Reflection - Straight Images

Reflection - Contact Sheets

Reflection - Work Diary

In this lesson, we were tasked with shooting images on reflection. I found this quite difficult due to the weather - I was hoping for rain so that I could take pictures of puddles/wet surfaces, but I was unable to do this today. Instead, I mostly took pictures in the studio as I found it much easier using reflective surfaces such as mirrors, than trying to find a reflective surface around the college. Also, I found it difficult to take reflective pictures without getting myself in the image. Below, I have included an image that I like and an image that I do not like.

I really liked this image I took as it has both an example of light reflection and, if you look closely, you can see  myself in the surface of the bauble. Although I was aiming to not get myself in any images, I like that I am in this one as the curved surface makes it more appealing than it would if the image was on a flat surface.

I did not like this image as, although I do like how the colours are reflected on the seeds, I did not like the background. I feel that I should have taken this image on a plain background - such as paper or a sheet - than on a textured one. Also, I should have set the light up better to get an even background.

Progression

If I were to do this lesson again and be tasked with taking pictures of reflection, I would try to go out during a different type of weather - specifically rain - so that I could get some reflection images in puddles and wet surfaces. Also, I would try to use different background and bring in different objects to get a wide variety of images and see what would make great effects.

Reflection - Image Bank

I really enjoy is image, as it uses surrealism. It has done this by creating the effect of the woman behind the shard of mirror looking in one direction, and the woman who's eyes are being reflected in the mirror is starting directly into the mirror. As the second woman is looking straight into the mirror, this makes her eyes appear to stare straight into the camera. 

I like this image as i enjoy the way that the reflection of the scenery in the water has been flipped upside down, therefore contrasting against the background as the refection of the blue sky stands out against the trees, which appear black as a result of shadows. 

I like how this photo reflects the sky clearly in the puddle, and how vibrant the blue of the sky is against the black floor. Although I like the contrast of the colours, I have discovered by researching reflection photography that I like it when a subject has been reflected onto a surface, such as a building or a person.

I really like this image as the umbrellas look as though they continue into the water and that they end with another cover at the bottom. I also like how this image has a pattern in it, and that the pattern is reflected into the water. Also, I like how the sun is shining from behind the umbrellas, making them a  negative space in this image and therefore making them seem like silhouettes.

I like both of these images as they both are being reflected in puddles, but both reflections are very clear. I also like how they both have a green and white background due to the grass and sky, making both the cherry blossom trees and the yellow of the girl's dress appear more vibrant and sharper in the image. 

Vivian Maier Research

In my opinion, I thin that Vivian Maier's work should be considered art as her work is quite unique with the way that she includes her reflection in her photographs. In the top image her reflection is the largest part of the image and is in the centre, but this doesn't make it the main subject of the image as the placement of her reflection helps the two people in the centre stand out and become the subject. Maier does not simply just add her reflection into images anywhere, she uses it in ways the help add small and interesting details to her photographs. An example of this is in the image below as she has been reflected twice - once in the window and then again in the mirror in the back, which is a very small detail.

Reflection - Definition

Oxford dictionary definition: the throwing back by a body or surface of light, hear or sound without absorbing it.

My interpretation: reflection is when a light source if bounced back off of a surface.

Below I have included examples of reflection photography.

I like how this photograph uses reflection to make the pages appear to make a full circle and to make the black lines in the window seem to reach across the image, but if you look closely in the middle of the image you can see the edge of the table top, and you know it is a reflection.

I find this image very interesting, as the photographer has used a simple technique of using a mirror to create an effect that there is invisible space in place of the girl's body. You would think that it has been edited by the way that the grass in the mirror is reflected perfectly in line with the grass in the background, but this is due to the angle of the mirror.

Shape (studio) - Straight Image

Shape (studio) - Contact Sheets

Shape (studio) - Work Diary

In this lesson, we continued with photographing shape, but this time we took photos in the studio. I preferred this to the last lesson and found this much easier, as I photographed the objects that I chose to/brought with me and I was able to set them up exactly how I wanted to. Below I have included an example of an image that I liked and one that I do not like.

I liked this image as it includes the shape of the heart that I drew and the shape of the lipstick. I like how, even though the top of the heart has been cut off, it is still clear what the shape is. 

I didn't like this image as I felt that it did not have a strong shape that stood out. Also, the surface on which I took the photo is quite dirty and, when I tried to edit this, it gave the image a bad effect.

