20.05.2011

Throughout the past week, I have been watching a mini series called "Band of Brothers" (2001) The story of Easy Company of the US Army 101st Airborne division and their mission in WWII Europe from Operation Overlord through V-J Day. 

August Sander's photograph's were taken the same time as this movie in World War Two and it has helped me a great deal to understand his photography of the soldiers. This is such a wonderful and breath-taking movie that captures each every event in different eyes, for example the Easy Company soldiers and the Medics.

10.05.2011

I have my 10 photographs in the style of August Sander all printed off now! I originally planned to have them A4 size because then the viewers can really connect with the sitters and see every last detail, however, i really didn't like the size and quality. So i did some research into old style photographs around this era and a bit later to see how they display and what size and quality their photographs are actually printed like. As they were obviously taken using a film camera they were printed in the dark room, however I chose to use a digital camera because i can really see each photograph i have taken to try and get them spot on.

I looked into a photography book called Past Future that concentrates on Chinese photographers and film makers. In here i found wonderful photography work, such as these shown below

China Pictorial cover, 1967

William Saunders, a young Manchu woman, 1865-70

Zhang Haiere, bad girl, 1989

Whilst looking at these artists and how they display their work in this book it has helped me on how to display mine. I wanted to use the same display as August Sander had used, however most of his prints are larger than A4.

10 Wallet size photographs by myself.

These photographs are simply placed onto a wooden board to give a rough idea on the look. I really do like this, however they are placed at random so i may lay around with the ordering. I have also considered to actually place them into an old style photo album using the four triangle corners on each image, one of each page with a little text box on the bottom right of each page with a titled and date. Also i may keep and frame with a mount board two of my most favourite A4 photographs that demonstrates the era August Sander's photos are from.

Week Sixteen

I photographed my mother and her friend today. It was quite dark in the room and not having the correct lighting i had to depend on Photoshop. In Photoshop I edited the photographs i felt were good. I adjusted the brightness and contrast and added a diffuse glow as it gave a little glow to their faces which i feel give it a good effect. I also added a photo filter to some of the photographs, the filter i chose was 'warming filter (81)' This gave it a little tint of cream/brown which is used in photographs around the era i am looking at.

Celeste, No. 1

Celeste, No. 2

Celeste, No. 3

Celeste, No. 4

Celeste, No. 5

I have used this photo as reference for the photo I have taken below. Just to give me an idea of what men wore around that era and how they're positioned.

Tim, No. 1

I feel that my sitter could have been sat a little bit more up right with his body facing a tiny bit towards the camera.

Tim, No. 2

These two show the difference when a warming filter (81) is added.

Tim, No. 3

I wanted to use the same positions as August has used in the photo above.

Celeste and Tim, No. 1

Even though this photograph is taken further away from the sitters as appose to August's photo I really like how my sitters are positioned and that they're both looking at the camera.

Celeste and Tim, No. 2

Celeste and Tim, No. 3

Week Fifteen

Had another photo shoot today working with my friend Tanith Lyons who is a make-up artist. I wanted to create a photograph looking just like August Sander's of the gypsy leaning against a caravan. However, being unable to have a near by caravan i had to make use of fences, walls, houses etc. I am really pleased with how my images turned out and i have adjusted the contrast using Photoshop and added a dust and grain effect to make it a little bit more old fashioned.

 

By August Sander

Tanith, No. 2 & 3

I'm not too keen on the last image i took with the layout and situation. Even though she does look relaxed and as if it was her home, I feel it doesn't work together as a whole like the first image as it looks similar to the original August Sander's photograph.

Later on this week I plan to do another shoot to re create these photographs:

 

Alexander, No. 1 & 2

In these photo's, I feel that it doesn't really show what era I am intended to photograph, this is because of the lack of time and not having suitable clothing. I think my sitter  needs to be wearing braces and have a flap cap on just like in the photograph above taken by August Sander.

Week Fourteen

Geisha & Lichtenstein pop art Make-up/Photography

Today my sister and I were a tad bored and decided to do makeup on each other. We wanted to have two different results so we both chose on Geisha - having a more elegant and soft feel to it and then an artist called Roy Lichtenstein and his pop art - this shows a much more detailed and time consuming with all the dots.

I've added this onto my photography blog, because I wanted to show my skills in capturing people's faces and showing I can photograph not only nature and surroundings but also sitters.

 

26.04.2011

Here are some photographs of my sketchbook relating to my final project on 20th Century photography influenced by August Sander. There is also a few pages of cut outs from magazines of models, this is reference to help me along the way of photographing people as I have never done it before. It gives me an idea of positioning the sitter in relation to the camera, also how to possibly use props if needed.

Week Thirteen

I'm super stoked today because I did my first photo-shoot with my chosen models Sophie Daniel and Portia Knight. Using August Sanders as my inspiration I was able to have a clear idea of what my models should wear and the scenery. I took 45 photographs all together and selected 15 photographs of which I liked and I then continued by adjusting or reducing the contrast slightly or adding a sepia effect as August Sanders has in a few of his photographs. Here are a few of which i like the most and haven't decided on the one yet.

Sophie and Portia, No. 1

Sophie and Portia, No. 2

Sophie and Portia, No. 3

Sophie, No. 1

Sophie and Portia, No. 4

Sophie and Portia, No. 5

20.04.2011

I am preparing for my next photo shoot with family and friends today. I will be dressing them according to 1920's time and position them possibly sitting down just like this photo:

 

I will be trying to portray the same attitude and style as August Sander has shown in the photograph above.To do this, I have found an abandoned barn house of which i was place the sitters in front of. 

I have come to find that matching the similar style clothing has become impossible as they are hard to find now-a-days - however I am trying to get as close as possible. Such as the walking sticks I may replace with actual sticks that aren't too swirly. I hope it goes well!

Well Well Well... I have finished my second photo shoot 

After taking a woping 100 photographs, I was able to select 77 images of which i feel work the best whilst thinking about the lighting, staging and obviously how the sitters look and feel. Here are some of the photographs I really enjoyed taking and really like. 

Maisie, No. 1

Elliot, No. 1

Chelsey and Elliot, No. 1

Group, No. 1

Group, No. 2

Tanith, No. 1

Maisie and Tanith, No. 1

Whilst doing this photo shoot I have learned a lot about using natural lighting and working with the scenery. Positioning the sitters is the most important as well as if they feel comfortable or not.