Garage conversion in Cheshire with Karl Hopkinson -Organising and communication -Travel -Editing tutorial with Karl
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29/04/16
Full day work placement at Paul Graham’s Printing Ltd -Organising and communication -Editing images
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01/05/16
Research time finding professional companies and approaching via email for work based learning -Emailing individual companies
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01/05/16
Editing images for day work placement at Paul Graham’s and adding to my blog.
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11/05/16
Emails to Karl Hopkinson regarding work based learning and organising days when I am free to assist him on shoots.
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02/06/16
UCLAN Science Open Day, assisting Karl Hopkinson -Travel
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03/06/16
Editing images for UCLAN Open Day and adding to blog.
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27/06/16
Creating a list of companies to contact for work based leaning brief
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28/06/16
Contacting companies from my list to enquire about work based learning opportunities
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07/07/16
Witton Park High School Prospectus with Karl Hopkinson and his Graphic Designer. -Travel -Communication and organisation -Editing and adding images to my blog -follow up
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15/07/16
Establishing contacts and jobs via friends and family -Organisation -Inspiration research -Pricing and Charging agreements
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03/08/16
Chris and Angela’s Wedding -Communication and organising -Meetings with the bride and Groom -Researching wedding photography for inspiration -Looking at other photographers websites for their prices -Travel -Time at the event on the day -Editing and adding to my blog -Final Communication and transfer of images -Adding images to pen drive -Prints -Further communications
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26/12/16
Family Portrait -Travel -Organising and communication -Editing and adding to my blog -Prints -Purchasing frames -Delivering -Researching family portraits creating gallery of inspiration
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10/01/17
Pet Portrait -Travel -Edits and adding to blog -Communication
2 2 4 1
26/01/17
Meeting with Karl Hopkinson in regards to work based learning and live project -Travel time -Email and phone communication
1 1 1
17/02/17
Meeting with a client regarding photography for her wedding in June -Communication via email and phone -Inspiration -Sending portfolio -Obtaining feedback
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25/02/17
Approaching companies in my local area, such as bakery, butchers, fruit and veg shops, hardware and home furnishings -Contact made via email
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26/02/17
Approaching companies and photographer’s via email for work based learning hours
3
18/12/16
East Lancashire Hospice Christmas Fair -Communication and organising -Travel -Editing and transfer of images -Adding work to my blog -Further communications regarding chase up of images from other peers
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07/08/16
France Villa Photography -Communication and organisation -Arranging props -Time spent taking the photographs -Editing and transfer of images -Adding work to my blog
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28/02/17
Communications with client via wedding, meeting at University Centre
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25/04/17
Went to look at the venue for wedding -Looking for inspiration on Pintrest -Communication with client
1.5 4 1
29/04/17
Aminas Wedding: -Preparation (Equipment/Outfit etc.) -Travel Time -Time at the event – Editing and adding to blog -Image transfer -Printing -Inspiration for wedding photo albums -Adding images to pen drive
This group portrait was carried out for a family friend. The shoot was carried out at St Catherine’s Hospice to meet a wish of the whole family before a loved one passed away, to capture them all together as it has never been possible before. I used my 50mm prime lens, and my zoom 55-250mm for the close up couple shot, I also made use of the sun to naturally backlight and a large gold reflector to bounce some warmth back in.
Uclan Science Open Day
Today’s shoot consisted of joining Karl at a UCLAN Science Opening Day. My main duties was gather information from the parents which gave their consent for the imagery to be used.
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Chris and Angela’s Wedding
Witton Park High School Prospectus
Today I was invited to assist Karl and his graphic designer with a high school prospectus at Witton Park High School. I assisted with the equipment and organising the children for the photographs. I was also able to gather my own set of images to show as my evidence as part of my work based learning.
We followed a tight schedule which involved being at certain classroom’s at certain times to capture the children whilst participating in the class activities, such as science, music, craft, sport and textiles etc. The main aim was to capture the children in their natural poses as they were participating and communicating with their peer’s and teacher’s.
I worked 8am-3.30pm so I experienced the entire shoot from start to finish. I learned a lot form this work experience and the thought of having to do my own high school prospectus in the future seems not quite so daunting.
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Paul Grahams Printing
To kick start my work based learning, I contacted Paul Graham’s Printing Specialists and asked them if I could go and spend the day working with them as part of my brief. It was agreed through discussion between Paul and I, that I would go and spend a full day there to gain a good understanding of the printing process and to gain better insight on working a dealing with professional customers.
I worked a 9-4 shift shadowing the technician, assisting were possible and gathering my images for evidence. I learned how to professionally cut, laminate and mount photographer’s photographs, how to measure and cut the wood and plastic for framing and gained a better knowledge on materials needed for a professional finish.
During my shift, I was set a task by Paul to get a sharp image of a painting that belonged to one of his customers who wanted it printing and mounting. I took some photos in different lighting conditions and decided to use the image that was taken outside in natural daylight. The image is sharp, however it is a little dull and has lost some vibrancy. With the assistance of Paul, in Photoshop, we adjusted the vibrancy of the colour, enhanced the whites a little more and carried out some test prints. Unfortunately it got to end of shift and I was unable to capture an image of the finished product, however this was my first experience of producing work for a client based on my photography.
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Garage Conversion in Cheshire (High Profile Client)
I recently had the opportunity to join Karl Hopkinson, who is a professional photographer, on a high profile shoot. The shoot involved myself assisting Karl on a underground garage conversion at a multimillion pound house in Cheshire. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the shoot I was unable to take any of my own pictures, thus I don’t have access to the finished product images.
I found this shoot to be very awe-inspiring, I assisted Karl by using a speedlite to highlight certain areas of the Maclaren car and surrounding display glass areas which he was to later merge and light-paint in post processing.
Additionally to being a medium of artistic expression and human ideological communication. Photography can be defined foremost as a technological discipline involving the use of a piece of technology, the camera and more recently additional complementary technologies.
This definition therefore involves the photographic medium being subject to the evolutionary principle of increasing technological returns. This means technologies can combine, or be used in conjunction exponentially improving in an accelerating manner. Also due to the evolutionary aspect of this principal, be realised through innovation and disappear through irrelevance.
This principal is analogous of Moore’s law in computer technology but in fact encompasses the whole of human technological advancement from the invention of fire to the digital and space age we now live in.
At the conception of the camera obscure the photographic medium involved only the technology of optics by creating lenses from glass. This then evolved into mechanical and chemical technologies with the invention of the camera proper. This then continued like a musical crescendo into the innumerable number of technologies involved in building a modern silicone chip and battery powered electro mechanical device such as a DSLR or the computers, used to edit photographs in modern editing software. This is without including other additional technologies such as radio flash and wireless data transfer systems.
There have been continuously changing methods, techniques and technologies in photography over the last twenty five years. Since the process of the darkroom through to the current stage of digital technology and advanced editing software, there have been some considerable changes to be aknowledged.
There is a constant battle between photographer’s over whether or not Nikon or Canon is the leading brand. My opinion is that they all offer the same features with slight advantages and disadvantages on both sides, the difference is very minor and most DLSR’s house the same components which also differ very slightly on the various models. I have attached a table specification below, which includes and compares both camera bodies from both providers;
Current flagships from both companies include
CANON
EOS 1DX
EOS 5D mkIV
NIKON
D5
D500
Lenses
There are many lenses on the market available for photographers and it becomes somewhat a mind field over the quality that is actually needed and the advertising market boasting several new products and their more advanced versions, such as Mark I, II etc. At the moment I own a 55-250mm, 50mm prime f/1.4 and my standard kit lens at 18-55mm, this kit is in my opinion the basic lens kit required for starting out. I would like to invest in a 100mm Macro lens, a fish eye for that extra wide-angle dimension, and another prime lens at 85mm.
During my research I came across a guide by Canon which states their ‘recommended lens choices’, here is the link;
Other prominent 3rd party lens manufacturers are Tamron & Sigma, Both these manufacturers supply a high quality range of substitute or replica lenses for all top branded manufacturers. So if the canon lens you require is too expensive an equivalent is usually available from one of these manufacturers at a much more affordable price.
Ten Commercially Unsuccessful or Redundant, Photographic Products or Technologies Since 1992
(1) Polaroid
The invention of commercially viable instant cameras which were easy to use is generally credited to American scientist Edwin Land, who unveiled the first commercial instant camera, the model 95 Land Camera, in 1948, a year after unveiling instant film in New York City. However, discontinuation of instant film products was announced in 2008. Instant camera film is very similar regular camera film, with a few extra elements. To turn this into a picture, you have to develop the film using more chemicals. One chemical developer turns the exposed particles into metallic silver. However due to the digital camera, the available editing software and access to home printers this age of photography had made the polaroid lose its sparkle and is no longer needed. People these days tents to store their images digitally, which allows for technological errors and imagery to be lost. So I believe that it is still important to print photographs to preserve them.
(2) Kodak Disc film
Disc film was a still-photography film format aimed at the consumer market, and introduced by Kodak in 1982. The film was in the form of a flat disc, and was fully housed within a plastic cartridge. The disc film allowed them to be compact and considerably thinner than other cameras.
(3) Flash Cubes
Constantly replacing flashes can become a bit annoying for the average photographer. As a result, Kodak introduced the Flashcube in the late 1960s. The flashcube contained four different flashbulbs for usage. Simply snap a photograph then rotate the cube to use the next flashbulb. Manufacturers quickly took note of this idea and began creating their own compact solutions.
(4) The Lytro Light Field Camera
The Lytro Light Field Camera allows the focus point to be changed after the image is captured, so you switch from an object in the foreground being sharp to the background. The image refocuses before your eyes. Lytro has managed to achieve this feat by fitting a micro-lens array in front of the Light Field Camera’s sensor to scatter light exiting the lens in different directions depending upon the angle at which it hit the array. This information is then used to calculate how the light would have responded if the lens was focused at a different distance.
(5) SLR film cameras
A digital single-lens reflex camera (also called a digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor, as opposed to photographic film. However, todays modern photographer appears to prefer the digital method to producing photographs mainly due to its convenience and can see instant results.
(6) Google Glasses
Google Glass is an optical head-mounted display designed in the shape of a pair of eyeglasses, displaying information in a smartphone-like hands-free format, wearers communicated with the Internet via natural language voice commands.
(7) Polavision Land Camera
Polavision was an instant movie camera system launched by Polaroid in 1977. The Polavision cartridge was a small rectangular box with the film reels self-contained, along with a small lens and prism for projection at an open gate.
