Project Ideas
Idea 1
My first idea was to recreate my worst nightmares that I have had throughout my life, with a series of images per nightmare to create a narrative to describe each one. How I planned on designing these photographs was by heavily manipulating them on Photoshop to enhance the surreal dreamlike essence that my nightmare's had. For this idea I would have needed to drastically improve my photo manipulation skills on Photoshop, in order to recreate the feelings that I felt during my nightmare's. I would have planned on using five or six final images each telling a completely different story.
I was almost dead set on using this idea for my finals, however, I realised that it was too conventional and I wanted my idea to be more original and out of the ordinary, not to mention be fitting with my photographic niche. Another reason as to why I decided not to go with this idea was due to the overall cost I envisaged it amounting to, as well as the time it would take me to get five separate shoots planned and arranged. Nonetheless, my main reason for not picking this idea was down to the fact it was too simple and I wanted my work to be unique and different from others.
I plan on using places of historical interest, as it is suggested that certain places are imbued with the essence or spirit of people who inhabited them. The reason I have chosen these is because I feel they are the best places to set the scene for the dreams I intend on creating, due to the history surrounding them. I want to show the two ends of the dream spectrum, on one hand having the nice yet strange and the other being the dark sinister nightmares. In order to capture this I will need a bright, colourful historical place that is surrounded by happy memories and a location that is the complete opposite of this to symbolise the nightmares.
Two locations that have caught my eye are Dingle's Vintage Fairground for the nice side of the spectrum and Bodmin Jail for the other side. I have chosen Dingle's Fair because we are going there for a class trip and it is the perfect set for my idea, as it has the combination of bright colours, happy memories and the vintage, historical look I want. Bodmin Jail is my other choice because of the rich, dark history that surrounds it from the numerous executions that took place there in the 1800s.
This is my favourite idea and I have decided to use it for my final, because it is manageable, works within my budget and is very abstract which is what I wanted my work to be.
A photographer whose work inspired me for how to layout my images is Michael Garlington. What I like about his work is how it plays on the unknown, creating surreal disconnected scenes out of average settings.
I was almost dead set on using this idea for my finals, however, I realised that it was too conventional and I wanted my idea to be more original and out of the ordinary, not to mention be fitting with my photographic niche. Another reason as to why I decided not to go with this idea was due to the overall cost I envisaged it amounting to, as well as the time it would take me to get five separate shoots planned and arranged. Nonetheless, my main reason for not picking this idea was down to the fact it was too simple and I wanted my work to be unique and different from others.
Idea 2
My second idea for this project is to set out my series of images with a dreamlike narrative and background, as well as being visually similar to that of a dream by the use of surrealism. Dreams lie somewhere between reality, imagination and ethereality, so this is what I want my images to emulate. Instead of basing it around dreams that I have had or other people have had, I decide on making my work the dream, with a brief narrative and allow people to draw their own conclusions.I plan on using places of historical interest, as it is suggested that certain places are imbued with the essence or spirit of people who inhabited them. The reason I have chosen these is because I feel they are the best places to set the scene for the dreams I intend on creating, due to the history surrounding them. I want to show the two ends of the dream spectrum, on one hand having the nice yet strange and the other being the dark sinister nightmares. In order to capture this I will need a bright, colourful historical place that is surrounded by happy memories and a location that is the complete opposite of this to symbolise the nightmares.
Two locations that have caught my eye are Dingle's Vintage Fairground for the nice side of the spectrum and Bodmin Jail for the other side. I have chosen Dingle's Fair because we are going there for a class trip and it is the perfect set for my idea, as it has the combination of bright colours, happy memories and the vintage, historical look I want. Bodmin Jail is my other choice because of the rich, dark history that surrounds it from the numerous executions that took place there in the 1800s.
This is my favourite idea and I have decided to use it for my final, because it is manageable, works within my budget and is very abstract which is what I wanted my work to be.
Shoot Planning
Dingle's Vintage Fairground
There are many factors I have to take into consideration for this shoot. I have already decided on what costumes I am going to get my models wearing, the transportation is arranged and I know what equipment I will need. However, the layout of each of my shots still needs to be planned and the message I want to convey within each to be in-keeping with the narrative.
Michael Garlington
A photographer whose work inspired me for how to layout my images is Michael Garlington. What I like about his work is how it plays on the unknown, creating surreal disconnected scenes out of average settings.
This mirrors what I want my images for this shoot to emulate. For instance, dreams are disconnected from reality yet can be set in average settings. Therefore, like Garlington's work, I want my images to be disconnected from reality, yet not too obscure.
