Making up an image

I wanted to put all my images together to create an overview of the images altogether.

I made this collage on photoshop, trying to develop skills in shadowing and layering. I think this worked well however I will make some more to get a more sleek image. Obviously the size of some of the images makes it difficult to create a 'real' image, for example the girls at the front are smaller than the ones behind so this is something I need to work on to create a more real image.

Hairsrpay shoot

These images were very different to before as they were more fun and happy images. Also the clothing style is very different and I think this changes some of the dynamics of the image. The set up was a classic studio style but was much bigger than I am used to at home. It was more proffesional in style as it was comprised of 3 lights which did illuminate the whole area, ensuring the image was almost shadowless.

This image has very neutral tones in it because of the era that the play was set in and the dress style then. The image has a lot of fun and cheese in it and I think the way the models are so close adds to the general happy feel of the picture.

This image was a lot of fun to shoot. The idea is that the young girl is a bit ditsy and is constantly being told off by her strict mother. The placing of the models was quite easy to figure out because the main attention was to be on the younger girl. As well as this the contrasts in the clothing move the mother back even more because her dress is quite dull.

After the shoot

I ended up doing 2 different kind of shoots, one was more of a fashion shoot and then also the more fun and vibrant hairspray shoot to follow that. I really enjoyed the whole atmosphere and I think that the time spent learning about the studio was highly beneficial and this is seen through my shots as I knew which angle to stand and how to get the best out of the shots.

This image was one of the first and I think it has turned out really well. I shot it in colour but converted it to black and white in photoshop and also changed the contrast slightly to tone down some of the brightness on the side of the face. I really like the image and I think that it is a good achievement for my first real time using lighting in a studio type setting. The posture of the model could be improved slightly however I think it works well as it is more of a casual shot. The shadow in the bottom would be better off gone however this will be easier the more times I do shoots.

This image I decided not to change to black and white. I changed the brightness and contrast to ensure the model was not too washed out and also I changed the hue and saturation of the image. I think perhaps I have made it slightly too bright however I wanted to bring down some of the darkness.

With this image, I made sure again that the model was not too washed out so added even more to the hue and saturation. This image is also slightly more contrasted that the others as I wanted to keep the shadow of the stool as it makes the image a bit more 3D. Compared with the images above the shadow in this image makes it seem more real life.

Idea's for a studio shoot

I am photographing the cast in the school production of 'Hairspray'. This musical is fun and lively so I will need to show this through my shots. The shots are for the programme and will be viewed by all the audience so they need to be simple yet effective.

This is the photograph from 'Hairspray' the movie. It is very vibrant and full of fun with plenty of smiley faces. My images need to show this same type of emotion.

I am reasearching good lighting techniques as I have not done a big studio shoot before so I need to know exactly how to position my models correctly and to get the most out of the picture. I need to now plan these positions and ensure that I have a vast range so the images are not too alike.
I have had a bit of a practise with some shots as I am using a different camera. Today I am using a canon 50D which is different to my usual 1000D. The camera has different fuctions and is a lot more powerful which will hopefully bring out better quality in my pictures.

I had a practise with some students and I took some head shots and half body shots. This type of image is very close up and can show some potential flaws in a model etc. However I think as the light was quite bright this did not happen. The colours are very vibrant and stand out well against the skin.

This image was working out how to keep 2 or more people in the shot without the back person going to blurred out. I think the image shows that emma (the girl in front) is more of the main character. The girl behind is clearly however still in the image and still fully focused.

Preparing for studio shots

I am looking at lighting techniques in preparation for my studio shots. I need to decide how to illuminate my models and how to change the 'look' of the photograph through lighting techniques.

This image gives me a good idea as to where I should place my lighting. I can see here that the face is very well lit, however so its the side of the models body.

This is a basic light set up used to create a professional style portrait. M is the main light and is the most powerful, it is used to light the model and create mood. F is the fill in light. This light softens the shadows, the usual ratio of main light to fill in is 1:2 to 1:9. B1, B2 and H are all optional lights. B1 is the background light, its use is to remove the shadows from the backdrop and also illuminate the models head from the background to give the 3D feel. B2 is the other background light. This light creates a 'hallo' around the models head, and is more often used for women as there hair has different shapes so the light adds some 'air' to it. Finally H is the hair light, this light is generally used to either enlighten the hair or also to create an accent light. This will create a highlight on the shoulder to give more depth.

Contextual research focus

One main photographer I want to focus on is Irving Penn. He was an American Photographer known for his work in portraiture and fashion. Much of his life was working in the fashion industry, until he opened his own studio in 1953. Irving Penn photographed still life and liked to use just a plain black, white or grey background for his subjects. His images are all mostly black and white and they are very intriguing.

This image has a very posed feel about it however the fact that it is a deep sea diver makes the image much more quirky and quite amusing. The fact that its in black and white really accentuates each detail of the outfit.

This image is also very posed in Penn's style and the contrast of light on the body highlights specific areas which I think really brings out the subject from the background. It is very dark overall however I think this brings some atmosphere to the image.

This image is of Igor Stravinksy. The image seems to be very personal and close. The setting of it seems very staged and rigid however shows a lot of emotion in the face. The whole style of the triangluar point takes the eye into the image and it seems as if the walls are closing in.

Annie Leibovitz

I have also researched a different style of work with Annie Leibovitz. Her work is highly controversial and she has been criticised for many of her public images. She has photographed many celebrities and some of these images have turned out to not go in her favour with the public. One example was the semi naked image of Miley Cyrus that caused much uproar with parents of her fans, from which they received an apology from Leibovitz.

Although this image has been criticised I think it is a very different photograph for such a celebrity as this was the turn around to adulthood for her. The subtleties of the makeup and the overall colour and paleness of skin is very neutral which creates a much more innocent image.

Leibovitz was also more recently commissioned by Disney to take a series of shots portraying each of the Disney princesses and the more famous stories. These images were created to celebrate the Disney Parks 'Year of a Million Dreams'.

This image has singer and songwriter Beyonce as Alice. The image is very vibrant and bright in colour and also shows a sense of movement with the whirling tea cups.The eyes of the mad hatter seem to make the image slightly more sinister.

This image of 'Beauty and the Beast' portrays Hollywood star Penelope Cruz. The image has a very mystical style and seems slightly more old fashioned than the other images that were made. It is more like a painting with its brushed effect.

This image is 'Aladdin' and shows actress and singer Jennifer Lopez and her recently divorced (but then husband) Marc Antony. This image has very rich and bold colours typical of the Arabian culture. Also the illusion of them flying through the sky is very intriguing. The merging sky also brings a richer tone to the image and contrasts really well with the red carpet.