AF Abstract Nature - Candidate Number 3046 - 46725 - PGHS by missmorrispghs

AMINA FEE / GCSE PHOTOGRAPHY HOME

COMPONENT 1

Abstract Nature PERSONAL PROJECT: ABSTRACT NATURE

Investigation of Elements / Photography Shoot - Line, Pattern, Tone In total, there are 7 elements of photography: line; shape; colour; tone; texture; space and form. There is also 7 principles of design to consider too: balance; emphasis; movement; pattern; repetition; proportion; rhythm; variety and unity.

7 Elements of Photography:

- Line is a point that continues; it implies motion. Lines are open and lead the eyes into a photograph or to an interesting point of the photo.

- In photography, tone is the range of lightest to darkest part of an image.

- Shape is any closed shape. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bird, or a

- The rule of space in photography is simply the act of adding

plane, or Superman for all I care; it is a two-

visual space in front of the direction that an object is moving,

dimensional representation of something we recognize.

looking or pointing to imply motion and direction and to lead the eye of the viewer.

- Form refers to when shape takes on three dimensions. Form is created by shadows and highlights on an object in the photograph.

- Textures are details that visually describe how something physically feels. Textures can be smooth, rough, and anything else your hand feels when it touches a surface.

- Colour in photography adds a dynamic element to your images that is very pleasing to the eye. The correct use of it will allow you to create photographs to be proud of.

Contact Sheet & Examples

Abstract photography is often conceptual and can be called non-objective and experimental. There is no proper meaning to abstract it is just something unique that leaves things to the imagination. It often uses shapes and colours to get its unique effects and texture can play a major role. It is non-objective as it isn't an object but part of an object. It is experimental as it there is more detail and there aren't many expectations.

There are three key art elements that I am choosing to take a focus on: - Texture: Texture can be visual or physical. and is how an object looks or feels. Sometimes texture can actually felt, such as in sculpture or the texture of work can be implied such as if you were to sketch a sheep’s wool. - Line: Lines are the foundation of drawing. Lines can be two or three dimensional, implied or abstract. Different types of lines include continuous, broken, jagged, vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. - Colour: Colour allows us to create our own individuality and flare which is why it is so good for abstract pieces. It can be used to create an atmosphere and make something more vibrant. A colour can make a photo stand out whether it is just shades of grey or some neon colours. Principles of Design that I am focusing on: - Repetition: Repetition is a great way to reinforce an idea. It’s also a great way to unify a design that brings together a lot of different elements. Repetition can be done in a number of ways: repeating the same colours, shapes, or other elements. - Contrast: Contrast can be achieved by juxtapositions of any of the elements of art. Contrast is the difference between elements of art in a composition, such that each element is made stronger in relation to the other. Areas of contrast are among the first places that a viewer's eye is drawn. - Proportion: Proportion is one of the easier design principles to understand. Simply put, it’s the size of elements in relation to one another. Proportion signals what’s important in a design and what isn’t. Larger elements are more important, smaller elements less.

7 Principles of Design:

- When you emphasise something, you are zooming in on it or making a big deal out of it. It is the focus of attention. It is something that catches the viewer's attention.

- Movement is elements of a photo that are moving (or appear to be moving). An example portraying it would be capturing a photo of a cat, in the air, leaping up towards a fence.

- Proportion is the amount of things in a photo or how big, small, zoomed in or zoomed out shows proportion.

- Unity is created by the repetition of similar shapes, lines, patterns, and colours. For example, you may use the harmonious limited colour palette, or similar shapes to unify your image.

- Rhythm represents an easy movement of the viewer’s eyes, following a regular arrangement or reproduction of elements in photography.

- Variety is about varying elements and objects in your image, to avoid making them boring. Variety can also be varying your angles, exposure, composition, etc., to get a few different looks to the same image.

- Balance in photography is observed when an image has subject areas that look balanced throughout the composition. It is achieved by shifting the frame and juxtaposing subjects within it so objects, tones, and colours are looking somewhat symmetrical.

I am choosing to look into 2 of these categories for my investigations. I will be taking 2 investigations: one on emphasis and another on movement. I have chosen these two because you don't see much focus on movement, and I also really think that emphasis in nature will be cool to look at.

Investigation of Elements and Principles of Design:

INVESTIGATION OF ELEMENTS / PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOT (Line/Pattern/Tone):

For this shoot my aperture was set at 125 as it was a bright day and I didn't want to let in too much light. My f stop was at 2.8. I was using a kit lens and my Nikon D3200. The environmental conditions is that the sky was clear and it was bright. I often used lower vantage points as the topic is abstract nature and in most cases you will find nature lower down. From this experience I learnt that cameras could go into monochrome (but mine doesn't have that function) and that aperture can make a lot of difference to a photo and it may need to change from time to time.

