Christmas project

Teeny tiny Christmas tree

Christmas project

How excited am I for Christmas? BUZZZZZINGGG!!

Christmas project

Christmas chocolates! Lindt bear = heaven

Final images 2

My model for the music portrait shot didn't show up so i improvised and shot Carlie Thrower instead. I shot a variety of shots, I shot some shadowy shots, some of her lying down, some of her standing up and some of her sitting down just to add some range.
I mainly used two/three point lighting but I did change the lighting after each time I asked her to move somewhere else to get the most out of the position she was in.
I'm really happy with the final images because it was very last minute but i'm proud of my initiative I used and how the images turned out.

My final images;

 

Website review

A website portfolio that I really like is Cole Thompson's. It's really simple and plain with a large image on the main homepage with links underneath to go to his portfolios, contact, websites, etc.

 

The homepage

If you then scroll down the homepage there are then some more examples of his work, and then some information about Cole Thompson.

Information on him and examples of his work.

 

Cole Thompson is a fine art photographer who shoots in black and white. His work really caught my eye because it's so simple yet intriguing. He's from Kansas but has photographs from many places and different topics such as Auschwitz, breast cancer portraits, pictures of peoples eyes shut and so on.

 

His website is really simple to navigate round and reflects his work. Once you go onto the portfolio page you are presented with this;

A page full of different portfolios of projects that he has done.

 

There are also links to purchase his work, to comment on his work and to use his work as a desktop wallpaper.

 

I really like this style of website as it's simple, easy to navigate and exhibits the work perfectly and relevently to his style.

 

Final images and unedited images

1.

Final image

unedited image

 

 

2.

 

Final image

unedited image

 

 

3.

 





Final image

unedited image

 

4.

Final image

unedited image

 

 

 

5.

 



Final image

unedited image

 

 

6.

 

Final image

unedited image

 

7.

 

Final image

unedited image

 

8.

 

Final image

unedited image

 

9.

 

 

Final image

(unedited image lost)

 

 



 

First photoshoot evaluation

For my first photoshoot of my music portrait project I was set up and ready in the studio at 10.30 on Monday 19th November. I set up the lighting with just a honeycomb high up above him to give a lot of shade accross his face as he wanted quite dark/misterious pictures for some shots of just him by himself. Once the drum kit was introduced I used three point lighting as I wanted to capture the flour in the light.
As this was client based work, it involved discussing with the client what they were after and offering my ideas. I exchanged ideas first with all the possible clients and then I chose who I wanted to work with. Then I arranged more details of the shoot, e.g; lighting, props, variety. Benji wanted to have water on the drum kit but this posed a threat to the equiptment and the backdrop so I suggested flour instead as it is much easier to clean up and doesn't cause damage.
After we finalised the details I then found some examples of what I thought he wanted and showed them to him and he was pleased with them. When it came down to the shoot it went smoothly and it was very comfortable. I gave direction well to Benji and felt that I was good at commanding the shoot.

I have edited ten of my favourite shots of him and have emailed them to him.
Some of these examples are;

(IMAGES WOULDNT POST IN  HERE - corresponding number to caption)

 

1. This image I added a large black area for further editing (writing, information about the musician) I am pleased with the desaturation

 

2. When i first opened this photograph in photoshop it had very harsh shadows from the lighting (shown in the image) so I edited the eyes and changed the contrast, brightness, exposure and edited out some of the shadows.

 

3. I like this image because Benji holding the drumsticks suggests that he is a drummer without the kit being in the shot, I like the shadows cast by the overhead honeycomb lighting and it creates a dark feel

 

4. This is my favourite image of the flour as it's something different to do with a drum kit. Playing a drumkit can look very stiff on camera and the flour adds movement to the image. It also looks great against the back drop.

 

5. This is the same image as the one above except I have double the image ontop of each other, change the opacity on one and desaturated the photo and also added a brown/red colour filter. The double image effect gives it even more movement and I like having only half the image edited

 

6. This photo is in my mind a really good example of music portrait. It shows clearly who the musician is and the instrument but without showing the whole drumkit, it can sometimes overwhelm  the client. You can see symbols, a drum, drumsticks and the musician. The lighting also really compliments the model, I changed the lighting effects on photoshop.

 

7. This image is in the similar effect as what I did for one of my book covers in my earlier project. I took the same image three times and placed it ontop of each other, changing the opacity to create an overlapping image. I then changed the brightness, grain, exposure and colour filter. I think this image looks quite creepy and dark, but I am really pleased with it.

 

8. The original image did not show Benji's head as I accidently cut it off when photographing so I edited another head in from a different picture to make it more noticable who the musician is because the flour looked really effective in this one.

 

9. For this image I used the filter under Lens Correction called Chromatic Aberration and it gives it a 3D effect, I think it's really unique and interesting.

Studio research

I practiced using the studio lights, camera and backdrop to see what the lighting was like and how it looked using 3 point lighting. I used 1/4 1/32 and 1/2 lighting. I shot using a honey comb and spill kills.

I am pleased with the lighting in this photo, although the back light is a bit strong and would have looked better if it was less bright.

 

 

These photos have a shallow depth of field. This is an interesting technique to use if you want to pick up on details, but not so good for portraits as you lose the detail of the face. I like it how the guitar is in full focus and I also like how the back light is in shot of the first one, it gives it quite a raw fell to the picture.

This picture has a deep depth of field as you can clearly see from the end of the guitar to the back of the models jumper. This is practical as it clearly shows who is in the shot.

I am happy with this shot as you can see in clear focus the model, the guitar and the back light. Although the guitar is in the shot it does not take over the model and the model then becomes the main focus. I like the light in this shot because it's something different and unique, most portraits don't have the lighting in them.

Rosie and model

For Rosie's photoshoot on Monday 10th December as 1.30pm. I am going to be doing a location shoot aswell as a studio shoot. For her studio shoot she wants to be stood back to back with her model. I am going to use harsh lighting to create an intense environement and to cast shadows. For the location shoot I will use natural lighting, e.g : the sun.

Shooting light diagram;

I am going to a spill kill light (right) and a honey comb (left) to create harsh lighting and shadows.
      
Honey Comb                                           Spill kill

For her location shoot I am going to use;

I will be shooting this at a derelict building located in Ipswich that I have sourced. As there wont be any power supplies near I will have to use natural lighting from the sun, this could be a problem as it could be a dark day. I will take reflectors with me and an assistant just to make sure. The location shoot date it yet to be confirmed.

Reflectors

 

 

Benji Sadler

After pitching my ideas to the client he agreed to work with me for his music portraits. I am going to be using flour in some shots to create movement throughout the picture. Benji also wants some standard portraits of only him, not including his drum kit. Our photo shoot is scheduled for 10.30am on Monday 19th November. We have half an hour to shoot as many shots as possible. He wants a variety of action shots and posed shots.
The lighting for my shoot will be like this;

 

I am going to use 3 point lighting for Benji's shoot as I feel it will look great on a black background for what he wants. The drum kit will also fit int he middle of this. This type of lighting includes key lighting (left light), fill lighting (further back righ) and back (halo) lighting. I have decided to use shoot through umbrellas as I don't want the key and back lighting to be too harsh and noticeable. The fill lighting is further back to prevent shadows.

 

For the portrait shots of just him without his drumkit I am going to use spot lighting, using only a honeycomb to create a dark shadow effect. I will have it up high so it is over him.

Shoot through umbrella

 

 

For my music portrait photography assignment I have chosen to work with two clients, Ben Sadler and Rosie. They both have different ideas and also have different roles within their music career. Rosie is a vocalist and Ben is a drummer. I have gathered information on their ideas and what they would like from their photo shoot and have decided to compile some more research on them.

Ben would like a shot of him playing his drums in the studio, with something coming off the drums; e.g : dirt, sand or water. Although water is a problem in the studio as it can become messy so I thought using beads might be a good idea as they are easy to clear up and will look good during an action shot. Another idea I had was to use flour/talc powder so when the drum is hit it flies into the air and the light will create a really interesting effect on the powder. I plan to use three point lighting including halo lighting to create a soft atmosphere. Some examples of this are;

 

Coloured paint

Gold Glitter



Flour

Water

 

I really like the idea of having something on the drum because it gives the photo movement, as drum photographs can be a bit plain and boring and sometimes the drumkit takes over the photo. My favourite are the flour ones as it creates a dust also.

Some other drumming photogaphy that I really liked including stills from music videos;

 

 

 

For Rosie's shot she wants to have a male model with her also. She wants to be standing back to back with the man and wants to photoshop some smoke coming from the man, as you can't smoke inside. I thought an interesting idea for this photoshoot would be to use silhouettes or to use lighting to create a certain atmosphere.

Some examples of this are;

Silhouettes

 

Looking at the camera

Man smoking

Sepia tones

 

 

There aren't many examples of a man and a woman stood back to back but you get the idea. I want this photoshoot to feel really raw and intimate. Rosie would also like a location shot at a derelict building. There are a couple of places in Ipswich that I can think of that would be suitable for this shoot. Some examples of derelict photo shoots;

The locations that I thought of for the location shoot:

Waterfront

Next to Dance East at the Waterfront

Church on Upper Orwell street

 

St Clare's church - Chantry

Crane Foundry Ipswich