Circles and Curves Shoot 1

Circles and Curves Shoot 1 

Plans for shoot
Take photos of a model will circles drawn on her face, if possible find patterned materials and experiment with different backgrounds. 

Research influence
Yayoi Kusama 

Image Bank

Contact Sheets

My Best images 

Images that require improvement

I have selected this image as one that requires improvement because not only is my camera not in focus but my models composition could be changed. Her eyes are not open as she was shot blinking and her hands look very awkward in the image and could be positioned much better. 

In this image the only issue I found is that my model was caught mid blink, however I believe I can attempt to fix this in photoshop. 

The image above has been selected as the camera was not in focus when I took the shot and and therefore it looks blurry. 

I have chosen this image as the camera was out of focus and the angle in which I took this has made the image very dark. The shadows created also hide the other half of her face which also make the image look darker. 

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.

My intentions for Circles and Curves Shoot 1 was to photograph a model with a polka dot pattern on her face. I was inspired by the artist I researched Yayoi Kusama, by the idea of polka dots to represent my chosen material from the brief ( circles and curves ) and the abstract ways she presented them. I believe my idea went successfully, however there was disadvantages while shooting that meant some images didn't turn out as I wanted them; These were that my model kept blinking, I didn't use a tripod so my focus was inconsistent and some images are not straight as I was much smaller than my model. A perfect example of these faults is evident in the image below.

In this image the photo was taken at an angle and therefore it is unfocused and positioned poorly (too close to her face).

I believe I could experiment further with presenting the polka dot pattern and the model. For example trying out different backgrounds and colours, more polka dots ( rather than just on her face ) and other ways that I can make the concept more intriguing.   

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.

To further develop this image, my intentions were to create a spotted background to emphasise more on the polka dot pattern. However as I was doing this the opacity of the paintbrush wasn't too harsh and so I put some across the model as well. I believe this was successful and makes the image look more abstract and interesting. I also made the saturation higher, as shown in the screen capture, to make the image brighter and more colourful. 

To improve the image above I used the healing tool to remove any blemishes or misplaced/smudged lipstick. For example around her lips there was some lipstick that stood out. My model also had a mole on her face which I removed as it looked as if it was part of the circles I had drawn on her face. Lastly my model also had lipstick on her teeth which i removed, all of this using the healing tool. 

For the image above I attempted to make a background of polka dots, I have also changed the saturation to make the red colour stand out more however due to this her skin has a slight yellow tone. I like the idea of the spotted background but I believe there are many improvements I can make, starting with making the background white. I also think my model can have more spots (eg down her neck also) I will improve all these factors in my next shoot.  

AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.

With further research into my chosen artist I realised that my images weren't as effective because I needed to have more polka dots on my model, any skin that is showing should be covered in polka dots.  Looking at examples of Yayomis work has been really helpful as I've learnt not to limit the images to the face and to experiment with different colours. 

AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements. 

Progression: In order for me to progress in my shoots and improve my images I have intentions to experiment by adding more polka dots. My next shoot will consist of more colours and polka dots on my model. 

Work Record

Work Record

Shoot 1                       24/02/19

My intentions for my first shoot went as I planned; The red polka dots on my models face show a clear link to the artist of study and came out as I imagined. However the model I had for this shoot kept blinking in the photos, and this made it very hard to get a good selection of images. As well as this I found it very difficult to shoot a person that is a lot taller than me without a tripod, therefore the focus in my images are not consistent and the angles in which the shots were taken are not all head on. Besides these disadvantages I did get a couple of great photos and I plan on re-shooting in order to solve any issues I had before and to get better images.

Shoot 1 

Artist: Yayoi Kusama

12/02/19

Polka dots, circles, patterns on a model 

Shoot some backgrounds which can be used in editing 

(eg. wrapping paper, round sweets ) 

Experiment with bubbles ( won't be a shoot if it isn't successful )  

Location/environment: inside or outside ( dry day ), studio at college preferred (14/02/19)  

                                        Bubbles need a sunny bright day 

Equipment: Face paint/ Make up, a willing model 

Shoot 2 

Artist: Yayoi Kusama

12/02/19

Model with bubbles surrounding her and/or other circular objects.
Out of focus fairy lights. 

Location/environment: Can be done at home and the college studio, bubbles outside 

Equipment: Round items to photograph, bubbles, model.

