Often I find simple face-on portraiture a bit dull, so for this project I am interested in transforming and distorting the figure in some way to reveal another identity. I am looking to play with the ideas of reality and the unreal within the real. I also have an interest in the idea of natural life and the world of the subconcious that the eye seems not to take note of but is still there. Below is a visual mind map of images that I have collected that appeal:
Research
Throughout my work I looked and learnt from various photographers and artists that i found an inspiration and an interest in. Some of the work i have looked at has simply been a one off shot by the photographer and they havent developed this idea further, such as Mario Savioni, who i stumbled across accidentally yet saw his photographs of some urban reflections and was interested in this idea. Others that i have looked at have been around and famous for many years now such as Robert Mapplethorpe. However i was still not as interested in Mapplethorpes main work as I was in his photograph of the statue Apollo, which I saw as unique and imaginative.
Research of gallery exhibition - John Stezaker
John Stezaker John was born in Worcester but now lives and works in London. His photography re-examines the various relationships within each image, as he captures the viewer in a different perspective whilst interpreting his images. It is arguable that Stezaker captures the truth within his photography as he manipulates his images cleverly to alter the shapes and outlines within, and managing to change the whole scene while subtly keeping the shapes similar.
In his collections such as 'Mask', he replaces the persons face with a setting of natue, usually calm and peaceful and in color, rather than the black and white background, creating a contrast. This layer is often a postcard which can be confusing to the viewer, yet when the shapes are looked at more deeply, the outlines are verry much alike.
The layered photos in this collection, always contained a gap within a landscape such as a cave or in between two large rocks, this could be Stezaker emphasising the wittiness of his nature and thoughtful meanings. These in particular, are my favourite set of photos. I find them so extraordinary to look at. It makes me think why their faces our covered and how it effects their identities.
John Stezaker mainly focuses on portraiture,mainly as art but also as a public identity and historical genre. Using publicity shots of famous film stars, he overlaps their faces creating a dissimilar image. The identity is then changed and and the image struggles for visual dominance.
I like these sets of portraits as they are so bland but 1 simple thing, the overlapping photographs, changes it and draws me in questioning the image. John engages his photography with one of his interests, surrealism. Placed in a contemporary context, his work retains his interests of glamour yet shows more to the world of photography and even takes a slight look at relationships within the photograph. After looking at Stezakers work, it has widened my ideas.
In his collections such as 'Mask', he replaces the persons face with a setting of natue, usually calm and peaceful and in color, rather than the black and white background, creating a contrast. This layer is often a postcard which can be confusing to the viewer, yet when the shapes are looked at more deeply, the outlines are verry much alike.
The layered photos in this collection, always contained a gap within a landscape such as a cave or in between two large rocks, this could be Stezaker emphasising the wittiness of his nature and thoughtful meanings. These in particular, are my favourite set of photos. I find them so extraordinary to look at. It makes me think why their faces our covered and how it effects their identities.
John Stezaker mainly focuses on portraiture,mainly as art but also as a public identity and historical genre. Using publicity shots of famous film stars, he overlaps their faces creating a dissimilar image. The identity is then changed and and the image struggles for visual dominance.
I like these sets of portraits as they are so bland but 1 simple thing, the overlapping photographs, changes it and draws me in questioning the image. John engages his photography with one of his interests, surrealism. Placed in a contemporary context, his work retains his interests of glamour yet shows more to the world of photography and even takes a slight look at relationships within the photograph. After looking at Stezakers work, it has widened my ideas.
Mask X, 1982, Collage
Research for Set 1 - Statues
When searching for ideas for this project I came across photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe and his particular photograph Apollo. I became intrigued by the mystery within the photograph and the idea of a statue that can be photographed in a studio as if it were human, and so taken in such a way that it was to pose as a human does and the studio would reflect the same effects needed for the statue as if it were human.
Mapplethorpe was born and grew up as a Roman Catholic of English and Irish heritage in New York. His parents were Harry and Joan Mapplethorpe and he grew up with five brothers and sisters. The era of Mapplethorpes i was most interested in was his classic traditions which explored the relationship between Mapplethorpe's approach to the human figure and classical art through sixteenth century Mannerist prints. In the photograph Apollo, i noticed the technique mapplethorpe used in trying to make the statue look as realistic as possible. I tried to incorporate this into my photography and use this same technique. |
Set 1 - Statues
AIM: In this set i was interested in the work of Robert Mapplethorpe and his photograph of the statue Apollo. I aimed to take this idea of a portrait photograph of a statue and play with the idea of the statue posing in a studio as if human.
