Personal Shoot 11: Silver (FINE ART EXTENDED)

Plans for the shoot:
In today's shoot I am going to be doing a look that consists of me spray-pinting myself silver.  I am going to also be focusing this shoot as an extension to my fine art shoot as I wasn't happy with the photos that I took and found it frustrating as I know I could achieve something better.  When I think of fine art and at existing photographers, I always see the human body, there I think this shoot will be ideal for this.

I really want to be able to capture the metallic, shiny look of the paint on the body and contrast this using a matte black background.  I want to experiment with a variety of different poses and use the hands in particular as I think covered in the metallic paint I will be able to really capture the details, angles and features on the body.

Shoot Evaluation:
I am really pleased with the outcome of today's shoot and the photos that I produced, although I did encounter a few minor problems.  One being the paint that I used started to irritate my skin and this meant that  had to work really quickly when I was in the studio - to help with this I ended up directing someone else with the camera to ensure that I got through the shoot as quickly as possible.  I also found that the lighting was too harsh to I had to dim this down - other the metallic effect was photographing too white.

I like the pose in this first photo - the light has caught the angles on the face beautifully here.  I like how the silver has also allowed the bone structure to be seen as well.  The hair looks very textured (again being accentuated by the silver paint) and this has added a nice contrast against the smooth, sheer look of the skin.

This is my favourite photo from the shoot - it looks so weird and alien-like.  I edited the eyes here using the liquify tool to bloat them slightly and make them bigger - this helped to create that surreal, alien look the photo has.








These next two photos are similar but I really like them.  The hands have photographed beautifully and you can really see all the lines and details on them and the contrast between different textures.  Both the photos look kind of mysterious as the model is hiding her face with her hands.  I love the off centre composition of the photo on the left and how central (and quite tightly cropped to the body) the photo on the right is.

I think all of these photos have really channelled the fine art side of the shoot that I was trying to get at and I really like the effect that I have achieved with these photos.

Connecting Essay 5

Connecting essay 5 from Kate-Anna Smith

Image Bank

Image bank from Kate-Anna Smith

Connecting Essay 4

Connecting essay 4 from Kate-Anna Smith

Personal Shoot 10: Bird Inspiration

Plans for the shoot:
In today's class I am going to be conducting a shoot where the makeup look is inspired by a bird.  I am going to be using lots of feathers and gems to create a really chic, contemporary look.  I want the look to be quite dark with bright vibrant hues in it that stand out.  This look is going to be quite surreal, and therefore I this this provides another shoot with the opportunity for looking at different poses and angles.

I'm not sure what background I am going to use, although I think the white background will work best, potentially the grey as well.  I want the lightening to be nice and bright as this will really allow he brighter colours to stand out.

Shoot Evaluation:
I am really happy with how the shoot went today and the photos that I have ended up with.  The look photographed beautifully and the colours I chose all complimented each other well and helped to balance all elements in the photos.

Initially I was unsure of what background I was going to use, so I tried out the off-white background and the grey background, but wasn't happy with either.  I then wasn't sure of what colour background would look good with this look, but then trying out the pure white background and left it unlit and loved the result! - I wanted to use a light coloured background so the colours in look stood out well and this one worked the best.

Using myself as a subject again, I tried hard to be able to get a variety of different shots that saw different angles and poses, and I think I achieved this well in some photos.  Here are some of my favourite photos from the shoot:


This first photo is my favourite from all of them.  I really like the pose and expression and think that this photo channels perfectly the chic, almost editorial look I wanted to achieve.  The subject connected well with the camera and this has allowed the viewer to be more drawn into the photo.  The light also caught the glitter on the nails in this photo as well as the gems on the makeup and this added a nice element.





This next photo caught my attention when editing as the pose is so different.  It's arguably weird and awkward looking, but I think that this element has added a refreshing twist in the photos and has made it really contemporary looking.  The feathers used in the makeup all stood really well during the shoot, despite trying out different angles and poses like this.




This third photo is different to some of the others that I have.  I took it from a photo that was taken portrait and cropped in down to this.  I like the way you can really see the makeup up close here - the skin looks flawless and has photographed beautifully, also allow other embellishments on the face (such as the diamonds) to stand out with the light hitting them and highlighting the different textures.  I think this photo has a slightly moodier feel about it, and the way the camera is angled slightly downward at the model has opened her eyes and made them connect really well with the camera.