(8) JPEG Format
The JPEG standard specifies the codec, which defines how an image is compressed into a stream of bytes and decompressed back into an image, but not the file format used to contain that stream. The Exif and JFIF standards define the commonly used formats for interchange of JPEG-compressed images. A JPG file consists of a sequence of segments, each beginning with a marker, each of which begins with a 0xFF byte followed by a byte indicating what kind of marker it is. Some markers consist of just those two bytes; others are followed by two bytes indicating the length of marker-specific payload data that follows.
JPG files can be opened by most image editing software, from Microsoft Paint to Adobe Photoshop, however the modern photographer has more control over the RAW file in these editing software programmes. When shooting in manual mode on the camera this allows the user to shoot in RAW, RAW is a file format that captures all image data recorded by the sensor when you take a photo. When shooting in a format like JPEG image information is compressed and lost. Because no information is compressed with RAW you’re able to produce higher quality images, as well as correct problem images that would be unrecoverable if shot in the JPEG format. Hence the JPEG format becoming more and more extinct.
(9) Sealife DC500 Underwater Camera
The acclaimed SL150 is a high-resolution 5 megapixel digital-camera that has a special rubber armoured body that lets you take it underwater up to 200 feet deep. SeaLife DC500 features a new “Shark Mode” for faster and sharper pictures of moving objects underwater and in sports photography on land. Large 2 LCD Display Pocket-size removable inner camera Rubber armoured housing, rated to 200 feet / 60 metres.
(10) Celluloid Roll Film
The first transparent and flexible film base material was celluloid, which was discovered and refined for photographic use by John Carbutt, Hannibal Goodwin, and George Eastman. Eastman Kodak made celluloid film commercially available in 1889; Thomas Henry Blair, in 1891, was its first competitor.
Ten Milestone Products Since 1992
(1) The 35mm Revolution
Leica initially led the way with the UR and followed it with the legendary Leica I in 1925. Contax got into the game next in 1932 and were rapidly followed by Kodak in 1934 and Canon in 1936. 135 or 35mm film is the most common photographic film format. The film is 35mm wide, and each standard image is 24×36mm. Individual rolls of 35mm film are enclosed in single-spooled light-tight metal canisters. This allows cameras to be loaded even in broad daylight.
(2) Flash Light Development
Although a form of artificial flashing light was developed in the late 19th century, it was in the early 1930s that Nebraskan engineer Harold E. Edgerton came up with a repeatable short-duration electronic flash (stroboscopic light). A flash is a device used in photography producing a flash of artificial light (typically 1/1000 to 1/200 of a second) at a colour temperature of about 5500 K (Kelvin) to help illuminate a scene. A major purpose of a flash is to illuminate a dark scene.
(3) Camera Phones
First introduced by J Phone as the first commercially available mobile phone with camera. Phone with multiple cameras that takes lots of images and then merges them together for HDR/optimum image quality.
‘4Blend’ is the new Windows Phone 8 photography App designed to create high dynamic range images. The app uses Nokia’s Imaging SDK and a multi-layer HDR algorithm to build the HDR images. The basic HDR effect can be used to improve low-light photos and a series of effects filters can be used to add a little creativity to your HDR images.
This pocket sized point-and-shoot has 16 different lenses (five 35mm, five 70mm and six 150mm lenses) each with 13 megapixels and multiple sensors, all working together to create exposures at different focal lengths, with the end result being high resolution DSLR-quality photographs. There’s an algorithm somewhere in there that blends those individual images together. All that and it shoots 4K video, too. With a combined 52 megapixels, you can even edit your photos right after you take them using the 5-inch touchscreen.
(4) Sensors
CCD (charged coupled device) & CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semiconductor)sensors were critical to the development of modern digital photography.
This device allowed for the first time a viable electronic method of capturing images comparable to film in quality.
Larger sensors produce better quality images as the Photo Receptors (retrieves light and creates an electrical signal, that is then converted into a ‘digital Signal’) commonly known as ‘Pixels’ are larger on the bigger sensor. The more light waves that the sensor receives, the more image signal concentration with small bursts of current that transmit the information.
In 2006 Dalsa produces 111 megapixel (CCD) Charged Coupled Device sensor that was the highest at that time. Most digital cameras contain a Complementary Metal Oxide Semi-Conductor (CMOS) sensors and they tend to work better that the (CCD). A CMOS sensor has an amplifier for each pixel, whereas CCD’s have fewer amplifiers. They also use less power, are implemented with fewer components, provide a faster reading that CCD sensors, and they are less vulnerable to static discharges. Static electricity is the build up of electric charge on the sensor, however most new camera sensors have an anti-static coat to prevent this happening. When there Other issues that can arise with pixels, is that when they are damages small specks can appear on the sensor when you look through the lens. Hot pixels produce white specks where dead pixels appear black. The most commonly used sensor sizes are full frame DSLR’s. See below a table that explains the different sizes of sensors;
Recharging
There are also other types of sensors such as, Light Sensitive and Sound Sensitive Sensors. These sensors can be useful when capturing high speed motion images as the sound or light trigger allows for exact timing of the shutter, capturing liquids or sudden impact scenarios such as exploding food or other objects. Live MOS Sensors have been used for nearly all micro-cameras. Live MOS is claimed to give the image quality of CCDs with the power consumption of CMOS sensors.
Tethering to laptop
Achieved through usb or data link cable this allows the digital photographer to view photographs at large scale in high resolution instantly. This allows for an instant decision on the final look of every shot.
Multiple software choices are possible to upload to such as photoshop or lightroom.
High Dynamic Range
High Dynamic Range enhances vision quality & is a technique used in photography to increase luminosity and achieve a better quality image than standard digital imaging can produce. This technique is used in imaging and photography to reproduce a greater dynamic range of luminosity than is possible with standard digital imaging or photographic techniques
It generally involves the sensing and depiction of a greater range of dark shades for better shadow replication and a greater gamut or range of highlight shades available to depict more detail in high key sections of an image.
20:20 vision
Special Glasses give people super-human colour vision:
Nanocrystal Night-Vision Specs Will Let You See in Infrared The Australian National University in Canberra and his colleagues have developed nanocrystals that see directly into the infrared part of the spectrum and could be incorporated into regular glasses.The nanocrystals, which are made of aluminium, gallium and arsenide, are each 500 times narrower than a human hair and can be applied to glass as ultra-thin, lightweight films.Each nanocrystal acts like an antenna that receives and concentrates infrared heat radiation so that it turns into visible light. This process is known as second harmonic generation.
(5) ISO
The lower the ISO number, the less sensitive it is to the light, while a higher ISO number increases the sensitivity of your camera. The component within your camera that can change sensitivity is called “image sensor” or simply “sensor”. It is the most important part of a camera and it is responsible for gathering light and transforming it into an image. With increased sensitivity, your camera sensor can capture images in low-light environments without having to use a flash. But higher sensitivity comes at an expense – it adds grain or “noise” to the pictures.
Nikon D5
This camera, on the market in 2016, contains a new autofocus system (utilizing 153 points, 99 of them are cross-type), a 3.2-inch 2.36-million-dot LCD touchscreen and built-in 400 Mbps Ethernet connection. Not only that, but the D5’s ISO range extends up to 3.28 million. Is this really necessary, this camera enables the photographer to shoot in very low light conditions; is that situation not what photography lighting is for? My personal opinion is that this ISO count is unnecessary and could only provide advantages on occasions or if working in constantly dark conditions, i.e. caves and underwater at depth.
(6) Compact System Cameras
Compact System Cameras or simply ‘mirrorless’ cameras are a more compact version of digital interchangeable lens camera than a modern DSLR. The size and weight reduction are achieved by the removal of the pentaprism viewfinder and along with it the mechanical mirror. replacing them with a purely electronic viewfinder and shutter. This means the same sensors or larger can be used as DSLRs with the same lenses but at significant size, weight and portability savings and gains. This produces a camera that still has high quality features like a DSLR but that can be transported and carried around much more easily allowing for more freedom and agility to the photographer.
First pioneered by Panasonic in 2008 on their lumix G1. CSC Mirror less cameras are now produced by all the top manufacturers. This is now translating into their use in fields of photography such as travel, sport and nature in replacement of DSLRs due to this portability.
Polaroid Snap+
The Polaroid Snap+ is a click and print camera, with an integrated printer that you can print full colour 2×3” prints (and stickers) in under a minute when an image is captured—along with filter options in black and white, colour and vintage sepia.
A light-speed event requires an even faster camera. A new camera setup has captured the first film of a photonic Mach cone – basically, a sonic boom with light – in real time. The technique, called “lossless-encoding compressed ultrafast photography” (LLE-CUP), captures 100 billion frames per second, allowing it to create real-time video of scattering light with a single snapshot. Ultrafast imaging is already used in medicine and the study of light, but it usually requires multiple snapshots, meaning that the event being recorded needs to be precisely repeatable. That’s not always possible in the real world. By capturing the whole thing in one go, the LLE-CUP system eliminates that problem, and also lets researchers analyse any extra scattering of light that would distort their image. (New Scientist, 2017)
Processors
Formation (Image) = Storage (Memory Card)
(8) 3D Cameras/scanning & 3D Printing
Olloclip has created the ultimate 3-in-one lens system for your iPhone that fits in your pocket. Product design in most recent years has been impacted tremendously by 3D printing, and Olloclip’s camera lenses are no different. Whether it’s wide angle, fish eye or a macro picture view, this development in camera phone technology has been made possible by Objet 3D Printing.
3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.
Cameras are becoming more and more important in the 3d printing world. Sterioscopic cameras are now being used to scan information from physical objects to replicate them in the virtual world. These scans can then be printed again to copy the item.
Another method of 3d scanning that also incudes colour and shadow information is Photogrammetry. This is a method of taking thousands of pictures of an object, building or landscape from all perceived angles. The photographs are then digitally stitched together by software that creates a full animated 3d composition of the Scan in photorealistic detail nearly indistinguishable from the original item.
9) Editing Software (Management and Manipulation)
Aperture
Aperture was a photo editing and management computer program developed by Apple Inc. for the OS X operating system, first released in 2005, and now discontinued from the Mac App Store.
Photoshop
Image editing software developed and manufactured by Adobe Systems, is considered one of the leaders in photo editing software. The software allows users to manipulate, crop, resize, and correct colour on digital photos. The power of this software to manipulate images has lead to a world where the eye cannot be believed and to Photoshop has become a verb. The methodology of Photoshop is based on the same editing features used by celluloid film editors such as layers, cutting and pasting &colour dodge and burn. This however due to the digital format has been advanced to techniques only in the imaginations of photographers using film. The import feature and use of a flat bed scanner even allows for the manipulation of film based photographs and was photoshops original use before the advent of purely digital cameras.
Lightroom
Adobe Light room is a photo processor and image organizer developed by Adobe Systems for Windows and macOS. It allows viewing, organizing and retouching large numbers of digital images. Lightroom’s edits are non-destructive. This software is used most by professional photographers, as it offers the ability to compact and store files. It does this by acting just like a darkroom for developing and saving your photographs.
Illustrator
Mainly used by graphic designers for creating extra large prints for bill boards and posters etc. Illustrator is a vector drawing program that is often used to draw illustrations, cartoons, diagrams, charts and logos. Unlike bitmap images that stores information in a grid of dots, Illustrator uses mathematical equations to draw out the shapes. This makes vector graphics scalable without the loss of resolution.
Capture 1
Capture One (also known as Capture One Pro or C1Pro by users) is a professional raw converter and image editing software developed by Phase One. It is designed for professional photographers who need to process large volumes of high quality images in a fast and efficient workflow.
Affinity
Imagined by designers, created for professionals. Affinity Designer is the fastest, smoothest, most precise vector graphic design software available. Whether working on branding, concept art, print projects, icons, UI, UX, or web mock ups, Affinity Designer will revolutionise how you work, on macOS and Windows.
(10) Hasselblad 1XD (Medium Format Digital)
By opting for a mirrorless design, Hasselblad were able to take their 50MP CMOS sensor and pack it into a footprint smaller than most full frame 35mm cameras. For the very first time, photographers have a camera that is no larger than a small format rangefinder, but offers the quality that only Hasselblad medium format can give.
The X1D can capture up to 14 stops of dynamic range, allowing for unprecedented detail – from the deepest shadows to the brightest highlights.
The Daguerreotype could be used in this age to create antique, lasting memories for important events such as weddings and engagements. Workshops could also be help to teach other photographers how to carry out the process.
Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre (1787-1851)
The daguerreotype process was the first practicable method of obtaining permanent images with a camera. Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre, a French artist and scenic painter was the creator of the method of producing direct positive images on a silver-coated copper plate. Daguerre had began experimenting with ways of fixing the images formed by the camera obscura around 1824. However, in 1829 he entered into partnership with Joseph Nicephore Niepce, a French scientist and inventor, who in 1826 succeeded in securing a picture of the view from his window by using a camera obscura and a pewter plate coated with bitumen. Niepce called his picture making ‘Heliography’ (Sun Drawing). Although he managed to produce a permanent image using a camera, the exposure time was around 8 hours. Niepce later abandoned pewter plates in favour of silver-plated sheets of copper and discovered that the vapour from the iodine reacted with the silver-coating to produce silver iodide, a light sensitive compound.
For my Research Methods brief in year one I attempted creating my own daguerreotype. I experimented with the Bequerel Daguerreotype Process which involves exposing the plate under Rubylith Film. as well as using transparencies I also used the large format camera to capture one of my images on the fumed plate.
I have included a link to my blog from last year which documents the process fullyMKMcuerdenUCBCphoto
Here are some images that I produced using film transparencies with my photographs printed on them with the use of an InkJet Printer:
An image that I produced using the large format camera:
Images of the process:
Cyanotype
The Cyanotype is another dated method that could be reproduced for the modern person/client. The effect offers a distinct blue colour, holding an antique uniqueness, similarly to the Daguerreotype. The Cyanotype was Invented by Sir John Herschel in 1841. The Cyanotype is a printing process that allows for tonal variations of a cyan blue colour due to the chemical process. This was invented by John Frederick William Herschel who was an astronomer and scientist. Cyanotype is the Greek meaning of ‘Dark Blue’ and it’s main principle is a photochemical reduction of Iron (III) salts that reacts with Potassium Ferricyanide forming the blue reaction.
Another process that I attempted for my Research Methods brief from year one last year.
I have included a link to my blog from last year which documents the process fullyMKMcuerdenUCBCphoto
Here are the images that I produced using a Cyanotype Kit and Natural sunlight:
Finnish born Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen is a founder member of the Amber Film & Photography Collective, based in Newcastle upon Tyne since 1969. She works both as a photographer and a filmmaker. Her series Byker 1969–81 documents the streets, buildings and primarily the inhabitants of Byker, a working class community in the east side of Newcastle upon Tyne. The Byker series includes a range of portraits, from traditional studio-style images to photographs of groups gathered in moments of leisure. Until the 1960s it was a working class area of densely built Victorian terrace and slum housing, after which it was redeveloped by the local council, who had condemned the houses as unfit for human habitation. Demolition began in 1966 and the council appointed the architect Ralph Erskine to design its replacement: the now Grade II listed Byker Wall estate, which was constructed between 1969 and 1982. In 1969 Konttinen moved to Byker, where she lived for six years until her house was demolished. She returned over the next decade to continue to document life in the community. (Tate, 2016)
Personal Technology Map
All the equipment that I am able to use
Flash Ring Large format camera Medium format Studio lights and multiple flash lights. All light modifiers, such as barn doors, soft boxes, snoots and reflector dishes etc. Stroboscopic flash Light metre
-Skill Time
Working with Karl Hopkinson:
Garage Conversion in Cheshire High School Prospectus UCLAN Science Open Day
Other Work Based Opportunities:
Portraits Weddings Commercial Food Produce Advertisement Photography for a villa based in France
Alternative Processes:
Becquerel Daguerreotype Process Cyanotype C41 Colour Processing Black and White Processing
-CV
-Ability
Commercial
Portraiture
Action/Event
Stroboscopic Flash
Weddings
Portrait
Fine Art
Alternative Processes
Five Future Photographic Technology Predictions to Happen Before 2022 and Why?
(1) 4k
4K resolution, also called 4K, refers to a horizontal resolution in the order of 3840 pixels and vertical resolution in the order of 2160 pixels. Several 4K resolutions exist in the fields of digital television and digital cinematography. I predict that there will be more advancements in the future with super advanced resolution whereas phone call can be made via the TV and virtual reality with consist in each programme screened on TV.
(2) Artificial Intelligence
Facial Recognition/Biometrics could be achieved so that a computer is able to recognise faces, even just from the use of a single photograph or screen shot of a CCTV image meaning that pretty much any person could be found anywhere. This could be very helpful to fight against crime and eradicate the use of fingerprint specialists within the police industry. This technology would also be available in cameras themselves allowing for automatic focusing and frame capturing of people or objects with no user input.
Computer Vision Algorithms Pick Out Petty Crime In CCTV Footage A computer vision system has been developed that detects suspicious behaviour in CCTV footage as it happens. The system can then alert CCTV operators to intervene, and save the footage in case it is needed for evidence. Researchers involved in the P-REACT project, which is the work of a consortium of European companies and organisations and is partly funded by a grant from the European Commission, say the surveillance technology could help catch criminals in the act and relieve police of “digital evidence overload” by highlighting video clips most likely to be relevant to investigations. P-REACT tracks people’s movements to work out whether they’re simply walking along a street, for instance, or acting suspiciously. Its algorithms have been trained on sample scenes of people fighting, chasing someone or snatching a bag. They had to be finely tuned to identify these activities: hugging can look a lot like fighting, for example, while running can be mistaken for giving chase.(New Scientist, 2017)
Image Recognition App Scans Paintings to Act Like Shazam for Art The app called ‘Smartify‘, uses image recognition to identify scanned artworks and provide people with additional information about them. Users can then add the works to their own digital collection. Creating an app that can recognise individual paintings is relatively easy because most galleries already have digitised versions of their collections, says Kokkiniotis. The challenging part is convincing galleries to let the app access this information. Then it’s a matter of matching up what’s seen through the smartphone camera with the database of digitised artworks. (New Scientist, 2016)
Brain Waves Could Act As Your Password Brainwave authentication is one of many biometric measures touted as an alternative to passwords. The idea is for a person to authenticate their identity with electroencephalogram (EEG) readings. (New Scientist, 2017)
Drones could be invented in a way that allows artificial intelligence to fly and take the images for the photographer. For example the photographer could verbally tell the drone and camera where he wants it to go and exactly what pictures to take. Thus this will need or have the technology to focus and gain the correct exposure etc.
First Images From Great Pyramids Chamber of Secrets A robot has sent back the first images of markings on the wall of a tiny chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt that have not been seen for 4500 years. It has also helped settle the controversy about the only metal known to exist in the pyramid, and shows a “door” that could lead to another hidden chamber.Several attempts have been made to explore the tunnels using robots. Now a robot designed by engineer Rob Richardson from the University of Leeds, UK, and colleagues, and named Djedi after the magician that Khufu consulted when he planned his tomb, has crawled up the tunnel carrying a bendy “micro snake” camera that can see around corners. (New Scientist, 2011)
Morphing Drone
A shape-shifting drone takes off like a helicopter and transforms into a plane in mid-air to fly all day on solar power, whereas most drones are not appropriate for this because they have short flight times. The drone has a wingspan of 2.1 metres and weighs just under 4 kg. It needs to be this big so that it can carry a multispectral camera for assessing crop health. The upper surface of the wing is covered in solar cells, yielding enough power for continuous flight during the daytime. It flies at an altitude of up to around 120 metres.
Lily
Lily is a flagship camera-turned-drone. It’s the world’s first throw-and-shoot camera. Fully equipped with GPS, it can fly up to 50 feet, acting as your own personal robot videographer programmed to get the best shot.Able to record 1080p video and produce 12 MP stills, Lily is also waterproof and compact enough to fit in your backpack.
