STUDY OPTIONS MINI BRIEFS
ADVERTISING PHOTOGRAPHY
WEEK 1 (6)
WEDNESDAY 16th FEBRUARY 2022
Today started with Geraint talking to people on how their sports shoots went. This was on zoom as the new tutor had covid. We were then introduced to our new tutor who explained their work and photography techniques. Towards then end he started discussing our assignment for this brief. We are to photograph still life related to our sports images in the studio at Rave. I had a few ideas such as costumes, goggles, flippers etc which I think would work well in being styles and edited. I like the concept of the flippers looking like they are being used and swimming up to the surface of the water and bubbles around them.
MOODBOARD:
The images I really like the composition of are the ones where the hat and goggles and being held in mid air, the one at the top where kit is layed out like on a display and the bottom left one where the items are off the page; it seems a bit playful and fun. I do also like the close up images as the background isn't there and distracting so I will take that into consideration when planning my ideas out to see if that would work better than having the background a main part of the overall image.
TREATMENT:
From looking at the mood board, I can see that the main colour seems to be blue so I will be going with that theme. It also adds to the idea of water and swimming. As the costumes don't hold any shape, I don't think I will use them in ways that show them like in the mood board but in shapes like scrunched up or more abstract ways of still identifying them as swimming costumes.
SKETCHES OF SHOOT IDEAS:
I drew out my ideas roughly so I didn't forget them and to see if they would make sense visually. One thing I liked from the lesson we had on Wednesday 23rd February was using a torch to create patterns so I would use that to show movement in water.
With this ideaI like the idea of having some water droplets on the objects as the lighting will help to exaggerate that look.
WEEK 2 (7)
WEDNESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2022
In todays lesson, we did a practice set up so we could plan our own shoots a little better. The tutor brought in a 1950's underwater camera case in which we chose gels for the background lighting that suited it.
We started by adjusting the lighting so that it was at the correct exposure.
We then started using a torch to create some light drawing. I liked this idea as I could create movement and designs that related to my sports theme.
In this image ⬆️ I like the way the light looks wispy and the fact that it isn't a flat trail of light. I like the details of the light and the way it changes direction shows movement and that is what I am looking to do in my shoot.
We had originally set up two lights for lighting the backdrop with gels on each light, one being a red gel and the other being a blue one. We started off by using only one and then switched to using the other colour and then a mix of both.
In this image ⬆️ I like that the light has only be capture to look like it is inside the lens of the case. The idea of framing here is nice and suits the theme of this image as a camera lens captures whats in its frame.
⬆️ We used a light meter again so that we could get the correct exposure for using both lights.
We then worked on changing where the lighting affected the different parts of the object. We changed the aperture so that the details on the lens were more visible. I prefer the one on the left as the writing around the lens is clearer and the middle of it is darker and not showing the dust on the lens.
I like this image ⬆️ in terms of the lighting touching the top of the object and to me this look like movement of the object. The way the lighting hits the lens makes it look like a galaxy in space and I think it suits this image.
WEEK 8 (3)
PHOTOGRAPHER RESEARCH:
STEVE TEMPLE
Steve's passion for photography started at a young age when he was given a Kodak Instamatic camera. From this point he took photos of many subjects such as dogs and trees. To this day he continues to to photograph everything and anything. He collaborates with many creatives to produce still life images for advertising as well as for other uses. Temple has described his job as a storyteller by which he uses his images to tell the product's story and the brand's story. I really like Temple's images as they are very simple but effective. I like the use of a plain or natural texture background as he matches those with the objects used. He also shoots from different angles and has shot using close ups in which I like the look of so will definitely consider close ups when it comes to my shoot.
https://www.instagram.com/stevetemplephoto/ Accessed on 24/02/2022
Steve Temple, (2019) Apple Macbook Air.
I included this image as I liked the way the laptop was floating and this concept is similar to my flippers idea where they will be suspended in air. I also like the way the background matches the tones of the laptop. It doesn't look odd as the lighting has created new colours and definition on the laptop.
Steve temple, (date unknown) Bulova mechanical watch
I am inspired by this image in terms on the composition. I like the way the close up shot allows the details in the watch to be seen clearly. The really small details which would've been lost if it was a mid shot are defined and contrasting.
