JR Chronicles-Saatchi Gallery
JR Portrait Of A Generation 2004-2006
Who Is JR?
JR is a French photographer and street artist whose identity is unconfirmed and not displayed to the public. He creates large black and white photographic images in open areas. He began his career as a graffiti artist, who targeted locations such as subway trains and roof tops. When he turned seventeen, he began applying photocopies of his pictures to the the outdoors, creating 'illegal sidewalk gallery exhibitions'. JR wanted to bring art into the street. His goal was to rectify the media coverage of those in the French riots between 2004 and 2006.
''In the street, we reach people who never go to museums''
What Were JR's intentions?
JR used a 28mm wide angle lens to capture the spirit of the faces of Israelis and Palestinians. He turned this into street art by hanging the images on the sides of buildings, roof tops and even trains. He made the faces seen in a more human light, in contrast to the ways the media portrayed them. As well as confronting the public audience they also engaged viewers with a new insight to the lives of both Palestinians and Israeli's in the conflict. JR's ambition was to combine powerful social statements through large portraits. He is an activist for women's rights, peace and equality, all of which are embedded in his works.
What Happened In 2005 That Made JR Take These Pictures?
In November 2005 the deaths of two teenage boys who were hiding from the police in an electricity substation triggered riots which broke out in Les Boquets, it rapidly spread through the city and caused an outbreak of disturbance and rioting to the environment. The media captured these scenes through showing reckless kids throwing cocktails, attacking cops and firemen as well as looting anything they could find. In 2006, JR returned to the district and began a project with the young people of Les Bosquetes. Furthermore, in 2005 later that year, he took another trip, this time to Israel and Palestine and began a similar project.
What Wider Context Was JR Addressing?
The artist first found fame in 2004 as he began publicizing portraits of disenfranched, poor kids from the Parisian suburbs in a series he named 'Portrait Of A Generation'. A lot of the kids in which JR focused on came from an area called Le Bosquets, which was a social housing estate on the on the Northeast edge of the city. The portraits were of pairs of people, one Israeli and one Palestinian who lived on opposite sides of the wall but had the same job, these varied from athletes to artists to doctors and religious leaders. It was considered the largest illegal photography exhibition that was ever made in Israel, these ran across eight cities including Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ramallah.
How Has JR's Work Inspired Me + How Have I Responded?
JR's work has been influential and helped the world see a conflict from a more human, emotional perspective than a violent, hateful war. His powerful story telling abilities and willingness to question power and big institutions led him to major exhibitions and exposure in multiple countries. I have responded by taking eight-ten pictures in the same format that JR photographed close up and intimate shots of people's faces. I have then gone on to blow the picture up in bigger size and hang them around different areas of the school. Some of the themes he covers are commitment, freedom, limit and identity.
How Does This Link To The Theme Of Fragments?
JR links to the fragments theme as he creates collages of people in a way that the media couldn't represent, my response reflects the fragments theme by using The Rasterbator which will turn faces into polka dots.
Task
Take eight pictures of your partner with different facial expressions.
JR: My Response: The Process
Step 1:
Step 1: Using the Rastebator website I was able to turn the images into black and white dots. This is the home page.
Step 2:
Step 2: I uploaded the picture from my files that I intended to use and downloaded it where I could see the preview photo.
Step 3:
Step 3: I was required to change the picture from a4 to the size a3, use portrait, add a 10mm margin to each side, overlap the pages by 5mm and have an output size of 2 sheets.
Step 4:
Step 4: I had the option of three different types of rasterbation effect and was required to choose the black and white filter.
Step 5:
Step 5: I could select the inner colour as black, white or multicolour and was required to choose black. The background colour is also white.
Step 6:
Step 6: This is the image that the website formed after I selected the black and white theme.
Step 7:
Step 7: In order to complete the two page poster I had to select the 10mm grid size, cropping out marks and a 0-100% of the grid size.
Step 8:
Step 8: Click on the 'complete 2 page posters' button and the file will download. This was the final step before it was printed and I could hang the image around the school.
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A white backdrop
- Good window lighting
- A model for the pictures
JR: My Response (Unedited)
JR: My Response (Edited)
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: I have placed the picture in multiple locations, up close and far away.
EBI: The image itself had a few issues with the glue and so the picture sometimes doesn't look secure and was about to fall off the surfaces.
EBI: The image itself had a few issues with the glue and so the picture sometimes doesn't look secure and was about to fall off the surfaces.
What Composition Techniques Have Been Used?
- Balance: Has not been used much
- Layers: Has not been featured much but sometimes the picture is layered over another object for instance the wire
- Triangle: Has not beem used
- Rule Of Thirds: Has occasionally been used where some of the images are more centered to the right or left
Task 2
To take home the portrait of yourself and photograph it in different places around your area, at home or in local places.
JR: My Second Response (Unedited)
Image 1: This image was taken on a light blue background, the image isn't completely straight but the lighting is good
Image 2: This picture has been taken with a dark oak wood surface, I think it made the outcome of the photo look brighter and more effective.
Image 3: This image has layers of dark blue and a lighter blue on a rug, the lighting is also quite bright and the picture has been placed off to the side instead of centrally.
Image 5: There is a colourful diamond shaped background with reds, pinks and yellows. I think the brightness and exposure of this picture is a little too high.
Image 6: There is another dark, wooden background. I think this image has better lighting and it's capturing the background with the image in the center.
Image 7: Quite bright lighting that I had to edit so the exposure was less, the picture is now hung on a turquoise wall. Some of the picture has gotten scrunched up so it's not completely straight.
JR: My Second Response (Edited)
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: There was a range of different backgrounds, different types of black and white editing and close up and far away. Also lightings have remained quite similar throughout the photoshoot.
EBI: Sometimes the photo is noticeably scrunched up and it was hard to keep the images hung on the wall with just blue tac.
EBI: Sometimes the photo is noticeably scrunched up and it was hard to keep the images hung on the wall with just blue tac.
What Compositional Techniques Have Been Used?
Balance: Not much balance has been used in these pictures, occasionally I have tried to balance the picture in the middle of the frame
Layers: There are no layers in this photoshoot
Triangles: TRiangles Haven't been used in this photoshoot
Rule Of Third: Sometimes the picture is cornered off on to the side using the rule of third
Layers: There are no layers in this photoshoot
Triangles: TRiangles Haven't been used in this photoshoot
Rule Of Third: Sometimes the picture is cornered off on to the side using the rule of third
Gordon Magnin
Gordon Magnin is a Nevada based photographer that specializes in scans, collage and other altered images. His work has been featured in multiple prints and online publications'. Furthermore his work was used in New American Paintings. As well as this he completed a cover and opener illustration for Bloomsberg Business Week and the New York Times. Magnin holds a Masters Degree in architecture and a bachelors of science in engineering. He also completed his education at the Mountain School of Arts in Chinatown in Los Angeles in 2008. The photographer has expanded his work into books, starting with 'The age of collage' in 2015, 'Cutting Edges' contemporary collage in 2011 and 'Doppleganger: The Image Of Human Beings' also released in 2011. he has exhibited multiple times in Southern California and New York City.
''This work represents a continuing series of imposed abstractions through the mediums of collage and photography. Found images, originally intended to direct and control public perception, consumer activity, and self image are modified to create a sense of ambiguity to heighten mystery and defy closure''
Gordon Magnin's Work
What Were Gordon Magnin's Intentions?
Gordon challenged, 'the intended objective, interpretation and significance of advertising, celebrity and consumer based images.' His work is a representation of imposed abstractions through photography and collage. The reasoning behind this was to direct and control public perception, consumer activity and self image to make the subject of the picture appear mysterious and distorted. He says that he's 'interested in the weight of pure geometric forms and patterns, in a shape that can hold and imply meaning especially when combined with images.
What Wider Context Was Gordon Magnin Addressing?
He likes working in a formulaic repetitive operation similar to how computer programmes function, for example photoshop. In an interview Gordon Magnin says he feels his work is reactionary because of systems that try to market products with 'beautiful women' and Magnin's work is an attempt at modifying these images of consumption and creating a 'disfigured woman'. He says this represents how once women are tweaked and designed to look a certain way it steers away from a natural and realistic picture. This feeds into Magnin describing his work as feminist because it's freeing the idea that a n image of a supermodel is being changed to what it really is, consumerism.
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- Good lighting
- A model to use for pictures
- A white backdrop
- Different angles of the model's face
Gordon Magnin: My Response (Unedited)
Gordon Magnin: My Response (Edited)
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: I managed to capture a range of facial expressions and lighting, also editing the pictures into photoshop.
EBI: I need to improve my editing skills on photoshop, navigating the different tools on there and following the steps on the tutorial.
EBI: I need to improve my editing skills on photoshop, navigating the different tools on there and following the steps on the tutorial.
What Composition Techniques Have Been Used?
