IZZY'S PORTFOLIO
PHOTOGRAPHY
This section of my website is about photography. For 6 weeks IÂ have studied photography and the way a digital camera works. On top of this, I have learnt a lot of camera terminology (seen in week 2) and how to edit photos in a professional way.
WEEK 1
For week one, our task was to get into a group of 4 and go around the campus using a digital camera. We had to use the camera in different environments with different lighting to get a range of different photos.
​
The feedback we got for our pictures was positive overall. We used the camera in creative ways where we took photos based on lighting, focus, scale, shape, color, and texture.
For week one, our task was to get into a group of 4 and go around the campus using a digital camera. We had to use the camera in different environments with different lighting to get a range of different photos.
​
The feedback we got for our pictures was positive overall. We used the camera in creative ways where we took photos based on lighting, focus, scale, shape, color, and texture.
Texture – This picture has texture to it due to the leaves having different spots and rough patches. This can be seen on the biggest leaf to the right.
Scale – The ball is the focus of the picture whilst the background is completely blurred. In the picture the ball seems a lot bigger than the person whereas as a viewer we know that a person is bigger. This is an effective way of photography as it is an illusion.
Lighting – lighting is shown in this picture as the subject has light hitting the side of his face and the rest of the picture is dark. The ‘lit up’ part of his face is the focus of the picture and stands out to the viewer.
Focus – The subject in this picture is the shoe. Compared to the rest of the picture, the shoe is in focus. On top of this, the shoe is bright white whilst the rest of the picture is very dark. This makes the subject stand out to the viewer.
Color – For color, I took a picture of some purple leaves. The color in this picture changes as lighting hits the leaves in different angles – making the leaves look different colors.
WEEK 2
During week 2 we learnt camera terminology. We then had to take photos that showed we understood the terms learnt. Below shows the photos I took based on horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines. The photo experimenting with lighting also explores depth of field.
TERMINOLOGY
Rule of third -
The rule of third is where there is a grid that divides the camera viewpoint into 9 separate boxes / 3 different sections. This rule is applied to photos to create a good photograph. If you were to take a portrait of someone, their eyes should lay on the top horizontal line.
Horizontal -
Makes viewer feel relaxed. Lines that go straight across the picture.
​
Vertical -
Makes you feel the power of height. Lines that go straight up or down through the page.
​
Diagonal -
Very strong to the eye as it stands out. Goes diagonal across the photo.
​
Balanced shot –
Balance is an equal relationship between two things or more, a photo is balanced when the elements weigh the same; that doesn’t mean they take up the same amount of space.
​
Dynamic shot -
Dynamic is the movement of a viewer's eye as it explores a photograph, an ideal dynamic image will begin with the most important subject then proceed to the less important space.
​
Aperture –
Is the size of the opening of the lense, affects the amount of light that is entering the camera. If the hole is too big, there will be too much light going into the camera and so the picture will be overexposed.
​
Depth of field –
Distance between the nearest and farthest objects that are in focus in the picture.
​
Shutter speed –
Shutter speed is the speed the camera takes pictures. A fast shutter speed creates a shorter exposure not allowing the camera to let in a lot of light. A slow shutter speed creates a longer exposure which allows more light to enter the camera.
I took this picture as there was a lot of opportunity to show examples of horizontal lines. The stairs go right across the picture. However, in the background there are lines within the windows that also represent horizontal lines.
This photo shows vertical lines. The building travels up the page along with the windows and the tiles on the building. With the amount of vertical lines in this picture it is
The pictures below represents experiments of lighting. The light is hitting the subject from the right, extenuating the right side of the face. The left side of the face is darker as the light is not reaching around the subject. This picture also demonstrates depth of field as the background is very blurred.
WEEK 3
In this task we learnt and practiced aperture and depth of field. To do this, we had to change the AV settings on the camera. We explored the campus with a camera and had to take pictures of different and random objects. When we changed the aperture on the camera, the lighting would drastically change. The photo would either become overexposed or underexposed depending on the AV setting.
The pictures below show how different apertures can affect a picture. The first pictures in the series below demonstrate what a photo with good aperture and depth of field would look like whereas the lower three pictures show what can happen when the aperture and focus is off or wrong.
