Face value
Project 1 - Portraiture
The art of capturing one's own identity - portraiture. Portraiture is defined as photographing a person in a specific location or area, predominantly a place related to one's identity, heritage or history. We are studying portraiture to help us understand the basics of skills such as compositions, lighting, framing, subject focus and more.
Personal portraiture
I saw a portrait for the first time when I was in my younger years, I can remember vividly all of the luscious details inscribed into the painting. The portrait was hanging on an old, grand wall with its rigid edges framed with gold, resembling the person's wealth in the picture. As I read the information panel, it was announced it was an oil-painting of a rich person portrayed in 1768. The painting was a formal setting, the background was of a greenish-grey colour, allowing the subject to pop out and attract the viewer's attention. He was wearing a dark blue banyan sitting next to a wooden, carved table. The portraiture can be described as:
As years went by and the times were changing, so did portraiture. When we began reaching the 1960s that was when portraits became more aesthetically-pleasing, showing off the new colour technology that could not have been achieved in the 1920s, because of this breakthrough portraits have become more modern and fresh than olden pictures. I enjoy viewing portraits that are similar to headshots, having only one subject in the centre and the background being a plain, simple shade of grey or a blurred background with a splash of different colours.
- Formal
- Organic
- Subjective
- Symbolic
- Stylised
- Old-fashioned
- Authentic
- Insipid
- Historic
- Classy
As years went by and the times were changing, so did portraiture. When we began reaching the 1960s that was when portraits became more aesthetically-pleasing, showing off the new colour technology that could not have been achieved in the 1920s, because of this breakthrough portraits have become more modern and fresh than olden pictures. I enjoy viewing portraits that are similar to headshots, having only one subject in the centre and the background being a plain, simple shade of grey or a blurred background with a splash of different colours.
Evaluation:
I found the task very fun and easy to complete. I only found one thing challenging; we had to find an appropriate wall to cast the background accurately. Luckily, we managed to come up with the idea of using the fire exit door of Block 1, as can be seen by the photos above, was black. I believe the 'remaster' has many similarities to the original.
- Posh
- Comedic
- 1-1
- Character portrayal
I found the task very fun and easy to complete. I only found one thing challenging; we had to find an appropriate wall to cast the background accurately. Luckily, we managed to come up with the idea of using the fire exit door of Block 1, as can be seen by the photos above, was black. I believe the 'remaster' has many similarities to the original.
A family recreation
The task was very humorous and nostalgic, it brought some memories back. I believe the 2019 version retains many similarities to the 2013 version, the main similarity is our hoodies; all wearing our own black and yellow hoodies with our nicknames printed on them, we had to keep the tradition going! One noticeable difference with the photos is the different heights, me and my older brother's height were very different from one and another in 2013, but in 2019 we're both nearly head-to-head. On the other hand, my oldest brother, has not changed at all!
We went to the same restaurant (named Weatherspoons) for our family dinner, and had the best idea of sitting in the same box to capture this comparison but unfortunately though only one box was available on the other side.
We went to the same restaurant (named Weatherspoons) for our family dinner, and had the best idea of sitting in the same box to capture this comparison but unfortunately though only one box was available on the other side.
Nico Froehlich's portraiture work
Nico Froehlich specialises in Street photography. He goes out and about to ask random people if he can take a portrait of them (with their permission of-course). His style of photographing is very simple; he ensures his subjects are in the centre of the image, making the framing as symmetrical as possible to attract the focus on the subjects. He puts a lot of thinking into what the background holds, he is careful with what colours is present. For example, he explained about the blue hour, a time in the evening when the contrasting between the subject and background is very different to one and another. The background can sometimes be a big pop of colours or presented with dark, bland colours. This gives the viewer an idea of what the surrounding environment may look like, whether it is in front of a block of houses or a shop or hoarding. The collection of his portraits presents South East London as a diverse and varied area, with some places living in wealth and some places in poorer areas.
Six portraits
tyler mitchell
Tyler Mitchell takes portraits of black people to show the world that black people are different in comparison to what the media portrays them to be. The media is constantly applying negative influences on black people, because of this, Tyler Mitchell is attempting to make a change. To make a change, Tyler tried to create portraits that was unheard of by people around the world. For example, the first photo is a series of black people resting by a river. Emphasising the fact that people of colour are generally calm, fun and out-going. Tyler wants a sense of 'freedom' in his pictures, which have often been denied.
Tyler Mitchell ensures that the colour of the background correlates to the subject, which allows them to pop out more naturally and aesthetically. He usually follows a more vivid colour palette, consisting of mostly pink, red, purple, yellow, etc. On another note, he makes sure he is collaborative with those whom he is photographing so that they can convey the most realistic, raw emotions in the image.