- Balance: There isn't much balanced used but the model is almost always in the centre of the frame
- Layers: There is no layering involved in this photoshoot
- Triangle: In the photoshopped edit triangles have been used but not in the unedited pictures
- Rule Of Third: No rule of third applied
Task
Take 20 portraits of someone at home - plain background, a strong light source, close up.
Gordon Magnin: Homework Response
Gordon Magnin: Edited Homework Response
Third Response
Evaluation: How Have I Developed My Photoshoots?
I tried to get more natural lighting since the homework response had a yellow lighting and was taken later in the day, the third response has day time lighting and looks more natural. I've also used two people to be in the photoshoot like the homework response.
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: A lot of pictures have been taken with different angles and I have used more than one person to capture different facial features
EBI: The lighting isn't the strongest in these photos and more edited pictures
EBI: The lighting isn't the strongest in these photos and more edited pictures
What Compositional Techniques Have Been Used?
Balance: I have tried using different angles, not all the pictures are perfectly balanced
Layers: There are no layers in the original pictures but in the edited version there is a use of layers
Triangles: There is no use of triangles in this photoshoot
Rule Of Third: There is no use of this technique in this photoshoot
Layers: There are no layers in the original pictures but in the edited version there is a use of layers
Triangles: There is no use of triangles in this photoshoot
Rule Of Third: There is no use of this technique in this photoshoot
Kehinde Wiley
Kehinde Wiley is an American portrait photographer that is widely known for his naturalistic paintings of African Americans. The main subject of his paintings focus on young black men and women in the traditional settings of classic old master paintings. Wiley was born on February 28th 1977 in Los Angeles, California. The artists childhood experiences were enriched by his mother's passion for education. By age 11, Kehinde started art classes at California State University, and just one year later attended a six week art program. In 1999 he earned a bachelors degree in Fine arts and at the School Of Art. Some other accomplishments Wiley has made in his career include collaborating with Brooklyn Museum of Art to organize his personal exhibition reflecting on his journey called ' Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic'. Furthermore in 2014 was the recipient of the 2014 National Medal of Arts. It eventually led to president Barack Obama selecting Wiley to paint his official portrait for the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.
'What is portraiture? It's choice. It's the ability to position your body in the world of for the world to celebrate you on your own terms."
Kehinde Wiley's Work
What Were Kehinda Wiley's Intentions?
Wiley explains that his main objective is to 'create paintings that are mysterious and snarky' but he also wanted to 'make paintings that are sincere and change the world'. We can learn that there is hidden meaning embedded in all his works, for example the flowers in the background portrait of Barack Obama were specifically chosen for the shoot, they're from Hawaii, Kenya and Indonesia. as well as the state flower of Chicago. Kehinday said that 'it all kind of gives you a sense of space and place and his trajectory', he went on to say 'I think for many people it was a little bit jarring to see his image peering through the fields of Florida. But there was a method to the madness.' This adds more detail and intricacy to his art as you're expected to find the symbols and secret signs within his paintings and what deeper meanings could be found.
What Wider Context Was Kehinde Wiley Addressing?
Since the early 2000's, Wiley has been recruiting black individuals to replicate the mainly white-dominated history of Western portraiture. He achieves this by casting them in specific poses derived from originally renaissance and old master paintings of military leaders, prophets, saints and kings. Even the titles are of similar name to the original works, for instance ''Napoleon Leading The Army Over The Alps''. His paintings are full of colour, interplay of cultures and the presentation of each character in his pictures are often shown to be wearing hip-hop fashion or designer gowns. They also mimic aristocratic women in iconic paintings from masterworks of African Culture. The decorative patterns in the background of each image are drawn from multiple cultures, British Arts & Crafts designs and African-inspired Dutch-wax resist fabrics. Although some of his images are as big as bill boards, others are only small-scale portraits of young black men on gold leaf, and others in sturdy wooden frames with doors.
Task
Find a famous painting or photograph and take a series of photos of your model, someone at home or a friend in that specific pose.
My Chosen Photographer: Wladyslaw T. Benda
Wladyslaw T. Benda
Wladyslaw T. Benda was a graphic artist, painter, illustrator and designer. W.T studied art at the krakow college in Poland and at the school Of Fine Arts in Austria. In 1899, he came to the United States. Just three years later he moved again from California to New York City to attend the 'Art Students League Of New York'. He illustrated many magazines, books, short stories and even advertising copy. Benda's luxurious women he painted encapsulated the look of the 'American Girl' in the 1920's and 30's but were portrayed as alluring and enigmatic. Proud of his heritage, Benda became closely linked with the Polish-American cultural institution and he went on to design several posters for both America and Poland. At the start of 1914, the artists career progressed into mask aking and costume design. His face masks were commonly seen in theater plays or in masques. They featured in many New York City venues for example the New York Coffee House.
''The figure of WT Benda, and his role in American visual art, shows clearly how effective and creative Polish emigrants can be. And how well they can enrich the culture of their adopted homelands.''
Wladyslaw T. Benda's Work
What Were Wladyslaw T. Benda's Intentions?
After being heavily under the influence of his Auntie, Helena Modjeska, a Polish actress, and living with her for a few years around the early 1900's I believe Wladyslaw would have taken inspiration for some of his works based off what he saw from actresses of the time, and what he was raised with from being around his auntie and other relatives in the industries of glamour and fashion. This is reflected in a lot of his paintings of young women with the old hollywood evening gowns, long bias-cut dresses, slouch hats, curled hairstyles and wavy pixie styled hair.
What Wider Context Was Wladyslaw T. Benda Addressing?
Benda was an expert on the theory of creating masks, which even drove him to publish an entry on the subject for Encyclopedia Britannica. In 1944 he published his book, 'Mask: Step By step' which consisted of a detailed description of the full process of creating theatrical masks as well as the comments on the philosophy behind them, which are still to this day praised and acknowledged by specialists and artists as the most informative source on mask making. Wladyslaw's stardom as a world-class mask creator took him to Hollywood. in 1932, he created the original mask design for the adventure movie 'The Mask of Fu Manchu'. His experience in design was diverse, after the outbreak of World War I, the artist produced several posters that advocated relief efforts for Poland, his homeland.
My Chosen Photo Of Wladyslaw Benda's
What Stands Out About This Painting?
I really enjoyed the illustrative style used in his work and this painting specifically. Wladyslaw's artwork in particular because he also contributed heavily to magazines and books for illustrations. Furthermore, I found out that he created 'modern masks' which were used in dance performances and theater throughout the world. The artist also released the book, 'Masks' in 1944 which were a close study of his own designs and unique construction techniques. Although one of his most iconic paintings, I couldn't find much background context on this image so it stood out because I wondered if the woman was one of his mask designs, a real person, a fictional character from one of his illustrations, or inspiration from a magazine. Benda is also commonly known for creating ''grotesque'' masks which were more fantasy, they have also been described as 'caricature' in nature. This added to the mystery of the woman shown in the picture and what her identity could have been. She is seen with a soft, netural facial expression but very intense blush on her cheeks and bright red lipstick. Her hair was painted with yellows and oranges, dark and light, her complexion is quite pale. The women in his pictures are always young, so the flowers in their hair and floral theme in lots of Wladyslaw's pictures could symbolize that she's unmarried and it adds to the standard 'American Girl' look in 1940's and 50's.
What Is My Photoshoot Plan To Replicate This?
I plan on using a friend to model the picture and use some makeup to achieve the look of excessive blush in the original and lipstick for the bright red. Also to buy some flowers from a headband to use in her hair and have her hands positioned in the same way as the painting. I want the pictures to be taken close and the subject of the picture to be the face and the range of facial expressions. To match the flowers I took the images in a park with trees as a background, but in the process of editing, to mirror Kehinde Wiley's work, the background will be covered.
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- Lipstick to replicate the bright red lips
- A head band with flowers
- Blush
- A model
- Camera
- Different hand movements
Wladyslaw T. Benda: My Response (Unedited)
Wladyslaw T. Benda: My Response (Edited)
What Was The Process Behind The Photos?
Step 1
- Firstly, I selected the background I wanted
- Then I added the original picture to it and cropped it to fit into the frame
- I edited some more using the photoshop tools
Step 2
- My final image is ready to be saved and uploaded
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: A range of backgrounds and a replication of the painting. I managed to convey the similar hand movements and closeness of the image and edit them into photoshop, overlaying and making different patterns the background
EBI: Something I would change is adding a lot more blush and lipstick so the look is more bold and mirrors the original image of Wladyslaw T. Benda's work more accuratley as I think it looks too soft compared with the original
EBI: Something I would change is adding a lot more blush and lipstick so the look is more bold and mirrors the original image of Wladyslaw T. Benda's work more accuratley as I think it looks too soft compared with the original
What Composition Techniques Have Been Used?
- Balance: The photos are quite zoomed in so there's not much balance involved
- Layers: In the edited pictures there's a layered background
- Triangles: There are no use of triangles
- Rule Of Third: There is no rule of third as these are portraiture photos focused on strictly the model
Alma Haser
Who Is Alma Haser?
Alma Haser started working on self portraits and modelling combining photography with collage and origami. Haser comes from an art background and born in Germany. She grew up in a squat with parents that were both full-time artists, which influenced her career in photography. Her style stems from a contemporary approach using techniques associated with craft, like weaving, where the pieces blur distinction between two dimensional and three dimensional imagery. She creates paper folding techniques that make the subject at times unsettling and ominous. Haser completed a photography degree in 2010 and went on to be one of the shortlisted artists for the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize in 2010.
"A photograph is never just a photograph with me. I love making things, so I’ll often add other elements before, during or after taking a picture."
Alma Haser's Photos
What Were Alma Haser's Intentions?
The intention behind Haser's photographs were to expand traditional portraiture and reflect on the worries and concerns of future generations. She stated that she takes her own self portraits before bringing in others to photograph. She made masks of paper flowers and covered her face and disguised herself as she didn't want the pictures to be about herself. This is where her 'cosmic surgery' project took inspiration from. Alma Haser's work is multidimensional and thought provoking, this is illustrated through her folding the photographs into origami shapes or rephotographing them so they have a grainy, delicate and natural texture.
What Wider Context Was Alma Haser Addressing?
Haser's wider context behind the 'Cosmic Surgery' project in particular was to create imagery that has a disconcerting and complex resonance It's made up of three stages that helped achieve the final result. Firstly, Alma photographs the subject and prints several copies of the picture and folds them into an origami structure which gets placed onto the face of the original portrait. The whole process is undergone multiple times. The manipulation of the faces appear futuristic and turn Haser's models into other-wordly creations. By de-facing them she's introducing an alien-like subhuman sculpture.
How Does This Link To The Theme Of Fragments?
Alma Haser's work is fragmenting images of people's face and morphing them into three dimensional versions of themselves, the faces are distorted, hidden, duplicated and this fragments the pictures to create sections and other angles. Sometimes the faces are fragmented into pieces with another object over it.
Alma Haser Photo Analysis
Image 1
What Are My Interpretations And Observations Of This Picture?
The bright yellows of the mans jumper contrasts with the quieter tones of the grey in the background. The paper is ruffled and has distorted the models face to look like its been broken up into parts. It creates a division between the viewer and the model in the photo. This could indicate that he's hiding himself and trying to alter his physical appearance which feeds into the 'Cosmic Surgery' project. He has a serious facial expression that adds to the mystery of the image, he's conveyed almost as a three dimensional figure.
Image 2
What Are My Interpretations And Observations Of This Picture?
This picture really stood out to me because of the neutral tones of the mans shirt and background which initially creates a simple image. The flowers stretch out of his head, some longer than others. These could be a visual representation of human thoughts and the system of the brain. There's lots of crowding and bright colours at the front of the mans head which could symbolize a flow of emotions and thinking, while towards the back there are less flowers, more spaced out from one another and reach higher up that might indicate past thoughts or memories. I like that the colour and attention is instantly drawn to the flowers and help can help you interpret your mind as a piece of nature and something natural and calming rather than overwhelming and stressful. The man is looking away into the distance and looks quite concentrated, perhaps he's daydreaming or just thinking and the flowers represent the activity going on inside his mind.
Image 3
What Are My Interpretations And Observations Of This Picture?
For this picture, the model has his arms in the air and looks quite free almost as if he's dancing. The bold pink flower covering the entirety of his face could be the symbol between human and nature and the connection we have. In contrast to the more neutral facial expressions staring straight ahead at the camera with no other movement in the body and facial changes of folding techniques and origami, this picture depicts a freeing person enjoying themselves. This could communicate to the viewer that being closer to the environment and outer world releases good emotions for people and helps them to be more at peace with themselves. The way the picture is taken is a shallow depth of field as the pictures are taken in a studio. The lighting is quite intense and bright and a striking balance of colours.
Image 4
What Are My Interpretations And Observations Of This Picture?
In this photo the man is wearing a blue shirt with white dots and his hands behind his back. I like the way that there are multiple perspectives of his face and it makes the picture quite intriguing and captivating. His eyes are faced towards the camera looking directly at it, while other versions of himself can be seen smaller and looking into the distance. His hair is also overlapped and on his ear there is a droop making it look as if he's wearing an earring which I thought was a clever trick in the editing process. Seeing multiple views of one person at the same time and features of the face mismatched and rearranged make you pay closer attention to the intricacy of human faces. I like that the model is in a simple position with no movement because it brings the attention to faces and the different ways they can be perceived based on emotions.
Task
Print out the image of your model, make an origami cube of their face and one other type of origami. Place the image on top of the original portrait and experiment with different styles, like Alma Haser.
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A camera
- The original picture of the portrait
- The black and white origami cube
- Natural lighting
Alma Haser: My Response (Unedited)
Alma Haser: My Response (Edited)
What Was The Process Behind The Photos?
Step 1
- I selected a black and white filter for the pictures using photoshop
- I did a small amount of editing on the exposure, contrast and saturation
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: A range of different images using two different styles of origami, I like how they have been positioned on the face of the original picture to distort how the models face looks.
EBI: The origami was hard to do because it was quite fiddly to work with, so the first picture of the edited response doesn't look as good.
EBI: The origami was hard to do because it was quite fiddly to work with, so the first picture of the edited response doesn't look as good.
What Composition Techniques Have Been Used?
- Balance: Occasionally I have tried balancing the origami in the middle of the picture and positioning it over the face
- Layers: The layering between the original picture and the origami cube version is an example of layering
- Triangles: There aren't much use of this composition in this photoshoot
- Rule Of Third: I haven't used the rule of third in these pictures
Fragments Of Buildings
Patrick Cornillet
Who Is Patrick Cornillet?
Patrick Cornillet is a 53 year old painter who works with paintings of detailed and refined realism. He graduated from the Ecole Pivaut in Nantes. The idea surrounding his paintings are detailed realism. Cornillet has several solo shows behind him in Galerie Bertrand In Belgium, Galerie Birthe Laursen in Copenhagen and Galerie Birthe Laursen in Paris. The artist also has made a name for himself in multiple group exhibitions at Espace d’art PASO in France and Collective as well as the Absolute Art gallery in Belgium. Cornillet has won many awards throughout his career for instance: Fondation François Schneider's talent prize in the category painting in 2013. Other projects he's worked on have been representing in a range of collections such as Lefranc-Bourgeois: Le Mans Banque Populaire, Nantes and the Collection ville de Saint-Grégoire.
What Were Patrick Cornillet's Intentions?
Patrick's intentions are to investigate issues concerning picturing and urbanity. The backgrounds of concrete, make us as viewers aware of the wealth of the material and of the remains left by the humans. The shadows, bringing volume and contrast to the scene. I believe he wanted us to seperate buildings, their texture, colour and patterns for their individual design rather than the area they're surrounded in. This helps us to draw our attention and forces us to appreciate the ways buildings can be constructed and seen from a different perspective, the elements of architecture are always taken out of their original environment and the buildings are made the center and focus of the picture to help us think about the beauty in buildings and the art in them on their own, individually.
Patrick Cornillet's Photos
What Wider Context Was Patrick Cornillet Addressing?
The spaces are uninhabited and dehumanized in Patrick Cornillet's paintings, the wider context was to place constructions in empty quiet spaces to urge the viewers to follow these complex structures in search of an exit, but the limitations to these paintings are endless and force you to think about the imaginary space you're trapped in. There's a sense of underlying mystery in the liminal spaces his pictures present, bright colours and minimalistic. An art historian described Cornillet's work as 'a feeling of alienation we feel in front of the work. In a balance between both, the images evoke the ruins of a fallen society or maybe the threatening of a near future. They raise themselves naked like split up skeletons, deprived of their imaginary initial contents but keeping intact their singular mystic. "
How Does This Link To The Theme Of Fragments?
Patrick's work links to fragments as he separates the buildings from their original setting and places them in white backdrops to make them the subject and focus of each image. They're often placed in unnatural settings
Patrick Cornillet Photo Analysis
Image 1
What Are My Interpretations And Observations Of This Picture?
The glum and dark greys and blacks in the background create a mystical, foggy and haunting imagery. To contrast with this there's a bright yellow building, it looks as if it could be a garage. The dimensions of the home are quite unusual and it's placed quite far from the camera, creating a distance and division between the viewer and the subject of the image. It suggests a theme of thriller and darkness, the feeling of a gloomy atmosphere is portrayed through the contradiction of colours. Perhaps the home is haunted or has something in it that lights up the dark surroundings which explain the vivid and boldness of the yellow. The layering of light and dark stood out to me in this photo especially as the door is plain black and through the window is also blacked out. It hints at some secrecy or feeling of alienation.