DJI and Hasselblad Unveil World’s First 100MP ‘Drone Photography Platform’
By combining DJI’s M600 Pro drone and Ronin-MX Gimbal with a Hasselblad H6D-100c medium format camera, they’ve created what they’re calling, “the world’s first 100-Megapixel integrated aerial photography platform.” “The DJI M600 Pro drone, the Ronin-MX gimbal and the Hasselblad H6D-100c camera combine each company’s unparalleled technological expertise to create an unprecedented tool for precise, detailed and accurate aerial imaging,” boasts the DJI press release. “Professional drone users can continuously control camera operations in flight using the DJI GO app, in order to provide rich imagery for landscape and fine-art photography, robust data for surveying and mapmaking, and endless possibilities for future professional endeavours.” M600 Pro runs $5,000, the Ronin-MX is $1,600, and the H6D-100c starts at $33,000 before you even buy a lens. (Petapixel, 2017)
Nano/Shrinking Technology is creating the ability for a camera to fit into anything such as spy cameras and technologies and gadgets created for investigators, undercover individuals and spies. This technology would be realised in the commercial world as the implementation of in built cameras in a variety of house hold objects connected to the internet of things. For example in toothbrushes to see inside your mouth, in door locks to recognise your face, and even in items such as plugs and switches for automatic, user orientated settings and content. For example these products are currently on the market;
Tiny 3D-printed Camera Lens Could Give Drones Vision Like Ours A tiny camera combines four 3D-printed lenses to mimic natural vision – with super-sharp focus in a central area and wider peripheral vision, with 3D printing helping to create eagle eyed drones. The miniaturised camera could be used in insect-sized surveillance drones, to hone in on details without losing track of what’s happening elsewhere. A spot at the back of our eyes called the fovea is crammed with a higher concentration of light-sensitive cells than the surrounding regions, giving us sharp vision in the centre of our field of view while objects closer to the edges of our vision are less well-defined. (New Scientist, 2017)
Robotic Bees Could Help Pollinate Crops As Real Bees Decline Eijiro Miyako at Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, and his colleagues have used the principle of cross-pollination in bees to make a drone that transports pollen between flowers.The manually controlled drone is 4 centimetres wide and weighs 15 grams. The bottom is covered in horsehair coated in a special sticky gel. When the drone flies onto a flower, pollen grains stick lightly to the gel, then rub off on the next flower visited.In experiments, the drone was able to cross-pollinate Japanese lilies (Lilium japonicum). Moreover, the soft, flexible animal hairs did not damage the stamens or pistils when the drone landed on the flowers. (New Scientist, 2017)
Tiny Fingertip Camera Helps Blind People Read Without Braille ‘HandSight’ uses a tiny camera originally developed for Endoscopies, measuring just one millimetre, the camera sits on the tip of the finger while the rest of the device clasps onto the finger and wrist. As the user follows a line of text with their finger, a nearby computer reads it out. Audio cues or haptic buzzes help the user make their way through the text, for example changing pitch or gently vibrating to help nudge their finger into the correct position. (New Scientist, 2017)
(3) Virtual reality
The annual presentation at Oculus Connect by Michael Abrash, Chief Scientist at Oculus, is always a highlight of the company’s annual developer event, projecting a forward-thinking and ever inspirational look at the future of virtual reality. This time, at Oculus Connect 3, he made some bold, specific predictions about the state of VR in five years which include:
Rendering 4K x 4K per eye at 90Hz is an order of magnitude more demanding than the current spec, so for this to be achievable in the next five years, rendering is essential, Abrash says. This is a technique where only the tiny portion of the image that lands on the fovea—the only part of the retina that can see significant detail—is rendered at full quality, with the rest blending to a much lower fidelity (massively reducing rendering requirements). Estimating the position of the fovea requires “virtually perfect” eye tracking, which Abrash describes as “not a solved problem at all” due to the variability of pupils, eyelids, and the complexities of building a system that works across the full range of eye motion for a broad user base. But as it is so critical, Abrash believes it will be tackled in five years, but admits it has the highest risk factor among his predictions.
Next he talked about the potential of bringing the real world into the virtual space, something he referred to as “augmented VR”; this would scan your real environment to be rendered convincingly in the headset, or it could place you in another scanned environment. This could serve as the ultimate mixed-reality ‘chaperone’ system for confidently moving around your real space, picking up real objects, and seeing who just walked in, but also to make you feel like you were anywhere on the planet. (Roadtovr.com, accessed 14th March 2107)
(4) Quantum Film
All of the area of each digital pixel is covered in strongly– light–absorbing film. And, at the same time, all of each pixel is also available to the silicon beneath for converting it into Digital image with much high resolution.
(5) Robotics and Drones
Robotic age
‘Federal government-wide National Robotics Initiative (NRI) marks five years of multi-agency effort to accelerate the research, development and use of robots that work beside or cooperatively with people’
In 2011, President Obama announced the National Robotics Initiative (NRI) — a multi-agency collaboration among the National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, the National Institutes for Health (NIH), and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture ;
‘To accelerate the development of next-generation robots that can solve problems in areas of national priority, including manufacturing, sustainable agriculture, space and undersea exploration, health, transportation, personal and homeland security, and disaster resiliency and sustainable infrastructure’. (National Science Fdn; Living in The Robotic Age)
The long-term vision of the NRI is to integrate co-robots safely in our everyday lives so that they can help us at work and at home, assisting with difficult or dangerous tasks, from construction to demolition, and supplementing human speed and vision. This also supports my earlier hypothesis in which drones and the camera could go anywhere, pretty much in the world, to take the pictures for the photographer. For example, a person in England could send their equipment as far as America or Australia collecting data and information, as the intelligent programming allows for thinking and acting like a human, but with extra capabilities. I have included a link to an interesting website that I have been gathering my research from; (Robotic Articles.)
Camera Riggs
Using Your Old Mobile Phone as a Remote Eye First, grab your old device, be it Apple, Android or other. Then install a security camera app. There are plenty to choose from. Some let you watch your valuables, or just your fish tank, from anywhere in the world via a live video stream. Some do the watching for you: they send you a notification if the camera sees movement then notifies you of motion in a way that can act as the trigger – sending an email, say, or saving pictures to a Dropbox folder. Then you can make IFTTT respond any way you like. For example, if you want to know how much time your dog spends in your bedroom while you’re out, you just point your camera at the door and have IFTTT mark the time on a Google calendar whenever there’s movement. That would give you a daily chart of comings and goings. (New Scientist, 2017)
Robotic Boom Arms
Camera Robots that could travel to unexplored places that humans can’t reach, such as disaster recovery photos for underwater wrecks or collapsed buildings. Or swarms of cameras that could computer link images, for example; throwing a handful of marbles with cameras that are fitted inside could reach into the tightest of spaces providing an image view for the photographer.
Robotic Animals such as fish, snakes, birds. For example, a robotic fish could swim in the sea with a camera in its eye that records and takes pictures. This fish could the swim along side marine life such as whales, turtles and sharks to record vital information without disturbing their natural habitat. This would continuously feed back information to a computer screen in a lab or office.
Whale Shark’s Secrets Revealed by Live-Tracking Aquatic Drones Wave-powered drones are being used to provide live tracking of the world’s largest fish, the whale shark, for the first time. Researchers at the Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center (WSORC), have just finished a year-long project using autonomous “Wave Glider” drones to patrol for whale sharks and report back on their movements. The team was able to follow along in real-time as the drones relayed the depth and minute-by-minute position of individual sharks. (New Scientist, 2017)
360fly
Housed in a faceted, spherical casing, the 360fly shoots 360-degree panoramic 4K video, with no stitching, perfect if you want to create cohesive Virtual Reality experiences. Imagine what you can capture by mounting this to your bike, or helmet?
With built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, you can upload your 360 videos directly to your smartphone, Facebook and YouTube. Also, when your video is saved or uploaded, it has a cardboard-enabled view allowing easy transfer to a Virtual Reality headset for a truly immersive experience.Pairing the 360fly with their 360fly drone can really take your photography to the next level. Watch a test flight here.
Nikon KeyMission 360
Nikon 360 has image sensors and lenses on both sides of the device to create 360-degree video in 4K and will be the first consumer-friendly VR camera, it is built for action with a rugged waterproof housing (up to depths of 100 feet) and able to withstand up to a 6-foot drop.
Diagrammatical statement of ‘Ideal’ Equipment needs
Canon 5D Mark IV Camera
Hasselblad 1XD (Medium Format Digital) Camera
A3 and/or A2 printer
A3 computer monitor
Large flatbed scanner
Large format camera
Premises for a studio space
Bowens studio light kit
Large InkJet Printer that covers all sizes, from A4 to poster or billboard size
Acquire more Lenses;
24-70mm L Type prime Mark II
70-300mm
200-400 zoom
Fish Eye
Drone
Invest in Underwater Equipment;
Camera Enclosure
Research Activity:
All of the listed artists below have created art which plays with the distortion of truth in a photograph and have a tendency to incorporate a surrealist overlap within their work. I have included some information about each of these artist’s below;
Oscar Gustave Rejlander (1813- 1875)
Victorian Art Photographer and expert in Photomontage, also know as “The Father of Art Photography”. He first started out as a painter specialising in ‘Tableau Vivant’ which a carefully staged method of using poses, costumes and the scene to convey messages. He learned Wet Collodion around 1850 and the Wax Paper Processes along with Nicholas Henneman. Rejlanders work ranged across many genres, such as portraiture, erotic work, photographic manipulation, photomontage, retouching and documentary. He was recognised as the ‘Leading Expert’ in photographic techniques, lecturing and publishing.
Rejlander was a friend of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll), who collected Rejlanders early child work and later corresponded with him on technical matters. Rejlander also produced the best know and most revealing portrait of Dodgson, which must have been an honour as he wasn’t one for liking the fact that he was recognised as being famous.
He underwent many experiments to improve his photography including his well know combination printing from several negatives. This would have proved to be a very difficult process in those days with only use of the darkroom, whereas now we question whether photographic manipulation has gone too far with the ability of editing software.
Oscar Gustav Rejlander’s Two Ways of Life (1857) was, in the words of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art ”one of the most ambitious and controversial photographs of the nineteenth century”.(RPS. Accessed 14th March 2017)
Rejlander also created head-less photography which became popular during the late 1800s;
Henry Peach Robinson
(9 July 1830 – 21 February 1901)
Henry Peach Robinson born in Ludlow, Shropshire was an English pictorialize photographer best known for his pioneering combination printing – joining multiple negatives or prints to form a single image; an early example of photomontage. He joined vigorously in contemporary debates in the photographic press and associations about the legitimacy of ‘art photography’ and in particular the combining of separate images into one.
Jerry N. Uelsmann is an American photographer, and was the forerunner of photomontage in the 20th century in America. Born in Detroit on June 11, 1934, Jerry Uelsmann received his B.F.A. degree at the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1957 and his M.S. and M.F.A. at Indiana University in 1960. He began teaching photography at the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1960 (“my first job offer”). He became a graduate research professor of art at the university in 1974, and is now retired from teaching. He lives in Gainesville, Florida.
Nadav Kander (born December 1, 1961)
Nadav Kander (Israeli, b.1961) is a photographer, artist, and director known internationally for his landscapes and portraits. Kander was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, but two years later, his family moved to South Africa and settled there. He began to take photographs using a Pentax camera in 1974. Nadav Kander is a London-based photographer, artist and director, best known for his portraiture and landscapes.
Erik Johanson (born April 1985)
Erik Johansson is a Swedish-born artist based in Prague who creates surreal images by recombining photographs and other materials. He captures ideas by combining images in new ways to create what looks like a real photograph, yet with logical inconsistencies to impart an effect of surrealism. Some finished images are the combination of “hundreds of original photographs” as well as raw materials, and Johansson spends dozens of hours using image manipulation software such as Adobe Photoshop to alter the image digitally and to illustrate his idea.
Brian Duffy (15 June 1933 – 31 May 2010)
Brian Duffy was an English photographer and film producer, best remembered for his fashion and portrait photography of the 1960s and 1970s. He was born on June 15 1933 in North London but grew up, as the eldest of four children, in East Ham. His parents were Irish Catholics, his father being a cabinet-maker who had been imprisoned for his involvement with the IRA.