Progression

If I were to do this shoot again, I would bring in more objects with more defined shapes to photograph as I did not bring a wide range with me, and therefore was still slightly limited with the images I could create. Also, I would ensure that all surfaces were clean when I was taking photos.

Shape - Straight Image

Shape - Contact Sheet

Shape - Work Diary

In today's lesson, we were studying shape in photography. We started out the lesson looking into Bill Brandt and whether specific works of his were considered art or sexually objectifying. This lead on to looking at the definitions of shape and creating an image bank, like usual. After this, we went out and took pictures. I found this quite tricky as it was so similar to form, but I managed to take about 20 images that I was satisfied with - these are on my contact sheet.

This was my favourite image from today's shoot. It is quite similar to one of the images on my image bank, which is why I took it as I was inspired by it. I really enjoy how, after editing it to be black and white and editing the brightness/contrast and levels, the lines appear extremely bold and the geometrical shapes in the image really stand out.

I did not like this image as I felt it was an example of form, rather than shape. In order to use this in a way that represents shape, I would include more rocks and create a shape out of them.

Progression

If I were to redo this shoot, I would try and focus more on geometric shapes as I found that a lot of my images used irregular shapes. Also, I would try and manipulate/move objects to create a shape that I want, rather than just taking images of what I had in front of me.

Shape - Image Bank

I like this image as it incorporates many different sized triangles and has hexagons in the middle, which together make larger triangles. The use of black and white brings your attention solely onto the shapes in the image and the thickness of certain lines draw your attention to the bigger triangles, with the smaller being the secondary focus.

I enjoy this image as the geometric shapes in it are not that obvious without the lines, but with these added in it points them out clearly. It also has more geometric shapes, where the light shines onto the top of the steps, highlighting the rectangles. Also, the model in the middle is an example of irregular shape with the way they are bent over and hugging their legs.

I have decided to include this image in my image bank as, although it is not my favourite image, it is a clear example of shape, with the way it uses curved and straight line to create circles and triangles, and how the triangles going out from the centre of the image form rectangles. This draws your attention to the centre of the image.

I feel that this image is a clear example of geometric shape in photograph, with the way that the shapes appear to overlap from the below angle this was taken at. I like how, although the red building appears to be a triangle, we know that it only appears this way from the angle of the photograph as buildings are almost always square/rectangle.

This is my favourite image in my image bank as I like how the irregular shape of the elephants form a heart with the trunks. I really enjoy how negative space has been used to create silhouettes out of the elephants. This has been done by taking the image with the sun shining onto the camera, therefore having no light shining onto the elephants. 

I like this image as, where the building has sections that are taller or wider, it makes the sky appear to be an irregular shape, although if you were face on to this building it would appear normal. I also like how the sides of the building are very sharp, making the shape of the sky clear and distinctive.

Shape - Definition

Shape: the Oxford Dictionary defines shape as the external form, contours or outline of something or someone.

My interpretation: I believe shape to be the outlines and the inside area of the subject of an image. A shape can either be conventionally geometrical (squares, triangles, etc) or irregular (flowers, the human form, etc).

When drawing shapes, you must consider the size and position as well as the shape of the area around it. The shapes created in the spaces between shapes are referred to as negative space.

Below I have included a mind map of key words for shape photography.

Bill Brandt Research

Bill Brant was a German-British photographer and photojournalist, born May 2nd 1904 and died December 20th 1983. Widely considered as one of the most important photographers of the 20th century, Brant originally became famous for his images of British society. Later on in his career, Brandt's popularity grew as a result of his images of distorted nudes, portraits of famous artists and landscapes.

In this image, Bill Brandt has used negative space in order to make the model's skin seem a pure, clear white. The solid black around the model makes her features pop and contrasts against her skin. The way it shadows across her face but stops in a sharp line accentuates the curves along her nose and lips. It seems to be irregular as the negative space covers her neck, separating her head from the rest of her body.

Brandt is associated with representing the body as a landscape or an abstract geometric form.

Working often with the female form, he is also creating images within a sexualised context in much the same way as a classical sculptor portrays a nude. This image, for example, could be interpreted to be sexual objectification with the use of the female body (her legs). Personally, I do not believe this image to have a totally sexualised content as it only shows a woman's legs. I feel that this image simply uses the female form as an abstract shape as the darkness of the background emphasises the light tones of the legs and the shadow on one legs accentuates the curves in her skin. Although, some people may interpret this image as sexually objectifying when looking at his other images and comparing how he has been known to use the female body to this.

London Trip Report

London trip from Sinead Grace

Tone - Straight Image