Review of my coursework!

The way in which my final piece reflects my chosen theme of 'hidden' is through a hidden meaning. In my final images, i am reflecting the use of media on celebrities, and how their whole lives get swallowed up by stories and articles about them. I chose to use the same model, and for my images i ripped up a few newspapers into small pieces, and then filled up my bath with water. My model then got into the bath and i covered her in the newspaper, leaving just her face showing. For my final piece, i used the editing website 'picnik' as i am comfortable with using it and like the range of effects that it offers. I chose to edit each image in the same way, to continue the same theme throughout my final piece. When editing the images, i used the black and white tool to make the models face black and white, but i left the newspaper pieces in colour to exaggerate how important and dominant the media is in the lives of celebrities. I then increased the exposure slightly, and increased the shadow. I then used the '1960s' tool which i think gives a really nice vintage tone, especially to the colours on the newspaper. I decreased this effect by a range of 60% - 70% (depending on each image) as i didn't want the effects to overpower the image. There isn't really much range in the depth of field apart from on the first image, where you can clearly see that there is a shallow depth of field as only the face isn't in focus.

My Final Piece!

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Review of my experimentations!

After doing all my experimentations, I felt more confident using the editing website ‘picnik’ and was happy to continue using this for my final piece. I found some really great effects to use, of which my favourite is probably the ‘1960s’ which gives a more vintage tone to any image. I enjoyed doing all of my experimentations, however I really want to do something a bit more creative and fun for my final piece. My favourite images that I took were probably the abuse themed ones, yet the image of my model with the peace sign on the back of her neck really stands out to me, and both me and my model really like it. Raul Romo’s work inspired my experimentations, and I really love his work, although I’m hoping to create something more messy and interesting in that way.

Experimentations!

This image portrays the word 'hidden' in the sense of a hidden meaning. A watch being held by its chain, with the chain woven between the persons fingers, giving a hidden meaning of 'time slipping through our fingers'. After taking this photo, i edited it on a website called 'Picnik', which has some lovely effects available. I firstly changed the image so that it was black and white, but then used the sepia effect to give it a more rich brown colour. I then used a colour boost to enhance the brassiness of the watch. The image is top-heavy, with the hand being at the very top of the image and the watch being the only thing in the lower half, against a plain white background.

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 My second experimentation image is this, of a diary opened to what would seem to be a random page, with a heart drawn on a specific date. Using the editing website 'Picnik' i used a monotone effect, and then i increased the contrast and shadow. This image has a shallow depth of focus, as only the drawn heart is really in focus. The text in the diary isn't in focus. I like how close up this image is, and how there is only one date shown within the diary, creating the confusion as to whether the heart has been drawn on this date for a reason, or whether there is one on every date. This is how my image relates to my chosen theme which is 'hidden' as i like to think it is creating a hidden meaning.

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This image portrays the theme of 'hidden meaning' as the girl pictured has been crying, as you can tell by the makeup running down her face. She also has her finger over her lips, as if she is saying to keep quiet. I was inspired by Raul Romo to create this image, as whilst doing my research i came across a few of his images which i related to my theme. I edited this image on the editing website 'Picnik'. I thought it looked better in black and white, as the simplicity created a better mood and the atmosphere i wanted to show. I then added more contrast and shadow, and finally i used an effect called '1960s' which gave the image a more vintage look.

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This experimentation was simply to give me the chance to use different effects on the editing website and to play around with colour and lighting. I started off by using the 'straighten' tool to crop the image slightly, and then i used the black and white effect, leaving out the deep pink lipstick heart which has been drawn on the paper. I then used the '1960s' effect, which gave a lovely vintage tone to the image which i think suits it well. This photo has hidden meaning as it could be portrayed as a leaving message, or a simple note left to show love to someone. The fact that it is at the bottom of the page i think exaggerates the simplicity to the image.

 

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The ideas for this image came from a piece of work i came across when doing my research. The photographer 'Raul Romo' created a similar image, which i tried to re-create here. I used my close friend as my model, and then i edited the picture on the editing website 'Picnik'. I used the 'cross process' effect, as i think it gives a rich vintage tone to the image, and also really suits the colour of the models skin, hair and eyes. I then used the shadow and highlight tools to create a bigger contrast in tones, and also to give the desired black background. I feel that the focal point of this image is the models eyes, as they are in focus and are looking directly at the camera. This image portrays my chosen theme of 'hidden', through having the model covering her mouth and nose with a scarf, as we are unaware why she is doing this.

