To Master: Sony World Photography Awards
"Home"
For this year’s student competition, Sony are asking entrants to centre their projects around home.
"A universal theme that can be interpreted in myriad ways shows us through 5 to 10 images a story where the theme ‘Home’ is the focal point. From capturing a place that you (or a subject) hold close, to documenting quotidian life, to what home symbolises to a group or community, show us in your own visual signature what home can signify. Photographers might want to think about the theme beyond the physical sense: home can for many unlock memories and trigger events from the past."
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Idea
My idea is to photograph people with their favourite comfort toy, as this is often what makes people feel most at home. My comfort toy is called Millie, a Keel’s toy stuffed Giraffe- with no neck. I got her just before my 2 week stay in hospital when I had Scoliosis surgery, and she was what made me feel most at home while I was away. She now comes with me anywhere that I stay overnight, and even recently visited the zoo with me.
I am looking to capture people of all different ages with their toys, to prove that you're never too old for home comforts. I want to really showcase how loved stuffed toys can be, even with their imperfections and wear and tear.
Presentation of proposed idea
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References
Mark Nixon
Much Loved
Mark Nixon is an Irish family photographer and owner of Mark Nixon Studio in Dublin. His studio has won many accolades and awards such as Irish Professional Photographer of the Year at the National Photographic Awards in Ireland, Photographer of the Year at the British Photographic Awards, and Portrait Photographer of the Year at the Kodak Awards in Ireland. This series, titled “Much Loved” started as a simple idea, to photograph my Nixon’s sons teddy, Peter Rabbit, as a portrait. He then asked his clients to bring in their kid’s teddy bears to further the project. `he found that upon this request, a lot of adults brought in their cherished teddy and while they were waiting, they told their stories. He exhibited the images, and then added them to is website, where they were picked up by Buzzfeed and went viral, scoring over 16 million hits. He then went on to make the series into a photobook in 2009.
I was unable to find out which camera Nixon uses; however, I do think that these were shot digitally. They were shot in the studio using a grey backdrop, and a two-light set-up: one light behind the subject to create a halo light on the backdrop and a light on the subject for fill in flash. The subjects are various cuddly toys in all kinds of conditions, placed in the middle of the frame, and appear to have been strung up to make them seem as though they are floating. The strings were likely edited out in post-production. They are clear images with the focus being on the entirety of the subject.
I think this is an example of dramatic use of lighting, as the subjects have an even number of shadows and light across them. The images are not desaturated nor highly saturated, although some of the bears colours are striking. The images are all cool toned and clean and have no grain or texture.
I chose this photo series as form of inspiration as in these photos it is truly represented how loved these bears have been, which is what I hope to capture an essence of in my photos.
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Ben Zucker
Ben Zucker is a portrait photographer from New York City. He has worked for the likes of The New York Times, The Guardian & The Guardian Weekend, and ABC World News. This image is an environmental portrait from Ben Zucker’s personal collection.
The image was shot on 4x5 film, using a 135mm lens, and was shot on location. Mostly natural light was used; however, strobe lighting was used on the subject as a fill. The colouring in the photograph shows that it was shot on film. The subject is an elderly man, he is sat on an armchair angled away from the camera, but his head is turned facing it, and he is looking straight into the lens. I think that it fits the Golden Spiral composition rule. The foreground of the image (the chest of drawers and the item on top) are slightly out of focus, however the rest of the image is in focus. This creates depth in the image.
The image is clean, slightly desaturated in colour, but carries very warm tones.
The image is clean, slightly desaturated in colour, but carries very warm tones.
I like this image because not only does it show the subject, but it also gives a lot of information, in the back and foreground, about him. You can see that his home is old fashioned, which tells us his age is more on the elderly side. The composition of the image is something that struck me as he is not centred but is still the main focal point in the image.
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Ewelina Strzelczyk
Ewelina Strzelczyk is a freelance documentary photographer from Poland. Her work mostly focuses on issues of social exclusion. Her work has been published in Vogue Italy and featured in competitions such as the Documentary Family awards and the International Photography Awards. This image is called “Untouched Room” and is of a mother left by her daughter, when she went back to her alcoholic husband after initially escaping the relationship. The mother never refurnished the room.
