Friday 12 June 2015
Reflection on learning agreement.
When looking at my original learning agreement and comparing it to the outcome of BA8, I feel as though I have generally stayed on track.
I have definitely expanded my connections with other artistic proffessionals through the use of collaboration with designers, makeup artists and models.
I explored colour theory to a certain extent and used it to change the way my images are percieved which is in line with what I originally wrote in my learning agreement.
Despite originally saying that I wanted to work in a similar way to Cecil Beaton and present my sitters as their 'ideal selves' and not as they are at their worst, I have actually combined both of these things. My models have been dolled up as if they're heading out for a night on the town but then I have also brought out that element of their inner darkness and sadness.
I have juxtapositioned glamour and depression in a similar way that Richard Mosse juxtapositions tradgedy and beauty so I have definitely taken inspiration from Mosse there.
In terms of the Assessment work section, I have successfully completed a portfolio of 15/20 images and updated my website accordingly. While I have not printed new promotional material I have created it and it will benefit me in the future as I have it on hand and can print it as soon as I need to without having to create a new batch.
As for the Schedule of work section, I will be handing my work in 2 weeks later than the original planned date of submission due to a death in the family, however, I do feel as though I have kept on track with my shoots, executing one every week/two weeks.
I have definitely expanded my connections with other artistic proffessionals through the use of collaboration with designers, makeup artists and models.
I explored colour theory to a certain extent and used it to change the way my images are percieved which is in line with what I originally wrote in my learning agreement.
Despite originally saying that I wanted to work in a similar way to Cecil Beaton and present my sitters as their 'ideal selves' and not as they are at their worst, I have actually combined both of these things. My models have been dolled up as if they're heading out for a night on the town but then I have also brought out that element of their inner darkness and sadness.
I have juxtapositioned glamour and depression in a similar way that Richard Mosse juxtapositions tradgedy and beauty so I have definitely taken inspiration from Mosse there.
In terms of the Assessment work section, I have successfully completed a portfolio of 15/20 images and updated my website accordingly. While I have not printed new promotional material I have created it and it will benefit me in the future as I have it on hand and can print it as soon as I need to without having to create a new batch.
As for the Schedule of work section, I will be handing my work in 2 weeks later than the original planned date of submission due to a death in the family, however, I do feel as though I have kept on track with my shoots, executing one every week/two weeks.
My pre-BA8 learning agreement
In Year 3 it is my intention
to expand my connections with other artistic professionals. I will collaborate
in fashion, portrait, make-up, styling, directing and location. I will be
producing portraits and exploring beauty portraits and fashion portraits.
Visually I am drawn to images
with strong composition and contrast, colour and fashion. I think what draws me
to these images are their ability to portray emotions through the elements in
the images. I think the use of colour in photography really has an impact on
how an image can be perceived so I think it would be a great idea to explore
this. I am very interested in retouching and manipulation so I think BA8 would
be a great time to expand my skills and apply them accordingly.
I really enjoy transforming
the people that I photograph on set through styling, in camera and in
post-production. In the words of Roy Strong in
reference to Cecil Beaton, I want to present my ‘sitters as their ideal selves
and not as they were or could be at their worst’. So I think this is something
to focus on in my images.
Richard Mosse’s
use of Kodachrome Infrared film in his series Infra is a constant inspiration
to me of late. While his images hold deep meanings concerning the cover-up of
the abuse and war in the Dominican Republic of Congo, the peculiar and
strikingly contrasting colours that appear in his images create a dream-like
but happier glamorized feeling to his photographs. This could be viewed as
quite controversial as it is glamourizing a tragedy, nonetheless, I like the
thought process that has gone into creating these images.
I think a
potential career path for myself as an artistic professional could be to work
as a retoucher as this is something I enjoy a lot and spend my spare time
doing.
My research
report will be about Manipulation in portraits in todays world. I will briefly
touch on manipulation through the use of negatives but the main body will be
about staging and post processing, the ethics of this and how it effects our
media and the public.
______________________________________________________________________
Assessment
Work:
For the outcome
of BA8 I would like to produce a portfolio of 15/20 successful images in the
form of a book. My website will be updated and much better than it is now and I
would like to kit myself out with new and appropriate self promotional material
such as postcards and business cards so I am prepared for work after
university, this would come under my marketing package that I need to produce
for the completion of BA8. I think this is an appropriate way to market myself
as a photographer and also as a retoucher. I think it is appropriate and suits
a lot of the photographic work fields. I will also complete a body of studio work, a
logbook, a reflective journal and a 5000 word research report.
______________________________________________________________________
Schedule of Work: (to include the deadline for submission of assessment):
Deadlines –
In order to
complete my Research report by 30 January 2015, I need to have my draft handed
in by 21st of November. My draft will be at least 1000 words.
The Mid-year
review 16 March 2015 will be crutial to my project development.
Practical work is
due 29 May 2015.
In order to
achieve handing all my work in by 29th of May, the minimum I would
need to complete is a shoot every week. Ideally 2 or 3 shoots per week would
provide me with a range of images for my portolio. If this fails I would then
need to complete 2 shoots per every other week to keep on time with my
deadline. I will reshoot shoots that go wrong, and if my project takes a turn
for the worst I will allow myself 1 single week during BA8 to take a breather, discuss
with my tutor, re-evaluate, replan and then execute.
