Evaluation

The work i produced for my final consist of Polaroid frame and large scale images. My images reflect a fine art approach and reflect on the photographers state of mind while constructing images that reflect on the body language and framing of the subject matter, all while keeping the subject matters identity anonymous as its irrelevant to the theme and concept of the project. The concept is diverse and is made up from a various aspects as in influential artists as well as personal experiences.

I think the work I have produced has had an exceedingly positive outcome and has been and experimental process throughout in which my work constantly developed and progressed. I found using Polaroid’s became a personal journey in which experimenting with changing the contrasting colours with the use of  distorting the flash gave me the technical ability I looked forward to re shooting Polaroid now that I obtained this new found technique. I think that I successfully expanded on my minor project and was able to take it in a new direction and explore other techniques other than darkroom.

However I did run into some difficulties throughout my project. As I shot using Polaroid film this became really expensive as it is so hard to get hold of. The reason this became a problem was because I was restricting myself and possibly missing great shots because I didn't want to waste film. This wouldn't have been a problem if I was to shoot digital. However the outcomes weren't the same and digital images just didn't possess the same qualities as Polaroid’s. It was also not easy going and enjoyable some aspects where difficult when I felt images where printing exceptionally light with a bland image. But after many attempts and becoming comfortable in the use of using Polaroid’s I felt it became apparent that this genre and style of work was really something that I had adapted as my own technique.

Looking back there a few things I may have done a little differently and that would have been to explore and document more images using different techniques so I could really access different styles photography as research while progressing in using Polaroid’s. Other things that I would consider changing is how I format my work in terms of how I intend to display my work.

Overall I think my major project has some exceedingly memorable break through on a personal level and I feel that this is something I would continue in the future so it a project that’s finished yet can be picked up and continued in the future. I believe I exceeded everything I had hoped to have achieved and believe that the personal journey has been put across and displayed in a manor that’s understandable yet still has aspects of other genres of photography portraying throughout. 

Final major images

Andy Warhols use of polaroid

Andy Warhol is a prime example of photographers who use Polaroid as a form of platform for exhibition work and a excellent example of how Polaroids are one of kind and something everyone should try with the above photos recently been sold for a substantially about of money.


http://dazedimg.dazedgroup.netdna-cdn.com/786x700/azure/dazed-prod/1120/0/1120439.JPG

How images reflect can reflect a photographers state of mind

If you don’t know what is wrong with you, how do you know how to fix it? For me, actually being diagnosed with Anxiety and Panic Disorder came as a relief! It meant that I wasn't imagining the awful symptoms I’d been experiencing.

Panic disorder

If you experience panic attacks that seem completely unpredictable and you can’t identify what triggers them, you might be given a diagnosis of panic disorder.

Experiencing panic disorder can mean that you feel constantly afraid of having another panic attack, to the point that this fear itself can trigger your panic attacks.

Never knowing when I was going to get a panic attack was the worst feeling in the world.

This is a personal post that reflects on how a photographer state of mine can subconsciously have an effect on the work you produce.For example i think  that the work i produce is a reflective on the way i process thoughts and self trauma.Suffering from anxiety i think is a common factor in the majority of people that in the sense everyone experiences it at some point.Yet more with people who have a creative nature like my self.I believe this is reflected in my current series of images using Polaroids in which all the subject matters that have taken place are unidentifiable and have the theme of distorted and isolation.I think this links in with the feeling of anxiety.

 http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/anxiety-disorders/#.VVX8CvlVhBc

Christopher Makos: Polaroids

This you tube video shows the photographer Christopher Makos displaying his Polaroid work and discussing the meaning it behind it .This is relevant to my major because of the way the photographer display his work.

analysis on primary images

   

 I think the image above is a strikingly strong photo in the terms on composition and lighting yet this image doesn't quite fit into the category  of the images i propose to exhibit as final pieces.As i have created a series of work that has consistent with no model identity which i believe is what makes the images more asthmatically pleasing to view.

Analysis of continuing work

         The way i structure and use composition is important in my images because shooting the structure and body language of the subject matter is important,the space that divides the subject from the foreground is used correctly .Prime example  is the two above images of my own work.The above image i personally think that the composition is used wisely with barely no background making the subject matter both foreground and background and nothing that diverts the attention of the viewer.

Continuing pattern

There is evidently a continuing pattern that has filtered through from my minor project into my major and has similarities that are evidently seen.The difference between the desired is that context of colour , being i used black and white medium format using studio lighting for my minor.Moving on to major i began to experiment with using Polaroid film which is colour .I thinks the image shows a subconscious cycle of how my thoughts are processed.

Artists Research

This image is relevant to research because it consists of the same or similar techniques in which i use to experiment with my Polaroid film .Not entirely sure how this was executed but the red tones shows contrasting similarities.




















   luciano franchi de alfaro III - Polaroid book

American apparel archive influential input

examples from american apparel that are relevant to my final images because the structure and format it which this display.For example the element of place a model in a random pose to create a sense of diverse abstract form which they have purposely been placed.

http://i.americanapparel.net/presscenter/adarchive/samples/bigs/american-apparel-ad-us-bath-090304.jpg

http://i.americanapparel.net/flash/src/auto/372/4686.jpg
http://i.americanapparel.net/flash/src/auto/372/4690.jpg

Primary research

    This another image i first shot for my major work with digital which again reflects on past work i       have created using film for my minor.