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This is another image which was inspired by the work of 'Raul Romo' who i researched earlier on in my coursework task. His image had a young boy, with tape over his mouth with 'day 47' written on it, whereas my model is female and has 'love me' written on a piece of paper, taped over her mouth. This portrays the topic 'hidden' as there is a hidden meaning behind the message on the paper taped to her face. I edited this image on the website 'picnik' and when my i asked my model to do this, i let her choose what she wrote on the paper, so to me, the meaning behind this is still hidden. I increased the shadow and contrast on this image, and used a '1960s' effect, to create a similar look to Raul Romo's image.

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This experimentaional piece is made up by a series of four images. My inspiration was a piece by Raul Romo which i discovered whilst doing my research. Raul uses sign language to spell out his name, showing just the positioning of his hand in each photo, against the same background. In the piece i created, against the same background each time, my model spells out the word 'love' in a series of four images. I edited each image, using a monochrome effect, and increasing the contrast which enhances the shadow. I really enjoyed creating this, however, i was dissapointed with how the image turned out as i didn't have a tripod or similar equipment to ensure that the images were taken in exactly the same place each time, so i decided that i wouldn't be using this technique for my final piece.

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This is one of my favourite of my experimentations, as the colours all work together beautifully and it is really simple yet gives a good message. My theme is 'hidden' and this holds a hidden meaning of peace, with the peace sign drawn on the back of the neck, and my model holding her head with her hands, as if she is surrendering for peace. I increased the exposure, shadow and highlights on this photo, which made the skin tone of my models neck and hands stand out more against the background.

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The hidden meaning behind this photo is abuse, and you can see by the make up and tears streaming down the models face that there is something wrong. I used a blue tint on this image, as i felt that it created a cold atmosphere, which is what the intention was when taking the photo. The girl is huddled in a corner, covering her naked body in a blanket with lipstick and makeup smeared across her face. This suggests that she could have been raped or abused in some way. 

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This image also uses the hidden meaning of abuse, or something similar. I have the same model, but this time she is looking into the camera, possibly at her attacker. I used a sepia tone on this image, and increased the contrast and shadow to exaggerate the shadows of the bones in her body. The focal point of this image is the models eyes, as they are so big and dark. This was also inspired by some of Raul Romo's work, as you can see from my research. Raul has images of young girls with tears and makeup staining their faces, and looking into the camera as if to pass on guilt, or beg for help.

                                                   

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Here i have used the same image, but just for experimentation i have edited it in a completely different way. I have left this version in colour, yet used the 'cross process' tool on the editing website 'picnik'. This enables the colours of the makeup and lipstick to still show through, possibly giving more meaning to the image. I still increased the shadow and highlights on the image, as i feel that it gives a wider difference in colour to the skin and hair, creating a better contrast. 

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I wanted to experiment with more close up images, and this is another of my 'abuse' themed shots. This actually turned out to be my favourite. I used the 'cross process' and '1960s' effects on the image, as well as increasing the contrast. I also used the 'straighten' tool to crop the background out of the image. The whole of the image is in focus, and for me, this is the best image for showing off the atmosphere and mood of the model.

Review of my research!

 I really enjoyed the research element to my photography coursework as it was interesting and enjoyable to look through other photographers work. My favourite photographer which i discovered whilst doing my research was Raul Romo, who creates really beautiful images that are deep and meaningful. I found many images that i fell in love with, some of which haven't been included on my blog as they are not relevent to my coursework. The images i have included are all inspiring and have given me lots of ideas for my next task, which is experimentation. My chosen theme is 'hidden', and since doing my research, the path which i want to follow for my experimentation and final piece, is hidden feelings and emotions. I am going to create this using objects, not just models and facial expressions and hopefully through this i can portray my representation of the topic 'hidden'.

