portraiture independent shoot 2

–Photographer Research

Alec Soth is an American photographer  who makes "large-scale American projects" featuring the 

midwestern United States. His work is focused around an out of the ordinary view on modern 

America. The banal style of his work has created a comparison between him and Walker Evans. 






























The images were shot using the rule of thirds with the models of the image central so that the objects 

in the background look out of place and contrast with image. In most of his images there is little to no 

colour which creates this bland, banal, abstract feel and where there is colour (as seen in the bottom) 

image they are unsaturated colours and this nullifies the image and makes it interesting as when there

 is colour within a photo you expect it to give the image life but in Soth's images it doesn't. 

I have gained inspiration from Soth's compositional arrangement and his bland banal colours and I 

will look to incorporate this into my work. 

–Image Bank

These are the types of images I am hoping to reproduce. I want my portraiture to make a social comment of modern day families and youth. The simply nature of these photos are similar to that of Alec Soth's and this will be incorporated into my work. 

 (AO:1.  You must ensure that several of the visual ideas/inspirations within the image bank are pursued. )

–Contact Sheet

–My Best Images

–Images The Require Improvement

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.

With reference to the images that require improvement I do not think that they are all bad images I think I just used the wrong backdrop for the colours I was using. 

The first image had an issue with the exposure. The background was still the white back drop this made it difficult when adjusting the camera settings and so when the shot was taken it was over exposed. 

The second, third and fourth images are not bad photos but suffered from my poor choice of background and some framing issues which meant that I did not see these images as the strongest that I've produced.

With reference to my best images as a collective I like the simplicity of the images and think this links nicely wight the work of Alec Soth that it does not matter what is seen the back it's what is in the foreground of the image that is important. 

I tried to take forward the ideas I displayed in my first portraiture shoot of the perfection displayed in the image hence why I arranged my model in a way where she is playing with her hair to create the 'perfect look'. The glasses with the McDonald's vouchers in them is there to comment on how engrossed people have become in the consumer world and how when people go out to eat their first thought are these fast food chains. I like how the lighting creates the look of perfect smooth skin and how it is there to question our morals as to whether we should expect perfection. 

Where the second image is concerned I went for a similar message. I really liked the abstract style and chose to have my model off centre to create a lot of dead space as it makes the image feel quite awkward. The purpose of the bag over the head was to divert away from giving the model any identity to show how we all have become encapsulated  in this consumer society. 

The third image again portrays the same message only this time I was experimenting with the props I had previously used. I am happy with the outcome as it was an experiment, merging the two ideas together. 

The fourth and fifth images are there to challenge the stereotypes of gender and social norms. The lipstick smudged across the face is there as a response to the 'perfectionist' society we live in and the expressionless blank mask is there to comment on how we should decide what beauty is. The use of a male model is again meant to challenge the gender norms, the make over their face also makes it questionable to what gender the model is, which helps bring my point across about challenging gender conventions. 

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, 

reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.

For this shoot I was using a Canon 5D with the camera settings at F8 with an ISO of 200. 

Above is the set up used to shoot these images. I and two soft boxes either side of the model to get an even lighting and reflectors in the back to help increase the exposure levels of my images. The soft boxes create even lighting as inside the soft box there are mirrors that reflect the light so that the rays reflect out from ever angle. The reflectors then reflect any light back into the image. 

EDIT 1 

In the first instance I used the healing brush tool to smooth over any marks that were visible in the images backdrop. I then used the curves to increase the exposure so that the skin had a very light tone and smooth texture. This was done to mimic Alex Soth's style of having bland and banal colours. It was also done to comment on how most models are edited in the fashion industry to give off the impression of 'perfection'. 

I then used the brightness/contrast tool to make the image a little bit darker as I felt that the curves I had applied to the image to change the skin had made my image too bright for the message I was trying to send. 

Here I used the selective colour tool to bring out the red in the lips to help make a comment on the gender norms of society. 

To finish off this edit I put a black and white filter over the image and then applied a mask to the image. This then allowed me to use the paintbrush tool and reapply the relevant coloured areas back into my image. The way I applied the colour was to make it look like it was almost bleeding out into the black and white. This help aid my message of challenging the gender norms. 

EDIT 2 

Knowing that I was later going to add a black and white filter, my focus was to create the smooth perfect skin and then bring out the red in the glasses to continue making that statement. 

I then applied the brightness/contrast tool 

EDIT 3

EDIT 4