PROCESS: For this task i used my digital camera and set out taking close up portrait photographs of statues in my garden. i then edited them to create the effect of a studio, playing with shadow and lighting. CRITIQUE: I felt this task was successful in the sense that i was able to create a studio effect with my photographs and that the portrait photographs were reflective of humans, however i also feel this task was not extensive enough, to improve i would like to find a wider range of statues and sculptures and take more of a variety of shots with them. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: I would also like to have a small statue or sculpture brought in to the studio where i can actually take studio shots of it. I can take this task further and rather than simply using statues to take photographs of, i could use puppets or manikins to continue to play with the idea of the unreal within the real. Research for Set 2 - Reflections
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Set 2 - ReflectionsAIM: For this task I aimed to take photographs of buildings with the reflections of other buildings appearing within them, I also took some mirrored images of people within to give the impression of another world within the mirror and photograph. I came by a particular piece by a photographer, Mario Savioni who recently took photographs of an Urban site within another building in California. I aimed to recreate this effect using glass buildings and looking at the photographs they reflect.
PROCESS: For this task i went to central London and the South bank where there are lots of tall glass buildings and interesting scenery. There i took many photos experimenting with the angles of my shots and the position from which i took the photograph from. CRITIQUE: I feel my objectives were reached within this set of photographs and particularly like the range of buildings i have in my photos that go from modern sky scrapers to victorian style buildings. However i can improve by using different perspectives on the buildings such as a birds eye view point and developing my use of people within the photographs . FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: To take these sets of photographs further i could change the style of photograph to use things other than buildings such as puddles and other reflective objects and could incorporate the use of people further into them. |
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Research for Set 3 - Masks
-Ralph Eugene Meatyard
For this set of photographs i was influenced by the work of photographer, Ralph Eugene Meatyard. Earlier this year i discovered his abnormal portrature work using disturbing masks.
Ralph Eugene Meatyard was born on May 15, 1925 and died on May 7, 1972. He was an American photographer, from Normal, Illinois. Meatyard purchased his first camera in 1950 to photograph his son, Michael. He eventually found his way to the Lexington Camera club in 1954, and at the same time joined the Photographic Society of America. It was at the camera club that Meatyard met Van Deren Coke, an early influence behind much of Meatyard's work. He even exhibited work by Meatyard in an exhibition for the University entitled 'Creative Photography' in 1956.
During the mid 1950s he would attend a series of summer workshops, run by Henry Holmes Smith and Minor White. He continued to make work, usually in bursts during holidays, in his makeshift darkroom in his home, until his death in 1972. His approach was somewhat improvisational and very heavily influenced by the jazz music of the time. While he lived Meatyard's work was shown and collected by major museums, published in important art magazines, and regarded by his peers as among the most original and disturbing imagery ever created with a camera. He exhibited with such well-known and diverse photographers as Edward Weston, Ansel Adams and Minor White.
Ralph Eugene Meatyard was born on May 15, 1925 and died on May 7, 1972. He was an American photographer, from Normal, Illinois. Meatyard purchased his first camera in 1950 to photograph his son, Michael. He eventually found his way to the Lexington Camera club in 1954, and at the same time joined the Photographic Society of America. It was at the camera club that Meatyard met Van Deren Coke, an early influence behind much of Meatyard's work. He even exhibited work by Meatyard in an exhibition for the University entitled 'Creative Photography' in 1956.
During the mid 1950s he would attend a series of summer workshops, run by Henry Holmes Smith and Minor White. He continued to make work, usually in bursts during holidays, in his makeshift darkroom in his home, until his death in 1972. His approach was somewhat improvisational and very heavily influenced by the jazz music of the time. While he lived Meatyard's work was shown and collected by major museums, published in important art magazines, and regarded by his peers as among the most original and disturbing imagery ever created with a camera. He exhibited with such well-known and diverse photographers as Edward Weston, Ansel Adams and Minor White.
Set 3 - Masks
AIM: In this set of photographs i aimed to imitate the styles of such photographers as Eugene Meatyard, Richard Burbridge and Saul Steinburg and develop their ideas into my own with the use of different masks and trying to give each mask a unique charecter that is usually come across in everyday urban life.
PROCESS: For this set of photographs I made and bought masks and placed them on a range of different models. I took photos both outside, inside and in a studio with my models wearing the masks and then used photoshop to edit my results. CRITIQUE: I feel my best results were with my paper bag masks that showed a wider variety in charecter and i feel come across to tell a story of everyday life. On the other hand i found that using flash in some of my photographs gave them a dramatic clash im brightness and left the end product unfortunatly unbalanced. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: To improve on this set I would continue with a story telling theme with the paper bag masks similar to Saul Steinburg, and aim to play with light and shadow more by not using flash and placing the model in more story telling scenarios. |
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Set 4 - Absence
AIM: For this set of photographs i aimed to capture the impression of absence and an almost abandoned urban site that should be likely populated.
