Overall Evaluation

In this evaluation I will talk about the values within my work in regards to artists influences/research, experimenting with techniques and methods, eventually resulting in my final outcome. Our projects are divided up into four different assessment objectives.

Firstly, AO1 consists of the initial ideas and responses to the starting point as well contextual research. To achieve high marks in this assessment objective I decided to research and investigate the chosen starting point of a journey. Initially I began to explore the topic in the literal sense after creating a mind map and proposal, paying attention to transport and movement. This evidences my initial response and continuous, orderly thinking which in turn allows me to show development and influences and progression, illustrating a clear 'journey' within my work. When conducting contextual research I analysed the work of established historic photographers as well as some contemporary in order to gain variety in my work and demonstrating how photography styles have developed/changed as well as stayed the same. By carrying out this research it allowed me to understand the photographer's intentions and styles, therefore allowing me to use similar techniques and methods. I believe that I was effective in demonstrating clear inspiration from Henri Cartier Bresson, Dyrden Goodwin, Ben Gold, Ronya Galka and Brassai. Through studying these artists' work I was introduced to the Candid style of photography which I then began to use through the majority of my project. Ultimately developing my initial response into going on a journey myself, using the technique in order to gain very natural responses of people on their own journey, as well as exploring social groups. 

Additionally, AO2 is associated with experimenting with appropriate methods, resources, media, techniques and material as well as showing an ability to refine my work. Through being introduced to the Candid style of photography that I discovered in my contextual research I spent a lot of time developing and improving my style. This consisted of aiming to be un-noticed by the subjects, therefore creating very natural outcomes as well as experimenting with a variety of lenses such as 25-55mm, 55-200mm as well as using a lens with a focal point ranging up to 300mm. This allowed me to take photographs of subject from a much further distance with less chance of being noticed. I also attempted with using selective colour and saturation in order to alter the overall outcome and atmosphere. Due to travelling a lot and photographing on location a had to constantly alter my camera settings due to the change in lighting. I aimed to keep my F stop levels low in order to gain a shallow depth of field and allow the subject to stand out from the blurred background. I experimented with compositions to show an influence of Ben Gold, etching into photographs on photoshop as well as physically to relate to the work of Dyrden Goodwin, photographing at night to relate my work to Brassai and visiting similar locations to Ronya Galka and exploring social demographics, visiting different locations and investigating the type of people present. I have constantly demonstrated a fluent ability to refine my work as ideas develop by introducing artists’ styles into my own. My third shoot was the turning point for the project as this was the first instance where I experimented with Candid photograph. I further developed this style into investigating social groups and even photographing at night, exploring the city that never sleeps.

Moreover I also believe I have demonstrated a highly effective command of the formal elements in order to create successful photography. The formal elements of depth, light and form are most dominant in my work as well as colour. I feel that I have also shown an in depth subject knowledge which is evident through the annotations of my work where I have used critical vocabulary in order to discuss values, intentions and connotations. My work diaries from each shoot were very successful in allowing me to demonstrate an ability to reflect on my work and progress. In these work diaries I explained the process and equipment that I used as well as the camera settings. Then picking two or more pieces from each shoot and analysed them, explaining my view on whether they are successful or not, explaining how they were produced and my intention and thought behind them. Also I included a progression section in each work diary which illustrated what I would like to do in my next shoot, allowing me to demonstrate a clear journey. 

Ultimately, I believe that my work is very effective and deemed as exciting due to its originality. From the start of the project to the final outcome I have demonstrated a consistent high standard of work. I feel that my final outcomes are very effective in illustrating the influences of Henri Cartier Bresson, Dyrden Goodwin, Ronya Galka and Brassai through he use of their techniques in my own work. Overall, I feel that I have displayed a constant ability to produce very original work at a high standard, simultaneously refining it, showing the influences of my photographers and resulting in creating very personal response to the starting point of colour.

