Final 4 Images

Alexander Rodchenko

An artist I choose to produce work in the style of is Alexander Rodchenko .By using techniques technically and visually, I feel itwent quite well. I have a selected two images which I think are strong representations that reflect Rodchenkos techniques. Within my photo shoot  I wanted to use the theme of the body and city, and try to incoperate human forms with obscure geometric architecture. I used a 35mm, black and white film, Iso 400. I used a 35mm as I previously researched that Alexander Rodchenko used a 35mm film, and a medium format in a few of his works,and I wanted to capture accurate detail and more accurate light balance. I visited a variety of locations, within the city, where I choose unusual perspectives to shoot from, this including, off rooftops, birds eye view, or low angle looking up at ceilings. Due to these obscure perspectives it exaggerates the abstract forms and geometric shapes that Rodchenko captures. Unfourtunatley, my strongest images from this photo shoot  don’t incoporate any element of human form. However there are strong shadows within some of my images, due to the natural light and time of day. This was an advantage as I feel they refer to Rodchenkos work well.

This first image i choose works well, as the perspective is obscure and unusual which is a technique that Rodchenko does use. The geometric shapes work well, creating pattern and shape, and the image does play with your viewing of perspective. However i don't think it is as strong as my other final image, as it doesn't include any shadows that is another element that Rodchenko likes to follow.

These are the two Rodchenko images that i have been inspired by,looking into obscure and unusual angles and perspectives.

This is my final image, in response to Alexander Rodchenko. I have followed the style of Rodchenko technically and visually. This image, involves a lot of geometric shapes, that separate the images created an abstract form. The shapes within the image work really aesthetically  to create the pattern and repetition that we see throughout Rodchenkos work. The angle of the image is slightly tilted, which creates an unusual composition  I have then rotated the image 180' so it is completely upside down, which creates that obscure angle, changing our perspective of the image dramatically. There is a wide tonal range in this image , which is highlighted in Rodchenkos work. Due to the time of day and weather conditions, he creates harsh shadows. I feel that i have captured shadows and reflections carefully, and considered the composition, the shadow works as another geometric shape breaking up the segments in the image.

Eugene Aget

Eugene Aget is my other chosen historical photographer, that i have analysed  explore and worked in the style of. Agets approach to his work is very sophisticated  and he uses formalized compositions to allow the isolation of the main subject become greater presence than the location that it is in. The tonal range and shadows within his work is exceptional  therefore to create exaggerated shadows i shot my images before noon, early morning. Eugene Aget does use a large format camera, however i was unable to gain contact with one. Therefore i used the digital medium to create my image, and then used post production techniques to make my image have similar characteristics as a large format camera.

The location i used to shoot my images, where a small neat, preserved park, i feel the subject matter i used was very similar, i didn't want to take a literally approach however i felt to produce work in the style of his successfully i needed to use a similar subject matter, to create that grace beauty and sophistication.

This is my inspired image from the Saint Cloud series, Eugene Aget.

For my final image, i decided to isolate a tree, and photograph it using similar angles and techniques as Eugene Aget. I want to capture the vast variety of tones, and i feel i have captured the subtle details of highlights well. The dark shadows empathize the presence of the tree, which is the mood i was hoping to convey. I post produced this image, by increasing the levels slightly on digital manipulation  I then desaturated the image, and added a warming filter with a low opacity, so it was subtle. I then added a 8% grain to my image  giving similar characteristics of the film format. I choose to post product my final image like this, because the image i was inspired by has similar characteristics  As i didn't shoot on a large format camera, i feel the only way to gain the same characteristics of Eugene Agets style was to use post production. 

There are many way i could improve this image. There are human figures within the image in the background  and you can see many cars. I did go early in the morning to shoot, however there wasn't any other way this could be avoided. I do feel this ruins the authenticity of the image, in ways i am trying to reflect Eugene Agets work. If i was to improve on this image, i wouldn't of taken such a literal approach. I would've visited large preserved gardens, and maybe photographed other monuments, such as fountains, therefore it still had the statue importance presence however not as literal.

Daido Mariyoma

Daido Mariyoma is my contemporary styled photographer i choose to reflect his style. As a documentary  street photographer Mariyomas work is all about chance. His 'snapshot' styled images create that random , spontaneous feel to his images. There is a sensual theme that runs throughout his images which i was interested in trying to capture, as well as the busy city life. I used a compact film camera, same formatt camera as Mariyoma uses. I planned to shoot during the nighttime, as that is the time of day  where some of Mariyomas main iconic images are shot on. I also used a flash  as i felt it would reflect well through road signs, peoples faces and shop windows enhancing this 'snapshot' styled images.

Here is one particular image i was inspired by due to the sensual subject matter, and formal composition  This image doesn't have his usual random compositions, even if it was a spontaneous image, it certainly has a formal element to it.

These are my strong images from the photo shoot, which i feel reflect the style of Daido Mariomyas work well.

 This image works well because it looks like a 'Snap Shot' image. From the poor composition  this image looks rushed, creating a busy environment for the mood of the image  The flash involved has reflected off the reflective material on the traffic cone, and the road sign. This allows much brighter tones to be introduced, almost overexposing the lighter images, creating a harsh contrast. I post produced this image by increasing the levels, and increasing the contrast so there is a harsh contrast of lights to blacks.

 This image creates that spontaneous 'snapshot'element from the flash and the angle used. In the reflection, there is a really interesting reflection of a fair ground wheel, this fits well into the composition  allowing more visual aesthetics. Even though the composition feels 'snapshot' like, there is a small sense of formality to this image, because of the reflection. This makes me qeeurie on whether it is a good reflection of Mayiromas work because of the formality. However i have seen a couple of formalized composed images  i have listed one above that i have referred too. The flash in the window, creates overexposure in the lighter areas, this works effectively because it creates a harsh contrast of brightness to darkness, wich is a common characteristics within Maiyormas work.

 This is personally my strongest image. It has that 'snapshot' styled element to the image, as the background is quite blurred, creating a rushed busy mood. The subject matter of the sign post, has a female sat looking seductively. This refers to Mariyomas wok as most of his work, does have a sensual erotic element that is portrayed discreetly and sophisticaly. The flash of the image reflects off the poster well, creating areas of over exposure which again is an element in Mayriormas work.

The subject matter of this image i feel reflects off Mayriomas work well. He usually photographs inside of windows, to create the reflection of the flash in the glass. The subject matter here is of mannequins  and from the pose and stance of how they are positioned  creates an erotic sensual theme to the image. The overexposure in this image is highlighted in the window refection. I think this image does work well, however it is not one of my strongest, as it doesn't have that 'snapshot' element from the formal composer.

After struggling to choose which image i felt reflected Daido Daido Mariyomas style of work, i eventually decided this final image. The composition does look formally composed, due to the reflection and how easily is fits into the framing. However the image does still contain elements of the snapshot styled effect  as the camera is slightly on a tilt, the flash has been reflected into the window. The way the flash has been reflected, allows parts of the image to become over exposed, this creating the harsh contrasting tones in the image; a common style of Daido Mariyoma.  The subject matter is relevant, as Daido Mariyoma walks around the city, capturing everything he finds interesting  including inside of shop windows. I shot this image on a film compact camera, and then scanned it in, post producing it digitally  During post production i changed the brightness and contrast, to enhance that dramatic bold effect that Daido Mariyoma uses in his work.

 Rinko Kawauchi

My second contemporary photographer, i choose to explore an visually reflect their style is  Rinko Kawauchi.   The style of  Rinko Kawauchi is very delicate and elegant. She photographs mundane everyday objects, making the ordinary extraordinary  The softness to her images, and the muted pastel tones create a dream like, ethereal effect. When viewing her images you feel very calm and contained.  Kawauchi does use a medium format camera. However i was only able to access a digital camera when trying to shoot in her style.  

My subject matter i choose was flowers, as i felt this related to her themes, of life death and nature. Paticulary the life and nature theme. I photographed them on a very sunny day trying out different angles, from birds eye view to low angles. I wanted the background of my image to be over exposed, to created light leaks and gave that ethereal dream like effect.

These are 2 good examples of  Rinko Kawauchi that i have been inspired by. As you can see on the first image the pathway of bright light, almost overexposed. In this image there is small subtle light leaks, and it creates a dream like effect. 

With the second image, the subject matter is a bunch of flowers. I wanted to use flowers at it represents the themes of life, death and nature. However i didn't want to take it as literally as this image in paticular.t As you can see there are alot of muted pastel cooler tones that are used, this enahnces the mood of calm and peaceful.

Here is my final image. I am pleased with my results from this image as i felt i created the calm, ethereal dream like effect, effectively. I used an aperture of a F20 and an ISO of 400. My iso was used because i was shooting outside, an that is a balanced ISO to use when shooting outdoors. My shutter speed was 1/125, therefore it was slightly fast, however i wanted to capture elements of light through the flowers that were only in the frame for a seconds. Advice i was given back, was to probably use an aperture of F8, when wanting to create light leaks  however it was a very sunny day, and i was directing the subject matter towards the light, so the light did fall through the flowers naturally. The over exposed background works well, as it doesn't give the image any context, which is a technique Rinko Kawauchi uses, by isolating her images from her backgrounds  Focusing on color  i feel i have done well, and captured some cyan, violet tones in the image. These colors are used in  Rinko Kawauchi series 'Illuminance'. 

As i shot digitally, i did post product this image. Firstly i cropped the image to a 6x7 format  as  Rinko Kawauchi does use a medium format camera. This eliminated most of my white space in the background, cropping the image slightly isolating it and taking it our of context, which is similar to what  Kawauchi does. I then added a new layer, and changed the color balance slightly to introduce the violets, and cyan's to create this pastel looking image. By doing this it made the image look deffinatley more poetic and dreamlike.

If i was to redo this image, i would probably use different colored flowers. As in most of the series 'Illuminance' the tones are muted pastel colors of blues and purples, creating connotations of calm and relaxing. I feel in my image the reds and yellow don't work as well, and it i used a more muted color of flowers, i may not have to post product this image as much as i should have.

Overall i feel i have captured successfully  Rinko Kawauchi style in the series 'Illuminance' as it reflects the themes she works in, and differently the mood she conveys.