Similarities

Using American apparel as a source of influence with above being an image from american apparel above top and my own Polaroid image above have a very diverse connection it works in juxtaposition.They both explore the body frame leaving the subject matter identity anonymous.Which i personal believe fuels the audience to question and view the image in more detail without the subject matter being subjected to objectification.  

http://i.americanapparel.net/flash/src/auto/374/4703.jpg

continued work from minor

 The image was created with concept in mind of following up from my minor project.My minor project was based around capturing intimate body structure and form and i think this image relays this from a wider angle.You can still see bone structure in the arch of the model back.I am also intrigued in experimented shooting from a wider angle which included more detail of the subject matter yet not revealing the identity of the subject matter which really  put emphasis on the subjects frame.This is was also shot using a digital camera which evidently different from my minor project in which shooting with film gave exceeding positive outcomes.The setting for this shoot was again like my other digital images vie experimented with in this series images for my major using natural as a main source to created shadowing and enchantment in terms of contrast.

Defining the lines between porn and fine art photography

Its more often than not asked whether nudity images in  fine art photography are considered of a pornographic nature.This post will consist of my views on why i feel like these two genres are very much worlds apart in terms of how you view the image and its composition and how you portray the model and meaning behind the photograph.Above are two images taken from Terry Richardson  book Terry's world,They consist of a vast about of explicit images in a explicit manner. While interesting to look at from a photography aspect, defining the meaning of what category this actually filters into , for me i feel is easier to categorize.The two images below are from the current series of images I've shot with Polaroid which also display nudity but in a manner which is more of a fine art aspect.Its obvious statement to make that the thing they both have in common is nudity but the way a photographer shoots and frames an image.The structure of whats been shown and how the photographer proposes to show the model structure and body frame with pose.Reasons why i think they are considerably different is sense that i think Terry  Richardson objectifies his subject in and explicit manner with the view  to be seen as a arousing and pleasing image.Using intense light to highlight the subject matter in a prerogative manner where as i think my images are fine art images with a combined fashion element with the thought process being to explore the subject it a more delicate manner and  emphasis bone structure and body form rather than sexual preference .

continuing sequence

My experimentation with Polaroid continued took a new level with positive outcomes  and it can be seen with the images displayed in this post above .What should be noted with this experimentation is that they where created with the knowledge to expect the unexpected. Each Polaroid came out differently making them small collected yet diverse images.The one thing that is a strong focal point in these images is the red tone that blends through the images giving it contrasting look .

experimentation research

The image above is from a series of images i am creating,this demonstrates the use of technique and experimentation .I found when using Polaroid that sometimes film was developing rather lighter than i anticipated even with the flash of there is still an automatic flash on the camera which is not avoidable.So i began experimenting with the idea that covering the flash may solve this particular problem. This was the first attempt and was not what i expected but more notably more of a exciting breakthrough. Although this image is still rather dark in gave me the creative idea to carry using this method to explore different outcomes, which will be followed up in future posts.The image above has a disorientate figure barely visibly which only emphasis on studied more intently that the intriguing part about this experiment the outcome makes you study the image rather simply just view it.

Comparisons and influential input

     Guy Bourdin - Phaidon



Your creative success is always subconsciously or consciously  influenced by one or artists.In this case one of my influences when creating the top image contact, was Guy Bourdin  who i recently discussed in a previous posts .The nature of his images fit perfectly into the series of images i'm creating .There are many similarities that resemble traits in Bourdin work from my own like the above top image yet displayed in my own personal style. Both images use legs as a subject matter and main focal point,with the rest of the photo content  irrelevant.Unlike guy Bourdin the surroundings in my image stay very neutral in terms of the colour tones that a displayed which are consistent with the focal point being the legs.This could have effectively blended the focal point of the image with the background.The use of flash changes this and create a silhouette shadowing outlines the legs and lights some of a section of the background to the give focal point great quality and emphasis.In doing this it then re links back to the photographers above image in how he creates extravagant block colours to give contrast and emphasis to the main viewing point.

comaparing primary research with use of film and digital

The above images are of similar content yet the top was taken using digital while the bottom photo was produced using Polaroid film.Although of a similar format the two images demonstrate that they couldn't be more divergent from one another. Experimenting this way when documentation my work gave me the ability to see the different qualities each possessed .Also which of the two worked better in relation with the series of images i plan to produce.

I personally feel that the Polaroid film gave a better outcome than the digital in terms of lighting and composition. The subject matter in the Polaroid is being made clear that this is objective matter ,with its central placement with little background to be displayed.Where as the digital image has a very different layout with more space in the foreground that the subject matter which in this particular case does not work well , even though the subject matter is evidently clear i feel is drowned out by the  the white background.The lighting in the Polaroid is desirably better with is softened edges display more of a subtle image.

Photographing a body structure

Trying to shoot intimate detailed images in a non studio environment , without harsh studio lighting .I felt like it was unaesthetically  pleasing using natural lighting  and shooting from a wider angle .But the above work well using only natural lighting at a close range,which then interlinks with past work in my minor project.The image has a conceptual content and make you question the photograph further and what the image consists off.This led me to research work of Guy Bourdin ,although his work could be considered  of a different nature to the above they have the element of impenetrable obscurity that leave the audience questioning the content .Below is an example of just this and image by the artist that holds and obscure value.

Book : Guy Bourdin - Phaidon

Polaroid Contact three

The above Contact displays a set of Polaroids that could be considered of a random content that initially  have no connection to any of my final images that are to be submitted.That being said the above have a relevant connection when speaking in terms what they consist of, they all have a linking theme of dishevelment,distortion and abandonment.This will be further detailed in following posts.