I formulate all my ideas first in my own sketchbook since I know what I have in mind and I won’t forget to bring them to life (taking the pictures, knowing when and where). My object of significance here: my butterfly necklace that I barely take out.

EXPLORATION:

So for the 1st idea, I had to wait for the sun to set for that perfect lighting for my picture, and for the shadows to be produced at that timing. The 1st picture below is the original picture. I wanted more contrast on the shadows to produce the cool dark tone, but at the same time I also wanted more contrast on the sunrays coming through. Hence the edit I did in the 2nd picture below.

The main idea here was to show my subject matter, which is really small since it’s the butterfly necklace that i wanted to show – that is significant to me. So I tried moving myself and directing the one taking the photo for me to move as I go. It was important for me to test out mid-range shots and close-up shots so as to have the focus on my subject matter. All these is done using iPhone 7Plus. I wanted the light from outside to reflect on my white-gold butterfly to make viewers see that that is my focal point, hence having to keep shifting to get the right lighting at the right spot, like the picture below.

For the 2nd idea pictures, it was hard to get the light towards the direction I wanted it to. Because the sun was already fully setting and there wasn’t much light rays coming in so I have to make do with whatever daylight there is. For example in the picture below, I couldn’t get enough light in so I had to ensure my lighting exposure was a little higher to take another shot. However I liked how this shot turned out because of the shadows present and at least there was a tint of light, a slight warmness added to it. It sets the low but slightly hopeful mood that I want it to in the picture.

I guess the problem with having a small object at hand is how to show it well as the main subject matter. I tried to test it out with different body postures and angles like the one below and was only happy with the shots taken for the 1st and last one.

For the 1st one, I loved it because I managed to blur out the background but at least it shows my character in there with the far-away gaze looking at my glowing butterfly necklace. The light was more focused onto the necklace too which was what I wanted – to portray it as something of high importance (the fact that it is also made of pure gold) and purity, childhood, hope.

Same goes for the last picture. It was the gaze I aimed for, and the clearer limelight on my butterfly pendant dangling on the necklace. But this time I am looking towards the camera, intentionally, to tell the viewers that “look, this is something important to me. Look at it. Look at the way I look at it – I long for it.”

I didn’t like my second shot due to the way it was taken. The framing wasn’t right, and it wasn’t a good vantage point. It was really bad as the focus wasn’t on the necklace but instead it was on my dress and my awkward pose. Initially I had an imagination in mind to look like I’m laying restlessly and longing but I realised that the wide-shot wasn’t good for it. So I decided to change it up abit through my posture and mainly by manipulating my subject distance.

Reflecting back to doing all these and the processes, it took alot of thinking and imagining, to portray the story of my own to the audience. It definitely took alot of directing if you are not the one behind the camera. This is hard because you need to give a clear direction and explanation to the person behind the camera so that she/he can help to get the shot you really want. I am happy with how it turned out after a few tries. I hope I get to portray my story well through these pictures.