WEEK 4
In this weeks task, we were in a group of 4 exploring shutter speed on a camera. In order to change the shutter speed setting you have to change the TV setting. It is better to use the TV setting when there is darker lighting with a lot of flashy lights. This is because this setting has a timer that allows fast lights to enter and be captured together in the final image.
​
We went into a dark room and set up our camera with a tripod and played around with different timers and different glow sticks. We wanted to see what lights would 'pop' in the dark - and upon taking the pictures it seems that all of the lights have a 'pop' in the dark.
WEEK 5
LIGHTING
During week 5, we practiced and learnt about lighting. In our group of 4 we had to set up 3 lighting rigs and a tripod with a camera. Whilst taking these pictures, we had to experiment with lighting and see the effects different lighting can have on a subject. The pictures below represent and show our findings as they all have different lighting in each picture.
​
All of the lighting rigs where situated at different distances from the subject and either had a white or orange overlay. The white overlay creates a softer light on the subject whereas orange gives a warm texture; when used correctly these lights can compliment each other and the subject well.
In this picture, all of the lights are turned on. The key lighting is directly next to the camera as it is the main light source. The subjects face, shoulder and neck are well lit as all of the lighting is facing him.  The warm lighting is off to the left side and the soft white lighting is the furthest away and to the back right of the subject.
This picture represents the effects of what white lighting and warm lighting can have on a subject (key light is turned off). The left side of his face has a warm orange texture whereas the right side has white lighting which is highlighting the face, neck and shoulder.
The picture below shows the effects strong white lighting can have on a subject. The lighting rig is situated to the back right of the subject and is the only lighting being used in this picture (key lighting and warm light turned off). His shoulder and the right side of his face are all bold to the eye whereas the left side of him is dim.
In this picture the key lighting is the only lighting source. The warm and white lighting aren't being used. The left side of the photo is bold to the eye where as the right side is dark and not strong to the eye.
WEEK 6
For week six, we had to practise the skills we had learnt during class, at home. I have created a Christmas mood board to help to inspire me when I take the pictures. If I were to struggle to see a good picture, I would go back and look at my mood board so I can have inspiration on what would make my images good.
FINAL PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT
PORTRAIT
Who - Dad.
Location - Inside (against a white wall)
The portrait photographer I have chosen to research is Nancy Borowick. Nancy specialises in photography, teaching and speeches and is also an author. The majority of her work reflects her experiences in life of which she has travelled the world to share with people as well as having her work exhibited in over 100 cities.
I have been inspired by Nancy Borowick’s photography as she shared the devastating story of both her parents’ cancer stories. Nancy documented the moments of her parent’s holiday before treatment, life during treatment and finally their deaths, funerals and life after her mother and fathers passing. All the pictures in this series are black and white – giving them a unique look. However, with using black and white it can create the images to have a sad and vulnerable undertone – which make the viewer of the pictures feel an unsettling feeling. With my images I will not be creating a story line of my father’s cancer story, however I will be editing the pictures to look like Nancy’s work.
​
​
For my portrait images, I had my dad stand against a plain white wall. The reason for having a plain background was so all the focus was on the subject. I wanted him to have a neutral facial expression and stand in a neutral position as I wanted to create a sad and realistic story of cancer and how cancer can affect someone. The lighting I used for these pictures was one main light that was facing the front of my dads face. I did this as it accentuated his face which is the main focus in the pictures.
​
The reasoning for having close ups of his face was because the cancer lump that he had was located on his head and so by having close ups it was a representation of where his cancer once was. The new lump that has come up is visible in these images; especially in the zoomed in ones.
BACKSTORY OF MY IMAGES:
In the June of 2021 my father was diagnosed with stage 1 Cutaneous B-cell Lymphoma. The cancer lump that was found was located on this left temple/ where his hair line began and was the size of half a pea. Cutaneous B-cell Lymphoma starts in the white blood cells and then later starts attacking the skin, overall this type of cancer is very rare. As his type of cancer started in his white blood cells, it left him with a very weak immune system meaning I (and other family members that didn't live with him) were unable to see him for a long time and when I did see him it was at a distance, outside and we had to wear masks and constantly sanitise our hands to ensure no germs were spread as a common cold could have potentially hospitalized him.
From August 16th to August 22nd he was up in London getting treatment but also isolating in a hotel room, away from everyone (including family and friends) as he couldn’t risk getting any illnesses. Due to the cancer being at a manageable stage, he had radiation therapy instead of any other therapies. The radiation affected his hair and a couple weeks after the treatment it started falling out. He questioned whether to shave his hair off but decided not too and now wears a hat most days to hide the thinned hair.
In the October of 2021 he was then told he was cancer free and in remission which was amazing news and a huge relief after everything that had happened in the months prior. However, he remains under close observation by his nurses as there is a high chance that his cancer will return. Unfortunately, recently another lump has shown up on his right temple (that can be seen in the pictures below) that is currently being investigated. Apart from the new questioning lump he is good health for a recovering cancer patient.
This is my final portrait image. I have incorporated Nancy Borowick’s work into mine as my photos are black and white and show the physical effects cancer can have on someone. The aperture I used for this picture was F4.5 as it was taken in an inside space with strong lighting on the subject. To capture the detail I wanted to, I put the camera on a portrait setting which allowed me to capture little but intense details of the subject. Another reason I have chosen this picture as my final portrait image is because I like the framing of the subject in this image; he is very central and looking into the camera lens. On top of this, his head and shoulders are in frame which overall make it a well balanced image.
FEEDBACK
Harry -
The 1st image is my favourite of the portrait images as the model is central and facing down at the lens looking serious, the black and white element adds to the mood of the image. The detail of the image is high quality as the focal point is the man and you can see things like is hair and skin clearly. With some of the images it would have been good if there was variation; by this I mean they look similar and so I believe that different angles and stiles would add to the series well.
​
Joe -
I like the 1st portrait image as the darker shirt contrasts well with the bright background. It seems that the main subject of the image is almost a silhouette due to these colour contrasts, however the subject is a nice distance from the wall as there is next to no shadow of his on the wall behind. This image has been captured very well and it the exact right moment. The facial expression of the subject is very neutral and creates a sadder atmosphere which ties the image and atmosphere that’s trying to be created together well.
​
Aponi -
The 1st picture in the portrait series is framed well and is in good focus. There is a lot of detail on the subject's face that the photographer has captured despite the subject being further away in this image than the others. On top of this, the photo is sharp and very eye catching.
STREET
Who - People in public.
Location - Outside, high street, market, skatepark.
​
I have selected Henri Cartier-Bresson as my street photographer to research. He started shooting on a Lucia film camera of which he continued to use throughout his photography career as it gave him the photos he wanted. In 1940 Henri was imprisoned but escaped 3 years later in 1943 and until his death in 2004 he documented social life around Europe and Asia (whether that be through photos, films or books) In 1945 Henri Cartier-Bresson founded Magnum Photos along with Robert Capa (photographer and photojournalist) George Rodger (photographer and photojournalist), David Seymour (photographer and photojournalist) and William Vandivert (photographer) and with that became very successful in his work. Due to his unique and impressive work he has won many awards and on top of this, his work has been shown in exhibits world-wide making him a well-known man in this field.
I have been inspired by Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work as he likes to capture images with action and movement. Henri’s most famous photo Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare was taken in Paris in 1932. The reason it caught the public’s eye is because it captured what he believed photography to be. Henri had a specific concept of photography called the decisive moment. This is his belief of the photographer snapping the shutter of the camera in the exact right moment to capture the picture (or movement) they wanted. As most of Henri’s photos are taken between the years of 1930 to 1970, they were taken on a film camera and are also in black and white. With my photos, I will be re-creating action shots that will be in full colour rather than black and white like Henri’s.
​
​
For my street images, I went to Southbank skate park and Camden market in London and took pictures of people in their everyday lives. I believed that by taking pictures of skaters during their prime and doing something they loved it would create unique and genuine photos. However, with going to Camden it would capture people in a less energetic environment and can create a whole different range of photos.
This is my final street image. I have used inspiration from Henri’s work to create my photo as the person in this image is doing something of high speed. The ISO is at 400 and the shutter speed of the camera was 1/60. This allowed the camera to take in a lot of light which would create brighter photos. Southbank skate park is a very dim lighted area and so to create the images I wanted too, I had the camera take in a lot of light. On top of this, I also used a flash to help more light enter the camera. However, as the skaters are moving in a very fast pace I had the camera set on a rapid setting meaning I was able to take pictures of movement which were also very focused on the subject.