Best Images: I am particularly fond of this photo because of the vantage point. Instead of taking an upfront view, I've gone further towards the left to give a clear idea of contrast, which you can see from the lines on the underneath of the plant. This makes the photo successful because you can see detail and where the focus is in the photo. You can see that the photo also follows the rule of 3rds as the main focus of the photo lies primarily in the middle.

For this shoot my aperture was set at 125 as it was a bright day and I didn't want to let in too much light. My f stop was at 2.8. I was using a kit lens and my Nikon D3200. I decided to get close to the plants which meant, despite getting raindrops on my clothes, I could get more detail into my photos which benefitted this photo quite a bit. I was on my knees for this photo so I could create a more stable piece. Post-shoot, I used PIXLR E to edit my photo. I used highlights to bring more attention to the rain drops, and then changed my saturation to better suit the idea of going monochrome. I couldn't shoot in monochrome as there is no setting for that on my Nikon D3200 which is why I did my editing in colour first - it gives me more control over what the final look of the photo is. This is probably my favourite photo. It is easier and faster to change them all once they have been uploaded onto my system. I did my editing in colour first - it gives me more control over what the final look of the photo is. I also cropped the image as there was a leaf closer to me that was really out of focus, and took up quite a bit of the photo. This photo was one I chose and believed to be successful because you can see lines and varying tones. You can see a strong example of contrast, even in monochrome. I believe this photo is good but could do with some improvements,

I was at a low vantage point, kneeling down, so I could get a shot upwards. Again the aperture was at 125 and my f stop 2.8. I angled the camera upwards and focused on the centre piece. I had to get up-close to the plant as it was in the centre of the bush, but I also had to keep down.

Post-shoot, I used PIXLR E to edit my photo. I used highlights to bring more light tones in as most of the photo consists of mid tones and dark tones. Then I changed my saturation to make the photo monochrome. I cannot shoot in monochrome, as there is no setting for that on my Nikon D3200, without editing all the photos one by one when going to and from the settings option. It is easier and faster to change them all once they have been uploaded onto my system. I did my editing in colour first - it gives me more control over what the final look of the photo is. I also cropped the image as there was a leaf closer to me that was really out of focus, and took up quite a bit of the photo.

This photo was one I chose and believed to be successful because you can see lines and varying tones. You can see a strong example of line, even in monochrome. I believe this photo is good but could do with some improvements such as more focus on the tips of the plant instead of it being blurred.I was at a an average vantage point, kneeling standing up, so I could get a shot straight forward. Again the aperture was at 125 and my f stop 2.8. I angled the camera straight ahead and focused on the centre piece. I had to get up-close to the plant as it was in the centre of the bush, but I also had to keep down.

It is easier and faster to change them all once they have been uploaded onto my system. I did my editing in colour first - it gives me more control over what the final look of the photo is. I also cropped the image as there was a leaf closer POWERED BY to me that was really out of focus, and took up quite a bit of the photo.

This photo was one I chose and believed to be successful because you can see lines and varying tones. You can see a strong example of contrast, even in monochrome. I believe this photo is good but could do with some improvements, I was at an average vantage point, stood up, so I could get a shot upwards. Again the aperture was at 125 and my f stop 2.8. I angled the camera directly ahead of me and focused on the centre piece. I had to get up-close to the plant as it was in the centre of the bush, but I also had to keep balanced.

It is easier and faster to change them all once they have been uploaded onto my system. I did my editing in colour first - it gives me more control over what the final look of the photo is. I also cropped the image as there was a leaf closer to me that was really out of focus, and took up quite a bit of the photo.

Artist Investigation / Edward Weston: “When subject matter is forced to fit into preconceived patterns, there can be no freshness of vision. Following rules of composition can only lead to a tedious repetition of pictorial cliches.” – Edward Weston

Why this artist? To begin my Abstract Nature Artist Investigations, I will initially study the work of Edward Weston because his work shows many elements of art and design and he did photography on natural forms, which fits in greatly with our topic of Abstract Nature. ho is he? W Edward Weston was a photographer born in 1886 who mainly worked in black and white. He existed before the age of digital cameras, and used darkrooms as well as his Bull's Eye #2 camera. Why this video? I find this video inspirational because it shows a varieties of his work, and shows some of his best pieces, which have plenty of detail.

Why the quote? He is saying that if something was planned, and everyone followed patterns, there would be nothing unique. He believes that following the rules of normality and what is composed to make a good picture can only lead to copies and nothing original. He is talking about abstraction and saying that not every photo should be a cliche, and that we should break from patterns and the anomalies in life. Below are a selection of 10 Weston images that are inspirational to me because of the range of elements and principles used such as line, tones, contrast, repetition etc.

Edward Weston / Investigation Shoot: The shoot will take place in my kitchen and on the counter to be more specific. I need to keep in mind that there will be plenty of florescent light but also quite a bit of darkness where I'm shooting. Because of my vantage point, and the limitations of where I'm allowed to move my vegetables, I am going to struggle to get the correct exposure. The props used will be onions and peppers because they are the only vegetables we have in at the moment. The peppers are good for abstraction because of their shape and onions are also good because of the visual texture they add to a photo. I will have to use the counter to get a dark yet plain background to further emulate Weston's work. For lighting I will be using florescent lights provided in the kitchen. Despite going for a low-key lighting scenario I will still be using the florescent lights as I have a strange vantage point and plenty of shade making a darker, a better suited effect for Weston's work. However I'm making sure the lighting hits the front of the subject of the photo so it can add highlights and bring more detail to my photos. I will not be adjusting my white balance. For this shoot I will be using my Nikon D3200 and a kit lens. My aperture is set at 125 as it was a bright day and I didn't want to let in too much light. My f stop is to be set at 2.8. I will be holding my camera and it will be held at an up-front vantage point.

SEMI Analysis / Edward Weston: SUBJECT The photographer of this image is called Edward Weston. The title of this Photograph is 'Pepper No. 30' and is one of his most iconic pieces of work. It was made in 1930. The genre of this photograph is still life but it is also rather abstract. The prop I can see in this picture is the very unique shaped pepper. ELEMENTS The composition of the photo shows a pepper in some dark arched setting. It is hard to tell as the photo is in monochrome. The pepper is in the foreground and is the centre of the photos whilst still complying with the rule of thirds. The viewer’s eye is lead around the photo because of the composition & perspective Weston has used. The perspective that Edward Weston has taken the photo from is at eye level. This perspective is effective because you an see the whole pepper as well as the arching underneath it. The photographer employs a range of visual elements in his work. The most striking elements are the varying tones as well as the shape as it shows a lot of abstraction, which fits this project very well. The shape looks like two creatures hugging and the tones make the photo look surreal as they give a more surreal look to the piece. I've made an outline down below to give you an idea of how the shaping of this natural form can bring abstraction and how it can be viewed differently to everyone.

If you look at the outlines I have created you can also see how the tones make it more visually appealing and how they look more abstract and how the tones create a gradient that gives this shot a surreal sense.

MEDIA The photo has been taken from a short distance so you would not see as much of the outer setting which means there'd be less distraction and less objects to crop out, which was rather difficult to do in Weston's time as he would have had to fixate it in a dark room. In the field of view however, you can still see the surface of the ground it is being taken on, and it provides further texture, complimenting the pepper. This is so the pepper is the main focal point of the image.

INTENT I feel the photo coveys a message of expression. I believe this photo was meant to capture how unique life can be and how we often forget about that. It does this by the effective use of tones and visible texture in addition to the shape. The shape is not a normal shape to see and depending at the angle the shot is pointed, can look unique in various different ways. This shows expression because the vegetable is at the centre and isn't something you think about everyday. It makes the person look at it and realise how often we overlook things. This work is relevant to our project and theme as it is a very abstract piece and is also linked to nature because of the pepper and how the pepper is the subject of the photo. It is a natural source and therefore it works well with our project of 'Abstract Nature'. I believe this is a strong piece because of the way the tone works and how abstract the shot is. The tones bring more of a compliment to the texture and everything works well. However, I don't think the grounding is focused and so there is less of it on the left than the right. It is just a small thing but it is difficult to get right on a rounded surface.

The pepper has been placed in the foreground. By doing this the viewer’s eyes are lead directly to the pepper and the viewer then becomes aware of how the pepper is the subject of the photo.The photo has been taken in a large tin funnel, and, placing it on its side, he set a pepper just inside the large open end. To assist his shot, he used natural sunlight. The light source is placed on the right which is why the lighter tones are facing towards the right, which is where the natural light must have been coming from. The lighting creates highlights as well as varying tones and shadows which are further emphasised as the photo is monochrome. This creates an atmosphere because of the numerous highlights and how there is a smooth gradient as it transitions into the shadows. To emulate his photograph myself, I would find a monochrome setting for my camera, I'd use a tripod so I could stabilise the photo, and I'd use a plant pot to create the rounded edge effect closer to the bottom of the image. To add onto these ideas, I'd recreate the lighting effect by having natural light coming from a side vantage to provide more lighting and emulate Weston's work. Additionally I would also need to research how a darkroom works to ensure I can create a copy of the photo that is more similar to the original piece.

