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Experimental Photography

Catherine Giggal

Image 1 Development Experiments (Harris Shutter and Mixed-Media)

Mixed-media has been combined with my own photography using the Harris Shutter App on this specific image, where the opacity layer has been altered significantly for both of them so that they could be combined successfully.

The use of a bright yellow background on the mixed media image is effective as it makes the Harris camera image stand out, as well as the text that is featured in the background also. The microphone images almost appear translucent in a way, which adds a sense of surrealism onto the final photograph itself.

The Harris Shutter image is effective as the main focal point of the final product (the microphone) is outlined greatly, with its stature being imprinted into a yellow colour, which is not as vibrant as the purple and blue toned microphone, but it is still visible and adds a unique sense of colour detail onto the stated image.

The text on the background connotes the negative and positive aspects that the media can bring, such as ‘losing’ and ‘cash’. This is supposed to compliment the main focal point (the microphone), which also links to the discovery of talent, as stereotypically, this item is recognised as a symbol of talent and performance.

1ST FINAL IMAGE

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Image 1: Evaluation

How well do you feel you have realised your ideas and intentions and what results have you got?

I feel that the final first product in which is created, matched the ideas and intentions that I wanted it to be centred around, as I think that my final image captures the essence of the media, where talent is initially ‘discovered’ by chance (through means of reality television and the news in general). I have used this ideology to combine a mixed media background with text that connotes the media, with the positive and negative aspects of it embedded within the backdrop of the final product. The ‘microphone’ is a significant symbol that is associated with talent, performing and the media as a whole, which is why I wanted to utilise this specific product as a way of presenting this theme to the audience. I think that there is a significant sense of contrast within my piece, with the microphone standing out from the mixed-media image that has been faded out as part of the background. At first, when the opacity was full, they did not blend well together, but once it was altered, they worked well together as a combined mixed-media and Harris Shutter product. I wanted to use a mixed-media effect, as I thought that it would look effective as part of my work. I was inspired by John Stezaker, who uses this effect (in conjunction with conceptualism) as a way of presenting his work and I found it to be very interesting, which is why I mimicked a similar style in my work, where mixed media is used. In my own product, I have combined it with an external image, which compares with that of Stezaker, who also uses external products that contribute to the overall final image.

Qualities:Consider the aesthetic qualities of your work. How does it look? What do you like about it? What are the strongest and weakest elements from an aesthetic point of view?

The overall look for my final first product is rather attention-grabbing, because of the bright colours used by not only the yellow-toned mixed-media background, but also the colours that have been provided by using the Harris Shutter effect. I like the vibrancy that is posed by the final product, as I think it makes the image look eye-catching and therefore makes it more appealing to the viewer. The strongest element on my piece is the blended mixed-media background, which stands out even though it is not the main focus. I like how it is still visible, even though the opacity of the layer had been altered low and it relates to the theme in which I am trying to promote through my work. It is notable that the weakest element of my first piece is possibly the Harris Shutter image, which I do not think is of a bad quality, however, the yellow-toned aspect of the effect has been shrouded by the mixed-media background. Although, it is still visible, but it is not as eye-catching as the main microphone image, therefore, it is overshadowed in some aspects.

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Consider the technical qualities of your work? How well done is it? What elements are strongest and which could need further work and development? Be sure to use technical terms in your work such as exposure, shutter speed, aperture and talk specifically about any post-production techniques you have used.

The overall final first experiment has been created fairly well, as the backdrop and main image (microphone) blend well together and look vibrant and eye-catching in stature. The strongest element that is featured upon my piece is the use of colour, with the effect posed by the Harris Shutter filter, as well as the yellow-toned mixed-media background. It is effective as it catches the attention of the viewer due to the sheer vibrancy of the final product itself. Also, the Harris Shutter image is very crisp and was shot at a two-second shutter speed, which was effective, as it enabled me to catch a clear image that still incorporated the iconic use of colour that is typically featured upon a Harris Shutter shot photograph. I think that the mixed-media image, which has been featured as the background is effective, as it has been altered on Photoshop, where the yellow-toned aspect of it has been brightened, as well as the opacity of the layer being decreased so that the top layer (the microphone) can be the main focal point of the piece. If I could chose something to develop further in the future, which could be improved, I would choose the quality of the Harris image, as it was shot using my iPhone, and even though the camera was of good quality, a DSLR may have made the image appear more clear, due to the high megapixel aspect of the camera. It may have captured the colours better and the yellow ‘carbon-copy’ of the microphone itself, could have had more emphasis put on it.

