Thats better!

I found it, somehow it had been changed to a draft, thankgod! Enough stress im going to have a break now im covered in highlighter and my printer has no ink :D

Shock horror!

I have just noticed that azt least one of my posts has disappeared! :( its the one with all my mood boards on and development. Lets hope its just the one and doesnt happen again!

Thinking ahead

I have started thinking bout how i want my shoots and film set out as i will have to be planning trips to locations, looking at makeup and hair etc. But one of the main things is who is going to be my models? Well id like to be a bit different, and get people who are perfect for the roles. I have looked into a modelling agency called Ugly Models which is based in london. I looked at these because of the photos i am doing on attraction and asymmetrical faces. Also i found they had some older ladies which i thought was perfect for my nature theme.

It would be ideal to have someone who is delicate and frail looking (as if they could be blown away by the wind). I think its going to be a long search :( especially finding one who is willing to do most things. I'l keep you updated!

I also found Simon lucas on the site. He is extremely flexible, this is an area i hadnt thought about for my symmetry shoot and thoughts of distortion. I will keep it in mind, hmmmm....

As nature intends

When researching further into symmetrical faces, i found there are many studies on the subject.
The overalll result is that we are more attracted to people with symmetrical faces. This is believed to be because those with symmetrical faces tend to be more healthy, so we want them as a mate and lifetime partner. The healthier they look the better the offspring will be.

Those with asymmetrical faces are lead to depression and are more likely to develop mental illnesses later in life. This would be a good theme for my shoot. Showing rejection by the opposite sex, mental problems, health problems or the opposite with happy symmetrical people mating like rabbits (note the relation to the fibonacci theory of rabbit mating ). Showing the mental decline could be avery interesting shoot.

Lights camera action

I have had a little go at making a film clip using movie maker. To start with i just used photographs but i will have to practice with moving images too for my actual piece. I used an aged feel on the photos, not the oldest look as i lost the clarity of the images. But i could always do it in blackand white if i wanted. Also i just chose asongat random, in this case one of leona lewis' ablum, and it actually turned out rather well. Heres to more lights camera action! xXx

Influential

A particularly strong video clip is that which is played in the film The Ring. Where what seems like random clips are put together but tell a story once you find out the meaning. There is nomusic as such but creepy sounds which create the atmosphere. Without these sounds the video would not have as much of an impact on the viewer. Also something that makes it powerful is the fact it is black and white, where colours would soften it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlhZCDlEmh0

Experimentation

The other day i was researching photographers i like and discovering new ones when i stumbled upon a london basedphotographer called wendy bevan. These are her images here,i love the way her work looks aged and even antique. This was the look i wanted to gain for my documentary style shoot. Completly natural and kind of cosy feeling. Warm glows and blurry edges.

I decided to look up how to create this aged look to my photos. There a lots and lots of different opinions on how to do it on photoshop some better than others and i spent a very long time testing many of them. They also take quitealong time to produce. Some of my tests were successful and others not so. The 1st one i tried i felt could do with lightening a little but the overall look is passable for old. Also i think the edges need to be a little darker and blurred.

The next one doesnt look clear enough and has too much texture yet is still quite attractive.

Then i tried adding textures to the images to make them look used and a little scratched, or even marks made by developing. This was the most successful.

I like the overall feel and faded colours work just as well as black and white or sepia. Obviously the best outcome will be when i taylor make the subject so the effects dont look too out of place.

However the one i feel worked best was a beach shot i took a few summers ago with objects just plonked ontop of one another.The dusty, over exposed look worked really well and the grainy texture i wentfor made it look like it was swiped right out of pop mag :)

development

I thought id give you a chance to see what has been going on in my head from the beginning. The easiest way of doing this would be to show you what has been on my mood board and how it has changed.

This is the initial board i created, i placed all the images in a spiral to reflect my theme. I looked at geometric shapes in model poses, makeup, props , backgrounds and architecture.I also looked at cancer cells as they reproduce at a very fast rate which relates to the fibonnacci theory on rabbits breeding. There is also images on there by leonardo da vinci which is where the human proportions come in. I did place a few images of photographers i liked too and nature inspired photography.

Origami and mirrors were added because of the geometric formations and reflections. Symmetry was a theme i was thinking of from the very start.

Here is the room we work in and you can see our tutor vicky at the back giving a tutorial :)

Here i have added more images so the whold board has been used for my inspiration.

I found i was making my research too broadand i wanted to go back to the starting point of the fibonnacci numbers as i felt it is a strong theme anddont want to stray too far away from that. so i reduced my images to the the ones i felt related the most.

As you can see i had a lot less pictures and the way it is set out is more precise. Each aspect coming off the starting point in the centre.

Then once i decided what my three themes were to be i changed the board further and split it into three sections. Nature, Golden ratio's and proportions and symmetry in everyday life. These are the paths i will hopefully keep to for the final outcome.

The power of silence

I have been lookng into silent films and how anything can be made to look beautiful. Maya Deren has some good clips which are rather creepy and the music helps create suspense and drama.This is especially true in "Meshes of the afternoon". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPi9i3gfSAM I believe the music chosen for a film is just as important as the images so i will have to chose wisely. Also im going to have to find myself a good camcorder and sort out the software for my laptop.

My sketchbook pages are going well, although taking a while to do it will be worth it. I want them to reflect my theme well and tell the story of my development.

Faces and places

I have been looking at face proportions and how if someone fits certain proportions the more attractive we find them. So i tested out for myself if the "mask" would fit my face, to see how in proportion i am.

I have also tried it on my sister and boyfriend looking at front and side views.. Was quite fun comparing them and seeing how "beautiful" we are :)

Apparently the more asymmetric a man's face is, the more likely he is to develope depression. I think thinking about these traits would be an interesting way to go in my project.

For my shoots i am thinking, 1 documentary style, which reflects the effects of symmetry in our lives like what i was just talking about. 1 perfectly staged shoot where the set is just as important as the models. The layout will be produced to please the eye of the viewer, using attractive angles and numbers. (triangles and odd numbers). The final i would like to be very artistic. Taking influence from the artist which lets trees draw their own pictures and the short film in American beauty using the plastic bag.

Tim Knowles

http://designingformediocrity.wordpress.com/2008/11/08/the-beauty-in-the-every-day/

I want to create images where i have very little involvement, nature is what creates the magic. Just like the flying bag, the wind is what makes it dance and beautiful.

xXx

Better late than never

Ok, im writting this blog to keep a diary of my progress on my final major project. It will keep people updated and i can keep track of what i have done so far and remind me on what to do next.

My starting point was the Fibonacci numbers, where mathmeticians and scientists have shown using a sequence of numbers, you can see how certain things in nature will grow or form. E.g pine cones and waves

So far i have looked into repetition, symmetry and proportions mainly. I have observed geomtric architecture, makeup, model poses etc Things to keep in mind for my photoshoots. I plan to do 2 or 3 photoshoots and hopefully a short film. I may need a little help with the latter :)

After researching many differentpathsi could takethis project, i found i was going too far away from my starting point. I really think i have a good theme (as i have saved it for ages for my final project) so i want to keep around the subject but portray it in various different styles.

That is one of the things i hope to achieve the most. I would like to come up with very different outcomes, showing all my skills and that i am versatile.

Thankyou for listening, and i better get back to work :D

Louise xXx