Steve Temple, (2021) Michael Phelps Goggles
This image relates the most to my idea as it is swimming related. I could replicate the ripples of the water by using a reflector made from shiny metal. I also like the way that the googles are in colour and the background is black and white. I have done this technique with my images in the past and really like the effect created.
Steve Temple, (2016) William Henry money clip, knife and necklace on aged walnut
This image relates to my idea of laying out different objects to look like a kit list. It is a simple idea and although the objects are different in identity, shape and form, they relate together in terms of textures and colours.
Steve temple (date unknown) Miyabi kitchen knife
This image includes water and my sport includes that and the knife being in the air relates to one of my ideas. I like the way the water splashes look like they are defying gravity. I think the white background helps the water to stand out and show the details of the smaller splashes.
Steve Temple, (date unknown) Adidas John Wall basketball footwear and clothing
One of my ideas was to have swimming equipment layed out like this and I was surprised to find a photographer who has done something similar to my idea.
Steve Temple, (2016) 'London' Pointy Toe Pump/Manolo Blahnik heels
Steve Temple (2018) Nike Free Trainer 5.0
In the 4 Instagram images below, I liked the concept of water being captured clearly and generally being used as it relates heavily to my theme of swimming. I also like the effect at the bottom of the image where it looks like black and white but the water is bright and in colour.
SKETCHES: USING A TORCH
On the weekend I will be taking some practice shoots as I have recently bought some lighting and a backdrop which will allow me to set up a studio as if I was at uni. I will experiment with lighting, torches, angles and composition so that I can narrow down my ideas. I need 3 final images for this unit so I will choose 3 compositions I think work best so when it comes to shooting the actual images to hand in, I will be able to concentrate on getting the concept correct rather than playing around with experimenting. I like the idea of a warm feeling so although I will be using a blue gel, I would try using another colour.
WEDNESDAY 2nd MARCH 2022
Today we had one to ones with the tutor. We showed our work in progress and the feedback I got was to research further with the lighting and to find examples of lighting I like within images. I also got given a photographer to research who is called Maria Svarbova and she photographs swimming pools and models but her images have a 1950's/1960's feel due to the pale colours. I do like this idea and it was suggested to me to use a coloured backdrop rather than gels and I agree as I do like the vintage feel. I like the use of a pale yellow or a pale blue backdrop and when editing, I would tone down the colours of the swim equipment to match the vintage approach.
MARIA SVARBOVA
Svarbova was born in 1988 and is Slovakian. Svarbova's style is very distinctive and is different from traditional portraiture. She focuses on experimentation with space, colour and atmosphere. Her interests are in communist-era architecture and public spaces. She transforms each scene with a 'modern freshness.' She creates very light and elegant images through the use of composition and pale colour pallet choice. She works a lot with reflections and the stillness of the water helps to create a calm and relaxing image. I like the vintage feel with her images and I would like to take that idea and merge that with my ideas for photoshoots. I also like the over exposed look however, the items I have that I would like to use are quite dark but from looking at some of her images, blacks and dark blues etc are used and still have the over exposed feel so I might be able to achieve that look.
RANDOM IMAGES WITH LIGHTING I LIKE:
Stacy Hill, (date unknown) Untitled
With this image, I like the way the object is lit from behind to define the tones of white in the flowers from the white backdrop.
Stacy Hill, (date unknown) Untitled
I think a light is used only on the left of the image from looking at the highlights on the raspberries and the metal jug. I also think a light was used on the backdrop as it is a very bright white.
Unknown (unknown date) Untitled
From looking at the shadow on the right of the pear, I think only one light on the left was used and possible with a soft box as the lighting isn’t harsh on the fruit.
ARTIST RESEARCH:
PABLO PICASSO & GJON MILI
I saw this image of Pablo Picasso which was made in 1949 in France and thought that the concept related to my idea of using light to make shapes. When I first saw their images a few years ago, I initially thought that it was a random shoot but after researching it, I found that Mili showed Picasso images of an ice skater called Carol Lynne, who had attached lights to the tips of her boots and then had then photographed dancing on the ice in the dark. Those lights created a winding pattern that followed her movements. Picasso was captivated by these images and asked Mili to do the same but with the act of drawing. To achieve this, Mili used stroboscopic instruments that caught a series of images/actions in one image. Picasso used a pen light and Mili left the shutters in the studio open slightly and hen used a photoflash technique by which Picasso seems to be frozen behind the light drawing which tools have been drawn onto a large piece of glass. What they both didn't know was what the images they had created would look like until they had been developed.