Research and Analysis!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raulromo/2803431065/in/photostream/ 

This image by Raul Romo is called 'my lips are sealed'. It shows the lower part of a male or females face, with a tattered zip covering the mouth. I really like this photo and i personally interpreted it to be a symbol of a hidden secret or keeping quiet about something. It could also be symbolizing abuse, either verbal or physical (which the subject is hiding). There isn't much depth to the photo as the subject is extremely close to the camera, and the background is just black. The effect used on the image gives the feeling of being behind really scratched glass or plastic. The angle that the photo has been taken suggests that the subject is being spoken to by the photographer, and the subject cannot respond. This image could be something that i re-create at a later date, and i feel that it would be quite interesting to do, also using editing programs to create the effect of the old looking scratched glass or plastic.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raulromo/2789605085/in/photostream/lightbox/

This image, also by Raul Romo, is called 'Hidden Truth'. It shows a girl holding her face/head, with a scarf covering her nose and mouth. Apart from the scarf, which is bright red with a white pattern on it, the image is very dark and shadowed. Around the eyes, the girl looks as though she has been beaten. The meaning behind this photo therefore could be the hidden truth as to why she has the scarf covering most of her face. There isn't much depth to the photo as the subject is extremly close to the camera, with the background being plain black, and the focus point is central. This image will be simple to re-create, and using editing programs i can hopefully enhance the colour to stand out as much as the red scarf does on this image.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/raulromo/2754522136/sizes/z/in/photostream/

 My third image, by Raul Romo, is in black and white. This image stood out to me as 'hidden' from the moment i saw it, and suggests to me that the young boy pictured has been hiding something for 47 days. There is more depth to this photo, which is a change from the previous images that i have looked at from the same photographer. The subject is central, a young boy (only showing from the nose to the shoulders) who is pulling on the collar of his jumper, and also has masking tape over his mouth which reads 'DAY 47'. Personally, i believe that this image shows a young boy who has possibly been abused, or is keeping something hidden, and it is the 47th day for him. This is an inspiring image to re-create and i think it could give me some really good ideas for my own work!

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/raulromo/2751673286/in/photostream/lightbox/

This is one of my favourite images by Raul Romo. It seems like two images have been merged together, one being the main subject, and the other being an overlay perhaps of a forest or lots of trees. The subject is a person, facing away from the camera with their hands on their neck, and covering one ear! On the neck, there is a 'peace' sign. I believe that this symbolises a hidden war, perhaps within a relationship or even personally, and the subject is trying to make peace with themselves. The person is possibly looking out of a window, although this isnt clear as the depth of focus is rather shallow, and also the photo is very dark, most probably taken at night or edited to give this impression. I would love to re-create this image, it has a very personal feel to it which i love.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/raulromo/2742943301/in/photostream/lightbox/

 This image stands out from all the other Raul Romo images i have analysed. There are more colours in this photo and a grainy effect has been used. The location of this photo seems to be somewhere hot and exotic, and the photographer has emphasized this with colour. There is a dark haired girl, sat on the floor in what could be a garden, yet you can't see her face as she is facing away from the photographer and camera. This suggests that she is hiding her face for some reason, maybe she doesn't want her emotion to be shown. By the way she is sitting, and the position of her hand, i believe she may be holding something or perhaps reading something. This image would be hard to re-create exactly for my AS level coursework as i don't live in an exotic place, or have the time to visit one, and it is currently too cold to replicate that in the UK.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raulromo/2632924188/in/photostream/lightbox/

This image by Raul Romo is of a young girl, perhaps around the age of three, sitting, legs crossed, on a patch of grass. In her hands she has a small bunch of yellow and pink flowers. The young girls face is hidden as she is looking towards the ground and is also wearing a sun hat. Part of the image is in colour (the green grass and the flowers held by the girl) however the young girl has been edited to be black and white. In my opinion, the meaning behind this is perhaps that she has been forgotten about, or it has been used as an emphasis on her innocence. I am thinking of re-creating this image although with a winter theme, to fit with the current time of year and weather.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raulromo/2696360987/in/photostream/lightbox/

Another one of my favourite images by Raul Romo. A series of four photographs, all taken in the same place which appears to be bedroom or sitting room, with a large window or glass door and a TV in the background. The focal point of the photographs is a hand (which i believe to be the photographers) creating a symbol, which has a meaning in sign language. This photo relates to the theme 'hidden' as unless the reader knows sign language, the symbols have a hidden meaning. The images are also in black and white, therefore nothing in the background can stand out and draw the attention away from the subject. I would love to re-create this image, and i really feel that i could experiment a lot with it. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raulromo/2718492595/in/photostream/

The first thing i notice when i look at this Raul Romo image is the make-up running down the girls face. This stands out to me as the girl doesn't look very old, so it seems as though this has been used for effect. The image reminds me of anti-bullying and domestic/child abuse posters. Therefore the hidden element to this photograph is the reason why the girl has been crying, to cause the make up running down her cheeks. The camera has only captured the girls face and her hand, giving no clues as to anything else which could be going on. The image is in black and white, which i think suits the theme very well. I would love to re-create something like this, and i think i could play around with the contrast and exposure to create a similar darkness to the photo. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raulromo/2720991617/in/photostream/lightbox/

