Documentary Photography - Project 1 - 4 Versions
- Idea 1 consists of creating 4 images with a hidden message about some kind of mental illness. I want the images to show that although everything may seem alright as you look deeper you can discover the real pain they are going through.
- Gradually through each image the viewer will discover more about the emotions, conditions and problems the protagonist is going through.
- Each photo will peel away the layers of emotion and makes the illness they are facing clearer, for example depression is often referred to as the 'Black Dog' which is something I would like to bring into the series of images to add some depth and context to the back story.
- The 4 images will have the same framing and set up and the depth of field will change in order to draw the audience to different points in the image.
- Props - For this idea I will require a mirror and dressing table as well as makeup items such as a lipstick and mascara. These will be easy items to source and will add a relatable and normal feel to the image.
- I will require one female model to be the protagonist and another model to be in the background who will both be dressed in dark clothing.
Idea 2 - Wedding Scenario
- These 4 images will be a wedding scenario that shows hidden domestic abuse.
- The first image will show what appears to be a happily married couple at their wedding.
- Then using different camera angles to show different sides of the relationship and goes onto to show evidence of abuse.
- Another image will then show a more profound evidence of abuse for example the man will be holding the women's arm behind her back and shows cuts, bruising and abrasions to her arms and body.
- Props/Costume - For this idea I will need a wedding dress, a veil, a suit and flowers and will only need one male and one female model
- These 4 photographs will show a scenario of what appears to be a bag robbery/bag snatch.
- The first three images will show the scenario from three different angles and the last image will completely change the meaning of the scenario. This will change what looks like a bag snatch to something innocent that has been misinterpreted.
- I want the images all to be edited into black and white to give a gritty and textured look to the photographs.
- For this shoot I will need an outside shooting location along with one male and one female model.
Idea Development and Shot Ideas
Instead of creating a set of images around mental illness myself, Leah and Chloe decided to work together to create to create a set of images that gave the idea of a crime being committed.
The first image will consist of a wide angle shot of the scene showing a female figure walking along a street and a male figure behind her looking as though he's trying to grab her bag. I want this shot to be the first look at the overall scene to give the audience an idea of what is going on. I want all the photographs to be edited into black and white to give a gritty and textured feel to the images that will reflect the theme I am trying to create.
The second image will show the same scene from over the males shoulder showing him with his arm stretched out towards the females bag. This angle will also show how she is unaware of what is happening behind her. This set up will make the audience believe that he is trying to take/steal her bag. I also want to make sure that that no one else apart from the two models are in shot so it makes the images feel isolated.
The third image will show the scene from over the shoulder looking back showing the man reaching towards her bag with a serious and stern facial expression. I want him to look stern and angry so he looks untrustworthy in the eyes of the audience. I want the photo to be black and white so it will contain a lot of depth and shadows to create an intimidating feel.
The last image will be a narrow depth of field image of a pair of glasses on the floor. In the last image the audience will see that the man is actually looking for his glasses rather than doing something malicious which completely contrasts with the message of the first three images. I want this last image to feel highly textured with a lot of depth and tones to make them feel very deep and profound.
Artist Research - John Hilliard
John Hilliard is an English artist and photographer, born in 1945. He began his education in Lancaster College of Art for 2 years after which he attended Saint Martin's School of Art and left in 1967. It was during his education in the arts and sparked his interest in photography. He first used his photography as a way of documenting his artistic work like installations and so on. By the 1970's he was investigating through his work how differences and changes in the process of black and white photography changes how the final image will look.
This work called 'Camera Recording Its Own Condition' consists of 70 small images put together to show the effect of the choices made by the photographer this can be the film speed, exposure time and aperture. The way the images are laid out shows the optimal exposure in the centre of the grid. This image reflects how the photographer controls the outcome of an image and therefore each image shows the different intention of the photographer. I think this photograph is very informative and gives a good grounding in the effect of technical elements and how they can influence a final product
This set of photographs called 'Cause of Death' was created in 1974 and shows a human body covered in a sheet and cropped in various different ways. The same image is used in each photo but is cropped in different ways in order to change the context of the photographs. Each image has also been given a different word that correlates to the framing of the cropped image for example 'drowned' shows the river in the frame as a cause of death. I find this set of images really interesting as they show how images can be manipulated in order to create another truth for an image. Although the photographs do not lie each crop creates a different story, that tell s different truths. Finally I really like the simplicity of the images, I like how simply constructed they are yet carry such interesting stories and deeply questions the subject.
This series of three images shows a hidden message and hidden agenda compared to the first image in the series. The first photo uses narrow depth of field to show the main focus, this initial photograph gives us very little information and arguably looks like an ordinary photo. This adds a feeling of mystery and uncertainty to the image and intrigues the audience. The second image then pulls out the hidden message written on the mirror which talks about love and thanks which further intrigues the audience as to what the story behind this is. The last image then pulls the focus into the mirror to show the figure behind the man in the mirror. There is also what looks like a body on the floor at the foot of the figure which completely contrasts with the second image and gives the idea of something terrible that has happened. These images really show how depth of field can be used to show different stories and completely change the meaning of individual images and a series of photographs.
Contact Sheet for 4 Versions Shoot
From my contact sheet I selected 4 photographs to tell the story I took them into Photoshop made the black and white and increased the contrast.
