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I have chosen this image as my first image because I really like the contrast in light and dark within the image. I like the shadows that the sun has cast which helps to create tones within the image. To edit this image, I have increased the contrast and brightness, and I have increased the sharpness and clarity. I have also increased the highlights within the image and made the shadows more pronounced.
For my second image I have picked this image because I like how the focal point is in the centre of the image and fir the most part how it is symmetrical. I love the detailing that the camera has picked up and that stands out more after the final editing process. I also like the fact that each time you look at the image something else catches your eye. during my editing process I cropped my images to make it central, I have also increased the contrast to separate the subject from the background. finally, I increased the sharpness of the image making sure not to increase it to the point where it became grainy.
I chose this image of my third image because I like how it cuts straight through the image and is quite dominating in the image. I like how your eyes is drawn to the middle by the leading line wrapping around the unfolding leaf. during the editing process I cropped this image to make this the focal point of the image and to crop to the most detailed part of the image. I increased the sharpness and I also increased the contrast.
I chose this image as my fourth image because I love the shadow that the light casts on the leaf this image is my favorite image out of the four images. I love this image due to the contrast in light and dark and I love the way the shadow highlights parts of the image. I like how the light cuts straight through all thirds of the image. To enhance my image, I edited it so that there was a high contrast in light and dark and so that the sharpness of the details in the leaf were also highlighted.
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"Why limit yourself to what your eyes see when you have an opportunity to extend your vision?" Why this video?
I chose this videos because I think that it illustrates how versatile Edward Weston was in his industry. I also think it captures how detailed his images were in his time. |
Why this artist?
To begin my artist investigations I will initially study the work of Edward Weston due to his work relating to natural forms and abstract photography and his use of monochromatic photography to provide tone and depth in an image. Who is he? Edward Weston was born in 1886 and is well know within the industry for being "one of the most innovative and influential American photographers " over the course of his 40 year career he photographed a variety of different subjects including landscapes, still-life, portraits and more. Why this quote? I chose this inspirational quote by Edward Weston because I think it captures the essence of why many people partake in photography I also think it is encouraging and motivating to go out and see what you can find. I also think that the quote sums up Weston's work due to the vast amount of different subject that he captured. |
SUBJECT:
My chosen photographer is called Edward Weston. The title of this photograph is pepper no. 30 1930. the genre of this photograph is still life monochromatic photography. In the image I can see is a pepper on a surface that frames the mage and adds a vignette effect. ELEMENT: The photographer uses the seven visual elements of art in his work to create this photograph. In my opinion the strongest elements are line, shape and tone. Weston has shown line successfully in his work by using leading lines which lead the viewers eye to the main focal point of the image. He has also demonstrated shape by the different ways the shadows have been cast across the pepper this is exaggerated by the use of monochromatic photography which helps to show tone. He has shown tone by using natural light to create shadows, Weston then uses black and white photography which further increases the contrast between the shadows. MEDIA: The main focal point of the image is the top of the pepper I think this because the lines in the image draw the viewers eye to the top part of the image these lines are called leading lines. The pepper has been placed in the centre of the image and is framed by a dark vignette effect. I believe the photos was taken using natural light which helps to highlight thee key features of the object. I can see that the light is coming from the right upper hand side of the image this makes the lower right hand side of the image dark and shadowy with little contrast in colour. INTENT: I feel the image gives the effect of a moody and dark feeling. I also feel that the image has a cold undertone to it. I think this because of how light and dark the image is. The amount of darkness outweighs the amount of lightness this creates a dark and ominous tone in the simple way Weston has chosen the colours and contrast within the image. When I take my own photographs I will try to emulate this by using monochromatic photography and by having a high contrast between black and white. I will also try to create highlights and shadows. |
Pepper no.30 1930 |
With low key photography, lighting is reduced in order to produce images with striking contrasts, dark tones, and shadows. Usually, a single source of lighting is used to produce this composition.
As a result, low key images often have a dark dramatic tone to them. In low key photography we let shadows fade into black. It makes our images appear dark, mysterious, and moody. |
Edward Weston has inspired me to do this abstract shoot because the link between his still life images and our abstract nature module helps us experiment with another way in which we can take photos in our abstract nature module. The detail that he manages to capture I his images also inspires me with the contrast between light and dark. I will do my shoot in our weekly photography lessons in school in the morning. Doing this shoot indoor s and with natural lighting can influence my shoot due to how much natural light there is in the room additionally the weather will also influence my shoot depending on weather it is cloudy and lacking light which might result in images becoming underexposed or if it is sunny and bright light this could cause the images to be over exposed. However this could also lead to shadows being cast and highlight the different shapes within the object.