Tyler Mitchell ensures that the colour of the background correlates to the subject, which allows them to pop out more naturally and aesthetically. He usually follows a more vivid colour palette, consisting of mostly pink, red, purple, yellow, etc. On another note, he makes sure he is collaborative with those whom he is photographing so that they can convey the most realistic, raw emotions in the image.
tyler Mitchell response
My starting point for creating these photos was to brainstorm all of the possible locations we could use for this task. We thought carefully as to what backgrounds were to be used and how we would use the colours to our advantage. Personally, I think the most successful image is the 3rd photo because the usage of the sun was appropriate and calming. The buildings in the background had fixated curtains which meant the appearance was fashionable.
Different variation of portraiture
Today we had a look at the different types of portraitures that are practised in the modern times; such as mugshots, self-portraits, family photos, etc. Completing this task showed us how much difference each variations of portraiture is completely unique to one and another. We experimented with many techniques to utilise the usage of lighting, framing and subject composition. For example, we displayed the subject using a head-to-shoulder type as contrasted to the mugshot portrait - using a wider body shot.
Different portraiture paintings
recreation of different portraiture paintings
For this task we had to recreate two selected portraits. To complete the task we had to think about the lighting, positioning, subject, objects, etc. For example, in the first picture, we made sure the subject had clear light on his face, hands and body. Additionally, we included the bushes to further emphasise on the subject's location. To capture the second picture, we had to find an available black door to be in contrast of the original painting. We thought closely as to how the lighting should be casted on the subject's face, so.. as you can see we managed to achieve that. To conclude this lesson's task, I would say that this assignment was fun, adventurous, challenging and amusing!
Dame Barbara Hepworth - The Self Photogram
Photogram is a type of imagery that does not involve a camera or lens. Instead, it uses the capabilities of light, featuring a light-sensitive paper a series of objects can be placed on top. Once this is done, both the objects and paper is exposed to light, imprinting the objects onto the paper. Photograms can be feature a wide variety of objects, including (but not limited to): leaves, covers, cups, patterns, scarves, etc. It is ideal that most objects in the picture is located in the most centre part of the paper.
Dame Barbara Hepworth's self-portrait differs from Man Ray's work in terms of compositions. Hepworth's picture is in a more one-sided composed style whereas Ray's pictures involves objects being cluttered around the centre of the picture. |
Lighting in portraiture
There many factors to consider when attempting to take a photo:
What is a Key Light?
A Key Light is the main source of light in a photograph or film. Key Light highlight the form and dimension of on-screen subjects and allow photographers to control the atmosphere of a scene. You can layer different light sources on top.
What is a Filament lamp?
A filament lamp, has a variety of incandescent lamp (q.v) in which the light source is a fine electrical conductor heated by the passage of current.
What is a Softbox?
A Softbox is a light modifier that confines light from an artificial source into a wire framed box and releases it through a layer of diffusion. Soft boxes are commonly used in photography as a soft source of light that minimises harsh shadows.
Speaking of diffusion - what is it?
Diffusion is a translucent layer of cloth used to make light less harsh on the subject.
LED lights - what are they?
LED lights are easier to work with, but do not get as hot as a filament lamp can. You can change the intensity using the arrows located on the back of the light. You can get clips - coloured acetate (also known as gels) - with bulldog clips on to change colour of the light.
What is two-toning?
Two-toning uses two different colour gels on one subject for darker skin tones - but it is best to use warm tones such as orange. There is light scale called the Kelvin scale which measures light.
Is it a farm? Not quite:
Barn flaps are on all the side of the LED lights used to manipulate the light. Each flap can be unscrewed and moved in the photographer's desired position.
2 point system - using 2 lights, white reflects the light. If a white wall is present then the light and shadows is harder to control.
Black, however, absorbs light. Therefore it is the easiest colour to use to control the light and shadows.
A stop of light - A stop is a doubling or halving of the amount of light that is let in when taking a photo.
What is a Key Light?
A Key Light is the main source of light in a photograph or film. Key Light highlight the form and dimension of on-screen subjects and allow photographers to control the atmosphere of a scene. You can layer different light sources on top.
What is a Filament lamp?
A filament lamp, has a variety of incandescent lamp (q.v) in which the light source is a fine electrical conductor heated by the passage of current.
What is a Softbox?
A Softbox is a light modifier that confines light from an artificial source into a wire framed box and releases it through a layer of diffusion. Soft boxes are commonly used in photography as a soft source of light that minimises harsh shadows.
Speaking of diffusion - what is it?
Diffusion is a translucent layer of cloth used to make light less harsh on the subject.
LED lights - what are they?
LED lights are easier to work with, but do not get as hot as a filament lamp can. You can change the intensity using the arrows located on the back of the light. You can get clips - coloured acetate (also known as gels) - with bulldog clips on to change colour of the light.
What is two-toning?
Two-toning uses two different colour gels on one subject for darker skin tones - but it is best to use warm tones such as orange. There is light scale called the Kelvin scale which measures light.
Is it a farm? Not quite:
Barn flaps are on all the side of the LED lights used to manipulate the light. Each flap can be unscrewed and moved in the photographer's desired position.
2 point system - using 2 lights, white reflects the light. If a white wall is present then the light and shadows is harder to control.
Black, however, absorbs light. Therefore it is the easiest colour to use to control the light and shadows.
