Alexemilyx's Blog

_{This is my final image I used a digital SLR camera. The shot is very eye-catching because of the different shades of colour and good exposer i took this image using a flash and fast shutter speed to capture the perfect image. I used a small f number which produces a range of depth of field. This made the main subject in focus and sharp. I used a great deal of Photoshop before i was fully satisfied with my image.  I chose this photograph out of the five and decided to turn it into album cover for indie/rock music as i think the darkness and the attitude in the face portrait the theme. There is a lot of negative space around the subject. The arms the hand thats pressed on the floor is strong and creates triangle. The other hand is placed on the lips and draws all the attention to the beautiful face.}

_{When i first used Photoshop i found it very complicating and frustrating. But after a few tries, research and  assistance i was able to create this above. I gained good feed back from other students who said the image is very creative and dramatic. The first time i edited it the cutting was not up to scratch so by using different tools and techniques i was able to improve it. The text is a skill that i learnt in Photoshop, i enjoyed playing around with the colour, shape and size of the text until it looked the most effective.}

_{My music album image orientated around males and females from 16 to 18 that prefer the Rock/ Indie look and music. I think it will appeal more to females Because of the purple colours and the female featured on the front. I dont think young children would be interested in the image because i havent used any bright colours which are what appeal to children.}

_{When i first used photoshop i found it extremely difficult and the images never turned out how i wanted them to but i have gained some skills recently on how to improve images  one skill that i learnt is how to cut round something neatly and smudge free}

First i drew round the subject with the extract tool this highlights the edges that you want to cut round

_{I then used the rubber to make the green highlighting neater.}

_{I then filled the part that i wanted to keep in the image and pressed select. This made tha background disappear.}

Then i zoomed into the area i wanted to rub out

_{I used the rubber tool again to erase any smudges that where left behind.}

This is the final image

Before this technique i used the magic wand tool. This didnt turn out so well so with a little practise on this tool i was able to make the image look neater and more professional than before. The first time i used photoshop was task when i cut round the air balloon and inserted a image behind it to make it look like the air balloon was in the galaxy. I found this easy to do and had no problem other than a little assistance.

However when making the magazine cover i got very frustrated trying to insert the text onto the image because it would not stay where i placed it but with a little more concentration and effort i was able to finish the assignment.

The first task which was to write about four images using photographic langauge and focusing on aspects of the image such as exposer, shutter speed ect. I chose to write about fashion images because i am very passionate about it. I found that this being my first task was hard for me because i am new to photography therefor i didnt know much about it when i started. Researching the photographer and images turned out to be easy but as for the photographic terms not so easy. I enjoyed this task because i was able to re-create my own version of one of the images. I used only a 6 megapixel camera nothing special but i used different lighting, angles and zooms untill i was happy with it.

I have chosen to recreate images like these by Ed Salter they portray a roc chic theme which can be created in many different ways. I chose to make the images black and white because it relates back to the rock chic theme showing good and bad with the different contrasts and shows highlighted and shadowed areas effectively. I want to use props in all the images because you can position them and the model in different ways to  portray different ideas using one theme. The style of the photographs are consistent but the models poses change and the props are used differently to create different styles. All the images have been taken with a slow shutter speed and have a small depth of field because they are all in focus and the images are sharp. The images are all about line and space.

Salter used a soft side lighting in this image that highlights all areas of the skin to stand out from the dark parts of the image this relates to the exposure of the image because of the light and dark contrasts. A window lighting was used in this image, the reflexion of the window lighting in her glasses makes us think that she could be looking into the camera and gives the effect of the pupil of an eye. The body language is very relaxed in this image but i think it will be more effective if she showed attitude in her body language and face.

This image has been take with a different type of lighting to the image above, a harsh side lighting is shining in from the left to light only one side of the face and the other side is shadowed. This affects the image perfectly it relates back to the rock chic them. i would like to create this image the way it is but i think it would be more powerful if we could see the subjects eyes because unlike the above image we are unable to imagine where she is looking, when i recreate this image i wont be using the sunglasses

The position of the body In this image draws the eye up from the legs. The dark clothes are eye catchy against the bright skin and because of the angle of the neck we can see where she is looking. This has a good creative way of the prop because the wire to the guitar speaker is wrapped round the leg and the model is leaning against the speaker our eyes are led by the cable. This inspires me because i and a big fan of fashion photography and these images look perfect, sharp and has good contrast.

