Final selection and display.

For the final images I wanted to reflect the modular and uniform nature of the Lego Company from which my figure originated. I had taken all the images with a view to a square crop as well as having the full uncropped Image as a usable picture.

I selected 7 Images for the main display 3 of which blended tonally and worked as a standalone set within the selection and began to process in a style I feel fits the project, bright and vivid with good saturation and brightness.

I knew from initial Outset that a good modular style frame would Work well and thankfully Ikea had the perfect frames for the task, nice blocky squares with an inset mount of a good size which invites the viewer to move a little closer and compliment the fact that the main subject is only 1.5 Inches tall despite appearing bigger in the scope of the Image. The images were printed on. Gloss paper at 6×6 for the 5×5 mount which gave me some leeway for the final framing.

I also had a photo book printed with 18 images that I had taken for the project and then pared down to my final 7 Images as I wanted to show the full selection in uncropped form so people could see the project evolution.

Finally handed in and on the wall in the college exhibition alongside the photo book I am so happy with how my project eventually turned out and the performance of both camera and the wide angle lens I chose to shoot with.

Criteria 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4

Project Evolution

Let’s discuss the project…. When zig fist told us about this project it seemed daunting… So much scope and possibility and if anything too much room to interpret things.  Our other tasks had been very forthright and pointed us in a certain direction. I prefer to be given an objective, Goal or set parameter to work to but was happy enough in my ideas.

I didn’t want to be in my images as some other in class have been or to really have images of real people.  I wanted pure fantasy set within the real World and in the absence of huge budgets or make up artists as I had seen in the work of Linda Blacker I decided to use toys as an approach. 

What I didn’t want was dull or muted images full of what I felt was depressing Imagery (God knows…  there’s enough of that in life) as some dreamy Images I had looked at said nothing but sadness to me which I try to avoid as much as possible. I tailored my project and research around something a bit more fun. I had researched artists such as Slinkachu and Andrew White and his legography series and during my level one I had dabbled with a few light painted Lego Images which I enjoyed.

So the Lego project was born and will continue long after the course aswell  as there are so many new ideas daily that I can visualise for the figures to do in the real world. I also have a new baby on the way so toys will be aplenty in this house for a fair old while.

Following some advice from zig when I showed my test prints I will be editing them based on what I can see in the actual Prints by writing on the actual Image in the areas that need work then doing the editing before reprinting and framing. I’ve seen a similarly basic approach by Cecil Beaton albeit slightly different as his method was then painted in on the negative before printing…. Early photoshop lol.

I’ve had a photo book of all the original unedited Images done for reference and to perhaps show the progress from idea to final display…. If it arrives on time.

Overall it has been an interesting task which pushed my own notions of what and how within photography. Next up is preparing… Reprinting..  framing and presenting so I’m glad the image taking is all but done.

CRITERIA REF.. 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4

Mounting idea for my Lego project

I had a brainwave whilst visiting Ikea earlier this week when I spotted some square box frames… Very apt for Lego I thought and I had printed my images as squares so they may fit.

Probably not ideal to do for each shot unless changing figures and you have multiple figures but definitely something I will Be doing for the future.

Much as I hate to see him locked up I think it adds a lot to the image having the actual figure in the frame and I love it.

This will shortly be on my office wall.

Dreams and reality project shots

Coming up to the final few weeks of this project and following on from some research I had been doing I have pretty much found an approach I enjoy.

I have a fondness for Legography a relatively new genre of imaging using Lego figures to either create a world or in my case put a Lego figure in the real world. Whilst away on holiday on Dorset I took it upon myself to take my mini explorer/photographer mate with me and let him loose.

Following him wasn’t easy…. He went up hills and down valleys and into tiny places looking for his shots and I managed to catch him on his journey. Here are a few of him out in the real world. I hope to catch up with him again before the term is out.

 

I have ordered prints to see how these translate to paper but I really like them at the moment and will probably select some of these to be included in my final project.

Criteria 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4

Back to the sun and the wide angle

During my holiday I had the ideal opportunity to test my wide angle 10-18mm lens as it is what I intend to use for my project. I found it to be a superb and capable lens and the field of view it gives even at almost macro ranges is what makes me think it will be perfect for one of my ideas.  Its a similar range and focal length that Slinkachu uses in his shots of the small figures. It allows for a sense of false scale and perspective to be introduced and to me almost feels like a reverse tilt shift effect in some images.

Anyway heres a few images taken with it.

