Overall Evaluation

My work has been very inspired by my research. I think the most influential artist that I researched has been Rut Blees Luxemburg. She inspired many landscape and location pictures I took. Also she inspired the way I edited them, this is because of her very distinct style, and the way she captures more rustic, abandoned and 'street' landscapes, and the way she emphasises the dark tones to create quite a dark and mysterious, almost scary atmosphere. Many of my location and landscape pictures that I took when we went to London to take pictures, were inspired by her. As I wanted to focus less on capturing the London that is very famous, the London everyone knows and loves, but more the abandoned and less looked after areas, as we passed through many places like this. Here are some examples of my pictures from these shoots that were the most inspired by her:

Irving Penn has also inspired my portraits, especially the close up, low key lighting ones. Researching him, gave me the inspiration to take portraits with over powering use of negative space, and using close ups and tonal contrast to emphasise contours and facial features. His work on Miles Davis especially inspired this.

In terms of technicalities, I think I have massively improved, this is because of the way I knew nothing about camera settings, or setting up in the studio, e.g. tripods, but now I am able to understand how different camera settings allow for different sorts of pictures, and they need to be changed depending on what kind of picture you want to achieve. I think our lessons, and researching depth of field, helped me understand these much more. From that point on, I found myself focusing on shallow or deep depth of field in a lot of my shoots, as I realised how much of a difference it makes, and how it can even change the meaning and connotations of a picture. I also learnt many skills with photoshop, e.g composite images, I liked doing this as I think it is a very creative technique, however I did not produce any further shoots on this idea as I found it hard to come up with ideas that had a lot of meaning.

I have also experimented a lot with computer experiments in photoshop, in many of my shoots I have edited and manipulated my pictures to make them more creative, and to help build desired connotations. I now think editing pictures is crucial, even if I am just slightly changing the levels and curves of the picture, this is because it makes for a more professional looking shoot, and it enhances the good elements of the picture. I experimented further in a post I labelled 'Computer Experiments and another one named 'Physical Experiments'.

All of these techniques have really helped me to improve my photography skills in general. I think this obvious when looking at my first few shoots, in the formal elements, and how my pictures have improved so much when doing the portraiture and landscape pictures. I think my best shoot was the landscape and location shoot that I did when we went on a class trip. I think this was because before this, we were quite limited to shooting in college and the local area, and this isn't always interesting enough, and when going on this shoot, I got some of my best pictures.
This has helped me see that my work has been heading in a landscape direction. Also my landscape portrait pictures, in my own opinion, worked better than my studio portrait pictures. Therefore I think this idea was developed when going on the London trip, and this is the idea that has been most successful. I like these sort of pictures, and I enjoyed researching many photographers who took these kind of pictures, as I always like how there is so much meaning behind them, it is all very genuine photography. I also like the realism of these photos, there has been no artificial set ups, its all very down to earth. I saw these elements a lot in Alex Soth's work which I explained in my trip report. In addition, I have also found the way I edit my pictures to follow a similar path, of brining out the dark tones and shadows to make quite a rustic and mysterious atmosphere. I like the way these pictures have turned out so I kept doing, I think it makes the whole mood and connotations of a picture, completely darker and negative, and I think that transition is quite interesting.

On the other hand, there have been elements of my work that have not turned out so well. I think the composite images I did looked very fake and artificial, and just didn't look right at all, and when researching composite artists and producing an image bank, I found that many photographers create very abstract composite pictures, but they still looked very life like, they manages to make an unrealistic picture, very life like. And this is where I failed, and doe that reason, I didn't develop this idea or expand on it. I also think a few of my shoots on the formal elements that we did at the start of the year, were did not turn out so well, I think some of them didn't look very professional, and they looked a bit pointless, lacking any meaning or connotations, but I feel like that was because it was at the start of the year so I was experimenting with different kinds of photos, as I wasn't very familiar with photography before this year. But I feel like these skills that I lacked, I improved on a lot, creating pictures that had a lot more of a meaning behind them.

Trip Report

London trip from sarah vandenberk

Electronic Portfolio

Unit 1 Electronic Portfolio from sarah vandenberk

Computer Experiments

Liquify:

I think this effect makes images instantly more abstract, even if it is only slightly used, that is because it completely distorts the layout, measurements and proportions of the picture. Previously I have used it on the face of a portrait but I think this makes the portrait just too abstract, too unrecognisable, so in this example I used it on a landscape portrait picture, on the complete background, avoiding the subject. I think this has a connotation of distortion in the mind, that is represented visually. I like the way this draws attention to the subject, as the things in the background just become merged together.









Black and White:

The black and white filter is one I am very fond of. I think removing the colour of a picture is very effective, especially in building a serious or low-spirited atmosphere. I like how this connotation works together with her expression, the fact that she is looking down and playing with her hands, portrays sadness. So this works with that atmosphere.