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For this image i firstly opened my image in my chosen editing software which was pixlr-e. Firstly I opened up the brightness and contrast and adjusted the brightness so that the highlighted areas where the light hit the pepper was lighter. Then I increased the contrast which made the light hitting the pepper stand out. Then I increased the shadows making more contrast between light and dark in the image. Once I was happy with the contrast I increased the highlighted areas making them more of a luminous white. Once I had finished adjusting the colours I moved onto sharpening my image so that the smaller details of the pepper, such as the wrinkled skin was slightly more noticeable. I then increased the clarity of the image whilst making sure not to make the image to grainy. My final step was putting a vignette around the outside of the image to draw more attention the main part of the image. |
In this image i used a chilli pepper I chose this pepper because of its different shapes. to get the water droplets i used a pipette and placed drops of water along the pepper. In this image i like the contrast between light and dark and the different patterns created. to edit it i increased the contrast and adjusted the brightness so that the image wasn't underexposed. Next i edited the highlights and shadow further increasing the contrast between light and dark. finally i edited the sharpness of the image so that you could see the texture on the pepper.
I think that this image is less abstract than the previous two but i like the texture shown of the peppers skin, I chose this pepper because I thought that the wrinkling on the skin would add an extra detail to the final image. To edit this image i used pixlr i edited the brightness and the contrast and then i edited the highlights so that you could clearly see where the light hit the pepper. Finally I decided to increase the clarity of the image to make sure that you could clearly see the textured skin of the pepper.
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To capture this image i set the pepper halfway into the plant pot which was beside the window. The plant pot acted as a vignette effects framing the image. I like the different details captured in this image and how the highlights and shadows show the shape of the pepper. I edited this image using pixlr and started by increasing the contrast between light and dark I then edited the highlights so that there was a greater contrast. As my final step I increased the clarity and sharpness so that the details within the image were clearer.
This image looks similar to the previous image, however this was shot at a different angle and position to the image before. I placed the pepper inside the plant pot which created a dark frame for my shot and positioned the pepper side on. When i edited this image i chose to crop it from the original photo i chose to this so that the texture where clearer and in more detail. I edited by increasing the contrast and highlights and then i decided to edit the clarity and sharpness to make the details really stand out.
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My 3 Favourite Anna Atkins images:
Modern Cyanotypes:
Artists are still using cyanotypes today they create them by laying their subject directly onto emulsion-covered paper and exposing it to light. they us it as an alternative printing technique, however with the advance in technology this technique is slightly less common and has faded out.
A modern cyanotype artist called Meghann Riepenhoff creates camera less images otherwise known as cyanotypes. she creates these images on the right hand side by draping her emulsion-coated paper along the shoreline, across branches or under snow. her aim is to create abstracts images of landscapes and the ocean. These two images are my favourite because of the different textures in each of the images and how they portray nature. |
Anna Atkins was an English photographer and botanist noted for her early use of photography using cyanotypes. She was also one of the first female photographers in the world.
A cyanotype is a photographic process dating back to around the 1840s. The process was invented by sir John Herschel in 1843. Some advantages of cyanotypes:
Some Disadvantages of cyanotypes:
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The first thing that i did to make my cyanotpye paper was get a piece of watercoloured paper and paint it in a solution. The solution makes the paper sensitive to UV light enabling the images to be exposed and developed. I also painted a piece of fabric in the solution making the square sensitive to uv light. I then left the paper to dry. once the paper dried we layered pieces of dried leaves over the paper. Once I did this the paper was exposed to UV light the leaves block the UV light creating a silhouette of the image. once the paper had been exposed we washed it in the sink with water to remove any yellow tints.
i think my most successful image was the upper middle image with the fern silhouette i like this because of the pattern made and the change from dark blue to a lighter blue. If I was to do another lesson I would choose to do a larger version of my negative and to make the image more central. |
Disadvantages of photograms:
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Man Ray was an artist during the 20th century, he contributed to the Dada and Surrealist movements. He produced a variety of work with a range of media, however he considered himself a painter. He is also noted for his work with photograms, which he called "rayographs" named after himself.
A photogram is a photographic image made on paper without the use of a negative or camera. It is made by placing objects between light-sensitive paper or film and a light source. Advantages of photograms:
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Horst P. Horst / The unfamiliar and abstractedFashion photographer Horst P. Horst used rotational symmetry to create new patterns. His book, Patterns from Nature (1946), has inspired me to create my own series of rotational symmetry patterns using my work so far. Here are some of my examples:
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High key photography is a genre involving a pure white background plus a detailed (but not overexposed) subject.
