Statement of intent-
I aim to produce a portfolio incorporating many aspects of surrealism and portraying many unrealistic way of this theme. I want to begin with researching many artists and gaining a various of ideas I can use when it comes to me being behind the camera. Initially I will start with researching artists such as Salvador Dali to look on the artistic side of surrealism. Then I will research photographers such as Laura Zalenga, Martin Williams who I believe portray a whole lot of surrealism with in their photos. The research will help me grasp onto what I am looking for and ideas if I want to go along with a certain theme with surrealism.
This project can be interpreted in many ways and is a big area in expressing my creativity and strange ideas. It is a chance for me to express my ideas in many ways and use a lot of props, Photoshop skills etc.
I will most likely be working in school and using multiple props to gain a lot of photos. I aim to go along with a theme and make my photos consistent in doing so. I will be doing some work at home to capture different locations if needed. I want to broaden my Photoshop skills and this gives me a massive chance to experiment with layering, warping and transform tools etc.
One of my main ideas is to use faces and take it to the next level with the surrealism aspect. I want to incorporate ideas from my research and gain an insight within the surrealist movement. Within the time I have I aim to do a minimum of 3-4 shoots and expand them within Photoshop.
Lastly, I hope to achieve an wonderful project showcasing Surrealism with my ideas and show a massive side of my creativity within.
This project can be interpreted in many ways and is a big area in expressing my creativity and strange ideas. It is a chance for me to express my ideas in many ways and use a lot of props, Photoshop skills etc.
I will most likely be working in school and using multiple props to gain a lot of photos. I aim to go along with a theme and make my photos consistent in doing so. I will be doing some work at home to capture different locations if needed. I want to broaden my Photoshop skills and this gives me a massive chance to experiment with layering, warping and transform tools etc.
One of my main ideas is to use faces and take it to the next level with the surrealism aspect. I want to incorporate ideas from my research and gain an insight within the surrealist movement. Within the time I have I aim to do a minimum of 3-4 shoots and expand them within Photoshop.
Lastly, I hope to achieve an wonderful project showcasing Surrealism with my ideas and show a massive side of my creativity within.
Surrealism was a movement which began in the 1920s of writers and artists , who experimented with ways of unleashing the subconscious imagination.
SURREALIST ARTIST
SALVADOR DALI
This painting is by an artist called Salvador Dali, who wanted to paint the subconscious so that his paintings had a dream like quality. The painting is surreal because it is not something you would see normally or would come across. The idea expresses creativity.
In this painting I can see a melting watch which seems to be shattering as the glass breaks off. It is flying over the edge of a hard cube which is a contrasting shape to the softness of the clock. By the edge of the cube I can also see a small moth which is not only weird but as it is small in scale it makes the clock seem big. The viewpoint is set on the shattering glass,drawing viewers attention to it which is also helped by the clock melting into a realistic landscape. The landscape shows mountains in the background and the perspective again makes the clock seem big. I might use this technique in my own photos to bring out the features I would like people to look at.
In the painting there is a mixture of browns,golds and a dark type of royal blue that sets the tone of the painting. I really like the contrast between the brown and the blue, the difference being a hot and cold colour which again I might think about in my own work.The ideology of the landscape warms the painting and also makes the viewer question the artist choice of background.
In my own work there are some characteristics of the painting I am inspired by such as, the reflection, the mixture of colors , the view point and also the surrealism idea behind it. Personally, I am not widely fond of Dalis work as it doesnt intrigue me as a viewer.
In this painting I can see a melting watch which seems to be shattering as the glass breaks off. It is flying over the edge of a hard cube which is a contrasting shape to the softness of the clock. By the edge of the cube I can also see a small moth which is not only weird but as it is small in scale it makes the clock seem big. The viewpoint is set on the shattering glass,drawing viewers attention to it which is also helped by the clock melting into a realistic landscape. The landscape shows mountains in the background and the perspective again makes the clock seem big. I might use this technique in my own photos to bring out the features I would like people to look at.
