Shoot 2

Research (of artists and techniques)

The artist I will research for this shoot are Saul Leiter. I want to take pictures of people in a frame like Leiter. I chose Leiter as he photographs people and i want to photograph people for my shoot.


Saul Leiter is an American photographer who is known for shooting photos through windows into busy new york streets. One thing that is important about his photos is that the people in the photos look lonely either being physically alone or being in the foreground while others are in the background. His picture is in black and white from a publication called "in my room". The woman is in the center third with mirrors and objects surrounding her framing her. She is naked alone on the bed, which links to the idea that she is lonely. 

What I aim to achieve.
I aim to take photos of my family within a physical picture frame. I want to do the shoot this way as when i searched for this idea i couldnt find many esxamples of it which i tink left it quite open for my own creativity.

Contact sheet

My Best images (target 4 - 6)

Images that require improvement.

I believe these two photos require improvement because I think they are too bright and I used a high ISO which made the pictures look quite grainy.

The first photo used settings ISO 12800, F14 and 1/80. I think i should've changed my settings to have a lower iso but higher aperture and f-stop, to keep the photo light but not have any graininess. This photo doesn't look as bad as the second because the other settings work with the high ISO.

The second photo used settings ISO 12800, F14 and 1/40. The photo is quite grainy, the subject was moving in the shot and i don't think the frame was set up right. If i retook this i would use different `

AO3a: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.

My idea for framing devices shoot two was to photograph my family within a physical frame within my home. I wanted to get personal and group pictures of everyone to get a wide range of subjects and emotions.

The images came out better than i expected the only problems were the background and that the frame didn't fit on some of the photos, but i can fix it by photoshopping the frame onto those photos to make it seem like it was taken with a frame.

i chose the first photo as it is nicely framed, but it is not too perfectly framed as he is coming out of the bottom left corner and the inside of the frame is empty in the left third. 

I chose the second photo as it is nicely framed with two people in it. They are more towards the left side of the frame leaving a little bit of the right side empty.

I chose the third photo as

I chose the last photo 

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.

I used a cannon EOS M body for all my shots. I used ISO 200, a shutter speed of 1/8 and my apeture was F11. I used a tripod for all of my shots and used a softbox light for all of my shots directing light from the right of the photo onto the subjects.

AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.

(note here there needs to be a clear focus on how the work can be developed further i.e. into the next shoot) ANALYSE YOUR IMAGES AND SHOW HOW THEY CAN BE IMPROVED, THROUGH E.G. PHOTOSHOP, FURTHER SHOOTS, PHYSICAL MANIPULATION ETC.

To improve my images i decided to import them into photoshop to put the frame into some of the last photos. I also used it to brighten the images as  some of the shadows were too harsh.

I have thought about physically manipulating them by sewing around the frames or painting the backgrounds around the subjects, to further frame them.

AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.

Research log

Research Log - completed with at least seven entries and annotations….. discuss why the images were selected and how they are relevant to your response to the externally set exam  (the exam board encourages a diverse range of photographers therefore where possible include be non American or non European) (remember connotation, denotation and context)

Research Log Here you need to post 7 photographs from different photographers, adding the URL address, and critically analyzing the images (through use of denotation, connotation and context).  Briefly state information about the photographer (context) if available, what is the name of the series/concept, when was it made, how does this relate to your project? (the exam board encourages a diverse range of photographers therefore where possible include be non American or non European) (remember connotation, denotation and context)

dryden goodwin


British artist
www.drydengoodwin.com/


robert frank 


Swiss-American photographer

https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/robert-frank

doug aitken

 American artist.
https://www.dougaitkenworkshop.com/

Saul Leiter 

American photographer 

www.howardgreenberg.com/artists/saul-leiter

Eugene Atget





















French flâneur and a pioneer of documentary photography
https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/eugène-atget

Definition

Foreground and Background

Foreground and background is using apeture to define and contrast between the foreground of the picture and background of the picture. You can use this to photograph the foreground while blurring the background or vice versa, it can also impact their work by through the relationship between the foreground and the background such as a background that doesnt match the foreground or leading the viewers eye to the background from the foreground. Some examples of these are photographers like Bernece Abbott, Tony Ray-Jones and Candida Hofer. Though i like the aestetics of Hofers work i dont think there is much i can develop in this section. 

Framing devices

Framing devices is using objects such as windows, door frames, trees and other stuff to frame a subject in a photo when composing and constructing images. Saul Leiter, John Szarkowski, and Eugene Atget are examples of photographers that use framing devices. This is the section i was most thinking about doimg. I feel like i can develop my work and get inspired the most from these artists.

Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition is is using images or objects that juxtapose eachother to provide comparison or emphasise contrast. you can juxtapose the things in the image or the images themselves. Uta barth, Frank Gohlke and Henri Cartier-Bresson are examples of photographers who use juxtaposition. I was going to choose to do juxtaposition but i couldnt relate my ideas to any of the artists, which would make it hard to develop my ideas.

