4D: Project 1 – Picture Story_Curating Self

Task Two : Object and representation of self

– Mid Shot

 

– Focus on the age of the book                     – The way I read books

    

Description:

The item which was significant to me was a book called ” Dealing with Dragons ”  by Patricia C. Wrede.

I have been keeping this book for almost 11 years, and it has become one of my favorite series.

 

Process:

When photographing the item, I was thinking on how to capture the texture and age of the book for its close up.

Thus I experimented by taking it being rolled up or placing a light behind one of its pages. Finally I decided to choose the image with the worn out pages, showing how much its being flipped due to the amount of times i re-read it.

 

For the shots with me and the item, I decided to show actions of what I actually act like when I am with a book I truly like.

Like where I read them (indoors with a view), the way I read it (head resting forward) and what happens when I read it ( sometimes napping in between when I read it for too long).

 

Medium used :

Samsung Galaxy 8/8 plus

 

Study for this set:

  1. Lighting – Light passing through the thin pages, creating ambiance and mood for the texture of the pages.
  2. Angle and Perspective – Ways I can portray the book and myself that tells my action clearly
  3. Composition – Cropping appropriately and clearly where the viewer can easily follow the flow of the photo.
  4. Color Theory – Green and yellow, Warm colors, Analogous.
  5. Natural Elements ( Environment / Expressions / Actions ) – Having a neutral balance with subject and the environment
  6. Scale & distance – The scale of the item, ratio of the environment or clearness the subject.

 

Challenges faced:

How to capture the book’s texture and age. Which the viewer can clearly define and relate.

 

Solution:

Finding the Angle and a common understanding that viewers can relate to when they see a worn out book. Playing with the lighting also further gives more information about the book’s appearance to the viewer.

 

Task One : Me

 

– The water invitingly tempts me into safe solitude, the world outside distorts my vision of myself.

-Diving in willingly. The transition from the society into silent isolation.

As the Light guides me in.

– A cold, lonely but comforting space, where thoughts are as clear as the water.

Listening to the outside world from a safe distance.

Only then can I be in my element.

Description:

These shots were taken form my childhood friend’s condo pool.

 

Medium used :

Samsung Galaxy 8/8 plus ( Disclaimer : They are water resistant not water proof. Try at your own risk!)

Study for this set:

  1. Lighting – Test with Flash and torchlight. reflections of the light on the water to block out or highlight some parts in the composition. Helping the viewers gaze focus on the subject.
  2. Angle and Perspective – The use of distortion, reflection, close up shots to not show the pool structures. Depth of the pool to create an illusion.
  3. Composition  – Different poses, distance, scale and props helps greatly in expressing what I want to convey.
  4. Color Theory – The use of contrasting colors (Orange and blue) . The light and my shirt are in orange while the water is in blue.
  5. Semiotics – The use of the water surface to create distortion. The light to show there is warmth in the solitude. Bubbles to show I am breathing fine.
  6. Natural Elements ( Environment / Expressions / Actions ) – The environment for this set, helps heavily to convey what I want to represent.

Other Attempts

    

 

 

Inspiration:

Runnin’ (Lose It All) ft. Beyonce, Arrow Benjamin music video

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJSik6ejkr0 )

Process – During the Shoot

  

Challenges faced:

Many shots need to be taken before I can achieve the outcome I wanted. In order to shoot I would have to stay in the water in the same position for a period of time due to the timer on the phone. The camera can only be used using timer mode.

 

Getting the right balance in the light and the gravity in the water was hard to control. Practicing how to open my eyes and let out all the air from my mouth for a extended period of time. While counting the timer and taking note of my angle as the camera from the phone dips down.

 

Many actions and poses have been carefully thought out, in order to create the most dynamic and impactful composition. ( Most of  the time the photo is unsuccessfully was when my hair or clothes are not in the right direction or my facial expression is not right giving the wrong impression I want to express)

 

Solution:

Just keep taking more shots along with many practices with the lighting, timing and angle. Improvise on more easier poses which can be cropped with the angle and scale.

Task Three : My World

What they see

Description:

Time taken during this set was at 4 am.

Medium used :

Samsung Galaxy 8/8 plus

Study:

  1. Lighting – Useful in creating the atmosphere and tension.
  2. Tonal Value – Helps to create a sense of depth. Hides or highlight certain details. ( Very light to very dark )
  3. Angle and Perspective – I wanted the shot to be when someone sees me in working state and later switch perspective into a first person perceptive. Telling two sides of the story of what my environment means to me and others.
  4. Composition – I want the audience to be engage by being able to relate.
  5. Semiotics – The grey scale images means that when I am using the pencil, I constantly think of the tonal value; omitting the colors.
  6. Natural Elements ( Environment / Expressions / Actions ) – Messing up the room and displaying personal belongings, makes the audience feel more connected; giving them more insight to who I am as a person or what I do in the room and how I am in it.

 

What I see

^ Taken when another phone was taking with its flashlight.   ^ Comparison using colors and grey scale.

The colored one seems softer ad more welcoming while the black and white photo seems more uninviting.

Process – Experimenting the lighting and colors

 

Filter test – finding the right ambiance to narrate.

Challenges faced:

Finding the correct lighting and right angle in the confine area. So that I can describe a big story with a small area. What actions and lighting gives the most dynamic and impactful impression.

 

Solution:

Try all angles in the room, using a selfie stick, standing on stools and using unconventional lights. ( laptops screen, light box, lamp, phone torchlight )

Final Compilation : Process and Display

[Material for photos – Photograph paper]

Presentation layout

Description:

Direction to read, up to down and Left to right.

I placed black paper in the BG, so that the light grey wall do not take away the contrast in the middle photo set.

The clear folder helps to flip the image set easier.

 

End.

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