I believe this was shot on medium format film, as the image has a hazy effect and some grain. I think the lens used was 16-35mm, as it has some distortion to the corners of the image which would suggest it was shot with a slightly wide-angle lens. The image appears to be naturally lit with no use of external lighting. There is an elderly lady off centre to the right of the image, holding a framed photograph. There is also a sofa with some toys on it. Behind the subject is a shelving unit which contains multiple books and ornaments. At the top left-hand corner of the image, there is a religious painting on the wall. As for the composition, the main subject is not in the centre of the frame, but I think this actually makes the image stronger, and instead of making everything else in the frame distracting, each thing supports another to build the story which the photographer is trying to tell in capturing the image. Everything in frame is in focus, no use of a shallow depth of field.
This is an even-toned image, there are no true black or whites. It is not overly saturated nor desaturated, and the tones feel in between warm and cool. I don’t think that the image has been edited to appear older, I think that the camera used has made it appear that way.
I like that this image has been taking in surroundings that have not been touched, everything has been left in its original place which adds character to the scene.
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Steven St John
Steven St John is an Editorial and Commercial photographer from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Some of his clients include The National Journal, The New York times, St. Mary’s University and The Wall Street Journal. This image was taken for The Guardian Saturday Magazine, for an article about adults who own cuddly toys. This was shot on location at the subjects home. Flash was used which can be seen from the highlights on the subjects skin as well as the yellow warm tone.
I think this may have been taken on film on a 35mm camera, as there is not much negative space, the frame is small. I think that a 50mm lens was used. The image is of an elderly lady, middle of the frame, holding her teddy bear, joined by her dog. There is very little background information, apart from the sofa that she is sat on and another teddy bear that is perched up on top of the sofa. Everything in the frame is in focus.
It is well saturated and colourful, with medium contrast and very warm tones.
This image caught my eye because it is composed in the exact way that I wish for my photos to look for this project. I like the tight close-up angle used and will utilise this when taking my photos.
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Zuza Szamocka
Zuza Szamocka is a Documentary, Portrait and Film Stills photographer based in Warsaw, Poland, and a member of Women Photograph. She has many high-profile clients, some of which include Vogue Poland and Elle Poland. This photo was taken just as the lockdown restrictions were being lifted and is from an ongoing personal project about her grandmother. It was shortlisted for The British Journal of Photography’s “Portrait of Humanity” award in 2021.
This photo was taken on medium format kodak portra 400 film, on a Mamiya 645 pro, using an 80mm f/2.8 lens, and was shot on location at Szamocka’s grandmothers house. It was naturally lit- there is some sunlight coming through the window onto the left side subjects face (our right). It is clear that this is a film image as the tones are very warm, and it has a grainy texture. Szamocka’s grandmother is the stand alone subject, she is sitting on a chair and resting her upper body on the table, leaning her head on her right hand. The subject is not quite centred; however, this does not take away from her being the focal point of the image but does allow for the eye to wander around to take in her surroundings and the various items around her including plants, books, artwork, and a bowl. The image is made very visually interesting by all of these items, as they tell small pieces of the subjects story. The subjects face is the main focal point but whole body and the table that she is resting on is in focus, the background has a shallow depth of field which adds layers to the image.
I would say that the image is high contrast, as the black tones are fairly deep, and the whites, mostly the light on her face and the light through the window, are very bright. It is a slightly desaturated photo which makes it appear older.
I chose this image as a source of inspiration as it was most alike the vision that I had in my head for how I wanted my photos to turn out. I like the amount of information in the frame and how the image seems to tell a story.
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Planned Shot List
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Equipment used
The following equipment was used for all of my shoots:
Canon 5D
Canon 16-35mm f/2.8
Canon Speedlite 430EX (Not used for mums shoot)
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Mum & Amelia
Ben & Teddy
Dad & Teddy
Nan & Penguins
Rob, Otto & Capy
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Evaluation of my work
When I started shooting for this project, I shot the images of my mum first. I cleared all of the background mess, as I was sure this would make the image nicer as a whole. I now wish that I did not do that, as I now understand that this would've given a homier sense to the image, as did the background mess in my other images.
In keeping with my usual editing style, I tried to make these images appear as though they are older than they are and were shot on film. I also made them higher contrast for the most part.
If I could go back and reshoot, I would've made this photo series have a more warm and friendlier feel, as where I got my models to pose very neutrally, they almost look cold and stoic.
Sony World Photography Awards
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Home Comforts
Statement:
This project focuses on “Comfort Toys”, toys one might carry with them from childhood to adulthood. This gives the subject a sense of home and comfort away from home. I want to emphasise how loved and lived-in the toys are. This can mean they show great signs of wear and tear.
To further connect this to my own personal reminders of home, I asked my immediate family members and my partner which of their toys is their favourite.
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