Evaluation

Studio Shoot

These images were shot in the studio using a black background. I decided to shoot on a black background as I was really interested in what effect it could create. I think it works really well with the black lingerie as it helps to keep a sophisticated theme running through the images. From looking at photographers like; Ellen Von Unwerth, Mike Figgis and especially Peter Lindergh, I quickly realised that posture is extremely important in fashion imagery. The right posture and stance of the model could be what makes it such a strong image. I wanted my model to look awkward, enhancing the bone structure of my model physique, accentuating her slim body. The image on the left is my favourite image out of these 2 as I think I have achieved a soft, erotic image which I wanted these images to make.

I decided to put these 2 images together as I think having a full length body shot next to a close up portrait can work really well. I'm pleased with these images, however the image on the right I don't like as much - the exposure of the image, for me, isn't quite right. I feel there is too much of a contrast from the whites to blacks, but in photoshop I was unsuccessful in trying to lighten the area of the hair where it is really dark. This was unsuccessful as I had to lighten the image so much, up to about 3 stops, it started to become grainy and produced intense haloing. Although I like the strong shadows in the photo, I think if I was to reshoot this image, I would maybe include another light coming from the right side of her, on a low output just to lighten up parts of the image which have lost detail from it being so dark. In camera RAW, I edited the photo on the left - to lighten up areas where detail had been lost, like the shoes for an example. The original image was a lot darker than this and although it created a really moody, smokey feel I think it looked better after I had edited it. 

I shot this shoot using a soft box strip as I thought it would be the most successful in lighting the whole of my model. I used one light, however on the right hand image I used 2 lights. One being a soft box and the other being a snoot, which is what creates this light behind my model. I decided to add these photos which are in colour to show that the colour images worked well. I am really pleased with these 2 images as I thought about the rule of thirds, making sure that what was in the frame was neat and looked crisp. I also used a wind machine on the image to the left to create movement in her hair. I really like this image as I think it really highlights this sexy feel. For some of the images I used a 70mm lens but the majority of them I used a standard 35-50mm lens. The images were shot on anywhere from F/4 to F/8 as the lighting was so dark.

I edited these 2 images by using colour layers and then by using the eraser and opacity tool, I managed to bring out my model from the rest of the image. I used the colour picker tool so select the colour of my model's eye, which I then used to layer over my images. I chose to select this colour as I thought it would make her eyes appear more prominent. I really like these images as I think they are really different to what I would normally do with fashion portraits.

Mike Figgis

I really like this photo a lot due to the intimacy it gives off. This photo is extremely sexy but Figgis for some reason hasn't include the model's identity. This helps to create the importance of the body and sexual side of the photo. The alcohol in the background suggests indecent behaviour along with what the model is wearing. This was shot on film and I guess that it was shot on a standard lens as there isn't anything technical amazing about this photo.

With Figgis' images, they have quite a rough feel as they aren't perfectly set up like editorial, fashion images. The image on a whole is quite over exposed, especially on the model's legs, however this helps to create contrast between the whites and blacks. I think this helps contrast the innocence of a woman and delicateness of her skin against the black and seductive lingerie - suggesting the model has lost her innocence to promiscuous behavior.

Figgis is originally a film director, directing such films as; Leaving Las Vegas, Cold Creek Manor and more. He has a talent for creating mood within his images, especially this one, by using lighting and the location. By being a director, I think it helps to produce a really powerful image, as you're constantly looking at every single part of the image and frame like you would be doing when filming. This photo is open to a range of narratives which I particularly like about it - images that suggest something but leave it open enough for you to decide what's going on. 

Ballet Commision

Shoot Plan

For this shoot, I have been asked to take photos for someone's ballet portfolio. I researched into dance and performance photographers and found the photographer Drew Tommons, who works closely with models to get some really different and exciting dance images. 

For this shoot I want my background to be grey or to have a gradient background, where the white falls into the grey. To create this affect I need to ensure that I pull my model forward, away from the background so that less light is hitting it. For this shoot I am going to test a few different lighting arrangements out. I want my images to be moody and in a sense theatrical, highlighting important muscles, portraying how strong the dancer is - for this my model will have to do large and eccentric movements. I want my images to be minimalistic to help keep the focus on my model, maybe creating some faint shadows. To enhance the shadows and specific lighting I am going to be using, I am going to digitally manipulate my photos so that they are black and white. By doing this I am creating more of a contrast between the blacks and whites which helps to add to the moodiness of the photo. In this lighting diagram, I have included a black panel to block part of the light from hitting the backdrop (which I may not use) depending on how the lighting is affecting the colour of it.

This is my favourite image out of the collection as I think the composition and technical side of it is really well executed. It was shot using a tripod on F/8 with a softbox strip positioned to the right of my model, creating these really extreme shadows which I personally feel highlights the model's physique. I wanted to create a grey background instead of a completely white background as I feel it creates more mood and adds a theatrical feel to the image. Similar to Drew Tommon's work, I have made the move of the model look powerful and strong by using contrast between the whites and blacks. If I was to reshoot this shot I would probably change the outfit of my model to something of a lighter colour - however I wouldn't want the image to look flat as the black leggings helps to bring out the black shadow. Overall, I found this shoot incredibly hard to get right and I found the model difficult to work with. I specifically like the light on the right hand arm as it softens the images. The use of that arm being near the light adds direction to the photo and makes it appear to be active.

These are the weakest images out of this set as on both images the shadow is being cut off too early, due to the portrait format I chose to shoot in. The right hand image I was displeased with due to the model looking awkward and strained. I wanted my model to look calm and like he was enjoying himself, however it was his first time in the front of the camera and I felt that he felt very conscious. I prefer the left hand image in landscape as I think the negative space really works well and how it makes him look bigger being stretched across a landscape frame. I also found the images where he wasn't looking into the camera were more successful as it made him looked more focused on the dance moves rather than posing for the camera. If I had the chance to reshoot these images, I felt I could've have achieved such a better outcome. I wanted the first shoot just to be a tester to see how me and my client would work together and for myself to get familiar with shooting dance moves. If I were to reshoot this I would try my model against a black background as well as the white (grey) as I think the black would have helped the muscles to stand out more, however with using the white background I managed to get some really strong shadows. 

I feel that this is a really powerful shot and I was really pleased with how central I managed to get the model. This image took a lot of attempts to get right but in the end I was left with a good final image. I would've preferred it if my model was looking down at the floor as his facial expressions let the image down. For this shot I had one light coming in from the right side to create definition in Che's physique. I really wanted the model to be slightly more advanced in ballet so that some of the moves he was doing would have been bigger and more exaggerated so I had more to work with. From looking at this image, it makes me want to take a shot close to his foot - focusing on his foot with shallow depth of field, making his face be out of focus, for a more fine art feeling relating to this theatrical feel.

The majority of these poses didn't look like they came naturally to the model. I had problems with the frame as to achieve the lighting that I got with the grey background, I had to ensure that the model was a close to the front of the studio as I could get him so that the light wasn't bouncing strongly against the background. Because of this, I kept getting the floor in front of me in the frame, which didn't look professional. I tried to include some shots of my model jumping however I was unsuccessful in doing this. Next time I am going to try and shoot the images on a faster shutter speed, maybe using flash to get movement or get an image of the model in the air.

Ellen Von Unwerth

I decided to look into Ellen Von Unwerth as she is renowned for her sexy and erotic images. Although, her images are some what more intimate than I'm going to make mine, I still think they are stunning imagery. She really captures the delicate nature of a woman's body yet also they have connotations to sex and lust. I really like the camera angle she has used in this image as the identity of the model cannot be seen, making her body the dominating feature of the image. This is quite a rough photo in the sense that the background is messy and the model isn't holding an exaggerated pose - giving the image a really natural feel.

I really like the use of lighting in this image as the light coming from the top of the stairs helps to create a dingy, grimy feel. This is contrasted against the corset and costume of the model as the clothing is quite middle class. The use of the banister and skirting board adds a sense of direction the photo, creating a narrative. Ellen Von Unwerth has thought about the rule of thirds and leading lines within this image, as the model is directly central, with a line in the foreground leading up to her, which Unwerth has made out of focus. The way the skirting board cuts the model right at the centre of her bum helps draw our attention there. By using the white shoes and white corset sticks to a colour scheme which works very well within fashion photography.

Unwerth first became famous from shooting Claudia Schiffer, she then went on to work for companies like; Vogue, Vanity Fair, Interview and other leading fashion organisations. Her work is renowned for erotic feminism, which I think is extremely powerful and she has got such a talent of bringing out the best physical assets of her models.

Functional Skills

Mount Edgecumbe Shoot

I decided to pair up my images as I feel like they work better as a pair. Overall, I was really pleased with how my photos turned out as I think that they were really successful. The black background that they are presented on helps to bring out the contrast within the photos. My model was Livvy Dunn, a photography student at Plymouth University who I worked really well with. My inspiration came from the period of the house which was the 1500's, Tudor/Elizabethan period. I would've like to have used a 70-200mm lens to get a shallow depth of field, creating a beautiful close up portrait.

This images were shot with natural lighting coming from the left hand side of the frame. The light was coming through a window which creates flattering and interesting highlights. The image on the right is my favourite image from the shoot as I think it works well in creating a feminine and delicate portrayal of my model. Complimentary colours work well within this image as well, the dark green really helps to bring out the golden colours in Livvy's hair which creates a golden glow on her skin, hiding any blemishes or bad complexion she may have had that day. Her hands leading up to her face creates this soft and feminine feeling in the photo, as they are positioned close to her lips. To get the contrast within her hair, I edited the photo in RAW photoshop by increasing the clarity, making her hair appear sharper than the rest of her. I also airbrushed the skin on a small amount just to get the contrast between her hair and skin - I think this works really successfully. Although the image on the left isn't as strong as the image on the right, I still really like it due to the positioning of my model. She has been positioned perfectly central, this combined with the frame in the background being behind her head and the black bow in the middle of the frame helps to keep the shot looking tidy. Both images were shot on a 70mm lens which gives it the closeness and intimate relationship with the model. Both images were shot on F/6.3 at 1/100 of a second, as I wasn't using a tripod I had to shoot using a fast shutter speed to avoid camera shake. Originally, I wanted to keep all of my images black and white however, I felt this images worked best in colour due to the contrast in colour.

In these images, I had to learn how to keep both my model and the outside of the window perfectly exposed. I did this by a combination of factors; the aperture I shot on, the position and distance of the lights and the power of the lights. In this lighting diagram I have demonstrated how I positioned the lights to get this image. Both lights were on a low input as I didn't want to lose detail in the background. My main constant light was coming from the left leaving the fill light to the right. Within these photos I wanted to create moody lighting, creating contrast and strong shadows. By keeping the lights on a low input I created this. I also used a tripod with these images to get a straight frame. My idea for the costume came from a stylist who was hugely inspired by the Tudor/Elizabethan period fabrics and textures who then recreated her own take on lingerie, which she called, "architectural lingerie," due to the, "intricate panels that are an architectural marvel." I really think this combined with the ruff, part of the costume, and the panelled windows really gives the images a post this 1500's feel.

This was shot using one flash light with a softbox strip to light up the whole of Livvy. I only edited the images on photoshop using a grey layer on colour mode to get this black and white image. However, using Photoshop RAW I ever so slightly tweaked the exposure on my model's face. When taking these images I was informed by a tutor that it was similar the body of work called, "The 4 Dreams of Miss X," which were a set of images of Kate Moss. After looking at this image below, I discovered that the feeling and mood that my images created was very similar to this work. The staircase is used to lead our focal point towards to model which is represented in both, my images and the one of Kate Moss. Originally, I wanted an image of Livvy from far away, elongating her body and creating an illusion of her being even smaller against the grand staircase. However, due to a large portrait at the top of the stairs behind the model, I feel that it took the attention ad simplicity away from the photo. Within these images I wanted to create a delicate, dainty feel as well as a erotic and sexy mood. I think I was successful in doing this due to the positions I directed my model to do. Nonetheless, the lingerie does the work for the sexy side of this image combined with the black and white helps to maintain a soft and less provocative feel in the images. I also think that the design of the lingerie against the design of the carpet works well as a contrast and helps to compliment one another. 

I decided to put these two images together as in both photos my model isn't wearing the ruff which helps to link the images together. I decided to get my model to have curly hair so that it linked once again to this Elizabethan/Tudor feel as from research I found that the Elizabethan period was hot for tight curls/ringlets. If I was to reshoot the image on the right I would make sure that I included the ends of her fingertips rather than them being cut out of the frame - I think it would have contributed to making the image look elegant and soft. I think it's good to present a close up portrait with a portrait further away to add contrast and show a variety of camera angles. I chose for the right image to be on the right hand side as her body is facing inwards, I feel it creates a better focal point and keeps the images linking. 

Contact Sheets

 I really liked the posture my model was doing in the images 0391 and 0392, however I was unsuccessful with the framing of the image. My model also wasn't central which made the photo look messy and unprofessional. The close up portraits from 0399 - 0407 were the most successful images from the shoot as I think that natural lighting really emphasizes the golden glow in Livvy's hair. A tripod was used for the majority of these images so that I could get the composition right, however the portraits were shot hand held.

 The images from 0410 - 0422 I found extremely hard to shoot as the gold in the room added a really warm feel to these images. I tried changing my white balance however it didn't make much difference. As the room was so brightly lit up anyway, I only used one flash light which was positioned above the model on her left hand side. I wanted to try different types of camera angles yet the limited space in the room did not allow me to experiment with the shots that I wanted to try. I really like the images 0440 to 0448 as I think the composition is slightly more extreme than the rest of my photos.

Flash Gun

Speed Light SB-800

Equipment:
SC-28 sync lead
4 x AA's

Fill flash is used for; complimenting exsiting ambient light
to bring out detail in shadow areas
to highlight subject from background
Capturing movement; repeat flash
use the flash to freeze movements
use the rear curtain sync - flashes at the end of the shutter

When shooting in the studio there are different factors that change the exposure of the photo;
Distance
Diffusion
Power
Aperture

I found that when using a flash gun, it can create a really intimate feel between the cameraman and the models. Similar to some paparazzi's images, although the relationship between the elite stars and the paparazzi is far from intimate the closeness that the flash gives really creates an image which feels that is in the centre of the action. I really like how the flash can do this as I feel that it could create some really interesting, documentary style images - which I am hopeful to produce in my next project. What I like most about the flash is that it is portable and extremely easy to use. I am surprised at the brightness of it as it doesn't seem it could be that bright. I was also surprised that I was shooting on F/22 inside with an ISO of 400 as I thought the flash wouldn't give off enough light. 

These photos were unplanned and were just taken for learning how to use the flash. Depending on the position of the flash and where it is directed, will change how sharp and harsh or how small and soft the shadows will be. For example, the flash was pointing straight on at the model's, resulting in a shadow being directly underneath their faces. However, as my model in the foreground is slightly under the flash, the shadows are stronger.

Architectural Shoot

Location: Royal William Yard

This is my original image that I took on a digital SLR camera. I only manipulated the image by converting it to black and white. I like this image as I think the position of the archway works really well. This combined with the lamp posts is really affective in keeping our focal point in the centre of the image. In order to get the detail in the sky, with capturing the mid tones, I had to keep the rest of my photo dark. This was due to the overcast lighting the day I shot this image. I could have edited it through camera RAW to dodge the sides of the archway but I did not feel this was as affective. This image was shot on F/22 on a 1/20 0f a second, using a tripod. I shot on f/22 to maximise my depth of field to capture the majority of the photo in focus to create a very documentary style image.

This image was created on photomatix to produce this HDR final outcome. To get this image I used 13 images to get different exposures so that not only the background would have detail but the darker areas around the archway would too. Personally, I feel the HDR has made the sky look flat and extremely greyscale not adding a specific mood or feeling apart from it feeling slightly surreal and unreal. My favourite part of the image is the floor and the texture it and the brick work make, once it has been produced through Photomatix. Lighting is also another part of the image that I particularly like as it works well with the textures. It helps to show the roughness or shimmer of the floor and walls.

Although I enjoyed this shoot and visiting the Royal William Yard, I found it hard to get excited and inspired by what it had to offer. Not only this but the day we visited it, the weather was terrible, creating very grey and bland colours in the sky. With architectural photography I think the weather and detail in the sky is extremely important as it completely creates the mood of the image and the way in which we view the building. Although the textures and brick work was beautiful and created such interesting lines, I found the colours very cold - hence why I decided to use black and white for my final outcomes. I tried to use leading lines to create contrast with the new features compared with the old building in the background (the glass metal new fencing against the old, brick building.) I also like the use of levels in this photo, with the new housing on the left on the image next to the old, tall building next to them. I think this creates a statement of how things have changed from then to now. This was shot on F/22 at 1/10 of second, using a tripod to ensure that the entire image was in focus. 

Drew Tommons

For my client work I am hopeful to produce some really powerful and successful ballet images for his portfolio. 

DREW TOMMONS

From looking at Tommon's images I have seen how lighting is such importance in producing dance images. Dance and theatre are very similar in how the photographs have such a strong feel in them. This combined with moody lighting helps to capture the feel of the dance move or theatre production. Tommon's uses the lighting within his images to get a gradient feel on the background of his images. This would have created by using 2 lights, however the light on the left side of the image would have been higher to light up the woman in the frame and then the 2nd light would have been position at the right of the frame, lower down to get these strong shadows. The grey background is created simply by bringing the subjects away from the background so that little light is hitting it. 

This is my favourite image out of the selection of images that I chose by Tommons. The way the lighting has been set up is extremely successful in showing the strength and structure of the model, which creates such an immense image. Drew Tommons must shoot with a fast shutter speed, so around 1/125th of a second to get these crisp and energetic images. I am excited to work with my model, who is passionate about his ballet dancing as I think the passion and intensity of it really shows in the photo. I am going to use black and white when processing my photos as I think it helps to create these shadows and highlights. I also think the black and white is very successful in showing the tone and strength of the muscles. 

The white leggings work really well, this is due to the gradual grey back drop. This image has really made me think about what clothing I need to get my model to wear. As my images are going to be black and white, I don't think using white leggings will be successful, a darker colour would fit the scheme better to help contrast the mid tones and highlights whilst still bringing the blacks and shadows. By having the light coming in from behind the model on the right, really interesting and moody shadows have been created. I think it's important to create moody lighting in these sort of images as I think it helps to create drama, theatre something very closely linked with ballet. I think this image is the weakest out of the set I have chosen as I don't like how the majority of the model's body is in the shadow, as I think it takes away the whole point of the photo created. To show and define the dancer's physique.