I found through-out this project that I like using this angle when doing closer portrait shots.

I like the emotion and captivating feel this final photo has; I think it's quite drawing to look at and it pulls the viewer in.  The expressions is mysterious and I like the pose and how the model is looking over her shoulder.  I was happy with the composition of all the photos like this and think it works well with the look.






This was a fun look to create and shoot and I am so happy with results.  I really enjoy shooting these more surreal, intriguing looks as I think they all photograph so beautifully and they look so different to other beauty and makeup looks in photography I have seen before.

Using the feathers were a good idea and I like how in these photos you can see the texture of them and how well they stood up against the face.

Personal Shoot 8: Fun!

Plans for the shoot:
I am wanting to do a much more colour fun shoot today, incorporating a few different ideas into one shoot.  I want to have fun, bright blue eye makeup with matching diamantes and pale baby pink lips that later will be added to with pink diamantes.  I am going to be using balloons and ribbons in my shoot, and a combination of differently composed shots, both full body and close ups.

I am going to use the white background in this shoot as I have found in previous shoots this one is best for when trying to get colours to stand out.  I want the feel of this shoot to be fun and 'loud', with lots of colour and things going on.  I have ideas for what I am going to do but as I am going to have a lot of props with me (something that I don't usually have) I envision this will be a shoot where I will want to experiment and improvise on the spot.

Shoot Evaluation:
Today's shoot was so fun!  I really enjoyed working with props for a change and because of the nature of this shoot it was really enjoyable to do.  Though I did encounter a few minor problems during the shoot (e.g. my idea I had with the ribbon did not work) I was able to work around these and end up with some really good shots.

This is my favourite photo from today's shoot.  I think this is something really different that I can add to my portfolio and the nature of the shot is something that I have not personally looked at before.

I love the energy and the lively spirit that this photo has - this has made it fun for the reader to look at.  The expression of the model works well with the pose and this has helped to create the fun, energetic vibe that I wanted.

I particularly loved the composition of this shot and the cropping - I paid a lot of attention as I was using props and I wanted them too look good in the photo too, hence making sure they were always facing forward with the ribbon hidden (which proved harder to be than first thought)!

This was one of the first times that I had used the white background, and though I wanted the background nice and pale so I could get all the colour to stand out, I found when I lit the background to make it pure white it was too sharp and crisp for my liking - I much prefer it with this warmer tone left in it. 

This shoot has definitely made me want to work more with props ad it as highlighted another side of photography work that I have not explored yet.  I enjoyed this shoot as it was fun and even though some elements of it didn't work out I think I got some good shots.

What am I doing today?

In today's class I am going to be completing my image bank with all my annotations.  If I have time afterwards I will also be working on finishing my essay off.

Work Diary - Slow Sync

Shoot Evaluation

In today's class I looked at the technique 'slow sync'.  This technique is very similar to the blurring technique that I looked at - the studio needed to be set up the same, only this time there was a few changes to the settings on the camera and the fact I needed to add a flash.

I found some of the changes I had to make complicated at first, but once I had grasped the idea and what I needed to do it became simple and the shoot ran smoothly.

Here are some of the photos from today that I like:

In this first photo I asked my subject to wave a scarf around and slowly move from side to side.  You subtly see the movement of the subject and I like the effect that this has given.  Nevertheless, you cannot see the movement of the scarf as much (it was possible being moved to quickly) and you kind of lose the effect.  I think I should of directed my model more on how to wave the scarf around and I would have gotten more the effect that I wanted to achieve.

In this second photo I was getting my model to jump up and down to capture the movement in a different way.  I like how here you can see where the model is and was making the photo look like it has capture movement in slow motion.  There is a lot of movement present in this shot, something that I think has made the photo visually more interesting and dynamic.

By chance my model was wearing a bright orange t-shirt and this has stood out and contrasted beautifully against the dark black ground.

I liked this final photo as the movement seen in here is more subtle and this shows me the wide ranges of effects I can achieve using slow sync. 

I like here how you can see the subject's face clearly, unlike some of the others.  This is important as it provides a focal point in the photo.