Final Pieces

Electronic portfolio

Shoot 9 - Work Diary

In this shoot I explored Dryden Goodwin's technique of etching into his photographs in further detail as well as developing his style in my work and my it original. First of all I shot in the studio which differs to his candid style and my photographs are much more stages and have a particular intention. I tried to incorporate certain lighting to contribute to the connotations as well as considering the colour of etching as well as the style. I included a very rash, messy technique in order to imply anger whereas i used a softer, more fluent use of line to imply happiness.  I used F11 and shutter speed of 1/125 as well as two soft boxes either side of the subject. In some cases I turned of one of the soft boxes in order to create shadows and darkness depending on the intention. I used the pen tool on Photoshop to create the etches into the face. I also explored the effect and dominance that phones have on people lives which shows a relation to Ronya Galka's work, therefore multiple artists styles as well as my own into one. 

I feel that this is one of my most effective photographs from the shoot due to the relevance of the facial expression, lighting, etching style and colour. I placed my subject in the centre of the frame, positioning his head slightly tilted down whilst style looking into the camera. This create a rather sinister/evil feel which was further through the shadows on the right side and background which was produced through turning the right soft box off as well as using a black background. Darkness has connotations of the unknown as well mystery and death. When coming to using the pen tool in Photoshop I decided to use red paint which relates to the facial expression and intention of creating a very evil sinister effect, as well as demonstrating a strong connection with the work of Dryden Goodwin. This works well with the messy style of etching that I used as it also implies anger.  I particularly like the effect of making the pupil of the eye red which contributes to the overall evil outcome. 

In this photograph I used a slightly different approach and attempted to introduce Ronya Galka's interest in phones and how they affect and dominate peoples lives. I attempted to convey this through the way the etching dominates the composition and even dominates and seems to be taking over the subject's face, being completely subdued in lines. I also developed Dryden's technique further by included etched text which contributed to the message. 'ADDICTION' relates to the way people in society are obsessed and fixated on technology and phones and I have attempted to portray it as a negative aspect of life. The white etches stand out very effectively from the rest of the composition and ends up as being the focal point of the pieces, enhancing the intended effect. The use of lines also illustrates the shape of the subjects head as does Dryden in his work. I like the way that the lines between the subjects face and phone seem as if the two are connected, almost acting as an umbilical cord which also relates Drydens series 'Caul'

Shoot 9 - Straight Images

Shoot 9 - Contact Sheet

Connecting Essay

This photograph is taken by Dryden Goodwin, who is one of my researched photographers, at night of a man who appears on a bus. It is part of a series named 'Caul' which is also the name given to a portion of the amniotic sac that can be left over a child's face at birth. In some cultures the Caul is given demonic associations, but in contrast to this it is also considered as the child being safeguarded or even gifted with special powers. Goodwin embraces motivation of a Caul and the red lines cover the subjects' faces like blood vessels or raw tissue which resemble the appearance and texture of a Caul. The colour of the lines being red can imply connotations of evil and danger which can relate to the association given to a Caul in some cultures. The subject appear to be specifically stern and intense through his pose which collaborates effectively with the use of the red lines. Dryden included these lines during the post-production stage where he etches into his own printed photograph

My intentions here were to show the influence and relation to Dryden Goodwin's work through the style of photography used. Similarly to Goodwin, I photographed as stranger whilst going on a journey on a bus. Despite the fact that I have photographed a stranger I have still managed to gain a sense of intimacy and relation through zooming in close to the subject, seeming closer than I actually am. I like the vibrance of the frame of the bus window and also insured that it was straight through rotating and using the ruler tool and arbitrary rotation. I like the texture of the scratches on the window which imply a sense of vandalism. I feel that the scratched in the window can relate to the way that Dryden Goodwin etches into his photographs in post-production. The vibrance of the red relates to Dryden's etches and also pieces if his art where he paints in red watercolours. The compositions is also effective and I like the way that the frame of the window acts as a border for the image. There is a contrast between the saturated reds of the bus with the bleak colours inside the bus. I insured that the photograph was taken at a low angle looking up at the subject which provides the subject with a sense of power and status.

