The End

Final Evaluation

Overview:

This project has been very successful in terms of the outcomes I have generated. However I feel that as a body of work, I could have done more. I could have experimented with different medias more. I started the project off by doing analysis via a video blog. Talking up front about my ideas and thoughts as well as my critical analysis of my work. However this came to a stop as I didn't have enough time to edit the video footage to make it flow and for it to make sense. This, for me, is a disappointment and I feel I could have managed this area of the project better. 

Shoots:

My photographic shoot were a great success. I feel I have created and generated my best work I have done this year. I have learnt new skills and tested them, such as my abilities in the studio, and working with different flashes on location to create a high quality photoshoot. Although i could have done some more photoshoots looking back, I still feel that I have pushed the limits of my original concept - using a piece of cloth to create a sense of anonymity and non-identity. 

Techniques:

As I said above I have used different forms of digital techniques, from using and manipulating lighting in the studio, to post production and photo manipulation in Photoshop. All of which I have enjoyed. I feel like coming out of this project I am more confident when using a studio, or when faced with difficult lighting conditions I can use a hotshoe flash effectively and efficiently. 

Comparison:

As I have shown in my project there are two photos that if you were to see them you could think that I copied them. 

 

I have not copied these images. The painting on the right is a famous painting by Rene Magritte. You can easily see where I have got my inspiration from however I have taken the idea of covering a face with a piece of cloth and extended it to new levels of experimentation and concepts. The photograph on the left is very similar to my last photoshoot however, again I have taken the idea as an inspiration and used to feed my own concepts.

Best Image:

I have chosen this photo to be my best because I feel it shows skill and quality as well as being an excellent example of the concept, 'Emptee Mynds'

Creating Something

Exhibition Board

As part of this project a key thing that I am doing towards the end, is creating an exhibition boards that displays my best and final outcomes of my project. I have thought long and hard about which photos I want to use. I have had several thoughts about how many I should choose, in what format I should display them and most importantly what specific photographs will work together to create a general feel to what my project is about.

The final images that I have chosen are these:

I have chosen these photographs because I feel they are my best from the project, as well as the fact that they work together as a body. They show the connection between my idea of fashion and minimalism combined.

Blank Faces

Final Shoot

This shoot is my last photo shoot for this project. It is a developed idea from my previous photo shoots and outcomes.

Contact Sheet:

Original Edits:

Above are the best photos from the shoot that I have adjusted and edited in Lightroom. I gave the images a different mood and atmosphere by altering the colour tones and the exposure levels. Below are the final outcomes that I have created by using Photoshop.

Final Edits:

This is by far my favourite photo shoot of the project. I feel the photographs are very strong and powerful. I also really am glad that you can also see the fashion that is cooperated into the shoot. What was really good about this shoot was the fact the the models were really cooperative and worked well with coming up with their own ideas of how they could pose. I am especially pleased with the fact that I have kept the fashion as well as the minimalistic feel of the monotoned outfits and colours in the images.  

Lighting wise, I had natural lighting, however I also used a hot-shoe flash to compensate for any underexposure. It also gave a more fashion-shoot-feel to the photo shoot. 

A Step Further

More Research

As I explained in my third shoot, I want to try a slightly new idea using more experimentation and post production as well as still incorporating my theme and concept into the photographs. I came up with the idea of do a fashion photo-shoot with a couple and then, in Photoshop, placing a blank square or shape onto their face. Now I thought of this idea before doing any further research, however when I chose to look for some extra ideas and to refine my own idea, this photograph (below) was the first image that appeared! This was both disappointing as well as challenging because it is almost identical to what I was thinking. Although it now challenges me to come up with something slightly different, using unique techniques and concepts.

 I like this photo here. From looking at this photo I can take the geometric shape and the simplistic colour pattern to create an idea for my own shoot.

After looking at this research I have come up with some extra thoughts to add into my shoot. The photo that I mentioned (top) is in black and white and is taken in a studio. I want to take my shoot on the street using a vintage, rough look to my photographs. I also want to keep the images in colour as I will be getting my models to wear similar if not the same colour pattern. I want to use a simple minimalistic colour pattern of cream, white and black. This will add a warm soft feel to the other-wise rough backdrop of a brick wall.

Blind Beauty

Shoot Three

This was my third shoot using the concept with the blindfold. 

Edits:

This photo shoot has been really a milestone in my project. This is because after shooting it I have realised I want to try something different. I feel that this shoot is almost a repeat of my other two shoots. I have simply used different locations and models however the blind fold is the same and most importantly, for me, the atmosphere and moods of the images compared to the other shoots are relatively similar. 
However I am also very pleased with this shoot. The lighting was perfect and I feel as a 'fashion' shoot it has potentially worked quite well. I have used shallow depth of field to create a soft, light feel to the photos and also enhanced this in post production.

Make-Believe

Build-Ur-Own-Gallery

Galleries are a great place to go and gather inspiration and ideas from well known, renowned photographers. I had this idea to create my own hypothetical gallery. I have gathered work from lots of different fashion photographers that have used different locations and techniques to create their own styles of fashion photography.

When thinking about a photo gallery, you need to think about the environment and atmosphere you want to create that influences the way the viewers look at the imagery. For my gallery I want to create an area that fits in with the theme of my project, Minimalism. My idea is two very simple plain white rooms, one showing the beginnings of fashion photography and the professionals that used film photography. The other room will be the digital age and the high-end, contemporary photographers of today. The rooms will be next to each other with a single door connecting them. To keep the minimalistic vibe, I will include only two photographs from each photographer that are a good example of fashion and minimalism combined in the form of photography. 

Room 1:

You go into the room and on your left you will start your journey through time via Minimalism Fashion Photography.

Photographer One - Horst P. Horst

Photographer Two - Norman Parkinson

Photographer Three - Helmut Newton

Room 2 

This room will consist of Fashion Photography as you see it today.

Photographer One - Rankin

Photographer Two - Tim Walker

Photographer Three - Nick Knight