Natasha priest A2 Photography
‘The formation of Ribbon’. I have created a set of photographs that have been influenced by the contrast of fashion inhibited by the positioning of red ribbon. The ribbon is the focus of the photographs and provides the viewer with the aspects of over exposed fashion being withheld and confined to a limited environment.
Artist research linking to the theme The gathering of inspirational artists that influenced my photographic developmentation.
Artist analysis one.
Daniele Buetti On first appearance, one could mistake the dots at the natural photograph and the way it had been taken through shadow control; however when you start to closely examine the ‘look’ of the photograph we then understand that the dots were physically placed onto the image through process of using a pin. Buetti develops his work complexes during a number of years, exploring issues in a medium adapted from popular culture. Buetti is very famous for using this method and its overall effect on the viewer is very positive. It captures the whole structure of the photograph almost making the photograph come to life through the influence of light. Although the photograph is not as important singularly in my opinion I feel that as part of a series of Buetti’s photographs. Hence using the repetition of holes indulged by light is very important because it provides the audience the opportunity to think about the subject matter in a physical capacity, and how the photographs rebirth is influences by his specific method.
This particular photograph had a lot of influence on the ways I will develop my initial photographs. I love the effect the lights have on the structure of the model and how each light highlights the detail of the subject matter. My reaction to this particular photograph from Buetti’s series is very optimistic. I am very intrigued by the sense of rebirth that is presented through the power of light in an organised manner. The positioning of the dots is obviously an important element of this photography and in a way, the series of work by Buetti could be classes as being in the genre of ‘fashion photography’, however I don’t view it in this way. As I believe it doesn’t portray the clothing element to fashion, in which forms a part of a major fashion statement in cohere to the dots of light. I feel that Buetti's initial idea was to position the dots in main features of the subject matter in order to enhance the nature of the photograph. For instance in this particular photograph Buetti focuses on the area of the eyes, which I feel he did purposely to causes a captivating reaction from the viewer. Eyes are a main focus point and can often determine a whole theme within a photograph, the theme being sadness due to the streaming of dots running down the subjects cheeks. What I have found most inspirational about this photograph is the idea of structuring the photograph through the use of dots, and then glaring light through the holes to provide the viewer with a ‘rebirth of character’ effect. Then ideas that I’m exploring for my second fashion photo shoot is focused on promoting a dress. The focus point is the theme of ‘isolation and constraint’ by using a bright red ribbon in a variety of intimidating angles.
I’ve take note of the strong structural shapes of the lights created in Buetti’s photograph and his use of dramatic focus points and I'm going to develop my fashion photographs in a similar way. I therefore feel that by incorporating dots and lighting in my photographs in cohere to the element of fashion; this will enhance the promoting potential of the dress. The audience will open a magazine and see something obscure in adhere to typical fashion advertising, which will influence them to carry on reacting positively with the rest of the series.
The photographs.
Mini Evaluation.
My inventive aim in taking this set of photographs was to discover a different way of advertising fashion imagery that would not necessarily confine with the typical theme of garment fashion, but to provide the viewer with a sense of artistic character that would possibly influence fashion but at the same time contradict the normal clothing shots. My original intentions however were influenced by the artist Daniel Buetti and his wonderful dots of light, I felt that by incorporating this within my imagery it would structure and outline the fashion look. However through further research I was able to re-evaluate how I would develop my initial photographs, I then found the artist Wendy Asumadu and wanted to acetate them and overlap the photographs, which would create a varying contrast, including the Daniel Buetti inspired developmental to add a slight silhouette effect on indivual parts of the whole photograph. Then I began editing the developmental on a program named Nik collection which allowed me to incorporate only specific colour onto parts of the photographs. Providing a saturated effect which adds a sense of graphic imagery. However before initiating this idea, I originally wanted to capture some typical studio fashion photographs using a simple black dress and red ribbon, then highly editing them to look like high quality studio shots. However as the editing progressed I found myself wanting to completely distorted this idea and convey the less typical fashion studio shots that might stand out in a magazine, but I wanted to capture the viewer in the ways that my photography would cause confusion and intrigued an audience.