Angles and Grids

Angles and grids use lines to create and emphasize angles and grids in the photos, you could photograph this by photographing road junctions and interiors or exteriors of houses and buildings. Stephen shore, Andreas Gursky and Zeke Burman are examples of photographers who use angles and grids. I feel like angles and grids is very interesting, but im not sure what i could experiment with in this suject so i didnt choose it.

Objects in spaces

Objects in spaces was inspired by the relationships by the relationships between objects and the places in which they are found. These are usually still life, table arrangements or just objects in specific locations.  Walker Evans, Wright morris, and Andre Kertesz are examples of photographers who use objects in spaces. This subject to me just isnt very interesting because theyre just every day things, and if i dont think its interestimg i cant develop any ideas.

Shoot 1

Research (of artists and techniques)

the artists I will research for this shoot are Saul Leiter and Eugene Atget. I want to take pictures of people looking lonely, in a frame like Leiter did bt also take pictures of streets and buildings like Atget. 

Saul Leiter is an American photographer who is known for shooting photos through windows into busy new york streets. One thing that is important about his photos is that the people in the photos look lonely either being physically alone or being in the foreground while others are in the background. His picture is in black and white from a publication called "in my room". The woman is in the center third with mirrors and objects surrounding her framing her. She is naked alone on the bed, which links to the idea that she is lonely.

Atget is a French photographer. Atget's framings consist of buildings, windows, and doorways. The photo of the road leading to the right is framed by using the buildings around it to frame the thin road. The bright sky also closes off the top of the picture. The connotation of this photo is that he might've felt like he was trapped in his journey, and since it seems like the road is cut off it could show that he couldn't go back. This could link to Paris being modernized and him wanting it to stay the same.

What I aim to achieve.
I aim to achieve high-quality photos that use framing devices, I also aim to achieve photos that relate to the artists Leiter and Atget. I would like to create different layers in my photos 

Contact sheet

My Best images (target 4 - 6)

Images that require improvement.





I believe these two photos require improvement because i feel like i couldve used different settings and techniques to make these shots better.

The first photo is taken at Cambridge train station in the evening, because it was the evening it was quite dark and hard to get a good photo. I used a high ISO (~1200) to try to get more light but still ended up with a dark and grainy photo. I couldve manipulated other settings such as the shutter speed and apeture to lighten the photo without making it grainy.

The second photo was taken in Cambridge. I chose this as a photo i could improve upon because when i took the photo i was rushed and it turned out blurry. I could've q beenn a little more patient and used a tripod to get the result i wanted. I also think i couldve framed the photo better by shooting in portrait instead of landscape.

AO3a: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.

My idea for framing devices shoot one was to photograph someone in multiple places around Cambridge framed by the objects or structures around them. I chose cambridge as it has great architecture notably the university, multiple churches and the mueseum. One thing i thought was good for framing devices was arches. I also wanted to photograph the architecture itself as that links to Atgets work.

The images came out worse than i expected. This is all due to my own errors of not using the right settings and not using a tripod/rushing the shoot.

i chose the first photo as i think it is a good quality, it relates to the Atgets work and the photo is framed well. The darkness of the covered alleyway frames the background light and buildings quite well. When i edit this photo i might try to lighten the darkness to give more depth to the shadows. This photo can connote sadness but also horror as it looks very isolated.

I chose the second photo as i think it is the best photo i took. The building was part of cambridge university, founded in 1209, So i thought the old architecture and big church-like doors were perfect for framing. I also think it is more interesting as only one side of the double doors was open creating a unique silhouette. One problem of this photo is the sign in the way of my shot. this photo can connote lonliness as she is standing alone in the doorway.

I chose the third photo as when i saw the statue/artwork i thought it would be perfect for framing since it was just like a big photo frame. When i edit this i want to crop the photo so it just show the frame and space in the frame. 

I chose the last photo as it was a different and different shape for framing. The "frame" is lights at a restaurant which perfectly frames the intricate ceiling behind it. I was to draw attention the the parts inside the 'frame' i could do this by converting some parts of the photo to black and white and keeping some parts in colour. This could connote that in dark times there is still happiness in colour.

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.

I used a cannon EOS M body for all my shots. I mainly used ISO 800, a shutter speed of 1/4 or 1/125 and my apeture was F4.5 to F29, using F11 most. I used a tripod for some of my shots and only used natural outside, and synthtic inside lights for shots inside buildings. 

AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.

(note here there needs to be a clear focus on how the work can be developed further i.e. into the next shoot) ANALYSE YOUR IMAGES AND SHOW HOW THEY CAN BE IMPROVED, THROUGH E.G. PHOTOSHOP, FURTHER SHOOTS, PHYSICAL MANIPULATION ETC.

To improve my images i decided to import them into photoshop to correct the contrast and brightness. I will also use photoshop to crop the images to focus on the frames more, and to convert some of the images/parts of the images to black and white. 

I have thought about physically manipulating them by cutting out the frames and the space inside the space to create dimension between the two, almost like layers on photoshop.

AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.