FEEDBACK
Harry -
The 2nd image is my favourite of the street photographs as I can see vibrant colours coming from the graffiti in the background and the light levels in the photo was captured well, meaning the skater is in good focus. I like that the skater is central which is nice, however I want him to be more in focus and maybe the background blurred meaning more attention is on him rather than the background.
​
Joe -
The 1st street picture is my favourite picture out of this series of photos. This is because there are bright colours that is coming mainly from the background, which is graffiti however, the skater remains in good focus. The background is also slightly blurred which makes the viewer focus on the skater a little more.
​
Aponi -
The 1st image in the street image series is the one that stands out to me. This is because there is a solid colour contrast with the background colours. There are many colours in this photo, however, they all complement each other well. On top of this, he is a solid figure with has been focused on a lot.
EDITORIAL
Who – Female (me)
Location – Inside (some photos against a plain wall, some with a colourful background)
​
The photographer I have chosen to research for editorial photography is Marcell Rév. Marcell’s main work field is filming, however he has done a lot of photography work. He has filmed a range of different things like music videos (Dua Lipa ‘We’re Good’), documentaries (Balaton Method) and short films (Edgewood). His most famous work was for the very popular Tv series ‘Euphoria’ as he was one of the many photographers and cinematographers for the show. However, the reason he has stood out on this show is because he produced the main promotional images. These images consist of extreme close ups of the main actor in the series (Zendaya) and are very eye catching and represent what the show is about.
​
I have been inspired by Marcell’s work as he uses different coloured lighting and camera angles that have the ability to capture deep emotions and vulnerability. Marcell has a great eye for colour and how to create an atmosphere through his photography which has an everlasting emotion on the viewer. There is a deep backstory of the character ‘Rue’ (pictures above) from the show ‘Euphoria’ as she is a young person who has struggled with substance abuse for many years. The lighting used in these images reflects how she feels when she’s on substances as she feels to be in a dream and in a euphoric state of mind, however, the lighting can also reflect her depression and the emotions she feels when sober. Marcell was able to capture that emotion which he was then able to portray to the viewers. With my photos, I want to mimic the atmosphere Marcell has created through his work. I will be using purple lighting and zoomed in camera angles to try and mimic his work.
​
For my editorial images I set up a tripod, camera and purple LED lights. By using this equipment, I was able to create the images I had imagined and capture the atmosphere I wanted too. I have used a few different camera angles to try and get a range of different pictures and to explore what can make a good photo.
This is my final editorial image. I have used inspiration from Marcell’s work by zooming in on the subject’s face. On top of this, the lighting I have used mimics the lighting he has used. However, to add my own little detail I decided to not use multiple colours and so stayed with a purple colour theme. Too add a little pop to the photos I decided to put glitter on my face of which I edited to stand out more. Whilst taking the pictures I did experiment with using blue and red lighting however, it didn’t create the effect I wanted too. I used the Av setting on the camera with the aperture on 0.4. I did this so not a lot of light was entering the camera as I wanted to have darker photos.
FEEDBACK
Harry -
I like what you have done with your editorial photos as the colour and focus matches the reference while also having our own twist on it. My favourite images are 1st image, and the 3rd image (bottom left) as your make up adds a nice shine to your face and the smoke adds a mystic theme to the image. I like that the face is central as it brings the focus of the viewer to the glitter on the lips and under the eyes. I think you could take another set of images with the same concept, however with more of the body showing; e.g shoulders and torso which is more like a portrait style.
​
Joe -
My favourites for the editorial pictures are the 1st and 3rd pictures. I really like the purple colour as it makes the glitter on her face stand out. The smoke in the 1st image creates a nice texture to the picture as it is different and adds some variety into this picture series. The focus in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th images are very good and a lot of detail has been captured whereas in the 2nd image there is a blur from the smoke which is a little harsh and takes away the focus in the picture.
​
Aponi -
​The 3rd editorial picture is my favourite from the editorial picture series. This image is nicely blurred in places it needs to be and there is nice shadowing on the subject's face. On top of this, the colour theme in all these images is strong and similar throughout, creating a specific atmosphere the viewer feels. The facial expression on the subject's face helps create the atmosphere that is meaning to be created in these images.