Artist analysis two.
Wendy Asumadu At first we could mistake the image as a staged photograph illustrating the average theme of fashion. However when you start to examine the whole fashion ‘look’ of the photograph and understand that it in fact exemplifies the theme of movement in a contrasting capacity. When considering the effect the photograph has on fashion, we can see the purpose of the fading movement in divergence with the typical aspects of fashion advertisement. Nevertheless in order to understand this photograph completely we need to know the reasons why Asumadu took it. ‘Distorted overlapping portraits’ is a series of work by Wendy Asumadu, the photograph I chose however was one that will have major influence on the development of my photographic photographs. In this series, Asumadu works powerfully with the method of repetition which adds a variety of contrast to the image, highlighting the detailed aspects of the portraits.
Asumadu creates beautiful overlapping portraits using photography and mixed media elements. They are bright and uplifting to look at with a touch of odd. Through research I found that all of the pieces were built from only a handful of individual shots which therefore adds simplicity to the structure of the fashion photograph which in the 21 century is very unfamiliar. Although this photograph is not important in itself, I believe that as part of the series. ‘Distorted overlapping portraits’ is very significant because it delivers the viewer with an opportunity to think about distortion in relation to fashion in a similar and effective way. My individual reaction to this photograph, on the whole is quite confident. I am actually very captivated by the sense of movement that is present within the image, and the dramatic positioning and styling of the model in order to add an effective faded outcome. The fading of the repeated photograph is obviously an important element of the photograph, and in a way, the series of distorted images by Asumadu could indefinitely be classed as being in the genre of ‘fashion photography’. I believe that the photographs are very strong and if used for advertisement would definatly change the typical aspects of fashion advertisement so that the viewer is provide with fashion in a way that portrays clothing through the theme of movement. I feel that she is purposefully distorting the images to create a theme related to fashion, in a way that only allows the viewer to see specific parts of the model, therefor revealing idyllic detail that can only be enjoyed through overlapping photographs in order to obtain purpose fashion intricacy.
What I have found most inspirational in the image is the idea of movement being experimental and free and this is what I found most intrigued, because the artist Asumadu created developments of the concept of portraiture, distortion, colour and the use of manipulation. Which I found adds authenticity to the average fashion advertisement that don’t shock the viewer. However I feel that Asumadu used slight colour in specific places to cohere to fashion and relate to the viewer in order to provide creative fashion advertisement that would cause confusion and interest.
Artist analysis three.
Kelsey Saunders Saunders is a photographer that aims to draw attention to a specific theme that entitles the photograph to represent fashion in a perplexing connotation. She creates photographs on a singular basis in order to provide the audience with an individual influence, that each particular photograph has different meaning that complies with the typical fashion photograph. However when focusing on this particular photograph, we start to examine the ‘structure’ of the photograph and consider that it has no title, which in a way adds to the theme of distorting and controlling the subject matters natural beauty. On first glance we could analysis the ‘look’ of the image as a staged photograph illustrating the theme of constraint, the ribbon is almost a protector representing the shyness of the subject who is uncomfortable completely natural, and possibly feels protected by the ribbon, in a way that hides her true identity. Although this photograph is singular and not part of a set, it is a very important photograph because it provides the viewer with an opportunity to think about fashion in relation to the use of props which represent a hidden identity.
My response to this photograph is very positive because I feel the compositions of the model in contrast to the meaning behind the photograph are very controversial. The meaning represents the model feeling lost and constraint to the ribbon, which also adds protection to her being true. However the structure and composition of the model is very confident and powerful, in the way she is totally confident posing highly. This was very influential in my ideas and concepts of fashion imagery, because I felt it had a major conflict within fashion and the way fashion is interpreted in the 21st century. What I have found most influential about this photograph is the idea of hidden identity verses power and structure. As I feel this would really provide the viewer with a conflicting opinion of how fashion in cohere with constraint is successful in determining a positive fashion photograph. The ideas I have explored for my second photo shoot also focuses on the obscuring of identity in contrast to also being a promoting set of high quality photographs. For this set I focused on one model using red ribbon in a variety of positions that reflects the boundaries of her fashion and that it is impossible to get passed the ribbon without ruining the fashion imagery. I was also deeply intrigued by the single burst of colour incorporated into the photograph, and how the colour purple represents protection, constraint and power to provide the viewer with highly contentious fashion advertisement. I’ve also taken note of the strong angles created in Saunders photograph and his use of dramatic colours will be incorporated within my set of photographs because I want to achieve a sense of haziness and promote the idea that the ribbon is totally in control of the fashion aspect of my photographs.
Final two images.
Final evaluation.
Evaluation of ‘The formation of ribbon’. I feel that on the whole my entire set of initial photographs are very positive because the composition in most of them have been vigilantly well thought-out and I believe that I was able to structure the subject matter in a way that provides the viewer with a main focus point, being either the ribbon or dress. However I am a bit dissatisfied with the finalising of the contrast of the models face because my initial aim was to make sure some of the detailing was brought back on some of the facial features in order to create some intriguing structure in cohere to the facial expressions. However this wasn’t as successful because if was more focused on the over exposure of the photographs which indefinitely had an effect of the loss of detail and contrast around the face. However I was able to correct this slightly through the use of Photoshop. Although I didn’t want to change the photographs much I felt that by bringing some of the contrast of the face back it made the images of a much stronger quality, especially being used to promote a dress. I also wanted to change the original look of the dress, which was plain black, because this was the main focus point and the ribbon was instantly overpowering the dress and so I decided to change the colours of the dresses of each photograph. I did this by using hue and saturation on Photoshop to really overexert the typical aspects of a dress. This would break up the connections between the ribbon and the dress, and so instead the viewer will be firstly drawn to the dress and then the constraining ribbons.
During the beginning of the idea I found it tough to think of fashion in a different aspect to the typical fashion photography that might just advertise a garment. This was because I didn’t have a clear idea of how I could change fashion and put my own mark on my photographs so that they were not similar to any other ideas. But once I experimented with different structures and editing skills I then began to settle down and really consider how to change my imagery by using a variety of techniques that would best suit my photographs and my ideas. I think that my idea of using ribbon and hue/saturation within the dress really worked well because the dress instantly became more intriguing because there wasn’t one like it I’d ever seen and so by using the ribbon to add a concept of constraint to the meaning of the dress this made the photographs much more unique and almost confusing.
I think that I was very influenced by my range of artists and photographers, however what had inspired me most about Daniel buetti’s work was his underlining though behind something as simple as pin holes through photographs. This method was a way of highlighting the main focus of the photograph in order to portray light through eh imagery. I feel that although it isn’t typical fashion and would be part of a fashion genre the photographs actually represented fashion in a very unusual way that provides the viewer with a burst of light that affects the subject matter. Alot of Daniel buetti’s work was indulged in lighted holes that add texture and life to a whole photograph. I incorporate this technique within some of my photographs which were then overlapped onto acetate to slighting affect my developmental imagery. However unlike buetti I wanted the holes to be alot more subtle in order to create only a particular structure of part of the photographs.
I think that on the whole my final pieces, my two final images really overstepped the normal aspects of fashion imagery and I felt that throughout the idea I was ongoing using experimentation throughout my work and this was certainly shown through the high quality of my final outcomes. I think that if given more time I would have felt even more creatively about adapting the photographs further onto a garment by ironing them onto a plain garment and re-photographing them. However with the given time I was able to link the final photographs back to the idea of ribbon and I felt that both fashion and ribbon worked well in providing the audience with a confusion of suffocation of identity by the ribbon enhances by the dress worn. However I think that if I had more time to explore a range of different techniques in contrast to my ideas then I could have formed more diverse range of final pieces because I would have more experience in authenticating the conceptual elements of fashion and meaning together. My skills on Photoshop have progressed highly through the set of photographs as I was able to become pickier with the quality of the final outcomes. I aimed to provide the viewer with the reflective final pieces that finalised my initial photographs and that slowly built up to enhance the quality of my imagery, especially between the meaning and strong fashion development.