Heads
I have been uncertain for a while, whether to choose a subject or another: at the end I decided to get out of my comfort zone (views and street photography) and choose "Heads". But shooting unaware subjects is part of street photography anyway.
The first four photographs are taken while the subject is unaware of being framed. There is a connecting line in all the photos: they do not look at the camera and they do not look at something specific as well. The head's inclination suggests a different state of mind.
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| Photo 1: f 5,6 iso 400 1/40 55mm * 1,6 = 88 mm |
Photo 1 is taken indoor: I used a medium focal length, ideal for portraits. I pushed a bit iso in order to have only natural light, coming from a window in front-left of the subject. The aperture is 5,6, so that, with a crop factor of 1,6, the head is 100% in focus, while the background (a white wall), is far enough to be blurred. I like the "catchlight" in the eye of the subject, that gives him a kind of peace in his expression, while he is looking down, as he is reflecting upon something. What worked well: the light and the blurred background. What I could do better: to be a bit more toward left and hide subject's left eye.
In a second moment, after my Tutor's feedback, I cropped the image:
In a second moment, after my Tutor's feedback, I cropped the image:
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| Photo 1: f 5,6 iso 400 1/40 55mm * 1,6 = 88 mm - cropped |
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| Photo 2: f 4 iso 640 1/800 150 mm = 240 mm |
Photo 2 is taken outdoor: I used a long focal length, together with the maximum aperture allowed by my lens, in order to be fast and reach a shallow depth of field and isolate the subject from the context. The telephoto lens compresses and guarantees a blurred background even with f 4. I like the head's inclination, because it tells something: the subject is looking up, as if he is wondering or waiting about something that is going to happen or to arrive. This "waiting" state suggests hope, that is not typical of aged people. What worked well: the viewpoint, the head's position. What did not work: in the background the woman's black skirt is distracting.
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| Photo 3: f 1,7 iso 200 1/6400 24 mm |
In photo 3 I used a very short focal length and the maximum aperture, in order to blur the background as much as possible. The short focal length made me walk toward the subject so that I was very close to her. Nevertheless, the background takes a big part of the frame and could draw attention to the seaside, while the subject is definitely supposed to be the head's inclination, as if the subject is sad and down.
The weakness of the photo above could be the strength of photo 4.
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| Photo 4: f 5,6 iso 100 flash bounced 1/30 125 mm * 1,6 = 200 mm |
Photo 4 is taken indoor, using a flash bounced off a white wall on the right side of the subject. The long focal length allows to crop close and draw the attention to the subject's head. The more, the long focal length and medium-open aperture allow to make a selective focus on the hair and blur a bit the face: this view could suggest that the subject is protecting herself, putting a wall of hair between her and the world outside.
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| Photo 5: f 3,2 iso 100 two flashes 1/80 70 mm * 1,6 = 112 mm |
Photo 5 is taken indoor, using a flash at the right side of the subject and a second flash from below/left of the subject. The head's position suggests that the subject is embarrassed, trying to hide her glance, that is a contrast with the light in front of the subject. What worked well: the experiment with two flashes, but I have doubts on the global outcome and the second flash should have been positioned a bit more in front .
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| Photo 6: f 8 iso 100 flash + reflector 1/80 70 mm * 1,6 = 112 mm |
Photo 6 is taken indoor, using a flash at the right side of the subject bounced off a reflector from left side of the subject. The subject is looking over her left shoulder, suggesting disregard. What worked well: I like the composition and the position of the subject. Technically I should have put the reflector in order to better balance light and shadow.
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Photo 7: f 4,5 iso 100 1/100 reflector 70 mm * 1,6 = 112 mm
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Photo 7 is taken indoor, using natural light coming from a window screened by a white curtain at the right side of the subject bounced off a reflector from left side of the subject. The subject is looking up, the glance is enigmatic or could suggest hope. The natural light gives a smooth "catch-light". What worked well: the light on the subject is well balanced. What did not work: the background is not blurred enough, so I should have used the maximum aperture.
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| Photo 8: f 2,8 iso 100 1/30 flash bounced 70 mm * 1,6 = 112 mm |
Photo 8 is taken indoor, using a flash bounced off the white ceiling. The bounced light gives a diffused lighting while the maximum aperture sounds not enough to focus only on the face/eyes of the subject. This kind of illumination did an did not work, because, in my opinion, eyes of the subject are too dark, dull and the photo is weakly expressive.
Tutor Report
Student
name
|
Giorgio Colonna
|
Student
number
|
514841
|
Course/Unit
|
EYV
|
Assignment
number
|
2
|
Type
of tutorial
|
Written
|
Formative
|
Overall Comments
In this assignment you have demonstrated an ability to work consistently
to an extended theme. The technical
quality is generally good throughout the work and you have dealt with a number
of different lighting situations that required considered adjustment of camera
settings .In preparation for this type of work it is often a good idea to plan
a broad canvas for your theme and then to start editing down to a coherent
piece of work that follows a specific theme. Your comments on the individual
images presented indicate a growing awareness of critical assessment of the
work at a technical level. You have attempted to show visual qualities that
identify and express the character of the subject but I think that you stayed
within your comfort zone by choosing in the main to photograph your family.
This is not a fault rather a lack of a challenge in that it can be harder to
adopt a detached eye in the making of the image.
The work submitted for this
assignment and the exercises indicate a competent technical skill in using the
camera. You have demonstrated throughout the exercises that you have an
understanding and an ability to use these elements in your work.
The
recommended exercises that you have undertaken are strong in content and you
have produced some good images as part of this process. I particularly like the
first and fourth red ball images where the formality of composition and the
simplicity of the subject have combined in making two interesting images. There
are many good images in the line exercise and my favorite is the red chairs
that demonstrate a well-observed mono-coloured subject. It is encouraging for future development that
you have produced some strong images in this area and not just considered the
exercises as merely a means of illustrating the techniques at a basic level.
The exercises are an opportunity to develop interesting images within the
parameters of the course requirements. You have reflected upon the processes of
image making in a thoughtful manner. You have researched the work of other
photographer’s and this will have an impact on your own approach to image
making. I would suggest for future assignment that you research and reflect in
your learning log upon the work of a small number of other practitioners that
have a specific relevance to the particular work that you are undertaking
and also include images within you learning log to illustrate your comments. Overall
a good submission.
Assignment 1 Assessment
potential
I
understand your aim is to go for the Photography Degree and that you plan to
submit your work for assessment at the end of this course. From the work you
have shown in this assignment, providing you commit yourself to the course, I
believe you have the potential to succeed at assessment. In order to meet all the assessment criteria,
there are certain areas you will need to focus on, which I will outline in my
feedback.
Feedback
on assignment and supporting work
The work presented evidences a clear understanding of the techniques
employed and a growing ability to reflect in a critical manner on the images
produced. There are a number of images that could have been cropped tighter either
by changing focal length or viewpoint. As an example image one could have been
cropped on the left hand side of the head to reduce the
tuft of hair sticking out from the back and also cropped to reduce the
amount of space above the head. This then emphasizes the character of the face
without distraction.
Image 2: A nicely
observed candid shot. Again I would crop to take away some of the shirt as it
dominates the image. I would also slightly lighten the cap above the eye line
of the subject.
Image3: You have
commented upon the dominance of the background in this image so once again a
need to think about tighter composition.
Image4: An
interesting shot with a good composition and observation of colour.
Image 5: This was
potentially a good image with an opportunity to use flash however greater
control of the lighting was required to make it workable. There is lack of
detail in the hair on the lower left of the subject and there is light scatter
over the face. This has created a strong distracting line above the nose and
also at the tip of the nose and on the eye. The composition of the image around
the shoulder is cluttered and perhaps could be lightened in this area or simply
ask the subject to drop the shoulder down a little.
Image 6: Good
image but lighten hair in shadow as it is just merging with black.
Image 7: There
are excellent catch lights in the eyes but the crop has truncated the head of
the subject. The garment is also distracting as it is pulling the eye away from
the face.
Image 8: A nice
informal moment contained well within the frame. The skin tone of the hand is
too light compared to the tones of the face. Your comments regarding the
darkness of the eyes are correct.
Overall a good
submission of work but I would like to have seen it extended to include a
greater variety in the subjects across gender, age and character.
Learning Logs or
Blogs/Critical essays
Interesting research into the work of other photographers but do analyze
the work and ideas in greater depth. I would also like to see this applied to
your own work. There was an opportunity to do this with The Lost Ship image. It was good to see that you had started to
consider the implications of using different formats and your comments upon the
use of black and white had some interesting ideas. The reading that you are
doing is obviously giving you concepts and ideas to consider. Try as we go
through the course to relate these ideas as appropriate to the development of
your own work
Suggested
reading/viewing
Continue critical reading with current books and relate to own work
There are many photographers historical and contemporary whose work can
be researched. Some photographers that I recommend you investigate include W.
Eugene Smith, Josef Koudelka, William Klein, Sally Mann, Andre Kertesz, Gary
Winogrand, Paul Rheas, Martin Parr, Rineke
Dijkstra, Cindy Sherman, Pieter Hugo, David
Goldblatt.
Pointers for the next
assignment
Continue to develop and consolidate technical skills
Select texts for critical reading appropriate to the assignment
Apply critical reading to own work and reflect this in the learning log
to allow for in depth exploration of ideas
Continue to develop your learning log and illustrate with your own work
and that of other practitioners
Include contact sheets in learning log and reflect upon selection
process
Proceed with assignment 3
Tutor name
|
Matthew Winterlich
|
Date
|
12/12/2015
|
Next assignment due
|
5/03/2016
|
After Tutor Report
As suggested by the Tutor, I modified some some shots, cropping and re-cropping the final selection.
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