Edward Weston Shoot Plan: This shoot was inspired by Edward Weston's 'Bell Pepper No 30' because of how abstract are and because of all the tones you can see. The shoot will take place in the school because we can get plenty of natural light from room 53. The props used will be a chair, paper, a vegetable, and a plant pot because the chair will hold the background paper up, the paper will be underneath the plant pot and the vegetable will be inside the plant pot to give the edges of the photo more shape and texture. The lighting conditions I will require is soft and natural. This is because I don't want florescent or sharply bright light exposing my shots. I will experiment using high or low key because I would like to stick to the tones Weston uses, which are darker and are in monochrome. My subject will be side lit so I can make more of an impression on the highlights and bring more of an emphasis on the dark or mid-tones. The lighting will be natural light so it is soft and appealing to the eye. I will adjust the white balance on my camera to cloudy so you can see the colours more softly and see which ones are more dark than others because of the way the colours are balanced out. I intend to shoot with my Nikon D3200 (DSLR) using a kit lens on a tripod because it will allow me to get a stable shot. I was also planning on using monochrome effects on my photos but when I checked my camera, a monochrome option was not available and so instead I intend on changing the saturation on my shot post-shoot. I intend to use a larger aperture f/2 for a very shallow depth of field. NOTE TO SELF: What is White Balance? In photography and image processing, colour balance is the global adjustment of the intensities of the colours. An important goal of this adjustment is to render specific colours – particularly neutral colours – correctly. Hence, the general method is sometimes called grey balance, neutral balance, or white balance.

Edward Weston Contact Sheets: Home Investigation: This shoot was to be in monochrome but my camera doesn't allow that. This means that it has to be done post-shoot/edit. If I edit my photos then they won't be the originals and I need to assess them first. I didn't get a lot of photos in this shoot compared to the other but there weren't many shots you could take that are unique with a photographer such as Edward Weston. I enjoyed shooting the photos of the multi-coloured pepper but after I reduced the saturation, the colours weren't as bold.

School Investigation: This shoot was to be in monochrome but my camera doesn't allow that. This means that it has to be done post-shoot/edit. If I edit my photos then they won't be the originals and I need to assess them first. I got a lot of photos in this shoot compared to the other. I got a lot more photos than this but I had to do a process of elimination because there were simply too many photos to analyse. Here are a few of the best and worst shots I took during the school investigation. There was a key problem with my shoot at school and it wasn't how underexposed my photos were - I was expecting that - but what I wasn't expecting was how light the holes in the plant pot would appear. If I want to emulate Weston's work further, I need to change something about the background. If I can make it look natural enough I could fix these problems by smudging using PIXLR.

Edward Weston Shoot:

Best Images: I am particularly fond of this shot. I used f/22 and it was a handheld, manual, shoot. The texture in this photo varies and I believe it successfully shows abstraction in nature. I adjusted the levels to fix the exposure and give more balance to the photo. Some shaping is more prominent and there is clear lining at the stem of the photo.

This shot is successful because the shadows, both around the stem core and the pepper's dentures, help provide further visual texture. The shot takes a focus on the wrinkles of the pepper, as well as the core of the stem. There is some kind of highlight gradient loop and therefore it has some kind of loading effect.

This is one of my favourite shots because of the pure contrast between the textures of each half of the pepper. The left half seems smooth and has a nice gradient towards it, meanwhile the the other half is wrinkled and therefore breaks the gradient the lighting provides.

This photo complies with the rule of thirds and focuses on line and shape. The folds of the pepper help provide the shaping of the shot helps the visual effect of it being in the room with you. Additionally, the lining between the lighting on the wrinkles of the peppers provides more detail to the image.

Abstraction Through Cyanotypes // Anna Atkins: Anna Atkins was an English botanist and photographer. She is often considered the first person to publish a book illustrated with photographic images. Some sources claim that she was the first woman to create a photograph. The cyanotype process is relatively cheap and easy to use. A wide range of surfaces can be coated with the mixture of chemicals and you don't need a darkroom or any complicated equipment however when making cyanotypes you need the sun light because it's a natural source of light so you must be outside, however, it all depends of the time of day and year making it difficult to get a accurate photo. odern cyanotype artists are still using this method today as a man was "re-inventing the cyanotype process late at night". They have M modernised cyanotypes to make it so that only sections of the photo actually have cyanotypes and that the rest of it is pretty much just a normal photo. This means they can still use their modern cameras too. I used a specific website to look at an exhibition of various photographers and how they modernised cyanotypes in their own ways. This was the website that I used: http://lenscratch.com/2020/03/winter-blues-contemporary-cyanotypes-at-the-center-for-photographic-art/

Here are my cyanotypes that I made in lesson. I really enjoyed this technical process because it allows me to learn about how cyanotypes work and how exposure works. You can see what happens when light is blocked from the photosensitive material and the way they transform. It will be great and possibly source further inspiration in my Abstract Nature project as it is very creative and the masking of the material can lead to some really unique pieces - cyanotypes are great for capturing the essence of nature.

