Shoot 1 & 2 - Final Evaluation
How has my research influenced my work?
My research from Component 2 has had a massive impact on the work I have produced in my Final Examination. One of the photographers I based research on was Jamie Davis Smith whose work was very close and personal to the subjects. I have tried to bring this into my own work by having a few close-up shots of the people I am taking pictures of as I believe this gives the viewer a detailed insight into the everyday life of the person, this is important because my criteria is everyday activities. Another photographer that has influenced my final work is Vivian Maier, I especially like the way she composed many of her images with the subject being in exceptional focus no matter how complicated the background, the images always seemed clear and focused. This is something I have been conscious about in my own work as I want to achieve the same standard of composition shown in her images. This has been introduced into my work by offering new perspectives, for example, from overhead angles, low angles and images taken behind the subject. I feel that these adjustments to the way I take the photos has helped make my work better and look a lot more interesting than if they were all ordinary shots.
How have the preparatory shoots influenced my work?
The preparatory shoots that I done as part of Component 2 have considerably influenced my Final Examination work. I feel that during the shoots I done in Component 2 I found the kind of style that I like to photograph in, more so than I did before these shoots. One thing I learnt from my preparatory shoots was that when experimenting with different angles for images it improves my photographs a lot and makes them much more interesting. For example, I like taking images from high angles looking down on an activity so that the actions of the person can be well seen. I have also found that a close-up front angle works really well when trying to gain closeness with the subject which I have tried to do throughout my work. Lastly, but possibly the biggest thing I learnt from my preparatory shoot is the set-up, close and detailed images that I use to break up a shoot. I realised from my first shoots that by taking extremely close images of objects that are relevant to the subject it helps focus and tell a story through my work. The detail from this also makes the viewer focus on the small things that are overlooked but once noticed are very interesting. For example, as my criteria was everyday activities I needed to focus on the actions that people do when moving around carrying out everyday life. This means that things like hands are a very small detail but very important, therefore by taking images of someones hands whilst they are doing something it really adds to the depth you get on the image.
How has my work developed as a result of this project?
As a result of completing component 2 and the external examination my work has developed significantly. Firstly, I feel that my technical skills have become more precise and I find it easier to control the camera to get the results I want. During Component 1, my camera generally stayed in Auto Mode whereas now during this project it was always on manual, allowing me to experiment with all aspects of the photograph. By doing this I have discovered that I like photographing with a shallow depth of field as changing the focus of an image can change its meaning entirely, something that is very useful and important when carrying out documentary photography. I can now use natural light as my source rather than using the flash to illuminate the entire image which gives it a flat appearance. Technically speaking, my skills with ISO and shutter speed have improved my images amazingly as now I have the correct exposure, without the images appearing too dark or incredibly light. From an aesthetic point of view my images have become much more appealing. I think this because I have found the style of photography that I enjoy and suits my eye best. I now enjoy shooting from different angles (low, side, front on and overhead) as I believe this adds an interest in my work rather than them all being taken from the normal point of view. As I mentioned before as my technical skills have improved I can now accurately work with the focus of my images, whereby I like to keep a shallow depth of field. This has aesthetically improved my images as there is a mixture between sharp and blurred focus that brings the viewer further into the image. During the course of this examination and component 2 preparation shoots I have found the way that I like to display my work best. My blogger has become much more neat and easier to navigate than it has been previously, this is because I have kept the layout for my Work Record's the same throughout so they all display the same kind of information. I have also started to have my images in the 'Extra Large' format on the page as this makes them clearer and the viewer can see the detail of my images much better than if I kept them as medium. Overall, I believe these improvements have changed my work in a significant way giving Component 2 and the Examination an edge over my Component 1 work.
How successful were you responding to the exam paper?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your work?
I feel that during this project I have found many strengths in my work that helped improve the quality of what I have produced. The first strength I have discovered is the way I like to photograph things, I have found my style which is using a shallow depth of field, natural lighting and opening new perspectives that we don't see everyday activities from on a day to day basis. This has given my work a unique edge that isn't typical of everybody else's work nor my previous work. Another strength I have discovered is my ability to photoshop my images so that they are improved but not unrealistically altered. When improving my images in this way I like to use the curves tool, colour balance, hue/saturation and sometimes brightness. When I just adjust these aspects on my photograph it changes the outcome slightly or corrects some camera mistakes without making it become unrealistic or have a completely different meaning. Although there have been strengths in my work and the outcome overall is one that I am proud of there still are things that I would like to improve. When doing my final two shoots I done them both on the same day to start off with as my beginning three hours, however, the second shoot I done in this time didn't show what I wanted it to therefore I redone it and changed my perspective so that it would be different the second time around. I have also found that I haven't completely got to grips with using natural light in the evening. Most of my images at this time of day are underexposed which I think is to do with the camera settings that I used, therefore this is one improvement I would make on my work if I had to do it again.
How have the preparatory shoots influenced my work?