A stop of light - A stop is a doubling or halving of the amount of light that is let in when taking a photo.
Self-portraiture
Rankin - destroy project
This project is very interesting; destroying your own work. I really appreciate the different methods of destruction, it introduces a variety of colours, design methods and appealing artistic styles. These images convey different emotions - such as anger, violence, uncertainty and peace.
Rankin response
Image colouring, dark room development, cyanotypes and digital editing
I found this to be quite enjoyable, having to cut an image (destroy) and then photocopy the image twice with different colours to get the final product. One thing that attracts me the most is the overlapping of both images, the. blending of the colours. This image almost feels like a sci-fi type picture.
This task had me explore the process of making a cyanotype. Obscuring the subject you can see a string cascading across the image and a simple circle. We first had to expose the raw image to a high-level of light, then we had to place it into a box and set the timer to 3 consecutive 60 seconds intervals. Doing this work has shown me how fragile photography can be, one wrong move can completely destroy the image as a whole.
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Doing dark room development has shown me how photographs were historically made. We learnt how to use the different chemicals and to avoid distortion. We were asked to add materials on top of the image to add details. This also made us think carefully about composition, making sure the subject was at the centre of the image and making sure the objects used was not obstructing the subject. Overall, this task was fun and I will make sure to explore further in the future.
This task was filled with familiarity, having to explore different types of filters to alternate the image. In this image, I used a tool to make liquidated lines across the picture. What use to be a natural image has changed into an abstract image. The blur affect used makes me think the picture was taken under water. The subject was placed in the centre of the image.
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Ziqianqian
Ziqianqian is an established photographer who uses parts of her body to display in the mirror, with everyday items obscuring a section of the image. She also tends to use simple fruits like Oranges and Bananas to add depth to her images. Zinqianqian occasionally uses a sheet of translucent glass to add blur effects to her photographs, her style of photography is simple and primitive. Her colour palette is composed of basic colours like pastel brown, green and blue. When I look at these images, I can feel a sense of ease-of-mind and a relaxing mind-space, with the portrayal of arms and legs being displayed in a near-elegant way.
I really like this image from Ziqianqian, the dark grey background compliments the colour of the green leaf in the mirror. The artist has positioned herself to be central in the composition of the mirror and the photograph. From a glance you can really see a nice balanced display of human nature and artificial counterparts in which the artist has so carefully thought about.
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Deanna Lawson - A photographer in review
Deanna Lawson (born 1979) is an American artist, educator and photographer in New York. Throughout her career, she has mostly been interested in African American photographers such as Carrie Mae Weems and Renee Cox. The purpose of her photos are to showcase how communities adapt to the changing landscape of the environment. She was awarded a B.F.A in 2001 in photography from Pennsylvania State University and an M.F.A award in photography from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 2004. Additionally, Deanna use to teach at Princeton University as an Assistant Professor of Photography starting in 2012. Eventually, she was awarded the 2020 Hugo Boss award. In 2016, Lawson's photograph, Binky & Tony Forever, was used as the cover art for Freetown Art. Although she primarily shoots her photography in New York, she has also taken photographs of different subjects in Louisiana, Haiti, Jamaica, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Deanna Lawson response
Evaluation
This task was particularly difficult for me to complete. I believe this is because of the critical-thinking involved with regards to composition, image background/foreground and framing. However, I decided to snap my pictures in the footprint of Deana Lawson but applied my own interpretation of Lawson's ideas. For example, a picture from dawson’s work involved a mother holding her child so I decided to hold my cat (replacing the child). Another photo I really liked, was the reflection photograph on my fish tank. If you observe the image closely, you can see myself staring at the camera. Overall, the homework wasn't something I was particularly keen on, it didn't match my type of photography. If i had the opportunity to make my own, I would include more nature.
Reflective self-portraits
Reflective self-portraits evaluation
I found this task quite simple compared to other tasks. We had to think critically about camera angles and how the composition of the mirror affects the presentation of the image as a whole. If we had to choose one type of framing of the mirror.
Self-inspired portraits
Evaluation
I found this task quite fun and mind-boggling. I decided to compose the subject of my photos to emerge from the side of the photo to the centre. Throughout the process of making these images, I wanted to maintain a simple colour palette. Using soft, simple colours to convey the feeling of ease and peace. Of course, not all images will portray the same thing!
Some may interpret these images as foreshadowing danger or others may feel calm and gentle. Using blur effects and b&w filters, I decided to mix simplicity with complexity, to convey subjective messages to those who view it.
Some may interpret these images as foreshadowing danger or others may feel calm and gentle. Using blur effects and b&w filters, I decided to mix simplicity with complexity, to convey subjective messages to those who view it.
Assessment plan
I would like to work on reflections and potentially include image colouring. I will need to think carefully as to what I want to do with the composition of materials, subjects, e.g. After capturing the images, I would like to use the printer to print and scan my destroyed images to add artificial colours. Some can be inside and some outside, perhaps they can convey hidden message and some form of emotions.