Unlike Garlington's work I wish mine to vibrant and full of colour so that it does not detract from my idea of having both sides of the dream spectrum. However, I still want my work to hold the same essence as his work, in the way he creates a dream like scene in a normal setting.
The want my images for this shoot to symbolise how the clowns are eternally bound to the fairground, while the spirits of the people that used to visit are still floating around. My first shot that I want is of the clowns at the front of the frame, standing as if they are inviting someone in, with the rest of the models blurred by making them move while taking a long exposure. For my second I wish to have only the clowns in, standing guard by the rides while they go around. This will be a long exposure as well as I really want to hit home the symbolism of the time passing and things going on around them.
My third image I want to take for this shoot will be either a shot of the clown and two other models on or getting onto a ride. With this image I hope to really enhance the surrealism and open ended meanings to my work to allow the viewers to draw their own assumptions. Finally my fourth image will be of the clowns stood by a ride keeping guard, showing that while everything goes on behind them their spirits are eternally bound.
The want my images for this shoot to symbolise how the clowns are eternally bound to the fairground, while the spirits of the people that used to visit are still floating around. My first shot that I want is of the clowns at the front of the frame, standing as if they are inviting someone in, with the rest of the models blurred by making them move while taking a long exposure. For my second I wish to have only the clowns in, standing guard by the rides while they go around. This will be a long exposure as well as I really want to hit home the symbolism of the time passing and things going on around them.
My third image I want to take for this shoot will be either a shot of the clown and two other models on or getting onto a ride. With this image I hope to really enhance the surrealism and open ended meanings to my work to allow the viewers to draw their own assumptions. Finally my fourth image will be of the clowns stood by a ride keeping guard, showing that while everything goes on behind them their spirits are eternally bound.
Bodmin Jail
Unlike my Dingle's Vintage Fairground shoot I want this one to have a more obvious and clear narrative running throughout. For instance, in my Dingle's shoot I had more of an underlying theme of portraying the clowns etc. to be eternally bound to the fair. Whereas, for my Bodmin shoot I want my imagery to tell a story of the prisoners being taken by the executioner, hung and show how their spirits are left there with him eternally.
Andre Govia
Andre Govia's work inspired me for this shoot as I love the dark, nightmarish style of his work, not to mention the fact he shoots his images in abandoned locations. This picture stood out for me the most because of how it was in-keeping with my shoot, because of how it is, shot in an abandoned location, edited, the dark symbolism and ethereal nature.
Andre Govia works with all the aspects that I plan on incorporating into my imagery for this shoot. For example, he works with abandoned buildings, nightmare like and sinister imagery, ethereal characters and heavy HDR post-production. I wish to mirror these traits into my work to fully enhance the narrative and nightmarish essence I want my images to encase.
However, unlike Govia's work I want to give my images an authentic, aged feel to them by using texture layers and gradient map in Photoshop. Post-Mortem photography is what inspired me for this idea as I have mentioned in my research.
For my first image I want a group shot of all of the prisoners waiting in the cells for the executioner, maybe play around with shadows to symbolise something hanging over the prisoners or even coming to get them. Then my second shot I want to capture the executioner coming to get the prisoners along the corridor of the cell block, with each prisoner stood at the door of their cells.
My third shot is going to be around the execution pit, if I am allowed to get there, with one model at the gallows and the others in a single file line waiting. Finally I want my fourth shot to symbolise the passing of the prisoners and them being taken away by the executioner. How I envisage doing this is by using getting each prisoner to stand inside the cells with a flash gun and whilst I am taking a long exposure get them to flash a number of times. In doing this I hope to capture bright points of light that are to symbolise the prisoners passing.
Andre Govia works with all the aspects that I plan on incorporating into my imagery for this shoot. For example, he works with abandoned buildings, nightmare like and sinister imagery, ethereal characters and heavy HDR post-production. I wish to mirror these traits into my work to fully enhance the narrative and nightmarish essence I want my images to encase.
Post-Mortem Photography
For my first image I want a group shot of all of the prisoners waiting in the cells for the executioner, maybe play around with shadows to symbolise something hanging over the prisoners or even coming to get them. Then my second shot I want to capture the executioner coming to get the prisoners along the corridor of the cell block, with each prisoner stood at the door of their cells.
My third shot is going to be around the execution pit, if I am allowed to get there, with one model at the gallows and the others in a single file line waiting. Finally I want my fourth shot to symbolise the passing of the prisoners and them being taken away by the executioner. How I envisage doing this is by using getting each prisoner to stand inside the cells with a flash gun and whilst I am taking a long exposure get them to flash a number of times. In doing this I hope to capture bright points of light that are to symbolise the prisoners passing.
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