In the painting there is a mixture of browns,golds and a dark type of royal blue that sets the tone of the painting. I really like the contrast between the brown and the blue, the difference being a hot and cold colour which again I might think about in my own work.The ideology of the landscape warms the painting and also makes the viewer question the artist choice of background.
In my own work there are some characteristics of the painting I am inspired by such as, the reflection, the mixture of colors , the view point and also the surrealism idea behind it. Personally, I am not widely fond of Dalis work as it doesnt intrigue me as a viewer.
RENEE MAGRITTE
This painting is by Renee Magritte and like Dali he was a Surrealist artist who was interested in showing weird and wonderful scenes to make the viewer think. In this painting I can see that Renee Magritte has used a blue texture/tone in his work. He has mixed the range of different blue tones to grab the viewers attention by just using this colour that makes you think it is night time but with an almost daylight sky. This makes the black tree stand out more from the background and gives it a theatrical feeling. The composition of the crescent moon stands out as it is aligned in the middle of the tree and the contrast of the almost white moon against the blackness of the tree is very effective.
Also when you carefully look at the painting you can see a triangle shape, which creates strong leading lines to the cresent moon.The painting itself attracts many viewers because of the simplicity the structure of the painting withholds.
The painting is realistic as you can see every leaf on the tree yet it is surreal as the moon is not to scale and is caught in the tree. The symmetrical arrangement creates a dynamic feeling. The painting may make the viewers feel peaceful and calm. This is because the simplistic view of it is very warming and pleasing. I have really enjoyed looking at Magrittes work his creative ideas have given me a new range of ideas to use in my own work.
Also when you carefully look at the painting you can see a triangle shape, which creates strong leading lines to the cresent moon.The painting itself attracts many viewers because of the simplicity the structure of the painting withholds.
The painting is realistic as you can see every leaf on the tree yet it is surreal as the moon is not to scale and is caught in the tree. The symmetrical arrangement creates a dynamic feeling. The painting may make the viewers feel peaceful and calm. This is because the simplistic view of it is very warming and pleasing. I have really enjoyed looking at Magrittes work his creative ideas have given me a new range of ideas to use in my own work.
PHOTOGRAPHER RESEARCH
LAURA ZALENGA (http://laurazalenga.com)
Laura is a 1990 born self-portrait-artist from Southern Germany. Besides photographing projects she has been teaching workshops, giving inspirational talks and travelled to photography meet-ups around the world. It’s her clear visual language, the power of telling stories and showing raw, honest emotions in her photographs that makes her work stand out.
She is convinced that photography is a type of therapy that gives you the ability to heal yourself and others.
She is convinced that photography is a type of therapy that gives you the ability to heal yourself and others.
This is my favorite photo from some of Laura Zalanga's work. I am intrigued by this photo because it clearly defines the word surrealism. The creative idea behind this describes curiosity , the simplicity of this builds an imagination in peoples mind. It is also something you wouldn't see in your daily life. This shows the weird and wonderful aspect of it.The photo is underexposed , which creates a dark aspect to the photo. There is a shallow depth of field because the photo is slightly blurred. The composition is focused on the "girl in the mirror", grabbing the viewers attention straight in the middle. Also the photographer has used black and white color tones to create the photo.
This is another one of my favorites. I like this photo because the photo raises many questions for the viewers. The idea of this creates attraction and suspense. The creativity with the water and the girl , almost makes it seem the four walls are closing in on the girl. The depth of field is shallow because it is dark however there is a light tone shinning from above if you look ahead of the girl.Also I can see a blurred reflection of the girl in the water which creates a simplistic effect to the photo.
MARTIN STRANKA
Martin is a self-taught professional photographer, born on April 13, 1984 in Czech Republic. Martin's distinctive vision of photography etched as a unique space located in a balance and serenity, while his sophisticated and rewarding images exists in that narrow space of a few seconds between dreaming and awakening.