Other Influential Photographers:
Salbastio Salgado (Environmental and Humanist)
(born February 8, 1944)
Sebastião Salgado was born on February 8, 1944, in Aimorés, Brazil. After an early career as an economist, he decided to become a photographer in the 1970s. Salgado has earned fame for his stark photos of people coping with the effects of poverty, famine, industrialization and political oppression. He has published several books and has received awards for his socially conscious photojournalism.
Nick Ut (Documentary)
(born March 29, 1951)
Huỳnh Công Út, known professionally as Nick Ut is a Vietnamese American photographer for the Associated Press (AP) who works out of Los Angeles. He won both the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography and the 1973 World Press Photo of the Year for “The Terror of War”, depicting children in flight from a napalm bombing. In particular, his best-known photo features a naked 9-year-old girl, Phan Thị Kim Phúc, running toward the camera from a South Vietnamese napalm attack on North Vietnamese troops at the Trảng Bàng village during the Vietnam War. On the 40th anniversary of that Pulitzer Prize-winning photo in September 2012, Ut became the third person inducted by the Leica Hall of Fame for his contributions to photojournalism. On March 29, 2017, he retired from AP.
Dorothea Lange (Documentary)
May 26, 1895 – October 11, 1965
Dorothea Lange was an American documentary photographer and photojournalist, best known for her Depression-era work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA). Lange’s photographs humanized the consequences of the Great Depression and influenced the development of documentary photography.
William Eugene Smith (Photo Journalist)
(December 30, 1918 – October 15, 1978)
William Eugene Smith was an American photojournalist, renowned for the dedication he devoted to his projects and his uncompromising professional and ethical standards. Smith developed the photo essay into a sophisticated visual form. His most famous studies included brutally vivid World War II photographs, the clinic of Dr Schweitzer in French Equatorial Africa, the city of Pittsburgh, the dedication of an American country doctor and a nurse midwife, and the pollution which damaged the health of the residents of Minamata in Japan.
Lewis Hine (Humanist)
(September 26, 1874 – November 3, 1940)
Lewis Wickes Hine was an American sociologist and photographer. Hine used his camera as a tool for social reform. His photographs were instrumental in changing child labour laws in the United States.
Jacob Riis (Humanist)
(May 3, 1849 – May 26, 1914)
Jacob August Riis was a Danish-American social reformer, “muckraking” journalist and social documentary photographer. He is known for using his photographic and journalistic talents to help the impoverished in New York City; those impoverished New Yorkers were the subject of most of his prolific writings and photography. He endorsed the implementation of “model tenements” in New York with the help of humanitarian Lawrence Veiller. Additionally, as one of the most famous proponents of the newly practicable casual photography, he is considered one of the fathers of photography due to his very early adoption of flash in photography.
Business are an essential tool for photographers as they provide the ability for networking and creating a professional client base. I have created my business card with Vista Print for around £25.00. I went for a simple, double sided card with with a premium matte finish.
Other advertising methods available to the professional photographer:
Photo books
Photobooks are a way of showing work to a wider audience, and offer more chance of a book being published or commissioned. There are some sites out there that offer this product for reasonable prices at around £20-£30 depending on the quality and the number of pages.
There are lots of companies today which offer photo books, a few examples are:
Fstoppers is a community of photographers, videographers, and other creative professionals focused on sharing reviews, photo tricks and tips, tutorials are available on YouTube.
Feature Shoot showcases the work of international emerging and established photographers who are transforming the medium through compelling, cutting-edge projects. … We believe that photography is a powerful mode of storytelling, and share works that have a strong narrative vision.
Shutterstock is a leading global provider of high-quality licensed images, videos, and music. Shutterstock helps inspire graphic designers, creative directors, video editors, filmmakers, web developers, and other creative professionals by providing diverse content to businesses, marketing agencies and media organizations around the world. Content creators contribute their work to Shutterstock, where end users buy and use it in a diverse array of creative personal and business projects. It’s a two-sided marketplace that empowers the world’s storytellers.
Flak Photo is an online photography channel that presents the work of artists, curators, bookmakers and photo organizations to a global audience of people who are passionate about visual culture. The site’s main feature is The Collection, a digital archive of contemporary photographs which is updated five times weekly. Since launching in 2006, I’ve expanded my program to include a Galleries, Features, Stories, and Motion section.
The project has roots in online publishing and arts exhibition and I frequently collaborate with presses, galleries, and museums to produce a continuous program of promotional “happenings”. In addition to the website, I share photo/arts updates on my Timeline, and post photography news on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ and I interact with those audiences on a daily basis. I’m passionate about creative collaboration and am constantly energized by what’s happening in the online community, so producing Flak Photo gives me an outlet to satisfy that craving.
Joe McNally is an American photographer who has been shooting for the National Geographic Society since 1987. He is an internationally acclaimed, award winning photographer whose prolific career includes assignment in over 70 countries. McNally is known world-wide as not only one of the top, technically excellent photographers of his generation. He is the sought after choice by celebrities, commercial and magazine. His amazing commercial portfolio contains work for Sony, Adidas, Epson and many more.
Sprout Studio is the first all-in-one business software made by photographers for photographers, combining studio management software with on-line galleries, wall portrait tools, album proofing and bookkeeping.
Studio management, online galleries, digital fulfilment, album proofing, in-person sales, and much more. All in one place.
Free education about the business of photography, helping you become profitable, successful and sustainable.
The Sprout Studio Team. … Bryan Caporicci is the CEO and Founder of Sprout Studio. He is an award winning wedding and portrait photographer based out of Fonthill, Canada. He is a Fuji X-Photographer, and was one of the youngest Canadians to receive his Masters of Photographic Arts
Chase Jarvis. Chase Jarvis is an award-winning American photographer, director, artist, and entrepreneur. Since April 2014, Jarvis has been the chief executive officer of CreativeLive, an online education platform that he co-founded in 2010. He is well known as a visionary photographer, director, and fine artist with a consistent ambition to break down the barriers between new- and traditional media, fine- and commercial art.Chase is cited as one of the most influential photographers of the past.
Offers the Best Tips for Photographers to Succeed Online, providing support with web design, promoting your site, business tips, techniques, equipment and regular updates.
Improve Photography is one of the web’s most popular photo blogs with tips, techniques, and tactics for photographers. Improve Photography is also one of the largest photography communities on the web with over 1 million followers on social media.
Social Media
Facebook
I have created a new photography page on Facebook to help promote my business, it seems that this is a useful platform to professional photographers.
10 Must Know Facebook Tips For Photographers byWix
Look like a pro
Show where you are
Get reviewed
Post wisely and regularly
Celebrate- be it mass, spring, valentines etc
Add a caption
Go vertical
Stream the feed
Promote to reach new clients
Be reachable
Twitter
Is very much similar to Facebook, it is an advertising platform that is available to the everyday person, companies, businesses, professional contacts and more
I have ordered a free guide of how to best promote my business on twitter.
Instagram
More and more photographers are using Instagram to market their work. It makes sense, considering Instagram is a popular social media application with over 150 million users. It’s also one of the easiest photo and video sharing platforms: You simply post a square photo or video and add tagging, captioning, or both. Then, other Instagram users can like your photo, add comments, and share it with their friends. Moreover, every post you upload to Instagram will show up in your followers’ feeds, unlike Facebook.
The Association of Photographers was first formed in 1968 as the Association of Fashion and Advertising Photographers and is one of the most prestigious professional photographers’ associations in the world.
RPS
The Royal Photographic Society is an educational charity promoting both the art and science of photography and aims to help individuals realise their potential as photographers. It is a membership organisation but, as a charity, undertakes a significant number of activities for the public benefit.
BIPP
The British Institute of Professional Photography is an internationally recognised qualifying organisation with over 100 years experience in supporting and networking photographers. They are a not for profit organisation delivering education, qualifications and professional development to photographers. We achieve this by offering a challenging qualifications structure alongside a full programme of training courses, events and a number of preferential deals on useful products and services.
BCC
The British Copyright Council was founded in 1965 to protect and promote the principles of copyright in the UK. They aim to provide an effective, authoritative and representative voice for the copyright community, and to encourage greater understanding and acceptance of copyright in the UK and around the world. They also monitor changes in law, social practices and technology that may affect copyright and related rights, consulting with our members and working closely with the British Government and international groups on current issues and policies.
BPC
The British Photographic Council exists to protect, develop and promote the rights and interests of photographic image makers, those involved in the distribution of their work, and the bodies that represent them in the UK.
The Council represents these view to the Government, the European Commission and other relevant bodies either directly or through or with the co-operation of other bodies with similar aims.
Exhibition spaces to look at for future participation:
Artzu Gallery– supports established and emerging artists working across mediums, from painting and sculpture to photography. Situated in the heart of Spinningfields (Manchester’s financial district) for over a decade, the gallery overlooks the greenery of Hardman Square. Artzu Gallery is considered of the city’s most progressive independent gallery spaces, and continues to support local talent and subsequent projects around the world.
HOME– was founded by the Greater Manchester Visual Arts Trust and opened in 1985. Serving as Manchester’s international centre for the performing arts, HOME houses three floors of art galleries, three screens showing the best of independent film, and operates an international distribution service for contemporary visual arts publications and catalogues. HOME’s aim is to showcase the best of contemporary theatre, visual art, and film, whilst supporting local education and community participation to pave the way for Manchester’s next generation of creatives.
Castlefield Gallery is a limited company and charity that aims to develop and support the careers of emerging contemporary artists. It was founded as an artist-run space in 1984, and has since become one of Northern England’s most active organisations. The gallery has promoted artists at key stages of their careers, including subsequent Turner Prize nominees and winners, alongside exhibitors at international festivals.
Bureau Gallery represents a diverse selection of multimedia artists. The gallery produces a series of rotating exhibitions which take place both within the local gallery walls and at off-site locations, incorporating guest presenters with Bureau’s roster of high-calibre artists, including special works commissioned by the gallery.
Manchester Art Gallery is a publicly owned gallery space. First opened in 1824, the exhibition space now occupies three buildings, the oldest of which was designed by Sir Charles Barr and remains Grade I listed; it was originally home to the Royal Manchester Institution. The gallery houses a civic art collection which includes works of local and international significance, including work by local artists such as Impressionist painter Wynford Dewhurst.
The Whitworth Art Gallery has been part of the University of Manchester since 1889, and holds both historic and contemporary collections and exhibitions. The gallery is well-known for its displays of modern art and sculpture, including works by British sculptor Jacob Epstein, British artist and sculptor Barbara Hepworth, Vincent van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso.
The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art is a leading organisation for contemporary Chinese art. Manchester has the second-largest Chinese community in the United Kingdom, and this centre is part of the region’s rich Chinese heritage. It runs a program of exhibitions and events that reflect the dynamism of contemporary Chinese art, and promote it among local, national, and international audiences.
The Manchester Craft and Design Centre is a collection of 19 working studio spaces that house a mix of artists working in various mediums, from painting to jewellery and ceramics. The Centre stands in the heart of the Northern Quarter which is lined with unique boutiques and shops. The artists who work at the Craft and Design Centre sell their works to the local shops.
The Lowry showcases works of both visual and performing art, with two main theatres and studio spaces. It runs a programme of special modern and contemporary art exhibitions, alongside photographic and design works, and the work of English artist and gallery namesake L.S. Lowry in its collection.
Some of the expenses that may occur:
Food
Travel
Printing
Framing
Rented space
Marketing strategies such as, advertisement and fundraising
Competitions:
Here are copies of my participation in the AOP Student Awards and D&D Awards that I have entered for this year.
Here are the images entered into AOP Student Awards, which consists of three categories which are people, places and things.
I also entered the D&DA Competition:
Future competitions and exhibitions to be aware of for entering and gaining a commission:
I have also subscribed to Practical Photography Magazine
Task 2 Specialist Nature of Practice
What Photography influences me?
I find my style of photography to be quite dark with a fantasy element to it. I’m interested in clinical, commercial and crime scene photography as this has the dark creative element to it. I am influenced by photography that reflects the age we are living in comments on todays society. I am also drawn to the surrealist side of photography, and underwater as I enjoy scuba diving and would like to combine my passions.
How Do I approach my subjects?
Research will be required to further my education within the clinical or crime scene photographers role. Also, I imaging that I will be required to further my education to possibly gain a higher degree that will possibly need funding by myself.
What Methods and techniques do I use?
I will seek work experience around my chosen field, and being able to establish contacts within those areas.
What equipment will I need?
Underwater enclosure, fish eye lens and a super zoom lens.
Describe Range of Markets Available For My Work:
Portrait
For my portrait work I could approach fashion companies such as Next and Very, I could also approach business for corporate head shots and work from my studio meeting portrait requests from the public, i.e. family portrait, baby portrait etc
Commercial/Advertising
I could obtain work for food companies such as hotels, restaurants, and other big businesses like Boots and Marks and Spencers.
Interiors/ Architecture
I could approach companies such as estate agents, or schools and new buildings and developments to obtain contracts to take images to promote new builds etc
Cyanotype
The Cyanotype is another dated method that could be reproduced for the modern person/client. The effect offers a distinct blue colour, holding an antique uniqueness, similarly to the Daguerreotype.
Daguerreotype
The Daguerreotype could be used in this age to create antique, lasting memories for important events such as weddings and engagements. Workshops could also be help to teach other photographers how to carry out the process.
Task 3 Communications and Connections with organisations and Individuals
Here is documentation of my communication with the AOP. I have recently renewed my student account and entered three images into the student awards.
I have subscribed to PetaPixel which updates you regularly on photography news, equipment and inspiration.
I have been working with Karl Hopkinson for my work based learning and live projects. I have kept a log of all conversations and meetings held.
East Lancashire Hospice
Amina (Wedding)
Name Cheap
I created my website via name cheap and here is evidence of my communication with them.
Vista Print
I recently created my business cards with Vista Print, please see the attached receipt below.
D and DA
British Journal of Photography
Professional Photographers
Companies:
Image Ltd
Manning’s Confectioners Ltd
Paul Grahams Ltd
East Lancashire Children’s Hospice
Individuals:
Wedding 1
Wedding 2
Family Portrait
Task 4 Methods that Support Self-Promotion and Career Development
Website Building
As part of this task I have designed my own website which is aimed to promote my work to a wider audience. My website is named michalacuerdenphotography.com, this is now fully active and under construction. I have created my website via Name Cheap and I have paid for yearly hosting with automatic renewal; the first year is £26.00 and the renewals are £48.00 per year. I have used WordPress as my tool for creating the design and regularly update or add information in the background etc.
Task 5 Marketing Strategies Appropriate To The Specialist Pathway
What is Cash Flow?
Cash flow is the money that is moving (flowing) in and out of your business in a month. Although it does seem sometimes that cash flow only goes one way – out of the business – it does flow both ways.
Cash is coming in from customers or clients who are buying your products or services. If customers don’t pay at time of purchase, some of your cash flow is coming from collections of accounts receivable.
Cash is going out of your business in the form of payments for expenses, like rent or a mortgage, in monthly loan payments, and in payments for taxes and other accounts payable.
Think of ‘cash flow’ as a picture of your business checking account. If more money is coming in than is going out, you are in a “positive cash flow” situation and you have enough to pay your bills. If more cash is going out than coming in, you are in danger of being overdrawn, and you will need to find money to cover your overdrafts. This is why new businesses typically need working capital, in the form of a loan or line of credit, to cover shortages in cash flow.
Cash Flow When Starting a Business
Dealing with cash flow issues is most difficult when you are starting a business. You have many expenses and money is going out fast. And you may have no sales or customers who are paying you. You will need some other temporary sources of cash, like through a temporary line of credit, to get you going and on to a positive cash flow situation.
How to Analyse Cash Flow
The best way to keep track of cash flow in your business is to run a cash flow report.
A cash flow statement looks at the change to cash (in this case, your business checking account), from different business activities and increases or decreases in other accounts on the business balance sheet.
For example:
What happens to cash if a customer pays a bill?
What happens to cash if your business purchases supplies?
What happens to cash if you buy a computer?
What happens to cash if you pay an employee or independent contractor?
My Cash Fow
Here is a link to my cash flow spreadsheet that summarises my ingoing’s and outgoings throughout the year:
This Simplex Accounts Book features a year’s worth of entries for income, outgoings, receipts and payments to help keep all your business accounting in order. The guides on each page make it easy to start tracking your finances in no time, making this product perfect for recent start-ups, as well as more established businesses.
Accounting book (type ‘D’)
Great for calculating self-assessment figures for tax purposes
52 pages for weekly accounting data
Record income and outgoings, receipts, payments, purchases and sales
Easy to follow guides
Green hardback covers
Sage Accounts
Sage One Start is a simple online tool that helps you keep track of the money in and out of your business. Perfect for cash based start-ups, sole traders, freelancers and entrepreneurs, it’s a simple yet professional way of staying on top of your cash flow and removing the need of keeping a shoe box full of receipts.
Manual of Accounting
UK GAAP Third edition is a practical guide to the UK accounting regime which is mandatory for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015. The book addresses the requirements of the new accounting standards, an essential must have at £68.00.
There are also basic alternatives to computer software for keeping up your accounts, such as:
Collins Ideal A5 Double Cash Case Bound 464 Case Bound Notebook:
– Double Cash
– 192 pages
– Fully cased in durable geltex
– Personal information section
My Two Year Action Plan
Year 1:
Option 1
Continue onto BA Degree and work towards completing that within the year. This level of degree includes establishing more professional contacts, dissertation and exhibition. This also carries with it the potential to advertise my work or possibly make a sale. I aim continuously to strive to improve my photography and offer full dedication to the brief specifications.
On completion of the course I aim to have fully set up my own business and own premises for a studio whilst gaining regular photographic work for industries, companies and individuals. Specialising in my established area of photography and indulging myself in the techniques and processes required.
Option 2
Upon the completion of my two year FDA Degree I aim to spend some time establishing myself as a professional photographer, taking a year out aiming to practice my photographic skills and techniques. Other areas that I wish to develop are;
Developing a strong portfolio and website, creating high quality images that I am satisfied with, that are professional.
Continue to seek work based learning experiences via approaching professional photographers and companies I.e. commercially based such as food outlets and restaurants.
Approach organisations to gain any kind of experience, whether it’s working alongside their employed photographer or just gaining access to assist. This should help me to build upon a professionally based portfolio.
Along with developing my professional website, I also aim to create business cards and access other advertising strategies for promoting my business. Again, I feel as though I need my website imagery to be professionally created before I can begin to advertise myself fully as a professional photographers.
I aim to attend conferences, exhibitions and other extra curricular activities to build upon my business contacts.
I aim to start looking at setting up my own business accounts, paying tax etc. This area of business is totally new to me. So I believe practice, research and preparation would best help me before putting myself out there when I am not feeling ready, as I can only predict that this could lead to loss in self-confidence or possibly failure.
Continue to offer my photography services for until I build my portfolio.
Year 2:
By the time year two of this action plan approaches I am hoping that I will be feeling confident in my ability, appearance of my work and my website. I will have hopefully gained some valuable hands on experience and contacts in the photography field, enabling me to fulfil a professional photographer role.
Other inspiration for the second year of my action plan consist of;
Having my own studio premises and the equipment I need to carry out all projects or job specifications.
Have fully set up and ruining business accounts and established company name
Be producing work for commercial companies, such as food outlets like Booths or M&S whilst also working on my own personal projects. Entering competitions and exhibitions to receive awards for my photography.
Immerse myself in more travel photography, including documentary and underwater.
I realised after experimenting with food items and receiving feedback from my peer’s, tutor’s and Paul Hill that I should be creating imagery that expresses me, my feelings and emotions etc. Creating food photography was too commercialised and aimed at creating money from businesses, which is not what the ‘Personal Project’ is about. However, I have thought a lot about this and I have decided to produce a body of work that is expressive, raw and true to my personality and feeling’s. I have been researching the work of Francesca Woodman who creates deep meaning and messages within her work, which I now find truly inspiring, although hard to understand at first until I have learned more about the meanings of objects, environments, colours and clothing etc. I’m also interested in the work of Juno Calypso who is a relatively new photographer who I have come across. Her work portrays an alter ego called ‘Joyce’ who performs surreal beauty rituals that comment on todays women feeling the need to meet a certain expectation with their image.
I appear to have gone ‘full circle’ and ended up back at my original starting point which involves self portrait and self expression. However, experimenting with other project ideas have strengthened my inspiration to continue with a self portrait project. I find that now I have been introduced to Francesca Woodman and Juno Calypso, I feel great similarity and connection to their work.
I have become more drawn to the work of Juno Calypso with her feminist based objectification project’s. I have found a deep relational interest with her outlook on todays society, and its impact on women’s self esteem mainly due to social media and globalisation of beauty rituals bringing about unattainable idealistic goals to the everyday woman.
My personal project will now continue on from my ‘Atmosphere of Place’ project which I created last year (see gallery below). I was trying to express the unrest and torture of the soul, so I aim to do this again but with a more complex and narrative aesthetic.
I intend to do this by combining aspects of all of my mentioned inspiration’s but I will add my own personal messages and meanings. I have been researching ideal locations that are abandoned and fair old in its appearance. During research I came across Horncliffe Mansion which is situated in Edenfield, near to Rawtenstall in Rossendale. I have been to pre-explore this location with my personal project at the forefront of my mind and the location works perfectly. I have included some images below which show where my project will be taking place.
Further to locating where my project will take place, and discussing my location with my tutors the locations is rather questionable. I was going to create a juxtaposition of the old house crumbling away and a new age female carrying out obscene rituals or performances using props such as wall paper and caption cut-outs from Facebook/Twitter etc. and make use of broken glass in similar aesthetic to Francesca Woodman but with my own personal elements added. However, I’ve been asked to question the meaning behind this and whether it is relevant to what I am trying to say. So, I have decided to forget this location and work more on creating head shots which consisted of using layered glass and food items.
David Bowe Album Covers
I have also created a latex rubber face mask and I intend to create a large thin sheet consisting of the same material which will be used as a prop. My project now seems to be steering towards surreal beauty rituals in more of a personal environment such as my own living space. I have included some of my artists inspirations;
I intend to make use of natural lighting where possible and my Speedlight’s with soft boxes etc. I also intend to hire a battery powered professional lighting kit from university which will have continuous light ability and provide more natural results.
Anna Fox
1961, Alton
Anna Fox emerged in the 1980s as part of what might be called a new wave of British colour photographers that also included Paul Graham and Martin Parr. Her subject matter is the ordinary and the everyday, but she approaches it with an artist’s eye for the absurd and the revealing with a striking and engaging element and a direct troublesome context.
ANNA_FOX_EXHIBITION_47
ANNA_FOX_EXHIBITION_16
ANNA_FOX_EXHIBITION_26
Perhaps, is Fox’s great skill, evoking the rituals and everyday performances that underpin British culture and society. This retrospective book charts her movement into more personal territory and onwards into what might be called conceptual documentary. Both Cockroach Diary (1996-99), in which she made an artist’s book recording an infestation of cockroaches at her shared London house, and My Mother’s Cupboards and My Father’s Words (1999), in which her mother’s domestic sense of order is contrasted with her ailing father’s often grotesque outbursts – “I’m going to tear your mother to shreds with an oyster knife” – evoke the chaos that lies simmering beneath the everyday in an altogether more intimate manner.
Her staged collaborations with musicians Alison Goldfrapp and Linda Lunus are interesting for the wilfully cold sexual glamour of the former and the more unruly shape-shifting of the latter. Both speak volumes about female identity and role-playing as well as the camouflage that a certain kind of artful performer uses in an age when the unmediated emotionalism of old – from Judy Garland to Janis Joplin – seems almost embarrassing. There are many Anna Foxs in these photographs, just as there are many England’s, but they are linked by her relentless, questioning, creative imagination that constantly asks us to consider what a photograph can tell us about ourselves and our myriad disguises.
Horst P Horst
14 August 1906 – 18 November 1999
The first pictures that carried a Horst credit line appeared in the December 1931 issue of French Vogue. It was a full-page advertisement showing a model in black velvet holding a Klytia scent bottle in one hand while elegantly raising the other. Horst’s true breakthrough as a fashion photographer came about in 1932; Horst had his first exhibition at La Plume D’Or in Paris, and British Vogue printed three fashion studies and a full-page portrait of the daughter of Sir James Dunn, the art patron and supporter of Surrealism in the March 1932 issue. In New York 1937 Horst met Coco Chanel; he went on to photograph her creations for over three decades. At this time he also found himself photographing a succession of well-known personalities – the first of two celebrity series – including Elsa Schiaparelli, Bette Davis, Noël Coward, Lisa Fonssagrives, Cole Porter and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor along others. These portraits occasionally lack the formal perfection of his fashion work, but successfully depict the desperate vivacity that marked the time between the wars.
Horst P. Horst was one of the original pioneers of 20th Century fashion photography. His signature style is today instantly recognisable – combining portraiture and fashion with simple but essential embellishments
Duane Michals is one of the great photographic innovators of the last century, widely known for his work with series, multiple exposures, and text. Michals first made significant, creative strides in the field of photography during the 1960s. In an era heavily influenced by photojournalism, Michals manipulated the medium to communicate narratives. The sequences, for which he is widely known, appropriate cinema’s frame-by-frame format. Michals has also incorporated text as a key component in his works. Rather than serving a didactic or explanatory function, his handwritten text adds another dimension to the images’ meaning and gives voice to Michals’s singular musings, which are poetic, tragic, and humorous, often all at once.
Sara Wolvin
Fine art/Fashion photographer based in the North West of England. Previously known as Yukidoll Photography.
Tim Burton Books
Sleepy Hollow
Nightmare before christmas
My Personal Project
The aim of this project is to highlight the current social issues based around the need for constant beauty rituals, and selfies in todays society. I wanted to highlight the influence of social media and the need for females to wear make-up (in my opinion as a mask), to meet an unachievable realistic. The younger generation now seem to want to be photo-ready and meet the standard of the thousands of images that are forced upon us each day. So, I have created a set of images based on anti-beautification which consists of still carrying out the beauty rituals but using tools that cause damage to the body. I have been highly influenced by the work of Juno Calypso, Horst P Horst and Duane Michals as mentioned in detail above.
My work id based around the selfie culture and the issues that this brings with it such as, feeling the need to always look beautiful and the mental issues that come along with this, such as self harm and psychological illnesses. I have created the mask as a prop from latex to act as a beautifying object. I feel that this kind of ‘selfie’ shows that trying to look beautiful 100% of the time is wishful thinking and to make people aware that this is happening in the media so the awareness of this can stop younger people in particular feeling the need to meet such extreme standards.
This work is similar to Juno Calypso in that the model who is myself is performing obscene beauty rituals in a way that appears to meet the forced standards of modern society. The beauty culture and market has become more and more empowered in the 21st century whereas the public cannot seem to get away from it. I think I have created multiple messages within this set of images, all of which are based upon appearance and weight.
Anti-gravity photography was inspired after falling upon imagery created by Piotr Gregorczyk and also a video found on YouTube which demonstrated the technique required. I found this technique required an artistic hand and some patience but rewarding and challenging at the same time.
Piotr Gregorczyk
Series of images created for Weight Loss feature in Men’s Heath magazine depicting selected healthy recipes with dynamic approach to food photography. The shots portray how the food would look in space in the state of weightlessness. Defying gravity, everything from the food to the condiments is floating in midair.
Series of images created for Men’s Heath magazine depicting selected healthy recipes with dynamic approach to food photography. The shots portray how the food would look in the state of weightlessness. Gravity defying recipes floating in midair.
The anti-gravity setup involved laying the scene on the floor with the camera directly above and the piece of marble (or other background) standing in an upright position creating an ordinary table top position. I then added rocks to enhance the scene and arranged the food items although they had exploded. I believe Gregorczyk’s work has been manipulated in ways, but with the use of wire and glue to hold the objects in place rather than Photoshop. My aim is to create my own set of images based upon the findings of this kind of work and see how creative I can be.
Shoot 1: Jar of Chilli Flakes
This was a test shoot to experiment with the technique to see if it was successful or not. I used natural light from the window and a reflector to create these images, which unfortunately didn’t seem to illuminate the scene well enough. However, the set up technique worked and the final image, which was darkened slightly in Photoshop, appeared to be standing upright and defying gravity.
This was just a mock shoot so I’m not disappointed that I don’t really like the aesthetic of this image. However, I am pleased that the set up worked and I achieved my goal.
Shoot 2: Garlic
A big improvement is evident in this shoot, particularly because the garlic as the subject works better, the scene is well arranged and I used flash light which has provided a more defined and a better quality image. Again, the final image was darkened slightly in the background to help eliminate the horizon visible in the scene.
I am very satisfied with the overall result of this shoot. Although it didn’t go perfectly straight away, I believe that have achieved a high quality image that appears to be exploding food, but is an manipulated arrangement that required some thinking about.
Shoot 3: Pomegranate
I used the same technique as above, only this time I changed the food subject, and altered the scene slightly by adding two rocks. The pomegranate now appears to have hit the rock causing an explosion with the illusion of fragments flying into the air. I had to play around with my arrangements for some time until they looked natural in the way that they would actually explode. I didn’t quite get my focussing or lighting correct at times but I persevered and created, in my eye, some effective imagery.
I had good feedback during 1:1 session with regards to this project from my tutor, he particularly liked that the food had been arranged rather than actually exploding, it has creates meaning to it. Although it’s an experimental technique, that fact of the matter is that it is still just food and says nothing about me, my values or opinions. I take this on-board as very valuable feedback/criticism, requiring a further rethink on my project. I was shown the work of Jan Groover during my 1:1 and I didn’t really appreciate her work at first until I studied it in more detail. (Please see ‘Still Life Personal Project’ page) to view my next series of Jan Groover inspired images.
I have found my projects to flit between one another, with my ideas and inspiration changing all the time I found myself returning to shoot’s. I’d find inspiration and motivation and lose it again after feedback, only to result back at step one where I am continuing with my first original idea of self portrait and expression. I have found it a frustrating process embarking upon my own themes, titles and ideas but the process has made me realise what I really want to do. The experimenting has proved vital to finding myself and what I would truly like to do as an artist.
Overall I am pleased with the outcome of this image and my previous garlic image as I achieved what I set out to do, so to me it was still a success. However, a personal project is work that is personal to you and this project seems to make the statement that food is important to me, when it really is not. I aim to continue with this project in the future and still intend to incorporate aspects that I have learned into my new ‘Self Expression’ project (please see ‘Self Expression Personal Project’ page). When I return to this project in the future I will possibly add hot steam elements, or juice squirting etc. which will assist with the aesthetic illusion, I will also play with arranging more complex food items.
This project was mainly inspired after seeing the entertaining and inspiring advertisements by Marks and Spencer’s. I found it fascinating how they created the motion with things flying, dropping, being chopped and exploding. I found this creative resulting in researching exploding food photography and came across two particular photographer’s that have specialised in this area.
Marks and Spencer Food Advertisement’s
M&S advertisements never fail to astound me, as well as being super creative on their presentation they also make the food look spectacular. They professional’s involved with the filming and styling have the ability to touch the viewer’s senses which I also find appealing.
I have attached the link’s below to give an insight to the type of advertisement that I have been inspired by;
Ryan Matthew Smith is a photographer who takes images of exploding food for his publication; ‘The Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science in Cooking’. He used no Photoshop manipulation to create these images, just specialist equipment to capture the explosion as it happens with his camera and a sound sensitive device attached to his camera.
Alan Sailer
Alan Sailer is a Californian based photographer who has built his own micro-second guided spark flash to capture the moment that the food explodes. To create his explosion’s he uses a PVC or metal cannon to fire pellets and marbles at his food subject’s.
My aim of this project was to capture a moment in an image that the human eye can’t usually see, also creating a form of abstraction, where by the viewer can’t recognise the simple food object at first glance.
To begin this shoot I was working with a single shot, keeping my flash speed as slow as possible to capture the motion as it happened. However this proved to be very difficult, partly to not having the correct camera settings and due to not having my own sound sensitive device to capture the explosion’s on impact.
I used a catapult and ball bearings to explode the subject, however with my shutter speeds being too low I captured the motion of the subject as it fell off the piece of tree bark that it was positioned on.
Shoot 1: Kiwi Fruit
Shoot 2: Plumb
Shoot 3: Multiple Food Items
(a)
I decided to use Speedlight’s in hope that I could use them in ‘Multi’ mode, with high speed continuous on my camera to capture the explosion and here are the results. So for the next shoot I increased my shutter speed (1/1000) and ISO (10000) to try to freeze the motion, however this was still not fast enough as seen in the images below.
There is definitely an improvement in freezing the motion, however trying to capture the actual moment that the ball bearing hit the subject was very tricky. I has a few hit and miss shot’s usually catching the before and after impact images which was becoming rather frustrating which required drastic changes to capture my images. Although I was happy with my second attempt as it was evident that there had been some improvement and I was also very happy with the set up.
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
Here are the best images that I managed to create from this shoot. Although they are not perfect in aesthetic or technical skill, I am still contented with the fact that I managed to capture the explosion of the fruit whilst also lighting it well.
I used two Speedlight’s with medium size soft boxes attached and a large silver reflector to bounce the light back into the scene.
Shoot 4: Food Explosion using a gun
For the next shoot I decided to use a high ISO ranging between 4000 and 8000. I also decided to use a faster shutter speed (1/6400sec) and I used a professional continuous lighting kit from university to illuminate the scene. During preparation for the shoot I also decided to use bounce flash as the daylight was fading away fast, so I needed extra light to illuminate the scene and also to help freeze the motion.
I also stuffed the apple and the pepper with flour to create more of a dramatic effect upon impact. A real gun and bullets was used to shoot the subject and this was done in an organised and well thought out safe environment.
I experiences a few difficulties such as my flash only firing twice when is high speed continuous, which meant that I had to capture the image within two flashes. I had the same issue as in my previous shoot’s whereby I missed the explosion, i.e. only capturing the before and after images. This required good timing, and good communication with the person firing the gun. Weather conditions were a slight issue as to start it went dark very quickly so a lot of natural light was lost, depending fully on the continuous light source, and flash. Which worked, but in the images after the only two flashes fired, the result was a black screen in camera.
However I obtained my best images of the ‘Exploding Food’ project so far, although there is lots of noise in the image due to a very high ISO, and the images are a little out of focus in areas due to the subject moving with the wind and when the bullet hit. To compensate for the subject moving, I turned my camera to landscape view and focused in the middle of the view finder rather than on the actual subject. If I return to this project I will definitely need a sound sensitive trigger and I would either weight the subject down with a heavy object and string or place it on a stick.
(a)
(b)
(c)
Overall I enjoyed this shoot and believe I have created some strong imagery taking into account that I had to go the long way around the achieve them, rather that just purchasing a sound sensitive trigger. I know that these images need plenty of refinement and a little more experimentation but I am of the conclusion that this could have been an interesting project, which I may wish to return to in the future.
However on evaluation of these images with my tutor it was decided that exploding food had no contextual aspects to it, in other words I wasn’t getting across any message’s or narrative. I had an in-depth discussion with my tutor regarding my personal project and was advised to study the work of Jan Groover and continue with my anti-gravity arrangements which are of great interest as I am arranging the food myself to look as though it has exploded. I have discussed this in more detail on my ‘Anti-Gravity Photography Shoot’s’ post.
Still life has been a popular genre of photography and other art forms since the realms of the old master artist’s such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Rapheal and Vermeer.
Still life depicts the subject matter. Working with still life allows for full control over the lighting and composition as the subject does not move unless the artist chooses to. The subject matter usually consists of flowers and food etc. The interesting aspect to still life is the form, texture, colour, shape and composition can be arranged in a way that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Paulette Tavormina
Whilst researching artist’s and their genres of work I found an attraction to still life photography, particularly reminiscent of old master style still life’s, such as the work of Paulette Tavormina.
Jan Groover
Olivier Rishon
Shoot 1: Arrangement
This image was created using natural light and a reflector. I created this image in inspiration of Paulette Tavormina with a dark background that creates atmosphere and placed the light delicately on all of the objects. The image was darkened slightly in Photoshop just to add a darker appearance and make the items pop off the page.
However this is not a very strong image and the lighting requires improvement. So for a short while I stopped working on still life arrangements and concentrated on my ‘Exploding Food Project’, however on thorough discussion and evaluation of all my images so far it was decided that I was to remain with ‘Challenging the Concept of Still Life’ and ‘Anti-Gravity’.
After exploring the work of Jan Groover and Olivier Richon I have developed more of an interest and understanding in still life arrangements. How the shapes and textures can be arranged in such a precise way that only a professional artist’s eye can see.
This project was inspired partially in conjunction with my ‘Exploding Food’ photography project. Again my main inspiration came from watching the M&S motion food advertisements, as I think they are extremely creative and well thought out which must have took some experimenting.
Whilst researching motion photography, particularly food based work, I came across an inspiring photographer that has specialised in this area. I have created my own series of images based on his work in ‘Shoot 4: Cup of Milk’ and are some examples of his work;
Juno Calypso was a London born and works in London, is a relatively new photographer best known since her graduation from the London College of Communication in 2012. Best known for her semi-autographical alter ego named Joyce who performs surreal and obscure beauty rituals. The main theme of this series of images is to highlight the difference between contemporary female social behaviour and historical feminist ideals.
Her main inspirations gathered from my research consist of self portraiture artist’s such as;
Nikki S Lee’s ‘Panic Project’
Trish Morrisey’s ‘Staged Family Photos’
Samuel Fossa’s self portraits
In her own words Calypso has admitted to be “drawn to artist’s who use sculpture and prosthetics to combine the everyday with the bizarre’ (Dazed Digital, 2016). Artist’s such as,
Matthew Barnley
Sandy Skolglund
Charlie White
Jonny Briggs
Luke Gilford
Polixeni Papapetro
Picasso’s Blue Period
Battle Royale
A Tale of Two Sisters
The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf
Tragic Black Comedy
There are also many other photographer’s that Juno is inspired by and they consist of;
Charlie White
Jeff Wall
Cindy Sherman
Sarah Maple
Esther Teichmann
Erwin Olaf
Alex Prager
2) Salvador Dali (1904-1989)
Salvador Dali was best known as a Spanish surrealist painter and printmaker, who was associated with the Surrealist movement. He held an hyper-realistic style that focussed on eroticism, death, decay and religious symbolism. He had the ability to express his unconscious desires within his paintings, developing his own skill called the ‘Paranoiac-Critical’ which involved training his brain to link objects ideas. He had an acentric nature and was known to induce self psychosis as he enjoyed the feeling of pleasure and pain. He was known to stand on his head for long periods of time to induce hallucinations, thrown himself down the stairs and once bit into a bat that was riddled with ants.
Shocked the world with The persistence of memory-melting clock
Salvador Dali- The Persistance of Memory, 1931
Pitchot was earliest influence as they used to spend a lot of time together when his parents sent him away for showing signs of aggression, at six years old.
He was a multi-talented artist that spread across many disciplines such as being a jeweller, designer, sculpture artist and photographer. Dali studied the renaissance and classical works of the masers such as;
Rembrandt
The Night Watch
Diego Velazquez
The Triumph of Bacchus 1628
Johannes Vermeer
A Lady and Two Gentlemen
Raphael
The School of Athens, 1509
Leonardo da Vinci
The Last Supper
He was also influenced by the new art movements of his time;
Dadaism
Construction for Noble Ladies, 1919- Hanover Dada – Kurt Schwitters
Cubism
Afficionado, 1912 by Pablo Picasso
Religeous influences are evident in his paintings
Christ of Saint John of the Cross 1951 by Dali
Sacrament of the Last Supper, 1955 by Dali
Science and Physics was also an influence on his work.
Leda Atomica, 1947-49 by Dali
Galatea of the Spheres, 1952 by Dali
Pablo Picasso Abstract Painting
Pablo Picasso Abstract Painting
3) Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge-Dodgson, 1832-1898)
Lewis Carroll is a famous English writer, mathematician, logician and a photographer. His most famous works consist of;
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Through The Looking Glass
Inspired by;
Salvador Dali
Mathematical background
Living during the Victorian era
His neglected childhood
And the Pre-Raphaelite circle which were;
John Ruskin
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
William Holman Hunt
John Everett Millais
Arthur Hughes
George Macdonald- also a fairy tale writer; who influenced Carroll to submit his ‘Alice’ work.
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood consisted of a group of young British painters created in 1848 in reaction to what they conceived to be the unimaginative and artificial historical painting for the Royal Academy. They were inspired by Italia art of the 14th and 15th centuries, and their adoption of the name Pre-Raphaelite expressed their admiration for what they saw as the direct and uncomplicated depiction of nature typical of Italian painting before the High Renaissance and, particularly, before the time of Raphael.
Other Artist’s that I have researched;
1) Paulette Tavormina (1949)
Paulette Tavormina is an American fine art photographer who specialises in creating photographs that are more artistic than commercial, with the use of low light almost making the image reminiscent of a 17th century still life painting. Sicilian family history was also an influential factor when creating his works. I.e. ‘Fig’s and Dragonfly’ this image is reminiscent of her grandfathers fig tree, that was passed down the family as a keep sake; with the snails on the branches being from her cousin’s villa in Italy.
Tavormina’s first inspiration was during her employment at Sotheby’s Auction House where she lived in New York. Her time was spent surrounded by world class fine art paintings and sculpture that were timeless. Later she worked as a prop stylist in the film industry, working alongside high profile individuals such as Anthony Hopkinson, George Clooney and Johnny Depp which was also to have a big influence on her profile as an artist.
However her main inspiration was 17th century Dutch, Spanish and Italian Old Master still life painting’s. This includes artist’s such as;
Giovanna Garzoni (“His masterful compositions and colour palette” Photo Tech Mag, 2016) an Italian Baroque Era Painter.
Rembrandt
Harmen Steenwyck
Willem Claesz Heda
Rothko’s
Jacques de Gheyn
Maria Sibylla Merian
Francesco de Zurbaran (“His mysterious use of dramatic light”)
Pieter Claesz
Adriaen Coorte (“His unique placement of objects”)
Juan Sanchez Cotan (I’m attracted to his niche and suspended fruit imagery”)
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mcuerdenUCBCphotoblog 