The learning outcomes for this brief are:
· Understand fundamental theories of light, lighting and image capture.
· Demonstrate an awareness of camera formats including digital and relevant film based systems.
· Design and construct basic ‘sets’ working independently and as a member of a team.
· Create darkroom and digital images using fundamental imaging processes and image storage techniques.
· Adhere to health and safety practice and regulation guidelines.
· Demonstrate an awareness of the utilisation of object-based photography.
Using the lighting techniques we learn from Unit 01 Systems and Processes, we have to create a portfolio of images in the following categories:
· Close-up and macro
· Mini set build
· Commercial product
· Highly reflective subjects (chrome, glass etc)
· Historical objects and their narrative (with Blackburn Museum)
Macro
For the macros part of the object brief I decided to use a Swarovski necklace. Here is some research I did of photography of Swarovski items:
Here is a contact sheet of my experiments:
I used continuous lighting to light the necklace. I also used other rocks to practise, however, whilst I was practicing photographing other rocks I had, I decided to use three striped rocks for my object brief. I feel these rocks had more appeal. I first used continuous lighting for these rocks, but I then thought the plumbers light would look better. The plumbers light would allow there to be a line of light on the rocks and this would go with the pattern of the rocks. I used the light both horizontally and vertically. I think the vertical line of line is better, as this splits up the pattern of the horizontal lines on the rocks. Here is the finished image:
However, I was not 100% happy with this image. I tried taking the picture of the rocks again, trying to get it sharper, but I still didn't like it.
I then tried using other items. I used a little elephant and a fairy. I used the elephant as it was a small and colourful object. I used the fairy as it is only 5 cm high and the fairy has a pensive emotion to it and I wanted to see if this emotion could be portrayed through an object rather than a through a person. Here is a contact sheet of my experiments:
I then tried using other items. I used a little elephant and a fairy. I used the elephant as it was a small and colourful object. I used the fairy as it is only 5 cm high and the fairy has a pensive emotion to it and I wanted to see if this emotion could be portrayed through an object rather than a through a person. Here is a contact sheet of my experiments:
I chose to use the fairy as it had more of a meaning to it. I tried taking photos from several angles. The contact sheet shows the best images. I photographed the fairy from the side in the left side of the frame to give more room for where the fairy is looking. However, I thought that this created to much dead space and the eye was drawn to where she is looking rather than her face. I then photographed the fairy from the front, but I prefered the fairy from the side in the center of the frame. From the side the viewer can see the full face of the fairy, which helps to connect with the emotion. Here is the finished image that I printed for the object brief:
Mini Set Build
For the set build we worked in groups of three. Our group’s idea was a children’s birthday theme. We wanted to show the chaos that goes with getting ready for a child’s party.
Here are contact sheets to show our experiments:
We placed some fabric on the products table, so it was one colour and it focused more on the colours of the cakes, as we wanted the set to look colourful. We started using continuous lighting, but this was too bright and didn’t look very homely. We then held a flash head above the set and used reflectors either side of the camera. One of us then blew icing sugar into the shot from the left, which then created a good mist. The mist and the haphazard positioning of things help to create a chaotic yet fun set. I also focused in on parts of the set, but it didn’t have the same effect. Here is the finished image that I printed for the object brief:
Commercial
For the commercial part of the object brief I wanted to do a campaign photo rather than doing a commercial product, such as a perfume bottle.
I decided to do this part about poaching. Poaching is when people illegally kill animals to sell their body parts. Poaching is an important issue for me after I volunteered in South Africa doing conservation. I was only there for a month and a black rhino was poached and we found and elephant that’s trunk had caught and luckily freed from a snare.
I decided to concentrate more on the poaching in Africa. By doing my photos on a rhino and an elephant.
Rhinos are mainly poached for their horns for Chinese medicine and as an aphrodisiac. It has been proven that rhino horn is not an aphrodisiac, but there is still a market for it.
Elephants are poached mainly for their tusks, which are used for ivory carvings.
I wanted to base my photos on the animals after the poachers had poached them. Here are some poaching advert images:
For the rhino photo I bought a save the rhino soft toy and I cut the horns off. I wanted to give the rhino a look that it had been savaged, so I didn’t just make a clean cut and pulled some stuffing out slightly. I then led the toy on a product table as if it was the ground. I tried photographing the rhino with different lighting and in different positions. Here is a contact sheet of my experiments:
For the lighting I started off using continuous lighting to create a bright, stark picture to shock people, but after trying a few shots I realised that a more directed light was needed to focus on the wound. I used a flash head and a snoot to create the light. I also tried the rhino with just one horn taken off then I decided that it would be better to take both horns off, as the poachers would. I tried laying it on its side, but the legs hovered in the air and were distracting. I also tried going in close to its face, but I fell this was too close and the viewer couldn’t tell that it was a rhino. Eventually I led the rhino on its front and focused on the wound. I had the light on about half power to create a dim, focus light that draws the eyes into the wound.
I then put a vignette on the image to further draw the eye to the wound and to create a dark, sad atmosphere. Here is the finished image:
After doing the rhino image, I then decided to do a series of images for the commercial part of the object brief. I next decided to do an image of an elephant. I used a broken ceramic elephant ornament for my elephant image. Here is a contact sheet of my experiments:
I tried using the elephant in pieces with a pool of light under the product table, but I didn't think the viewer would be able to tell it was an elephant easily. I then put the elephant back together, but left a hole where the tusk should be. I used the plumber light to lead the eye to the hole. However, I then thought that the series should have all the same lighting. I then set up the lights the same as the rhino and place the broken piece on the rest on the ornament, so the viewer could tell it was an elephant more easily. Here is the finished image:
I then wanted to do a tiger photo aswell. I used a sew your own tiger soft toy for this image. I piled the pieces on top of eachother to simulate a pile of tiger skins. I used the same lighting as the other images. Here is the finished image:
I then opened all of the images in Photoshop and created a tryptich. I made the background black as this made the images stand out more. Here is the finished image that I printed for the object brief:
Highly Reflective Object
For the highly reflective object part of the brief I decided to use a Portuguese copper kettle that I had. Here are some photos of copper kettles I have researched:
These copper kettles are highly reflective; they do not just reflect light like glass. This made it difficult for me to take a picture of the kettle without seeing me taking the picture in the kettle.
Here is a contact sheet of my experiments:
I knew that continuous lighting was too bright and would just reflect. I tried lighting the kettle from underneath with a snoot and a flash head, but this reflected at the top. I tried the kettle from all angles and I found if I lit it from the side I wouldn’t be in the kettle and it also created a nice shadow. I lit the kettle from the right with a snoot on about half power, as full power was too much. Here is the finished image that I printed for the object brief:
Here is a contact sheet of my experiments:
I knew that continuous lighting was too bright and would just reflect. I tried lighting the kettle from underneath with a snoot and a flash head, but this reflected at the top. I tried the kettle from all angles and I found if I lit it from the side I wouldn’t be in the kettle and it also created a nice shadow. I lit the kettle from the right with a snoot on about half power, as full power was too much. Here is the finished image that I printed for the object brief:
Historical Object
Part of our object brief we need to take a photo of a historical object. In research to this, we visited Blackburn Museum.
The museum contains many sections. These sections are:
· Mill section. This included many mill machines. For example, Richard Arkwright’s Water Frame and John Kay’s Spinning Jenny. The section also includes many books.
· Roman section. This included a wide selection of coins from the periods of many Roman emperors. Also many cosmetic roman items like a bone hairpin.
· A Blackburn section. This included a selection of everyday objects. For example, many wartime items and early Blackburn Rovers items.
· Hart gallery. This included many rare and valuable manuscripts collected by Robert Edward Hart.
· Egyptian section. This included a mummy, a mummified head and many Egyptian jewellery items.
· Asian section. This included many items of Asian clothing.
· There is also a wide collection of World beetles.
When we arrived at the museum we met Stephen Irwen, who showed us around the museum. He mentioned that the museum didn’t have enough space to display all of the items the museum had. So, he let us look at any particular item we wanted to see. Whilst looking in these items I found a bomb from 1936 that had not gone off. This item really interested me as it was military and it is an item that could have destroyed so much, that didn’t destroy anything. I would be making an appointment to photograph this item for the object brief.
We would also be able to get in touch with the curators of the museum to be able to photograph the items out of the glass casing. This makes photographing the object easier as there are is no reflection from the glass.
However, after doing my commercial object I was interested in seeing if there were any ivory objects in the museum. I arranged another visit to the museum to see the items. Here is a contact sheet of the images I took of the ivory objects in the museum:
It was difficult to photograph in the museum, as the lighting was just normal lighting. I was lucky that the items were not on display, so I didn’t have to photograph through glass. I chose the oriental statue to use, as it is interesting and very detailed. I arranged another visit to the museum to photograph the oriental statue with a soft box that I had, so I could get a black backdrop. Here is a contact sheet of the pictures I took at the museum:
I first photographed the object fully, but then I focused on individual parts and the detail of the carvings. I chose the image of back of the object, as this angle give the image a feel that the viewer is watching the figures. The figures could almost be people rather than just a historical statue. Here is the finished image:
