - 

but then I experimented with the idea further and used double exposure to create another outcome using the same image as above - 

(for the image above I also decided to crop it in the dark room, which I think shows that I have developed my ideas and continued to experiment with the same image).

3 - Have you researched a diverse range of photography and completed this on your blog? Who have you analysed? Are your analyses in-depth? (Again, give examples and link to posts).

For this project, I have researched several different artists that inspire me, but they also have different styles of photography. First, I analysed the work of Tim Walker whose work relates heavily to fairytales, as does the work of Kirsty Mitchell. These two artists inspired me to continue my work to the theme of fairytales, but I didn't want to do the traditional fairytales, so when I analysed the work of Joe Gall who used the ghost photography technique, I decided to create gothic fairytales. I also analysed Mark Hunter and Norman Jean Roy whose work also relates to the idea of fairytales. I feel that my analyses are in depth and explore different elements of the photographs, as well as discussing how I could recreate these techniques in my own photographs. 

4 - Have you explored a range of ideas around your theme within your experiments? What are they? How have they informed your ideas?

I think that I have explored a range of ideas around my theme within my experiments as I have taken an idea and experimented further with it. For example, I took a picture of me holding an apple (like Snow White) :

so you can see the nail varnish and the hair in terms of my chosen theme of fashion, but then I took a picture of just the apple:

and then to relate it to my theme I put the lipstick mark on it. I think this is also a subtle reference to Snow White, which is an interesting effect. I think that this shows that I have explored a range of ideas around my chosen theme of fashion.

5 - Have you refined / developed your outcomes through experimentation? How?

I think that I have developed my outcomes through experimentation, for example after I'd done double exposure in the dark room with this picture :

I then took the experimentation further by toning the image with a drip like effect - making the photograph more gothic:

6 - Have you annotated, in detail, your experiments and developments on your blog and used this information to help you improve?

Yes, I think that throughout this project I have annotated all of my images and explained how I created this technique and what I would do differently next time.

7 - Which techniques / experiments have been most successful? Why?

I think that the double exposure technique has been the most successful as I found that it worked quite well and would be useful for ghost photography styles. I also think that the bokeh experiment worked well as it made my photographs more unique.

8 - Which techniques / experiments have been least successful? Why?

I think that bleaching was the least successful technique (as shown here) as I found that it made the image harder to see and I didn't think that it made the photograph better.

9 - Which techniques / experiments will you be developing further for your final outcome? Why?

I think that I will develop the double exposure technique more so that for my final outcome I can create ghost photographs. I also want to experiment more with the idea of presenting my work to create an interesting and more unique final outcome.

10 - What else can you do to further develop the techniques / experiments you want to use for your final outcome? 

I think that if I experiment more with the techniques that I've been looking at throughout this project, then I will be able to use them better in my final outcome and the outcome will be of a higher quality. 

Norman Jean Roy

 

Norman Jean Roy is a fashion photographer whose work has been included in Vogue numerous times. This is a photograph of Florence Welch, from the band Florence and the Machine.  I like this photograph as it reminds me of the fairytale theme - with the lace on the dress, and the sword as well as the cape. I think that this is a more gothic feel to the fairytale theme, as the horse is black, instead of the typical white, and the clouds are grey instead of there being a clear sky. I love the use of gold and black accessories, as this shows that there is a recurring theme throughout the image.

The background is simple, and the sky is shown more than what's on the ground (such as trees, grass etc...). You can tell straight away that it has been shot for a high fashion magazine, just from looking at the shoes and the dress. There isn't a specific or obvious light source for this image, however I think that the light is from the left hand side, as this there are signs of light on the horse's chest/face, rather than the on the whole horse or the model. As the horse is rearing, it makes it seem more powerful - and the fact that there is a sword included in the image suggests power as well.

I like how there is intricate detail within the clothes, as this makes the fashion part of the image stand out more. The cape has been moved so that the viewer is able to see the dress clearly, as that is part of the advertising technique which is something to think about in my future photographs - showing the whole outfit. Also, the fact that the cape has been moved and the horses mane and the models hair are blowing suggests wind has been used for the photograph - adding to the idea of power. This technique also makes the photograph more dramatic.

Overall, I personally really like this photograph, as it shows the dress clearly which is feminine and lace which is mixed with the dramatic use of a sword and a horse. The photograph is interesting as the outfit works particularly well with the rest of the image. I like how just the model (and the horse) is lit and the background is dark. I find the background to be quite mysterious as you can't really see the ground (as I mention earlier this makes the model and the horse seem more powerful) and the clouds are dark.