 

I am happy with the performance both focally and field of view wise and it certainly helps with one of my ideas which would ordinarily require a macro lens but with this it means I get a bigger picture with much more in focus due to the lens capabilities.

 

criteria ref 2.1,.2.2,2.3

Images from the fog

During the first day of the holiday (but thankfully not the rest) a low fog enveloped Christchurch so I thought I would take some shots knowing full well they would be very washed out and uncontrasty due to the weather. I like the boat image a lot as it gives a sense of being lost in the fog. I am unsure about the others and i’m sure there is more that I could have done to these images.

I feel though that the images portray exactly the mood of the day… dull and dreary as it certainly couldn’t be mistaken for a joyous sunny day. A somewhat serene but lonely feel for the swan and the tree too.

 

Criteria 2.2, 2.4

Ernst Haas

During a visit to the south bank…The Tate and a small private collectors house whilst on holiday in Dorset I have been looking at Ernst Haas and must admit at first to being entirely underwhelmed at his set from pampolona a mistake entirely of my own misunderstanding of the set. I thought the bull images were washy, blurred and not appealing but having revisited since learning more about photography intentions and techniques I can see now the purpose of the images was in itself to portray the movement and motion of the subject matter and can appreciate the work as it was intended.

 

Further exploring his work has yielded what I consider some fantastic images in his portfolio and I do like his series of nature related images of which there are many varied images not least because my main interest is nature and wildlife. His images in this genre vary from pin sharp shots of animals to motion blurred shots of flowers and reflections in water all of which hold an appeal for me.

 

Quite how I could incorporate wildlife into a project about dreams and reality is something that would need consideration.

Haas has in his collection some images of 50s and 60s America which even if you did not read the title absolutely scream AMERICA in your face just from the content. Its truly unmistakable for anywhere else and the hugely varied style he used from simple street images to posed people to still Life all have the sheer flavour of the USA running to the core.

It would be nice to do something similar in London but thats probably  a project for a later date.

Criteria 1.1, 1.2

Anna Atkins

During this term we have been exploring alternate methods of printing and the artists who used them or pioneered them. We have been making cyanotypes so inevitably Anna Atkins was brought to the forefront for her work using the technique. Although in class we went through the same process she would have I used acetate negatives for my images.

Anna Atkins used primarily flora and fauna in her work She was active in the early 1800s and was considered as one of..if not the first women photographers and the first to publish a book of works. she is said to have learned the process from Fox Talbot and Herschel and began her series by placing seaweeds..plants and algaes on to cyantype prepared papers which she later self published as a book series.

By placing the items directly and exposing you do get some varied effects but the outline and purpose of the technique is obviously one of scientific data collection more than pure art or imagery.

I like the effect of cyanotypes and as part of my research I bought some solar reactive paper pre prepared and tried the technique before zig then introduced us to the full preparation and exposure method.

During one lesson we prepared the paper for exposure and the following week I prepared a couple of images and printed on to acetate to allow me to expose these onto the paper. I really do like this method and it’s definitely something to keep trying and evolving.

 

Depending on the project theme I may well look at producing my prints as cyanotypes but it would be very niche specific as I feel one of my ideas is definitely not going to benefit from this method.

Criteria ref 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2

Slinkachu

I was introduced to Slinkachu during a lesson when Zig mentioned his name during a discussion about one of my ideas of photographing lego people in real situations. I saw some of his work in a book at the photographers gallery and immediately bought the books as I loved the images not only for the visual content but in some you can clearly see a message.

The following image for example portrays the struggle for wealth between the classes as the men in suits are depicted in a cash tug of war with the perceived “everyday folk”

Doing a little more research I quickly discovered that aside from being a photographic creator the actual art of Slinkachu is to create the models he photographs from scratch and paint and install these tiny works of art create from train set figures in place in the street. He then photographs them and leaves….leaving the tiny statements and dioramas in place for all to see touch and from what I can tell take away if found.

From what I can see many of the images are taken with a wide angle lens rather than a dedicated macro to give a wider view of the scene in which the small figures are meant to be visualized and participating.

I have in the past dabbled with lego photography and enjoyed it, a sort of still life or in the least a model that does exactly what you want and doesn’t need paying or feeding.

Looking through some of the Slinkachu and Slickachu inspired images I will place here in a gallery I think its easy to see the statements he made in some whilst in others you can take away what you want from them.

 

Criteria 1.1, 1.2