How could I use this technique in my own project:

I have enjoyed woking with the slow sync technique today, similarly as I did with the blurring technique.  I think again this shot work work well with an abstract look, or even a weird surreal look, however I don't think it would work well with all makeup photography as if the photo is blurred or out of focus you would struggle to see the look.

Something else that puts me off using this technique in my project is that I feel you can lose the focal point in the photo with all the movement going on.  This is something that I don't like as I like to have a clear subject and focal point in my photography, especially as usually in my project I am focusing on photographing the face.

Technique Page - Slow Sync

What is it?:  Slow sync is a technique where you change the shutter speed but keep the aperture the same as the flash to capture movement in a photo.

1. You firstly need to ensure that you have your camera set up correctly.  You must ensure that you have the camera set on a long shutter speed (this allows the movement to be captured in the shot) as well as making sure that your camera is set to the 'white balance' option(not the usual 'flash' option).

2.  Now, you need to make sure that the studio is set up correctly with a black background, making sure that it is protected from the light - you can do this using a polystyrene board.  You must also set up a continuos light source using the red light.

3.  Add a flash from the same position as red head.

4.  You now need to ensure that camera gets set on 'rare curtain sync'.

5.  Take a light reading to make sure that the exposure is balanced.

6.  Add the add flash at same aperture.

7.  You are now ready to take photos!

Image Bank - Slow Sync

Slow sync is an effect where you have a normal aperture, but change the shutter speed while the flash is on during exposure - you end up with the effect seen in some of the images above.  This technique is really good for capturing action in shots, like with the fifth photo that I found.  It has made the photo really interesting to look at as you can see the different movements that are being made in the shot.  I really like how the movement looks like it has almost been 'broken down' so you can see every individual thing - this has made it visually more dynamic.  This is similar with the sixth photo that I found only here light has been used to show the movement - I think this has added a nice element to the photo and gives it a clear focal point in amongst the blurred image.

The forth shot that I found has been taken using slow sync so you can see the change in expression on the person's face.  This has been done oppositely on the second photo where you can see the subject in focus and the background shows the movement.  

The first photo that I found is particularly interesting has it's slow sync with a shot taken in a point of view angle.  Here in the shot you can see the model in focus, yet his surroundings where he is spinning are not in focus.  I think this has made the shot visually dynamic and the expression on the models's face compliments perfectly and works well with the movement seen in the slow sync.

Finally, the third photo that I found I thought was very pretty and delicate, with the movement being seen in the dress as it flows around the model.  The background for this shot contrasts nicely with the dress and the model, and as mention before the lights have worked well with the slow sync (though more in focus here, it has really made the movement in the foreground standout).  

Work Diary - Animation

Work Diary - Video

Plans for the shoot:
I'm not really sure what I am expecting to get out of today's shoot - it feels weird going out to shoot a video when I am used to taking photos all the time.  I m thinking of doing something simple that is not too complex, and am mainly looking at this session as being something where I can learn and gain a better insight of what the cameras can do.

Shoot Evaluation:
I definitely don't like video!  I hated shooting the video in today's class and struggle to see the link in photography and video.  I felt my work was messy and I struggled to capture one whole moving picture that told a story as opposed to try to get it out in one photo.  Directing models was something else I did with the shoot though and I a glad I gained more experience in this. 

I used a programme called iMovie on the Macs to edit this video and this is something else that I didn't like either.  Though it does enable you too add filters to your work and add music, I fail to see how this can then be presented a piece of photography work - a photo should be a still, silent, non-moving image that tells a story on it's own and doesn't need anything else.

Overall, I am not all that happy with my work and definitely won't be incorporating video anywhere else in my photography work.




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What am I doing today?

In today's class I am going to be looking at completing some more of my outstanding unit 3 work.

I am going to be focusing on finishing off my 2 outstanding computer experiments as well as finish off some of the techniques that I have yet to complete.

The arrangement of my blog and things that are on it are also something that I want to finish off today as this has helped to make everything more organised (I still have some things to move across from my AS blog).

Personal project work diaries is another I could look at completing today too as I have one outstanding.