Exam Proposal

Exam Proposal 

My plans for my exam will to be to do my first shoot, influenced by Irving Penns photography of make up, of a make up look I designed. I have repeated the look four times with each look being a different colour, with this I wish to create a final edit of all four images together, similar to some edits of Thomas Ruff and Andy Warhol.

                                               

My second shoot will be of landscapes and portraits. I will use these images to experiment in photo shop to edit circles and curves onto the images. An artist that has influenced some of my ideas is Stefen Lenz. Although I don't have a crystal ball, I can edit images to create a similar effect to the crystal ball in his images.

       

Initial Ideas- Mood Board

Artist Mood Boards

Circles and curves power point from bxckyrussell

The sky power point from bxckyrussell

Image Bank Circles and Curves

Image Bank The Sky 

Discussion Of Exam Paper

Analysis of The Exam Options

01 Circles and Curves

Many photographers and artists have used circles or curves to produce imaginative and powerful work. Josef Sudek photographed shells, eggs,glasses and balls chosen for their distinctive shapes and forms, in his series of still-life arrangements. Round hats, mirrors and lenses act as frames or focal points in the portraits of Vivan Maier. Yayoi Kusama has used complex and intense patterns of dots and spots to produce starling installations. Produce your own respond, making reference to appropriate work by others.

02 Writing 

Words have been an inspiration for photographers and film makers, for both their appearance and meaning. Nancy Hellebrand's close-up black and white photographs of handwriting are abstract studies of very personal linear forms. The posters by Jacques Mahe de la Villegle are created from printed lettering that is combines and juxtaposed in torn layers, The title sequence from Wim Wenders film Wings of Desire shows poetry in the process of being written with pen and ink, in contrast to the credits which appear as chalk on blackboards. Produce your own respond, making reference to appropriate work by others.

03 Settings and Locations

The locations chosen by numerous filmmakers and photographers have often proved critical in creating mood or establishing meaning. The director Yasujiro Ozu used the interiors of Japanese homes to reflect the formality of domestic and family relationships and that interested him. When photographing objects, Walker Evans emphasised the context of the room or street in which they were located. Irving Penn severely limited the space available for his models when creating his Corner portraits series. Produce your own respond, making reference to appropriate work by others.

04 The Sky 

Observations of clouds and skylines have proved inspirational for many photographers and filmmakers. Stephen Shore and Edward Steichen photographed clouds at various times of the day. In the film Mistaken Memories of Mediaeval Manhattan, Brian Eno produced time-lapse sequence of New York filmed in a vertical format, with buildings silhouetted against a drifting atmospheric sky. In the photo book Solitude of Ravens, Masahisa Fukase produced evocative images of birds in flights against dramatic skies. Produce your own respond, making reference to appropriate work by others.

05 Shops and Shopping

Shops, shopping, buying and selling, in high streets or markets, can offer dynamic and engaging opportunities for photographers and artists. Robert Adams observed customers, shelves of goods and shopping trolleys in his project What We Bought. Jim Dow's Corner Shops of Britain recorded the distinct colour of the interiors and exteriors of traditional family businesses. The Tate's Prunella Clough Archive shows how the artist used photographs of multiple and repeated objects in shop window-displays as inspiration fro her paintings. Produce your own respond, making reference to appropriate work by others.

I have selected the two options 01 Circles and Curves, and 04 The Sky because I believe these two appeal to me the most. Circles and Curves will allow me to experiment with shapes to create an image which is pleasing to the eye. I believe with this option there is a variety of different ideas you can create when doing shoots, for example Josef Sudek with still-life and Yayoi Kusama with her surreal images. The Sky appeals to me as it's main focus will be landscape photography which I enjoy. Compared to Circles and Curves it is quite basic, however there are many ways you can experiment to take images of the sky, for example Stephen Shore and Edward Steichen photographing at different times of the day, and Brian Eno and his time-lapse of the sky.

Definitions

Shapes and Forms

In the visual arts, shape is a flat, enclosed area of an artwork created through lines, textures, colours or an area enclosed by other shapes such as triangles, circles, and squares. Likewise, a form can refer to a three-dimensional composition or object within a three-dimensional composition

Still-life
Still life photography is a genre of photography used for the depiction of inanimate subject matter, typically a small group of objects

Focal Points

a point of interest that makes an art work unique.

Installation

Installation art is an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that often are site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space.

Time-lapse

Time-lapse photography is a technique whereby the frequency at which film frames are captured is much more spread out than the frequency used to view the sequence. When played at normal speed, time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing