Photographers Gallery {TODO}

Wasn't as fun as I thought it was (didn't even allow my Mc Flurry) :'(

Norm Magnusson Inspired Work

Before doing the practical on norms work, I found it difficult to understand his work as well as how it had a relationship with landscape photography. Despite this misunderstanding  I decided to try and replicate his work in my own style in order to understand what his perspective might be as well as the message he is trying to convey to the viewer.

Despite my lack of creativity in painting the plants, I decided to stick to vivid, noticeable colours that set itself apart from the landscape as well as the plant itself. Thus, trying to get it noticed as being a different part of nature as well as giving me the opportunity to manipulate the picture on Photoshop so that the painted part of the image is the only part of the image in colour! 

While taking the pictures, I attempted to place my decorated plant parts in a way that it looked as of it was part of the plant itself. As well as this, I decided to also use my camera along side the colleges own camera as a test for a possible project I may pursue in A2 which would involve using my smartphone camera. 

While undertaking the inspired work, I started to understand the core, underlying message which Magnusson was trying to spread. This message being; We take nature for granted until something disturbs its common characteristics... By doing this, Magnusson also makes the viewer take time into understanding the nature and appreciating what nature has to offer.

One X Pictures

Fuji Pictures

Julie Cockburn Digital Inspired Experiment

Experiment No. 1

After viewing Julie Cockburn's work, I decided to undertake my own inspired experiments by using "found" images too (images found on the internet that is).

These are the experiments which I produced using Photoshop! Experiment one was made by using basic shapes with various colour fills, placement, transparency & layer blending. when overlapped the layer blending selection would only add to the effect of the shape and thus create unique, overlapping segments on the image!

Further more I tried to mask certain features of the subject by using another layer with mosaic pixelation  This was setup with a masking layer which enabled me to erase the areas I didn't wish to be pixelated. 

Experiment No. 2

Experiment two was an attempt at re-creating the re-arranged face which Geraldine Georges had done with a few of her other subjects.

This was done through a Photoshop tutorial which involved having another copy of the image as well as using the shape tool. However, it was difficult to ensure that each triangle was aligned correctly to each other as well as horizontally!

Geraldine Georges Inspired-Experiemntal Work

Experiment No. 1

Just like Geraldine Georges, I've attempted to recreate her images by hand. In comparison to digital experimentation, I would say that hand made experiments give an advantage over the ease & freedom of creativity as well as the fact that you have to think carefully on what your going todo as there is no "undo" button to take back whatever you've done.

With Experiment No. One, I have attempted to use various shapes to obscure certain parts of the subject which was cut out by hand and stuck down onto a blank piece of paper. The violet circles where positioned to represent part of the hat's circular edge. As well as this, I also tried to mirror the body of the model by sticking another copy of her upside down. The placement of the triangles where a little bit random but where placed in a faint attempt to engage the viewers eyes to look over the entire scene diaganaly.


Experiment No. Two Consisted of a more basic but three-dimensional approach. Using the triangular template to cut out the yellow triangles in Experiment No. One, I decided to use cut out a segment of the models face and stick this on the triangle piece. 

The idea was to lift the face of the model above the surface to give greater recognition of the subjects features.

CCVA Exhibition Review

The exhibition was interesting with various pieces of work which show several different perspectives of photography & art. Some of the art was questionable in the message it was trying to convey across.

I don't exactly have a favourite piece of artwork but work which sticks out of other pieces of work. Further more, it is anything which challenges what people feel & believe in. For example the image towards the bottom is of a questionable nature of the messages it is conveying but also telling a forgotten story of a fun night.

This was an eye-opening showcase into what work the next A2-class might produce in the future. Also the progression and pathway which of the artist's perspectives & work. Further more, the diverse range of art shows that there is more to just a simple, hanging of a picture in a fancy frame. Enticing the viewers senses in several dimensions of view.

I would say the pieces which show the same scene in a different perspective. Some of these images can be related to my final project for AS-Level and the way the images where organised in symmetrical grid. This can also be related to Lin Osborn's work.

 Not limiting myself to one idea and being open to several perspectives! Further more, the use of colour, repetition as well as telling a story through various scenes.

To an extent, however, I would like to come up with a more original outcome. Something different to my previous outcomes as well as something which differentiates itself. For example, Work involving similar, repeating images are inspirational in the way they tell a story/perspective.

Jan Von Holleben Inspired Work

Preparation
A few pictures to show the behind-the-scenes work of preparing our Jan Von Holleben inspired work. We decided to settle for flying as out main theme and each individually have our own means of flight.

The individual elements of the scene were broken down into, sky, clouds, bubble, flames, balloons, string... 

After we finished creating the elements of the scene, we decided to move our operations into the biggest area possible with a top-down view (i.e. atrium). This enabled us to have a birds-eye view of the scene we're creating.


Outcome & Analysis
I found the Inspired work to be of an adventurous nature as I have never attempted photography in such a why like this! It was a brilliant learning experience as we lacked the advantage of a correctly setup studio. Even know I am struggling to analyse the work that was produced but lets start.

Looking at the scenes produced, we've created a similar, creative representation of Jan Von Holleben's work. Our theme was based about being a child (similar to Jan Von) and flight. As you can see in the images, we wanted to demonstrate the various means of flight. We came up with the following;

• Subject with flames coming from the bottom of shoes to represent rocket boots.
• Subejct with angle wings
• Subject holding onto tied balloons
• Subject in bubble

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Norm Magnusson Analysis

Fig. 1 | http://cdn2.jazjaz.net/wp-
content/uploads/2010/02/Norm
Magnussonleaf_thumb.jpg

Magnusson is a photographer who specializes in political art but is well known for is "Decorating Nature" project which is easier to find and analyse!

Norm's nature decorating project was to add colour to the most common colours of nature which differentiate itself from the overall landscape. Thus, capturing the attention and interest of the viewer to take more time and consideration in what the artist has photographed. For example, we all take what is around us for granted. Such as the leaves of a tree which are all virtually the same colour as the next tree.

Fig. 2 | http://sustainableartistsanddesig
ners.wikispaces.com/file/view/zebra1
.jpg/124412581/zebra1.jpg

For these reason, Norm has painted natural objects in their respective landscape in order to bring notice of what is taken for granted. And so, appreciate what we have. Another example can be seen in figure two. 

This is intact a picture of a tree which has been painted the colour of a zebra. This is to symbolize how tree's can blend into their surroundings and be easily hidden/forgotten (just how a zebra is hidden from its predator).

Looking at his decorating nature project, It becomes more and more apparent why Norm does this. Stating; "...If a photo is pretty, the viewer will spend more time with it...". This is faintly implying that nature isn't pretty as it is too common. By decorating it in various colours, He adds a layer of beauty on top of nature and thus, the viewer will spend more time analyzing and taking the image into mind.

Another quote also being; “Chaos is the order of nature and order is the nature of man.” Which refers to the way which Magnusson is creating chaos with the order of nature which in turn, causes chaos with man!