How could you improve your work? Could you develop your work further with additional work? What would you try to achieve with this? Could you undertake further experiments? If so, what would they be?

In order to improve the work overall, I would possibly change my Harris image and shoot it on a DSLR as opposed to an app on my iPhone, as I think that by doing this, the quality of the photograph will be much greater and therefore the image will appear more clear and crisp in general. I could develop my work further in conjunction with additional work in order to achieve a piece of work that could be deemed as more ‘experimental’ in a sense by adding another experimental photography technique, such as scenography, which could possibly be incorporated into this specific piece of work; therefore, it would then appear more interesting as a whole. I could also undertake further experimental work by changing the opacity levels on Photoshop regarding this specific image again, where I could possibly find a new percentage to set each layer on, so that it blends together more coherently.

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When talking about your work, consider formal elements such as lines, shapes and patterns as well as the colour and contrast and also tone of your image. Think about the composition of your work and where this could be developed.

The colour posed by my first piece is rather blatant, as it includes the bright, yellow-toned backdrop as well as the Harris Shutter image itself, which almost has a ‘kaleidoscope’ colour effect, which makes the overall piece look vibrant in general. The image uses high-key lighting as a way of adding a literal sense of ‘brightness’ on the product, initially making it a statement image. The final outlook of the photograph is unique in the sense that it includes a pattern to it, as when I shot the Harris Shutter image, it ‘echoed’ the original subject (microphone) several times, making it have duplicates, due to the sense of movement that is captured by the effect. There is a bright yellow and pale blue copy of the microphone image, which is a positive aspect, as it adds a sense of depth onto the final photograph and in a way, makes it appear more abstract and unusual, which is what the viewer will initially be drawn to and will then become interested in the final photograph itself. The composition of my work could be improved if I was to alter my piece in the future, where I may merge the two layers of my final piece on Photoshop in a more crisp manner, so that both layers are completely clear to visualise and so that they both stand out, not where one layer is overshadowed by the other.

Finally you should consider if the images you have produced fulfil the brief you were set. Do they match the theme? Are they experimental? Explain your answers using specific examples.

I think my first final image matches my theme, as it links to ‘talent in the media’ itself, as the main prop in which I utilised for this specific one is a microphone, which is stereotypically linked to this topic, therefore, it is appropriate for use. Also, the mixed-media backdrop is highly relevant due to the fact that it includes cuttings from print-based tabloid headings and text, including terms such as ‘records’, ‘win’ and ‘personal scandal’, which initially link in with the theme in which I stated, as they initially connote the ‘tags’ that come with being ‘discovered’. They also represent how the media can stretch and exaggerate, as well as ‘label’ individuals who are a part of a specific phenomenon and are in the media spotlight, so to speak. I believe that my work is ‘experimental’, as it displays two different photography styles, which include both the Harris Shutter effect, as well as the use of mixed-media, that has been edited on a digital platform. I think that by combining these two effects, I have created a final product that suits the theme in which I have established, as well as being an experimental piece, as at first, I did not know how my piece would turn out, as I had never ‘experimented’ with these two styles previously, but I was pleasantly surprised in the end, with the final outcome of my first photograph.

Image 2 Development Experiments (Harris Shutter and Mixed-Media)

I decided to do another mixed-media and Harris Shutter image as a way of comparing and contrasting between both final images. I think that these two effects blend well together. They compliment each other well once the levels and opacity have been altered significantly.

The use of bright colouring is effective as it catches the attention of viewer and makes the image appear more appealing in general due to the vibrant nature of the final product itself.

The Harris Shutter image is similar to that of my previous product in the4 sense that a microphone has been used that initially represents my overall theme that has been stated previously throughout my work for this project. However, this image is more close-up and detailed, which lacked in my first final experimental photography image.

Again the same mixed-media image has ben used as part of the background, but it is more enlarged on this specific image. I think that is looks more effective on this photograph experiment as the text is more easier to read than on the previous one, which will make it appeal to the viewer more.

2nd FINAL IMAGE

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Image 2: Evaluation

How well do you feel you have realised your ideas and intentions and what results have you got?

