Negotiated Study Term 4
Morgan Shepherd
Initial Research To begin getting some ideas for my assignment I researched equine fine art photographers. Bev Pettit is one photographer who has a range of different styles in her photography. Some of her photos have natural colour and lighting; the bottom right photo on this page is an example. Some have different editing techniques, from a simple but dramatic black and white image like the one on the right, to a more unusually toned and exposed one like the image to the left. I particularly like the close-up photos that show details in the horse and rider, and show the connection between the two. The style that I think is interesting is the toned, brightly exposed images.
Tim Flach is a photographer who has produced a photographic book about horses called “Equus”. His photos are known for being interesting and somewhat different. Many of his equine images are close-ups of particular parts of the horse’s body. Shadow and light play an important part in Flach’s images, and they are all very sharp and detailed. I find the compositions of these photos to be interesting and appealing, and very expressive of the horse and its nature. The black background of the photos works well to provide contrast and keep focus on the horse.
Lisa Cueman
Frame Your Pet
These photos all have interesting composition and editing. They look dramatic and interesting. These images have given me further inspiration and things to think about.
Tony Stromberg
Raphael Macek Frame Your Pet
These photos have given me ideas and inspiration for my assignment because of how they display the relationship between people, and in particular children, and horses. What stands out in a number of these images is the notion of touch; a hand on the neck of the horse, or forehead against the horse’s head. This seems to give a picture of connection and makes for a powerful image. Frame Your Pet
Berit Alits
Frame Your Pet
Glenn Hunt Jessica Frey
The most outstanding aspect of this photo is the texture and detail in it. The focal point of the horse- the eye and area around it- is sharply focused, and there is a lot of detail in the hair and the eye. The whole background is filled with water droplets from the hose that the horse would be getting sprayed with. The droplets appear as if light is shining through them, and they stand out from the dark behind them. The creates an interesting texture that is quite different to “usual” backgrounds. Shadows over the horse add depth and show the curves and shapes. There is some contrast in the image, however it is also slightly toned which adds another layer of interest and complements the whole picture. The composition of this photo is very successful. It is quite close in to the horse, which allows more focus on the horse’s face and its expression, and gives a closer detailed view of the texture throughout the image. The images uses the rule of thirds, with the horse’s head falling into the right vertical one and the background of water droplets taking up most of the other two thirds. The horse’s eye falls onto the line between the top and middle horizontal thirds, which is an appropriate place to draw the viewer’s own eye to. This composition gives a balanced picture, leaving no room for focus to wander, but without being too “inyour-face”.
Lisa Cueman “Bath Time”
“Bath Time” by Lisa Cueman is a toned black and white photo of a horse getting washed. The image is composed to be quite close-in to the scene, and water drops fill the background behind the horse. Around half of the horse’s head is in frame, and the very top of its back and hindquarters. Light and detail are very important in this image, with a lot of texture and shadow to be seen. Although located to the side of the image, the focal point is the horse, and in particular its eye. This photo has a lot of depth and layers to it, which makes for a very interesting and beautiful shot.
