Overall Project Evaluation

Overall Project Evaluation

In this unit I have enjoyed exploring the topic which I chose at the start of the project which was evidence. Evidence as a topic was very broad and there were so many different aspects which you could choose to focus on. Throughout this unit I have focussed on age and human presence. Also, I feel that this topic has allowed my skills to develop throughout.

When I first started this project I tried to show age and human presence by looking at abandoned and neglected buildings but this was difficult to carry on as the availability of neglected buildings was quite poor. Moving on from this, I then focussed on litter and objects which had been left by humans which I saw to be evidence of human presence. Still looking at human presence, I then narrowed down litter to a selected object. From looking at a single object, it allowed me to focus on incorporating different backgrounds and use different angles to try and make an effective photograph. I have enjoyed being able to progress in my topic for the starting point of the topic was just a word and in each session the ideas have progressed. 

One thing that I have particularly liked about this topic is that all my work had been influenced by other photographers which I had researched. I have like being able to see how elements of their work had become present within my own. A photographer which I had researched and I feel has influenced my work greatly is Clare Manson as my work has many similarities in the objects used and also the angles which have been used. 
My favourite shoot within this project was my exam shoot as I enjoyed going to a different location and I felt that I had captured evidence of age and human presence which was what I had set out to do. I enjoyed being able to capture photographs which I felt showed progression of my work as I set out t show age and human presence by the use of buildings and different objects.

A part of this project which I feel become quite similar and boring were the multiple shoots focusing on just a single object.  These shoots allowed me to improve on certain aspects of my work, such as composition, and also encouraged me to focus on incorporating backgrounds into the frame. Although these shoots were different from each other and different photographs were collected, I would spend more time on other shoots which looked at buildings and other objects as evidence of age and human presence. 

Overall, I have enjoyed completing this unit as I feel that it has allowed my skills to develop. I feel that my way of editing the photographs has improved since the last topic but also the compositions of the photographs. If I was able to take this topic further I would concentrate on the building aspect of the topic more than the singular items of litter. 

Electronic Portfolio 40 Photographs

Final 20 Photographs

Connecting Essay 5

Connecting Essay 5

The first photograph is an empty can which is within a field of grass. From this photo there are several formal elements which are shown from the composition of it. One of the most prominent elements present in the photo is colour. Both the grass and the can are very bold and bright greens. The angle at which it is taken at emphasises the length of the can by the use of depth. Within the surface of the can, there is the presence of reflection and the can shows form through the contrasts between light and dark areas. There are blades of grass which are in the foreground which just emphasises the idea of the can being within the grass.

The second photograph is of a can which is on a leafy surface. Some of the formal elements shown are colour, texture, form and depth. Colour is shown by the bold colours of red and blue on the can but also by the different shades of oranges and browns of the leaves. The difference between the bold colours of the can and the duller colours of the leaves give the idea of contrast. There is the idea of texture shown by the leaves layered on top of each other. The idea of depth is shown by the angle at which the can appears which shows the idea of length of the can.

These 2 photos are very similar to each other as they both use a can within a natural environment. They also both show most of the same formal elements. Colour appears very strong and bold within the first image by the colour being green throughout, where as in the second photograph colour is more discrete but shown by contrast. They both show the idea of depth through the angle at which the can has been photographed. Both of the photos show the idea of human presence by using an item of litter but it could be argued that the second photo shows age by the leaves on the ground being brown in colour.

Connecting Essay 4

Connecting Essay 4

The first photograph is of a bottle top on a pavement surface. There a many formal elements which are shown within this one photograph. Colour is shown by the red bottle top against the dull background and this also creates contrast. Within the pavement surface there is a sense of texture created by the light differences. The texture is quite rough but the light differences across the photo emphasise this texture within the background. The bottle lid is to the left of the frame which allows for the elements within the background to be noticed. There is a sense of age which is created by the paint worn off from the edge of the object. In addition to these formal elements there is form shown by the slight shadow created around the lid by the difference in light. 

In the second photo, there is a bottle lid on another surface and this simple frame shows quite a few formal elements within it. One of the main ones present within the photo is colour and this is mainly shown by the very bold red of the bottle top but also the bright greens within the background. Texture is also a very strong element shown in this photo because of the moss and stony surface in the background. There is a very strong shadow which is created by the bottle lid which creates a sense of form. Shape is shown by the simple circular shape of the lid. The object is more to the left of the image which allows the background to be noted.

Both of the photographs above are similar to each other because the composition is very similar. The object used is extremely similar in shape and colour but also the lids are towards the left of the frame which allows for the background to be taken into account. The textures in the images are quite different   as the first is quite a hard texture whilst the second is rough. There is contrast within the first photograph is more obvious than the second, meanwhile the colours in the second photo are much more bolder and brighter than in the first. Both of these photos are similar through the view at which they are taken but both of them show the idea of human presence and age. In the first photo, age is shown by the paint which has been worn away from the lid whilst in the second, age is shown more so by the background through the mossy and stony surface.

Connecting Essay 3

Connecting Essay 3

In the first photo there is a locked padlock which is against a yellow background. The photo has been taken at an angle so that the the padlock can be seen as a three dimensional object as you can see the lock at a different angle. On the lock itself there are areas of rust which can be considered as evidence of age and possible neglect. There is texture shown within the background of the photo but also on the rust. In addition there are elements of colour shown from the yellow background, there is also form shown by the shadows behind the lock.
The second photograph is of a very rusty padlock. The colours within the photograph are quite dull and  plain which makes the rust stand out much more in the photograph. The photograph portrays the idea of age and neglect because of the peeling of the surface and the rust which is shown throughout the whole photograph and not on just the lock. Formal elements shown in the photograph are shape, colour, form and elements of texture. There are a few different surfaces in this photo which are of different mediums which are metal and then a plastic like surface.

Although these photographs are both of the same object and show the same thing they are quite different from each other. They both show a padlock which is then suggestive of age and neglect thus are similar in topic. However, there are several differences in the formal elements demonstrated and how they are demonstrated. In the first photograph there is the formal element of colour shown by the background, the only colour in the second photograph is the rust of the padlock. This being the only colour present makes the rust stand out more and makes the topic of age and neglect more obvious. In the first photograph, the idea of form is much more clearer than it is in the second because there is also the side view of the lock and a clear shadow. There are different textures present in both of the photographs but they are 2 completely different textures; in the first the texture is quite rough whilst the second one presented is smooth.

Work Diary- Shoot 10

Evaluation

In this shoot I looked at using more than one of the same object in the photograph to see what effect it had on the photograph. I used 9 of the same item which were related to my topic by the idea of human presence and I set them up differently to try and capture a good photograph overall. I photographed the cans at different angles so that I could try to capture as many formal elements as possible. 

This photograph below is of 9 cans set up in a square taken from a birds eye view. The angle at which they are taken at allows for shape to be shown very much within the photograph. Alongside shape, other elements shown are form, contrast and line.

This photograph is another from the shoot, I like the way at which angle it is taken at. I feel that this angle allows for there to be one clearly focussed can in the image whilst the others are used to create a sense of depth through the image. Formal elements shown in this photo are depth, form and shape to some degree.

Progression

From doing this shoot I feel that I want to move from using items of rubbish as evidence of human presence. I wish to move from looking at single objects as I feel that I cannot progress much further with it, in this shoot I tried to make the shoot more interesting by using many of the same item but I don't feel there is much more room for progression. I still want to show human presence but without looking at litter. As a result I intend on showing evidence of human presence through buildings and items, items such as benches for example. Whilst looking at buildings I will also try to include evidence of age. Thus in my next shoot I will show human presence through photographs of buildings and items found in a public place.

Straight Images- Shoot 10

Exam Plan

Exam Plan

In my exam I plan on travelling to a location where I have previously taken photographs at within the course, Audley End. I will travel to this location by driving and it is about a 45 minute drive. I will need to leave the location by about half 2 to allow time for traffic from schools to ensure that I am back at college by 4 o'clock. 

It is a location I feel that has many different photo opportunities through the location being quite large and consisting of smaller areas. It will tie in with my project because there is evidence of human presence and age as there are lots of objects associated with humans but also buildings that are of age as it was built in the 17th century.

These few photographs below are of different areas within the location I am going to.

Work Diary- Shoot 9

Evaluation

In this shoot I aimed to use different angles of the object but also focus on the background by incorporating both of these elements in the photograph. I went to a location where there are a range of different buildings and scenes I could use within the background. The weather in todays shoot was quite sunny so there was a clear sky and the light allowed for reflections to be present within the object and also enhance the idea of form.

I like this particular photograph because of the clear blue sky and the fact that there is a building within the distance across the river. Although there is a slight blur to the object in the foreground, the background is clear. To improve this photograph I would make the building within the background more central of the frame. Within this photo there are a few formal elements shown including colour, contrast, reflection and form.

This is another photograph from this shoot and this one does show a different angle whilst incorporating a background too. The brick wall background adds texture to the photo but it also gives evidence of age as there is a lot of moss and eroded bits throughout the wall. Within the bottle there is a reflection of the opposite location to where the photograph was taken; it is of a building but because of the shape of the bottle it is distorted.

Progression

From this shoot I have found that different angles add different elements to the overall finish of the photograph, for example form and reflection which is not always present when using more straight forward angles. I will definitely keep on looking at the backgrounds used within the photograph but will consider to use a different object to see what effect it has on the frame. In my next shoot I think it would be quite interesting to look at taking photos with the a few of the same object. I will set up some of the exact same object in different ways to see what effect it has on the photo.

Straight Images- Shoot 9

Photographer Research- Clare Manson

Clare Manson

I have chosen to look at the work of Clare Manson because I like the way how she focuses on an object of litter and use different angles and backgrounds to make an effective photograph. I feel that her work shows evidence of human presence and evidence of a few other elements through the use of simple pictures.

In this photograph there is a can in the grass and one of the main elements portrayed because of this is colour. The can is green as is the grass so the colour conveyed is very bold and vibrant. I like the way how there is grass in the foreground and covers parts of the can. Because of the angle it is taken at, there is an element of depth created which suggests length. Formal elements in this photograph are colour, form, contrast and depth.

I like how in the picture the can has been crushed which helps to capture form within the object. The object is focused whilst the background is blurred which just helps to maintain focus on the can. The can is on like a table surface which allows shadows from the can to fall on it, thus creating form. The main elements in this photograph are form, contrast and colour.

This picture is very simple, a coffee cup on a table. The cup and most of the table is in focus whilst the background becomes blurred. From the blurred background you can still make out that there is some grass and trees from the silhouette and the colour. The formal elements demonstrated in this photograph are shape, form, depth and colour. Depth is shown by the table moving out into the distance.

I like this photo because it uses a duotone finish but also the angle which it is captured at. Because of the colouring certain features are made more obvious such as the form of the can and also the difference in light across the picture. The formal elements shown in this photograph are shape, contrast and form. Shape is shown by the view of the can which appears circular but also by the square windows in the background.

In my work I will try and show the influence of Clare Manson by using items of litter in different locations. I will try and show the main formal elements which are used throughout her work, these include form, shape and depth. I will consider the angles and locations when I shoot. By considering these elements from her work, I hope to make effective photos through the use of simple compositions.

To summarise, so far in my work I have been influenced largely by Clare  Manson as I feel that there are clear similarities between my work and hers. I have considered the angles which I photograph the objects at but also the location and some of my work shows the formal elements which she mostly uses, such as shape and form. Further in my work I wish to concentrate further on the location used within the background.

Overall, her work has had a great influence on my work because it has resulted in my work involving similar objects but has also made me consider what angle to take the photographs at. There are similar formal elements which are found throughout both her work and mine, including depth and shape. Some of my work is very similar to that of Clare Manson's as the objects used are that of the same and then also the use of angles to create an effective photograph. 

Both of the above photographs from my work show the influence of her work on mine as they demonstrate similar objects, locations and are taken at similar angles too.