Hannah Burgess Photography Module 2017

Throughout this term, there are many things i would have loved to have done differently. When trying to tackle many subjects and workloads from over the term, i wish i had more time to develop my ideas and take more photoshoots. I would take advantage of the library a lot more as due to recent workshop's, i realised how effective the library could be to helping develop my work. To make my theme stronger, having more time would have helped me research my theme a lot more. This may have boosted my analytic skills and ideas for possible photo shoots. In the future i would also love to experiment with flash more, as this is something i neglected due to not having enough experience. As this subject was my optional, i did not think i had very much background knowledge and experience and so found this subject quite challenging. I felt completely out of my depth. I am very proud of my images and if i had more time, i would have spent more time focusing on my shots and how the composit...

In our presentation we were asked to research about Circulation and Authorship of a photo image. Authorship is a term to describe who owns an image. Circulation in a contemporary world refers to being active on social media etc. In our reading - Analog to Digital: The Indexical Function of Photographic Images, McLuhan explains that 'the message of any medium or technology is the change of scale or pace or pattern that it introduced into human affairs'. An example can be referring back to digital technology and how we can now have access to editing, accelerating our knowledge of media ad technology.

For this weeks task, we were taken to the library and each given a journal, which we were to find in the library. We had to search for the journal, using the Sussex library website. When we found the journal on the website we then had to look for the library reference so we could then find it. I was asked to find the World Press Photo journal. The reference i was found on the website was: North Basement TR1 WOR After finding it in the library i had look through the journals but did not find anything interesting that related to my theme or inspired me in any way. However, a student i was also working with was asked to find the British Journal of Photography. I looked through this journal and found an article that i thought looked quite interesting by David Infante. David Infante talks about Surrealism and how this theme has helped inspire his own work. I particularly like this image below. The subject look broken, fragmented and unhappy. The texture almost looks ...

For this workshop task we were asked to experiment with the camera simulator. http://camerasim.com/apps/original-camerasim/web// This website allows you to experiment with the controls, as if you were using your own camera, the simulator will show you how these chosen controls will affect the final image. The options you can control are Lighting Focal Length Distance from subject ISO Shutter speed Aperture Tripod (movement) I enjoyed using this website as i could take my time and access the controls than fiddling with a camera. This helped me understand the controls a little better and how they effected a photograph. However, I would prefer experimenting with these controls in person with a physical camera rather than on a website. This is because i prefer having test shots with my own images so i can assess the difference. I don't have to pause and re-do all the controls on the website, i can alter the controls with one hand and quickly take numerous shots, one after ...

In this workshop task, we were given flashguns. We were asked to work with flash in indoor lighting. The purpose of using flash to help avoid shadows or compensate for the absence for light e.g indoors.  With the flashguns we were able to control: The mode (manual/automatic) Rotating Head- allowing us to control the direction of the light Zoom- Alter the spread of light In my opinion, i think the next two images were created quite well. The flash gun was tilted up towards the wall, and created a good light source for the subject. The images are bright and both display a good exposure. The pictures do not look artificial which is what i initially expected from using flash. However, the only drawback to this image is you can clearly see the light source to this image. The small area of over exposure could be due to standing too close, or not having the flash gun in the correct position. These two images below are ones which i think w...

Van Dijck uses Flickr as an example to demonstrate how culture is affected by connectivity. Flickr uses can access interaction through the exchange of images. Users can upload through mobile, laptop, email or camera. Social media then takes place e.g, commenting, liking and joining groups. The aim of the sit it to create 'collective perspectives', but what is this and how is media affected by this? Social media platforms are considered a 'collective effort', users engage with each other forming relationships, these experiences form into collective memories. However this assumes that the individual and the collective are separate things that are associated through platforms such as the media. This 'culture of connectivity is defined as a place where social interactions and cultural products are constantly merged in technological systems. Connections are made through social media sites such as Flickr and these platforms are embedded in a culture which is constantl...

Weak images: This image has no planned or working composition. It is clear that this image was a mistake as there is no proof of emotion or empathy and does not link to my theme. If the perspective was at a low angle, looking up, the image may have looked completely different. To improve in future photoshoot's i should take time with each shot, rather than taking them quickly. This image was also taken too quickly, the model was not ready and therefore could not get the full composition and shot that i wanted. There is also other pieces of material in the image which would also distract the viewers attention away from my main subject. However, i'm intrigued by the texture that the photograph produced and could be enhanced or altered with photoshop, or even using what we learned about the programme, audacity. Best images: This image is very strong, It shows the subject looking down at the water. It could convey the model contemplating her decisions, or almost bei...

For this photoshoot, i borrowed a compact digital camera that can be used underwater. For this shoot i was not able to control the shutter speed or aperture, so i tried to express my learnt techniques through composition and perspective. Trying to incorporate feelings of suffocation, i enjoyed this photoshoot as it was something very new and different.

When researching for ideas and inspiration, i came across the music video: Runnin' (Lose it all), by Beyonce. The song's main theme is about love between two people, however i was captivated by the music video. When being under water, it can look very tranquil and peaceful however the negative connotations include suffering and suffocation. These emotions link to the limitations and consuming yourself which i have tried to portray in my previous shoots.I don't want my work to be as explicit, but i would love to try and incorporate some of these emotions in a possible shoot.

Weak images: This image is hiding the model, although her body is in an unusual position, you can't really see the background of paint and goes against what i was trying to convey. Despite this, the paint makes her look battered and bruised and the subject looks almost defeated from the paint consuming her. If the background and the rest of her lower body (hands and arms) had been in the shot, it may have been one of my strongest. This images is also quite weak like the image above as her body is in a distraught position, yet the background is lifeless and doesn't contribute anything to the image. To improve, if i changed the perspective to a low, looking up angle, i could have created much more raw and depth to my photograph. Best Images: This brings together the ideas from all the photographer i have researched over the past few weeks. The model is consumed and overwhelmed by paint, she shows emotions of worry and fear, she is clinging onto her bo...

Data Bending is the technique that alters the data in an image. All digital photographs are made up of digital data. Using the Audacity programme in our workshop, we learnt how to manipulate this information within a media file, using software created to edit files of a different format. This caused our images to become distorted, glitched and completely unnatural. This form of data bending changed the colour and composition of each photograph and below are some of my own glitched images: I found this process very frustrating and the end result did not really satisfy me that much either. It took me a long time to get to grips with the process and instructions and the different edits i used did not change the images as much as i had expected or compared to others. I constantly wanted more control over what i was doing, but i knew i would need a lot more experience and knowledge. From this workshop i have confirmed that these style of editing techniques are not for me. I p...

For this shoot i wanted to incorporate all the inspiration from work such as Ben Heine, Jackson Pollock and Stephen Daschen. Much like my smoke shoot, I decided to create a photoshoot in which the model was being consumed and taken over by the paint, a symbol for fears and anxiety, an authority, stereotypes-anything that would stop the subject from being to truly express and find their identity. I made a backdrop in my garden and used different coloured paint to cover the model. I created shots and portraits to blend the model into the backdrop. Instead of keeping her emotionless, i asked her to express feelings of rage, worry and upset.  

Abstract Expressionism grew in New York in the 1940s and 1950s. It was meant to incorporate not only the work of painters who filled their canvases with colour and abstract forms. Yet Abstract Expressionism has become the most accepted term for a group of artists ho did hold much in common. Most were shaped by the legacy of Surrealism, a movement that they translated into a new style. They were inspired by the surrealist idea that art should come from the unconscious mind. Most Abstract Expressionist's include non-objective imagery, lack a clear focal point and show a visible sign of the artist's working process. All artists were absorbed with the emotional process rather than the outcome. One Abstract Expressionist, Jackson Pollock was a huge contribution to the movement. Pollock's work lies in the truth of the unconscious mind. Pollock further refined his content with the technical innovation of pouring or dripping his paint. In addition he broke the traditio...

Stephan Draschan is an Austrian photographer, who takes images which are classed as happy accidents. In his project, People matching Artwork, he captures the unexpected moments when someone’s hair, jacket, or dress could be an extension of a timeless creation. Spending a lot of his time with a camera in many museums throughout Europe, he has captured images of other spectators who match the paintings in front of them. Each shot features two different subjects, the artwork on the wall an the the observer. It is quite an amusing set of images, however does not really have much emotion attached with them. The purpose is to catch a happy accident, rather than convey emotional empathy. This project reveals the quiet beauty of looking, it is just as satisfying as going to look in a museum yourself. However, this is not the idea that i want to create. In future photoshoots i could also blend the model into the background, but to make it more appealing and in association with my t...

Clone Stamp tool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY023ZQJy0M When using the Youtube video above, i learnt how to use the clone stamp tool. It is a pretty easy tool to help replace or hide parts of an image you do not want in your image. 1) Select the clone stamp tool from the panel on the left, once selected choose your size of the brush and the hardness- how strong you want the tool to be. 2) When wanting to hide part of the image (something that disrupts your theme/image) place your cursor over a similar background that you can use to replace your unwanted pixels. 3)Press Alt key- this acts as a target and will copy the pixels. From here, move your cursor to the location where you want to replace the pixels. Click the mouse in your desired position. Curves Adjustment: The curves adjustment tool, alters an image's tonal range. When selecting the tool by selecting- Image-Adjustment-Curves, you will be shown a graph with a straight diagonal line. The upper-right area of...

Worst: This image is one of the weakest, accidentally using flash, it takes away the elements of mystery. The flash also makes the image look unnatural. The model is not focused and the smoke is not in the direction and does not incorporate the movement that i want it to. Therefore this does not work well with my theme and ideas. This is almost one of my weaker images. Again the model is not focused and the smoke is not  creating the effect that i originally wanted. However, the main issue with this image is due to my movement and shaking of the camera. This was due to trying to take images quickly because of the short time we had until the grenade ran out of smoke. Because of this, my image was left blurry and did not look professional enough as a final. Best: I really like this image, on the contact sheet i did not notice it and thought it was a weak image, however using Adobe bridge as we learnt during our workshop classes, i studied the image again ...