This is one of my favorite picture from the selected images above. I really like this photo because the idea of it creates a surrealism image. The photo is a mid shot because you can see the head, hair and also part of her shoulders. The black eye makeup creates some kind of illusion that catches the viewers eyes straight on the models eye makeup. Also there is a lot of effect with the water because it creates a blurred concept with half of the models head. The depth of field of this photo is shallow. The lighting is set on the face as the bottom half of the photo is almost really dark. I would love to include such a concept of this photo in my shoot it creates a big effect to me and this idea is great.
LAURA WILLIAMS
Laura is a Bristol and Staffordshire based photographer, who uses her passion for photography as a tool for exploration of different landscapes. Laura’s work allows us to experience her interest in the subject area, her photographic style comprised both landscape and documentary photography, favoring the use of analogue photography methods explores the sublime.
I am intrigued my this photo because I really like the concept and idea created within the photo. The use of mirrors creates a unrealistic reflection. The shot of this photo is a full shot , this is effective because it is showing the whole photo and what is happening within. The color range of this photo is just a simplistic black color that creates a Gothic dark atmosphere. The depth of field is about f/8 because as the reflection gets smaller the photo becomes slightly blurred.The shot looks like its been taken outdoors on a street where there are stairs and a brick background. In the photo I can see a reflection of a girl who is looking into a series of mirrors and her reflection seems to be getting smaller and smaller. The shapes I can see are squares and rectangles this effects the composition because it points the viewers attention straight on the shapes where the mirror is.
Exploring some of my ideas...
My theme: I will take photographs of people and make different portraits of them.
Photographers: Laura Zalenga , Martin Stranka , Laura williams
Elements of their work I want to use: Theme,lighting,atmosphere, and composition
Props: none
Models: 2+
Location: Dark rooms, White clear backgrounds, Landscapes
Outcomes: Creative and unique shoots that incorprate all my ideas.
SHOOT 1
WORST:
This is my best photo from the series of photos I have taken. This is because it has been taken with a steady and clear camera. The camera is focusing on the models face which attracts the viewers attention straight away. Furthermore the lighting is perfectly exposed.
PHOTOSHOP
1. I imported my photo into photoshop to start working on my photo.
2. I added the photo that I would put onto the hand. Then I used the magic wand tool and the magnetic lasso tool to cut out the lips from the white background. Furthermore I refined the edges of the lips to make them look more realistic on the hand. This was my ideal look. 3. Lastly I put the lips on the hand to create the weird and wonderful aspect. To put the lips on the hand, I copied the layer using (ctrl c) and added it on the main picture using (ctrl v). Then I adjusted the lips onto the hand by making it a bit small to fit onto the middle of the hand. |
Finally:
I realised that the photo above was too plain for the surrealism aspect and the lighting was too light for the theme that I was doing. So I tried something different on photoshop:
Firstly I created a layer on Photoshop to add to a different background.
This is the background that I used for my photograph. It is dark and something unexpected to my theme. To put the model on the background I copied and pasted it onto the background. I then placed the layer in a place where it fitted perfectly. Lastly I rendered the photo, changed the hue/saturation and also made it underexposed creating a black and white theme. Furthermore I also cropped the photo to make the photo smaller. The cropped photo makes it more eye catching for the viewers and makes it seem more simplistic. |
FINAL
SHOOT 2
Plan:
-carve circle in middle of wood
-colour in black
-Main goal: to get models eye place in behind circle to create a surreal outlook of an eye into the circle
-colour in black
-Main goal: to get models eye place in behind circle to create a surreal outlook of an eye into the circle
WORST:
This is my worst photo as the composition is not correct. The lighting is awful and does not fit the aspect of the photo. furthermore the eye is not in the middle of the circle as it was something i wanted to achieve.
BEST:
On this shoot there wasn't much I wanted to edit on Photoshop, so i changed the contrast, highlighted the outlines and rendered the photo with edgy filters. I also experimented with the hue/saturation. This was my final outcome and i am very happy with how it is.
SHOOT 3 (BROKEN MIRROR)
For my next shoot I am going to focus on the parts of the face again, I am going to use different eyes,lips noses of peoples faces and transfer them onto shattered glass to create a contrast between the shattered glass and the human features.