Horst P. Horst / The Unfamiliar and Abstracted: Fashion photographer Horst P. Horst used rotational symmetry to create new patterns. His book, Patterns from Nature (1946), has inspired me to create my own series of rotational symmetry patterns using my work so far. Here are some of my examples:

Artist Investigation / Karl Blossfeldt: "Nature educates us into beauty and inwardness and is a source of the most noble pleasure." - Karl Blossfeldt

After studying the work of Edward Weston, Anna Atkins and Horst P. Horst I will now further my research into Abstract Nature by looking at the work of Karl Blossfeldt. arl Blossfeldt (June 13, 1866 – December 9, 1932) was a German K photographer, sculptor, teacher, and artist who worked in Berlin, Germany. He is best known for his close-up photographs of plants and living things, published in 1929 as Urformen der Kunst. I chose this inspiration quote because it typifies the work of Blossfeldt as he shows that we can learn a lot from nature and can find pleasure in it. Why this video? This video is inspirational to me because a lot of his work and you can see the amount of detail that goes into each piece. It makes a really interesting piece and gives you an idea of ways you could portray your work and how lighting can effect a photo. You can also learn a little bit about the photographer while you're at it. Below are a selection of 10 Karl Blossfeldt images:

His Techniques: The focal point of Blossfeldt’s work is the centre of the image. The natural forms are in the centre of his photos and he follows the rule of thirds. Blossfeldt uses pattern in his work by selecting objects that contain repetitive lines or textures. Blossfeldt’s work is restful as the image has a white background and uses the rule of thirds to focus the observer's eye on the details and subject of the image. The image is also in black and white, adding to the theme of restfulness and the rule of thirds is present in Blossfeldt’s work, this is shown in his Natural forms pieces as he often frames his photographs using the object, where the object is placed against the plain background. Blossfeldt uses simplification by having no distractions in the photos by having a clear background.

Shoot Plan / Karl Blossfeldt: This shoot was inspired by Karl Blossfeldt because we have been studying his work and the forms that are the subject of his photos for abstract nature, and I believe his forms would be a good example of abstract nature to emulate. The shoot will take place in our classroom and at home, for our homework, so then I can learn how to create an efficient backdrop for my photos in various places and scenarios. The classroom was of use because I could set up a light-room and at home, I could improvise with what I have to see how I can create the same effect. The props I am using will be plants or items from nature because they are the focus of this project and the abstraction should be the subject of the photo. I will also be using a tripod to stabilise my images to stop the camera shake and to allow myself to use a slower shutter speed as well as capture more detail. Additionally, I will be making a white backdrop to keep my photos focused on the abstract forms of nature. At home I also intend on using a trigger and receiver set for lighting to keep a high-key look for my photos; in school I just plan on using the fluorescent lighting provided in the classroom.

The lighting conditions I will require are high-key standards because I need the setting to be bright to enhance my imitation of Karl Blossfeldt. I will experiment using high key because Blossfeldt's work was fairly bright and the light gave more of a sharp focus and a plain background on the photos. My subject will be front lit as to avoid any shadows. This is because there aren't many photos Blossfeldt takes with shadows as a feature in them and shadows may also take away some of the focus from the abstract forms at hand. The lighting will be artificial light as I will be using the fluorescent lights in the classroom and the trigger and receiver at home. I intend to shoot with a Nikon d3200, my DSLR camera, at school using a kit lens on a tripod because I can get some crisp photos with a sharp focus on the abstraction while keeping the camera stable. However, I will not be using the same technique at home. At home I intend on taking the shoot with a Nikon d850 with a kit lens, trigger and receiver set, and no tripod. The trigger and receiver set is necessary for my shoot at home as my room has terrible lighting and would leave the photos with a terrible quality. I can also see where the light is going to be shot because the trigger projects a central kind of shape, showing where the light will go. I do not intend to use a tripod as I do not have the physical space to do so. I intend to use a small aperture f/22 for a large depth of field so I can capture all the detail on my dynamic composition shots. I intend to use a larger aperture f/2 for a very shallow depth of field to bring a focus onto the texture and bring through the abstraction. I intend to use a slow shutter speed because it allows me to bring more detail to the photos.

