Unit 8- FMP
- Admin
- Apr 10, 2018
- 13 min read
Bibliography:
Google images
Lens Culture
Zara
Wikipedia
Canva
Photobox
My Magazine:
Context
For my final end of year project I want to focus heavily on fashion, as I aspire to be a fashion photographer in the future. I am going to go around local charity shops as well as bringing in my own clothing/jewellery for the project.
Like my last project I want to collaborate with other people in the college, but this time I want to get more people involved such as the hair and beauty team, various models and maybe even a class mate who also wants to do her project on fashion.
Research
There are many notable fashion photographers that I could've chosen from but for my research I have chosen two of my all time favourites, Albert Watson and Karl Lagerfeld.
Albert Watson:
Albert Watson is a Scottish photographer who is very well known for his fashion, art and celebrity photography. Albert has shot well over 100 covers for Vogue and around 40 covers for Rolling Stone magazine. He has also created major advertising campaigns for clients such as Prada, Levis and Chanel, as well as photographing many notable people such as Steve jobs and Kate Moss.
Here is a glimpse of some of his incredible work:
(Photo credits: Google Images)
I am truly inspired by his work and I think he is going to influence my project massively.
The first image of a model in a bath depicts a real life like photo which doesn't look like it is staged in anyway but in actual fact the photo is staged. This photo is really beautiful in many ways but mainly because of the black and white tone which was applied be it in camera or on software such as photoshop, I also really like how the water is smoothly flowing in the background and how her face is also very in focus and beautifully toned in the foreground of the image.
The second image is of the famous Steve Jobs, the photo portrays the power he had not only within the technology industry but the world in general. You can tell the power he had by the shadows and contrasts within the image, as well as the vignetting around the sides of the image.
The photos were shot on a digital camera and later edited on a software program, probably photoshop or lightroom to make the images more appealing and to make them really stand out.
Karl Lagerfeld:
Karl Lagerfeld is a German creative director, artist and photographer based in Paris.
He is the head creative director of the fashion house Chanel, as well as the Italian house Fendi and owns his own successful brand too.
I have always been inspired by not only Karl's infatuating work but his style too, there is no-one in this world that is even remotely similar to him and I find that to be very amazing.
Here are some of Karl's fabulous shots:
(Photo credits: Google Images)
Famous Fashion Models that inspire me:
There are several famous models that spring to mind whilst writing this but here are a few of my favourite models of all time Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Twiggy, Cindy Crawford, Iman and last but certainly not least Marilyn Monroe.
All of the famous models I have listed above are strong, independent and well driven women who have not only broken down barriers in fashion but have broken down barriers for women too.
For example Iman was one of the first women to dominate the fashion industry in the 70's and she landed several magazine covers all the way around the world, became Yves Saint Laurent's 'dream girl' and broke down many other barriers whilst succeeding in her successful career at a time when black women unfortunately weren't represented in the media which she battled to change and succeeded.
Equipment
Digital SLR camera
Lenses
Light trigger
Light meter
Speed lite/s
Tripod
Softboxes
Backdrop (in studio only)
Lighting reflectors
I am planning on using a mixture of both high and low key lighting as well as Rembrandt lighting and natural lighting as I think each lighting scenario will give my shots different atmospheres as well as giving my shots a more dynamic range.
High Key Lighting:
Low Key Lighting:
Rembrandt Lighting:
I will also be using Photoshop and Lightroom to edit and enhance all of my final shots, this will make my shots look even more professional and perfect. With the help of PS and LR I can smoothen out any blemishes my models may have as well as adding effects to my shots such as black and white and doing many other things just to make my shots look more editorial and magazine like.
Problem Solving
When I was shooting with one of my models my images came out clear but when looking out of the view finder so I had to correct the view finder for my eye.
Also when I was shooting in the studio the lights occasionally didn't fire multiple times so I turned the camera round so the trigger could see the sensor on top of the lights.
When I was photographing Rachel in my set design the clothes was wearing were too dark as we dressed her in all black, so we had to go and find a scarf/jewelry to make the photo more appealing and exquisite. Black is particularly hard to photograph because it absorbs light which in turn makes it difficult to light because if you don't light it right it can look dull and miserable.
On set the fabric we were putting over the wallpaper to mimic curtains wouldn't stay in place so we had to tape them to the wall to make them look more life like and realistic.
The wallpaper I had wasn't long enough so I had to go to the shops to purchase some more and then it didn't look correct on the wall, so we stuck it down with tape on each edge which made it look really good and realistic.
Planning & Production
I started this brief out by writing a mind map with all my different ideas on, people who inspire me, props, colours, era and themes to get a real feel for what I am going to be creating. I then did my artist research which is further up my blog and here is what inspired me about each of them.
Albert Watson really made me think about lighting and how important it is, just by changing around the lights it can create a totally different look, feel and mood. He takes beautiful lifestyle shots which really set the scene, so I decided to go around local charity shops and down to our colleges performing arts building to collect props to dress the scene and also to collect clothes to dress my models in, I also went as far to pick out jewellery to give the shots a more vintage feel and to give the viewer a deeper connection to my shots.