Image 2
What Are My Interpretations And Observations Of This Picture?
The key feature of this photo that stood out to me was the use of liminal spaces and the blindingly bright lime green used, the stairwells an empty, quiet place and this can sometimes appear eerie. It creates a sense of ambiguity and disorientation which can occur before a moment or during a change. Empty spaces can lack context and interest to people, but the fact that the artist has individually taken a picture of these stairs on its own, start to make us wonder the purpose or why it can make us feel uneasy or unsettled. We usually pass these objects and areas every day in lots of different scenery, but take no notice of it because they help us get from one place to the next so we're not consciously aware of it. Sometimes they feel nostalgic and familiar which creates an emotional space instead of focusing on what's inside the room. They're often hard to locate and transcend time and place which forms an other-worldy sensation to pictures like this.
Task
Take 20 photos of different buildings that you can edit in the same way as Patrick Cornillet
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- Different perspectives of different buildings around school
- A camera
- Strong natural light source
- To be aware of not getting people in the pictures or having objects like trees in the way of the buildings which will make it more challenging to edit out
Patrick Cornillet: My First Response (Unedited)
Patrick Cornillet: My First Response (Edited)
What Was The Process Behind The Photos?
Step 1
Second Response
Evaluation: How Have I Developed My Photoshoots?
I have tried experimenting more with range of building types, different angles and perspectives of those buildings. For instance there's use of churches, long, slim and tall and homes that are wider and contain many windows. I tried including more of an overlapping of other buildings and avoiding people in the pictures. I also tried to not include any bushes or trees, although it was difficult as the location the pictures were taken in had lots.
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: I have experimented with a range of different buildings and used different perspectives and angles.
EBI: Sometimes trees or a person or a branch has been included, the angles are slightly off and some of the pictures will be quite hard to edit because of the complexity of the buildings.
EBI: Sometimes trees or a person or a branch has been included, the angles are slightly off and some of the pictures will be quite hard to edit because of the complexity of the buildings.
What Compositional Techniques Have Been Used?
Balance: This has been used in some of the pictures with buildings of either side of the image so it looks balanced
Layers: I have tried avoiding any layering in this photoshoot
Triangles: This hasn't been used much in this photoshoot
Rule Of Third: This technique has been used quite a bit in this photoshoot because the subject of the images is often placed in the left or right hand side, leaving the other two thirds more open
Layers: I have tried avoiding any layering in this photoshoot
Triangles: This hasn't been used much in this photoshoot
Rule Of Third: This technique has been used quite a bit in this photoshoot because the subject of the images is often placed in the left or right hand side, leaving the other two thirds more open
Mauren Brodbeck
Mauren Brodbeck is a Swiss multisensory artist and songwriter, who uses visual and auditory pieces of work to create unexpected, mesmerizing and alluring reinterpretations of every-day objects and moments. . Brodbeck's arts education began at the Collège de Saussure in Geneva, where she focused on the visual arts-drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, and videography. After graduation, she moved to the Pacific West Coast for several years, first attending the Vancouver Film School in Canada for a diploma in film production, and then going on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Southern California. As a student at ArtCenter, she gained international attention when her work was selected for inclusion in the inaugural "reGeneration, 50 Photographers of Tomorrow" which was an international exhibition in Switzerland. From there, The public recognition she gained led to a solo exhibition with the J.J. Heckenhauer gallery, representation with the Lumas Editions Gallery, and multiple features in a number of Art Fairs, for example Photo Miami, Paris Photo, and the Berliner Liste. Her accomplishments range from presenting series of self-portraits taken in Hollywood motels to group exhibitions, travelling the globe from Germany to India, to conducting scripting and coloring of collective environments.
What Were Mauren Brodbeck's Intentions?
Mauren Brodbeck herself explains that her art is meant to ''invite her audience to step outside their safe and familiar realities and reconsider their relationships with the people and environments around them.'' She photographed a variety of buildings in Los Angeles and Geneva which occupy no space in the perception of the general public, they're so unimposing and looked past that their existence is doubtful and questionable. Because we tend to walk past these sights and take no special notice of them they're already removed from our memories which leave a mental blank canvas. I believe Brodbeck's intentions were to change the way in which we've adapted to our perceptions being fragmented and splintered in view of the daily impressions of the masses. Through these neon colour placements on the buildings photographed, we are now tackling the mental blank and replacing it with a new consciousness, appreciation and awareness of architecture and urban constructions. Her work is multi form and confined to certain places, which she says makes life interesting and full and therefore she utilizes this in her photography by blending culture and genre.
What Wider Context Was Mauren Brodbeck Addressing?
In an interview with a magazine, Brodbeck highlighted her inspiration deriving from the banality of every day life and how they clash from what comes inside of her. The duality of the inner and outer world is something that has drawn Mauren to create more. She explained that she feels time is paused when she creates because there's a certain awareness to the present and the 'now' because magical things happen in the present when time is on a hold. Her aim is to use all her senses and feel, hear and see reality and go beyond that to explore life and our relationship with it. Growing up, she lived in many different countries such as SWitzerland, Canada, USA and Germany. This helped develop her creative growth because she was exposed to many perspectives and openness to life. For instance the art for those cultures influenced her to have a strong relationship with them. Her cultural background plays a vital role in her design, art, music, cinema and literature. Brodbeck was also influenced by a lot of the French Novuelle Vague, 80's pop culture and movements in art. She also reflected on how music was a fatal aspect of her life and how she sees colours as she hears music.
Mauren Brodbeck's Photos
Task
Take 20 images inspired by Mauren Brodbeck, buildings with context and a background, preferably no people or trees covering the buildings. Take images of specifically buildings that are forgettable, pictures from an angle and ideally not straight on and a sense of distance established in the pictures.
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A camera
- Buildings that look forgettable and are quite 'plain'
- Strong light source
- Context for the pictures
- Photos to be taken at a distance
Mauren Brodbeck: My Response (Unedited)
Second Response
Evaluation: How Have I Developed My Photoshoots?
Compared with the first photoshoot, I feel there's more context in the developed photoshoot, there's grass and buildings on either side of my images that show the context that was required for this artist. A negative to the developed pictures are the people captured in the second response, but otherwise I managed to capture a range of weathers, angles, context and lightings that I think improves it.
Mauren Brodbeck: My Response (Edited)
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: A range of different colours and interpretations of Mauren Brodbeck's work adapting her style. I used photoshop and filled in sections of buildings that I thought looked plain and buildings I walk past every day. I take more notice of the buildings now and how their design fits with the environment
EBI: My pictures would be better if the outlining was more accurate, unfortunately some photos came out less clear and this affected the final result.
EBI: My pictures would be better if the outlining was more accurate, unfortunately some photos came out less clear and this affected the final result.
What Was The Process Behind The Photos?
Step 1
Step 2
What Compositional Techniques Have Been Used In This Photoshoot?
Balance: Balance has been used in the second response where I needed to establish a context for the pictures and take the photos further away to fully capture the landscape of the image
Layers: Has not been used in this photoshoot
Triangles: Hasn't been used in this photoshoot much
Rule Of Third: This technique has been used a few times where the building is placed off to the side of the image
Layers: Has not been used in this photoshoot
Triangles: Hasn't been used in this photoshoot much
Rule Of Third: This technique has been used a few times where the building is placed off to the side of the image
Thomas Kellner
Thomas Kellner is a photographer born in 1996 who focuses his work on buildings and architecture of them. He's a German artist and based in Siegen and his photos can commonly be found in a number of worldwide galleries. Thomas Kellener's shows analog compositions from the period of 1997 to 2021. Beginning from the idea of Cubism after Delaunay, he transfers the international movement of Deconstructivism from architecture to photography. His pictures consist of photographs buildings, fragments and he assembles them into a series of grids. He uses to change our perspective and link art to our thinking. His work has been classified as "visual analytical synthesis".
''There are basically two concepts of being an artist: The one that continuously invents himself anew, or the other one who follows the idea''
Thomas Kellner's Photos
What Were Thomas Kellner's Intentions?
In an interview, Kellner stated that ''My photographs serve different layers of meanings. One is to break architecture into pieces - to break something that we know as very stable. Second, is to confront our own idealistic image with my works that shows us that we cannot capture the world like we visualize it. Of course, I am using film, not Photoshop, which means that I am not doing a collage. I am following a concept - a story board. I use film, because the 35mm film has built the basis for the history of our technical image today.'' From this, we can learn Kellner wanted us to perceive the buildings around us in a way that our eyes will never allow us to see. He also explained that he sees other artists work that are in relation to his, and finds followers that have been inspired by his work. His work has also been influenced by art classes and the cubism movement.
What Wider Context Was Thomas Kellner Addressing?
The wider context behind certain features of Thomas Kellner's work such as the black and white theme has been decided based on a trip in 2014 to the Grand Canyon, Kellner's wife asked him if the works could be printed in B&W as she had high expectations of what she wanted in her gallery.The artist has also spoken about the start of his career and how the beginning was a struggle for him as he wasn't sure what the thickness of the lines should be and how it would influence the depiction of the object. He was driven by monuments and cities such as Brasilia. To this day he's still interested in exploring the impacts of his visual contribution to the history of the city. Thomas also used a Pentax camera, but is experimenting with a pentax MZS that has three zoom lenses for capturing different perspectives, angles and accuracy in his photography.
How Does This Link To The Theme of Fragments?
Thomas Kellner's work links to 'Fragments' because of the grids across the buildings, they are broken up and sectioned into smaller parts which creates a fragmented deconstruction to his photos
Task
Take 10-15 pictures of buildings that can be edited into a contact sheet, inspired by the work of Thomas Kellner. Follow the steps on photoshop to achieve the grids.
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A camera
- A set of buildings of significance or grand buildings
- The Photoshop app
- Strong lighting
- Preferably taken during the day
Thomas Kellner: My First Response (Unedited)
Second Response
Third Response
Fourth Response
Evaluation: How Have I Developed My Photoshoots?
Originally in the first photoshoot I hadn't focused on the backgrounds and context of the picture, as my photoshoots have developed I've included scenery such as boats, the sea, different colours and unique patterns of buildings. Some are more distanced and further away while others have a side angle or close up. Also, some of the pictures were taken in different countries and this is why the architecture has been designed differently. Some of the buildings are old and worn and date back hundreds of years, but others were more modern or rebuilt. They also had a variety of uses, some homes, some tourist attractions, balconies, churches, etc.
Thomas Kellner: My Response (Edited)
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
Image 1
- Firstly I uploaded the contact sheet to photoshop and then added my own image on top of it
Image 2
- Secondly I added more layers to the original image and used the magic wand tool to select some parts of the building. Then I pressed inverse and delete and rotated some of the pictures to create a proper fragmented feel
Image 3
- I turned the images black and white as required in the task
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: I think the picture was taken at the right angle which provided a lot of space to fill up the content sheet with different angles of the building, the edited process went well and was explained
EBI: To do more variety of building types and explore different sizes, colours and uses of the buildings to create more diversity in my edited pictures
EBI: To do more variety of building types and explore different sizes, colours and uses of the buildings to create more diversity in my edited pictures
What Compositional Techniques Have Been Used?
Layers:: Has been layered over the contact sheet so this has been applied
Rule Of Thirds: Has not been applied to this photoshoot
Balance: Has not been used in the edited process
Triangles: Have not been used
Rule Of Thirds: Has not been applied to this photoshoot
Balance: Has not been used in the edited process
Triangles: Have not been used
Independent Project
My Chosen Three Artists
- Malick Kebe- A photographer that works with the idea of colour and portrait, these are aesthetic pictures for magazines
- Duane Michals-A black and white based photographer that has a series of images in small comic-like strips. They're storytelling sequences of events using people or obejcts
- Tom hunter-A contemporary photographer that retakes pictures of old classical paintings using modern objects and features
Malick Kebe
Malick Kebe is a minimalist photographer, that through the lens of his iPhone has created many magazine images of aesthetic portraits in front of colourful backdrops. His works blends themes and ideas of modernity and African origins to highlight the contrast in cultures and patterns. Kebe shares his work through social media platforms such as Instagram and edits on his iPhone and apps such as VSCO. He's exhibited his work in Atlanta, Paris and Abidjan. In July 2019, Malick won the first Mobile Photography award from PHmuseum photography, in the “Fashion” category.
"From where do you get your inspiration?: Lots and lots of nature and people!"
Malick Kebe's Photos
What Were Malick Kebe's Intentions?
Malick's high contrast images are filled with energy and self expression through the boldness of his colours, the artists intention is to make visual advertisments for companies such as Apple and magazines like Aesthetica magazine. He aims to work with ideas of colour, shape and concept telling evocative stories with minimal production and the subject of his pictures are very simple and easy to the eye. There's an art about the way he captures colour against people, always covering their faces and drawing away from traditional portrait pictures. He doesn't want people's visual beauty to be the subject photographed, but for the viewer to engage in how light colour and shape work against people. On social media and advertisments it's easy to get caught up on heavily photoshopped and unrealistic beauty standards, which is refreshing to see this photographers take on how he photographs his models.
How Does Malick Kebe's Work Link To The Theme Of Fragments?
Malick Kebe's work links to the theme of fragments by distorting people's faces and concealing them in different ways. By breaking people up and hiding them with their hands or back or turning away we're capturing a view that we don't see people in, in every day life. Through this technique, of blind folds and closed eyes we distract the viewer from the distortion of the face, and replace our attention with the striking colours of the background and the intense fashion choices in clothing to gain a new perspective of how people work against colour.
What Do I Like About Malick Kebe's Work + What Observations Have I Made?
I really enjoyed how Malick Kebe's a professional photographer for big companies such as Apple, but he rejects the idea of focusing on people's faces and appearance. Also, he edits his pictures using a phone with editing apps such as VSCO. This really embraces how iphone cameras have many options and features that I haven't yet explored. His skill for visual storytelling is open for interpretation, captures strong and unique backgrounds, he also brings in fashion and clothing to add to the colours and vibrancy of his images. He travels round the world for his pictures and yet creates something so minimal but so bold at the same time.
Task
First Response: I want to take pictures in front of a a lamp to give one kind of light
Second Response: Take pictures in front of a projector
Third response: Take pictures of more than one person and edit the background with the same bright colours
Second Response: Take pictures in front of a projector
Third response: Take pictures of more than one person and edit the background with the same bright colours
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- My projector
- Two models
- Lamp
- Iphone camera
- VSCO Editing app (which Malick Kebe uses to edit his pictures)
Malick Kebe: My First Response (Unedited)
Malick Kebe: My First Response (Edited)
Second Response
Third Response: Final Response
Fourth Response: Extra +Short Response
Note: This was made experimenting with different tools already on photoshop lite
What Was The Process Behind The Photoshoot?
Step 1
- I used the editing app VSCO, like Malick Kebe, to enhance the exposure to 1.6
Step 2
- On VSCO I turned the contrast up by 0.3
Step 3
- Using an editing app called Eraser I, similar to photoshop, rubbed out the part of the photo I didn't want and started removing the background
Step 4
- All of the background has now been edited out
Step 5
- I've chosen a bright to yellow to fill the background in replacement of the wall
Evaluation: How Have I Developed My Photoshoots?
My first photoshoot was in front of a lamp and I developed it further by using a projector for my second photoshoot. This wasn't my best photoshoot as the lighting was inconsistent and not as easy on the eyes as my third photoshoot. Using an editing app, I removed the background and added in a new colour. From there I edited on VSCO, which is the same as Malick Kebe's editing process as he just used the Iphone. For my fourth extra development I experimented with different photoshop lite filters to enhance the creativity and perspective of the pictures.
What Compositional Techniques Have Been Used?
Layers: Have been used in the third and fourth response as there's layered backgrounds and layered colours
Rule Of Thirds: Has not been used in this photoshoot
Balance: In the first photoshoot I have tried using balance with the props such as the oranges and flowers and positioning the model in the center of the frame
Triangles: Has not been used in this photoshoot
Rule Of Thirds: Has not been used in this photoshoot
Balance: In the first photoshoot I have tried using balance with the props such as the oranges and flowers and positioning the model in the center of the frame
Triangles: Has not been used in this photoshoot
Tom Hunter
Tom hunter is a london- based british artist who replicates images of classical paintings with a modern and contemporary twist. He was the first ever photographer to have a one-man show at the National Gallery in London. He depicts art from his local neighbourhood and reconstructs a series of stories and memories. He did a masters degree at the Royal College Of Art. The viewer can encounter ancient gods, goddesses, and mythical monsters which battle the land for supremacy. His work has showcased in multiple exhibitions such as Musuem Of modern art, New York and Hisshorn Musuem and Victoria and Albert musuem in London.
." I thought if I could borrow their style for squatters and travellers, it would elevate their status. In this shot, inspired by Vermeer's Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window, my next-door neighbour is reading the possession order".
Tom Hunter's Photos
What Were Tom Hunter's Intentions?
Tom Hunter's work aims to break down the stereotypes and provoke thoughts and debates and shed light on communities in London and the issues that they face. Through his photography, Hunter hopes to achieve a new visual language in fine art practice which have close relations: staged photography and documentary. His work can make us reflect on the modern day changes and how society has developed since the original paintings or photos that he;s replicating were taken. We can also focus on how photography itself has advanced with the quality of camera's and production of the pictures. Furthermore, Tom Hunter has questioned the role of photography in society and taken it to new arenas of audiences. The use of colour and technology or new brands of food and styles of clothing are just the few visible developments in time we can see in his pictures.