WORST
I wanted to achieve a reflection which consist of all the flowers, leaves and the whole shattered glass. However I couldn't hold the camera steady to achieve this angle. which resulted in the stems of the flowers coming into my photo
BEST
These are my best photos from this shoot as it clearly shows what I needed on the shattered glass , it shows diverse colors of natural light and displays the outline of the glass lines. The hand actions show rage and emotion coming through a photo. From my point of view I feel the photos display a story of a girl who is outraged by her beauty.
PHOTOSHOP (IMPROVING THESE PHOTOS)
While editing this I couldn't easily crop out the towel as it meant I would have to cut out the knuckles of the model. That couldn't happen because it is a big part of my photograph. So I used a black filter and applied it onto the white bits of the towel use the paint brush tool. I also changed the photo filter to a warm filter.
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For the second photo I didn't need to do much editing as I just needed a simple effect to go with the first. So I used the adjustment tab and played around with different effects. This lead me to changing the brightness and contrast which really helped outline the shattered lines of the mirror.
Furthermore I changed the photo colour to a violet filter, displayed a more cool tone on the photo. |
FINAL PHOTOS FOR SHOOT 2
SHOOT 4
WORST
I dislike this photo because the lighting is very dim and the composition is to close up. Furthermore the white balance is too yellow for the setting as it is not something i was trying to achieve.
BEST
I really like this photo as the white balance gives of a cool filter and makes the photo look very warm appealing to many viewers. It grasps the viewers attention straight on the yes as the composition is set onto the middle.
PhotoShop
On Photoshop, I watched a video as what I was trying to achieve was extremely hard. I wanted to stretch her eyes creating an illusion like the photo above. I layered the eye on top to stretch the face and applied a cool flter to adjust the photo and make it look better.
Final outcomes
EVALUATION
In this weird and wonderful project I chose the theme mysterious as I challenged myself exploring different features of the face and manipulating the features to create a surrealism aspect. I began to research artists such as Renee Magritte and Salvador Dali, my research of these two artists really helped me see how they used art to create surrealist paintings. I also researched photographers, Laura Zalenga , Martin stranka and Laura Williams who inspired me to create photos in such manner.. Looking back at their work , I have definitely used their work as an inspiration for mine in different ways such as, lighting, background and even similar props their creative ideas mirror my work for example the shattered glass was something I used from Laura Williams and then I included my own idea of the different colour and textures.
From the start I had many ideas of how I could use Photoshop as Photoshop plays a key part in this project. To create the ideas I had I used features such as lasso tool ,adjustment tools and played with the contrast, exposure etc. Honestly speaking I struggled a lot with photoshop as it was really hard using the tools, one thing I did struggle with was layering backgrounds and adjusting cut outs on top of layers as I was unable to display a clean effect. However I feel I have successfully managed to use photoshop through a lot of practise and hard work. To portray my creativity I managed to include my own style of editing to make my photos seem more noticeable and unique.
I think that the most successful part of my project was my shoots and the time spent taking these photos. My photos and research connected with my artist research and the influence of their creativity helped me a lot. Throughout my shoots I used lots of techniques such as lighting, backgrounds and contrasting features to make my photos stand out more.
Overall, I have enjoyed this project and I have had a lot of time to reflect and improve my knowledge in photography.
From the start I had many ideas of how I could use Photoshop as Photoshop plays a key part in this project. To create the ideas I had I used features such as lasso tool ,adjustment tools and played with the contrast, exposure etc. Honestly speaking I struggled a lot with photoshop as it was really hard using the tools, one thing I did struggle with was layering backgrounds and adjusting cut outs on top of layers as I was unable to display a clean effect. However I feel I have successfully managed to use photoshop through a lot of practise and hard work. To portray my creativity I managed to include my own style of editing to make my photos seem more noticeable and unique.
I think that the most successful part of my project was my shoots and the time spent taking these photos. My photos and research connected with my artist research and the influence of their creativity helped me a lot. Throughout my shoots I used lots of techniques such as lighting, backgrounds and contrasting features to make my photos stand out more.
Overall, I have enjoyed this project and I have had a lot of time to reflect and improve my knowledge in photography.