Final touches

Made some final alterations to my photos this morning, did my test strip and now printing out my first set of prints  . . . wish me luck!

Final touchhes

set back

So waking up with a migraine on Monday set me back a little, (I suffer from extreme migraines that put me out the majority of the day & the med's I have for it make you drowsy and knock me out so either way I lose) This is just a frustration blog, now its a late night and early morning. I printed out some cheap copies of my photos now back to edit . . .

Funny Food Art

So close

I am now in the editing phase! The scenes they were greatly time consuming, as well making myself a little sick from chewing all this gum for one of them, but I really enjoyed doing them. Exploring the different lighting to make the scenes and ways of making objects. Printing this coming week and hopfully can make it to an art exhibit this weekend I have been itching to see some art.

Heres a lil Iphone photo of my first real set up. I added some lighting and other elements not shown here. Im looking forward to the rest!

Round 2

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Good Stuff

http://www.schattenkerk.nl/index.html

Wednesday . . .suggestions please!

So I am still trying out more ideas and trying to expand, I am having a difficult time getting farther nothing I am trying out I am excited by. I will have some more photo snapshots to post later tonight. I would love any suggestions!

Thanks

test session 1

Here are photos from my first tests.  It is pretty much snapshots of some ideas and different ways I may want to go with my project.  These are not congruent just feeling out which way to go and the very minimal of those.  Let me know any suggestions I am not sure where to go from here but just more shooting.

Looking at more work

I been looking at some more stuff , I came upon photographer Olivia Jeczmyk. 

Tim Walker

So I have been looking for some more inspirations for all my work in general.  I stumbled upon Time Walker, I have known of his work before but never really researched it.  I  love the strangeness of his scenery and models together.  It can go with my want for shooting a more strange, quirky scene for my next project as well as my interest in a fashion style of photography.  Deff a style I enjoy in fashion.

new project description

Project name: 

 made scenes/object

Description:

I want to work with the idea of items out of there normal context of use. It being either as simple as a misplaced style of scene or whole set ups of scenes changing a perception of the items.  Meaning to be a more upbeat, quirky way of portraying these scenes or object.  Something light hearted, yet maybe even strange.

Conceptual Concerns:

My concern is not being able to keep a fun and quirky feeling to it, as well as it pushing over to  it just being dumb instead of clever.

Technical Skill: 

The technical set up of the objects will be something that I am concerned and looking forward to.  Correct lighting to portray these scene correctly.

Formal Guidelines:

3-6 photos 

between 8x10 & 16x24

Artistic References:

David Shrigley

Irene Cecile

Readings:

Possibly book on arrangement

Grade:

Conceptual idea came through

Technically

Goal List:

Learn new lighting technique

Set up of small scence and sets

Things are slowly moving along

I have looked at some artists and am starting to get some ideas flowing.  I have found some photos by David Shrigley (thanks Kyle) that seem to head me in a good direction. 

I also found the work of Irene Cecile that was an inspiring start.

I like the strangeness of these photos as well as the quirkiness of the video's on eatpes.com

I want to have an end result of photographs that give a strange and funny quirk to them, hopefully I am starting in the right direction.  I am going to try a different route that I usually do and just start shooting some simple things first and see where it takes me . . . scary!

Oh boo

I feel pretty lost, I mean I have an idea but just in general I feel lost. Like I have to grow up and somehow get paid doing what I do scary and over whealming!  I want this next project to be something I normally dont do.

Troubled, suggestions please?

I am having troubles with deciding things for my next project description.  I like the idea of funny scenarios of fairy tale characters in real life situations ( being drunk slutty ect.) but I also wanted to work with the idea of using items or food in funny situations. I dont like the idea of them in the fairy tale scene but something like peanuts getting drunk or tater tots doing drugs.  Fashion them of course to look as they are alive.  I dont want to work with actual people in these situations.  Im not sure if any of this is making sense just spouting off ideas but if anyone has suggestions please fell free, lil stumped at where to go from here.

Next Project

I am not sure what angle I want to go exactly?  Either continue and perfect my fairy tale project, but I honestly don't like to re-shoot, especially if I like my initial outcome, but may want to explore farther.  I also kinda of want to do something more up lifting and funny, maybe keeping the fairy tale theme but make it the reality version, bright contrast colors and the character in there drunk and slutty scenarios.

I like to learn something new or expand what I already do in this next project but not sure how to come about that.

Evaluation

Strengths:

Researching is a strength i normally have in all my work.  I enjoy the process of looking at other artists, reading related materials and making my idea stronger.  Ideas don't always come me me right away but looking at materials and going to gallery's, any kind of inspiration usually starts me in the right direction.  Processing out my steps is also something that helps and I am good at, I take many notes to help me through to fine tune my ideas.  I even take notes on exact locations, lighting angels and props I will be using it is all the process in how I work.

Weakness:

My weakness is defiantly tyring to start shooting, I enjoy it but I have to be complete with my research and process before I even start. I can never usually just go out and shoot to start a project.  I even sometimes procrastinate the shooting, I am not sure why?  I do get excited to shoot but that effort to go and just do it takes me little more.  I guess I have to feel that my idea is exact, even though sometimes shooting helps me realize something needs to change and I must re shoot.   But days I don't feel in the ready shooting mood and I don't feel things come out right when I am like that.

Resolving:

If I create more of a structured time line for my self, setting specific dates to start shooting by and start editing it seems to help the situation a bit more. Not spending too much time on the exact details may also have a different outcome of my work possibly in a good way.  A definite structure with my own due dates will help the process along.

Next Draft:

I start by listing out things of interest, and inspirations I have had lately and start to research them.  Looking at artists other work, going to gallery's and reading helps with this, at times just what is happening to me in the moment is often how I get my topic.  After I have my topic I look at works and readings that are specifically geared towards it.  I draft out the ideas to portray my topic, look at all forms of is from a fine art perspective to a editorials perspective.  I write out my details of how to show it, locations, shoot details, specific looks, if I want it to be a narrative or something completely different ect.. 

Mon work day

Finally in the print stage! It came out well not exactly how I wanted to now making some changes and going for round two. Looking forward to seeing everyone work.

peace out!

Edit Edit Edit

So yesterday (WED) and today I have been pretty much just going through lots images and editing my choices.  Thought I would take a break to write my blog.  Things are coming out like I hoped (so far), getting a little frustrated at my schedule and trying to make time to finally get to editing.  Hope to be done tomorrow so I can get some printing started.  Hope everyone else is having fun with there projects!

Muted Fashion Effect

So I found a tutorial to give a cool muted/bleached out look while keeping wanted colors.

I started with this image [Not mine, Found on the Internet]

The first step is to make a copy of that background layer and desaturated it, I used hue/saturation and took all saturation out, and labeled that layer BW to keep things in order. Also lighting up the photo a bit in curves to bring out some details may help for a better look.

- BW LAYER

Next I made another copy of the original background and put it on top of all layers and put it on the soft light mode and labeling it soft light helps for neatness and confusion.

It gives a cool look and you can take down the opacity if wanted for desired look.

-SOFT LIGHT

You can just stop there or you can take it a step further by keeping those colors bright and funky. You can do a mask to bring out those color or you can boost it up by creating a color balance layer, put them at the extreme max of wanted colors, click ok and put it on the soft light mode as well. (this is now the top layer)

-Image after Color balance/Soft light

Now you make one more copy of the original photo and put it on the Overlay mode, the look similar but the next step where it comes together.

-Overlay

Lastly make a layer mask on your last overlay layer, invert it (on this particular picture you do, some you don't have to invert depending the look you want) in the mask paint white the colors you want to pop more, you may also turn down to the desired opacity. . . . this is the result.

-Final Product

Once you get it down its pretty simple to give a fashion style muted look with a lil pop!

You can find the tutorial on lynda.com for a more in depth step by step.

My Wednesday progress

So I finally got to my first final shoot, it went better than I thought.  The lighting seemed to work out well and my model was great. Now looking to start the editing and finish the rest of the shooting Saturday.  The mix of blue gels and ambient lighting is coming out well, one downfall is I wish I was able to shoot a little earlier in the day but doing well figuring out everyone schedules with mine, looking forward to the rest!

 

Randomly found this you tube video, its sand art on projection.  Its an old video but I thought it was pretty sweet!

Testing Out!

So I tested some lighting out again and think I found what I want. I will be using some areas around my place that seem to work great. I will be shooting a lil more during the day so there will be a more contrast with natural light coming in with the shots in the room. Check it out!

Working it out, I think? & White Balancing

So this past week I have had some issues that have set me back a bit.  My goldilocks died her hair and cut it so cant really have a brunette golidlocks, fortunatly I found another lovley lady to do it.  I have been having second thoughts of my locations, so I am going to try to test out the areas again,  its just my un-healthy anal retentiveness.  The fashion style costumes I wanted to use have been all sent off to be sold a week sooner than I expected.   So today I searched around vintage stores and such to try to put some fable/fantasy like clothing but with still a fashion sense.  I am not a fan on shopping I can barley dress myself let alone others but I don't think I did too bad!

Dates with models are now set, lil less to worry about.

I have been checking some stuff out about white balancing off of your camera. I found a site or blog that was quite helpful in explaining all aspects and proper times to use custom setting ect.. they give examples shots and were quite helpful. You can check it out here

Readings

As part of my research for my idea I have been reading the classic versions of fairy tales, fables and child psychology books. I found it very interesting in society on how we changed the original stories to be less harsh, yet other aspects that were once censored are now the norm. Before it was not allowed to show Elvis Presley dancing from the hips down, thats nothing compared to what we can put on TV now. Yet old fairy tales were much more dark and grim than they are now. An example would be Little Red Riding Hood, the original story at the end of this child's tale tells how the wolf's head was chopped off and he was gutted to let grandma out, then it goes right into the "they lived happily ever after". Hansel and Gretel's story at the end where they kill the evil lady and their stepmother dies is written with more detail than stories now.

I also been looking at some videos of the stories as well, I can upon an older cartoon of Little Red Riding Hood, but she was older and sexy. I miss the old school cartoons . . . classic!

New toys!

So been sick since Sunday and it is ruining my timing, but this morning I did get to finally get some new toys!  I got a new flash and some set up accessories for making a easy portable lighting system, also ordered a new lens but wont be in till tomorrow . . . I now need to pick up some more shifts at work . .oops!

For my project I want evening light so later on today and this weekend I will be testing out some lighting situation for my shoot, playing with the combination of ambient light.

Check out Strobist.com , if you have not yet. There are many great tips and ideas to work with lighting.

Currently there is a exhibition at the Fahey/Klein gallery in LA featuring Nick Brandt who has some amazing black and white photos of wild life. Check it out!

 http://www.faheykleingallery.com/

Project Description

Project Name:
A Childhood "Fairytale"
Description:
I will be having adult women partaking in remakes of fairy tale stories. Not wanting it to be completly narrative I will be using a combination of a slight narratives and surrealistic styles with a twist showing not all childhoods are all fairy tales. Most will be shot outdoors, mostly in a muted pallet. These adult women will still be shown as sexual beings in a fashion light but twisted in the art and fantasy of a childs mind.
Conceptual Concerns:
My biggest concern is keeping the right balance of a twisted childhood and a sexual woman with in an artistic as well as a slight fashion view.
Technical Skills Covered:
Using lighting in an outdoor environment
Use of gels and mixed lighting
Precise printing process
Photo shop Skills
Formal Guidelines:
3-6 Photos
11x14 or bigger
Artistic References:
Miles Aldridge
Aneta Kowakzyk
Tom Chambers
Readings:
Child theories and Development
Children Fair tales and Fables
Grade
Conceptual idea and follow through
Technical skill
Goal List:
Master outdoor shooting with strobe
Better understand mixed lighting
Able to combine my art within a fashion style shoot.

Research Research Research!

So mostly been researching childhood fairy tales and fables.  I also have a child phycology book I have not had a chance to look into yet.  Hopefully will be done with the research this week, so next I can scout out areas and take some test shots next week. Trying to be very thorough which I usually don't do, but have a limited time with the models. I am meeting with a photographer friend of mine Friday to go through some lighting set ups and ideas.  I want a very surreal type lighting just need some hints to perfect it.

Idea's are flowing . . . suggestions?

Went to the Downtown Art Walk this thursday and saw some great pieces. I have also been looking at some artist online.  I want to play with the ideas of innocence and naivety in children but also like the idea of using adult women dressed and acting in a child's manner.  I want the color to be a muted to give a hollow feeling. 

I know this is all random but I am hoping to get some suggestions and pull the ideas together 

to actually make sense.

I have been looking at some of Miles Aldridge's work and Tom Chambers as inspiration of tonal ranges.

Chambers-

Before & After Image

This is the beginning image, I actually wanted to keep a bit of a blue cast, but looking back I feel I could tone it down a bit, as well as having a bit of the shadows lost on the door.

I added green to take down the intensity of the blue, as well as bringing the highlights down & shadows up, so the detail was not so lost.

More Helmut Newton

Here are some more works of Helmut Newton, my favorites are his works  "Domestic Nudes

Color Evaluation

Recently I have been introduced to the work of Helmut Newton, who mostly shot post-war fashion photography & died in 2004 in his eighties. I enjoy his ideals of bringing a dark artistic side into his fashion work.  He did a lot of ambiguous & narrative themes which involved eroticism, as well as a lot of nudes.  Most of his work is in black and white but there are a few in color.

In this particular photograph there is an overall green cast, not just including the green surroundings, but there skin tones as well.  Also the highlights and shadows are clipped losing there detail, yet I enjoy the look and feel it gives to the photograph.  It helps progress the feeling of what is actual happening in the photo.