WHAT IS SURREALISM?
Surrealism is a style of art and literature made during the 20th century, it tries to express the subconsious mind. Surrealism is about being creative and free with the images you capture, it is also in someway dreamlike and makes us use our imagination.
STATEMENT OF INTENT
My aim for this project is to demonstrate my ideas and reflect my artist research onto my work to show similarities and to develop/manipulate my images in photo-shop. I might use Carri Angel as one of my artists that I would research because of her work including flowers and the picture being mediumshot, which shows of as sleek and professional. By her work being outdoors I feel as if it is magical. My plan is to take my images outdoors to get that style of landscape and to explore different locations to capture simple but different style of photos.
For my initial research I feel that using a Canon DSLR camera at manual with the shutter speed being fast as well as the depth of field being around f22 because the light would be perfectly exposed at the right points as well as the my model being on rule of thirds to show harsh lines that could be eye catching. I am going to show different viewpoints at the different times of the day to show a contrast. By showing the best and worst image, it portrays that I have understood where I have gone wrong and feel that the worst will show what I should not do on my next shoot but by showing my best, will tell me that I need to keep that high standard for future references.
When I chose this theme, my initial thoughts were to take portraits of the people Manchester and manipulate the images in photo-shop however now I will be using my idea but also adding flowers to relate my work to Carri Angel. With the time we have been given, I feel as if experimenting with a wide range of techniques within my work. To show development and progression, I must be able to portray my photos in a uncanny way.
For my initial research I feel that using a Canon DSLR camera at manual with the shutter speed being fast as well as the depth of field being around f22 because the light would be perfectly exposed at the right points as well as the my model being on rule of thirds to show harsh lines that could be eye catching. I am going to show different viewpoints at the different times of the day to show a contrast. By showing the best and worst image, it portrays that I have understood where I have gone wrong and feel that the worst will show what I should not do on my next shoot but by showing my best, will tell me that I need to keep that high standard for future references.
When I chose this theme, my initial thoughts were to take portraits of the people Manchester and manipulate the images in photo-shop however now I will be using my idea but also adding flowers to relate my work to Carri Angel. With the time we have been given, I feel as if experimenting with a wide range of techniques within my work. To show development and progression, I must be able to portray my photos in a uncanny way.
FAIRY TALE
Something resembling a fairy story in being magical, idealized, or extremely happy.
PLAN
ARTIST RESEARCH
Salvador Dali
In this painting by Salvador Dali, the main focus is on a melting clock that is flowing over a cube shape. I can also see parts of the clock are flowing out of the clock face and up into the sky. At the edge of the cube your eyes are drawn to a beautifully painted moth which is small in scale to make the clock look bigger. Dali has set these objects in a realistic landscape which acts as a contrast to the weird and wonderful melting objects. The composition of the painting is made up of the sharp angle of the cube against the soft flowing lines of the clock. The foreground is dominated by the clock and cube but Dali has created a sense of depth by painting the background in a small scale. The soft blue and white sky has a contrast between the warm tones of the cube and this contrast makes the corner of the cube stand out.
The painting to me seems weird and wonderful because this is not an image you see on a daily basis. The artist used his love for the subconscious art style to inspire him for this painting which is also as if he painted a dream. I find his work disturbing and this might be because of how realistically he has painted his subject matter. I wouldn't use this artist for my shoots because I do not know how to apply it, but it does inspire me to be creative. I quite like the idea of having something or somebody be in a realistic setting but something is not quite right. I am going to link this idea to my work by trying to create the illusion of something you recognise but is almost like a dream.
The painting to me seems weird and wonderful because this is not an image you see on a daily basis. The artist used his love for the subconscious art style to inspire him for this painting which is also as if he painted a dream. I find his work disturbing and this might be because of how realistically he has painted his subject matter. I wouldn't use this artist for my shoots because I do not know how to apply it, but it does inspire me to be creative. I quite like the idea of having something or somebody be in a realistic setting but something is not quite right. I am going to link this idea to my work by trying to create the illusion of something you recognise but is almost like a dream.
Rene Magritte
In this painting by Magritte, the colours that have been used in the 'newspaper' are cool tone colours such as blues and greens. This gives an effect on the viewer because the artist has used light/bright colours in contrast to the person in the image who is wearing black clothes and hat which is dark. The image includes trees and clouds which also continues across the face of the newspaper. The main focus is the newspaper because the fore ground has merged with the newspaper which gives an effect of something weird and wonderful. Magritte like Dali has tried to paint in my opinion an image from a dream where something is not as it should be.