Contact Sheet / Karl Blossfeldt: Contact Sheet 1:

Contact Sheet 2:

Home Shoot / Karl Blossfeldt:

Editing Process / Karl Blossfeldt: To edit my Karl Blossfeldt images, I used the online image editing software PIXLR. When editing my images, I focused on three key areas: cropping; adjusting the background and amending the levels of the image. Here are some screenshots of this editing process. 1. Cropping the Image and using the rule of thirds

2. Using the magic wand tool to select and edit the background

3. Adjusting the levels of the image for the correct range of tones and contrast.

9 Best Images / Karl Blossfeldt:

Overlays / Karl Blossfeldt:

What is an overlay? In photography, overlays are basically an image or texture that is added as an additional layer to your photograph using an editing program. To edit my images I used PIXLR and I added the overlays as regular layers. From that point I used the free tool on the ratio of the photo to ensure that the overlay would fit over the original image without any issues. Once it was fit into place, I changed the blending mode of my overlay for the photos. I changed it to the overlay setting.

This gave the subject of the photo an overlay but the rest was looking rather plain so I added another overlay, once again changing the blend mode, but this time setting the blend mode to exclusion to give the background some texture.

Here are some examples of overlays:

Karl Blossfeldt Animation:

Note: Some of the photos are very pixelated due to the files being missing / corrupt.

Karl Blossfeldt Evaluation: In evaluating my work, I feel I gained a lot of experience from the Karl Blossfeldt experiments both in school and out of school. This includes key skills such as efficiently setting up and taking down tripods, setting backdrops, setting timers onto my camera, learning about different types of lenses and how they change how your photo’s appearance.

In school, I have acquired new vocabulary and explored different types of photography. For the Karl Blossfeldt task, we focused on ‘High Key’ photography and we took shots with tripods, used box lighting, 50 mm prime lenses, varied shutter speeds and a 2 second timer. High key photography is very bright (high exposure) so we made light studios to help emulate Blossfeldt's work effectively. In ‘High Key’ photography there should be no shadows and the subject matter should appear bright and crisp. The florescent lights or ‘soft boxes’ were key to this shoot.

Emulating Blossfeldt's style at home, was somewhat different to the experience at school. At school I had a solid backdrop and plenty of access to florescent lighting, whereas at home I have less access to solid light backgrounds and the lights are very dim. As a result, I needed to become inventive with the resources to hand.

I used a piece of technology called a ‘trigger a receiver’ set, to closely replicate the clinical, well exposed natural forms in Blossfeldt’s work. When taking shots, the trigger and receiver set provided my scene with extra light but because it is remotely triggered, the flash could be moved, attached to a tripod and placed around my subject matter. This setup also made sure there were less creases in my backdrop, and it also allowed me to have a better standard of lighting for my photos. The LEDs were incredibly bright and would only shoot when I clicked the trigger. This incredibly helpful and introduced me to a new photographic technique. The home shoot wasn't easy however my skills were developed as it tested my adaptability as a photographer.

During the post-edit phase, I learnt more about PIXLR, a free online editing suite. I used the cropping tools to enhance composition and to draw attention to the subject matter. There were also other tools such as the magic wand and the selection tool for which I used to correct background colours. It allowed me to change different aspects of the photo individually and this was useful for if I wanted to give my photos more of a sepia tone but only in certain sections. PIXLR has many options and I mainly explored filters, image adjustments (such as colour temperature and contrast) and overlays (layers). Additionally there was an occasion where I used Photofunia to edit my photos by adding vintage framing and sepia filters. Photofunia allowed me to access a range of ‘graphic assets’ to suit my project’s needs.

I believe my most successful outcome was the PIXLR overlays as I had to learn new techniques and I now feel more confident when using editing software. With the overlays I learnt about adding texture rather than just dodging or burning the photos. I believe these are my most successful outcomes as they were unique, followed the rule of thirds (composition), had good balance and clear leading lines. The high key photography was important for the shots and I feel this images demonstrated a good level of exposure. They were also enhanced to replicate his older photos with an antique and vintage aesthetic, courtesy of Photofunia.

I believe I definitely have some areas for improvement such as enhancing my contact sheet, especially in the techniques section. I tend to add a lack of detail because I often lose track of my ISO and aperture. I also believe I need to work on my exposure and add more detail into my artist research too. It may be a good idea for me to create more pastiches and I also feel like I need to use more subject terminology and avoid going off topic. Another thing I need to focus on is my experience with my camera’s techniques and settings as it seems to have very bespoke features to master. This however, is something to catch up on in my own time and throughout my GCSE Photography course.

