My 20 Best Photographs

My 20 Best Photographs from c0nniemarie

Work Diary - Location Back of Head Portraiture

Evaluation 

I began this shoot for Location Back of Head Portraiture before the Studio Back of Head Portraits, so I was still developing the technique at this point. To begin with, I struggled to make the background blurry, and therefore focus the camera on the person. However, in some of the images that I took, I did actually achieve the blurred effect in the background. I enjoyed this shoot because I as able to use a wide variety of locations to create interesting backgrounds, for instance, I used walls, plants, trees, buildings etc., which made my photographs all the more interesting and different from each other. 

This is my best photograph that I took because I like how the girl in the image is in focus, as well as the tree, but the background isn't. We can see that the woman in the background on the right is blurred, and so we focus on the centre of the image, which is where the girl is standing. I also like this image because the wind has blown the girls hair back, so we can see the movement of her hair. 

This is my worst photo because the entire photo is blurred. Obviously, this is where I have attempted to focus the shot on the person, but have let go of the button and therefore, made the complete image blurry. However, if this photo was focused on the model, it would have been a really good photo because we can see DVD's through the window of the building, which makes the background interesting. Particularly as there is more colour in the background than there is on the model, as she has brown hair and a black jacket on. 

Progression

If I were to carry on taking photographs for this topic, I would use more interesting and busy backgrounds and also, make sure they are blurred. This would then emphasise the main subject of the image, which would be the back of the person's head, as they would then be the only aspect of the photo in focus. I would also like to use different angles, and not just centre the image with the person standing straight, in the middle. These are some of the Back of Head portraits that i have found on the internet which i aspire to achieve if i ever add to this topic:

Work Diary - Studio Back of Head Portraiture

Evaluation

I did this shoot after the Location Back of Head Portraits, so I had developed a technique in how to take the images, and how to make them look interesting. I enjoyed taking photographs in the studio because I was able to change the colour of the background, and use different angles. I especially liked using the lighting in the studio because it made the photos brighter. The only trouble I had when taking these photographs was making sure that they were in focus, and to do this I had to make sure that the centre of the camera was focused on the back of the person's head. 

This is my favourite and best image of all the photographs I took, because I like that the person's hair and jumper stands out among the white background. As the background is so plain, we are able to concentrate on the details of the model's hair and clothing. I also made sure that the person was centred in the image, so that it was in direct eye-line. 

This is the worst image that I took. Firstly, you can see around the black background, which distracts the viewer from the main focal point. The photo is also slightly blurry, which is obvious when looking at the model's hair. Also, I really dislike the angle at which this photograph was taken. 

Progression

If I were to continue with this topic I would make sure that all my images were in focus before actually taking them. I would also like to explore with different angles and positioning's of the person in the image, instead of just centring the image all the time. Another concept I would like to attempt is to try and make the photographs more interesting as the shoot became a bit repetitive, like using a wider variety of coloured backgrounds, or making the model stand in different ways instead of just straight. These are some of the Back of Head portraits that i have found on the internet which i aspire to achieve if i ever add to this topic:

Straight Images - Studio Back of Head Portraiture

Straight Images - Location Back of Head Portraiture

Image Bank - Back of Head Portraiture

Internet Images

Even though that portraits are associated with a person's face, feeling and mood. There is also 'back of the head' portraiture, whereby we can only see the back of somebody's head. I chose the image above because the man is in the center of the image, and therefore is the first thing that we look at. Also, the background is slightly blurred and plain, which allows us to solely focus on the back of the man's head. 

In this next back of head portrait, we can see more of the model as the photo is not only showing their head and shoulders, but a little bit more of their body. This allows the photographer to fit all the model's hair in the image. Again, I like that the background is plain and boring, and lets the viewers fixate their attention on the model. 

This back of head portrait, is of an old man outdoors. The background is completely blurred, and so we can only see a smear of green from the trees. The man is positioned slightly to the left, and so is not centered. However, because the background is so blurry, we can see the man in complete focus, and therefore concentrate on the details of the back of his head.

This back of head portrait also relates to location because we can see the sea and sand of a beach in the background, in front of the woman. However, the background is slightly blurred and almost colourless, so we focus on the woman. The woman's hair is very dark which stands out from the background, and the photographer has allowed the image to fit all of her hair and so we can see more of her back. 

I like this portrait in particular because it is black and white, so everything blends well together. However, the background isn't in focus, so despite that everything is in black and white, the viewers are able to concentrate on what is in focus, which is the man and the back of his head. He is also centered so is the first thing we look at. Also, this image has been taken very close-up and therefore, we can only see small parts of the background as the back of the man's head covers most on the image, which I think was the photographers aim.

Lastly, I chose this portrait because the girl has extremely bright hair, which is emphasized among the dull, grey background. I like that there is colour only coming from the girl, and no one or nothing else. I also like that the image is close-up so we are able to see the detail of her hair, like the fish-tail braid and the red ribbon. This photo isn't centered because the girl is on the left side, however, the background is so plain that it doesn't distract the viewers from looking at the back of the girl's head. 

Photographer Research - Karl Hugo Schmolz

Karl Hugo Shmolz 

I particularly like the fact that Karl Hugo Shmolz uses architecture to represent line, shape and configurations within his work. Shmolz uses different angles and perspectives to portray a variety of different ways in which we can look at a building, he basically uses his camera as a separate pair of eyes, that can show viewers different aspects of a building, inside and out, that we wouldn't normally see. I chose to research Shmolz because his images are so creative and busy, which makes them extremely interesting and enjoyable to look at and study, and I want my photographs to appeal to others the same way. I also chose Schmolz because his photography work clearly portrays the formal elements of line and shape.

At a first glance at this image, I can already see semi-circles, rectangles, the shape of a table and two chairs, as well as the lines of the pillars, the lines in the tiles of the floor etc., so without even studying the image for long, we can already see so many aspects which represent these two formal elements. I like that the image is in black and white as well, because it emphasises the definition of the lines and shapes within the photo.

This photograph has been taken from inside a building, from below, and shows the outline of a sky-gazer/window through the ceiling. We can also see the building from the outside, as we can see through it. This image represents line as we can see window frames, barriers, wood planks etc., and it also shows shape as we can see the entire outlined shape of the ceiling, as well as the outlines of the windows. I like this image because it is so busy and each time you look at it, you see something that you hadn't seen before.

This photo is a little less obvious at representing the formal elements, but it still does. This has been taken from the highest point of a staircase, and therefore we can see each level of the stairs, right down to the bottom. I like that shadows have been created by the banister and stairs themselves. I also like how even though the staircase is somewhat rectangular, it still forms a spiral-like shape as we look down to the bottom, which gives us a beginning and end to the photo.

This is the final image that I chose, again it is of a staircase, however, this one is a bit more circular and has been taken from the bottom instead, which means we can look up at each level. I like that the photo has been taken at an angle in which we can only see the banister of the stair case. I also like that this photo has more of a spiral-like shape. 

Karl Hugo Schmolz's work has influenced me because I want to create busy and complex images, which are also interesting to look at. I like how Schmolz has used an everyday object, buildings, within his images because it makes the ordinary seem extraordinary, just by showing the building from a different angle and perspective. I also like how Schmolz's work gives us an insight of architecture, and the way that buildings are built and structured. Schmolz's work influenced me to look at buildings and architecture from a different perspective, and during the 'Shape' shoot that i did, i focused on this idea. Schmolz's work influenced my 'Shape' photographs because i used the shapes within buildings. 

This was one of the shots I took during 'Shape'. During the time of the shoot, I was trying to find shapes within objects around me. However, once i began to venture out of that idea and tried to look even further, I took this image. This is shapes on a ceiling, and i zoomed in to the centre to emphasise the focus on the shapes. 

This is another Shape photograph that i took. Again, i have used a building and it's architecture to portray the topic. This is because Schmolz's influenced me to look at buildings as though they were just structures mad dup of different shapes and lines etc., instead of just looking at it as though it were just a building. 

In summary, I like the look and style of Karl Hugo Schmolz's images. I mostly enjoy looking at the complexity of the shapes he captures within buildings and architecture. This makes his photos more interesting, and far more extraordinary. Hugo Schmolz's work allows viewers to explore the depths within the architecture of buildings. 

Image Bank - Portraiture

Internet Images

This is a classic example of a portrait because it displays the face of a woman, close-up so we are able to see her expression, and as a result, we can feel the mood of the photograph. I like this image because it is in black and white, and so we can see the shadows of her lips and nose etc., but also, I like that her eyes are so shiny and sparkling, that it almost looks like they are coloured. 

Usually in portraiture, the person in the photograph is looking directly into the camera. However, in this image the man is looking away, but we are still able to see the details of his facial features, like his eyes, eyebrows, nose, lips etc. I like this photo because the background and the man's clothing is black, and his hair is dark as well, which means that his face and neck is emphasised even further, and we concentrate on it. 

So far I have only shown classic, normal portraits. However, this photograph is a portrait of an old man smoking. I like this photo because he is looking away from the camera, and it is natural. We can capture the mood from this as well. I like the concept of taking a natural photo of somebody, so they look completely oblivious to the camera, because it creates a true, realistic image. 

This portrait is of a woman, and she is looking directly towards the camera. The image is in black and white, which emphasises the shadows that have been created across her face, her chest and from her facial features. I like that this photo has clearly been positioned and staged, but it still captures the woman's expression and emotion.

This portrait is of two people, a man and a woman. The woman is sideways on from the camera, looking to her left, whereas the man is behind her but looking straight forward, towards the camera. This photo is creative as it has been carefully positioned so that the woman's nose covers the man's nose, and the same for their lips and eyes. I like that this photo is in black and white because it makes it look old, but classic. It also emphasises the lighting and shadows within the image. 

Lastly, I chose this portrait because instead of the woman sitting still, straight and looking towards the camera, instead, her body is slightly facing away from the camera, and her head is turned over her shoulder, so she is still looking at the camera anyway. Like the other black and white images, this photo has a black background, and the model has dark hair, which means we can completely focus on her face, expression and what emotion the portrait is meant to create.

Definition Post - Portraiture

Definition of "Portraiture" - a painting, photograph, sculpture or any other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person.

Adjectives to describe and/or relate to the word "Portraiture" - Human, Face, Direct, Expressive, Realistic, Still, Accurate, Authentic, Characteristic, Mood, Feeling, Emotion, Self, Detailed, Official, Royal, Old, Modern, Intimate, Power, Traditional, Person, Age, Positioning, Composition, Famous, Form, Features, Identity, Classic.

I found the images below on the internet, and thought they were the best four to represent portraiture. The first image is somewhat traditional, as it is a photograph of a woman, looking directly in to the camera whilst slightly looking over her shoulder, as this is the way that she has been positioned. I like that this photo is in black and white as it makes her face look paler, and her hair, eyebrows and  clothing darker, so each detail is emphasised in some way. As the woman is the main focus, the background is plain and grey, and therefore our attention is solely paid to her. The next image I have chosen, is a painting of Kate Middleton. I chose this because obviously she is famous and has married into the royal family, which again shows the tradition of portraiture. Similarly to the first image, the background is plain, and so we concentrate on Kate Middleton's face. She is also looking directly into the camera, which makes us feel as though she is looking directly at us. I like that she has been painted in colour against a black background, so the features of her face and her hair stand out a lot more. The next image is a portrait of a man, this one however, is slightly closer, as we can barely see his clothing or body, just his face. Again, I like how this image is in black and white, because it shows the formation of his facial features. Also, this is a clear example of a portrait because he is looking directly into the camera, which is similar to most portraits of people. The next image is slightly different from the rest. Firstly, it is all in colour, so we are able to see the colour of the woman's skin, eyes, hair etc., but it is also extremely close-up to her face, which makes her eyes look bigger, and as a result we concentrate on them.

My own definition of Portraiture - a composed photograph, painting, drawing (or any other artistic format) of a person in a still position. 

Straight Images - Studio Form

Work Diary - Shape

Evaluation

Shape was quite difficult to take photographs of because I struggled to find the right objects to represent it. However, during the shoot, I tried to take as many photos as possible of every outline of an object that I saw, so the image would show it's shape and format. This topic was interesting because it wasn't as restricted as some of the other topics, and therefore, I was able to explore various types of angles and subjects to take photos of. 

This is my best photo because it shows a variety of different outlined shapes such as triangles, trapeziums and rectangles. I also like that some of these shapes formed within the roof are at an angle, and so are slightly diagonal in the images because the roof reaches a point in the centre which makes the shapes like this. I also like that the image looks black and white, even though I took it in colour.

This is my worst image as I tried to get the shape of the sculpture within the photo, but failed as you can't actually see the bends and twists within the metal. I think I zoomed in so much that you can barely see what the photo is of, and that's why I have lost the entire shape of the sculpture. 

Progression

If I were to continue taking photographs of shape, I would attempt at finding more extreme examples, like shapes within architecture, as this would be more interesting. Also, I think that I'd need to explore various ideas and concepts which link to shape, in order to create photographs that represent shape well. These are some of Shape photographs that i have found on the internet which i aspire to achieve if i ever add to this topic:

Straight Images - Shape