Lisa Cueman is a fine art equine photographer, and this photo is an excellent example of her work. On her website, it says that her photography is “a true celebration of these wonderful creatures’ interaction with their surroundings and each other. The simple look of the eye…the almost imperceptible movement of the mane in the breeze or the gorgeous muscle tone glistening in the sun all come together to tell a beautiful and powerful story behind the horse in the image.”. I find this to be very true of “Bath Time”. The details of the horse and surroundings are so intricate and powerful. The expression on the horse’s face shows its concern or displeasure; the ear to the side of the head, the nostril tight and drawn in, and the eyes tensely open. These are all signs of a horse that is not relaxed and happy- perhaps a little worried, or annoyed at what is happening. With the water spraying over it like that, then that is of little surprise. This image captures a very interesting moment of time, in a way that makes for a beautiful photo without diminishing or discrediting the expression of the animal. This is characteristic of Cueman’s work. Despite interesting, often closeup and sometimes unusual compositions, and different lighting and toning used, her photos all reflect the true nature of the horse. It could even be said that these same things that create beauty and interest in the photos, allows the showcase of the horses’ nature, thoughts and substance. “Bath Time” by Lisa Cueman is a fascinating and successful image. The purpose of Cueman’s work is to create beautiful and powerful images that celebrate the horse and show a story behind it. The technical and artistic aspects of this image, such as the use of texture, detail, light and composition, all combine together to create a stunning and quite unusual photo, that showcase the horse and its interaction with its environment. These elements help to emphasise the expression and possible feelings of the horse, which promotes thought into the story and context behind it. The purpose of the image is clearly achieved, and a successful, eye-appealing and thoughtful photograph is the final result.
The contrast in this photo is a very important aspect. The sky in particular shows a lot, with the clouds being very white and the sky being black. This makes the image look very striking and dramatic. This is emphasised by the composition of the image; it was taken from a low angle which exaggerates the stunning and powerful looking sky, and the wild look of the horse with the headdress. The detail and texture in the photo is seen in the horse’s coat, and there is also some grain that gives further texture. The rule of thirds is used, with the horse located in the bottom horizontal third, the headdress in the middle one, and the top third only having the sky in it. Vertically, the horse is in the left and centre third, with part of the headdress in the right one. This gives a balanced composition between the subject and the background. The composition is interesting in this photo because there is a lot more space around the subject than you might normally see. This is successful in this case, because of how much drama and interest the sky gives to the image, and complements the horse very well.
Glenn Hunt This black and white photo by Glenn Hunt is a dramatic and stunning image of a horse and the sky behind it. The horse is wearing some sort of feathered headdress, and only that and the top half of the horse’s head and neck is in the frame. The backdrop is a very cloudy sky. There is a lot of striking contrast and detail. It is a very eye-catching and interesting photo that is very “wild” looking, and almost looks other-worldly. The focal point would be the horse and its headdress, however the whole image is important and intriguing. The texture and light is very important, and works together to create a very striking and interesting photo.
This photo was taken at the Pasola Festival in Sumba, Indonesia. More than 50 men and horses gather to take part in a mock battle. The festival is centuries old and is meant as thanks giving to the ancestors. Horses and men are dressed up extravagantly, and the battle itself is very brutal. Although their spears are blunted, blood is often spilled. With this background, the photo becomes even more interesting and meaningful. It can be understood why the horse has a headdress, and the wildness of the image can be seen as reflecting the wildness of the place where it was taken. Glenn Hunt has taken photos of horses all over the world, from Mongolia and Morocco, to rural Australia, to the Windsor International Horse Trials in Britain, and at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Spain. All of his photos showcase the horses and the people in a spectacular and sometimes unusual way. Hunt is fascinated with the relationship between people and horses. He says “We don’t need them anymore, we’re not reliant on them, but pretty much every culture has a connection to the horse and holds onto that connection.”. I think his photos give a wonderful translation of this. This photo by Glenn Hunt is a striking and stunning example of his work. The dramatic nature of the subject and the background are accentuated by strong contrast and powerful composition. Lighting, detail and texture also add to the effectiveness. This gives a wild look to the image, which is even more interesting once the setting of the Pasola Festival is known. This is a gorgeous, eye-appealing photo that is also successful in the dramatic and interesting story and meaning behind it.
