Level 2 Introduction to Digital Imaging

Mini Brief:

To produce a series of 5 images that work sequentially, and show a creative use of camera controls, digital techniques or a mixture of both.

Health and Safety

Basic health and safety rules to consider when photographing outdoors.

Road safety - Ensuring we consider our surroundings when taking photographs.

Equipment - Safeguard equipment and personal items, ensuring nothing is left unattended to reduce   the risk of it being stolen.

Weather - Dress appropriately to suit the weather condition, wearing the correct shoes and sun screen/hats for very warm days. If it is a hot day, drink plenty and take regular breaks from the heat. 

Plants and wildlife - When photographing plants or other wildlife, ensure that you do not touch anything that could pose a threat. If you touch any wild plants/flowers, ensure you wash your hands thoroughly after. 

Influences

Chris Friel is a British photographer who is known for his abstract landscape images. Originally a painter, Friel moved into photography in 2006. His images are captured with intentional camera movement, this gives his photographs a 'painted' effect. As Friel was a painter for many years, it seems only natural that he would use this style of photographing. In a previous interview, Friel was asked who his favorite photographers are. His top three; Alexey Titarenko, Keith Carter and Mark Yankus.

Chris Friel 

I have used Friel as my influence for this piece of work because I am fascinated with the concept that with some creative flair and technique, a photograph can be transformed into something that looks exactly like a painting. I like the soft, smooth colours Friel captures in his work. Friel also photographs people using the same movement technique. One photograph in particular is of a boy wearing a tutu and a skull mask (below). I feel this is a really interesting image, but it is not something i find very attractive. 

Chris Friel

Friel usually shoots with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Most of his shots are taken with a two or three second shutter speed. 

Wild Flowers

I have used a large bed of wild flowers to capture the following sequence of images.

The individual colours of the flowers are not connected with the over all sequence, as part of the creativeness of this sequence is to show the colourful variety of Autumn wildflowers.

My aim is to show increasing movement through each image, so the sequence begins as a photograph and ends with an abstract effect. I plan to achieve this through natural cause, shutter speed and camera shake.

In each image I have altered the contrast, colour balance, brightness and saturation in Photoshop, so the images appear vibrant and colourful. I have used exactly the same tools at the same level in each of the images, apart from image 5. Image 5 has been altered using the same tools in Photoshop, but at different levels than in images 1-4.

  

Image 1 (Left) 

Camera setting; 1/500, f5.6, ISO 640.    

A still image with no blur.

Image 2 (Right)

Camera setting; 1/500, f/5.6, ISO 640. 

The image has been captured with the same camera setting as image 1, however, this image was captured with a very gentle breeze to give a very small amount of movement to the image. 

Image 3 (Left)

Camera setting; 1/6, f/36, ISO 320.

Movement can be seen clearly in this image. Causes are most likely to be movement from myself combined with the breeze as the shutter speed is much slower than in image 2.

Image 4 (Right)

Camera Settings; 1/3, f/36, ISO 200.

As with image 3, causes for the blur will be from the environment and my own body movement. The blur is amplified more in image 4 because the shutter speed is much slower.

 

Image 5 (Left)

Camera settings; f/36 2 Seconds, ISO 100.

A shutter speed of 2 seconds has been used in this image. Because the image is so blurred, it gives the impression of an abstract image.


            




  Conclusion/Evaluation

My previous work using trees in abstract imagery. 

For my first submission I am pleased with the results. However, I think I could have got better results if I photographed subjects slightly more defined (i.e trees), using less colour to show stronger contrast, therefore producing a reduced amount of distraction in the image. I am aware of this because I have worked with shutter speed and camera shake to create abstract work previously and was pleasantly surprised with the results. Along with Friel as an influence, the work I have done has also influenced me to photograph other subjects in nature, as I was curious to see what other images I could produce. 

  

References: www.andrewgibson.com
                      121clicks.com
                      en.wikipedia.org