#shoot plan

Through much thought and consideration I have planned a shoot to focus on body photography through my research on anatomy, I plan to produce a set of images that will focus on separate individuals bodies looking at prints on their palms, legs, back and face. I want to draw attention to the human body in a scientific and photogenic aesthetic way. using bone and mussel structure to relate to that of landscapes and elements. 

After analysing Joan Foncuberta’s deceptive Sputnik series, employing photography as evidence with factual informative contexts to enable the photographs to appear truthful responding and developing a visual insight into the context. Collaborating Mishka Henner’s reappropriation of Robert Frank’s classic photo series ‘The Americans’, adapting post-production techniques to isolate the original the subjects in the photographs to recontextualise the interpretations on the new platform for the viewer's depiction. I will employ the recontextualization of post-production in Mishka Henner’s ‘Less Americains’ with Joan Foncuberta’s subject-matters to formulate an informative preconception of the newly discovered Trappist-1(f) dwarf star; experimenting with the presentation of the photographs to enable the viewer's consumption to appear truthful, authentic, realistic representations. I will transfer and adapt the methods, approaches and techniques learnt from both practitioners to my response; elevating the overall significance of the outcome to adapt firmly with my photographic practice. I must consider what I want to present in the photographic series as the photographs will be accounted as evidence towards the concept - considering the audience's interpretation of the subject and to preserve the continual ambiguous theme in the presentation/aesthetics.

Foncuberta’s Sputnik series appeared highly deceptive, where if the viewer was unaware of his photographic practice or the intentions of the series the viewer would depict the photographs as a documentation of the Sputnik missile. Due to the wide range of photographic evidence Foncuberta utilised, he is able to present multiple perspectives - times, compositions, intentions, approaches, aesthetics all accounting to the same context. I understood that to enable the audience's decision on the project, I must include more than one perspective, which means more than one recontextualizations of representations. I began researching and analysing key points and characteristics associated with the Trappist-1 to understand how I could post-produce material representations to align within the context of the project. While studying the Wikipedia page, I discovered that the Trappist-1 is a host to Flare Star’s, “A flare star is a variable star that can undergo unpredictable dramatic increases in brightness for a few minutes. It is believed that the flares on flare stars are analogous to solar flares in that they are due to the magnetic energy stored in the stars’ atmospheres.” I thought about creating a conceptual visual representation of a Flare Star by exposing photographic paper near a radiation emitter: microwave, bananas, bomb-tests etc... to generate a visual that would predominantly appear over-exposed, although the conceptual approach relates to the context and the post-production recontextualization of the essay. Although, I don’t believe I would be able to participate with the idea of utilising radiation as the practicalities of the photographic paper with the exposure of light would remove the radiation applicants from the paper and simply be exposed to the light. I would, however, like to construct a conceptual approach to be presented with the series to preserve the ambiguity and remove the direct literal representations of the Trappist-1.

After analysing the aesthetics of the Trappist-1, I gathered several objects/subjects/items that I could photograph and post-produce to appear as truthful representations of the recently discovered dwarf star; revitalising the banal vernacular through post-production - the hyperreality. Below, I have listed several initial ideas of what I want to photograph and how I could post-produce the authentic appear as representations of the dwarf star. Once I had several ideas in mind for the representations, I equipped my Fuji X-pro1 with two SD cards (to prevent any loss/damage with the results) and began to explore Leeds to collect a basis of fundamental aesthetics for the dismantlement of the indexical, to utilise as fabricated evidence with the context of the Trappist-1. On the shoot, I must avoid human presence of cultural identity within the photographs for the viewer to establish and to depict the subject correctly, without further distractions, to simply present the subject and to preserve the ambiguity of the photographic series.

Chewing Gum: I wanted to photograph chewing gum on the pavement; the existence of humans to employ post-production techniques to recontextualise the representation of the chewing gum to appear equivalent to the depiction of stars. I would consider the composition and angle of the photographs to formally present the chewing gum in a geometric aerial composition, recreating the vision of the journey through the atmosphere and emphasising the hierarchy of the photographs, developing a significant contrasting in the truth and untruthful subjects presented. While photographing the chewing gum found on the streets, I employed the exposure compensation to -2 enabling me to underexpose the representation to assist with the post-production modifications; increasing the black depth of the background, signifying and highlighting the contrast of the chewing gum. Additionally, once the composition had been considered, I employed the focus lock to obtain the detail in the selected area of chewing gum or the studying the paramount subject to unveil the detail. I found the focus lock a key technique as it enabled me to consider the composition more substantially, ultimately considering each minor fragment depicted in the frame and how the viewer would interpret them in relation to the composition. In order to develop the representations, I should consider what post-production methodologies I could equip to enable the chewing gum to appear as stars, although if the photograph is composed correctly, I should simply be able to increase the blacks on the white balance to enable the background to suffocate the irrelevant information distracting the viewer from the subject, and it’s new representation. By increasing the intensity of the blacks in the white balance in Photoshop, the detail of the pavement would be removed from the photograph resulting in the chewing gum to appear as white speckles presented on a black background; implying the notion of stars from the initial interpretation. I sharpened the detail of the chewing gum by opening the ‘Filters’ menu and selecting the ‘Smart Sharpen’ applicant to manually adjust the intensity of the sharpness in each of the stars - to expose textual studies, highlighted the dense white stars against the black depth of the background. Also, I modified the representation further by decreasing the saturation of the photograph, appearing black and white, directly informing the viewer on the subject and to align with the general aesthetic of the stars and the atmospheres perceived - formulating recognisable features collaborated and superimposed above the indexical trace of the real, adapting to the features and presenting a new context.

I believe the photographs successfully communicate the context of the representation, referring to spontaneous preconceptions and visions depicted of space and the atmosphere of stars. In order to clarify the effectiveness of the representations I showcased the photographs to friends at uni, without any context or knowledge on the project, I simply asked what they thought the photographs were. In response, every person I asked associated the photograph with space or planets in which I was exceedingly pleased with, plus it emphasises radically the crucial effects of post-production modifications on the authentic indexical photograph to expose the hyperreality.

Screenshot of post-production in progress.

Pit-Stacks: Once I had seen the results of the chewing gum photographs, I decided to develop the idea further to photograph pit-stacks in my village of Hoyland Common, Barnsley. After 1984 miners strike, the majority of the coal mines in the UK had been removed but the pit-stacks still remain, haunting the village from the existence and history of the struggle and poverty associated with the era. I wanted to photograph the pit-stacks to apply post-production, isolating the subject from reality, distinctly portraying the pit-stack to recontextualise the photograph to appear relevant as evidence towards the context of the project. Although I must consider the weather and time of the shoot for the effectiveness of the final result. Realistically, I needed to shoot on a bright day with a strong sun to assist the exposure of the photographs and the post-production modifications to unveil detail in the textures and to help isolate the subject from reality for its recontextualisation. Whilst photographing the pit-stacks, I understood the contrast from capturing chewing gum on the street to capturing abandoned pit-stacks, as the perspective and physical material of the pile would include features of reality within the composition. The composition must invite the viewer but preserve the ambiguity to maintain a consistency with the aesthetics and the presentation, so I considered leading lines and formal textural facets to intrigue the viewer into the intentions and reasonings of the photographs, implying the conceptual approach. I had to consider the intentions for the photograph and how it could assist the post-production modifications, why have I photographed the pit-stacks and what I wish to portray and present to the viewers emphasising the emphasising the significance of the deceiving information portrayed; elevating the purpose of the purpose of the series. While on the shoot, I experimented with alternative perspectives and angels to formulating interesting depictions of the pit-stacks, transforming the mundane into intriguing compositions, studying the textural/material studies in the aesthetics of the pit-stacks. I have specifically chosen to photograph the rubble stacks due to the aesthetic of the material/textural features relatable with the textures of a planet - perceived as a location photograph. As there is minimal public information and interest about the Trappist-1f, no photographs (as of yet), I am able to hijack the representations and preconceptions of the planet to formulate an initial visual representation, informing the viewer of the planet through my photographic delineation. After photographing the pit-stacks, I imported the photograph to Photoshop to utilise the Eraser tool and the quick selection tool to detach the subject from the background, developing two separate entities only allowing the viewer to depict the pit-stack - highlighting and emphasising the audiences study of the subject presented, without distractions or interruptions in the interpretation. When the subject was isolated from its original context, the contrast of the pit-stacks with the white background appeared too unrealistic and highlighted. So, in order to smooth out the juxtaposition, I increased the exposure of the subject to reduce the density and emphasising the effect of the deposition and slightly reduced the contrast to subtly flatten the depth within the subject.

