After having a meeting with the individuals at 'The Celtic Harmony Camp' I was able to see the location in which I was shooting and meet the subjects that I would be using in my images, I was also able to have a look at some props that could potentially be used. I am going to do my final shoot on the 17th November 2016. Throughout my shoot I am going to be showing my subjects in their Celtic attire re-enacting sword fights and craft making to show the extend of their acting. I am also going to how them doing modern things like smoking cigarettes and using modern technology such as a mobile phone; this is to show that this subculture as I do not want the final photographs to come across like I am showing off a historical event.
I am going to do a variety of different photographs in my final shoot to show all aspects of the celtic subculture. The images I will take showing off the re-enactments will include sword fighting, craft making, their clothing and their props. On the other hand, the images to show the my subjects are part of a subculture will include, smoking cigarettes or vapes, using a coffee machine, using modern technology and also them using everyday modern objects such as benches or paints.
I will be taking these images in the late afternoon/early evening so my images may come out in slightly warmer tones. I am going to be experimenting with apertures and shutter speeds throughout my shoot, changing the blurriness of the background. Also some of the photographs will be taken in a celtic style hut, these will not have any form of lighting except possible a fire and the natural lighting coming through the entrance, for this I will have to use my flash and adjust my camera settings accordingly to the lighting (e.g. white balance, aperture, shutter speeds).
After the images have been taken I will be editing them in PhotoShop. I will not be retouching them too much to show the authenticity of my photographs and to keep them as realistic as possibly. The only thing that will be adjusted is the levels and curves. I may also experiment with a photo filter to make my images look older and I may also try black and white to make them seem old, although I do want to steer away from my final images looking historical as my theme is the idea of subcultures so I will keep editing to a minimum.
Thursday, 15 December 2016
Photographic Technical and Experimental Shoot Plans
Technical:
Shoot 1 - For my first shoot I am going to experiment with different types of lighting. I am going to do this shoot in a studio setting, using soft boxes, reflectors and gels. This experiment is to determine the different types of lighting will work best in a portraiture studio setting and I will also learn how to manipulate and work with shadows. This shoot will help with my final shoot so I can see what type of lighting looks better on a person when the are doing different activities and doing different poses.
Shoot 2 - For my next technical shoot I will be going to Brighton to photograph the scenery, e.g. the pier and the beach. I am going to do this shoot in the late afternoon/early evening. The reason for this soot is to prepare for photographing at darker times of the day in case I need to do my final shoot in the dark. I will experiment using flash and changing my exposures (ISO, aperture, shutter speed).
Shoot 3 - For my third technical experiment I will do a location shoot using fill flash; this will help me learn a new technique that I could potentially use in my final shoot to reduce shadows and brighten the subjects in my images. I will do this shoot around the college campus using my class mates. I have never experimented with fill flash before so this will be something that I am just learning to do.
Shoot 4 - For my final shoot I will be shooting black and white images using a medium format camera. I will do two mini shoots, using letters that I find around college to spell out my name, one being with natural objects (e.g, with plants) and the other with man made objects (e.g, signs). This shoot is to learn more about film photography but it will also help with my final shoot because it is good practise for learning the correct exposures when taking images in natural light, it will also help me practise some basic photography techniques such as compositions, focus and depth of field.
Experimental:
Shoot 1 - For my first experimental shoot, I will experimenting with Photoshop, editing an image of a person to get rid of all their blemishes and to make them look more suitable for what would be put into a glamour magazine. I will also experiment with changing the colour of their eyes, adding accessories and even changing the shape of their face.
Shoot 2 - My second experimental shoot will be incorporated with my final. It will be experimenting with different shutter speeds to ensure the best images for my final shoot. The reason I will need to experiment with shutter speeds is because the subjects of my images will be moving around a lot, and I would like them to be very clear and not blurred. Another reason is because I am doing my shoot late afternoon/early evening and at this time of year it gets dark very quickly. I will need shutter speed to ensure that the lighting in all my images are very similar. This shoot is also going to ensure that all the technical issues that may happen can be resolved before the final shoot.
Shoot 1 - For my first shoot I am going to experiment with different types of lighting. I am going to do this shoot in a studio setting, using soft boxes, reflectors and gels. This experiment is to determine the different types of lighting will work best in a portraiture studio setting and I will also learn how to manipulate and work with shadows. This shoot will help with my final shoot so I can see what type of lighting looks better on a person when the are doing different activities and doing different poses.
Shoot 2 - For my next technical shoot I will be going to Brighton to photograph the scenery, e.g. the pier and the beach. I am going to do this shoot in the late afternoon/early evening. The reason for this soot is to prepare for photographing at darker times of the day in case I need to do my final shoot in the dark. I will experiment using flash and changing my exposures (ISO, aperture, shutter speed).
Shoot 3 - For my third technical experiment I will do a location shoot using fill flash; this will help me learn a new technique that I could potentially use in my final shoot to reduce shadows and brighten the subjects in my images. I will do this shoot around the college campus using my class mates. I have never experimented with fill flash before so this will be something that I am just learning to do.
Shoot 4 - For my final shoot I will be shooting black and white images using a medium format camera. I will do two mini shoots, using letters that I find around college to spell out my name, one being with natural objects (e.g, with plants) and the other with man made objects (e.g, signs). This shoot is to learn more about film photography but it will also help with my final shoot because it is good practise for learning the correct exposures when taking images in natural light, it will also help me practise some basic photography techniques such as compositions, focus and depth of field.
Experimental:
Shoot 1 - For my first experimental shoot, I will experimenting with Photoshop, editing an image of a person to get rid of all their blemishes and to make them look more suitable for what would be put into a glamour magazine. I will also experiment with changing the colour of their eyes, adding accessories and even changing the shape of their face.
Shoot 2 - My second experimental shoot will be incorporated with my final. It will be experimenting with different shutter speeds to ensure the best images for my final shoot. The reason I will need to experiment with shutter speeds is because the subjects of my images will be moving around a lot, and I would like them to be very clear and not blurred. Another reason is because I am doing my shoot late afternoon/early evening and at this time of year it gets dark very quickly. I will need shutter speed to ensure that the lighting in all my images are very similar. This shoot is also going to ensure that all the technical issues that may happen can be resolved before the final shoot.
Unit 11 Evaluation
In this unit I learned about the range of educational and career routes within photography, from further studies at university, to apprenticeships. Overall, it was very helpful to be considering I wasn't quite sure what path I wanted to explore after my college course. After deciding that I wanted to go to university; this unit taught me how to apply and how to write a personal statement in the most effective way, etching me what universities would want to know about me when applying. The thing I found the most difficult about this unit was the process of writing my personal statement. I found it very difficult to put together 4000 words on why I should be accepted to university because I found it hard to sound professional whilst also showing my personality. Eventually, I wrote it and I believe that it turned out very well even though it was very stressful to write and it took me a very long time to perfect it. The thing I struggled with the most was constantly repeating my points and trying not to sound to casual. I also found the grammar quite difficult because I made my sentences too long when writing my first draft and I also used far too many superlatives.
Furthermore, I learnt a lot about careers in photography that I would consider if university doesn't work out for me. These include, apprenticeships, free-lance photography and also going straight into a job. All of these options have positive and negative aspects, from not making a lot of money at the beginning to being taught the trade on the job. We also learnt about budgeting and expenses depending on which route we took and the situation of our lifestyle. This was very helpful because it showed me what was financially important when living independently .
In conclusion, this unit was very helpful when it came to my future, even though it wasn't the most interesting, I did learn a lot of useful information about progression routes and budgeting that I know will be very helpful in my future.
Furthermore, I learnt a lot about careers in photography that I would consider if university doesn't work out for me. These include, apprenticeships, free-lance photography and also going straight into a job. All of these options have positive and negative aspects, from not making a lot of money at the beginning to being taught the trade on the job. We also learnt about budgeting and expenses depending on which route we took and the situation of our lifestyle. This was very helpful because it showed me what was financially important when living independently .
In conclusion, this unit was very helpful when it came to my future, even though it wasn't the most interesting, I did learn a lot of useful information about progression routes and budgeting that I know will be very helpful in my future.
Tuesday, 13 December 2016
Personal Statement First Draft
I have been doing photography for 5 years, initially when I started it was just a hobby, however, during my time in education I fell in love with photography, and when I realised you could get a career in the subject I was hooked. I've experimented with a lot of different genres of photography, and I really enjoy both action and documentary photography, which I hope to expand my knowledge on, by going to university. I know that I'm capable for a photography course because I am excited about learning new skills and techniques that I will be able to apply to my career after I graduate.