These two images can connected through the fact that they're both focussing on people who are on transport. Also red lines have been added to the subjects face and show resemblance with blood vessels. However the way that the lines have been added are different. Dryden etches into his photographs whereas I included the lines by using photoshop and using the pen tool. The red lines have different effects in the  separate photographs. In Drydens photograph the line add a evil feel to the piece which accompanies the dark colour scheme whereas my image contributes to the bright photo and relates to the red colour of the bus. The photographs have also been taken at different times which has an effect on the outcome. 

Connecting Essay

This is a photograph taken by Hungarian photography Brassai which emphasises loneliness and mystery. This is depicted through the dark low lit dingy setting which sparse amounts of light provide visibility. The way that there is a figure walking up the path with their back to camera, almost acting as a silhouette makes the anonymous and introduces mystery as their identity is unknown. The fact that he is all alone also implies loneliness and abandonment. There is great depth in this piece as the path provides perspective as well as the street lights which also show the form of the treats and produce shadows. The way in which the path in the distance leads to a brighter location which conveys positivity.

This is one my of my photographs where I really like the feel of mystery and loneliness created through the darkness and style of lighting produced through the street lights. I ensured to have a higher f stop in order to have a longer depth of field which allows for more things to be in focus in the composition. Line is a very dominant formal element here, specifically through the lamp posts and light which also imply perspective with the way they get closer together as they get further away. This piece can be related to the work of Hungarian photographer Brassai as I intended to use a similar approach of photographing streets during the night, using the natural dark lighting in order to create very mysterious and intense pieces. In order to create a stronger connection to his work I could of made the photo black and white.

These two photographs can be strongly connected through many elements of the pieces. Firstly due to the fact that they both were taken at night and focussing on street photography instantly builds a strong connection between the two. In both cases the street lights provided visibility which is more obvious in Brassai's work as my photo has a less amount of light present. However the darkness and shadows in both images create a sense of mystery and loneliness and even danger and caution due to the unknown of the darkness. The lack of people in the frames imply abandonment. The both show depth through the recognition of objects providing perspective as they seem to be getting smaller as they get further away. There are also a couple of differences between the pieces as his black and white approach opposes my  piece being in colour, they have also been taken from different angles where Brassai's photograph is taken more from the right side whereas my image is much more straight on which causes a sense of symmetry.

Connecting Essay

In this photograph a female is placed in the centre of the frame, maybe a style of candid photography, in front of a neon sign. The sign produces colours of red, pink, purple and blue which produces a very feminine colour scheme, relating well to the subject. The woman is placed in a relatively high position which can perhaps be used to make her seem superior. She is looking away from the camera which could imply a sense of shyness which can be furthered through her attempt to hide her identity by putting her hood up. There are a lot of shadows included in the composition which are created by her positioning in front of the sign which enhances the outline of her body. Her face is considerably dark in comparison the rest of the composition. I like the sense of texture of fur on the collar of her clothing which provides a softness and ease to the photograph.

This is my photograph which I took at night at Picadilly Circus through using a candid style of photography. As I photographed at night I was able to create a very dark piece which was enlightened through the presence of light coming from billboards and neon signs. Here the light is projected onto the right side of the subjects face, illuminating colours of red and pink which vaguely highlights his shape and structure. This area stands out significantly due to the rest of the composition being very dark and gloomy which implies a feeling of mystery and even sinister connotations through the lack of emotion in the subjects face which goes hand in hand with the conniptions of darkness and black. 

These two photographs can be connected through the same style of photography being used as well as them both being taken at night. The darkness and shadows imply mystery and hidden identity in both cases whilst colourful neon lighting has been projected onto them in order to show the shape and structure of their figures. My image has sinister conniptions whereas the other image implies vulnerability through the relation of danger with darkness. Both subjects are placed in the centres of the composition and facing towards the right side of the frame. The contrast between light and shadow works very well in showing the form of the subjects in both cases. A slight difference would be the brightness and exposure of the images as mine is much darker than the other and the model is less visible than in the other photograph.

