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.