STATEMENT OF INTENT
For my first project I want to create a portfolio of work based around the subject of the theme 'Texture.' I will start by exploring different types of texture and contrast between man-made and natural texture. At the point when I picked this theme, my underlying musings were of natural surface textures like leaves, plants, bark and shells. I could also explore man made surfaces such as metal, plastic and glass. However, I may join or separate the various surfaces in photoshop, allowing a creative process to take place. I will also do location shoots as well as studio, to develop my camera techniques. At the end of my coursework time, I will choose my best Photos and show them as a final gallery .
For my underlying exploration I will begin by investigating 'Texture' photographic artists. Right now, I have three as a top priority that I need to look at. These are Roe Etheridege, Imogen Cunningham and Marc Anderson. I picked Roe Etheridge in light of the fact that he's a cutting edge photographer that has done a series of images based on organic product rotting and I believe that this could inspire my own work. I decided to research Imogen Cunningham's Black and White photography ' as her work centres around Texture and I feel that the dark and white symbolism draws out the surface and also looks proficient and striking. I likewise desire to research Marc Anderson’s work and his images of 'Examples in Nature'. I feel that his work is unique and lovely and will awaken my own photography and hopefully inspire my own outcomes.
To show progression through my work I will start by photographing the fruit, leaves and plants that I can bring into school and will be done as a studio shot using an infinity curve and simple lighting. I will then develop these images further by editing them in Photoshop. This will allow me to develop my knowledge and skills with this software package, using tools such as layers, saturation, black and white and drawing tools. I will also experiment with the magic cut technique and creating designs.I then hope to venture from within Manchester/Stretford and gather texture images from the environment around me. This will be more of a focus on man made texture which will contrast with my first ideas. I already have a lot of ideas running through my head for this project which will propel me in the right direction.
I would like to try a wide run of techniques within my work. I have a manual DSLR Canon camera which I will take most of my photos on, but I would also like to experiment with my own phone camera and possibly an adaptive lens to see the effects that I can make with it. I will need to develop my understanding of ISO, exposure, shutter speed and aperture so that my images are professional. I have learnt about different compositional techniques and will use these when taking my own photos, such as the Rule of Thirds and Leading Lines.
I have 3 months to produce my portfolio of work towards the production of my final piece. I aim to complete my initial research within the 3 weeks and begin photographing by the 4th week in order to give me the time I need to show progression. I will at that point continue to develop my work in photoshop and be prepared to go out again with my camera and capture new pictures to enhance my project. When I have completed the project, I will select my best photography outcomes and display them in my final display.
For my underlying exploration I will begin by investigating 'Texture' photographic artists. Right now, I have three as a top priority that I need to look at. These are Roe Etheridege, Imogen Cunningham and Marc Anderson. I picked Roe Etheridge in light of the fact that he's a cutting edge photographer that has done a series of images based on organic product rotting and I believe that this could inspire my own work. I decided to research Imogen Cunningham's Black and White photography ' as her work centres around Texture and I feel that the dark and white symbolism draws out the surface and also looks proficient and striking. I likewise desire to research Marc Anderson’s work and his images of 'Examples in Nature'. I feel that his work is unique and lovely and will awaken my own photography and hopefully inspire my own outcomes.
To show progression through my work I will start by photographing the fruit, leaves and plants that I can bring into school and will be done as a studio shot using an infinity curve and simple lighting. I will then develop these images further by editing them in Photoshop. This will allow me to develop my knowledge and skills with this software package, using tools such as layers, saturation, black and white and drawing tools. I will also experiment with the magic cut technique and creating designs.I then hope to venture from within Manchester/Stretford and gather texture images from the environment around me. This will be more of a focus on man made texture which will contrast with my first ideas. I already have a lot of ideas running through my head for this project which will propel me in the right direction.
I would like to try a wide run of techniques within my work. I have a manual DSLR Canon camera which I will take most of my photos on, but I would also like to experiment with my own phone camera and possibly an adaptive lens to see the effects that I can make with it. I will need to develop my understanding of ISO, exposure, shutter speed and aperture so that my images are professional. I have learnt about different compositional techniques and will use these when taking my own photos, such as the Rule of Thirds and Leading Lines.
I have 3 months to produce my portfolio of work towards the production of my final piece. I aim to complete my initial research within the 3 weeks and begin photographing by the 4th week in order to give me the time I need to show progression. I will at that point continue to develop my work in photoshop and be prepared to go out again with my camera and capture new pictures to enhance my project. When I have completed the project, I will select my best photography outcomes and display them in my final display.
Research
I have researched about Imogen Cunningham on the internet
"Imogen Cunningham occupies a singular position in the history of American art of the twentieth century. For over half the history of photography, she explored- with innovation and a new perspective- all the major traditions associated with the medium as fine art. She has been most widely acclaimed for the photographs made during the 1920s and 1930s, particularly close-up images of plants and nudes. She also made portraits which are now considered classics in photography, including images of Alfred Stieglitz, Spencer Tracy, and Martha Graham. She was a founding member of the West Coast-based Group f.64, which championed an un-manipulated, direct approach with the camera, or “straight” photography. Her photographs are represented in major collections and museums around the world. The Weston Gallery represents the Imogen Cunningham Trust and has vintage, modern as well as posthumous prints available. Please contact us for acquisitions."
I have sourced this information from the website below
https://www.westongallery.com/original-works-by/imogen-cunningham
Composition
IMOGEN CUNNINGHAM (AMERICAN, 1883 - 1976 )
In the photograph I can see leading lines created by the petals and leaves that are curved and spiral down into the centre of the flower, leading your eye again into the middle. I can see that the rule of thirds has been used with two thirds of the image being the flower and one third the dark leaves, this helps to make the flower stand out. The centre of the left hand flower sits on the sweet spot which makes you also focus on this point of the image. Framing the image of the flower has been achieved by cropping tightly making the flower look very close to the picture frame. It is a flower that catches the eye of the person looking at the image because the background is black and so the flower stands out as a strong contrast. This contrast makes it look quite sophisticated in my opinion and might be a technique I will try when taking my own images. In this image the photographer has not used a very deep depth of field as I cannot see much of the middle and background in the foreground. It has been beautifully lit from the front of the shot so that the light bounces off the white of the petals to make them stand out. It is quite a pin point of a light as only the petals are lit, leaving the leaves very dark, creating a background for the flower. The lighting also helps to bring out the texture of the flower, it looks very smooth. In my opinion I think the camera may have been on a tripod and possibly a close-up lens or a zoom may have been used. The Fstop could have been quite low with a medium shutter speed.
Connection
I am particularly interested in researching photographers who have done black and white images, which is why I am looking at the work of Imogen Cunningham, because she has a unique photography style focused on plants and black and white images. I like how she takes images of different plants and how she uses the rule of thirds and how she crops the images. I will use all these different ideas to inspire my own photography. I also really like the way she has the right settings on everything on her camera. If you were to go on photoshop then you would easily be able to make a black and white edit/outcome.
Comment
In my view, I like her work because the contrast and shadow in her photography make the photographs stand out. She also has a unique style of photographing, such as cropping and using the rule of thirds, which is another reason I like her work. She employs a shallow depth of field, which is excellent.
"Imogen Cunningham occupies a singular position in the history of American art of the twentieth century. For over half the history of photography, she explored- with innovation and a new perspective- all the major traditions associated with the medium as fine art. She has been most widely acclaimed for the photographs made during the 1920s and 1930s, particularly close-up images of plants and nudes. She also made portraits which are now considered classics in photography, including images of Alfred Stieglitz, Spencer Tracy, and Martha Graham. She was a founding member of the West Coast-based Group f.64, which championed an un-manipulated, direct approach with the camera, or “straight” photography. Her photographs are represented in major collections and museums around the world. The Weston Gallery represents the Imogen Cunningham Trust and has vintage, modern as well as posthumous prints available. Please contact us for acquisitions."
I have sourced this information from the website below
https://www.westongallery.com/original-works-by/imogen-cunningham
Composition
IMOGEN CUNNINGHAM (AMERICAN, 1883 - 1976 )
In the photograph I can see leading lines created by the petals and leaves that are curved and spiral down into the centre of the flower, leading your eye again into the middle. I can see that the rule of thirds has been used with two thirds of the image being the flower and one third the dark leaves, this helps to make the flower stand out. The centre of the left hand flower sits on the sweet spot which makes you also focus on this point of the image. Framing the image of the flower has been achieved by cropping tightly making the flower look very close to the picture frame. It is a flower that catches the eye of the person looking at the image because the background is black and so the flower stands out as a strong contrast. This contrast makes it look quite sophisticated in my opinion and might be a technique I will try when taking my own images. In this image the photographer has not used a very deep depth of field as I cannot see much of the middle and background in the foreground. It has been beautifully lit from the front of the shot so that the light bounces off the white of the petals to make them stand out. It is quite a pin point of a light as only the petals are lit, leaving the leaves very dark, creating a background for the flower. The lighting also helps to bring out the texture of the flower, it looks very smooth. In my opinion I think the camera may have been on a tripod and possibly a close-up lens or a zoom may have been used. The Fstop could have been quite low with a medium shutter speed.
Connection
I am particularly interested in researching photographers who have done black and white images, which is why I am looking at the work of Imogen Cunningham, because she has a unique photography style focused on plants and black and white images. I like how she takes images of different plants and how she uses the rule of thirds and how she crops the images. I will use all these different ideas to inspire my own photography. I also really like the way she has the right settings on everything on her camera. If you were to go on photoshop then you would easily be able to make a black and white edit/outcome.
Comment
In my view, I like her work because the contrast and shadow in her photography make the photographs stand out. She also has a unique style of photographing, such as cropping and using the rule of thirds, which is another reason I like her work. She employs a shallow depth of field, which is excellent.
Research on Roe Ethridge
Context
To start my photography project and to gain inspiration, I am going to research three different photographers, another photographer I am going to research is Roe Etheridge. I have looked on the internet and found the following information
Roe Ethridge (American, born 1969) takes equally from his work as a commercial photographer, and artist. Blurring the lines that separate the two, Ethridge creates images that are simultaneously generic and intimate, often treading between humour and cynicism. Functioning in tandem, these motivations coalesce into an ongoing investigation into the mechanics of photographs, and their ability to both retreat into the personal, and expand to relay collective experiences. In 2016, the Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati mounted the first comprehensive survey of Ethridge’s work in an American Museum, titled Nearest Neighbour. Other solo exhibitions include Shelter Island, FOAM, Amsterdam, 2016 and Le Consortium, Dijon, 2012, travelled to Museum Leuven, Leuven, 2012. Ethridge has additionally participated in numerous group exhibitions including The Poetics of Place: Contemporary Photographs from the Met Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2016, Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney’s Collection, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 2016, Perfect Likeness: Photography and Composition, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, 2015, The 2013 Lyon Biennale, Lyon, The Anxiety of Photography, Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, 2012, New Photography 2010: Roe Ethridge, Elad Lassry, Alex Prager, Amanda Ross- Ho, Mus
Composition
In my opinion, when I look at this image, I can see that Roe Etheridge has used the rule of thirds, because the fruit bowl is in two thirds of the image with one third the wooden background. The pear on the right hand side sits on the sweet spot, this makes us look at that particular piece of fruit. I can also see that the strawberries are sitting on the bottom third of the image, this makes the viewer look at this focus point and have a reaction to the mould we are seeing. In the composition he has made sure that there is a blank canvas (background) around the fruit bowl so that it stands out and it is also in a contrasting and neutral colour. The leading lines are created by the curved shapes of the fruit and the bowl that adds interest to the photograph. The banana echoes the shape of the bowl and the barrel which is a very strong compositional technique. The image is tightly cropped so that we focus on the fruit bowl and are not distracted by other objects. I think the photographer wants us to focus on the mould, we see right in the centre of the image some very mouldy fruit which is a deliberate placement by the photographer. The lighting is quite even, there is some shadow in the bottom right hand side that helps to frame the image. I can also see highlights on the orange and peach which makes them stand out a bit more.
Connections
I've chosen to look at a number of photographers to get my project started. I'm especially interested in learning more about photographers who have used fruits in their work. I'm looking at Roe Ethridge's work because he has a unique style of photography that focuses on rotting fruit. By documenting something that should be perfect but isn't, he forces us to reconsider. I'm going to use his work as inspiration for my own photography. I could create a time lapse by taking different photographs of rotting fruit. To enhance my photography, I'll use close-ups, studio shots, the rule of thirds, and add contrasting backgrounds.
Comment
I'm especially interested in learning more about photographers who have used fruits in their work. I'm looking at Roe Ethridge's work because he has a unique style of photography that focuses on rotting fruit.
To start my photography project and to gain inspiration, I am going to research three different photographers, another photographer I am going to research is Roe Etheridge. I have looked on the internet and found the following information
Roe Ethridge (American, born 1969) takes equally from his work as a commercial photographer, and artist. Blurring the lines that separate the two, Ethridge creates images that are simultaneously generic and intimate, often treading between humour and cynicism. Functioning in tandem, these motivations coalesce into an ongoing investigation into the mechanics of photographs, and their ability to both retreat into the personal, and expand to relay collective experiences. In 2016, the Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati mounted the first comprehensive survey of Ethridge’s work in an American Museum, titled Nearest Neighbour. Other solo exhibitions include Shelter Island, FOAM, Amsterdam, 2016 and Le Consortium, Dijon, 2012, travelled to Museum Leuven, Leuven, 2012. Ethridge has additionally participated in numerous group exhibitions including The Poetics of Place: Contemporary Photographs from the Met Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2016, Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney’s Collection, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 2016, Perfect Likeness: Photography and Composition, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, 2015, The 2013 Lyon Biennale, Lyon, The Anxiety of Photography, Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, 2012, New Photography 2010: Roe Ethridge, Elad Lassry, Alex Prager, Amanda Ross- Ho, Mus
Composition
In my opinion, when I look at this image, I can see that Roe Etheridge has used the rule of thirds, because the fruit bowl is in two thirds of the image with one third the wooden background. The pear on the right hand side sits on the sweet spot, this makes us look at that particular piece of fruit. I can also see that the strawberries are sitting on the bottom third of the image, this makes the viewer look at this focus point and have a reaction to the mould we are seeing. In the composition he has made sure that there is a blank canvas (background) around the fruit bowl so that it stands out and it is also in a contrasting and neutral colour. The leading lines are created by the curved shapes of the fruit and the bowl that adds interest to the photograph. The banana echoes the shape of the bowl and the barrel which is a very strong compositional technique. The image is tightly cropped so that we focus on the fruit bowl and are not distracted by other objects. I think the photographer wants us to focus on the mould, we see right in the centre of the image some very mouldy fruit which is a deliberate placement by the photographer. The lighting is quite even, there is some shadow in the bottom right hand side that helps to frame the image. I can also see highlights on the orange and peach which makes them stand out a bit more.
Connections
I've chosen to look at a number of photographers to get my project started. I'm especially interested in learning more about photographers who have used fruits in their work. I'm looking at Roe Ethridge's work because he has a unique style of photography that focuses on rotting fruit. By documenting something that should be perfect but isn't, he forces us to reconsider. I'm going to use his work as inspiration for my own photography. I could create a time lapse by taking different photographs of rotting fruit. To enhance my photography, I'll use close-ups, studio shots, the rule of thirds, and add contrasting backgrounds.
