Assignments

Portraits-

For this brief, we had to take portraits of strangers, off campus. I found that subjects that were waiting for others outside shops in town were more likely to allow their picture to be taken. The first time I attempted this project, I decided to take a simple approach, using a shallow depth of field, and focusing on the subject from the shoulders up. All three of my first subjects asked if they should look at the camera or elsewhere, to which I replied that it was up to them. This resulted in a couple of images where they look more posed and engaged with the camera, however I prefer the photos where they weren’t completely ‘ready’ for it to be taken. I believe that this shows more of their character, some look awkward, one woman was unable to keep a straight face for long. As these photos were taken in situ, I had little control over the lighting, however the natural light seems to have worked quite well.

 

 

Found Objects-

For this task we had to take a photo of an object, or objects, that we had no direct connection to. I decided to borrow an object of worth from a couple of my flat mates, and place them in the bigger collections of ‘objects’ or rubbish, that we had around the flat. Each person provided me with a different object, as shown, and I wanted to contrast the sleek modern design of each object with the mess of the dirt and waste.

I took all these photos in the location of where the rubbish was, to make it feel more natural, therefore there is a variety of backgrounds used. I decided to just use the natural light that  was available, which, looking back, probably could’ve been improved on certain images, such as the controller and plates. The main object is perhaps too dark, in contrast to the bright white plate.

My final image is the following, money swept up with the dirt and fluff from the floor.

The object in focus in this image is actually the pasta and debris on the right hand side of the image. I think this emphasises the unexpectedness of this situation, and the idea that these objects that hold so much value are actually just plastic. If I were to do this again, I would try and transport the scene into a more controlled environment, such as studio, to make the collections stand out more against a plain back drop. I would also isolate certain objects to draw more attention to them individually.

 

 

Assignment 2-

‘Photo 5’

I believe this photo was taken in the late 1950’s, or early 60’s. The main subject’s shirt, with the large collar and baggy sleeves, short dungarees and woollen socks all resemble the fashion of that time, as well as the clothing of the woman on the far right, and the design of the pushchair they’re using. The photo is also in black and white, giving the impression that it was taken before colour cameras were widely accessible to the public, however this could be a stylistic choice of the photographer.

This image could have been taken in America, or in Europe, for example the UK, France or Germany. This can be established by the ethnicities of the subjects, and the type of clothing being worn. More specifically, this photo has been taken in what looks to be a large public park.

One of the key visual elements of this photo is the young boy, dishevelled, with dirty knees, and one dungarees strap hanging down. He is holding what is presumably a toy hand grenade in one hand, making an unnatural looking claw with the other, and grimacing at the photographer. The audience is immediately drawn to this part of the image due to the unusual look of the boy.

Another key element is the scenery, despite the boy being the focus; you can see a lot of his surroundings, the wide paths, and the expanse of grass. This isolates the child, despite him being in a public place, and creates an interesting depth of field.

On the far right, there’s a group of people walking towards the camera, possibly a family, as two young children can be seen. Behind the boy there is another person, watching the photographer from a distance. One could infer that this is the child’s guardian, staying out of the way, but still watching over him.

The subject of this image is fully engaged with the photographer, emotionally reacting to the situation and making eye contact with the audience.

The boy may have been directed by who ever was taking the photo, or someone else who was present. We don’t know if grenade toy he is holding is his own, or was provided by someone behind the scenes to portray a certain message. On the other hand, some may see him as being a stereotypical young boy, momentarily playing for the camera.

This image could be read in multiple ways, the first, mentioned previously, is that this is a snapshot of a child playing in a park. Therefore the photographer might be trying to present what childhood was like at that time. However, this also may be a more in depth statement on the impact of war on society, such as the glorification of weaponry and behaviour, and the influence of the media, especially in the 50’s/60’s.

 

 

Images in the Wild-

This first photo is of a poster, found in the town centre. The overall style of this poster is very busy and iconic, therefore I decided to enhance a small section of it which may otherwise get ‘lost’ amongst the bright collage of images they have used.

The second photo has been taken on the outskirts of the town centre, and is the front shutter of a closed beauty salon. I believe that the imagery, originally in shades of pink and white, advertises the business without the need for any real logo or words.