PROCESS: I set out across London and was lucky enough to take my camara to Italy aswell for this set and captured images of what i observed at different times of the day, i used different perspectives aswell from both high up positions and ground level, taking shots from either head on, looking up or looking down and from a birds eye point of view. When the light began to fade, I deliberatly under exposed to highlight what was left of the light in the sky and cast a shadow on what i was actually observing which almost created a silhoet. CRITIQUE: I feel this task was particularly successful in the evening when the light was fading as the images produced create a certain atmosphere which inspired me further to take more images of landscape silhoets. On the other hand, i could improve all my shots by aiming at a particular type of negative space rather than showing such a variety. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: To take this set further i would like to take more photographs in the evening and possibly even at night, and focus more on a theme within this set such as urban architecture, work in progress or abandoned sights. |
Set 5 - Silhouettes
AIM: In this set of photographs i aimed create an atmosphere of mystery and the unknown in my images, i looked to make my silhouettes form dark and eary shapes.
PROCESS: For this task i used a 'plain screen' as we call it in the studio and placed my models in front of it to create a silhouette effect. I under exposed on my digital camara to allow for less detail to be shown on my models, in some shots i placed the models behind the plain screen to create a more eary and mysterious image. CRITIQUE: I feel this set was successful as i was able to achieve the effects i sought out for, however in my opinion the images could be more creative and intrusive if i looked more at the types of shot and the actions in which my models do. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: To take this set further i would like to play more with shapes and the mystery of the figure, i could take silhouette photographs in the outside using under exposure at sunset across an urban or sub-urban landscape. |
Set 6a - The Toy World
AIM: The aim of this set was to create a surreal impression within the photograph, i looked at my previous silhouette set and thought about the use of it in terms of enlarging something allot bigger than it should be in order to create a realistic, life size impression. I also looked at the work of the artist Slinkachu and his use of model toys in photography, i thought with the combination of ideas i could create an impression of reality while it does not actually exist.
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PROCESS: To take these photographs i used a small toy aeroplane and made it the focus point of my photographs. I took photos from the balcony floor of a flat to give the impression of scale and size, the idea being to make the plain almost to scale with its surroundings. I made the background of my shots out of focus and capitalized on the setting sun to create a mood to my images, the idea was to capture a picture that would give the impression of a fighter plain flying through/over London during sunset. However in some images i've kept the scale to its reality and attempted to play with the idea of it being a toy world and how the plain could simply be in an actual toy environment. Almost as though the world was made of toys.
CRITIQUE: I feel these images were successful to an extent although very limited. I liked the idea of toys being made to life size scales through the camera and feel the scene for the photographs was very good, however i would like to try using other toys in this way as well such as teddy bears and toy cars. I think that with the right location, this set could be successful.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: To take this set further, i would like to use a different range of toys and take them to locations that fit their characters (i.e. a car on a road) i would also like to play more with the toy world idea and the idea of the whole world being made of toys.
CRITIQUE: I feel these images were successful to an extent although very limited. I liked the idea of toys being made to life size scales through the camera and feel the scene for the photographs was very good, however i would like to try using other toys in this way as well such as teddy bears and toy cars. I think that with the right location, this set could be successful.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: To take this set further, i would like to use a different range of toys and take them to locations that fit their characters (i.e. a car on a road) i would also like to play more with the toy world idea and the idea of the whole world being made of toys.
Set 6b - The Toy World
AIM: In this set i aimed to take photographs of toys to give the viewer the impression of them having life to them and being real although they aren't.
PROCESS: For this set of photographs i took photographs both at night using flash and during the day, i zoomed in as much as possible to give the impression of size and placed the toys in scenarios i felt were relevant to their characters. CRITIQUE: I feel the images taken during daylight without flash were successful and seemed to be more in place, however the photographs taken at night proved to be poor quality and not composed well enough due to the conditions in which they were taken. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: If i were to take this set further i would have to consider to think more along the lines of the artist 'Slinkachu' and take photographs of toy humans in a day to day human scenario yet playing with size. I would like to take further photographs playing with the toys scenarios and almost giving them stories. |
Set 7 - Film Noir
AIM: In this set of photographs i attempted to take photographs in the style of film noir, using typical features such as a bowler hat and the photographs in black and white.
PROCESS: I took this photos indoors but mostly with natural light coming through the windows. i used photoshop to make the photographs black and white and give the look of them being old and took a technique from my earlier silhouettes set. CRITIQUE: I feel this set was my least ambitious and i could have improved further on my locations for the photographs and attempting to make the photographs more exciting or shocking in order to capture the viewer more. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: To take this set further i would like to take more photographs in locations more typical to the film noir style. I'd also like to expand on my characters and create a deeper story line to my images. |
Research for Set 8 - Uta Barth
Uta Barth was born in 1958 in Berlin. She is a contemporary photographer who lives and works in Los Angeles.