I think that my ideas and intentions were met in this specific photography experiment, as I had used similar elements in my previous product, however, I made altercations to this one by using a different Harris Shutter image, as well as changing the levels to reduce the sheer brightness of the image itself. I would say that the ideology behind this image matches that of my first image, due to their slight similarity, although, I wanted to create this image in order to compare and contrast it with my previous experiment and see which one proves more effective and initially links to the theme of ‘talent and the media’ as part of the main theme of discovery. It still includes the focal point (the microphone) due to the fact that I think that it stereotypically relates to the media and ‘talent performances’. It is iconic of ‘talent’, which is the primary reason why I decided to utilise it as part of my project. I would say that my work is inspired from the mixed-media photographer, Judith Golden, who mainly operates on a print-basis, but combines other elements into her work in order to create a ‘piece of art’. Golden’s work is similar to that of Stezaker, who is also one of my inspirations for this project, which is why I listed her as one of my influences, however, her work is more vibrant in colour than that of Stezaker, which is why my work relates to her more in general.

Qualities:Consider the aesthetic qualities of your work. How does it look? What do you like about it? What are the strongest and weakest elements from an aesthetic point of view?

Overall, I am generally pleased with the outcome of my second product, but in comparison to my first product, I do not think that it meets the standards that were outlined by its predecessor, as I think that the Harris image is too bright, even though I altered the levels and the brightness of the image in order to tone it down, however, it did not turn out as successful as the Harris image on my first product, as I found it difficult to alter it without hindering the quality of the image itself. However, I would say that the mixed-media background looks more professional and clear on this image, as opposed to my first photography experiment as the text featured upon it has been enlarged, which makes it appear more legible in general, which is useful, as it will make the piece more appealing to the viewer. I think that the mixed-media element on this specific image is the strongest on an aesthetic level, whilst the tone of the Harris image is possibly the weakest. Although, I think that the detail in the Harris Shutter picture is of good quality, as the different lines and features, such as the details on the nails, as well as on the microphone have been picked up by the camera very well, which makes it appear more clear to the viewer.

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Consider the technical qualities of your work? How well done is it? What elements are strongest and which could need further work and development? Be sure to use technical terms in your work such as exposure, shutter speed, aperture and talk specifically about any post-production techniques you have used.

The technical qualities of my work vary, as some of them could have been altered, whilst there are others that I am relatively happy with. The strongest element posed by my piece is the quality of the Harris Shutter image itself, due to the fact that it is very crisp and clear, which is effective, as the viewer can determine the sheer detail that has ben picked up by the camera, once the image had been taken; where the features on the microphone protrude. The shutter speed for the Harris Shutter image was set at one second, which was useful, as it enabled me to capture the image of the microphone more quickly, as opposed to my previous image, which was taken at two seconds. I think that the quality of the image appeared improved at the faster shutter speed, therefore, in the future, I would use this setting, as opposed to the one that was utilised in my previous image. In order to combine the mixed-media image with the Harris Shutter picture, I used Photoshop, as it enabled me to manipulate the opacity of both of the layers and find a way of putting them both together and creating a successful experimental photography piece. I toned down the brightness of the image in order for the mixed-media background to appear through. The opacity of the mixed-media image had to be altered so that the Harris Shutter image was the main focal point of the final product, but the background would still have a sense of relevance linked into it.

How could you improve your work? Could you develop your work further with additional work? What would you try to achieve with this? Could you undertake further experiments? If so, what would they be?

In order to improve the overall appearance of my work, I would add a different mixed-media background, one that would stand out more clearer and catch the attention of the audience; as I think that this specific element is rather secondary to that of the main image, even though it is an important part of the whole product, as it makes the main image relevant to the theme. Therefore, in the future, I would make this particular element more profound in stature. I could develop my work further with additional work, (where I would initially carry out a further experiment) such as incorporating a scanography piece into my product, as opposed to having a mixed-media piece that featured in both of my products so far. By adding a scanography image, the product would appear significantly different than what my final second piece turned out to be, as it would set a darker tone to the final photograph, as opposed to being ‘bright’, much like the products in which I have created so far.

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When talking about your work, consider formal elements such as lines, shapes and patterns as well as the colour and contrast and also tone of your image. Think about the composition of your work and where this could be developed.