RISK ASSESSMENT FOR STUDIO
EXPERIMENTAL SHOOT: PLAN
In this shoot, I plan to work out angles and compositions with my fins that I like and would work for advertising. I will be using a white backdrop so that I can focus more on the positioning of the fins than what backdrop goes bet with them. Plus I only have black or white currently at home. I will be using lighting using a soft box as I don't want the images overexposed due to the white background. I also want little to no shadows.
EXPERIMENTAL SHOOT: SHOOT CONTACT SHEET
I tied my fins to fishing wire so the string wasn't visible. I then attached them to my backdrop but ideally, I would've had them hanging further away from the backdrop so that I am able to use a torch all around the fins like a coil. I was using a normal torch but then I found some like wheel lights which were multicoloured so I chose to see what outcomes they would create. I also tried creating different shapes with the light to not only show movement but letters such as s to reference the words' swimming/swim'. I did have a plan to have my final three images look a little vintage but using this light might change my mind. When looking through these images more clearly and closely, I will then decide whether to keep my idea or go with a more electric and pop outcome set. When editing these to see what outcomes I could create, I will crop some of the better images so that I can have 3 different outcomes that differ even though I would be using the same object. I might perform another experimental shoot using goggles with this process of using the multicoloured light but only if I am not sure with this idea.
QUICK EDITS: BACKDROP COLOURS
In these edit, I desaturated the fins a little to make the blue less harsh and vibrant as those tones of blue weren't very vintage and then roughly filled in the background so I could get a sense of the backdrop. I also played around with back drop colours and the ones that worked better were pastel tones, specifically blue, yellow and pink.
I began with a blue background so it went with the idea of swimming. I roughly filled in the background just to get an idea of how the colours would look together. I think the background is a bit too bright still so I would make it a lighter blue to create a more vintage look.
I think the pink looks nice but this tone of pink isn't quite the right, I think more of a baby pink would suit this image better than a salmon pink.
When I go into the studio, I will hold up my fins to a few backdrops to see out of these colours which is better suited to the colour of the fins.
FINAL SHOOT PLANS:
My final plan is to photograph my flippers in mid air and use a torch to go around the flippers so show movement. I will use a pale blue, pink or yellow background to create a vintage feel and when editing I will mask the fins and desaturate their tone as they are a stronger blue and not very retro feeling. I think keeping with the blue idea would be nice as the backdrop would act as water but I would like to try other colour backdrops if I have time to. I would also like to use bubbles to add to the underwater feel. For the three final images to hand in, I would like to have one where the flippers are all in the frame, the second one where the image is heavily cropped to a part of the flippers that is recognisable and the third image I would like to have most of the flippers in and maybe to the side of the image. When shooting, I would like to experiment a little with the bubbles so that I can create some abstract images that do have an under water feel.
I will be using a torch to create lines and swirls around the flippers as well as trying the bike light I used in my experimental shoot.
WEEK 9 (4)
This week was the beginning of the shoots for this unit but those who weren't shooting had to come into uni. I worked on my shoot prep and and adding to my behance.
WEEK 10 (5)
This Wednesday was my photoshoot day and over all I think it went well but because I was first, most of my shoot was setting up the equipment so I didn’t have as much time to shoot and experiment as I had hoped for. I think if I had more time then I would've had a chance to experiment more with placing the fins in different angles and using both the bubbles and the light drawings.
This image shows my assistant using a light meter so we could set the lighting to the correct exposure. I used poly boards to stop the gel lights from effecting the colour of the fins. Fishing wire held the fins up and I tied the wire to the top of the fins and then stuck it to the back of the fins towards the bottom so that I could get the fins to go at an angle.
The lighting on the fins wasn't quite right in terms of angles and for the lighting to be correct, then it would've had to have been directly in front of the camera so to solve this problem I used an overhead light boom. I used a snoot on the first lighting set up I tried to direct the light straight onto the flippers.
I hung the flippers on a stand with had an arm on it so that the stand didn't get seen in the images. This could be adjusted so that it went higher or lower.
Whilst I was shooting with the bobbles. I used a modelling light behind the flippers so that the bubbles could be seen better and clearer. So that the flooring didn't get slippery, I used tissue for any drips or splashes made by using the bubbles.
LIGHTING DIAGRAMS:
These are the two lighting set ups I used. I used two lights on the backdrop so that they were lit evenly. I used poly boards to block the light from the backdrop so that it didn't affect the lighting on the flippers. I had the flippers attached to fishing wire so it was near invisible and when it came to editing, it was easier to remove them. I had the flippers attached to a stand with an arm so that the stand itself wasn't in the photograph. I tried having lighting on the flippers on both sides of the camera as well as just one side. I also tried overhead lighting with a snoot so that I could get better lighting on the fins. With the light drawing, I had one/two people draw for me and then quickly stepped out of shot before the exposure time ended. With the bubbles shoot, I had one person (my assistant) wave the bubble wand I brought in out of frame so that they wouldn't be captured in the images and well as blow the bubbles and then step out of frame.
After it was my turn, I was an assistant and digi op for my 2 partners photoshoots. I helped them take photos by adjusting the angle of the camera, moving and setting up lighting, moving pros, checking what the images looked like etc.
In this quick video, I was shaking the fabric for my partners shoot and then letting it go so it flowed in the air.
PHOTOSHOOT CONTACT SHEET:
I think the images with the bubbles worked better than expected and the ones with the light drawing went much better than planned as I wasn’t quite sure how using mini coloured gels on the torches would work. I saved some Quality Street wrappers from Christmas which I thought would come in use and they did for this shoot. I had different Dolores to experiment with and I think the purple, blue and yellow worked really well against the blue backdrop.
BEST SHOTS:
EDITS: THE PROCESS
I first started off editing in Capture one by using exposure to brighten my images and increase the saturation as I thought the background colour was a little dull. I also used the clone tool to remove any fishing wire visible and any blemishes/imperfections from the camera lens and on the flippers themselves. As these images are meant to be advertising the product I thought that they should look new so I used the clone tool to remove as many scratches and scuffs on the flippers as possible. I also removed where the fishing wire attached onto the top of the flippers sp that it looked neater and as if they were just floating in mid air. I added some more bubbles to the first image by cloning some of the others and then with the second and third images I did the same in terms of removing the visible wire and adjusting the contrasts and exposures. I also made sure that the colour background was the same in all three images so that they went together better. Towards the end of editing, I noticed that some parts I had clones didn't quite look right so I the took the images into photoshop and continue to clone the parts so they were blended smoother and less noticeable. It was a lot easier to edit in photoshop than Capture one as I could see what i was cloning better.
BEFORE AND AFTER:
I put the before and afters together so that I could visually see the difference between the two and compare them. I like the subtle changes like the background; I only slightly brightened it but it has made a difference in terms of bringing out the light drawings. As I changed the contrast, on the fins, the black parts are more clearer and more details can be seen.
EDITS: FINAL IMAGES
We needed to have our final 3 images as one being a close up, one a landscape and one a portrait so I edited these further.
This is my close up image:
I chose to use this image as the close up one as I liked that there was more light at the bottom of the image and there was more detail at the end of the flippers. I like that the yellow lines on the right side of the image show movement which would have been made by the tips of the flippers.
This is my landscape image:
At first I was a bit stumped as to what image I would make into.a landscape image as they were all portraits and at the time of shooting I was unaware that we needed a landscape image but the bubble images worked better as landscapes than the light drawing ones and bubbles didn't really show direction so this allowed me to put this image at any angle I wanted. When editing this I didn't quite rotate the image 90 degrees but a little under so that the fins were at angle and not flat. This angle went with the fact that the flippers weren't shot at the same height.
This is my portrait image:
I chose to keep this as a portrait image as however I cropped it, it didn't show enough of the colours together like I wanted and I also chose this image originally due to the top left hand side and if I had just cropped that area then you wouldn't really know what the object was.
WEEK 11
CONCLUSION:
Overall, I have enjoyed this unit more than expected as I have again, chosen a subject that I enjoyed using when I use to swim. I think my experience with them helped me to figure out how to compose some ideas on how to photograph them. I was planning on desaturating the flippers to match them to the vintage idea but I like how they stand out. I think in a way my final 3 images have a hint of being vintage however.