It’s produced by using a background that’s far brighter than your subject—while still exposing for your subject. Unlike low key photography, drama and intensity is not the intention of the high key genre. It alternatively attempts to convey a positive- upbeat or happy aura. High key photographs have minimal tonal range and lack deep contrast caused by harsh shadows. Furthermore the overall colour palette is light. |
Karl Blossfeldt / Artist researchNature educates us into beauty and inwardness and is a source of the most noble pleasure.-Karl Blossfedlt why this quote?
I have chosen this quote because I think it show Karl blossfeldt passion toward his work capturing the many forms of nature. The quote shows his appreciation for nature and how wonderful it can be if you just take a step back and admire it. |
why this artist? we have chosen this artist because his work links to our chosen topic of abstract nature his work is similar to previous artists that we have studied. His work links with the work of anna Atkins who used botanical objects for her images similarly Karl blossfeldt also uses botanical forms for his images. who is he? Karl Blossfeldt was a German photographer, sculptor, teacher and artist who worked in Berlin, Germany. He is best known for his close-up photographs of plants and living things. Karl like his father was inspired by nature which led him to complete many pieces of work relating to natural forms. why this video? I have chosen this video because it demonstrates the work of Karl blossfeldt and showcases his best pieces. It also clearly explains his work and his journey of growing as an artist. the video shows examples of his work from his book that is made up of his most famous and inspiring images. |
SUBJECT: my chosen photographer is Karl blossfeldt. The title of this image is Acanthus mollis 1898 -1928. The genre of this photography is still life. The props sued in this image is a flower also referred to as the natural form. Blossfeldt mainly focused on images of botanical forms, photographed against a plain often white background which shows the images in more detail. ELEMENT: The photographer uses the 7 visual elements of art to create this image. This image has examples of line, shape and texture. In my opinion the strongest elements are line, texture and pattern. In the image you can see plenty of leading lines which draws the viewers attention to different part of the image especially the flower heads. You can also see the texture/ pattern within the image the high contrast highlights the patterns with the veins in the leaves and stem. The photographer uses colour/ tone well in his work by taking the image against a white background with a light from behind, the colours highlight the shadows and the highlights within the image MEDIA: The main focal point of the image are the flower buds on the stem of the natural form. I can tell this because the leaves act as leading lines which draw the viewers eyes form the outside of the image into the middle where the stem and flower buds are. The natural form has been placed int the middle of the image an is perfectly symmetrical and means that the image is balanced. The image has been taken on eye level with the natural form. I believe this photo has been taken with natural light because the lighting is spread out within the image and isn’t concentrated to any part of the image. However the photographer may have used high key lighting to light the back of the image for more detail. INTENT: I feel the photo gives a message of a slightly moody undertone. The colours blossfeldt uses are grey and dull which creates a creepy atmosphere. The abstract forms of which the images are taken give the viewer a sense of unearthly feature, the subtle ombre effect between the white grey and dark black within the image reminds me of smoke which gives an overall cold tone to the image. |
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Email Quote – Direct Artist Response |
why this artist?
I have chosen Dennis wojtkiewicz as my artist because he uses many forms of nature to produce his images. This artist differs from the previous artists we have studied because he paints his images from the photographs that he has taken. who is he? Dennis wojtkiewicz (born 1956 in Chicago, Illinois), he is best known for his images of sliced fruit capturing the details within each fruit. why this video? I have chosen this video because I think it showcases wojtkiewicz work and the effort he put into creating his pieces of art. The video demonstrates wojtkiewicz use of colour and pattern and the different techniques he has used. why this quote? The quote is from a direct email response from Dennis. W himself. From the email, I was able understand how wojtkiewicz used his photography to emulate natural forms and turn them into paintings. He uses a DSLR camera with a macro lens attached. the macro lens has a low f. stop this means that the images wojtkiewicz takes will have a blurred background ,meaning the images will be in plenty of detail. |
Technical Processes / Back Lighting FruitBacklighting in photography happens when the main light is behind your subject and facing the camera. Backlight photography can be challenging, if you are used to using the auto exposure modes on your camera. the main light source is place behind your primary object resulting in a detailed and glowy image.
to create backlit photography you will need the following pieces of equipment: a camera, a macro lens, a clear sheet of material like glass or plastic, a light source, a tripod, remote shutter release cable and a semi translucent fruit. |
step 1:
Slice the fruit making sure that the slices are even and thin, so the colours will be bright but not over-exposed. |
Step 2:
Lay the slice on the glass / clear material, with the light source placed directly underneath the fruit |
Step 3:
Then adjust your camera settings and place on tripod, then adjust tripod so it is above the clear surface. |
Step 4:
Now, use a remote release cable to take the image to ensure that there is no unwanted camera shake. |