Selective Colour:

I really like how this picture turned out, I think the fact that the whole picture is in black and white but the light is still in colour, emphasises the light. It makes it stand out a lot, becoming the main feature of the picture.








Duo Tone:

I like the idea of duo tone however I think it is more suitable when the colour is very relevant to the picture, I don't think this example worked very well because it seems a bit random; I don't think this process added much meaning to the picture or change any connotations.

Composite Image Bank

I like this picture because whilst it is clearly an unrealistic and surreal picture; the way the picture has been put together so carefully, and the way it has been edited, the elephant really looks like it belongs in the picture; it doesn't look unrealistic, it is just the concept that is unrealistic.


This one is very ethereal and fantasy based, it is a manipulated landscape. I like the colours used, this creates quite a magical atmosphere as they are colours we don't usually see in the sky. The dark tones build a mysterious connotation. This sort of picture reminds me heavily of fantasy and sci-fi movies.



This one shows a road with someone swimming who has been edited into the puddle. I think this is quite a clever idea and concept that the photographer has managed to bring to life in a good way. It looks very surreal as we know how unrealistic this is. I like how this picture shows direction and depth through the yellow line and the road, it gives a path to follow.


This picture shows a man who appears to be ripping open his skin and thus revealing a superman costume. This is clever because of how it shows the reverse and opposite to how hero's costume traditionally work. Because of how superhero's normally rip open their costume to show the skin underneath, the man beneath the hero, however this shows a different message, like underneath the man, there is a superhero, it is who he is, his identity. I really like how he is looking straight into the camera, this makes it seem very powerful, he appears to have a lot of strength and confidence.

The Formal Elements Mind map

Landscape Definition

Landscape:
All the visible features of an area of land, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.

Landscape Photography:
Landcape Photography shows spaces within the world, sometimes vast and unending, but other times microscopic. Landscape photographers typically capture the presence of nature but can also focus on man-made or disturbances of landscapes.

Documentary Photography Definition

Documentary photography usually refers to a popular form of photography used to chronicle significant and historical events. It is typically covered in professional photojournalism, or real life reportage, but it may also be an amateur, artistic, or academic pursuit.


My interpretation:
Documentary Photography is a style which is used to capture very real and honest opinions or lifestyle, this makes them very deep in connotation and meaningful, and maybe sometimes relatable.

Strom Thorgerson Research

Storm Thorgerson was an English Graphic Designer. He is best known for his multiple work with rock artists including Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, as he also directed music videos and designed their album covers.

I very much like his work because of the abstract and sometimes slightly surreal aspects. This gives his picture interesting and unique features that make his work recognisable and memorable. Whilst his pictures have surreal elements, I like his use of vibrant and saturated colours to contrast this theme. A common theme in a lot of his pictures is the bright blue sky, as his pictures, especially his personal works, are mainly located outside, on a wide spread of empty space, with a clear and bright blue sky. Then he inserts various types of foreground images in a 4th plinth style. I like how he uses shadows and works very well and cleverly with lighting, to make the images he inserts, very life like looking, like they belong there.

Location/Landscape Work Diary

Description of Shoot:
In this shoot, we went on a class trip to Trafalgar Square to take pictures. I focused on taking location and landscape pictures.

Best Images: 

 I liked this picture because of how it is quite rustic and quite abandoned looking, like it's not taken good care of. As well as being an amazing city filled with very famous landmarks, there are also some places in London that are not so looked after, places that represent the real London. I have edited this picture to put a cooling filter on it, and to make the tones stand out more.





F/4.2    ISO 400    SS 1/30





I like this one because it shows the typical London that we all know; the London we all expect it to be.
I like the way some buildings are in the background, as a silhouette, like Big Ben Tower. I think this adds depth to the picture, as we see how the street goes really far back. In addition I really like all of the lights that create a real atmosphere of city night life. I also think this adds a lot of business to the picture, there is a lot going on. I also like the taxi in the picture and how I managed to get it in the picture when it was moving, this must have been a result of the shutter speed allowing the movement to be captured while still recognising it is a car, rather than just a blur.







F/5.6    ISO 1400    SS 1/15





Progression:

This shows a location portrait that I tried however I don't like how it turned out because of the flash, it made the model stand out too much because of the way it illuminated her but the background remains dark. I also don't really like the position she is in.

To improve this shoot I could have taken more location portraits but with no flash and I could have her look at the camera instead of looking away.

Location/Landscape Straight Images

Computer Experiments 'How To'

To invert the layer:

Copy the layer

Cmd J

Click the 'normal' drop down menu and experiment with different settings

Above is an example of a picture I took in London that I manipulated in photoshop. I inverted the colour and selected the 'lighter colour' option in the drop down box.

