colettedavies1988: unit 5

The Human Condition

This assignment is all about the human condition.

Life, death, emotions, fears, growing old, being born, and the biggest question why are we here?

The aim is to research at four areas and to achieve pictures that fit in each category

These study areas are:

1 The environmental portrait

2 Candid photography

3 Fine art portrait

4 Corporate portrait

Self portrait

These are a few images that i have taken of myself,

the first three show that there are different sides to everybody including myself

The aim of the face paint is to show two sides of myself,

the girl who hides behind the makeup and tries to be happy, jolly, and funny The normal side of my face represents life, living, breathing and smiling.

The girl on the black and white side who is sad, angry, and frustrated with life.

This side represents sadness, death, illness and weeping.

The various angles of the images is to show nothings straight and narrow in life its usually complicated with many ups and downs.

Studio Lighting Experiments

We were asked to go in the studio as groups and use various lighting

using top lighting, side light, back light and 45 45 lighting.

Show creative poses

Composition need not be controversial

I worked with Waheed in my class.

Side light was a beauty dish to create a soft light

Polly board used

Soft box was used

Back reflector

45 45 lighting with soft boxes

Boom lighting

Natural lighting with reflector

Research

I have been looking at various photographers to get ideas and inspiration for this brief.

Also to see photographs of the above categories

I have been looking at various books to define "fine art"

Graham Clarke - The photographer talks about the debate that has been going on for years, whether photography is an art and if photography is turned into an art.

Alfred Stieglitz photo the steerage 1907

He said he did not see humans in this image but shapes, and concentrated on a abstract pattern which for him suggested the feeling he had about life - quote from the above book

Edward Weston - Nude 1936

Weston compared the naked body to various objects, IE shells and foods

This is one of many nude images taken by Weston. He said the body rather than the individual is treated in terms of form, texture and light.

Fine art not only refers to the human body and people but also objects, buildings, natural resources and even landscapes. For example William Egglestons black bayou plantation 1971

Paul Strands image wall street, New york 1915

These figures are walking to work and passing the bank. This image speaks to both economic terms of significance but equality creates a haunting presence in relation to the individuals lives.

Christopher Anderson

Although this image is candid it also relates to fine art and the human condition, as this image shows sadness and emotion

Sally Mann shows the human condition in her fine art photography

Sally Mann's interpretation of death

For my fine art images i have decided to do the opposite - life or birth

I am going to be using the studio showing the various lighting set ups that i have used to gain selected images.

I am going to be photographing four separate woman who are at various stages of pregnancy. I have been looking at the work of Jennifer Loomis

This is the kind of work that i will be producing for my final images.

Candid Research

The candid portrait is a photograph taken at the right moment with spontaneity.

They are different than other portraits in the sense that you deal with whatever is happening in that moment, like weather and other disruptions and to get the best portrait of the subject, it all deals with timing and making everything perfect in the few moments before clicking the shutter.

This can be done with the subject not knowing they are being photographed

There are many setting in which candid photography is produced. I have been looking into photographers that have produced candid photography that relate to the human condition.

I particularly like the urban city candid images and this is what i will be planning to portray with my images

Martin Parr - new Brighton 1984

I like this shot as it shows family life, and we all go to the sea-side and eat chips. The rubbish on the floor and pouring out of the bin all adds to the image. I like the expression on the the child's face.

Joel Meyerowitz - Broadway and west st 1976

I like the busy environment of this candid image which shows people getting on with every day life.

Walker Evans

This image was taken

part of his subway series taken in 1938 where he hid his camera and took photos of people. This also relates to the human condition.

Robert Capa

This candid images shows love and friendship

Environmental Research
Anthony Blasko

This photographer chose to photograph his family over many years, capturing many different moments of the children growing up. Sally Mann also did a similar project with her children.
This project was called the way things are where he captured having children and getting older.
Victoria Sorochinski also showed family life but in a different way. This fits the category of environmental.
Her photographs are showing a role reverse between a mother and daughter.