Connecting Essay 3

Connecting essay 3 from Kate-Anna Smith

Connecting Essay 2

Connecting essay 2 from Kate-Anna Smith

Connecting Essay 1

Connecting essay 1 from Kate-Anna Smith

Researched Photographers: 5

Researched photographers 5 from Kate-Anna Smith

Researched Photographers: 4

Researched photographers 4 from Kate-Anna Smith

Researched Photographers: 3

Researched photographers 3 from Kate-Anna Smith

Work Diary - Sequencing

Work diary sequencing from Kate-Anna Smith

Work Diary - Depth of Field

Work diary depth of field from Kate-Anna Smith

Work Diary - Animation

Work diary animation from Kate-Anna Smith

Technique Page - Sequencing

Technique page sequencing from Kate-Anna Smith

Technique Page - Depth of Field

Technique page depth of field from Kate-Anna Smith

Technique Page - Animation

Technique page animation from Kate-Anna Smith

Image Bank - Sequencing

Image bank sequencing from Kate-Anna Smith

Image Bank - Depth of Field

Image bank depth of field from Kate-Anna Smith

Image Bank - Animations

Image bank animations from Kate-Anna Smith

Personal Shoot 9: 50s Inspired/ Classic Beauty Look

Plans for the shoot:
In today's class I want to look at shooting a look that is more 'classic', something that is kind of iconic of the 50s with a red lip and simple eyeliner.  I have gotten the inspiration for this shoot from the 60s shoot that I did as it went so well and I am really happy with the photos from that shoot.  I was also happy with the 8th shoot that I did where I looked at gaining different types of shots in terms of composition and pose and this is something else that I want to bring to this shoot as well.

I want to use the white background for this shoot as I a going to be wearing all black and have red lips and nails, therefore I want the colour to stand out.  I also want to experiment with different poses again and focus on the cropping and composition of my shots to make them more visually interesting.

Shoot Evaluation:
I am happy with how todays shoot went overall; here are some of my favourite photos:



This is my favourite photo from the whole shoot.  I love the pose! - it is different and I think compliments the look perfectly.  There is a sweeter, innocent side in amongst a more playful, flirty side in this photo as this is brought across to the viewer.  The model is making eye contact with the camera and this has helped to get these emotions across too.  The only real colour in the shot is red, and this makes the lips and nails stand out (something I wanted to achieve). 

I like the simplicity of this shot and how there is nothing too complicated in it - this has meant all the focus is on the subject.









This second shot is something different from my usual style of work as I think here the outfit could be taken in to consideration too as well as the makeup, looking at more a fashion/beauty shot.  The pose here is simple and this has compliment the look and everything else in the photo which is also very simple e.g. sterile background.  The model here looks stronger and that sense of innocents that is seen in the previous photo is lost.

Something I am not so happy about with this photo is the expression.  As mentioned before in some of my other shoots, I use myself ad s a model and sometimes I find that this can have its drawbacks.  I feel here I perhaps focusing too much on my body language and less on my face and the expression has become quite stiff.  This is something I would need to practice myself to avoid in future shoots.

 

Finally, this third photo that I like is one of the more close up shoots that I did.  I particularly like the composition of this shot and the way looks like it was captured 'in the moment'.  There is no obvious pose about the model and she is not making eye contact with the camera.  I like the expression - it looks kind of moody and mysterious.  This kind of shot is something I haven't really looked yet but I am happy with the results as it looks like it was taken with out the model knowing, making it more raw and natural. 








I am happy with today's shoot and I think I have gained lots of new skills that I can bring with me to future shoots, both personally in terms of using myself as a subject and in terms of the photography itself.  I a glad I focused this shoot around looking at the composition of my shots and the poses as Ii think I have done well in succeeding to get some visually interesting photos.

Personal Shoot 7: Chantelle

Plans for the shoot:
Today I am going to be using someone other than myself as a model; Chantelle is a friend of mine who I have been really interested in shooting as she has such a unique, natural look.  She is also what can be described as "beautiful" and this works well with beauty shots.

I am wanting to conduct this shoot outside as it is going to have more of a natural 'urban' feel about that will go well with the look I am  going for.  In terms of the makeup I want my model to wear a striking red lip look, and then have simple natural eyes.  My models skin is very clear and she has gorgeous freckles that I want to keep present in the shoot, therefore her face makeup is going to be natural as well.