To add a filter:

In photoshop click on the drop down menu for filter, then select filter gallery. This offers various filter options. Many of which can distort the quality of the picture. In portraits this can make it look more anonymous as their face cannot be clearly seen.

To liquify an image:

First go to filter, then liquify then select the icon along the edge of the screen relevant to which type of tool you want to use, then edit the brush size depending to how much of the picture you want to manipulate. 

To Tilt Shift:

filter, blur gallery, tilt-shift, hold down command key and drag the grid to the place you wish to be focused. The shift grid can be rotated and adjusted.

Connecting Essays

Example 1: Alec Soth

The picture above shows one of my pictures from location portraiture. I think it resembles the work of Alec Soth because it shows someone who looks relevant and belonging to the background they are in. Showing a naturally placed picture rather than a set up in a studio. And similarly to a lot of Soth's pictures, the person in my picture is not showing much facial expression but is still looking towards the camera. So it isn't in a candid style but it does't show much emotional attachment. The picture below shows one by Alec Soth that I felt related the closest to mine.

Example 2: Heather Edwards

The picture I took above, is one from my colour shoot. I found the photographer Heather Edwards when researching natural and plant photographers. I think my picture resembles her work in terms of colour, idea and depth. This being that there is a clear fore ground and back ground that have been differentiated with a shallow depth of field to emphasis the definition of the fore ground. In terms of colour, they are both edited to be very vibrant and saturated in colour. I also think the angle and zoom of the picture resembles her work. Especially in the example below. To make my work even more similar to hers, I could make the green of the grass less vibrant and make the colours of the leaves even more saturated. In her work below, it shows the grass being quite dull in colour but this makes the pink stand out even more making it look even more bright.

Example 3: Rut Blees Luxemburg

The picture above shows one that I took in London on a trip for my landscape pictures. I think the main ways it resembles Rut Blee's work is in terms of colour, editing, lighting, connotation and the actual landscape. A lot of her work is focused on urban city scapes. The example below has connotations of mystery and the city night life and how it can seem like quite a scary place to be. I think my picture also shows this because of the way I have edited it to show emphasis on the dark shadows, this shows a tonal contrast. I also edited the colour levels and saturation of my picture to make the yellow and orange undertones more strong. She does this in the majority of her pictures.

Example 4: Irving Penn

Irving Penn is best known for his low exposure, low key lighting, studio portraits. The picture above that I took is my favourite picture from my low key lighting studio shoot. The resemblance is with the tone and lighting. This is because of the shadows that cut out some of the face, this has been done with Penn's picture below. This makes the portrait seem quite abstract and also have a mysterious connotation as areas of the face have been taken over by negative space. To make my picture resemble his work even more I could zoom into the face further like he has done in the example below.

To further the connection between the two, I edited the picture in photoshop. I focused on making the picture black and white, and creating that low exposure and really high tonal contrast.

Example 5:

Landscape Image Bank

I like this image because I like the way the colours and tones all work together. Especially in the sky and the way the red tinted clouds work against the muted blue sky. I also like the angle the picture has been taken from as all the trees are in line and leading downwards and we can see that direction. I also like the simplicity of the trees, I think it has quite a powerful connotation as trees are known for being very bright and full with green leaves however seeing trees in such a bare way is quite contradicting. I think this portrays quite a lonely connotation.

I like how this picture has been taken from above so we can see the rooftops peering through hills. In addition I think the background horizon of what appears to be a landscape of factories and smoke. I think whilst this is not very obvious as it appears to be quite far away in the picture and can't see much detail, I think it adds depth to the picture. I also think the dark tones and shadows give the picture quite a mysterious connotation.

I really like the overall effect and connotation of this picture. The denotations are a very shadowed and transport tree landscape that has been reflected. I think the reflection and the way the clouds start to fade into the trees it makes the trees look like they're fading away. I think this has a mysterious connotation as it is quite an abstract way of seeing a landscape. I think the tonal contrast and the simplicity of the picture helps build this connotation.

I like this picture because of the abstract aspect of it. This is because the picture shows the top of the skyscrapers but because of the dark shadows, the rest of the buildings is quite difficult to see. This makes the picture have quite eery and daunting connotation because of the dark tones and shadows. I think it's quite powerful how there is no other objects, like the background is very plain, this makes the buildings stand out even more. 

I like the way the back half of the picture is overpowered by the clouds and mist. This makes the picture have quite a frightening effect as the building in itself is quite strange and ancient looking. I also think the way the picture has been manipulated, especially the way the dark tones have been accentuated, in addition the way the colours have been muted, this adds to the eeriness as bright colours portray happiness and adds life to the picture.