I love this image i found it on google while searching for black and white fashion photography. The extended leg again draws the eye up and there is a harsh side lighting that creates a shadow of the extended leg to the other leg. I like the sassy attitude and use of props that again relate to the rock chic theme. I am going to try and recreate this image i could use a lamp on one side to create the shadows and highlight the skin. This image is not as in focus as the other images i chose but i think it works well, it has a frosty film over it and the contrasts are brighter than the others.

This Image is my favorite from the rock chic fashion shoot. I love the attitude in her face it give the impression that she is shouting and the position of her body works well in the frame. i like the way she is interacting with the cord it shows line and space. The angle of the camera is slightly to the right and shows the whole of her legs so the boots are not blocking them as they would if the photo was taken from the front.

In conclusion all the images i have chosen use props for a bit more excitement, Side lighting to create shadows that look creative, Dark clothing with skin showing and attitude in body language and facial expressions. I will use all these ideas to recreate my rock chic fashion photography.

After Playing around with this image (Above) in Photoshop i was completely impressed with the result. To give the image this effect i made one layer colour and another layer black and white with a opacity of about 73 percent over the top this makes it look like the color is bleeding through. Also i made the dark areas more prominent so the make up around the eyes stands out.   

This is a softer image compared to the others the face is relaxed and the eyes are looking down away from the camera this works because the angle of the arm draws the eye in toward the facial features. There is a triangle created in the shape of the arm and a close up of the face that provokes a thought in the face. The softness and brightness of the image looks sort of romantic. A fellow student explained this picture as “Thought invoking” by this she means that when you look at the subjects face it makes you think what she may be thinking. The shadows behind her make the subject almost look 3d which is very effective

Context: All these images could be found in magazines such as New musical express magazine better known as ‘NME’ it is a weekly popular music magazine in the UK. The whole magazine is around music like rock roll, Indie. Because the theme of the magazine is dark and kind of gothic my images would go with this because they have a dark contrasting. The rock chic theme of my images will fit well into the theme of the magazines.

They would also be great to feature in a fashion magazine for a rock chic clothes line or to advertise clothes that can be bought Or just simply photos to look good.

This is my first attempt at photoshop, i created a magazine cover by choosing an image from the internet and editing it then added text.

Photography has become a extremley usefull thing in the world, it is used for all types of advertising, sharing moments with future family and friends, express feelings, become a piece of art and many more posotive reasons.  Most people now days use digital camera’s to capture what they want but some still use film because it gives a different effect. There are many differences between the two types of camera. Unlike the digital camera a film camera is only made up of three important elements lense, film and the body of the camera they all combine together to make a recognisable image. Film camera’s record the photo’s that are taken in a film which then has to be developed where as a digital camera shows photographs on a screen and saves them on a memory card which can be uploded to a pc. The images can even be edited on the camera. On a film camera if the film is sensative to light it is place behind the lense of the camera so once you capture the image the shutter will close for a sertain period of time so the light can hit the film. With a digital camera a electronic sensor is behind the lense and does not have to be changed.

The capacity of a digital camera is very high they can hold hundreds maybe even thousands of photogrpahs that can be deleted after shot but a film camera has a film that holds up to 36 images and once it is full the film has to be changed to a new one. Another difference between the two is the corection of the photographs after they are taken. With digital the images are usually uploded onto a pc to be edited on a photo editing software such as photoshop where they can be cropped in size, correct colour, add effects and loads more.

Film images can not be corrected, what you get is what you get but if there are corrections needed the photos can be scanned and edited on photoshop.

Qaulity is acceptable with both film and digital both use superb quality in composition and the scenario caught in the photo but although film has its advantages digital has better quality because photographers can esperiment more and the capacity is better.

Lighting is used to make a photo more effectivet can make the subjects in the photo look beautiful and stand out it can also give the effect of a certain whether that the photographer wants the viewer to see. For example if there was a beach set up then a back light would be used to show the sun and a palm tree would have depth from the background, shadows are created when using this type of lighting and if the shadows do not work well with the photograph there is a fill light that is used to fill in the shadows there is also a key light is a harsh light that highlights and bring out contrasts of black and white. It also bring out the shape and contours of the subject.

Back lighting’s is a light that shines from the back of the subject. It is used by photographers to create a silhouette to make the subject more prominent against the background. When creating a silhouette it is considerable to not have the camera light reading off of the subject but the background so that the camera can adapt to the exposure the background has.

These types of lighting are artificial the light is visible in  the photo. There are sometimes negative affects when using artificial light it works at its best when in a studio. Diffused lighting on the other hand is a simple, natural light that is less harsh than artificial. The sunlight is a good natural light it creates shadows which is what diffused lighting is all about.

Furthermore lighting angles are very important when creating a specific effect. When using a side light you can create dramatic effects on the subject of the photograph. for example if a female model was is the subject in the photograph. Side lighting will create a shadow on one side of her and will give depth to the photograph, the exposure is also effected when using this type of lighting because the opposite side of the shadowed area is spotlighted which brings out color.

Shutter speed is a setting on the camera which enables you to capture the photo in different ways, it effects the amount of exposer the sensor allows in. You can change the amount of shutter speed for example if you have a slow shutter speed it can capture movement of the subject and lets more exposer of  light into the photo because the shutter shuts slower. A fast shutter speed captures the picture immediately with a clear and focused photograph but the shutter shuts quickly so not much light is let in.

There are different types of camera lenses for cameras used to take different frames there are either prime or zoom lenses. A prime lens moves forward and backward to fit more or less into the frame you change it by turning the zoom ring. A zoom lens keeps its focus when zooming in. A normal lens just gives the picture a clear accurate picture like the human eye, the aperture  allows it to be taken in a low light. There is a telephoto lens that is more focal and brings the background closer. The focal lens is usually 30 to 70 mm long. Another lens photographers use is a wide lens these type of lenses are usually used for landscape photographs. The focal lens is shorter than normal so it can capture a wider expanse of the background.

This is a photograph of the Irish parliament as you can see there are harsh rays of light. This is very impressive, this was able because there was a high aperture used and a slow shutter speed. The aperture is a setting on the camera which decides the shutter speed and exposer to the amount of light that is in the frame. It works with the camera sensor controlling the amount of light that reaches it.

Focus points when taking a picture are every important to what you want to show in the photo. Most cameras have a range from 3 to 45 focus piont within the viewfinder. There is a centre auto focus point that is usfull when you want to focus on one thing in the frame, for example if you wanted to capture somebody’s face you would focus on the eyes as they are the most dominant feature of any face. An of-centre focus point is good when there are more than one subjects in the frame. For example if there was a diagonal line of trees, the tree closest to the camera lense would be in focus where as the trees behind will be more and more out of focus as the line gets further away. This shows all the subjects in the frame but makes the front one more precise. Eratically moving subjects would be captured with all focus points. The camera’s focal lense automatically moves backward and forwards to focus on the closest moving subject, this type of focus works well for sport or nature photography because if you was to use it for soething like portrait photography the focal lense would focus in the wrong place making the important features blury.  Al servo is another camera mode for focus, it alows you to take more than one photo in less than two seconds. The lense works with the camera to adjust the focus on a moving subject within the frame.

Focal lengths determin how much of the subject you want to fit in the camera, a normal focal length has a lense of 35 – 70 mm this is good for street and documentry captures. There are five different types of focal lengths and they all require different exposer lengths.

This photograph of a beautiful winter landscape shows a lot in the frame, it it focusing on more than one subject and this is called a wide angle focal length. 21- 35 mm would be the length of the lense in the camera to make this shot possible. You may think that this is the longest shot but there is infact an extreme wide focal length which is used to capture architecture like palaces, large buildings, temples. Less than 21 mm lens is used because the shorter the lense the more it is able to let in the frame.

The last two focal lengths are called telephoto. A telephoto shot is suitible for catching wildlife and sport. For exmple if a bird is flying toward the camera telephoto focal length will capture the whole of the bird and some of its suroundings. There is also a medium telephoto length that works extremley well with portrait photography because it captures the whole of the face.

Mario Testino - Fashion photography

Mario Testino is famous for his classy and creative fashion photography. This photo was taken for British Vogue with Kate Moss being the main subject in the frame. The photo has been taken from a side point of view with all the subjects heads facing toward the camera Kate Moss is standing the opposite side which shows contrast between the solders and her. Testino used juxtaposition to show that Kate Moss is the main subject in the photo and so the viewers are drawn to her specifically.  The lighting is positioned from the left so that it directly hits Kate moss and brings out the color in some of the other subjects outfits but mainly esentuates the skin and colour of her, there are also dark areas and shadows on the floor to make the frame more dramatic.

Adam Rowell Fashion

Adam Rowell is a dynamic fashion photographer. He owns a photography production that specializes in fashion. This photograph is personally the most glamorous from his fashion portfolio specifically because of the way all the attention is focused on the delicacy of the dress as it is the key element in the photo. Rowell used wind machines to make the dress more effective and the models hair blows away from the face. There are two sources of lighting used one of which is harsh lighting shining from the left hand side this type of lighting creates a hard-edged shadow which intensifies’ the subject’s shape. Contrejour is also used to highlight the

flowing hair of the model to make it stand out more from the background, the lighting used intensifies the colours of the dress and the elegance of the subjects face and neck. The exposure of color has been alternated in the printing to make the picture stand out more effectively. The subjects stance relates to the type of clothing because she is standing elegantly as well as her elegant facial expression, the subject fills the frame aswell and stands out from the background which relates to the style of the dress. Rowell chose to take the photo at a low angle full shot so that the whole of the subject is shown in the frame and some of the detail in the background still emerges this is a strong composition because the viewers eyes are led to the top of the image as the subjects position is triangular.

These types of photographs would usually be found in fashion magazines or on the internet to advertise and sell the outfit to the viewers. They might also be used to show recent fashion styles. This image on the right is very elegant i think it would be presented well in a glossy magazine that sells dresses. Because the background is very naturalistic and the dress has kind of autumn look to it it could be shown in a autumn fashion range of clothing.

Joseph Cartwright- Portrait photography

Joseph Cartright is very creative and uses dramatic imagery his portrait photography is very playful and carefully thought about. The subject fills the whole of the frame which gives a full view of the subjects facial expression. The facial expression comes across as if the model is feeling pain and anguish this also relates to the flower that looks like its bleeding and the color of the flower and lips are a very strong, eye catching and bright. Cartright used key lighting because it refers back to natural light of the cheekbones and painful expression in her face, also the pigment of the skin stands out. I think a tilted reflector might have been used so the picture is softer and the gloss on the lips shine. The angle of the camera is and extreme close up high shot taken from the side of the subjects face to show the profile of the face another effective technique is the shallow depth of field this makes the subject more focused from the background.

These types of photographs are called portrait. The photographer chose a very creative and playful way to portray the beauty within this photo (Right). The models face fills the whole of the frame in person and as a reflection is water. I believe this effect was added in editing after the photo had been taken because of the accuracy of the line up from the chin to the water. A flash was used for the photo to brighten the skin and make it a softer tone. The colour has been used by the photographer to show the coldness within her face because thereis a cold fill in the color.

Comparism

The photographers from both the portrait photos were created to show beauty and creativity. The lighting and color chosen for both the frames relate to the expression on the subjects faces. I chose them because of their indaviduality in the portfolios i got them from. I like the  the idea of the flower and reflection because it works effectivley with the photo.

The portrait photographs i chose are the kind of images that you would find in a beauty magazine modeling the make up to give people a beautiful picture of what the make up looks like. This can also be used to advertise make up to make people want to buy it. Both images can be used to show emotion if needed.

My Re-Creation

This is my portrait photography of my sister Rachel i applied her make up and did her hair. I tried to re-create Joseph Cartwright’s idea i used natural sun light and a flash on the camera to brighten the skin and applied red lip stick to match the red rose.

By Alexandra Bruce x

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