This image by Raul Romo stands out from previous images i have analysed, as without the painted handprints on the two young girls faces, it would be a normal image of two sisters. It is however similar to the last image in that it appears to look like an anti-bulling poster or perhaps about child or domestic abuse. There are hand prints over one girls mouth, and over the majority of the other girls face. This could suggest that they have been made to keep quiet about something, or a reflection of their mouths being covered by someone's hands to stop them from talking or screaming. The girls are also looking directly into the camera, which in this image gives the impression of them being more vulnerable. I would love to produce an image similar to this, as i would also enjoy combining some art into my photography course. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emily_bemily/5184725750/in/set-72157625065320005/

This image has been posted on flickr by a photographer who goes by the username 'emilybemily'. It is an image of a frosted pane of glass, where you can faintly see a girl stood behind it. She has drawn a picture of a heart by wiping away the frost on the glass, and her finger is still pressed on the glass. The girl is wearing a blue jumper which adds to the coldness of the photo. The idea that the girls face is hidden could suggest that she has a hidden love for something or someone. This image would be quite easy to re-create and could be experimented with on a wide scale, using different surfaces and materials.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emily_bemily/5948748342/in/set-72157625065320005/lightbox/

This image is also from the flickr user 'emilybemily'. It is a black and white image of a mysterious light shining over a bridge in what appears to be a forest or woodland area. The hidden aspect of this photo is where the light is coming from. It suggests that there is something special and magical over the bridge. A grainy effect has been used on this image, which in my opinion gives a more special and mysterious feel to it. The image captured reminds me of a place close to my house, which has a bridge pretty similar to this one! Creating images similar to this one is something which would be ideal for my experimentations and possibly my final piece. 

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/ameliadowd/6344900124/in/set-72157628156283097/lightbox/

This has to be one of my favourite images i have come across whilst doing my research. It is a shot of the front of a whicker box, with loads of fancy pad locks attached to it. All of the pad locks have been decorated or drawn on, and one is even heart shaped. The light is shining straight onto the locks, allowing us to see them yet we cannot see what is inside the whicker box. This suggests that there is something secretive or hidden in the box, and this is exaggerated by the fact that the whicker box has been covered in pad locks. The colours on this image have been enhanced, and give the image a more rustic feel which really suits it. I love this image and the effects used on it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ameliadowd/6368424941/in/set-72157628156283097/lightbox/

This image holds really beautiful colours, and really makes the place which has been captured look tranquil. It is an image of a lake, with a large tree to the left, off central to the rest of the image. The colours within this image suggests that it is autumn, where all the leaves on the trees are dying. The green and rustic orange colours really compliment each other and make this image stand out. There are no people in the image, which suggests that there is a hidden reason to this place, or that it serves a purpose and isn't just a left to be enjoyed by everyone. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raulromo/4339521547/in/photostream/lightbox/

Another image by Raul Romo, which gives creates an atmosphere of punishment or isolation. A young woman dressed in clothes which would suggest that she is displaying cultural differences to those of british residents, is standing in the corner of a garden or yard. She is stood with her hands by her side, facing the corner joint of a wooden fence. This suggests that she has been ordered to stand there, facing away from anything or anyone else. The colours in the photo have been slightly desaturated making the tones of the image quite pale.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheisscarlett/4514192805/in/photostream/lightbox/

I found this image on a photographers profile on flickr and instantly took a liking to it. I love its hidden meaning, which appears to me as 'time is in our hands'. The photo is in monochrome, which gives it an antique look, or a suggestion that the image is old as black and white film used to be commonly used. It is a simple image of a persons hands (possibly a womans) holding three watches. 

It gives off a peaceful atmosphere, and would be simple to recreate, yet interesting in the ways it can be interpreted.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheisscarlett/4931965761/in/photostream/lightbox/

This image is from the same photographer as the previous image i analysed, and i really like this one just as much. It is an image of a young girl, from the shoulders up, with her hair and hand covering her face. You cannot see her eyes, and on the tip of her index finger, a black heart has been printed. The colours in the photo have been played with and slightly desaturated on one side, and appear quite strongly on the other. The image is also slightly out of focus. In my opinion, the girls face is hidden as she doesn't want to show her emotion, which is clearly love as we can see from the heart which she is showing us on her index finger.