TESTING

I am starting to consider what the everyday individual can achieve using accessible technology, how imagery can be completely alliterated and accelerated into something almost unrecognisable with just a couple of clicks. Below are a variety of test images using myself, a tinsel wig and an application called Gliche.  

Moving Glitché

Glitché App

Glitché offers a full range of tools and options to turn images into masterpieces of digital art. I was first told about this app by Elizabeth in a tutorial, were we discussed how I could push my imagery to another level. I was surprised how easy the app was to use, and how professional the finish of the images are. With a few taps of your finger you can completely transform your images. Below are a few examples of what I have made using the app. The app also offers the option to purchase each image in high quality for £2.50, this is important to consider when collating which images I will display in my online exhibition. Quality is something I have become incredibly aware of, especially since the second shoot I did were the images are of a very low resolution.

The accessibility of the equipment, which is the humble iPhone is complete relevant to what I have been exploring throughout this project so far. It is exceptional how easy we can alternate our peers perception of us - now within seconds. It is no longer just models on the cover of a magazine that are being retouched and alternated to such a high level. With this unlimited access we are becoming very far out of touch with what our reality really is.

With this said, I am stunned with how the images can be transform and I do not want to limit myself in anyway shape or form through the development of this project. Playing with what I can create with this app has allowed me to connect instantly with an audience and to usher in a more democratic era in fashion image making.

Although I love the effect that can be created using the app. I do not want to audience to be confused with what I have created using in camera and artistic effects on the day. If I was to combine this digitally manipulated images in with the organic, untouched images I think it would take away from the way the audience see the work. I have had a lot of positive feed from people about the work I have created and they are often in ore when I tell them I have no used any SFX postproduction on the pictures. In a way, I feel very accomplished that I have actually been able to produce such experimental visual imagery without the need for enhancement using postproduction. 

Although I do not want to display these images in my online exhibition, a good way to connect with a wider audience will be to post 'online exclusive' images across my social media pages. In turn I hope this will draw the attention of creatives across the world, building up a keen interest in my project before the exhibition goes live. Using hashtags will enable people to find these pictures easily. Social media is a tool that can not be underestimated and is the current key to success for many creatives. It gives you the ability to connect and interact unlimitedly across the world with a vast array of different individuals.

Potential Hashtags
#creative #webdesign #gliche #digital #imagery #art #virtual #reality #futuristic #design #makeup #hair #fashion #newmedia #girl #photography

First Retouched Image

Test Shoot Thumbnails

Model: Marta Matusiak

Photographer: Natasha Ayres

MODEL TEST SHOOT

(Above, Marta's portfolio imagery)

In the early stage of this project I had been struggling to find a model suitable for my concept. It was important to me to have somebody that is different from the norm. Model choice is critical to the success of this project and I felt the best way to explore what options I had was to undertake some test shoots on individuals that I thought may have potential. 

I had seen Marta post on Facebook looking for a photographer, she had done a small amount of modelling in the past but her portfolio looked quite amateur. I had serious doubts whether her look would fit with what I was trying to achieve, especially as she had a large undercut in her hair. Never the less I wanted to see for myself with my makeup what she looked like on camera. I am SO glad I chose to test her! She was fantastic - so natural if front of the camera and her look has a sort of hybrid feel to it which is perfect for my project! After this one shoot with her I recognised how diverse she could be and how much potential she really had. 

As this was only a test shoot I had only planned very simple hair and makeup and all I was really looking for was to see if she would work or not! Although the makeup design in simple using luminosity in the skin accentuate her unique features. 

REVIEW TIME PLAN

In my original production schedule I had not planned to start shooting final images until the end of February. Due to already completing two test shoots during the development of my project proposal allowed me to start shooting nearly four weeks prior to what I had planned. This has put me in a really great position and will hopefully allow me to develop the final exhibition 3-4 weeks before I had allocated.
During the first week of production I had stated that I would make all the appropriate social media pages that I would update throughout the duration of the project. But in hindsight this was not the appropriate time to make the pages, as I have not at this stage chosen an overall name for the project. Social media also requires a lot of time and I feel once all my imagery has been taken I will be in a better position to focus on these pages and ensure me images are put out across the internet in the correct way with the highest chance of being noticed.
Over the past few weeks I have invested a lot of time and money into shoot props for example purchasing a variety of different fibre optic lights, LED lights, a plasma ball, reflective paper and so on. Although I know that I will defiantly put the lights to use I need to be careful that I do not use too much of my budget. I am especially wary of this because I am yet to find a local model who is suitable for the project

TUTORIAL WITH ELIZABETH

After completing two shoots I felt it would be beneficial to seek some creative criticism for Elizabeth Barnett who has a lot of  experience with shooting beauty looks. The main concerns I has about the previous shoots were that the makeup has been bleached out by me choosing to use harsh coloured gels to light the entire frame. Although she agreed the makeup is hard to pick up in the imagery she felt I could balance this out by producing macro images from each shoot, this will bring a focus to the detail of the makeup. These images can be displayed side by side, the layout of my website will show both pulled out images and close up images.  

Elizabeth also suggested in future shoots I focus the coloured gels behind the model so there is more control on the way the lighting hits the body. This will be a great way to achieve the overall feel I am trying to create within each shot, as well as keeping the makeup and hair at the forefront of the image. I am aware that the images I have produced so far display more skill within the photography and lighting than specifically in the makeup and hair that is visually evident in the final images. 

Moving Forward...

- Use gels behind the model and control light on the body.

- Introduce the use of macro photography, using 7D or 5D camera with 80mm or 100mm lense.

- Use less harsh lighting to show case makeup and hair skill.

- Reshoot macro close ups (from same shoots).

- Experiment with Nick Knight editing ap. 

SHOOT TWO

Planning and preperation

Inspiration images

“Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further. The intangible desire to explore and challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been has provided benefits to our society for centuries.” (NASA) 

I am keen to reshoot a series of images in a similar style to the ones shot as part of the development of my FMP proposal. When we shot these images I did it as more of an experiment to see what look could be achieved through the use of fibre optic lights. I feel it was incredibly successful and the range of different shapes and textures created through moving the lights at different speeds created a wide variety of different imagery. The way the light hugs the contours of the body looks absolutely beautiful. After I completed this shoot I felt it was important to receive some feedback from other creatives to see what they thought of the images, all round it was incredibly positive. Much of the feedback suggested that this style of imagery was very unique and forward thinking, the concept strongly supports the aesthetic of what was produced.  

As well as just using fibre optics I have also invested in a range of different LED lights, this will add even more variety in text and shape. Although I know that when we took these photographs before the aesthetic was very successful and I was pleased with the way they turned out, it is important to bare in mind that I am unable to control exactly what each picture looks like. On the day it will be down to trial and error and taking lots of images in a very constant way. Working with the same photographer as I did on the test shoot should insure that will we be able to create a similar effect again using the same camera settings as we previously did. 

Model: Chloe Barker

Finding suitable models is something I have been finding quite challenging. For me personally the model choice can really make or break a shoot. A few months back I worked on a collaboration shoot with a PHD student and a photographer. They had sourced a model who was amazing! (images above). I thought she would work really well for this look, she is not necessarily a model that you would choose for a beauty image but never the less I wanted to see how she would work. I am hoping to find a model who is willing to work closely with me throughout the rest of this project. Building a strong rapport with a team is essential to the projects success. I need people who I can trust and who are willing to work in a very creative and experimental way.  

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Preview Images

On the day of the shoot, we unfortunately encountered quite a few issues. Handling these in a cool and calm manor was essential to still being able to achieve what I set out to. 

Because I was not using any studio lights I was unable to control the tone of the skin, which began to appear very yellow. Some of the fibre optic colours also enhanced this which was very frustrating, but it is something that I can tweet slightly in postproduction. 

The photographer really struggled to get the camera to focus, this has meant there is a lot less clarity in the images than we were able to get from the test shoot. Only one or two of the final images display really sharp lines from the fibre optic light. The colours from this shoot look a lot more smooth and give more of an overall glow to the image, which I am not so keen on, I do not think these shots are as polished as the first shoot was. 

The way the light flows around the contours of the face and neck means that certain elements of the body are highlighted. I had not considered this when choosing the model and I had not realised that her ears stand out a lot more than the rest of her facial features, in some of the images they are very sharp, quite elfin like. This type of look has a very sci-fi feel to it and is something I had wanted to stay away from. 

After the shoot was complete, when going through the images I found out they had been taken in JPEG format which was incredibly disappointing meaning they are very low resolution. As I am making an online exhibition this is not a huge problem, but never the less it means the images are not as professional as I had hoped to achieve. 

RETOUCHED IMAGERY

Overall the imagery from this shoot was very successful, although I do not want to use Photoshop to retouch images in order to distort them or create any special effects, I do feel it is important to use Photoshop to polish an image in order for it to look professional.
The chosen images below have been very subtly retouched in order to smooth the skin so it looks consistent throughout.

Overall I think these images work really well together and will fit together as a series coherently in the online exhibition. They are all different enough to be placed together. I have chosen to include one image that was not taken using the vortograph technique to focus on the beauty of the model as well as the overall concept of the shoot.

SHOOT ONE 

SHOOT ONE

Behind the scenes

Working with a photographer I had not previously met was quite nerve racking. This position came about due to a mix up with the original photographer, Janie Drew, that I had previously booked. I was disappointed that I would not be able to shoot this look with her as we had worked together during the development of my FMP proposal. This did pose a threat to the shoot as the model I had arranged for the day had no flexibility in her schedule. I had to think on my feet and find a new photographer fast who would not only be willing to shoot the images but also be prepared to experiment and test out different techniques on the day. I often find it difficult to explain my concepts to people but it was essential for me to provide a clear and concise brief to find a suitable replacement photographer. 

After looking through a few portfolios I found fellow student, Mel Williams who seemed keen to work with me on the shoot. 

This was a blessing in disguise, Mel and me communicated brilliantly on the day and where able to produce some amazing imagery using the techniques I had previously practised at home on the days leading up to the shoot. 

Using the mirror to create a vortograph was extremely successful, the mirrors completely changed the aesthetic of the image adding a dynamic feel to the shots. Every now and then we would catch the light in a certain way and lens flares would be project around the face which looked absolutely beautiful! It was a true combination of the human body and a technologically induced charge!

For this look I wanted to keep the makeup and styling quite simple and precise. I liked the idea of laying small sections of hair down across the face, I wanted to create a barrier between reality (within the human body) and the analogue world (suggested through the use of lighting and effects.) The model had a very androgynous look to her and I think sometimes its easy to just try to glam up a look. I like her raw untouched look so I just used products to slightly enhance this rather than alternating her appearance too much. The way the whole image came together was really successful due to this vigorous planning and attention to detail.

Behind the scenes

Plasma ball images

Although I was very pleased with how the first shoot turned out, I feel that that pictures shot using the plasma ball are not as strong as those taken using the vortograph technique. It was very difficult to get the lens to focus on the models face due to the light inside the ball constantly moving around. This meant the imagery had no real clarity. The effect I wanted to achieve was that the connections between the lighting ect. and the body would be seamless. Using the plasma ball just looked very obvious, it is evident that there is something in front of the model distorting her face. 

Instead of including these images as part of my online exhibition I might feature some of them on my social media pages, as online exclusives. In doing this I hope to draw the viewers attention and build up an interest in the project before its final launch.

Unedited
Preview Shots

One of the most successful images (above) displays how effective using coloured gels can be, although using such strong lighting can take away from the makeup and hair design its enabled me to produce a unique feel to the image. Something that I feel works especially well is the way the finger tips have been caught so precisely by the pink light. Its as though her fingers are being lit from within, which is exacting the effect I was trying to achieve! Using oil on the skin also helped to lift the body, although the viewer is not able to strictly see a full makeup look, paying particular attention to detail to elements such as the skin and hair was essential to lift the image. Using baby oil gel helped to add dimension to the skin and highlight contours of the body.  

Model - Concept One

Emilija Meidute