To begin with, I wasn't too sure what to expect from AS Level Photography. I had previously studied GCSE Photography, and it was my favourite subject throughout Secondary School. Photography became my passion and something that I really loved and enjoyed, I'd like to say I'm quite good at it. However, the jump between GCSE to AS was always going to be huge, it felt like I had to forget everything i was taught for the past three years, and start from scratch. Obviously, I had some knowledge of how to use Photoshop, and I know how to use some of the tools on it, some of which we've been using throughout this course, but it genuinely felt like i was entering a whole new subject. Even the way i edit photographs now is different and I've enjoyed learning these new skills a lot. One of the first things i was taught was how to hold a camera properly and efficiently, and back then i was struggling to always hold it that way, but now it just comes naturally and i do it subconsciously. I think that's one of the many aspects that prove how much I've learned and adapted to this subject.
My love for Photography is still strong, and I've enjoyed the last few months studying the ten formal elements, which include: Line, Colour, Shape, Reflection, Movement, Pattern, Form, Texture, Tone and Depth. I think this was a great project to start the course with, as I now know what to look for within an image. Each shoot was different and I was able to explore each topic from my own perspective, whilst gathering other perspectives. These formal elements have allowed me to look at things a lot differently, and have helped me to notice and photograph subjects that i never usually would. I particularly enjoyed the topic Depth because i had already shot photos in a similar style at GCSE. I just love the idea that just by adjusting your camera at a different angle, you can create Depth within the photo, which makes it look like it's leading somewhere, and that's far more interesting than just taking a photo of a wall from straight ahead.
Some shoots were more difficult than others, and that was expected. It was difficult to keep conjuring new ideas and putting them to practice, but I think I've tried my best at each topic, and I'm willing to improve anything that's needed. I especially loved Walk 1 and 2, simply because it gave me the chance to venture out of College and use my new skills elsewhere. Autumn is my favourite season and as one of the topics was 'Autumn Colours', i was quite excited to go. I think some of the shots from the two walks are my favourite and best work, and i know i really enjoyed taking them. I also liked the topic 'Sense of Journey', as it enabled me to think on a wider scale. I didn't and wasn't going to restrict myself to only shooting photographs of pathways, instead i decided to take photos of signs, roads, benches etc., to portray the concept of 'Sense of Journey.'
One of the many skills that i have learnt is how to 'fit the frame' in an image. I was taught this in the lessons before we shot Mapplethorpe style images. This concept made me really think and question what i was taking a photograph of, and whether it fitted the frame. Especially in the studio, I concentrated on angling the camera correctly, zooming in to the right distance and whether the model was fit to the image. Even though this was a lot of hassle and took a lot more time than just snapping a photograph, i liked it, because it was a challenge that i wanted to succeed at, and therefore took extra care with it. I really like some of the shots from the studio shoot, as well as the Location version. My Location Mapplethorpe inspired images, are really appealing to me because during the time of the shoot, i was constantly thinking about the background and positioning of the image, and i think it is because of this, that has made these photographs some of my best work. I also really appreciated working with people as subjects for my images, rather than objects or places around college.
Predominantly, I've enjoyed this subject and the topics for shoots very much. Despite missing a lot of lessons over the past couple of months, I have caught up with the work and i'm now able to improve what i have done previously. I've tried my best to put the same amount of effort into each post and topic. I plan to take more photographs for Colour and Studio Form as i think they were my weakest shoots, and would like to focus on them and improve, or maybe even re-take some of the photographs that I have already shot for them. However, i'm really looking forward to the topics ahead and I'm ready to use my new skills and knowledge to help me create the best work that i can achieve in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment