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.
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