How Does Tom Hunter's Work Link To The Theme Of 'Fragments'?
Tom Hunter's work links to the fragments theme through his use of reconstructing old paintings and photographs in a way breaks them up and allows the viewer to compare the original with the renewed version over a period of time. This segmenting of pictures and how we watch drastic changes over time is fragmenting the images. Although Hunter's work is not visually broken up into grids or distorting faces, it changes the perception of the original artwork we know and creates a second modern and contemporary layer to contrast what is used in photography now and what is not.
What Do I Like About Tom Hunter's Work + What Observations Have I Made?
I really like the way that Tom Hunter has allowed us to make changes in the way we view photography, raise contemporary issues in East London through the depiction of his replicated works and create the perfect balance between the old image and his modern twist. WE're able to create a space between the past and the present, how both of these historic and futuristic elements are intertwined in a series of pictures creates a fantasy feeling, while also documenting real people in real space. For example in his work 'life and death in Hackney' he's addressing the wider context of Hackney's current state. He brings light to the political, social and cultural issues of people in East London. He photographs squatters and travelers and their living conditions. His work gives a quiet sense of nobility using soft lighting but also heavy scenes inside the home.
Task
First response: Replicate famous photos of still life objects
Later Responses: Tom Hunter will be the artist I develop on so more photoshoots will come later
Later Responses: Tom Hunter will be the artist I develop on so more photoshoots will come later
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- Different settings
- Famous photos/paintings to replicate
- Strong lighting
- A phone camera
Tom Hunter: My First Response (Unedited)
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: Spring In Central Park By Natasha Kramskaya
Key Facts About The Painting/Artist
- Natasha Kramskaya is a Ukranian artist born in 1980
- Her style has been inspired by street art and impressionists
- Her favourite artists were Vincent Van Goph and Salvador Dali
- Natasha graduated from the Academy Of Art University in San Fransisco
- She painted 'Everyday heroes' in 2020 inspired by the hospital staff during the Corona Virus Pandemic
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- Range of different patterns, textures, shapes and sizes of trees
- An open space
- Strong lighting
- A camera
- VSCO to edit
My Interpretation: Edited
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
Step 1
- I chose a filter and only slightly increased it to 2.1 on VSCO
Step 2
- I added 0.8 to the level of saturation
Step 3
- I've added the contrast to 1.1
Step 4
- I have slightly taken away the warmth of the picture and decreased the temperature to -1.2 to make the photo appear cold and eerily
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: A variety of images that have different interpretations of trees presented in a unique way. They are all taken at different points in the day, with different angles, show case sunsets and other times up close images of trees
EBI: Have the pictures be more similar to the original picture, my photos don't exactly recreate them with accuracy
EBI: Have the pictures be more similar to the original picture, my photos don't exactly recreate them with accuracy
2nd Response
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: Still Life With Apples By Paul Cezanne
Key Facts About The Painting/Artist
- Paul Cezanne was known for his experimental style and pushing the viewer's experience of conventional objects
- Paul Cezanne was a french artist and post-impressionist painter
- He was born 19th January 139 and died 22nd October 1906
- He used sculptural, architectrual method of thick brush strokes, simplified shapes, breakdown of colour and broken perspective
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- Red apples
- A table
- A white plate
- A camera
- To edit a grey/blue background
Unedited
Edited
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
Step 1
- I uploaded the original picture firstly
Step 2
- I have roughly removed all of the background of the table and wall using the rubber tool
Step 3
- I have refined the outline and got a white background, plain and ready to be selected with a new colour
Step 4
- I have edited a blue background as close as possible to the original
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: The edited backgrounds and placement of the apples went well and replicated like the original picture quite well. I found the lighting to be quite good, the setup to not be difficult and the angle to have worked quite easily
EBI: If the colours of the apples could have been more accurate, also details such as the shadow underneath one of the apples I tried to apply to make pictures but it was quite difficult
EBI: If the colours of the apples could have been more accurate, also details such as the shadow underneath one of the apples I tried to apply to make pictures but it was quite difficult
Duane Michals
Duane Michale is an American photographer that creates a series of narratives within his images. Over the course of his career he has captured portraits of influential artists such as Andy Warhol, Rene Margritte and Marcel Duchamp. He marks his prints with his touch of poetic writings and observations about his subject, his work has been showcased in the collections of the art Institute of Chicago, the museum of Modern arts in New York, and the Carneige Musuem Of Arts in Pittsburgh. The artist was born on February 18th 1932 in McKeeSport, he then got a university degree and became a photojournalist full time.
“I use photography to help me explain my experience to myself. I believe in the imagination. What I cannot see is infinitely more important than what I can see."
Duane Michal's Photos
What Were Duane Michal's Intentions?
Michale's intentions were to transcend the conventional audience of photography. Since 1960's he's been writing in the margins of his prints, and creating sequences of images that explore human dilemma's such as as doubt, morality and desire. His storytelling is through the visual depiction of photos, space, time, angles and expressions. This is different from audiobooks or stories in paper back books. In an interview, when describing his work he stated that “If we use observable fact to dictate what the possibilities of life are, then we are stuck with those that believe the earth was flat. It’s like saying when we shut off the radio, the music no longer exists because it only came from the tubes within.”Duane compares his work to Eastern religion, philosophy and quantum physics, painting and especially poetry. His photographs also have an element of surrealism, juxtaposing the separate elements and layering several images on one another.
How Does Duane Michal's Work Link To The Theme Of 'Fragments'?
Duane MIchale's work links to the idea of fragments through his breaking down of images. He doesn't just create single photos, he creates a sequence of events that follow up from one another. We learn about movement and space and the story of how people interact and wider issues and messages he's trying to convey through these comic-like strips. They're small squares and in that way minimal and small, but the stories tell a bigger story and address a wider context. This chain of reactions in his pictures create an almost cinematic mini movie of small stories and take you through a journey rather than just one picture.
What Do I Like About Duane Michal's Work + What Observations Have I Made?
I have been especially inspired by Duane Michal's work because I find the way he portrays human interactions, emotions and ideas very creatively and this comic-like take on his work through his presentation of pictures has made me think about how I can use this format to show the growth of individual objects or the process of something starting till it finishes. Some of his main themes are about self representation, the LGBTQ community and more.His handwritten texts add another dimension to his photos and give voice to Michale's thoughts and feelings, often humorous, poetic and tragic all at once. I picked Duane MIchael not just for these reasons but because i think I can be flexible in the number of responses I make and how I develop these photos further.
Task
- First Response: Including a couple people to create a mini story together focusing on their interaction and the different stages and facial expressions
Duane Michals: Unedited Response
Duane Michals: Edited Response
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: I used a range of locations to create storylines and used more than one person to convey and narrate these scenes. I also used black and white filter to link to the theme of Duane Michals
EBI: The storylines are very basic and I should have used more pictures to develop a more interesting plot. As I had to screenshot these images they have come out in low quality resolution
EBI: The storylines are very basic and I should have used more pictures to develop a more interesting plot. As I had to screenshot these images they have come out in low quality resolution
My Chosen Photographer: Tom Hunter
Tom Hunter Photo Analysis
Image 1
What Are My Interpretations and Observations Of This Picture?
This picture is a replication of Vemeer's 'A girl reading at the open window' using its light, composition and colour to produce a similar product. The context behind the image relates to a representation of the dutch working class. Hunter reflects his concern with the political issues surrounding squatters, travellers and those viewed as outsiders in society in this picture. I observed the darker colours used such as blues and greens, earthly colours and a natural light source coming from the window. It could indicate their closeness to nature and alternative lifestyle. The baby sleeping can signify how for some people are born into this lifestyle with no other concept of the world.
Image 2
What Are My Interpretations and Observations Of This Picture?
In this picture Hunter conveys the societal abandonment of squatted communities in London Fields East. It was taken in a hackney in 1993 and 1994, the title of the series of pictures ''Life and Death In Hackney'' was taken from an article in the local newspaper called The Hackney Gazette which described the neighbourhood as ''a crime ridden, derelict, ghetto, a cancer, a blot on the landscape'' These pictures were part of a campaign to save the community from developers and the threat of the Hackney council. And now fourteen years later, the community is still at the heart of Hackney neighbourhood. The emptiness and worn out design of this picture can influence and contribute to the distorted media's perception of Hackney as a 'ghetto' when in reality it's got a community of people that have a lot of love for Hackney. There is a person looking from outside into the room, the rusted walls and bricks and rusted doors, only two lights working and a ping pong table with nobody using it adds to the hollowness and cold atmosphere, this is the way newspapers have perceived the neighbourhood as heartless and a 'cancer'. It's something nobody wants to be apart of or be associated with, which could suggest why Tom Hunter's specifically removed signs of human life inside the room to reference the lack of compassion and sense of community the neighbourhood has.
Image 3
What Are My Interpretations And Observations Of This Picture?
