project evaluation

At the beginning of the term we were set the brief of creating enhanced images in which we were to experiment further with darkroom techniques, photoshop editorials and hand enhancement to images while keeping these experiments linked with our chosen personal study themes. I started off by creating a mind map to get my ideas onto paper, from that I expanded my ideas by online research, I created a mood board by gathering images of artists work I felt inspired me. I also created a pinterest account which i can use to re-pin inspirational photos and also to post my own images to give others ideas. From the start of the brief I took an interest in the season as it was autumn, i found inspiration in the colourful golden brown leaves. I thought it was a very representative part of the season and decided to photograph trees as when you look at the trees or the floor with fallen leaves you can tell the season and wanted to make the most out of what the landscape could give me.

A variety of experiments helped me to narrow down what I enjoyed and thought worked well with my idea. I didn't want to talk a bold approach to enhancement as I didn't feel it would compliment my photos well. The experiments I tried that I definitely new I wouldn't be using towards my final was using a screen to smear paint over my images in the style of Leslie David as I didn't feel it would add to my prints in a positive way, toning prints using food dye, bleaching my prints which i enjoyed but decided I wouldn't use this time round and also multiple exposures as I experimented with this but wasn't very successful. I researched various artists for ideas but i fell in love with Timothy Pakrons selective developing, the portraits he creates using this method are so powerful and I was inspired to apply this style to my theme as I thought it would compliment it very well. I also found the series by Amy Friend so beautiful that I decided to continue experimenting with this technique. It worked out to be a strong point for me as I placed the holes ever so carefully to bring a realistic essence of light to the photos, it gives the landscapes a touch of surreality by using a technique that is not so widespread as i usually find that photos taken with a slow shutter speed or multiple exposures seem to contain a touch of surrealness and beauty. 

For my final outcome I started by editing my digital images on Adobe photoshop taking inspiration from Amy friends old fashioned style images from her series 'Dare alla Luce' I was also influenced by the instagram nashville effect and the ultimate lomo effect tutorials i had followed so I developed my own style by using plenty of adjustment layers to bring up the contrast, change the brightness, the opacity and also blending modes until i had created my own style. I also brought down the saturation of a lot of the images as they were too colourful and I had to keep in mind that i would be pinning holes through the images which would have bleed light through them also, I think that would of made the images too overbearing. I created a series of black and white darkroom prints shot on a 35mm film camera of trees and spaces in my local woodlands. I developed each print twice to create a series, the 1st print i selectively developed and the 2nd one I developed the whole print as i was inspired by Timothy Pakron but I was also left wondering what the original photo looked like and I didn't want to create a feeling of wonder for my viewers so i answered the question with a second print before they had a chance to wonder. My digital Amy Friend style prints turned out to be my favourite outcome but i am really pleased with both of them.

I found the project very enjoyable, we were open to experimentation and I pushed my self in some areas to try new techniques. I would definitely like to continue enhancing images in the future as it gives them a new found element that would most likely not be created if i was using just a camera 

I think my final pieces were done at a good standard, but i could have improved my black and white prints further, I should of shot a much better quality role of film but i didn't leave myself enough time to improve. For my following project I want to include some of my personal interests such as fashion so i am interested in printing photos onto cloth or clothes and photographing someone in the landscape holding or wearing it. I think this is a strong starting point for me and would definitely like to experiment with this idea.

This is a preview of my final piece which is to be displayed on a lightbox.

Project Evaluatioin

At the beginning of the term we were set the brief of creating enhanced images in which we were to experiment further with darkroom techniques, photoshop editorials and hand enhancement to images while keeping these experiments linked with our chosen personal study themes. I started off by creating a mind map to get my ideas onto paper, from that I expanded my ideas by online research, I created a mood board by gathering images of artists work I felt inspired me. I also created a pinterest account which i can use to re-pin inspirational photos and also to post my own images to give others ideas. From the start of the brief I took an interest in the season as it was autumn, i found inspiration in the colourful golden brown leaves. I thought it was a very representative part of the season and decided to photograph trees as when you look at the trees or the floor with fallen leaves you can tell the season and wanted to make the most out of what the landscape could give me.

A variety of experiments helped me to narrow down what I enjoyed and thought worked well with my idea. I didn't want to talk a bold approach to enhancement as I didn't feel it would compliment my photos well. The experiments I tried that I definitely new I wouldn't be using towards my final was using a screen to smear paint over my images in the style of Leslie David as I didn't feel it would add to my prints in a positive way, toning prints using food dye, bleaching my prints which i enjoyed but decided I wouldn't use this time round and also multiple exposures as I experimented with this but wasn't very successful. I researched various artists for ideas but i fell in love with Timothy Pakrons selective developing, the portraits he creates using this method are so powerful and I was inspired to apply this style to my theme as I thought it would compliment it very well. I also found the series by Amy Friend so beautiful that I decided to continue experimenting with this technique. It worked out to be a strong point for me as I placed the holes ever so carefully to bring a realistic essence of light to the photos, it gives the landscapes a touch of surreality by using a technique that is not so widespread as i usually find that photos taken with a slow shutter speed or multiple exposures seem to contain a touch of surrealness and beauty. 

For my final outcome I started by editing my digital images on Adobe photoshop taking inspiration from Amy friends old fashioned style images from her series 'Dare alla Luce' I was also influenced by the instagram nashville effect and the ultimate lomo effect tutorials i had followed so I developed my own style by using plenty of adjustment layers to bring up the contrast, change the brightness, the opacity and also blending modes until i had created my own style. I also brought down the saturation of a lot of the images as they were too colourful and I had to keep in mind that i would be pinning holes through the images which would have bleed light through them also, I think that would of made the images too overbearing. I created a series of black and white darkroom prints shot on a 35mm film camera of trees and spaces in my local woodlands. I developed each print twice to create a series, the 1st print i selectively developed and the 2nd one I developed the whole print as i was inspired by Timothy Pakron but I was also left wondering what the original photo looked like and I didn't want to create a feeling of wonder for my viewers so i answered the question with a second print before they had a chance to wonder. My digital Amy Friend style prints turned out to be my favourite outcome but i am really pleased with both of them.

I found the project very enjoyable, we were open to experimentation and I pushed my self in some areas to try new techniques. I would definitely like to continue enhancing images in the future as it gives them a new found element that would most likely not be created if i was using just a camera 

I think my final pieces were done at a good standard, but i could have improved my black and white prints further, I should of shot a much better quality role of film but i didn't leave myself enough time to improve. For my following project I want to include some of my personal interests such as fashion so i am interested in printing photos onto cloth or clothes and photographing someone in the landscape holding or wearing it. I think this is a strong starting point for me and would definitely like to experiment with this idea.

Project Evaluation

At the beginning of the term we were set the brief of creating enhanced images in which we were to experiment further with darkroom techniques, photoshop editorials and hand enhancement to images while keeping these experiments linked with our chosen personal study themes. I started off by creating a mind map to get my ideas onto paper, from that I expanded my ideas by online research, I created a mood board by gathering images of artists work I felt inspired me. I also created a pinterest account which i can use to re-pin inspirational photos and also to post my own images to give others ideas. From the start of the brief I took an interest in the season as it was autumn, i found inspiration in the colourful golden brown leaves. I thought it was a very representative part of the season and decided to photograph trees as when you look at the trees or the floor with fallen leaves you can tell the season and wanted to make the most out of what the landscape could give me.

A variety of experiments helped me to narrow down what I enjoyed and thought worked well with my idea. I didn't want to talk a bold approach to enhancement as I didn't feel it would compliment my photos well. The experiments I tried that I definitely new I wouldn't be using towards my final was using a screen to smear paint over my images in the style of Leslie David as I didn't feel it would add to my prints in a positive way, toning prints using food dye, bleaching my prints which i enjoyed but decided I wouldn't use this time round and also multiple exposures as I experimented with this but wasn't very successful. I researched various artists for ideas but i fell in love with Timothy Pakrons selective developing, the portraits he creates using this method are so powerful and I was inspired to apply this style to my theme as I thought it would compliment it very well. I also found the series by Amy Friend so beautiful that I decided to continue experimenting with this technique. It worked out to be a strong point for me as I placed the holes ever so carefully to bring a realistic essence of light to the photos, it gives the landscapes a touch of surreality by using a technique that is not so widespread as i usually find that photos taken with a slow shutter speed or multiple exposures seem to contain a touch of surrealness and beauty. 

For my final outcome I started by editing my digital images on Adobe photoshop taking inspiration from Amy friends old fashioned style images from her series 'Dare alla Luce' I was also influenced by the instagram nashville effect and the ultimate lomo effect tutorials i had followed so I developed my own style by using plenty of adjustment layers to bring up the contrast, change the brightness, the opacity and also blending modes until i had created my own style. I also brought down the saturation of a lot of the images as they were too colourful and I had to keep in mind that i would be pinning holes through the images which would have bleed light through them also, I think that would of made the images too overbearing. I created a series of black and white darkroom prints shot on a 35mm film camera of trees and spaces in my local woodlands. I developed each print twice to create a series, the 1st print i selectively developed and the 2nd one I developed the whole print as i was inspired by Timothy Pakron but I was also left wondering what the original photo looked like and I didn't want to create a feeling of wonder for my viewers so i answered the question with a second print before they had a chance to wonder. My digital Amy Friend style prints turned out to be my favourite outcome but i am really pleased with both of them.