I took interest in Barths photography exclusively in her aesthetic projects, experimenting with depth of field, focus and framing to take photographs that are suggestive rather than descriptive. This type of photography became a particular interest to me as it interlinks with my exam project 'Mystery and Imagination'. Her interiors and landscapes engage the viewer in an almost subliminal way, testing memory, intellect and subjective responses.
Her photographs take the opposite approach to the famous Düsseldorf school of photographers which include Thomas Struth and Andreas Gursky. While they record their subjects in sharply objective archival detail, Barth’s images of interiors, buildings, suburban roads or natural environments are often out of focus, cropped and apparently empty of any foreground subject. What emerges from this reduction and abstraction of subject matter is a body of photographs evocative of great moments in the history of painting, or of a cinematic ambience.
Uta Barth says in an interview whilst talking about her work, "I became very interested in them and started a separate series of landscape backgrounds which were based on vernacular conventions/snapshot photography of people in front of scenic landscapes." This is something I have tried to achieve within my final sets of images by taking a scenic view and photographic a couple observing over it. she continues by saying she made a "very conscious decision to produce several projects that were formally quite different yet linked by addressing different aspects of vision, thereby bringing the activity of looking to the foreground as the common denominator." I liked this idea the most and so took to Barths work as an attempt to make the observer look deeper into my images and not just the foreground but the whole image.
I took interest in Barths photography exclusively in her aesthetic projects, experimenting with depth of field, focus and framing to take photographs that are suggestive rather than descriptive. This type of photography became a particular interest to me as it interlinks with my exam project 'Mystery and Imagination'. Her interiors and landscapes engage the viewer in an almost subliminal way, testing memory, intellect and subjective responses.
Her photographs take the opposite approach to the famous Düsseldorf school of photographers which include Thomas Struth and Andreas Gursky. While they record their subjects in sharply objective archival detail, Barth’s images of interiors, buildings, suburban roads or natural environments are often out of focus, cropped and apparently empty of any foreground subject. What emerges from this reduction and abstraction of subject matter is a body of photographs evocative of great moments in the history of painting, or of a cinematic ambience.
Uta Barth says in an interview whilst talking about her work, "I became very interested in them and started a separate series of landscape backgrounds which were based on vernacular conventions/snapshot photography of people in front of scenic landscapes." This is something I have tried to achieve within my final sets of images by taking a scenic view and photographic a couple observing over it. she continues by saying she made a "very conscious decision to produce several projects that were formally quite different yet linked by addressing different aspects of vision, thereby bringing the activity of looking to the foreground as the common denominator." I liked this idea the most and so took to Barths work as an attempt to make the observer look deeper into my images and not just the foreground but the whole image.
Set 8a - Response to Uta Barth
AIM: I took an interest in the work of Uta Barth and her use of shapes and contrast. In this set i aimed to capture nature in a way that leaves a simple object and changes the image to leave a subjective view and cause the observer to create their own interpretation of my photographs.
PROCESS: I took photographs in daylight and from within buildings, using manual focus to deliberately capture the photographs out of focus. CRITIQUE: I feel this set would have been more successful had i been able to capture more lights and variations of color or if i had stuck to simpler tones. i liked the one of the blue flowers which i feel i captured a certain mood with but i should aim to capture more moods with my pictures. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: In my next set of photographs i will aim to capture more shapes and emotions. I will aim more at creating a mood with my photography like Uta Barth does. |
Set 8b
AIM: My aim in this set was to capture emotions in my photographs and create an impression that leaves the viewer interested and allows them to use their imagination to interpret the images in a subjective way.
PROCESS: For this set i went into central London and took photographs at day and night in order to capture the lights of the city. Once again i used manual focus and deliberately took the images out of focus, also playing with angles and perspectives. CRITIQUE: I feel this set was very successful and would be interested in taking it further to use for my final piece. I very much like the images at night and feel i have captured a sense of imagination within them. I particularly like the idea of using the river Thames to reflect some of London's light and will take this further in my next set. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: In my next set of photos i attempt to make further use of the river and the lights at night in london, using colors and shapes to help create the sense of atmosphere and mood. |
Set 8c
AIM: In this set i aimed to take London's landscapes and famous images and photograph them out of focus using the lights to create an artistic and interesting image.
PROCESS: For this set of photographs i took photos at night in London focusing on lights and the landscapes of London that are seen every day, yet taking them out of focus to attempt for the viewer to look deeper into the image. CRITIQUE: I feel this set was very successful and would like to take this further by incorporating emotions and people into the photographs. i very much like the landscape shots of the London skyline and the use of the river to show reflections of the light although the image is out of focus. Many of the river images remind my of Claude Monet's impressionist work. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: To take this set further i would like to incorporate the use of people as well as shapes and colors in order to create more emotions into the photographs and a further sense of mystery and imagination. |
Set 8 - Final Images
AIM: In this set i aimed to capture emotional and imaginative photographs that hopefully create a subjective impression on the viewer.
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