Shoot Evaluation:
Although it was really cold today and this shoot was outside, it ran really smoothly and I am happy with the result.  I also liked the change of working outside as opposed to in a studio, although I definitely prefer working in a studio.  Here are some of my favourite shots:

 This first photo is my favourite. I lose the expression on my models face and the way the red colour stands out against all the other harmonious colours in the photo (on the nails as well).  I like the positioning of my model and her natural, innocent look.  This photo reminds me of a classic beauty shot as it is so pretty.

This next photo is must moodier and has more of an urban vibe about it.  I like the positioning of my model again and here I used Photoshop to add a Gaussian blur to the photo - this has added more focus to the model as the background is quite busy and has strong colours and lines in it.  I also experimented with different effects on the eyes here too using the bloat tool on Photoshop to make the pupils slightly bigger and add more emphasis to them.


I have really enjoyed working with someone else today as opposed to using myself.  I found it easy to conduct my model and the shoot took half the time and ran more smoothly.  I would like to work more models in the future.


Big thank you to Chantelle! - you are so beautiful and amazing to work with! x

Personal Shoot 6: Gothic Inspiration

Plans for the shoot:
I am going to be looking at incorporating Gothic fashion and makeup into my photo shoot today.  I am planning on having two parts to the shoot, one where the makeup look isn't so dark and one where it is very dark and Gothic.  I want to be bale to get a variety of photos that show a chic, modern vibe to the fashion inspiration I have chosen.

I am planning on using the white background today as everything I am going to be wearing is dark and, including the makeup, therefore this will ensure that the subject stands out and is strong in the photo.

Shoot Evaluation:
I think today's shoot went well, though I encountered more problem today with using myself as model (in terms of getting my poses and facial expression right).  Nevertheless, after some struggle I was able to get a mirror and used this to help me get me get these right.

Here are some of the photos from today:

These first two photos are from when I was I was getting trouble with my pose, but I happy with these.  Here you can also see a contrast between the darker and the more subtle makeup looks like I did.  I like the pose here of the subject and I think it complimented the makeup look and it worked with the dress and heels too - I think it  also added to that Gothic feel that I was going for.  The photo on the left with the darker makeup looks very moody and sultry, whereas the one on the left looks more sweet and innocent.  This is something that I have not thought about doing before and I am really happy with how the a simple change can make two very similar photos have very different vibes and feelings.

This final photo is my favourite from today as it really captured what I wanted in terms of it being dark and sultry.  I used Photoshop to create the effect that I have on the eyes. This has drawn more attention to them as they are the darkest thing in the photo, and although there is no literal eye contact with the camera they are very haunting and this has ensured that they have remained the focus in the shot.

I think the white background worked well in this photo, and the others too.  I wanted to make sure that all the darker elements in the photo stood out and this worked well.

This shoot has definitely made me think more about what I can do in terms of using the body to create different poses and how this has an effect on the overall photo.  I also want to start using different Photoshop effects along with the makeup looks that I create as this helps to enhance them and change the vibe and feel that the photo has.  I have only really conducted shoots so far where I focus on the face and this has shown me how makeup and beauty photography can be used in other ways.

Personal Shoot 5: Wild Child

Plans for the shoot:
In today's shoot I am going to be looking at photographing more a glamorous editorial look that might be seen magazines or even potentially advertising.  I am wanting to conduct a fun, flirty and feminine shoot by incorporating a leopard print eye look with a bright shiny lip.  I think this s something that I haven't looked at photographing yet as I am going to be working closer up to capture all the detail in the makeup.

I want my subject to look fun and flirty with a sensual side, therefore it is going to be important to make sure the connection with the model and the camera is strong.  As I am going to be working close up with my model I not too concerned about the background as I don't envision it being seen all that much - nevertheless, I want a clean sterile background that is not going to interfere with the photographing of the intricate makeup.

Shoot Evaluation:
I am relatively happy with how today's shoot went though I did encounter a few minor issues in the beginning, however these were all rectified quickly and easily and the shoot continued to run smoothly afterwards.  The first issue I found was with myself (I again used myself as a subject).  At no fault of my own my eyes kept watering in the cold weather and the makeup kept running, then the flash of the camera made it worse too.  This meant that I had to wait a while till my eyes had adjusted and re-do the makeup where necessary, which in turn wasted some of the time I had too shoot.  Ii then encountered a problem with the background that I  chose to use - brown.  Although I though it complimented the colours I had used in the makeup beautifully and really made it a striking shot, my hair got lost in the background as it was such a similar colour.  After some deliberation though I went with the grey background and used a polystyrene board to block out some of the light and create a shadow, making the background a really lovely shade of dark grey that worked well for my shoot.