I believe that University is the best option to pursue a successful career in photography, it will teach me to be more creative when photographing all whilst expanding my knowledge on my analytical and theoretical skills. My long term career goal is to be either working free-lance or to become a photojournalist for a successful documentary or travel organisation such as 'National Geographic', travelling the world and experiencing different environments and cultures. I love to follow the news, and big events that are going on local to me, not only do I find it extremely interesting, I also love capturing moments that are in a natural setting. However, I do also enjoy working with a professional studio and that is definitely something that I would like to learn more about because I understand the potential of amazing photographs that can only be taken in that setting. Another branch of photography I really enjoy is film photography but again, I would love to learn more techniques when it comes to using SLR's and dark rooms. I have done various shoots in college using SLR camera and I have really enjoyed learning about a skill that is not so widely used nowadays.
From GCSE up to now, I have been lucky enough to go on some amazing school/college trips, including visits to galleries, days out in London and Cambridge, and next year I am going to Iceland with Harlow College. I love exploring new places and learning new things so going on trips is a wonderful experience, and all the trips I will go on in the future will definitely be beneficial. I really enjoy visiting museums and art gallery's in my spare time as it really inspires me to look at other photographers or artists work, which has a massive influence on my photography.
Throughout my years of studying photography I have also tried my best to gain as much experience in the industry, I have worked with local bands, producing both portraits and live events. A couple of months ago, I got the opportunity to work with the BBC on the set of 'It's Not Rocket Science', my brief was to take images of the set so that the set designer could use it for his portfolio. More recently, I was commissioned to photograph an event with the local MP. These experiences have taught be to be a more confident photographer and showed me photography techniques and life skills that are very important in the industry.
I am a social butterfly, I enjoy going to gigs and festivals and I love exploring new places with family and friends, my photography definitely reflects my interests and hobbies. Music photography is a big part of what I love and every event I go to I will take some pictures both for the wonderful memories they hold and to expand my portfolio. In my spare time I am also a massive fan of watching documentaries and reading about recent news on different websites and social media. I truly believe that documentary photography is very important in all aspects of life, as it helps people understand what is going on around the world and it makes people aware of both the terrible and amazing things that are happening from war to crime to revolution. It can educate and inspire people to change their opinions and even their lifestyle. It is such a powerful form of media which it why I am so excited to learn more about the photography industry and the expertise that will make my photography very successful.
I believe that University is the best option to pursue a successful career in photography, it will teach me to be more creative when photographing all whilst expanding my knowledge on my analytical and theoretical skills. My long term career goal is to be either working free-lance or to become a photojournalist for a successful documentary or travel organisation such as 'National Geographic', travelling the world and experiencing different environments and cultures. I love to follow the news, and big events that are going on local to me, not only do I find it extremely interesting, I also love capturing moments that are in a natural setting. However, I do also enjoy working with a professional studio and that is definitely something that I would like to learn more about because I understand the potential of amazing photographs that can only be taken in that setting. Another branch of photography I really enjoy is film photography but again, I would love to learn more techniques when it comes to using SLR's and dark rooms. I have done various shoots in college using SLR camera and I have really enjoyed learning about a skill that is not so widely used nowadays.
From GCSE up to now, I have been lucky enough to go on some amazing school/college trips, including visits to galleries, days out in London and Cambridge, and next year I am going to Iceland with Harlow College. I love exploring new places and learning new things so going on trips is a wonderful experience, and all the trips I will go on in the future will definitely be beneficial. I really enjoy visiting museums and art gallery's in my spare time as it really inspires me to look at other photographers or artists work, which has a massive influence on my photography.
Throughout my years of studying photography I have also tried my best to gain as much experience in the industry, I have worked with local bands, producing both portraits and live events. A couple of months ago, I got the opportunity to work with the BBC on the set of 'It's Not Rocket Science', my brief was to take images of the set so that the set designer could use it for his portfolio. More recently, I was commissioned to photograph an event with the local MP. These experiences have taught be to be a more confident photographer and showed me photography techniques and life skills that are very important in the industry.
I am a social butterfly, I enjoy going to gigs and festivals and I love exploring new places with family and friends, my photography definitely reflects my interests and hobbies. Music photography is a big part of what I love and every event I go to I will take some pictures both for the wonderful memories they hold and to expand my portfolio. In my spare time I am also a massive fan of watching documentaries and reading about recent news on different websites and social media. I truly believe that documentary photography is very important in all aspects of life, as it helps people understand what is going on around the world and it makes people aware of both the terrible and amazing things that are happening from war to crime to revolution. It can educate and inspire people to change their opinions and even their lifestyle. It is such a powerful form of media which it why I am so excited to learn more about the photography industry and the expertise that will make my photography very successful.
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