Connecting Essay

This is one of my photographs where I have introduced a phone in order to include an artistic way of introducing a picture within a picture. I ensured the phone was in the centre of the composition ion order to allow it to be the focal point and stand out most effectively. The light coming from the background projects onto the outline of the hand and phone which illustrates their shape and form successfully. I like the way that the light flares in the background imply depth and also introduce a sense of brightness and colour. The phone providers a clear image into the blurred background, which in an interesting approach and concept to taking photographs. The image eon the phone could be enlightened a bit in order to allow it to stand out most effectively. My photograph has a very shallow depth of field which compensates for the brightness, allowing the phone to effectively stand out from the background.

This is an internet image where the use of a phone has been included in order to present a picture within a picture. The phone stands out through the fact that it is placed in the centre and also the image is bright. The depth of field is considerably shallow but objects in the background can still vaguely be seen. The light flares in the background show depth and they accumulate together to provide a sense of a pattern of circles  The hands and phone act as a silhouette effect which allows the central image to stand out further. Also there are lines converge towards the centre of the composition which draws the attention to the phone where the colours seem to be much colder in temperature than the background which seems warmer, being filled with orangey tones whereas the phone image is bluer.

These two photographs are very similitude due to the same technique being used of including a pictured within a picture in a very artistic way. They both have a phone held up in the centre of the composition, acting as the focal point. The camera focusses on the phone whilst blurring the street in the background which causes the flares of lights to be created. The two photographs are both very dark where the central image stands out, more obvious in the internet image. The light flares imply the depth in both occasions, the flares a slightly more dominant and more clustered in the internet image. The hands also come in through opposite sides of the photograph and my photograph is more zoomed in. They are both set in an urban street location at night. They also both show a journey as they illustrate transport and street photography in the clear image displayed on the phones. It seems as my photograph has a lower f stop as the depth of field seems to be shallower. Also the composition styles are slightly different where my images is in portrait orientation whereas the internet image is more squared.

Connecting Essay

This photograph is taken by one of the photographers I studied called Ronya Galka. In the image culture is prominent where a  wealthy group of people are illustrated, recognisable through the setting and clothing being worn. This seems to be associated with business people who are position high up in a building, giving a sense of authority and dominance as they look down to the city, perhaps making plans for the future. As does a lot of her work, reflections can be seen on the floor which look interesting. There are lines and triangles which present the structure and form of the building as the pattern on the floor. A significant part of this photo that I noticed was the fact that out of the 6 people present in the photograph, one them is a woman who is dressed in light clothing. This contrasts with the other men in the photograph who are all wearing dark colour suits, allowing for her toy stand out significantly and even provide her with a sense of importance or significance. This picture illustrates the back of the people which presents seeing their identity.

This is a photograph of my own where I went to tower bridge and photographed people near the business centre. This guaranteed me to be able to photograph a particularly wealthy demographic indicated through the setting and clothing that the subjects are in. Here I photographed a group of people from a very standard hight. I photographed them from behind which prevents the audience from seeing their faces and therefore hiding their identities. The ratio of women to men is in favour of women at 4:3 and I feel that there is significance behind the fact that the women are grouped together in the centre of the composition. The whole group are organised in a line and seem to be walking symmetrically and followed by their shadows. 

These two photographs share many similarities through the way the photograph is taken as well as what lies within the photo. In both cases the photograph illustrates the behind of the subjects, preventing the audience of seeing their faces, ultimately hiding their identity and can be considered to be creating a sense of mystery. In both occasions the subjects are in very formal attired which has connotations of class, business and wealth. This impression is furthered through the location that both of the pictures are taken in. The group of people have been organised in a line in both scenarios. Where the reflections can be seen in the first image a similar effect has been created in my image through the presence of shadows. There are also slight difference within the images as in my image there are more women but in both images the emphasis is on the women. The clothing of the women prevents them from standing out as much in Ronya Galka's image but the two people wearing white tops in my photo stand out from the rest. So despite the women standing out as much, people are able to stand out through the use of the same technique of including people in different coloured clothing from the rest.

Computer Experiements

Pencil Tool - Dryden Goodwin Effect

Clean and Dirty - Paint Tool 

Rich and Poor/ Clean and Dirty - Paint Tool

Poster Edges Filter - Urban Gritty Feel

Texture - Overlay Dust and Scratch Vector

Changing Message In Image

Multiple Exposure - Business Building with poor man