Photographers

Photographs that caught my eye from the way they use light in their images.....






Tyler Shields

Started in the industry by directing music video and then moved in to photography. He has a very clear understand of how to use light in images can manipulate the viewers perception of what they are viewing in these image below he has used the light behind the figure so their is a sense of mystery as to who these figure are. In the bottom image the light emphasises the isolation of the single dancer in a vast space with an light behind her. He also takes photographs of quite controversial subjects often based around celebrities and material possession, he book coming out soon is based on this it is called 'The dirty side of glamour'

Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott


'Mert and Marcus are Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, fashion photographers. Their work and style is heavily influenced and shaped by the photography of Guy Bourdin and also the use of digital manipulation of which they have pioneered the use. They have defined the look of the past decade and as a duo are one of the most respected and acclaimed photographers working today."The difference between us and other photographers is that we care a lot about appearance," says Alas. "We spend most of the time in the make-up and hairstyling rooms".'

They use light in their images in such a flattering way, I realised as I was looking though their portfolio online of their images, all of the magazine photographers I really like are done by them. Here are some examples below

using colour filers with the figure and a simple prop to create a beautiful image

using texture literally on the face creating an intriguing photograph

A black and white image lookes quite old grain effect on the image and soft light heavy influenced by the matches flame and possibly more where the camera cant see. I really like the whole set up of this photo, it looks like a still from a film

An example of Guy Bourdin work, quite voyeristic however the model is look directly into the camera lense almost try to entice the viewer.  

Different effects lights have on the figure

Different types of light

candle light

spotlight 

fluresent light 

sun light- natural

down lighting 

backlighting

uplighting

lamps 

nightclub lights

floodlighting

beacon lighting

neon

the only ones I really experimented with as part of my project were candle light and spot light but adding colour filters and texture through light. 

 candle light

 spot light behind figure

 colour filters

colour filters and creating texture on the figure with light

Back at Uni

• Developing samples
• Moving my idea forward by discussing with others
• How I can link this project to my specilised area and how I can develope into what I want my career to materilise in. 

Further development on my concept

• looking at as many different aspects of using light on the figure
• the different effects different lighting has on the figure
• light can manipulate the viewers perception of what they are looking at
• I also wanted to look at different affects using colour filters with lights
• even creating textures on the figure with just light
• carrying on looking at opticual illustions confusing the viewer with what they are looking at
• experimentation with photoshop
• fashion industry as my auidience creating an opticual illustion for them, they think they are looking at one thing but they are looking at something completely different

Art direction-

'Formulate design concepts and presentation approaches, and direct workers engaged in art work, layout design, and copy writing for visual communications media, such as magazines, books, newspapers, and packaging.'

• this is the area that intrigued me the most in the speclisms 
• being on this course has made me discover the areas that I really enjoy such as photography and film which both are involved with media
• However not having a lot of knowledge in this area I decided I needed to further my understanding of photoshop, something that is heavly used in the art industry and is increasingly a skill you must have



Fashion research

There would not be Fashion, without the figure, in fashion however I have discovered there are ways of manipulating the figure to be more pleasing to the eye. These examples below are shown through cutting the shape of the dress in a certain way or optical illusion. Creating the illusion that someone is slimmer then they actually are by using light and dark tones. 

As shown below the Stella McCartney dress which is cut in a certain way to give the perfect hour glass figure with a darker colour and then a use a skin colour in between. 

Here however she has done a similar thing with cut making different shapes which compliment the female form. However in the transparent parts she has added dark dots which brings a different dimensions to the outfit. It reminds me a bit of the image I used earlier of the model on the sofa in the nude the light was hitting her figure in dot like shapes.

Optical illusion dress by Alexander McQueen the pattern on the dress reminded me of the artist I saw in St Ives Bridget Riley. The dress creates a contour effect around the figure but is darker at the edges and slowly gets lighter to create the illusion of a slimmer frame. 

Some examples of Bridget Riley's work even looking at it slightly makes me feel dizzy. She is using line to manipulate the viewers perception of the piece. She has even looked at the female figure herself as seen below she has created the figure through weaving lines into one another. It is simple but very effect possibly something I could use in my sample process or even with drawing.

This season there is a monochrome theme in some designers collections which use line to contour the body in different ways. The examples I am showing are Marc Jacob and Victoria Beckham.

Marc Jacob

Victoria Beckham

Artist research

To get an even better understanding of the figure I went to visit Leonardo Di vinci exhibition 'Anatomical drawings' where Di vinci studies how the body works internally by cutting into bodies to study how certain thinks worked and how things effected one another. He was well ahead of anyone in his era with the understand of the body. However what stood out to me in the exhibition was how precise and beautifully done his drawings were. I am quite squeamish when it comes to the body and dissecting them. However he drew with a quill and ink and make the drawings have a romantic soft feel to them. What was also fascinating about him is he wrote in mirror hand because he was left handed. So he basically wrote everything backwards making even the writing on the pages look delicate and beautiful. 

Photography research

From the drawings and photos I had done, made me want to start looking at other artist work that I could work from and get different ideas of drawing the figure. 

A photographer that stood out whos images I though were beautiful is Sally Mann, I bought her book still time which has a combination of different topics but I focused at looking at the figure images. 

What I feel is so amazing about her work is she does not just do the figure in a form way she compliments it with something different. In the first image she has used a wet piece of silk or some sort of material to add a romantic tone to the picture which could be seen as vulgar. In the second image there is this sense of mystery not knowing why the arm is clasping the wall and how the fan like sleeve makes the hand look even more delicate. In the last image which is one of my favourite it is a child's figure with a flower of some kind acting as a large necklace. The white of the flower contrasts so well with the darkness of the skin. I feel all of these images are so simple yet enticing for the viewer. 

Another Photographer I found with researching Miroslow Tichy. His work has a vintage feel to it as if the images are very old and not quite in focus. What I find amazing about him is he makes his own cameras that is why his images have such an intriguing affect. Here are some examples below.

Here is a picture of one of his home made cameras, this could be a possible area I could go into, making my own camera to create intriguing affects.

Female Figure drawing

I feel I have spent so much time examining the male figure I wanted to look into the female figure. This made me go back to the pirelli Calendar where the photographer Mario Sorrenti take picture of the female models in their purest form no make up no clothes just a simple black and white image in the nude and having the light hit their bodies in an intriguing way. This is a drawing I did based on one of the images in the calendar. 

http://www.fashionologie.com/2012-Pirelli-Calendar-Mario-Sorrenti-Pictures-20749310

Above is a short video of Mario shotting the models and below that is a link to the final images for the calendar