Project Evaluation

I don't think this project was very significant or meaningful to me in ways I may not have anticipated at the beginning of the project. I think maybe if I had used self portraiture I would have found the project to be more meaningful but that was not the case.

I thought about the ideas I had through starting out thinking about identity and what makes up a person's identity, then through researching some photographers and a video I worked on the ideas and gained inspiration from the research. I thought about the ways in which I could put a photo together,  first through a collage of different photos, then through a single photo that encompassed a person's identity.

I worked hard at thinking about these ideas through the images I made by thinking about what could be done with the photos, and using annotation to collect my thoughts on the photo together on my blog. My research helped me to think about these things as I could often compare my images to my researched photographer's photos.

I enabled my project to progress by constantly thinking about my ideas and subjects for photos and taking lots of photos of my subject's and their possessions. It progressed at an appropriate pace to the project, although it could have progressed a bit faster, due to the fact I kept thinking of new ideas throughout the project.

I used planning to help me pace my project and overall achievement of it by planning out times and locations to shoot my images, it helped me to know when I would be shooting and how long it would take me.

The goals I made in terms of planning that were most useful to me were planning where I was shooting and when I was shooting. I didn't use daily diary entries or written dates and days but for my next project I think I will.

Final Shots For Print

 

Although I didn't like the out of focus belongings too much, I feel this photo was too good to not have a print out. I think it encompasses the identiy of the subject really well; she is applying make up, there are pictures of her and her boyfriend and friends in the background, along with alcohol bottles and various creams and sprays. The lighting is really nice lighting up the personal posessions in the background the subject's face really well. The composition is really nice also, the subject on the left with the possessions on the right.

I chose this photo for print because it contains a number of the subject's personal possessions, the lighting is really nice, there are some good shadows and I like the abstract swooping of light across the photo. I quite like the wide composition with lots of objects in the frame and I also like the outside edges of the photo covered in shadow, bringing your eyes to look at the lighted part of the photo.

I chose this photo as it my absolute favourite from all my shots. The lighting is nicely spotlighted around the bed, subject and possessions, highlighting the things that encompass the subject's identity and creating a moody, surreal, abstract photo. The composition is quite tight as nearly all of the bottom half of the photo is taken up by the bed, making the photo quite neat looking but also messy with the belongings, creating a nice balance. You can see I have been inspired by Maki Miyashita with the photo but added my own style, with the moody lighting.

Kept Shots

I quite like this angle, on level with the subject and bed, but the subject is covering up some of the possessions and the shoes in the foreground are covering part of the subject. Also, the The lighting looks really nice however and the trails of light above the subject really add a nice abstract look to the photograph.

The angle for this photo is a bit higher than the previous, I like it a lot more as you can see all of the posessions on the bed aswell as the subject. The lighting is good, although I think there are a lot of distracting shadows across some of the possessions.

This photo turned out really nicely. The is great lighting, spotlighting the main area of the photo - the subject and her possessions on the bed. The composition is really nice and the shadows create a really moody look. Everything is in focus too and I quite like the line of abstract light to the left of the photo. Overall this is my favourite photograph I have taken so far.

For this photo I got some of the floor in the frame and put some of the subject's belongings down onto it. I do like this composition and layout but I think I prefer the previous one as it has a tighter composition. The shadows in this photo look really nice though and I like the alcohol bottles on the floor.

Shoot 4 - Contact Sheet

For my fourth and final shoot I found a really nice angle and composition of the subject's bed and took some more photos, adjusting the angle slightly and the light during the shoot. Although quite a small shoot, I feel the photos produced her are of high quality and I am really pleased with the turnout of them.

Kept Shots

I really like the lighting in this photo, I shined it from above to create a spot light affect as the subject applied her make-up. I like the composition of the subject on one side and her possessions and the left also. I also like the variety of belongings too, pictures, alcohol bottles, make-up and various creams and sprays litter the dressing table. I used a slow shutter speed for the photo, lighting the scene up with a torch to create the moody, spotlighted effect.

I really like the subject's pose in this picture, but I'm not so sure on the quite shallow depth of field, seeing as the belongings are a major part of the photo I don't think they should be out of focus. The lighthing is really nice like the previous photo, I achieved this effect the same as before, on a slow shutter speed and shining the light on the scene.

Here I used a shutter speed of about 20 seconds and used a torch to try and spotlight the subject and her belongings around the room and bed. I think this turned out really well and I really like the abstract effect of lines of light scattered around the picture too, although this was accidental I feel it adds to the photo. The composition of the possessions and the subject is also nice and follows a nice circle around the center of the frame.

Similar to the previous photo but with different lighting, I really like how the lighting turned out, like a big spotlight lighting up the subject and a bit of the area around her. Also, an accidental effect of me standing on the left side of the photo was captured, forming a really eerie, ghostly looking image. The only problem with this photo is that the lighting missed quite a lot of the subject's belongings.