Artist Investigation / Dennis Wojtkiewicz: "I use a Canon EOS 90D camera with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM fixed lens. The only reason I even know about the technology is because my colleague told me that's what I needed and would be the biggest bang for the buck. The rest of it is all by feel. I have absolutely no photo training. For me that suffices because I'm not hung up on technical stuff. Just looking for ways to capture information for my paintings." - Dennis Wojkiewicz / Jan 2021

The

final

artist

is Dennis Wojtkiewicz.

the

Abstract

Nature

project

This artist differs from my other

investigated media-users because his still nature portraits are hyper-realistic and he uses his photography for inspiration for his portraits. However, there are similarities in his work to our topic of abstract nature. The up-close work of Wojtkiewicz and the hyper-realism helps us to see the abstraction - especially in citrus fruits. All the artists we have looked at so far always demonstrated some kind of abstraction in their work whether it was the shaping of the subject or the lining.

Dennis Wojtkiewicz was born January 01, 1956 in Chicago, Illinois and is most famously known for his for Large scale sliced fruit still life and close view floral painting. His website is: www.wojtkiewiczart.com

The quote is from a direct email response from Dennis. W himself. From the email, I was able understand what equipment & techniques he uses such as the macro USM fixed lens and why he uses it, courtesy of his colleagues. Why this video? This video is inspirational to me because I am able to see in great detail his hyper-realistic portraits that many would mouth-watering, succulent and very photorealistic. It is evident that the evident background allows the subject of the photo to contemporarily harmonise with the composition of the colours. The backlighting allows the fruit to have contrasting colours that will harmonise gradually into darker tones, leaving less contrasted edges as the subject blocks some levels of light. This video provides me with a good insight of how the portraits look and key examples of abstraction in nature. As it is a compilation I also don't have to keep an eye on various other photos in different tabs, further redeeming its credibility of worth.

Here are some examples of Wojtkiewicz's work:

Photographic Techniques / Macro Photography: Macro photography is the art of making tiny things look big. It is a close up genre. The proper macro photography definition is an image whose subject is reproduced to at least 1:1. The benefits are that you can see a photo up-close with plenty of detail and no pixellation. Ideally for macro photography you'd like some decent quality equipment such as macro lenses, DSLRs, tripods to help stabilise your macro work, and more; however, most of these pieces of equipment aren't necessarily the cheapest to get your hands on and therefore the amount of people who choose to invest in this genre of photography is rather small. However there are some miniature hacks out there for those who cannot afford specialist equipment for example the smartphone hack, which is where you place water droplets on your phone lens, which helps magnify your photos. You could also purchase a reverse ring and use it to install your lens on backwards, further magnifying your photos. Another example of something you could use is a magnifier which is pretty self explanatory, and even a lens ball.

Shoot Plan / Dennis Wojtkiewicz: This shoot was inspired by Dennis Wojtkiewicz because he is the final artist we are researching for our "Abstract Nature" topic. I am inspired to do this shoot by the up-close detail Wojtkiewicz shows on his work. There is clear abstraction with the translucent parts of fruits, the colours and how they harmonise, and the shaping and lines on the fruits and flowers.

The shoot will take place in my room late at night because I am going to be using florescent and ambient lighting. I am going to need to take into consideration how the lighting may effect the subject due to the translucent parts of my subject. I am intending on having a focus on it. This means I will have to be considerate of my angles of the lighting.

The props used will be lemons and limes primarily because Wojtkiewicz's fruit often uses citrus fruits and I believe they'll allow me to achieve plenty of details on lining, allowing me to work well with my topic of "Abstract Nature". Additionally I am going to be using a blanket as a floor cover and backdrop as well as using a small clear tub to hold the fruit on and hide the light behind. To add more interest to the subject of my photos, I will not necessarily be using any more props but equipment. Wojtkiewicz's work has light in the centre behind the subject... but I won't necessarily be able to stick to that idea solely. I have limited space where my lighting can move as it is connected to wiring and therefore it would be incredibly difficult and near impossible to achieve this effect. The lighting conditions I will require are varying as I am going to have to experiment with the angles of my lighting. I am aiming for a somewhat low key effect because the backgrounds of Mr Wojtkiewicz's work are plain and dark to compliment his subject. My subject will be back lit preferably to replicate his work but this may not be possible. In this event, I am going to attempt to get a side angle or a front angle to see which one will provide more detail and better emulate the artist's work. The lighting will be artificial light and I will adjust the white balance on my camera to florescent. I intend to shoot with my Nikon D3200 once again but this time will be slightly different to before. I will be using a Nikon 50mm prime lens, with macro filters placed on top of the prime lens (Neewer +2 and +4) because I would like to get a better view of what I wouldn't be able to successfully capture with my kit lens. This however will mean I have to focus my camera manually, which may slow me down as it is a new process. I am also going to be using some new equipment I haven't used for shooting as well! I intend to use a Neewer light reflector, as well as some small camera LED kits, which are plugged in, limiting my flexibility with lighting angles. Additionally I am going to be using a light receiver with some gel filters to provide additional brightness and maybe pull out some more hues to capture the kind of gradient of colours you can get in Wojtkiewicz's work. I am planning on setting the light receiver to the TTL setting (through the lens) and the power to +1/3. I intend to use a larger aperture f/2 for a very shallow depth of field to allow more focus on the subject at hand, and receive more detail on the work. I intend to use a fast shutter speed because I do not have a tripod that can stabilise the image when the camera is being held so close to the ground, and when I have to change all the settings on my camera manually.