The lifelessness of the body sunk into the ground and the positioning of the girl on the rubber dinghy is motionless and almost looks fake. The randomness and how out of place the head seems in proportion to the dinghy gives an insight to how newspaper and media outlets saw the neighbourhood in Hackney as an outsider and something that was ''a blot on the landscape'' it's portrayed as unwanted and unnecessary.
3rd Response
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: 'A Young Beauty Wearing A Red Veil' By Gustav Doyen
Key Facts About The Painting/Artist
- It was taken in 1880
- It was taken by a French Artist called Gustav Doyen
- Gustav Doyen was born in 1837
- The painting sells for £229
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A red scarf
- Flowers
- Eyeliner
- White top
- Black top
- Small gold earrings
- A model
My Interpretation: Unedited
Edited
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
Step 1
- Using the eraser app I removed the background with a thick width for the eraser and outlining the edges
Step 2
- I have now removed the entirety of the background and am ready to add a new one
Step 3
- I have selected the c4 black background and will neaten up around the edges of the picture which have not been removed properly
Step 5
- This is the final product of a picture with all the removal of the background and the black background. The image gets saved and is ready to be uploaded
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: I successfully managed to replicate the angles, clothing, earrings, got flowers and edited the background
EBI: During the editing process some of the background wasn't cutting out due to an object that was in the original picture which has left a mark in some of the edited responses
EBI: During the editing process some of the background wasn't cutting out due to an object that was in the original picture which has left a mark in some of the edited responses
What Is My Next Development Plan?
For my fourth development I will be taking a picture using more props such as a chair and making it slightly harder. The painting will require more props and angles.
Fourth Response
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: Portrait Of Judy Barraclough, By Judy Cassab
Key Facts About The Painting/Artist
- It was taken in 1955
- Judy Cassab lives in Austria
- The painting won the Australian Women's Weekly Portrait Prize in 1955
- The material of the painting used was oil on a hardboard
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- An orange scarf
- Hair tied up
- Red lipstick
- Bright coloured chair
- A blue and orange scarf
My Interpretation: Unedited
Edited
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
Step 1
- I have downloaded the image and need to remove the background to make it more similar to the original painting
Step 2
- I have moved a majority of the background, the wall and other shadows that altered the lighting of the picture. Using the eraser tool I've used a medium width rubber to get rid of the parts not needed
Step 3
- I have removed the background and is now completely blank and white
Step 4
- I have selected the background colour similar to the original
Step 5
- I have used the editing app VSCO to make slight adjustments to the contrast, brightness and saturation of the picture
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: I've edited the background to the colour I wanted and displayed a range of different alternative backgrounds and ways the picture could have turned out
EBI: My photoshoot would have been better if I found a chair the same colour as that in the original picture to make the outcome more accurate
EBI: My photoshoot would have been better if I found a chair the same colour as that in the original picture to make the outcome more accurate
What Is My Next Development Plan?
For my next development I'll be replicating another artists work through their painting
5th Response
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: Golden Tears By Anne-Marie Zilerbman
Key Facts About The Painting/Artist
- Gustav Klmit is an Austrian artist who is one of the most celebrated symbolist artist
- The painting is inspired by the work of Gustav Klimit although isn't painted by him
- Anne Marie Zilberman was a french painter of the 20th century
- Zilerbman was a friend of Klmit who used gold leaves in many of his paintings after 1900 and was influenced by his style
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- Gold glitter
- A model
- A gold scarf
- Red lipstick
- Black eyeshadow
My Interpretation: Unedited
Edited Version
Image 1
- I have tried replicating the yellow/brown background of the original image, using the gold down the face, red lipstick, black eyeshadow and a gold strip down the side of the nose
Image 2
- I have edited a bright yellow background to the picture
Image 3
- For this image I edited a lighter green background
Image 4
- I added an olive green background
Image 5
- A dark blue background
Image 6
- A light green background
Image 7
- A light blue background
Image 8
- A light purple background
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: I managed to get glitter, the lipstick, angle and gold on the sides
EBI: I wasn't able to create the exact background as the original
EBI: I wasn't able to create the exact background as the original
What's My Next Development Plan?
For my next development I will be recreating a famous painting displaying culture and using a lot of props and clothing, it will also be the last development where I only replicate one image at a time
6th Response
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: Sumair By Amrita Sher Gil
Key Facts About The Painting/Artist
- Sumair was the Artist's cousin
- It was painted in 1936
- Amrita Sher gil's work blends Indian and European elements
- Sher-Gil's art education was completed in Paris where she was influenced by artists like Gauguin
- The artist looked at Indian art traditions and became excited with Indian art traditions as a consequence of her travels to the caves of Ajanta and Ellora and South India
- Sher-gil's visual language displays elements of modern Indian art with expressive female representation
- She also paints domestic scenes
- NGMA has a collection of 107 of Amrita's paintings covering a range of her works from her trip to Paris and India
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- Traditional clothing
- Dark lipstick
- Blush
- A dark green background
- VSCO for editing the pictures
- Earrings
- Tied up hair
My Interpretation: Unedited
Edited
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
Step 1
- I used VSCO to edit and turn the exposure up by 0.3
Step 2
- I have added a slight green tint to the pictures to help bring out the green in the background
Step 3
- I took away the contrast by 0.4 as the dark tones were looking too harsh
Step 4
- I have uploaded the picture as the original
Step 5
- I have briefly removed all of the background using a wide width and eraser tool to now just have the image of the model
Step 6
- I have refined the edges and picked the closest dark green background, c9, to the original
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: The range of different backgrounds and outfit worked quite well, the angles and lighting was another positive factor of this photoshoot
EBI: After taking the pictures I noticed the hand placement in my response was much higher than the original and doesn't exactly replicate the painting
EBI: After taking the pictures I noticed the hand placement in my response was much higher than the original and doesn't exactly replicate the painting
What Is My Next Development Plan?
For my next development I will be merging two pictures together using a background of antique style paintings with olden interior and blending it with another painting of my choice.
8th Response
The First Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate (Background): Interior With Piano And Paintings By Axel Gotze
Key Facts About The Painting+Artist
- It's an oil painting on canvas
- Axel Gotze was born in the nineteenth century
- His work has been auctioned many times
- It was created in 1909
- Gotze remains a mostly hidden identity from the public
The Second Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: Portrait Of D'lasdora Duncan By Paul Swan
Key Facts About The Painting+Artist
- It was painted in 1922
- Paul Swan is an American painter, sculptor, actor, dancer and poet
- He was born 5th June 1883 and died 1st February 1972
- Swan became a friend and possibly a lover to Isadora Duncan, who was a pioneer of modern dancer
- Paul Swan's training as a dancer translated to a career as a silent film actor
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- Black/blue long flowy dress
- Long necklace
- Blush
- Lipstick
- Bangles
- An olden interior
- Paintings for the background
- Wooden furniture
My Interpretation: Unedited
Edited
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: The background of the photos replicate the original image I used, with wooden furniture and old architecture. I have also recreated the jewellery of the painting and clothing.
EBI: A lot of the lighting in the pictures are too dark and the only light source was from lamps or making the picture brighter. Next time I would try to use more natural light
EBI: A lot of the lighting in the pictures are too dark and the only light source was from lamps or making the picture brighter. Next time I would try to use more natural light
What Is My Next Development Plan?
