Learning Agreement:
My idea for my project is to do some low key, black and
white portraits focusing on framing just the head and shoulders. I want to make
my lighting the main point of the portrait by this I mean directing light on
certain parts of the face to illuminate certain spots while the rest falls into
darkness. Adding an air of mystery to the image as not all the portrait will be
visible. I want to incorporate the light by using different light directions
and reflections of light maybe using mirrors or reflectors, bowl reflectors,
snoots and barn doors to give direction of the light source.
With my project I want to keep with my portraiture as this
is the avenue I want to go down in my professional career. Moving away from the
traditional sense of portraiture to push and excel my creative portraits. By
creating these using the skills and techniques I’ll be using I can further my
knowledge and strengths to push through into my professional career. Although
everyone wants there traditional portraits or traditional family photo with the
times and technology changing some people like something a little different,
out of the ordinary or abstract. So by experimenting I can then adapt it to
offer to my potential clients, supplying diverse pieces to the market.
My inspiration for this project is Giacomo Brunelli in his
work he uses soft focusing with a harsh contrast which gives the image a more
dynamic twist for its dream like state treading into the harshness of contrast.
Which is a great feeling for the image and something I would like to
incorporate in my own images. After visiting galleries in London I went to view
the collection by Julia Cameron – INFLUENCE & INTIMACY. She doesn’t seem to
be bothered too much about focusing in her images, but they still work. She too
uses soft/out of focus technique, giving her images a dreamy feel also like
Brunelli. She fuels this dream state further by recreating scenes from plays
and books and with religious text. With her out of focusing approach I can try
it out within my own project to create the soft focused area with the
illuminated spots sharp and crisp.
Using children for my portraits might prove as a problem
area, children are sometimes difficult and don’t always like to sit still. But
as I have 2 children of my own and feel my skills lay in this particular area I
create a strategy for each child’s needs. Some children have shorter attention
spans than other so the key is to have my equipment up and ready with
everything in place ready for the child to sit and me start snapping. I’ll be
setting my studio up at home and aim to have all the children shot in one
weekend. This can be done by me reflecting on the test images I will take and
choosing which lighting set ups I want to go for with the final images and
shoot day. Making it easier to get my images done with the children having my
plan in place. With 7 weeks left before the project comes to the end I have
mapped out a working schedule to keep me on track. The next 2 weeks I will be
doing my test shoots that takes me till the 2nd May, I will then be
reviewing my images and building on this ready for my final shoot this takes me
till the 16th May. Which leaves 3 more weeks till the 6th
June, within these 3 weeks I will be completing my final shoots, choosing my
images and editing ready for printing to display. As long as I keep within my
times limits everything should run smoothly and on time, if by any chance
children are ill I have enough time on each time frame to fit them in once they
are better hence the 2 weekly time frames.
I want to print the final images on a large scale and frame
them. Looking around exhibitions I was drawn to the large images framed and
hung rather than the smaller images displayed. As a viewer my eyes stayed with
the larger images for a longer duration than others. That’s what I want to do with my audience
entice them into my images, not to just look but for their minds to wonder into
the image and concept behind the images. I will be doing research into more
photographers for some inspiring ideas to take the images further.