The formal elements in my work, such as the shapes and patterns are rather profound, with the shape of the microphone being the most blatant part of the final image. It is notable that the colours used on my final product are bright in tone, which makes them more appealing to the viewer, as they are significantly eye-catching. I think that the ‘duplicated’ image of the main focal point (microphone) is the most prominent feature and adds a ‘surreal’ effect onto the final image, almost delusional. I think that this makes the overall composition of the piece rather interesting, as it adds a sense of dimension onto the overall product, making it have a professional edge. The Harris Shutter image has been repeated, which initially shows that a pattern has been initiated, which makes the photograph appear rather blatant in nature, as it is a ‘quirky’ effect in a way, which will interest the viewer greatly. The mixed-media backdrop also adds a unique style onto the final image, as the viewer will be able to read the text (which all have a meaning posed by them) and possibly relate to it, or associated these terms with that of my stated theme. The background compliments the main Harris Shutter image, as it is secondary to the primary photograph, however, it is still prominent, but could be edited in the future so that it appears more eye-catching as a piece.

Finally you should consider if the images you have produced fulfil the brief you were set. Do they match the theme? Are they experimental? Explain your answers using specific examples.

I believe that the second image does in fact relate to the theme in which I outlined, as it related to the discovery of the media (mainly through talent shows), where the mixed-media text in which I initiated, related to that of the terms and phrases that are associated with the media. I used this similar element within my previous product, which I thought worked well, which is why I wanted to mimic this effect into this specific piece of work. I would class the final, second image in which I created to be an experimental product, due to the fact that in order to create this final piece, I had to ‘experiment’ with different styles before I decided on the one which I chose to be my concluding second photograph. Also, the fact that I have combined a mixed-media effect with that of a Harris Shutter image, proved effective and showed that my final piece was in fact experimental, as I have used Photoshop to edit the image as well, which shows that a variety of techniques have been used to create the final outcome of the second product.

Image 1 Scanography and Mixed-Media (Progress of ideas) Development

Mixed-media has been combined with my own scanography image which mimics a similar style to that ofMy previous two designs, but they are meant to be as a set. It has a much darker tone, which is why I wanted to create it, as it differed to that of my previous two products and therefore appeared more unique in general.

The mixed media image itself has been significantly toned down to match the ‘dark’ tone set by the scanography image. It is similar to that of my previous mixed-media pieces in the sense that it includes text.

The scanography image has a sense of contrast in tone to it, where the light is directed upon the hand, whilst the microphone section is rather dark, which is effective, as it makes the overall scanography image more interesting as a piece. The image had been edited utilising Photoshop in order to enhance the brightness of the photograph, so that it catches the attention of the viewer.

3rd FINAL IMAGE

The detail that is featured on the mixed-media image is rather striking, with the pattern on the nails being extremely eye-catching, as they shine and catch the light, which makes it appear more effective.

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Image 3: Evaluation

How well do you feel you have realised your ideas and intentions and what results have you got?

I feel that I have realised my ideas and intentions in my work, where the ideology posed by my stated theme has been met, with the repeated use of the microphone as my main ‘stereotypical’ item that relates to my theme overall. The final result that I got linked to the ideology of my theme ‘discovery in the media’, with the text behind the main image (my mixed-media piece) featuring words that link to the theme and are also extracts from a media platform (print), which makes them more appropriate for use as well. For this specific image, I decided to use scanography as a way of adding a more ‘darker’ tone onto the image, which differs from that of my previous two images. An example of a scanography photographer that inspired me would be Janet Dwyer, who uses a sense of contrast within her work, where certain elements of the overall image are significantly bright, whilst others are more dark in tone. I wanted to echo this effect into my own work, which is why I divided the contrast between dark (the microphone) with the light element (the hand). I intended for the image to be rather contrasting in nature, where I would alter the levels and brightness effect of the image in order to create an unusual, but interesting style onto the final image.

Qualities:Consider the aesthetic qualities of your work. How does it look? What do you like about it? What are the strongest and weakest elements from an aesthetic point of view?

Overall, I am relatively pleased with the final outcome of my third image, as it is rather dark in tone, which reflects from my previous work, but I wanted it to appear different from the other two final images, as then it looks more unique as a piece. I think that it looks effective, as the main scanography image shines though, even though another layer has been put in front of it (the mixed-media image). It is notable that the mixed-media piece is secondary to the scanography photograph, but it is still a significant part of the overall image, as it adds a ‘collage’ effect onto the final product, which makes it more interesting and adds a sense of dimension onto the experimental piece. At first, I was going to use another scanography image, but this time of just a ‘hand’ as the main subject, with the mixed-media image in the background, but then I thought that by using a microphone, it would appear more effective and would initially make sense, as it would fit into the set along with the previous images that also use the microphone as the main subject. I think that the weakest element that is featured upon my work would most probably be the mixed-media background, as the text on it is legible, however, it is not as bright as I planned it out to be, so in the future, I would edit this. I would say that my strongest element would be the use of contrast on my scanography image, as it makes the final product stand out greatly, due to the significant use of contrast. The light bounces off certain areas and I think that this effect makes it appear more professional too.

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Consider the technical qualities of your work? How well done is it? What elements are strongest and which could need further work and development? Be sure to use technical terms in your work such as exposure, shutter speed, aperture and talk specifically about any post-production techniques you have used.

I think that my work has been created fairly well overall, however, there are certain elements that could be altered in the future in order to make the image appear effective and initially catch the attention of the viewer. The strongest element of my work has to be the use of light and contrast on my work in general, as it makes the final photograph appear more eye-catching as a piece. In a way, it makes the hand and the microphone almost appear three-dimensional in stature, which adds a unique and interesting edge onto the piece, which will initially interest the viewer. The scanography image also has a sense of detail into it as well, as it clearly picks up upon the lines and the indentations in the hand of the subject, which makes it appear more professional due to the blatant emphasis that has been placed upon the ‘hand’ feature itself. I did not utilise a specific shutter speed for the scanography piece, the outcome of the photograph relied solely on the speed posed by the scanner, therefore, I did not know how it would turn out, but I was happy with the outcome of it and think that it was captured well. In my previous photographs, I depended on the shutter speed in order to obtain an image that would be deemed as effective enough, but for this final image, it was a lot different. I think that the set speed of the scanner was useful as I did not have to re-take the image, I was happy with it the first time. The section of my work which could need further work and development on it would be the mixed-media background, as I do not think that it is bright enough, therefore, in the future, I would enhance this feature so that I could see how effective it would look against my scanography image.

How could you improve your work? Could you develop your work further with additional work? What would you try to achieve with this? Could you undertake further experiments? If so, what would they be?

In order to improve my work, I could experiment further with the levels and opacity of my merged photograph, as I think that by carrying out this, I may find a certain percentage that works both ways which makes the image appear more bright and effective in general. I could develop my work further with additional work such as incorporating a new element into my piece, which could be a reflective image, or lightography. It would be interesting to see what the outcome of combining these different effects would be, as it may add a sense of dimension onto the final product. I could undertake an extended amount of experiments in order to create and experiment with a range of various elements that could initially add to the overall effect of the final piece, where I could set the image in black and white and compare that with one that features a bright, vibrant tone to it.

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When talking about your work, consider formal elements such as lines, shapes and patterns as well as the colour and contrast and also tone of your image. Think about the composition of your work and where this could be developed.

The formal elements that are posed by my work would be the use of shapes I would say, with the outlined image of the hand and microphone acting as the most prominent ‘shape’, as well as the text in the background, which almost acts as a haphazard pattern in a way. However, the most blatant formal elements that are featured within my work would be the composition of my work, with the use of contrast in my work, with a sense of light that is one of my main focuses in my overall photograph. The use of light (on the hand) contrasts with that of my more darker elements on my final image which makes it effective as a piece, as it stands out significantly from the faded mixed-media backdrop. I am pleased with the fact that I used this specific scanography image in my final product, as the one which I originally was going to use looked rather bland and had little relevance to the overall theme that I established. Also, I wanted to include another existing mixed-media piece (which I had created myself), but I trialled it and thought that it was not as effective as the one in which I used for my final product, as it was rather disinteresting in comparison and also did not fit the theme enough either. If I could choose to develop a certain element of my work further it would be brighten the tone of the mixed-media backdrop, as it is still clear to read and there is still a reddish tint to it, however, it could be viewed as rather dull, therefore, I would make it appear more vibrant so that it would catch the attention of the viewer further.

Finally you should consider if the images you have produced fulfil the brief you were set. Do they match the theme? Are they experimental? Explain your answers using specific examples.

I think that my third and final image meets the brief in which I was set, as it is initially centred around discovery, but my own interpretation of this theme, which is linked to ‘talent and the media’. I would say that this specific piece is experimental as I have used different techniques and effects in order to create the final product, such as scanography, as well as mixed-media, in conjunction with digital manipulation, where both of my experimental effects have been edited in order to make them blend together more coherently and appear relatively professional-looking. By using a wide range of effects and editing materials/filters, I have created a piece that would be classified as an experimental photograph, as in a way, I did not know specifically how my final image would turn out from the use of a range of different materials and effects onto the manipulation of the photograph.