Experimentation with photos

As part of the 'Altered States' project we took some photos using a variety of different techniques to create different effects. There was a projector to display an image on or behind the subject, as well as the use of a green screen and different lighting techniques. Photography isn't particularly one of my main interests although I enjoyed the creative directing part as well as being in the pictures myself. I feel like because of this, I took something from this day that nobody else did, developing confidence in front of the camera as well coming up with my own ideas to assist the photographer - particularly for the light tracing pictures with the slow shutter speed. Communication between the model and the photographer is vital to create a brilliant image in my opinion and I believe that this is a skill that has been developed throughout this task.

Rosie and I were taking some photos for her project as well as with Natasha and Rowan - who each had their own individual projects to do. Examples of photos Rosie took below:

I was really impressed with the quality of her work. She simply instructed me (while I was wearing a bit of green plastic) to make sudden movements using the slower shutter speed such as me putting my hands on my face as if I was sneezing (the first one), and they came out really well. I think it looks incredible how some of my face is remaining still in the camera yet the rest of me in the photos look blurred as if in motion. Her project is to do with psychedelics and the effects of drugs on the mind. This state of confusion and delusion is very well communicated through these half-blurred photos.

Some photos Natasha took:

Natasha took these photos in front of the same projector, using different coloured gels on it to project different colours on to the subject (me) and the wall behind. I really like the clarity in these images as well as the layering of the colours - how the red is below my face which looks quite angry and it sort of glows on to my face. To me these photos say something about bottling emotions and feelings up (like the red) which builds up inside of you and is waiting to be released at any minute.

These were some of the final photos (shown above) taken for the day. Rosie and I also took a series of other photos (most of which were just test shots) in front of the projector using the fingerprint pattern as well as different materials (green plastic, red gel and the transparent acetate) over the projector, shown below. Using Photoshop I created a contact sheet to display this array of images more neatly, as there isn't a whole lot to focus on in each photograph individually.

Rosie, Rowan and I also experimented as a larger group with the help of Joel, Josh and Luke with the idea which I call 'light painting' or 'light tracing' which involves waving a light around in the dark in front of a camera set to a low shutter speed, to make the light appear like a line. This was a very interesting technique as you could even spell words out as well as draw shapes. My arm movement was so fast compared to everything else it almost did look like a scene from 'The Flash'.

I didn't involve myself specifically in taking photographs as much - but I learned some new things about the camera and how to create certain effects. Specifically I learned that a slower shutter speed allows more light in and creates more motion blur as the camera analyses the canvas in front of it over a longer period of time to generate a photo. Also I learned about the 'BULB' setting on the camera - which allows you to open and close the shutter when you are ready which is useful to create blurred effects. We were shown and took a range of images with somebody still with a blurred body part/object as if it was moving at great speed; which was something I likened to the 'The Flash' TV series; as it reminded me of a lot of footage of the 'speedsters' running which looked rather similar.

My series of photographs were supposed to be like these however the end result wasn't the best due to issues with the lighting as well - exposure in particular. Unfortunately the dark room was already in use so I had to improvise in a much lighter DM room. Although it is rather hard to tell from the photos, I was trying to essentially capture a simple movement that looked like it was incredibly fast which wasn't as easy when I was the photographer. Still, I have documented my attempt.

In some photos I came closer to what I wanted than in the other photos, let's just say that.