The hat is in the top 1/3 and the white outline from the newspaper is on the rule of thirds, which draws the viewers eye to the middle of the newspaper. The white line makes it stand out even more. The newspaper is on four hot spots which shows the rule of thirds to make the painting eye catching. There are strong leading lines on the horizon and on the newspaper that helps with the composition. Magritte has used the curve of the bowler hat in contrast to the line of the newspaper the hat is almost sitting on and you can see a hint of the persons flesh that makes it look slightly real.
I like this painting because it is weird and the newspaper is undetectable from the background. I am going to link Magritte's work to my own by developing a series of images based outside. I am also going to try and merge my model into the background.
The hat is in the top 1/3 and the white outline from the newspaper is on the rule of thirds, which draws the viewers eye to the middle of the newspaper. The white line makes it stand out even more. The newspaper is on four hot spots which shows the rule of thirds to make the painting eye catching. There are strong leading lines on the horizon and on the newspaper that helps with the composition. Magritte has used the curve of the bowler hat in contrast to the line of the newspaper the hat is almost sitting on and you can see a hint of the persons flesh that makes it look slightly real.
I like this painting because it is weird and the newspaper is undetectable from the background. I am going to link Magritte's work to my own by developing a series of images based outside. I am also going to try and merge my model into the background.
Michelle Monique
In this image by Michelle Monique, the colours that are used are more cool tones such as blues and greens to create that deep feeling for the viewer. This as well as giving a deep feeling on the viewer also has an impact on them because of how there is no contrast, it all melds the different shades of the one colour which then makes me feel like everything is smooth and sleek. Monique sets her work like a marine mirage because it seems as if her model is a hallucination of a mythical creature there to hypnotize you.
The model is placed in the foreground to hypnotize you by her posture and the way she's looking into the mirror is trying to grab your attention on how unusual she seems to be. Like Dali, Monique's work is uncanny. With the depth of field being f32, the lighting is dark through out most images as well as the fast shutter speed. With Monique's work it seems as if she placed the models arms on rule of thirds to then raise the spectators attention to the main focus. The curves around the models head makes the viewers attention drawn to the model which then makes you intrigued with the rest of the image and this inspires me to use curves in my work to grab the attention of many.
The model is placed in the foreground to hypnotize you by her posture and the way she's looking into the mirror is trying to grab your attention on how unusual she seems to be. Like Dali, Monique's work is uncanny. With the depth of field being f32, the lighting is dark through out most images as well as the fast shutter speed. With Monique's work it seems as if she placed the models arms on rule of thirds to then raise the spectators attention to the main focus. The curves around the models head makes the viewers attention drawn to the model which then makes you intrigued with the rest of the image and this inspires me to use curves in my work to grab the attention of many.
Carri Angel
Carri Angel's work is dispensed to catch the spectators attention. With Angel's work it is not unusual however has an impact on many because of the position and posture. As the image is medium shot I feel as if it relates to Monique's work especially with the model placed outdoors in a puddle of flowers to get that fantasy feel. The flowers enhance the models features as well as the flowers being cool tone I do feel that with the pureness showing in the white dress does have a contrast between to the model and everything around her, which I then think Angel did this to catch the viewers attention because she stands out. The models eyes are on a rule of third. Possibly Angel may have taken this image around f22 on the depth of field scale and has taken this shot with a fast shutter speed to sharpen the edges.
Angel may have taken this shot with the perfect exposure and may have darkened the flowers on photoshop to get the contrast of colours. The photographer has taken this shot on a birds eye view point to get the fairy tale image. I like this photographers shoots because I could use her work for inspiration for my own because of the position and the flowers.
Angel may have taken this shot with the perfect exposure and may have darkened the flowers on photoshop to get the contrast of colours. The photographer has taken this shot on a birds eye view point to get the fairy tale image. I like this photographers shoots because I could use her work for inspiration for my own because of the position and the flowers.
Kirsty Mitchell
Kirsty Mitchell's work here resembles in my opinion Meredith from Brave because of the dark blue dress and how Meredith likes to hunt which is based outside and how Mitchell placed her model in an exterior setting to get the wilderness to link back to the fairy tale subject. With the image being medium shot you can truly see and feel how the model is expressing her emotions through her face and posture, which are kite like to show pure and kindness. Wearing gold shows wealth and happiness which is also portrayed through her facial expression, a slight smile and eyes closed paints the image in the viewers minds that happiness exists.
