Exam Idea: Urban Journey

These photographs were to represent the concept of an urban journey. I set the photographs on streets and included images of smoking to represent urban youth culture. 

For all the images I edited them in Photoshop from colour to black and white. I then raised the contrast and brightness levels slightly. I also edited the levels and made the contrast between shadows and highlights greater. I selected each background and added gaussian blur to make the subject stand out in the foreground. 

I like how this photograph is symmetrical and the subject is central in the shot. To improve, the image could have had a higher contrast and brightness level to make it more eye-catching. The subject could have also been closer and more in the foreground of the shot. 

I like the composition of this shot, how the subject is on the right but is looking into the left of the image. I also like how the pose is different by the left leg and right arm being raised and the shot comes across as natural.

To improve, the above shot could also have been edited to have a higher contrast and the subject could have been more in the foreground to distinguish her more from the background.

I like the composition of the above picture and how the subject is leaning into the shot which contrasts with the harsh straight lines of the lamp post and road markings. I also like how the tones are contrasting, for example the darkness of the lamppost compared to the highlights on the road and in the background. 

Photoshop Effect Experimentation

I edited the above picture by changing it to black and white and taking down the brightness and raised the contrast a lot so that the shadows of the image were exaggerated. I then changed the Colour Balance so that blue was more apparent in the shadows and yellow in the mid-tones, this created an eerie atmosphere to the shot. I then created a black vignette around the edges so that the focus of the image was on the centre headstone, I finally lowered the opacity of the vignette so that it blended with the background.

I took the first image and added another layer and copied in an image of rain. The image was predominantly blue  so when I changed the blending mode to Difference, it created the above effect

I then experimented with other colours in using the Colour Balance tool and Blending Modes and then finally chose the Subtraction mode which gave this effect. I like how it changed the image as it made it look old and gloomy and a slight sepia effect. 

Exam Idea: Death

I have explored the experience of death and afterlife by photographs of a grave yard. I tried to concentrate on head stones and how the light reflected off of the stone and created different textures within the photograph. 

I edited the pictures in the style of Giacomo Brunelli and tried to create a dark, eerie and morbid effect. Using photoshop I edited all the images from colour to black and white. I then enhanced the contrast levels and reduced the brightness of the image. I then changed the levels of each photograph to make the shadows more visible and to contrast the highlights from the dark tones. I also edited the colour balance to enhance the blues of the shadowed areas and the yellows of the mid-tones.  To each image I created a black vignette and changed the layer style to overlay and reduced the opacity, this created a central focus of the image and enhanced the morbid feel of the image. 

I am very pleased with the above shot. I like the position and composition, especially how the branches of the tree spans across the top of the photograph creating a border, also how the headstone is in the center and foreground of the photograph. I also like how the headstone in the foreground is dark and creates an eerie effect which contrasts the highlights on the stones in the background. Finally, I think the editing of this shot successfully creates a morbid atmosphere through the use of the vignette which draws the focus on the central headstones. 

I like the composition of this shot and how the stone texture is captured in the light. I also like how the shot is positioned and the head stone is not central and is taken from an angle. The lighting is important to the shot, I like how the face of the headstone is highlighted and the corners and background contrasts in the shadows. 

I think this shot is slightly boring and uninteresting, however I like how the shadows make the design on the top of the headstone clear and sharp. The contrast of the shot could have been better and included more highlights of certain areas as the bottom of the headstone is lost. 

I am not really pleased with this shot, it is too dark and the contrast is too low and because of this the subjects get lost in the background. The composition and positioning of the shot is not interesting and the subjects are not in the center and the shot is at a slight angle.

Material Experimentation

I experimented with scanning in objects, materials and writing and overlaying them on pictures in photoshop.

For the above shot I scanned in "IT RUINED MY LIFE" written on tracing paper, and then added it on top of a photo in photoshop. I then duplicated the layer and set the blending mode to "Darker Colour"

This shot included a scanned in image of a sketch using a black pastel. I then added it over the image and reduced the opacity. I like the effect of confusion and pain it brings to the shot along with the pose of the model.

This shot included a scanned image of staples on tracing paper, I over laid them in photoshop and duplicated the layer so there was more of them . I then changed the blending mode to Linear Burn.

Colour Experimentation

To edit these pictures, I used Photoshop and duplicated the background three times and made the background layer black and white and added Gaussian blur. With each other layer I selected a small area and deleted the rest of the image. I then enhanced the contrast and brightness on these areas and added a black box to border them. 

Layer Experimentation

Here I experimented with layers in Photoshop

   

In the above picture, I collated two original images and erased an area of the top layer and reduced the opacity. I joined two pictures that present contrasting emotions of anger and happiness. I then created a vignette on another layer and reduced the opacity to highlight the facial expressions of the subject. 

In this photograph, I used the first image and added another image of the subject with another contrasting expression of shock. I then changed the opacity of all three images so that they merged into one. I also changed the levels in the photograph to make the contrast between highlights and shadows greater. Finally I added a picture of a full ashtray and changed the layer blending mode to extraction, this changed the colours and made all three layers blend together so that all were visible. I then changed the opacity of the ashtray so that the faces were clear. The final outcome related to the exam theme of drugs and alcohols and the effects. 

The final image was to represent 'Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil'. I tried to recreate the well known figurine, so I positioned each photograph above each other. I then experimented with colours and raised the contrast and brightness level to make each image stand out. I then changed the blending mode so that each face was visible, finally I added a vignette and reduced the contrast so that the focus remained on the subject.

Trent Parke Analysis

ANALYSIS

Trent Parke is the only Australian Photographer represented by magnum. His street photography is known world wide and he is often recognised for his dark, mysterious pieces. He is renowned for his 21st century take on old style photography. He often shows harsh concepts and raw images to represent his beliefs on our society. 
This is why his work is hugely inspiring as it links to the raw drug and alcohol idea that I have. He produces work to present his feelings and beliefs and is unconcerned about how people judge him, he, like myself wants only to tell the truth through his shots. 

I love the abstract nature to this photograph and how it includes so many different elements but no singular area stands out more than the other. I like how it includes different parts of the body and throughout each singular aspect presents a tone of sadness. I also like how the contrast of light and dark and silhouettes have been used to highlight different elements of the photograph.



I love how this picture is in black and white as it tells the story of lonliness and helps viewers to focus on the main areas of the photograph. The tones have been edited so that the contrast between black and white is greater and an eerie atmosphere is set. I also like the way the rain has been captured in the light area of the photograph, concentrating on single droplets. The photograph tells a story of adventure and experiences without having to concentrate on faces or portraits. I also like the lighting in the photograph and how highlights and shadows have exaggerated.