______________________________________________________________________
Resource
requirements:
In order to
complete BA8 I will need lighting equipment. I will either use the university
studio, book out the ranger kits or use my own flash equipment. I will need
manipulation and editing software which I own and also have access to at
university. I will print throughout the year using the digital darkroom but may
consider printing else where for my portfolio and hand-in requirements. If
anything is in need of mounting and framing I will use Norwich Frame Workshop
as I have used that in the past and consider the standard to be rather high. I
will travel to gallery openings and award ceremonies such as the AOP Awards to
network with other people in the industry and learn more about it and the
standard of work. If I need to travel to a shoot location, I have teamed up
with a friend who is happy to drive me and the team there. I will be paying for
petrol, MUA and styling myself, along with props etc.
Thursday 11 June 2015
Peer Reviews
I have recently sought feedback on my final images for my portfolio.
A fellow student Sam Oxford Dean said:
'Your work really reminds me of the images Alex Prager shot of Bryce Dallas Howard. The cinematic feel of the shots is the key link, but the styling is similar and so is the theme. The tears are really effective in communicating emotion'
Another student Jeanette Bolton Martin said:
'Your portfolio looks great. It shows strong progression but i do feel as though one half is strongly inspired by an editorial Paolo Roversi theme and the other is a separate cinematic theme.'
I was very grateful to receive such high praise from some of the fellow students. Sam had no idea that one of my main influences was Alex Prager which shows that my images are very successful and effective. I also agree with Jeanette in that there doesn't seem to be a smooth transition between the aesthetics of the seasons images and my later cinematic images. They all however, hold similar colour palettes, lighting styles and emotive qualities that tie them in together.
A fellow student Sam Oxford Dean said:
'Your work really reminds me of the images Alex Prager shot of Bryce Dallas Howard. The cinematic feel of the shots is the key link, but the styling is similar and so is the theme. The tears are really effective in communicating emotion'
Another student Jeanette Bolton Martin said:
'Your portfolio looks great. It shows strong progression but i do feel as though one half is strongly inspired by an editorial Paolo Roversi theme and the other is a separate cinematic theme.'
I was very grateful to receive such high praise from some of the fellow students. Sam had no idea that one of my main influences was Alex Prager which shows that my images are very successful and effective. I also agree with Jeanette in that there doesn't seem to be a smooth transition between the aesthetics of the seasons images and my later cinematic images. They all however, hold similar colour palettes, lighting styles and emotive qualities that tie them in together.
Final business and postcard designs
Finished business card design,
Old business card design.
Finished post card design.
I have chosen to go with the same design as I previously used for my business cards, this is because I have not yet come across another style of card that is more appropriate. The portrait shape works well in line with my actual portrait content. Despite saying this I decided to use landscape postcards as this is reminiscent of traditional postcards and more identifiable and practical than portrait postcards. I have chosen to have a section of image and a section of text on one side and on the other side will be the traditional postcard format of an address and stamp on one side and a message on the other. This is so that I can send these out to clients or prospective employers and they can receive a personal touch as well as a reminder of my photography.
I have chosen to mock up a printed version of these to hand in with my BA8 requirements to give a more visual sense of the final products. I will be producing the final products in time for the BA8 exhibition, I have chosen to do it this way as I wanted to wait until I had my entire selection of finished photography to choose which images went on my cards. This is because these images need to be the best of my ability as these images may be the first and the last a client or prospective employer sees of my portfolio and will leave a lasting impression.
I have chosen not to use any of my final exhibition images for these designs as I would like to leave some impact images out of my smaller pieces of promotion material so that I still have something to wow clients or employers with when they view my portfolio.
Tuesday 9 June 2015
Printing and binding.
The printing and binding process for my portfolio was very stressful.
I had no idea the process involved such precision when it came to measuring up paper sizes.
I first had to measure up my portfolio for the accurate paper sizes.
I then went on to create a photoshop template which took an hour with many adjustments. As the A3 paper size was different to my 11x14 visible space portfolio size, I had to print 12x14 with an inch for binding. However I realised that my paper was not 12x14 and infact could only fit an 11x14 viewing space so in the end I printed so that my paper would touch the binding pegs and be securely wedged in there.
I printed 15 images in total with a title page including my information on.
I'm very happy with my selection of shots and believe they are the strongest that I have created throughout BA8.
I have decided to only showcase BA8 images as I believe this is my strongest work. In the future I will continue to add more images or even add past images but for now I will stick with BA8 shots.
As I only have 15 images in my portfolio I will be submitting 5 others on a custom made disk as part of my promotional package to make up the BA8 requirement.
I had no idea the process involved such precision when it came to measuring up paper sizes.
I first had to measure up my portfolio for the accurate paper sizes.
I then went on to create a photoshop template which took an hour with many adjustments. As the A3 paper size was different to my 11x14 visible space portfolio size, I had to print 12x14 with an inch for binding. However I realised that my paper was not 12x14 and infact could only fit an 11x14 viewing space so in the end I printed so that my paper would touch the binding pegs and be securely wedged in there.
I printed 15 images in total with a title page including my information on.
I'm very happy with my selection of shots and believe they are the strongest that I have created throughout BA8.
I have decided to only showcase BA8 images as I believe this is my strongest work. In the future I will continue to add more images or even add past images but for now I will stick with BA8 shots.
As I only have 15 images in my portfolio I will be submitting 5 others on a custom made disk as part of my promotional package to make up the BA8 requirement.
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