Comment
I'm especially interested in learning more about photographers who have used fruits in their work. I'm looking at Roe Ethridge's work because he has a unique style of photography that focuses on rotting fruit.
Composition
In this image I can see that the photographer has used the ‘Rule of Thirds’, because there are 2 trees on the left hand side that sit in the ‘sweet spot’. This technique makes the viewer look at that part of the image a lot because in every picture it stands out and there is always someone using a rule of thirds . In my opinion, I think that the trees really stand out against the grass because of the reflection of the sun that makes it really golden which makes it very lively. You can also see a bit of the sky on the top left hand side that helps the frame of the picture to look better.It helps make sense of the photograph.
The photograph has a tight crop, this makes you look at the swirling grass which makes me think of me reaching out and touching the grass. For me, when I look at this picture I feel there is a strong leading line from the bottom right hand side to the top left hand side which is created by the swirling grass.
In this image, I can see a foreground, middleground and a distance. The grass is right in front of the picture as you can see that is the foreground , you have 2 trees in the midground and right in the distance there's a hint of the sky. This creates an impact because you get a sense of scale, there is also a depth of field and I think the photographer would have set their camera to an Fstop of about 36 as you can clearly see everything in focus.
So when I look at this image I can clearly see that the photographer has used the natural sunlight and they have managed to capture the way the sun dances on the surface of the grass, the grass glows. Golden highlights of sun The golden light on the grass acts as a contrast to the dark, almost black of the upright tree trunks and so adds real interest to the photograp. In my opinion, I think the photographer has set their camera on auto ISO or 100/200.
White balance, auto or set on cloudy/sun
I think the aperture is set quite deep as we can see the background clearly, so F27-F36.
Looking at the image I can see that everything is in sharp focus and so I think the shutter was fast as there is no blur. They may have used a tripod when taking the photo so that they could keep the camera steady and get th+e sharp image they wanted.
I really like this image because I like the way the photographer has captured the moving golden grass and I think it will inspire me to take my own images around the theme of Texture.
Although I can see that the image has been taken well, I don’t really like it. That is because I am not keen on the subject matter as I prefer.
Connection
I have decided to get my project started by looking at a range of photographers. Those who come up with different backgrounds use dry grass to show their unique way of photography. I am looking at the work because of its way of showing the textures of grass, ideas over the theme of texture and focuses more on dry grass detail especially with that sweet spot. I am going to inspire my own photography by taking pictures of mother nature for example trees and fruits. The photographer gives an interesting look to the image. The Sweet spot is using the grid and adding something to the right side of the image. This is why I'm intrigued and fascinated by the work making ordinary sophisticated the deeper you look.
Comment
In my view, I like this work because the contrast and direction of the grass in the photograph makes the photograph stand out. They also have a unique style of photography, such as using the rule of thirds, holding the camera at an awkward angle which makes the photograph look a lot better, which is another reason for why I like this work. They employ a shallow depth of area, which is excellent.
In this image I can see that the photographer has used the ‘Rule of Thirds’, because there are 2 trees on the left hand side that sit in the ‘sweet spot’. This technique makes the viewer look at that part of the image a lot because in every picture it stands out and there is always someone using a rule of thirds . In my opinion, I think that the trees really stand out against the grass because of the reflection of the sun that makes it really golden which makes it very lively. You can also see a bit of the sky on the top left hand side that helps the frame of the picture to look better.It helps make sense of the photograph.
The photograph has a tight crop, this makes you look at the swirling grass which makes me think of me reaching out and touching the grass. For me, when I look at this picture I feel there is a strong leading line from the bottom right hand side to the top left hand side which is created by the swirling grass.
In this image, I can see a foreground, middleground and a distance. The grass is right in front of the picture as you can see that is the foreground , you have 2 trees in the midground and right in the distance there's a hint of the sky. This creates an impact because you get a sense of scale, there is also a depth of field and I think the photographer would have set their camera to an Fstop of about 36 as you can clearly see everything in focus.
So when I look at this image I can clearly see that the photographer has used the natural sunlight and they have managed to capture the way the sun dances on the surface of the grass, the grass glows. Golden highlights of sun The golden light on the grass acts as a contrast to the dark, almost black of the upright tree trunks and so adds real interest to the photograp. In my opinion, I think the photographer has set their camera on auto ISO or 100/200.
White balance, auto or set on cloudy/sun
I think the aperture is set quite deep as we can see the background clearly, so F27-F36.
Looking at the image I can see that everything is in sharp focus and so I think the shutter was fast as there is no blur. They may have used a tripod when taking the photo so that they could keep the camera steady and get th+e sharp image they wanted.
I really like this image because I like the way the photographer has captured the moving golden grass and I think it will inspire me to take my own images around the theme of Texture.
Although I can see that the image has been taken well, I don’t really like it. That is because I am not keen on the subject matter as I prefer.
Connection
I have decided to get my project started by looking at a range of photographers. Those who come up with different backgrounds use dry grass to show their unique way of photography. I am looking at the work because of its way of showing the textures of grass, ideas over the theme of texture and focuses more on dry grass detail especially with that sweet spot. I am going to inspire my own photography by taking pictures of mother nature for example trees and fruits. The photographer gives an interesting look to the image. The Sweet spot is using the grid and adding something to the right side of the image. This is why I'm intrigued and fascinated by the work making ordinary sophisticated the deeper you look.
Comment
In my view, I like this work because the contrast and direction of the grass in the photograph makes the photograph stand out. They also have a unique style of photography, such as using the rule of thirds, holding the camera at an awkward angle which makes the photograph look a lot better, which is another reason for why I like this work. They employ a shallow depth of area, which is excellent.
MIND MAP
Shoot Plan
For my project on Texture my starting point is looking at a range of different textures, both man made and natural texture. I am going to start by taking photographs of natural textures such as fruit & veg, flowers, leaves, spider webs and shells. I am then going to explore cars as I feel this will help inspire my ideas by showing a contrast of natural and man made texture.
I am also developing ideas by creating a mind map and mood boards. I feel this is a great starting point to explore ideas and colours. I am going to use a range of different cameras and equipment so that I can explore/develop my photography skills.
In school we use Canon DSLR cameras so that we learn to use the manual settings. Before we take a photograph we have to check white balance ,ISO, Exposure etc. The reason we do this is because we are learning the skills of taking photos and being able to control the picture.
For my next shoot I am going to focus on taking a set of images based on Roe Etheridge. Roe Etheridge takes pictures of fruits and that inspires me as he captures lots of texture in his images. I will use the natural daylight if taking photos outside, however, I might experiment with indoor lighting skills by shining a camera torch onto an object to get a better effect. By taking photographs from the environment around me, I hope to extend my picture base so that I have more to experiment with in Photoshop. I will also get images that are unique to me and so my work will become more personal.
I am also developing ideas by creating a mind map and mood boards. I feel this is a great starting point to explore ideas and colours. I am going to use a range of different cameras and equipment so that I can explore/develop my photography skills.
In school we use Canon DSLR cameras so that we learn to use the manual settings. Before we take a photograph we have to check white balance ,ISO, Exposure etc. The reason we do this is because we are learning the skills of taking photos and being able to control the picture.
For my next shoot I am going to focus on taking a set of images based on Roe Etheridge. Roe Etheridge takes pictures of fruits and that inspires me as he captures lots of texture in his images. I will use the natural daylight if taking photos outside, however, I might experiment with indoor lighting skills by shining a camera torch onto an object to get a better effect. By taking photographs from the environment around me, I hope to extend my picture base so that I have more to experiment with in Photoshop. I will also get images that are unique to me and so my work will become more personal.