I believe the pit-stack photographs work effectively with the chewing gum photographs to provide and account evidence for the discovery of the Trappist-1f. A consistency is depicted not only through the ambiguous subjects, but also through the visual aesthetics of the photographs - the black and white features, correlating the photographs together professionally as a series and elevating their individual purposes for evidence. I am pleased with the results of the pit-stack shoot and believe the outcomes present a strong contemporary, ambiguous, abstract recontextualization of an everyday banal unused item, redirecting and communicating the context of the project. I will continue photographing objects/items/materials that will form the fundamental aesthetic for the post-productions recontextualization.

Mechanical Photographs: Referencing Sputnik and the photo-journalistic methodologies of communicating the context through supporting informative text, transforming the photographs as evidence to appear truthful to the text. I thought of another perspective to apply to the evidence after analysing the overall aesthetic of space and solar systems, questioning how I could transform the fundamental aesthetics of a representation to mutate the appearance and characteristics, in reference to photojournalism approaches, to present an informative visual depiction of the context. Although I had captured the atmosphere of the dwarf star, a location shot of the planet, I somehow needed to understand what else I could equip to represent the trappist-1 effectively without human or cultural interactions in the photographs. I decided to photograph the physical mechanisms of the discovery, the astrophysics behind the journey to develop a realism within the photographs to reference the event. Although I must consider how I compose the machinery, in reference to the concept and visual aesthetics to correlate with the series to emphasise the overall viewers depiction on the photographic evidence - the photographs must appear abstract, black and white, and ambiguous to preserve the consistency throughout the series to maintain the professionalism, and the viewers depiction of the professionalism to enable the photographs to appear as truthful sources of information. In order to capture ambiguous photographs of machinery to imply the progression to the discovery, I entered the Leeds Univerisity of Mechanical Engineering campus to find a statue positioned in the entrance that looked an engine of a rocket; the mechanical similarities in the aesthetics of the supposed rocket to have captured the location photos? Dissect small fragments of the object to construct compositions emphasising the size, density and scale of the machinery, overall signifying the importance of the discovery. I began to delve into the aesthetics of machinery through the viewfinder, considering the composition to construct a mysterious unknown textural study, almost macro, with slight implements to the recognisable features of the machinery, removing direct recognisable aspects from the photographs to distract the viewer's knowledge upon the subject - fabricating a new perspective. As an initially starting point for the photographic evidence, I believe the rocket/shuttle engine appeared relevant to the context through the physicalities of the actual discovery. While photographing the shuttle, I began to comply technical methodologies with the context to gain the photographic results relevant to communicating the context and correlating with the series. I utilised a small aperture to create a shallow depth of field in the photographs allowing me to portray ambiguity in the subject, studying the form and textural depiction within the composition; capturing natural patterns in the machinery, stamped by the composition. As the shallow depth of field highlights specific paramount information in the photograph to portray intentions and key features of the photograph, assisting the post-production after the shoot - I have used it to include the mystery and obscurity to create an unclear representation of the subject presented. After I had gathered a collection of photographs that I was pleased with, I imported the photographs into Adobe Photoshop to post-produce the fundamental facets of the subjects aesthetic, to relate with the recontextualisation of the series. Initially, I decreased the saturation presenting the photograph black & white, correlating with the rest of the evidence while implying the ambiguous from the simple informative presentation, without the distraction of colour and the implements of reality from colour. I did minor alterations to the machinery photographs as the post-production was considered on-shoot rather than after, I considered the obscurity of the object presented and how it informed the context.

I am pleased with the final results of the machinery photographs as I believe they subtly communicate the context of the Trappist-1(f) discovery, although when presented with the rest of the series, the significance of the photographs are elevated as evidence to emphasise the legitimacy of photographs and the visual representations of the discovery; informing the viewers of the event while substantially increasing the effect of the fake hoax photographic series, responding to the truth and objectivity essay question. Although, as the machinery photographs present more detail within the composition - more information to be interpreted, I should consider this in relation to the series and how the viewer will interpret the photographs.

After changing the concept of the photographic response from the disorientated limbs to the photographic insight of the Trappist-1, I believe the concept of the disorientated limbs successfully communicates the truth and objectivity of the essay title, however, there was no consideration for the visual responses, leaving them to appear irrelevant aesthetically and unsatisfying from the visuals. I specifically curated the concept without considering the practicalities of the visual aesthetics - the subjects (legs) morphed reality, morphed the actual, while positioned in a natural location to prove the realism of the subjects. Although, after I unsuccessfully didn’t achieve the results I wanted, I began to realise the presentation of the photographs were a key feature to the deceiving misinterpretations, not the subjects. The presentation and context provided, the photojournalist approach, accounted towards the truth of the photographs as the text informs the viewer on the depiction in the photographs formulating the viewers understanding of what is being perceived. I am pleased that I modified the concept of the response as I believe the visual results of the Trappist-1 outcomes appear more effective and communicative to the context, symbolising the truth and objectivity much clearer. Analysing the results gained from the initial shoot, I am happy with the outcomes: the conceptual recontextualization of the subjects, the aesthetics of the photographs and the visual relations with the atmosphere and general depictions of space. The Photography as Evidence lecture by Ross helped inform the ideologies of photographic representation and directed my understanding of how I could utilise the photographic medium to deceiving the viewers through a fictional context. Whether I will need more evidence to provide the legitimacy of the context, or whether I will need to consider another shoot to gain the results I will begin to analyse the photographs as a series to understand what how I can elevate the deceiving overall interpretation of the project.

An example of Mechanical Photograph from the contact sheet.

Aims & Objectives: My aim is to create a fierce and bright, aesthetically pleasing image for my poster. 

I’ll be shooting the weekend the 30th of January. This will be at my friend Tory’s house, using her kitchen wall, and a wall in the back garden. We’ll be shooting images of her holding a knife, as this to me is a play on words of, ‘a woman’s place is in the kitchen’. I was originally thinking of focusing my shoot on ‘the beauty of brains’ - how women can be both beautiful and smart, as a lot of women are told to be one or the other. But the idea of ‘deadly beauty’ is another one I’ve had that seems more gripping. 

My friend will be dressed up, with a full face of makeup, and quite smart looking clothing - a nice dress, leather jacket, high heels etc. She will be holding a knife, or a hockey stick, in different photos, to show that women are strong and can fight. I’ll be using a digital camera, as I want the images to be clear and to be able to play around a lot with positions. This was inspired by the theme of one of the series featured in my exhibition, the Disney Princess Series. This series shows Disney princess performing in subjects such as science, football, parliament. This is one aspect of feminism as a lot of women are told they have to be either beautiful OR intelligent. Showing that you can be BOTH is a very important step, especially for young girls who are facing the pressures of looking/acting a certain way. Women have for a long time been expected to leave the ‘hard work’ to men. So, showing that women can do these things, AND do them whilst still being gorgeous, is important. I wanted to try a photo of Tory in the kitchen, holding a knife in an aggressive way, as a lot of women are told they ‘belong in the kitchen’ and this would counteract that in a deadly way, especially if she is still wearing makeup/dressed up. Beautiful but deadly.

Where: Tory’s house - kitchen (because of the bright colours of walls), and wall outside (because it is plain & will be easy to edit).

When: during daylight so it’s bright - weekend of the 30th/31st .

What is Being Used: a nice dress, good makeup, props such as books & knives.

Equipment: Canon EOS 700D, with flash.

Influences: The main influences have been explored further on my blog. These include the Disney Princess Series by Sarah Maple, Silent Consent by Kiss Miklos, Embrace Your Essence by Eva Woolridge, Deconstructing the Contemporary Colour by Eleanor Hardwick, and Monstrous Feminism by Jessica Ledwich. These photographers have all influenced my work with their way of tackling feminism in a modern/contemporary way, and with their use of bright, vibrant images. 

Light: I want the lighting in my image to be bright, and for the images to be very clear and crisp, with bright colours and vibrant lighting, so that they are obviously modern and contemporary.

Look and Feel: I want my images to feel strong, vibrant, colourful, fierce, and crisp. Some of them may have a ‘sly’ feeling to them, whereas others may be dead fierce.

Genre: I’m working with a contemporary genre which will influence my images in that they will be more bright and modern. They won’t have a ‘timeless’ feel to them at all, as a lot of other feminist photos seem to. I want them to be very current.