The first interesting feature of this photo is the use of contrast, or rather, the lack of it. There are a lot of dark, grey tones and not many whites or pure blacks. This is a purposeful artistic choice that has given the image a dreamy and ethereal look. This is further emphasised by the graininess and haziness. The image is not sharply clear, but instead of being of detriment, it gives the image an interesting and unique aesthetic that is a vital and positive aspect. The grain and smokiness also give the photo some texture which gives more depth and interest. The photo has been framed so that there is quite a lot of space on each side of and above the subjects. This adds to the mood by giving it a more thoughtful and contemplative feel. The background is the wall of the shed, which doesn’t distract from the subject and also “sets the scene” for the horse and girl. The photo uses the rule of thirds in a small way, but this still helps the image to be effective. The girl is centred right in the middle vertical third, with the horse just to the left of her. On the horizontal thirds, both of the subjects’ faces fall into the centre one. The rest of their bodies are in the lower third and the top is left open. The focal point of the image is clearly the girl and the horse, and the viewers eye is drawn there easily.
Berit Alits 2014 This photo is a black and white portrait of a young girl called Mia and a horse. The girl is holding the horse, and looking off to the side. The photo was taken inside, in what appears to be a large shed or shelter. There are a lot of grey tones and little contrast. The tones are also quite dark, and the image has a grainy and “smoky” look to it. It is composed so that there is a lot of room around the subjects. I find this photo to be very interesting and unique, with an almost mysterious, “old” look to it. Although it looks like it could be film, it was shot on a digital camera; a Nikon d800 with 50mm f/1.4 lens.
Berit Alits is a wedding and portrait photographer. In many ways this photo is an excellent reflection of what her photographs entail. As one can imagine, her wedding and portraiture shoots are very beautiful with emphasis on the subjects. Her photos have a lot of soft focus and shadows and gorgeous lighting. This particular photo is part of a series from a shoot of this young girl Mia and the horse. Alits says that “The connection Mia has with the horses is amazing. She believes she can talk to them and that she can also hear them.”. I don’t believe that whether or not this actually can happen is relevant. She is a young girl who loves horses, and this is evident in the photos of her. There is a quiet, gentle sort of connection between her and the horse, and I think this photo shows this. She isn’t looking at the horse, but is leaning in towards it. The dark, mysterious and dreamy look of the image gives the girl and horse a very “together” feeling. This portrait of girl and horse by Berit Alits is a unique and successful photograph. Her aim was to capture the connection between the two subjects, and this is achieved in a very beautiful and interesting way. The artistic choices are somewhat unusual but work very well. The lack of contrast, graininess, soft focus and dark tones come together to produce an ethereal and intriguing image. This is further emphasised by the open composition. The photo is interesting and eye-appealing, and connection between the girl and horse is clear, making it a successful photo.
The first thing that stands out in this photo is the interesting use of focus and depth of field. A shallow depth of field has been used, which means that only a small part of the image is in focus. In this case, the chicken’s head is in focus and so is the girl’s hair. This draws attention to these areas. Although the girl’s face is not in focus, it is still a focal point because of how it is presented; being in between the two parts that are focused, and of how she is angled to look at the chicken. There is a lot of soft focus in the image, which does not necessarily mean that those areas are not important. The background however is very blurred out which keeps attention on the subjects and provides a nice backdrop. The colours in the image have a similar soft feeling. They aren’t sharp and bright, but instead are quite gentle and somewhat dark. The soft shadows come from this as well, and accentuate the gentleness of the subjects and the youth of the child. The photo uses simple but effective composition. Having the frame quite close in focuses attention on the subjects, but there is still some room so that they don’t appear cramped, which would be detrimental to the happy, open feeling. The rule of thirds is used, with the image easily split into three vertical thirds. The girl takes up the left one, the chicken is in the centre, and there is open space to the right. Horizontally, the chicken and the girl’s heads roughly fall into the top third. All of this gives a balanced and eye-appealing image.
Deanna McCasland
This photo depicts a young girl holding a chicken. There is interesting focus with a very small depth of field. The image is framed quite close in to the subjects with a balanced composition. The lighting, colours and shadows are soft, which is an important aspect of the image. There is some texture in the girl’s hair but this is not a big part of this photo. The focus is the subjects, and the feeling between them. This photo evokes a nice feeling because of the happiness and intrigue of the girl.
