Unit 1.6 - Portrait Transformation
In this unit, I will experiment with multiple different ways of transforming portrait using different photographic and experimental techniques.
Initial Task
For this task, I had to choose 3 photographers that are my favourite and analyse some of their images.
For this task, I had to choose 3 photographers that are my favourite and analyse some of their images.
Irena Werning
Irena Werning is a photographer who is very creative and imaginative. She recreates old family or solo pictures and named this process 'Back to the Future'.
Irena Werning is a photographer who is very creative and imaginative. She recreates old family or solo pictures and named this process 'Back to the Future'.
I like this image because I like the way it shows a clear difference in age and how it shows a younger and older version of the supposed to be, same person. The image also gives a nice warm feeling to it as it includes almost every single detail in the second picture just like the ones that are in the first image and I like how it shows how much but really how little someone has changed over time.
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This picture is one of my favorites because I like how it includes the same background setting as the past picture and how the woman on the right is doing exactly what she was doing when she was younger and how she's pulling the same facial expression which again shows the small but big change in a person over time.
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This picture is effective and well recreated as they are reenacting every single bit of detail and it really is a success with the title 'Back To The Future' as everyone in the photo shows the exact same facial expression as they were pulling in the old photo and they are wearing the exact same clothes as before which makes it even more interesting and affective to look at.
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Chuck Close
Close is an American photographer who achieved fame as a photorealist, through his massive scale portraits. Close is known for using creative and intricate patterns to portray a human portrait.
Close is an American photographer who achieved fame as a photorealist, through his massive scale portraits. Close is known for using creative and intricate patterns to portray a human portrait.
This photo is a close up portrait of a middle aged man looking directly into the camera. The background is quite plain and dull so that the focus is all on the main subject (the man). The mans facial expression looks quite louring and has a lack of interest. The photo is made up of different shapes including circles and triangles, the photo is very colourful which is ironic as the colour could be representing the man's personality as bubbly or happy but his manner is showing quite a boring and lifeless side to him.
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This image is of a young boy with classes, his facial expression is quite dull and bland. Unlike most portraits the background is the exact same colour as the main focus suggesting that the boy is always in the background and that he is no ones priority. The whole of this image is colourful following a pattern of Close's work. The boy is looking slightly away from the camera lens as if he is distracted by someone or something
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This image is very similar to the first one as it is a close up portrait and is of a middle aged man with glasses and is the centre of attention, the main focus of the picture.
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Francesca Woodman
Woodman was a young photographic artist who has created a large body of work consisting of self portraits. The portraits that Woodman has created largely explore the issues of gender representation and the use of the female body portraying dark states and presents quite disturbing scenes.
Woodman was a young photographic artist who has created a large body of work consisting of self portraits. The portraits that Woodman has created largely explore the issues of gender representation and the use of the female body portraying dark states and presents quite disturbing scenes.
I like this image because I like how Woodman has made it look like the ridges of the curtain to the left of the model in the picture is going through and out of her mouth and how it has small gaps in it to blend in with the models face. I like how the photo has a very simple but affective affect with having the photo in black and white and how there is two main patterns. One being the curtain and the other being the textured wall in the background.
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This image is a close up but a quite distant portrait. This photo is simple but affective as all of the colours compliment each other and having the model stand in a sort of white perhaps, wedding dress in front of a cut out square piece of cloth really makes you observe the image and makes you want to know exactly what's going on.
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This image is personally one of my favourites because it explores the use of a dark state of mind of a person as it shows a young girl trapped in a box naked with her hands pressed against the frames of the box perhaps wanting to get out. The use of black and white filter makes the image way more affective as they both compliment each other and there isn't loads of colours to take your eyes of the main attraction in the photo.
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Framing the Subject Points of View
Birds Eye View
A general view from above.
A general view from above.
Worms Eye View
A view as seen from below or from a humble position.
A view as seen from below or from a humble position.
Close Up
A photograph taken at close range.
A photograph taken at close range.
Rankin Destroy
This project 'Rankin Destroy' is where he asks the artists that he photographs to basically destroy the photo and make it their own and give the piece their own touch. This ranges from paintings and drawings to collage.
Here are three of my favourite pieces by Rankin
Here are three of my favourite pieces by Rankin
I like what has done with herself as I think my adding the different colours to her hair and around it makes me feel like it implies that personality is quite bubbly, outgoing, happy and fun. It also works well as it adds colour to the photo instead of just white colours.
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I like what Joe Strummer has done with the picture on the right as it has made it better to look at and not be the old boring black and white picture and adding the blue colours and white lines make the image more effective and immediately makes you automatically observe the photo.
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In my opinion I think Robin wanted to do up the photo and make it more interesting and fun looking by the way she added a bright eye catching colour red and then having the two colours next to her face be stretching out in a straight line merging the paint and her face together. I also think this shows that she hasn’t gone to a great extent of self expression unlike other artists witht thier pohotos but has instead chosen to keep a minimal look the photo.
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Here is my response
Who: David Beckham
What he does: Ex-footballer for many different teams, father or 4, role model, model, husband.
Thoughts on the image: I think the image is nice but plain.
What we know about them: He played for 7 different teams and he was the first English player to win league titles in four countries, England, Spain, the United States and France. He announced his retirement at the end of the 2012–13 season and, on 18 May 2013, played the final game of his 20-year career. He four children, Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper, and, wife Victoria Beckham.
Changes I have made: The changes that I have made were by sticking down a piece of photographic paper film and drew random shapes on a piece of paper and cut them out, then stuff some three line cubed shape under his right eye.
Why have I done this?
As I said before, I thought the image was a bitplain, just black and white. So I thought I would experiment with different materials, pens and stuff that I had cut out from random magazines to make the image brighter, more effective and eye catching.
What he does: Ex-footballer for many different teams, father or 4, role model, model, husband.
Thoughts on the image: I think the image is nice but plain.
What we know about them: He played for 7 different teams and he was the first English player to win league titles in four countries, England, Spain, the United States and France. He announced his retirement at the end of the 2012–13 season and, on 18 May 2013, played the final game of his 20-year career. He four children, Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper, and, wife Victoria Beckham.
Changes I have made: The changes that I have made were by sticking down a piece of photographic paper film and drew random shapes on a piece of paper and cut them out, then stuff some three line cubed shape under his right eye.
Why have I done this?
As I said before, I thought the image was a bitplain, just black and white. So I thought I would experiment with different materials, pens and stuff that I had cut out from random magazines to make the image brighter, more effective and eye catching.
Rankin Destroy Homework Response
For this homework, I took many different pictures from different angles and then I chose the best photo that I felt I would be able to create a Rankin Destory response to.
Here is the image that I chose to do the process on:
Here is the image that I chose to do the process on:
and here are the rest of the photos:
Below, is the photo that I took on my camera of my final piece.
However, I felt that the quality of the camera could not capture my homework to it's fullest and so I decided to scan it into my computer to show a better representation of the piece.
Here is the outcome:
Here is the outcome:
GORDON MAGNIN RESPONSE
Gordon Magnin Homework Response
For this homework task, we had to take a series of close up shots.
Gordon Magnin Second Homework Response
Here are some of the photos that I took during my homework response but edited.
Jasper James
Jasper James
This images was created by Jasper James using multiple exposure. What makes them so interesting for me is how engrossed every is in the sigh of the city infront and below them. This is enforced by the fact that their silhouette is made up by their view as if its all that they are thinking about.
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This image is affective as its a close up portrait so you can't see whats around them as if the model has forgotten about what was around them when it met with such an amazing view.
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This photo creates a sense of danger because you can't see the glass from the windows. So it appears as though there is nothing between them and a huge fall. This is shown very well inthis photo as she is leaning on the glass, but because we can't see it, she looks almost as though she's about to fall.
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Homework Task
Jasper James Photoshop Response (HW)
Final Piece
Below are four photos that I have taken with my camera and edited on photoshop that I feel best represent the topic of this unit and they are in my opinion the best ones that I have taken. The topic that I most enjoyed about this unit was the Jasper James responses. This is because I liked taking multiple different pictures of people at different angles and then editing them on photoshop and then pasting them onto a background of their favourite place. The think that I found most challenging in this unit was doing my own Rankin Destory Response. I think this is because I am not very arty and I stuggled with what to do on my photo of someone. Eventually, I overcame this by experimenting with lots of different images and objects that I could put on the photo and by looking at lots of Rankin Destory images on the internet which really helped as it gave me ideas of what to do for my homework response. I liked doing this unit as there was lots of photoshop involved which has made me more experienced and confident with photoshop itself.
The thing that I would improve and change in this project would be experimenting with different backgrounds eg, change in location to make the present images in the Jasper James Response more individual as they are all in a way, pretty similar with the backgrounds.