For my ninth development I'll be replicating an image called 'The Last Supper' using photoshop to edit the same person
Ninth Response
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: The Last Supper By Leonardo Da Vinci
Facts About The Painting/Artist
- It represents the last dinner between Jesus and his disciples
- The artwork was painted between 1494 and 1498
- The most recent restoration of the painting was in 1999 where several scientific methods were used to restore the original colours as close as possible
- It's a huge painting of 4.60 metres high and 8.80 metres wide
- The painting was made with tempera and oil on a gypsum preparation as opposed to techniques commonly used in the fresco period
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A tripod
- A wide table
- A model
Unedited
Edited
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
- Set up the tripod and attach the camera to it
- Choose your model to recreate certain facial expressions or paintings
- Move your model around the table but don't move the tripod
- Use photoshop to edit all the images together
- Blend them so no overlapping of the individual pictures show
- Turn up brightness and small adjustments on phoroshop
- Upload pictures
What Went Well+ Even Better If
WWW: The edited pictures are in clear focus, editing of the same person duplicated together is neat and the tripod with the camera has mostly stayed in the same position
EBI: If the lighting was brighter and more copies of the images were in focus this photoshoot would have improved
EBI: If the lighting was brighter and more copies of the images were in focus this photoshoot would have improved
10th Response
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: The Last Supper By Leonardo Da Vinci
Key Facts About The Painting
- It was made between 1495-1498
- The painting is meant to depict Jesus's last meal with his apostles before he was captured and crucified
- It is an eight metre wide painting
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A kitchen table
- Photoshop for editing multiple pictures of the same person together
- Plates and cutlery
- Different coloured dresses and scarves to copy the clothing
- A white table cloth
- Different movements and facial expressions
Unedited
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
- Set up the camera and tripod
- Work through each person and change clothing each time
- Move around the table and replicate the position, facial expression and action
- Adjust the lighting and other small adjustments
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: The lighting of the photos remains consistent and the actions are copied so they're in line with the pictures
EBI: The camera moved less and if the table was longer it would create the impression that multiple people could sit around it. Although I took pictures for each individual person, the adjustments of the picture weren't accurate enough to align them together and duplicate them
EBI: The camera moved less and if the table was longer it would create the impression that multiple people could sit around it. Although I took pictures for each individual person, the adjustments of the picture weren't accurate enough to align them together and duplicate them
11th Response
The Painting I Have Chosen: The Men At Emmaus By Han Van Meegeren
Key Facts About The Painting
- The painting was originally by an Italian painter called Michelangelo Merisi Da Carravaggio
- The painting can be found in Central London in the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square
- It represents the story in St Luke's gospel when after the crucifixion, two of Christ's apostles invite a stranger to share their meal with them
- The style of painting is called the Baroque which was popular in the early 17th century until the 1740's
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A tripod
- A camera
- Plain white background
- Glasses, bowls and cutlery
- A model in three different outfits
- White table cloth
Response
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
- Firstly I set up the camera and tripod
- Secondly I gathered all the props and worked through each person in the painting while my model changed outfits
- Adjusted the lighting
- Made minimal changes while editing
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: The lighting remained mostly constant throughout the photoshoot and the outfits were replicated accurately as possible
EBI: Occasionally the angle shifted and this made it hard to overlap the images and create duplicates because the images wouldn't align exactly
EBI: Occasionally the angle shifted and this made it hard to overlap the images and create duplicates because the images wouldn't align exactly
What Is My Next Development Plan?
For my next development I will be recreating a famous painting that has been replicated by Tom HUnter but originally taken by Vermeer called The Girl With The Wine Glass
12th Development
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: The Girl With The Wine Glass By Jan Vermeer
Original: Jan Vermeer
Key Facts About The Painting
- It was painted in the mid 17th century
- It is now in the Herzog Anton Ulrich Musuem In Braunsweig
- It was painted from the years 1659-1660
- A pigment analysis of the painting reveals the use of natural ultramarine in the tablecloth
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A red top
- White plain background
- A glass
- A tray with different fruits
- Daytime lighting
- An orange tablecloth
Response
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
- Set up the camera and tripod
- Place the orange table cloth
- Place the decorations on the table such as the fruits and tray
- Adjust the lighting
- Slightly alter the saturation and contrast
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: The lighting was consistent and the props used was a recreation. The model replicated the pose and positioning of the original painting fairly well
EBI: The camera slightly moved and the clothing was not accurately copied in my response. I did not use a dress and found the background a difficult background to use in my own version
EBI: The camera slightly moved and the clothing was not accurately copied in my response. I did not use a dress and found the background a difficult background to use in my own version
What Is My Next Development Plan?
For my next development I plan for it to be my final. I will be using photoshop to duplicate the model twice and act as two people. Throughout my developments the angles of the camera and the number of people have made it difficult to edit, so I will be using two people in my recreation of a Vermeer painting
Final Response
13th Development
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: Mistress and Maid By Johannes Vermeer
Key Facts About The Painting
- It was painted in 1667
- It is an oil canvas painting
- It depicts an interior domestic scene and explores the relationships between mistresses and maids
- It is now in the Frick Collection in New York City
- Letters are a prevelant theme in Vermeer's paintings from the 1660's
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A brown top
- A yellow top and white and black polka dot shirt
- Plain white background
- Dark blue tablecloth
- Notebook and pen
- A camera and tripod
- A model
Unedited
Response
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
- I had to line both of the pictures up
- Cut out the background
- Shade out the original picture and refill it around the lines using photoshop
- Refill the colour of the entire picture
- Make subtle adjustments to the brightness, saturation and contrast
- Upload
Step 1
- Upload the first individual picture
Step 2
- Upload the second individual picture
Step 3
- The images were overlapped and aligned up, the rubber tool was used to outline the parts that had a line between them which showed the seperation between the two pictures. The opacity was moved down to help the rubbing out and then moved back up. The brightness and contrast was increased.
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: The overlapping on the pictures is smoothly edited and creates the effect of multiple people recreating the original version of the painting
EBI: The lighting could have been naturally better and the accuracy of the objects on the table was hard to replicate as well as the background
EBI: The lighting could have been naturally better and the accuracy of the objects on the table was hard to replicate as well as the background
Extra Development
What Is My Photoshoot Plan?
I have used the tripod to replicate a painting of three people on a train.
The Painting I Have Chosen To Replicate: Painting Of London Underground Series
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A tripod
- A model
- A book
- Photoshop
My Response: Unedited
My Response: Edited
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
Step 1
- The first step was to make the picture where my model was sitting in the middle the background
Step 2
- Add the second individual picture and adjust the brightness and contrast
Step 3
- Use the rubber tool to remove the lines of overlapping so it looks as if all the pictures are connected into one. Apply the same process to the third individual picture and move the opacity up
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: The impression that there are three different people in one picture is clear and looks more realistic. The pose of the model replicates the original painting
EBI: The background can be edited to make the painting more accurate instead of the background of a classroom
EBI: The background can be edited to make the painting more accurate instead of the background of a classroom
Paul M Smith
Paul M Smith Photos
Who Is Paul M Smith?
Paul Smith is a British photographer and educator that studied fine art between 1991 and 1995 at Coventry University. Moreover, he undertook a research project into the world of contemporary art where he focused on living with aboriginal reserve for four months. Later, Smith completed a degree a master's degree in photography at the royal college of art where his primary focus examined masculinity, concentrating on the creation of 'alpha male' identities.
What Was Paul M Smiths Intentions?
For the above selection of photos, Paul M Smith's intentions with his photoshoot of Robbie Williams was inspired by the work of Tom Hingston, the graphic designer that created many of Robbie Williams' record covers. For research purposes Paul and Robbie attended an Arsenal vs Chelsea game where the ideas revolved around the experience and idea of going to watch or play a football match. Robbie embodied an entire football team, the management, fans, touts and policemen. The shoot lasted for three days and was located at Stamford Bridge with a series of sketches detailing every aspect of the images produced.
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- A tripod
- Woodland/open space
- Model
- Photoshop
Unedited Response
First Response
Second Response
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: The most amount of duplicates have been created, the lighting and exposure of the image has worked quite well too. Although there was some overlapping of my model the picture was zoomed in and used a fine brush to carefully trace around the areas that needed to be filled in, (so not to rub out
EBI: The tripod slightly moved on one of the images which made it harder to edit due to the surface of the ground that the tripod was standing on being uneven
EBI: The tripod slightly moved on one of the images which made it harder to edit due to the surface of the ground that the tripod was standing on being uneven
What Is My Final Development Plan?
For my final development I want to take inspiration from Paul M smith and create my own version of the snooker table and recreate it using pool. This will create the effect that multiple of the same person are playing one game.
What Will I Need For This Photoshoot?
- Tripod
- Snooker table
- Photoshop
- Model
Final Piece
Why Have I Chosen This Image For My Final Piece?
I have chosen this image as my final piece because I believe that it's similar to the work of Paul M Smith, where multiples of the same person are taking pictures playing pool. Although there are more duplicates in the previous development, the idea of playing a game acting as different people is a more interesting concept and the careful overlapping of my models hand against their arm meant the final piece had to be very refined. Although the brightness slightly changed, the photo still looks as if it has a natural lighting coming in from the left hand side which didn't interfere with how realistic the photo looked, which was another reason to make it my final piece.
What Was The Process Behind The Images?
- Upload the pictures separately and layer them over each other
- Press 'rasterize layer' on photoshop
- Use the rubber tool to refill the picture of my model back into the picture
- Turn the opacity up
- Use the rubber tool again for the other copies of the model
What Went Well + Even Better If
WWW: The images align with each other smoothly and it is similar to one of Paul M Smiths pictures. I like the interactive element of the image
EBI: The exposure of the image changed slightly which meant the overall picture had to be brightened
EBI: The exposure of the image changed slightly which meant the overall picture had to be brightened
Evaluation: Fragments Project In Conclusion
My fragments project helped me learn a lot with photoshop and experimenting with new skills and techniques. Although some of the processes seemed complicated at first, learning to duplicate multiple images of people and using a tripod allowed me to feel more confident in my photography skills and be a more experienced photographer. I really enjoyed seeing the images come together and work in a range of different backgrounds and bring my ideas to life with the pool table and woods. Another educational aspect of this project for me was learning about different painters and old renaissance artists, getting to recreate these iconic images was tough at times but fun.