I found the project very enjoyable, we were open to experimentation and I pushed my self in some areas to try new techniques. I would definitely like to continue enhancing images in the future as it gives them a new found element that would most likely not be created if i was using just a camera 

I think my final pieces were done at a good standard, but i could have improved my black and white prints further, I should of shot a much better quality role of film but i didn't leave myself enough time to improve. For my following project I want to include some of my personal interests such as fashion so i am interested in printing photos onto cloth or clothes and photographing someone in the landscape holding or wearing it. I think this is a strong starting point for me and would definitely like to experiment with this idea.

In Depth Analysis of Timothy Pakron

Timothy Pakron creates these breathtaking selectively developed prints by splashing developer on the prints and then letting the developer run down the paper in some prints. He also paints developer on points of interest such as the eyes and lips, this is a technique i think I would enjoy and would work well with my theme. The first image is called despair 2 and I think it's a very expressive print as the drips running down the page as the man is looking down gives the effect of tears. He uses realistic subject matter and distorts them to create a powerful statement with his portraits. I think the meaning of the work is to evoke emotions through the visible parts of the image. The second image is called chaos study, this is a perfect name as the developer has been applied creating a chaotic effect which reflects the look on her face as she may have been left looking so serious after being through a chaotic series of events. The look in her eye holds so much back and it makes me wonder what her secret is because she does not look happy.

The use of lines and splatters forms the image and they are high in contrast as u need to be able to read the sections of the image you can see well in order to visualise and understand what it is. I think every picture is perfect in its own way and i am left longing to see what the original looked like. I don't think the image could have been planned specifically, it was all down to experimentation as you can never know how the developer will land on the paper.

The artist has used lighting on set to add shadow to the work, then in the darkroom he used contrast filters to increase the contrast in the images.

This work makes me feel so stunned and I think it is such a creative approach and although you can see less of the image it gives it so much more emotion and makes it miles more astonishing to look at. I can relate to the moods portrayed in the portraits and I sense that Timothy Pakron was feeling depressed and lonely when creating this series of prints as that is the mood that the prints bleed. Timothy says "I am comfortable with my viewer ultimately feeling uncomfortable."  which I think are feelings that are evoked by these photos by many but all these feelings the work makes me feel makes me want to try this approach to developing with my own work. I am gong to apply this technique to my work as i think it would work well with landscapes.

Final Film Moodboard

This is a mood board i created to inspire me to create an interesting outcome towards my final piece. I find Amy Friends work really beautiful, she pays more attention to pinning holes in people but i would place holes in the landscape if i did use this as inspiration for my outcome. Timothy Pakron Selectively prints peoples portraits in the darkroom, I find it so interesting that only part of the photo is visible but can still see what it is, it adds a sense of mystery to the image but I can still get a lot from it, I can see the expressions on the peoples faces i think he has left out parts of the photo that are not are not very expressive. Curtis Man used bleach to deface his photos which I find is such a daring approach as you can never really no how it will effect the image until it is done, Also as they are colour prints the way the bleach erodes the ink in the photo leaves an effect of fire, this is one of my favourite enhancement ideas, this would work well with my theme of landscapes. Matthew Wardle uses trees as his subject matter and produces these beautiful black and white photos in the forest, I love the pictures he takes of trees from low angles, it gives the trees a sense of extra height. All these artists work have greatly inspired me and given me ideas for my outcomes.

Final Film Mindmap

Photoshop Multiple Exposure

I created this by opening to images i photographed, dragging one on top of the other in Adobe Photoshop then changing the blending mode of the top layer to screen, i then adjusted the brightness, i took it down and i brought up the contrast to make the pictures have more life, i also adjusted the levels to bring out the blacks in the photo which gave it more detail, i think it looks good and i would do it again. I would further develop by making an image that blends well together to create a visually pleasing and understandable image. The two original images were of 3 people i photographed sitting on deck chairs in Brighton and a steam boat on the River Thames. I used a black and white image and a colour image as I thought it would give the multiple expose more clarity.

Toning prints

I used photoshop to tone these prints by going to Image > Adjustments > Photo Filter. I preferred toning my prints on photoshop as you can increase/decrease the opacity of the layer to best suit the image. It was quite a simple process to create this piece of work, if used with a much more striking image I would definitely consider using this style of work for a final piece. I could develop these further by spot toning the image which is basically using the effect on part of my image.