On Deanna McCasland’s website it says about herself; “I believe in documenting life with raw honesty. I believe in finding the beauty in the everyday and simple things...good & bad. I find great joy in finding this beauty in other peoples lives that they may not see yet. I love to tell love stories & to document the truth of childhood. I believe everything is beautiful if we just open our eyes and our hearts to see it.”. This provides an excellent overview of what can be seen in McCasland’s photos. No matter who or what the subjects of her photos are, they are stunning and tell beautiful stories. This particular image is no exception. The beauty in it is evident; both in the execution of the photo and the subject’s themselves. It is clear that there is a wonderful story of love and fun behind it. Despite the subject matter being fairly simple, there is a lot of depth, and this is what makes it, along with McCasland’s other photos, successful. This gorgeous photo of young girl and chicken by Deanna McCasland is highly successful. Artistically, it has effective and interesting composition, depth of field and lighting. The colours of the photo are warm and the image seems open and happy. The subject’s are the focus; themselves radiating the positive vibe evident throughout the photo. With simplicity and honesty, McCasland has captured a beautiful moment in time with artistic and emotional effectiveness that has produced a stunning photo.
Work Proposal I aim to produce a series of photographs involving my three year old niece Maddie and our horses. I want to showcase the love and excitement of Maddie with horses, and the gentleness and interest of the horses with her. Photos that show connection and happiness will be important. For example, Maddie’s hand stroking the horse, or showing her smiling. The photos will be taken outside at the horse’s paddock, so will use natural lighting. The Manual settings that I will use will depend on the weather and the available light. A reasonably fast shutter speed will be needed because the subjects will be moving a lot of the time. I will likely use around 1/800 seconds. A low aperture, perhaps around f/6.3, will give a smaller depth of field. This will be appropriate for the close-up images I will be taking, and will also let in more light to the camera which will counteract the short shutter speed. This is important to keep the ISO at a low setting, around 200-400, depending on the lighting. I will likely set the ISO to ‘Auto’, to let the camera pick the best setting. When the shutter speed and aperture are on a good setting, then the automatic ISO will be appropriate. I will likely use this because I will be taking photos at different positions where the lighting will be different, and won’t always have time to adjust settings. The compositions of the photos will be an important aspect. Close-in photos that show details will help to depict connection between the horse and girl. Interesting and balanced compositions help to make the image more eye-appealing as well. I plan on editing the final images to make them toned black and white. I will probably use a warm, brown tone which will emphasise the good feeling in the photos.
Test Shoot One Test Shoot One
Thoughts on Test Shoot One For my first test shoot, I used my sister instead of my niece Maddie as the model. This was simply due to time restraints. I focused on composition in this shoot. I think the close-up images that focused on details such as hands and parts of faces were particularly successful. The ones that showed a clear touch between horse and girl worked well in portraying the meaning behind the photos. Some of them were also taken from interesting angles, such as from down low. This gives a different and more interesting perspective. I used the Manual setting on my camera, and used fixed settings of aperture f/5.6 and shutter speed 1/640 sec. This wide aperture enabled more light to be let into the camera and also gave a smaller depth of field which was ideal for the close-up compositions. The shutter speed was fast enough to give sharp results even when there was movement in the subjects, but as low as possible to let in more light. The letting in the light with aperture and shutter speed was important because it was a very overcast day and I wanted the ISO to stay low. The ISO was on Auto, and it gave settings from ISO 100 to ISO 640 for different images. This was ideal because I did not want grainy photos resulting from a high ISO. In my next shoot I should be able to use my niece. I will try similar compositions because I think these were quite successful. I will likely use similar Manual settings, however they may be adjusted a bit if the weather is different (more sunny).