Corporate
Cindy Sherman has produced some corporate images

This image was used in exhibition to show ageing- ie a woman tries make herself feel younger with make up, a nice dress and jewels.
Corporate photography has been popular for many years.
August Sander - Baker 1928

Rene Burri - Sao paulo 1960

Richard Avedon

Environmental Images

I have decided for my environmental images that I would show the human condition in the form of being judgemental and having stereotypes.
Most of the time these stereotypes are planted in our heads with out us even realising IE goths are scary people, pensioners are ignorant, Chavs steal etc.

So i decided to show an image that you would stereotypically expect to see.
Pre production included brain storming ideas you wouldnt expect to see. My ideas included -
a chav working in a nursery, a priest in a pub, an old person in a night club, a child running round a funeral home and a punk/goth in a church.
The model i used for this shoot contacted me a few months ago for some images for his portfolio. He was joining a agency called UGLY and also has recently been in a BT advert. He wants to promote the way he looks to get work.
I arranged a time with the cathedral to see if this would be ok for me to go with a model, we were given certain guidlines that we had to follow like no going in certain parts and no going on the rostrum. I wanted to get a image of Paul on the rostrum like he was preaching to the congregation, unfortunatly we were not allowed to do this.
Props and equipment used included a bible, as i directed the model to sit in the chairs and read the bible i have taken pictures of this. We went around different parts of the church and i directed Paul on what to do in order to get the images i needed to fit the brief. I asked him to get on his knees, praying position, read the bible, think, look at objects in church, raise his hands to praise.
I made sure for images paul was showing tattoos on images and on some he showed a cheeky side by sticking his tounge out ( which was cut in half and pierced )
Post productiuon of these images include using different filters on lightroom ie - yesteryear gives the aged old fashioned look.
I have used cold tone which looks creepy

I arranged for a model who has tattoos all over his body and face and alot of piercings on his face to meet me for a photo shoot in a cathedral.

The people who were looking around the cathedral where looking strange at the both of us and giving us nasty looks.
Two boys who were in the cathedral quite bluntly whispered about us.

This proves my point of the human condition involving stereotypes.

I want to prove the point with these images that even though a person can look hard and stern on the outside they are just the same on the inside.
This man may have tattoos and piercings allover him but he wants to go to church and be accepted, he wants to praise God just as the other people in the cathedral want to do.

See below contact sheet of images with exposure details

I have edited the images in light room, as you can see on some i have added vinyettes, on other images i have added effects IE yesteryear then i have altered the light, dark, highlight and shadow tones for the effects that i wanted.

Final Images

The above image was taken in the same cathedral.
I have captured the stained glass window in the background i find this adds to the image, it also shows that the model is in a church. This is the part of the church where you get on your knees to pray. I have asked the model to get on his knees but to fold his arms instead of the classic praying position of the hands together. I wanted the model to look at the floor like he was pondering on his life, religion, appearance etc

The background plays a big part in the product, the statue in the back ground of Jesus, the pattern of the cathedral roof.

I have added a glow in light room to the statue on Jesus. I have made this red for two reasons. 1- to represent the blood of Christ and 2- to give the image an early effect that the statues presence is there watching over the man.

I have asked the model to pose in a way where you can see the tattoos on his arms.

I asked the model to put his hands in to a prayer sign but look at me with a stern face

( don't know what he is thinking and feeling )

Fine Art
I have had some diffrent concepts of fine art such as mother and father together, motherhood, baby growing in the body, love for unborn child and the naked body

I have chosen to portray the pregnant body in my fine art project.
I have chosen pregnancy as this reflect the human condition as in motherhood, and the beginning of a new life growing inside of the mother.

The post production of this included reserching fine art and the concept. I have looked at different photographers work.

I have used Facebook to find models and this gave me 2 results. I also have a friend who is pregnant so she offered to be a model for me.

I also went in to mothercare and asked women to be models. This again got me 2 results. Another two arrangments were made and dates in the studio where booked. Unfortunately two women cancelled. So this left me with 4 models which will result in 4 diptics being used to create the 8 images.

Shoot 1 - Becca

See exposure details below image

This model also wanted some images in her dress

This image has been edited in lightroom using a black and white effect.

On both of the above images a beauty dish was used with a 400w bulb

A soft box was used in the image below

Some of the images on the contact sheets have been edited in lightroom for example

this image has been edited in to black and white and also cropped.

Soft box lighting was used in the studio

1/100 sec F5.0

This image was been edited in lightroom as i have used a black and white setting and then i have used the darkening tool just to add a little more effect.

Sort box lighting was used on this image

1/100 sec at F5.0

On the above image i noticed freckles etc so i have used the skin softening tool on this next image

1/125 sec F5.0

This image look like i have used a back reflector with gels but i have used the cold tone effect in lightroom to create the blue background. I will be experimenting with gels in my upcoming shoots with different models

I have used my flash with this image that has created a shadow

Final images

1/100 sec F5.0

I like this image as model is so pretty and she really did glow as a pregnant woman. I wanted to capture this glow, she was quite nervous and didn't smile much while the camera was being used but i like this image as she has directly looked in to the camera and looks like she is thinking about her future

1/100 sec F5.0

This image is one of my favorites from the shoot the stomach is prominent you can see the shape of the little bump, mum has made a love heart shape with her hands on belly.

I also like this as you can see the wedding rings which shows she is in love and with her husband and she will raise a family

Model 2 - Leanne

I have taken pictures of the various lighting set ups used for this shoot

Big soft box

Light with snoot

Back reflector with gels

Contact sheet with exposure details

I have added various effects in lightroom

Black and white

1/60 sec F3.5

Black and white with vinette

1/100 sec F6.3

Cropped - this image was cropped as shadows behind her were very prominent

1/100 sec F 4.2

The reflector with gel effect

1/30 sec F 3.5
Final Images

1/60 F4.0
I like this image as it is a fine art pose (see magazine article attached)
Model has hand placed on her stomach next to her baby.
Second image

1/60 F3.5
This image has been chosen as it shows the woman's body which incorporates fine art, also again the hands on the models belly next to her baby

The concept of fine art is the meaning not the image. the concept of these shoots are to show this.

Model 3 - Amy
Lighting used in this shoot included a back reflector this time with no gels

A small soft box

A 500wt head with umbrella

Black Polly board soft box and flash head

I have done some screen shots showing various effects used in lightroom

This image has been changed to cream tone

This image has been brightened and a vinyette has been added

I have changed this image to black and white and i have used skin softener

This image has been changed to black and white and i have altered the tones so the black board in the back ground doesn't show white bits

I have created contact sheets with exposure details

Final Images

I have chosen this as my one of my final images as it shows the human body, it show the big belly and also breasts that will feed the child

1/60 sec F4.0

Second image

1/60 sec F3.5

I have chosen this image as it is the only image I have with the father holding the belly.

This relates to the human condition as he is showing his love to his wife and also demonstrating the love he has for their unborn child.
The wife hand overlaps his as she remembers that moment where her husband embraces her and the life within, that they have created together.

Model 4
For this photo shoot I only had ten minutes to get everything done,but i wanted to do something a little different,
I have asked the model to jump and i have also used material to wrap round her
Below are contact sheets of all images with exposure details

Final Images

I wanted to choose two completely different images from the others i have produced and this is why i have chosen these images

This image portrays a sense of fun and joy as she is jumping, the excitement that she is pregnant

1/100 sec F/5.0

1\60 sec F4.0

The above image covers the human body but leaves the belly uncovered, showing the growth of life inside her

Corporate Image

Keeping in subject with pregnancy and the human condition I have decided to photograph a midwife for my corporate image.
I have decided to go against the the "norm" and i have asked to photograph a male midwife
See images Below

I have decided to photograph a birth.

The lady didn't want me to photograph the baby actually being born but said I could go in the room for a minute while she was in the birthing pool.

I waited until the lady had the baby and she said i could go in for a few minutes after the baby had been born.

I have created contact sheets with exposure details

Corparate image - Funarel Director

I have also arranged to go to a funeral home, the family have said i am allowed one image of the family member in the casket. I am also going to get a image of the manager of the funeral home as a corporate image.