Karl Lagerfeld mainly made me think about prop design and clothing, his photos are lifestyle but with a filmic style which is what I want my shots to be like, he really inspired me to stick to the vintage theme which I had in mind because there is just something about him and his shots that are truly exquisite and beautiful.
Then after doing extensive research on photographers, lighting, clothes, props etc I decided to look at the models that inspire me. Pretty much every model that I looked at inspired me to think of lighting and what lighting I am going to use and what background I am going to have behind my model to fit my filmic style/lifestyle shots that I inspire to create for this end of year project.
After looking at Albert Watson, Karl Lagerfeld and models I then started to look at how I am going to pose my models and how different poses/posture gives off different vibes such as Steve Jobs portraits which show he is a very powerful figure, I also looked at different gestures and got to know what gestures fit the best into my filmic/lifestyle photographs to give my audience a real attachment to each image.
Practical Skills
Communication - I have developed my ability to direct my models ensuring their understanding of what is required and the vision I have. I also had to speak to staff in local charity shops/shops as well as staff from the performing arts part of the college to be able to purchase/borrow props, clothes, jewellery and things for my set.
Camera- F-stops, shutter speeds, ISO, meter reading, spot metering etc - utilising materials, techniques and processes accurately drawing from my skills building throughout the year to help me photograph my models beautifully with a vision.
Lightroom/Photoshop editing - I edited my raw images in photoshop by using the spot tool which helps to get rid of any blemishes my models may have. I then transferred my PS edited photos into Lightroom to make minor adjustments such as clarity and/or filters, I used Lightroom instead of Photoshop for adjusting clarity and/or filters for workflow as LR is a lot quicker and simpler to use than PS but both are absolutely incredible.
Set design- I sourced everything for my set myself from wallpaper to clothes and even props, I sourced all of my items from local charity shops, my college Performing Arts department and my own wardrobe to get the best possible outcome for this project.
Presentation
I am going to set all of my final shots into a magazine format called 'Couture Magazine', which will not only have my shots but my behind the scene shots and writing too. I am also going to somehow include videos/live shots when presenting my work. In my presenting space my favourite shots will be displayed in big on a foam board on the wall with any other shots and writing in small under my key shots. Then I will have my magazine laid out on a table so viewers can browse through it and on that table I will also have any merchandise I have decided on such as keyring, postcards, small versions of my shots etc.
Examples:
Rationale:
I have always had a passion for photography from a very young age and I have always owned several different types of cameras from 35mm film to digital and even polaroid. I have also always had a keen eye and noticed photo opportunities before others around me, which often made me walk behind everyone else on family days out because I would be photographing my surroundings and getting the best compositions possible taking into account light, surroundings and equipment. Then when I was around 15/16 I started my love affair with fashion, so I thought I love fashion and I love photography so why not combine the two and head towards a career in fashion photography.
Since September I have learnt lots of different things from depth of field and exposures to studio work and dark room work. But my main interest and favourite thing to do is to go into the studio or on location with models and photograph quirky fashion shoots.
So taking all of this into account I am going to focus my end of year project on fashion photography, which will allow me to build up a fashion photography portfolio for my aspired university (London University of the Arts) as well as hoping to achieve the best grade possible.
Concept:
For this project I want to do several different fashion shoots in the studio as well as on location with different models. I am going to go around different charity shops as well as my own personal wardrobe for different clothes to dress my models in, I am thinking of a vintage style but with a modern twist.
Exploring the work of fashion photographers from different era’s such as an historical figure like Cecil Beaton to Richard Avedon right up to modern day figures such as Rankin and Karl Lagerfeld.
I am particularly interested in the clothing itself, the vision of the fashion designer and their styling of clothes in collaboration with their photographers. I will plan and style the shoots utilising vintage clothing with an eclectic approach.
Evaluation:
I am going to have to make enquiries around local charity shops to see if I can maybe loan clothing items off of them for a certain amount of time but if not then I will just purchase different pieces using my own money. I will also need to make enquiries regarding hair and makeup, so I was thinking of pairing up with our fabulous college hair and beauty team which will not only help me out with my end of year project/portfolio but it will also help with their portfolio too.
I am going to shoot on the local skate park, marine lake and surrounding areas as well as in the studio using a vast array of equipment as listed previously.
Regarding models I am going to use classmates, friends and even other people in the college that are willing to be photographed and help me out.
I am really excited about this project as it allows me to show off my passion, enthusiasm and creative skills as a student and a human being who loves to be creative and different to others.
Pinterest Board:
Locations:
Studio
Car Parks
Marine Lake
My Magazine:
I have made a pinterest board (see further up the page) as well as look at clothing sites such as Zara, H&M and New Look.
Zara have inspired me greatly as they show what I can achieve and have given me fresh ideas such as close up shots of clothes as well as models and maybe also doing live photos to show models moving which will make my work stand out from the rest of the class.