Test Shoot Two
Thoughts on Test Shoot Two In my second test shoot I was able to photograph my niece with our pony. I tried some different compositions and I think some of them worked well. Again, the close-ups from different angles seemed to work best. My niece was riding bareback which I think was successful for showing more connection between her and the pony, and for showing more meaning behind the images. I took these images when the sun was setting and so the light was very different depending on the position that I took the photos from. It was a clear, bright day, and I used an aperture of f/6.3 and shutter speed of 1/800 sec. The aperture was quite wide which let more light in and gave a short depth of field. The fast shutter speed and wide aperture balanced each other. The shutter speed was quite fast because the subjects were moving for many of them. The ISO was again on Auto, and returned ISO readings from 160 to 1000. This reflects the dramatic difference in lighting, depending on our position to the sun. For the final shoot I hope to have more time to photograph and therefore be able to take many photos of different compositions. These will incorporate elements from both of my test shoots.
Final Shoot
Thoughts on the Final Shoot My final shoot went successfully, with more time to explore different compositions and get a wider range of images. I took lots of close-ups from different angles and of different parts of the subjects. I have picked eight that I think have been most successful, and I will likely edit all of them before narrowing it down to the six best images. Some of the images I have picked have similar compositions and arrangement of the subjects, so I want to avoid this doubling up in the final set. However I want to see what they look like in their final forms before cutting them down. I took this shoot in the morning, from about 10:30 to 11:00 am. It was a clear, sunny day and so there was very good and bright natural light. The manual settings on my camera that I used were: aperture of f/5.6, shutter speed of 1/1000 sec. and ISO on Auto. The Auto ISO gave readings of ISO 100 to 500.
Editing the Final Photos I decided that I wanted to edit my photos to have a certain tone, using a gradient map. These are the steps I took in producing the final images.
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I opened one of the photos in Adobe Photoshop CS6. The first step was to convert the photo to black and white by adding a ‘black and white’ layer. I then adjusted the colour sliders as appropriate to the individual photo.
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Next I added a ‘brightness/contrast‘ layer. I adjusted the brightness up a little in most cases, and the contrast up quite a bit.
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I then added a ‘levels’ layer, which enabled me to do further adjustments on the contrast and the black and white tones. I did not need to do much with this, but even small changes make a big difference.
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Once the black and white image was satisfactory, I added a ‘gradient map’. From there I experimented with different tones in order to find the one that suited the photos the best (as shown on the following page). I ended up choosing the “cobalt-iron 2” gradient.
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7. 6.
Once the gradient map was finished, I went back and adjusted any of the previous layers, if the contrast, brightness or levels needed changing again after the gradient was added.
After choosing the gradient, I then went into the ‘gradient editor’, where I could adjust the sliders to change the tones. This enabled me to get the best toning for the individual image.
Lastly, I used the “burn” tool to darken any parts of the photo- usually the horse- that needed detail to be brought out more. Not all of the photos needed this. Once this was done, the photo was finished and ready to save.
Trying different Gradient Maps
Original black and white image
‘Sepia 1’ gradient map
‘Copper 1’ gradient map
‘Cobalt-iron 2’ gradient map
Final Photos
Artist Statement This series of photos shows the relationship between a very young girl and the pony she gets to ride and spend time with. Through focusing on the details rather than on the whole picture, the interesting aspects of connection between the two can be seen. Small things such as a touch of the hand on the horse’s coat, or two little human feet standing next to the horse’s front hooves, can tell big stories. These hold a lot of meaning, and highlight the little details that often go unnoticed. This young girl adores the pony, and it is evident throughout the series, despite no photos clearly showing her face. This clearly shows the power of the details. The photos have been composed so that they showcase the pony and girl from angles that would not normally be seen. This adds to the interest and beauty. Small depth of fields have been used to focus in on the details and highlight the subjects. The photos have been toned using a cobalt-iron gradient map that adds another layer of depth to the photos. This particular tone accentuates the brightness and beauty in the photos, and makes them more interesting and eye-catching.