The preparatory shoots that I done as part of Component 2 have considerably influenced my Final Examination work. I feel that during the shoots I done in Component 2 I found the kind of style that I like to photograph in, more so than I did before these shoots. One thing I learnt from my preparatory shoots was that when experimenting with different angles for images it improves my photographs a lot and makes them much more interesting. For example, I like taking images from high angles looking down on an activity so that the actions of the person can be well seen. I have also found that a close-up front angle works really well when trying to gain closeness with the subject which I have tried to do throughout my work. Lastly, but possibly the biggest thing I learnt from my preparatory shoot is the set-up, close and detailed images that I use to break up a shoot. I realised from my first shoots that by taking extremely close images of objects that are relevant to the subject it helps focus and tell a story through my work. The detail from this also makes the viewer focus on the small things that are overlooked but once noticed are very interesting. For example, as my criteria was everyday activities I needed to focus on the actions that people do when moving around carrying out everyday life. This means that things like hands are a very small detail but very important, therefore by taking images of someones hands whilst they are doing something it really adds to the depth you get on the image.
How has my work developed as a result of this project?
As a result of completing component 2 and the external examination my work has developed significantly. Firstly, I feel that my technical skills have become more precise and I find it easier to control the camera to get the results I want. During Component 1, my camera generally stayed in Auto Mode whereas now during this project it was always on manual, allowing me to experiment with all aspects of the photograph. By doing this I have discovered that I like photographing with a shallow depth of field as changing the focus of an image can change its meaning entirely, something that is very useful and important when carrying out documentary photography. I can now use natural light as my source rather than using the flash to illuminate the entire image which gives it a flat appearance. Technically speaking, my skills with ISO and shutter speed have improved my images amazingly as now I have the correct exposure, without the images appearing too dark or incredibly light. From an aesthetic point of view my images have become much more appealing. I think this because I have found the style of photography that I enjoy and suits my eye best. I now enjoy shooting from different angles (low, side, front on and overhead) as I believe this adds an interest in my work rather than them all being taken from the normal point of view. As I mentioned before as my technical skills have improved I can now accurately work with the focus of my images, whereby I like to keep a shallow depth of field. This has aesthetically improved my images as there is a mixture between sharp and blurred focus that brings the viewer further into the image. During the course of this examination and component 2 preparation shoots I have found the way that I like to display my work best. My blogger has become much more neat and easier to navigate than it has been previously, this is because I have kept the layout for my Work Record's the same throughout so they all display the same kind of information. I have also started to have my images in the 'Extra Large' format on the page as this makes them clearer and the viewer can see the detail of my images much better than if I kept them as medium. Overall, I believe these improvements have changed my work in a significant way giving Component 2 and the Examination an edge over my Component 1 work.
How successful were you responding to the exam paper?
My question - Everyday Activities - Photographers sometimes record everyday activities such as travelling, eating or shopping. Robert Doisneau observed social change. Richard Billingham observed family life. Bruce Davidson recorded aspects of urban life. Make references to appropriate contextual material and produce a personal response.
Above is the question that I took on for my Component 2 work and final examination. It talks about representing everyday activities through the use of photography to show aspects like social change, family life and relationships between people. When I took on this question I immediately knew that in my images I wanted to focus on family as they are always around me which worked in my favour as I could show the true side of them and the natural ways they act. Then in my final examination I decided to show the typical everyday life of a boy versus a girl to gauge two shoots that make a comparison. I feel that these two subjects that I have photographed over the course of this project have responded to the exam paper accurately but also with a slight uniqueness. All of my shoots showed different scenes but all linked to the everyday life that someone experiences with their friends and family. Therefore I feel I have met the criteria of the exam question. I have also used many technical skills not only on the camera but in photoshop to improve my images and show what I have learnt when adjusting photos. This has helped the quality of the images I have created in response to the exam question therefore responding to it in the best way I could.
I feel that during this project I have found many strengths in my work that helped improve the quality of what I have produced. The first strength I have discovered is the way I like to photograph things, I have found my style which is using a shallow depth of field, natural lighting and opening new perspectives that we don't see everyday activities from on a day to day basis. This has given my work a unique edge that isn't typical of everybody else's work nor my previous work. Another strength I have discovered is my ability to photoshop my images so that they are improved but not unrealistically altered. When improving my images in this way I like to use the curves tool, colour balance, hue/saturation and sometimes brightness. When I just adjust these aspects on my photograph it changes the outcome slightly or corrects some camera mistakes without making it become unrealistic or have a completely different meaning. Although there have been strengths in my work and the outcome overall is one that I am proud of there still are things that I would like to improve. When doing my final two shoots I done them both on the same day to start off with as my beginning three hours, however, the second shoot I done in this time didn't show what I wanted it to therefore I redone it and changed my perspective so that it would be different the second time around. I have also found that I haven't completely got to grips with using natural light in the evening. Most of my images at this time of day are underexposed which I think is to do with the camera settings that I used, therefore this is one improvement I would make on my work if I had to do it again.