As the depth of field being f16 and a fast shutter speed you can clearly see the sharp edges in the image through the bushes and trees, it however fades as the smoke over takes and slowly smooths out the harsh structural lines. I feel as if I could use Mitchell's work in my own such as using the rule of thirds, medium shot and fast shutter speed to achieve the higher grade. |
FIRST PHOTOSHOOT
PLAN
For my first photo shoot, I would like my shoot to be outdoors as I would have natural lighting. I believe working with natural lighting is hard however it does produce beautiful outcomes and create soft shadows. I will have my model wear dark tones while holding a red flower so it contrasts and become eye catching for the viewer. As I will be outdoors, I will place my model in different areas so I have a variety to pick from when manipulating the images. I plan to have my model facing down, looking at the flowers to create more of a woeful feeling. I will focus on where to place my model and my depth of field so that I will come out with professional looking images.
BEST |
WORST |
This is one of my best pictures because of the sharp lines around my model as well as the depth of field being f22. I liked how my model stood out because she is not blurred but she does blend in with the background because of the similarity of colours from the background and the model. I was also impressed by how enhanced the colours of the flowers were compared to the rest of the image. With the medium shot I feel as if I did use Monique's, Angel's and Magritte's idea, as well as the model being placed in an exterior setting. The model being stood in the middle does loose the point of the rule of thirds however it still catches the attention of the viewer. I do feel as if my image was underexposed but it does give that mystery and fairy tale mix to it.
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On the other hand I do not like this image because of how far I am from the model, with my research I chose medium shot but with this image it is full body. With me being so far from the model it makes the image look untidy and scruffy, as well as being so far you see the sky making the image washed out. The image is over exposed and has no depth to photo and no meaning. With the model being so far, she is seemed to be out of focus and melds into the background. I think that to improve my shoot I should consider the background and I should use the time wisely planning where I want the model positioned and facing to then take the image medium shot.
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DEVELOPING MY WORK
FURTHERING MY IDEAS
After my first shoot I realized that I needed to think a little more carefully about my background. I really liked the techniques I developed but I think I could improve it by having a more neutral background. Therefore for my next shoot I am going to set up my camera so that I get more close up shots against a simple colour backdrop. I looked at different artists to see the difference in technique and style of photography, which I then came across that most of my artist research took the image with a medium shot. I am going to use a model in an environment that I can control such as indoors, but still get that exterior setting feel.
SECOND PHOTOSHOOT
PLAN
For my second photo shoot, I will have a model lying on the floor with different colour flowers covering their face. I will make them lay on a red carpet so the colours contrast with each other. I will make my model wear a floral shirt so it links in with the constant theme of flowers. With the flowers having leaves, I believe there will be a contrast of colours which link with the work the photographer I have looked at has achieved, Kirsty Mitchell. I will then manipulate the images, with multitudes of outcomes, so I have many to choose from when I choose my final outcomes.
BEST |
WORST |
With this image I feel that I have improved a lot since my last shoot because of the indoor setting and how this shoot relates more to my artist research. I liked how the model was covering her face as if she had something to hide. The flowers are all different colours to get that contrast between her clothes and the flowers. With the foreground being burgundy it truly displays the wealth in this image just like Kirsty Mitchell. This image was shot at a fast shuter speed to sharpen out the edges. This was taken at a f22 however seems to be overexposed in certain areas. The model is placed in the middle again to show the relationship between my work and my artist research.
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I do not like this image because the models face is showing and how her eyes are not closed, wich makes the image appear weak, since I wanted the flowers to cover the face which would give the image an effect of weird and wonderful. I think that the wall is too plain and the door is peeking through which is unprofessional. The image is focused but I would like the flowers to only stand out and everything else is blurred, with the f22.
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DEVELOPING MY WORK
FIRST ATTEMPT
SECOND ATTEMPT
THIRD ATTEMPT
FOURTH ATTEMPT
FURTHERING MY IDEAS
After my recent shoot I had realized that I needed to think a little more carefully about my photo shop skills. I had created 4 different outcomes so I have a variety. I had looked at different artists to see the difference in technique and style of photography. I really liked the techniques I developed. For my third shoot I am going to set up my DSLR camera on manual so I am able to control my depth of field and shutter speed. I am going to use a model in an environment that I believe will achieve the best outcomes.
THIRD PHOTOSHOOT
PLAN
For my third photo shoot, I plan to use a DSLR camera on manual to take shots of a model standing outdoors next to a tree so that it is mystical and magical. I will take my model to a park so the surroundings is green but the model will be wearing a mixture of dark and light tone colours. I believe that this is different to the photographers I have looked at, however I am extending my idea of weird and wonderful and tweaking this unit to my liking. I will use a tripod so I can receive clean, cut images. I will take another set of images of the model climbing a tree so I have a variety of images to choose from.
BEST |
WORST |
I like that the model looks like they are climbing the tree to see what is above which shows curiosity through the body language. When taking this image I paid most attention to the rule of thirds and the surrounding because if I did not pay attention to the surroundings the image would look boring. I took this image with a fast shutter speed to sharpen the edges and worked with the f4 which made the image perfectly exposed. Most of my images are taken with a large depth of field to get everything in the image. I placed my model in an exterior setting because I was inspired by Monique's work.
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I did not like image at all because of the model facing towards the camera which minimizes the effect of the woman trying to climb the tree to see what is there. The image how ever is perfectly exposed yet I don't like that half of the image is empty which makes the audience leaving unimaginatively. I also do not like how half of the model is on a rule of third because I would've preferred it to be in the middle to show the relationship between my work and Monique's work.
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DEVELOPING MY WORK
FURTHERING MY IDEAS
I believe this shoot does not correlate with my idea of weird and wonderful, however I do like how this shoot is different from my artist research as it is mysterious. I will not proceed with this outcome but instead go back to flowers and take inspiration from the photographers I have previously looked at. For my final shoot, I will use a model and paint flowers on their face to follow the theme of weird and wonderful. The model will lie on a puddle of variety of different coloured flowers to make the images brighter and have a contrast between the flowers and the model themselves. My photos will be shot in the middle with a fast shutter speed and f8 to get the image perfectly exposed.
FOURTH PHOTOSHOOT
PLAN
For my fourth and final shoot, I will take inspiration off of Michelle Monique's work and paint my models face. I will carry on using different colour flowers and placing them towards the models face. I will take images in different areas so I have many images to choose from when I manipulate them. I will take in consideration the area, as I would like to control my lighting and not worry about unwanted people in my shoot. I will also focus on how I am taking my shots, such as setting my depth of field correctly and placing my models hair on a rule of third.
BEST |
WORST |
I believe this is the best image within my fourth shoot because it is related to the artists work which I looked into detail previously. The purple flowers are on the rule of third lines; and the white flower being in the middle attracts the audiences attention to the model, and the pattern on her forehead. The colours within the flowers contrast each other, the burgundy dress expresses wealth just as Kirsty Mitchell. This image was taken with a fast shutter speed to include all details of the model as well as sharpening it and f4. I believe that without the flash the image was underexposed due to being indoors. The image appears to be shot with a large depth of field because there is either some to no blurriness. The way the model is smiling while looking up and holding flowers which are known for it's calmness, could appear that she is full of joy and delighted.
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However, I do not like this image because of the model not being on a hot spot for the rule of thirds as well as how the model is looking in to the camera which most of the photographers I looked at did not display for their final images. I did not like how the corner is exposing the other walls which looks unprofessional and distracts the audience from the model. For future references I will take in that I shall use the rule of thirds technique and not expose the surroundings where it could decrease the audiences attention.
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DEVELOPING MY WORK
FINAL OUTCOMES
EVALUATION
I began this project by researching a variety of artists and photographers whose work expressed the theme of fairy tale such as Kirsty Mitchell, Carri Angel and Michelle Monique. I had found that my ideas had linked the most to Angel's work because the image where the lady is lying on the floor in a puddle of flowers is similar to the shoot I had recently done. I found the technique of getting the exposure correct very challenging and it took me a long time and plenty of patience to make real progress. I am pleased with my final outcomes because they represent how I feel about the theme of fairy tale. My favourite shoot was definitely my second because of how it related so much to my artist research. My shoots are personal to me because when the flowers are covering the models face or the model isn't looking at the camera, it makes an effect on the audience by making them think they are hiding something. Overall this project has been one of the hardest due to needing very different, strange and bold ideas that not only will look good but would have a meaning behind it. This shows a huge amount of improvement from a sub-unit like Slinkachu where half of my images were unreliable.