I want to bring some wallpaper into the studio to hang behind the models to create a fictional space which i can style with vases, tables, lamps, flowers etc and then place the model in the set and have them model elegantly in the space i have created. As well as styling the set and going on location, I will also be styling the model and taking the shots too- so a lot of hard work will be going into my editorial but I cannot wait to see the end results.
Another inspiration I have looked at which does similar things to what I want to achieve is a guy called Erwin Olaf, he does really extravagant shots which really do speak for themselves.
Erwin's work speaks the unsettling and controversial truth of society as he styles and photographs models in scenes from hotel rooms to beautiful mansions and everything in between.
As you can see his work is very raw, incredible and capturing. It intrigues me very much and he is going to be a massive inspiration to me on this final end of year project and possibly throughout my fashion photography career.
25/04/18
Today I shot some practice things in the studio, first I started off with high key lighting and then I put my wallpaper up on the wall which gave me a cinematic feel. These shots are just putting my ideas into practice and next week I am going to bring in clothes & props to start shooting final studio shots with classmates/friends.
Behind the scenes:
Here is a behind the scene shot of my high key lighting set which I used to photograph small details of my model such as her belt and her shoes.
Here is a behind the scene shot of my wallpapers set up on the wall, I am obviously getting more wallpaper but this is what I have got for my practice shots.
09/05/18
Today me and Yvette my course leader headed down to performing arts to get plenty of props for my final studio shoots next week, we got different vintage props including vases, books, tables, chairs and even a coat stand.
Next week I am going to use the props I have collected, the wallpaper I have purchased and the clothes I have brought in which will set my work out from the rest of the class.
Here are the props below that we collected today (not including wallpaper/clothes):
Merchandise
For merchandise I was thinking of creating a mug, a keyring and maybe a few other little bits such as small prints or postcards just to give it a more professional feel.
Mug:
Keyring:
Editing
When I was editing my photos from the vintage photoshoot, I realised they looked like stills from old movies or paintings.
One of the photos in particular looked just like a modern day Mona Lisa, I think its the positioning of the model as well as the lighting. Obviously if I was to actually go into the studio with a photo of the Mona Lisa and tried to recreate it then they would look even similar but I only noticed the similarity after I had shot and edited the photo but I am extremely proud of how this shot worked out and how all my other shots turned out too.
Content/Context - They are both traditional portrait stances with a formal quality and they both fill the frame.
Form - In terms of composition, in the foreground the models both have clasped hands with a gentle gesture in the way in which they are placed. In both shots the perspective is similar in that of they are both well fitting into the surrounding frame which makes both images exquisitely beautiful to look at from an audiences perspective.
They are both mid-shot format in filmic terms which means they are both shot from a medium distance so not a close up or a full figure shot, which makes the viewer automatically feel like they are in the scene.
Process - The 'Mona Lisa' is a historical painting compared to modern technology of photography figure 2 but both the artist/photographer need to think of similar things such as lighting, setting the scene, props, positioning of the model etc.
To make my photos look more filmic, I decreased the clarity on Lightroom which made her skin look milky, soft and filmic. As you can see with the below screenshot just decreasing the clarity by 30 makes a huge difference and just makes the photo more appealing.
Magazine Improvement
Throughout this project I have changed my magazine to fit a particular high end teen magazine. My magazine changed from bold orange to a mint green and then I changed the whole layout to make it appeal to a more refined taste, then lastly I made the cover stand out more and make it more unique by adding horizontal and vertical lines; as well as a barcode, date and edition.
I am so pleased with the quality of my magazine and how it has turned out, I could see it being placed in small shops next to other fashion magazines.
Final Images
Reflection
During production in the studio my set building, lighting and model styling came together in unison, it then became apparent that the images I was creating began to have a sense of formal portraiture not unlike that seen in paintings, with this in mind I looked at historic painters and contemporary portrait photographers that have employed a sense of painterly qualities in their work such as Alex Prager - a female photographer who creates photographs that have narrative, setting a scene or a certain scenario. This is something I set out to achieve in my own work using props, clothing and style to convey a story in line with a brand/lifestyle for fashion. Prager herself was inspired by the likes of hitchcock - a film maker who's lighting and story telling hugely influenced her practice and his work is not dissimilar to the work of Erwin Olaf whom I'd previously researched further up in my blog.
Evaluation
I think my end of year project was really successful but I do agree I could've improved on a few things, the main thing I need to improve on is getting out and shooting sooner instead of doing lots on my blog and very little shooting as I do believe I could've done more set designs/photoshoots if I did get out there sooner. Another thing I think I need to improve on is getting a variety of people in or going on location with different people instead of class mates and afew of my other friends and I wish I shot more vintage shots outside but all of this is one big learning process that will definitely help me in the future be it in my portfolio or helping me to motivate myself quicker on future projects.
I want to finish this evaluation off by saying I am extremely happy with all the hard work I have put into every aspect of this final major project as I truly have put my heart and soul into it and its made my passion and love for photography and fashion grow stronger which I didn't think was possible but anything is possible if you put everything into something and give it your all.
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