In this photo, the lighting took up quite a lot of the frame, creating some nice shadows from the belongings and the subject. Another accidental effect of light swooping across the photo has occured her, but I feel it adds to the picture and looks quite abstract.

I think this is the best photo utilising the spotlighting technique, as each object has it's own spotlight above it, highlighting it and making it stand out. I really like the shadows this creates and the original look of the photo. I captured my hand on the left side of the photo though, but this could easily be cropped out if the photo was used for a final print, which I am considering.

Here is the mirror photo, showing two how the subject could see herself or the mood she is in. I used two photos and put one on top of the other in photoshop, then erased half of the photo so the other showed through, creating this picture. I feel it turned out really well and I would like to experiment with this technique again, however I don't feel it quite fits in with the other photos I have taken so won't take it any further with project.

I really like how this shoot turned out and find Maki Miyashita have influenced the photos to a great extent. I want to do one final shoot of the bed shots, perhaps from a different angle.

Shoot 3 - Contact Sheet

(click pictures to see bigger)

With this shoot I took photos of the subject's whole room, littered with her belongings and personal possessions. I shot in an almost pitch black room, using a slow shutter and an external light source (a torch) to experiment lighting up different parts of the scene, trying to exaggerate the subject and her belongings under a sort of spotlight. I then tried the same technique, but this time with the subject sitting at her dressing table, with her belongings laid out on top whilst she applied make up. For the last section of my shoot, I tried to different way of establishing her identity, using shots of her standing in front of mirror and using light and slow shutter speeds to try and create two different images within a photo. However this did not prove succesful, so I took two seperate photos with two different poses, still utilising the slow shutter and light source technique for added mood, and I plan to combine the two photos together to make one photo. I am very happy with this shoot as I have produced some varied photos and am happy with the quality of them.

Second Collage

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Here is my second collage of the creative, skateboarding subject. The collage was in Photoshop like the last one, adding the photos into layers, resizing them and placing them into position. Once again, I really like the photos in the collage but not so much the collage itself. I am considering trying to take one photo that encompasses all the personal possessions and belongings in the one picture - Maki Miyashita's photographs have inspired me to do this, but I would try and incorporate my own style into the photos.

First Collage

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Here is the college showing the identity of the creative, affectionate subject. I feel her identity comes across well through the photographs and I really like the photos that I have taken. I made the collage using Photoshop, adding the photos into 5 different layers, resizing them to fit in with each other and filling the background in black. However, after creating the college, I think that showing identity through more than one photo in a college looks a bit tacky and that is definately not something I want my final to look like.

Kept Photos

I really like the tight composition of the subject and the dog taking up most of the picture, I think it brings across the affection more this way by just focusing on them both, the warm colours which I really like also helps achieve this feeling and mood in the photo.

The composition is once again quite tight and I really like the rule of thirds composition here. The warm colours also bring out that affection feeling in the photo once again, which was the aim of the picture.
 

The shallow depth of field here really stands out and helps to give detail to the cup and the brushes nicely. I like how you can just about see the painting in the background, and the mixing dish behind the cup and brushes. The composition is nice also, with the brushes pointing out diagnolly across the unfocused space. This photo shows that the subject paints and gives the impression that she is a creative person.

Another photo showing the creative side of the subject's identity, showing a painting and a mixture of different paints and inks. I like the depth of field and how the foreground is out of focus and the background is in focus, it makes for an interesting looking photograph.

I have added the original photo of the subject's eye to the selected photographs for the collage, as it could also emphasise the creative aspect of her identity, aswell as adding another aspect to her identity, which is her unusual iris colour.

Shoot 2 - Contact Sheet

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With this subject I tried to establish her identity through photo's of her art posessions, relationship with her dog and cuddly toys. Through her painting and art items you can see that she is a creative person who can express herself through art. The cuddly toys and her close relationship with her dog you can see she is an affectionate person who really like animals and pets.

Kept Shots

Below are my kept shots from the shoot which I plan to use. I am thinking of creating a collage of images to sum up a subject's identity, using photos of the subject and their interests and belongings, taking inspiration from Nathalie Lecroc's paintings of people's bags and possessions.

I really like the composition and colours of this photo, I feel the slanted way the photo is taken gives it a bit of an edgy feel which is a good way to describe the subject's identity and the fact that he skateboards.

I like the depth of field in this photo, and the nice textures and colours on the wood of the skateboard decks. This is a good way to show that the subject has been involved in the skateboarding sport for a while as he has used quite a few skateboards, establishing his identity as a skateboarder.

Similar to the previous photograph, this shows that the subject has been through many shoes whilst skateboarding. It also shows that he is quite messy with the room in the background looking quite un-organised and the shoes all piled up on the floor. I like the rule of thirds composition here.

Here is a series of photos showing a skateboarding trick performed by the subject. This adds to his skateboarder identity by actually showing him doing a trick. I like this as it is a sequence and not a still photo like I would normally take.

Here is another photograph exploring the belongings of the subject. This shows that he is also musical and plays the guitar and the drums. You can see from this and the fact that he skateboards that he is quite a creative and care-free/wild person.

Shoot 1 - Contact Sheet

(Click pictures to see bigger)

 With this shoot I aimed to capture the subject and his interests. He is a skateboarder, so I tried to take photos of things skating related to establish to people his identity as a skater. He also plays music and is a band, so the photographs of the drum and guitar explain another part of his identity. I feel by viewing all of these photos together in some way, perhaps a collage, the viewer of the photographs would have some kind of idea of the subject's identity.

Inspiration - Nathalie Lecroc

 http://keepingslimandgettingstylish.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html

 http://www.onsitereview.ca/miscellanea/tag/material-culture?currentPage=2

 http://allthingsnice4life.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.html

 http://blog.iamlam.com.au/2010/07/

A series of paintings by Nathalie Lecroc called "Anthology de Sac" focuses on the contents of different women's handbags, revealing their identitys through their personal belongings. I think this is a really interesting way of showing somebody's identity as you are not focusing on the actual person but instead their belongings, which can say a lot about a person, but can also be misleading.

First Shots

 

I took this picture of a subject's eye because it is a unique colour of eye and she could be recognised for having this strange coloured iris, forming part of her identity. I really like this photograph as although you can only see part of the subject's face, you would know who the person was because of her eye colour.

 

 

Here is a cropped, close up shot of the eye. You can really see the nice colours and details of the iris here, I really like the sharpness and reflections also.

Inspiration - Identity Project on Youtube

This video I found on Youtube is a project on identity. The interviewer simply asks people who they are - the answers vary due to how different people see and define themselves. I really like this video as you can see how different people's identitys are, also how they see their own identity; whether it is their family, their culture, what they do, where they go, their interests, etc, that make them who they are. You can see from this that identity is a very broad and interesting topic to work on.

Inspiration - Cindy Sherman

Untitled Film Stills Series

The Untitled Film Stills series of photos by Cindy Sherman demonstrate that there isn't a definate female identity like many people stereotype - women can take any roles depending on the types of lives they lead and their situations.

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5108748

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30190308@N05/2850663136/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tordis/1420426230/

http://womenswork.tumblr.com/post/274123082/cindy-sherman-untitled-film-stills

 I really like these images as Sherman has managed to portray the different identitys of women using just one person (herself). It is a really creative way of showing identity.

Inspiration - Maki Miyashita

http://japan-photo.info/blog/2006/10/31/abstract-contemporary-japanese-photography-and-life-style

I feel this photograph by Maki Miyashita is a good image representing identity as it shows the woman in a natural state as if the camera isn't taking a photo. The various shots lead you to think of her as a messy person, who likes shoes and the fan shot adds to the idea that makes you think she is a fun and care-free.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/Arts/Delectable-tastes-of-Japan/2005/03/03/1109700598344.html

Another Maki Miyashita photo, depicting a woman relaxing in her bedroom reading the newspaper. From this you are lead to think she is quite a chilled out woman but also knows that the latest news is important. Photos by Miyashita seem similar to each other in that they seem to show women in their rooms not wearing much clothing relaxing.

Identity

After much thought I have decided to undertake the theme of Identity for my project. I feel this would be an interesting theme for me to explore as it is something I don't usually do and it would be good to gain experience in this area of photography.

Original Ideas

Skateboarding video - Identity
-this would show the identity of skateboarders, what they do and who they are.

Special places - Land or Place
-would be photos of places that are special to me.

Roles of family members - Family
-this would be the roles of my family members, what they do, where they live, etc.

How a place changes from day to night - Place
-I would take photos of one area to see how it changes from day to night, the people that go there, etc.

What makes people who they are - Identity
-would be photos of people's possessions, original things about them (e.g: hair), to show their identity.

Relationships between family members - Family
-this would be how family members interact with each other, how they act around each other.

The Family and the Land Project Brief

We will be making the project by thinking as widely as we can about each of these words and how we can use them.

Family

Land

Place

Identity

This could be a self-portraiture project, a landscape project, a fashion project or a continuation of themes you began working with during the documentary project.

It could be a project which uses people as its main subjects or a project where there are no physical references to people, just objects, places or spaces.

Objectives;

•to encourage you to explore places and spaces that present you with interest or significance.

•to explore and broaden your technical understanding of your own and other cameras.

•to explore, should this be appropriate to your project, aspects of your own personal history and your relationship with places that relate to those histories.

•to encourage you to continue to be sensitive to those you are photographing / filming / working with.

•to explore the potential of the editing process in order to fully assemble your final sequence and reflect upon your project.

•to explore cropping and other simple image control techniques to maximise the impact and sensitivity of your work.