This is probably my favourite photo from today.  I am happy with the expression and pose of the model as this is something that I highlighted as being important before the shoot.  The cropping is another major element for me liking this photo so much as well - I like how the subject only appears in half of the framing as this has helped to being all the attention to the eyes.  The eyes here have also connected really well with the camera which has helped to create that flirty vibe that I wanted.










This second photo, though similar to the first, is one I like as well and I think the slight change in the cropping has really changed the overall feel of the image.  You can see more of the arm here where the subject is holding her hair back and this has given more of a 'direction' in the photo and then again drawn attention to the eyes. 

 

This final photo is something different, again due to the cropping.  Initially I didn't like this photo as my models hair was messy and out of place at the back and this didn't look good in the photo, but I liked the facial expression and decided to crop the photo really tight and was happy with the result.

 

 

I have definitely learnt more and thinking about the cropping, framing and composition of my work from today's shoot and these are definitely things that I will be able to bring to future shoots with me.  I have also been more experimental by doing this and discovered that I like and can get different effects with photos by doing this.

Personal Shoot 4: Horrifically Beautiful

 

Plans for the shoot:

 

In todays shoot I am planning on looking at horror/gore or special effects makeup as I have not looked at this yet in any of my shoots.  I am wanting to show a contrast that I also haven't looked at within the photography/makeup industry - that is something that can be perceived as being stereotypically 'beautiful' and something that is perceived as being 'ugly' or not normal.  Therefore I am planning on using myself as a subject and doing half my face in 'pretty' glamorous makeup and the other half of my face all cut up revealing a skull face.

I think this is idea is original and will allow me to experiment and explore more within my chosen topic.  It also gives me a chance to gain not only more photos for my portfolio but more skills and practice with special effects makeup.  I am thoroughly looking forward to this shoot and cannot wait to see the results!

I'm again going to use a sterile background as I want my subject to remain the only focus in the photo (I have found many times previously that this is how I like to photograph).  The grey background is also mostly likely to be the one that I use.  This is because all the makeup I am using is going to be a strong back and white and therefore there will a subtle harmonious colour scheme kept through out which will help balance out the strong makeup look I am anticipating.  It will also make all red in the look (from the blood) stand out too and therefore I will have a focal colour as well.

Shoot evaluation:
I am really happy with the shoot today and how it went!  Not only am I proud of the look I created I also think that photos that I been able to capture are really interesting and something that are going to look great in my portfolio.  I have found that using myself as a subject the more comfortable I feel the better the photos turn out, and with this look I had so much fun with it I was able to take on the character I created well and ended up with a good shoot.  Here are some of the photos from today:

This is my favourite photo from today.  I think it is very dramatic and striking to look at, making it visually interesting and dynamic.  I love the expression and the intensity that the eyes have - because they are making contact with the camera  they are very haunting to look at and add to the dramatic, dark side of look.  This has also been accentuated with the angle at which the photo has been taken as the camera is looking down at the subject, therefore the eyes look bigger and more attention is drawn to them.  The framing of the photo is also something that I like about this shot as it is quite tight and this again has added more attention to the subject.

I really like how the contrast between the two looks turned out in this shot and how you can clearly see the difference in the glamorous side of the look and the creepy side.  All the colours in the photo are harmonious as anticipated but the red of the blood has added a nice contrast and highlighted where I want most of the attention in the photo to be.

This is another photo from today's shoot.  I like this one for as it has been taken at a slightly different angle and zoom level so you can see more of the shoulders and upper body.  I like this as the pose of the subject looks slightly twisted and her facial expression is almost dormant adding to the eerie feel of the photo. 

In this photo I chose to change the saturation level slightly too and I liked the effect that this gave as it darkened the image subtly and this added to the dark side of the image.

I definitely enjoyed working with special effects makeup today and creating a darker look - it was fun and has added a different element to my portfolio.  This is something that I want to experiment more with and see what other looks I can create and how they can be translated in a photograph.