Contact Sheets / Dennis Wojtkiewicz:

Contact Sheet 1:

Contact Sheet 2:

Post Editing / Dennis Wojtkiewicz:

Editing Step 1: For this step I used adjustment settings to better applicate a more vibrant look and adjust my contrast and hues slightly to better fit my final goal.

Editing Step 2: From this point onwards, I believed it beneficial to erase the background so there'd be more focus on the subject. I used the lasso tool for this, with a feathering effect of 10.

Editing Step 3: After removing the background, I duplicated the subject of the photograph and resized them to make a scattered fruity effect. Each lemon slice is somewhat close to another.

Editing Step 4: After duplicating the lemons, I selected a few that didn't stand out and increase their contrast, change their hues and occasionally their brightness.

Best Images: I feel this photo was successful because of the contrast the pink brings compared to the monochrome colouring of the rest of the images. The grey kiwis look slightly underexposed but it makes the pink of the singular kiwi more prominent. I like the shaping. The only thing I am not fond of in this image is the detail on the pink kiwi. I feel as if the brighter sections are too bright.

ith this image, I am particularly fond of the red or pink orange W slice. I love how the centre sort of reaches out at some sections of the fruit more than others. It creates a good effect with the colours changing.

I like this image because the colours on the green and pink lime change.. however when applied in monochrome I really dislike it. The patches just look too dark and it does not blend in as well as it does with the colours.

Rotational Designs / Dennis Wojtkiewicz: Using the idea of rotational symmetry, and the inspiration of Horst P Horst, below I have attempted to create some rotational designs of the Wojtkiewicz edited images. I have added abstraction via colour, contrast, texture and more. I will develop these further using PIXLR.

Evaluation: Throughout this topic, I have developed my understanding of Abstract Photography through nature. To help the project, I looked at a total of 5 photographers. Initially, I researched the work of Edward Weston, from whom I learnt the significance of tones and how they can affect a monochromatic photo. This inspired me to adapt and emulate his style with the balance, texture and tones he uses. When inspired by his work I focused on replicating the backgrounds in which Weston's work has. I studied the technical process of saturation and burning to add further details to my pastiche series. His work helped me with my study of Abstract Nature because the photographs he took were of abstract plants as well as lines of them. After studying Weston, I investigated the work if Anna Atkins and her cyanotypes. From this investigation, I discovered how light could produce photos without a camera and how Atkins plants were detailed. I trialed my own cyanotype in an attempt of practicing her style to dee the effect the lighting had. Atkins work was based on Abstract Nature as well as showing contrast. orst P Horst was another photographer I researched. He rotates and combines photos of nature to be left with abstraction. To H emulate his work I used a combination of previously taken photographs and rotated them. I learnt from Horst that post editing can also lead to effective abstraction of nature. After Horst I looked into the work if Karl Blossfeldt who used plain backgrounds and restful composition to highlight the abstraction in nature. I emulated hid backdrops and stuck to the rule of thirds, as that's where my inspiration from hid work came from. Drawing an end yo the Abstract Nature topic, I finally investigated Dennis Wojtkiewicz who used light and citrus fruits to signify the lines of abstraction in his work. I emulated his work using backlighting, which I learnt from studying him. I then did post editing to further enhance colour and lining. F rom the Abstract Nature topic, I believe my editing was the most successful outcome. I believe this because if a photo didn't apply to the rule of thirds, I was able to alter it. In addition to this I can add effective overlays as well as duplicate the subject of the photo. Instead of retaking shoots due to underexposure, I could change the volume and levels, further enhancing my work, meanwhile saving time. Finally, I can also adjust the saturation and contrast depending on how abstract I wanted my piece of work . I have been able to highlight some lines in nature providing my abstraction for this investigation. owever I believe that I need to further develop my annotations to better emulate a photographers style, as well as improve a H significant amount to my contact sheets. My contact sheets are rather vague, and need to reflect my knowledge: my annotations need to have significance.

Abstract Nature / Hand Manipulation Sample Board: