Carnival Masks contact sheet

I have include my thoughts and processes on the images below.

Dark carnival make-up images

Once again I was using the male shoot that I did first as an inspiration. I have also pulled from paganism and obviously carnivals. I used the same ideas as I used when shooting the model with white paint however, by using black paint I was trying to draw upon the dark side. Black is the darkest colour possible which is why I chose it. It is literally the complete opposite of white meaning a complete absence of light.  What black hides white uncovers. The colour black represents the hidden, the unknown and therefore can be thought of as a mystery. Black can hide who you are much like a carnival can, you are free. When you are in a carnival you can literally be whoever you want to be, that means you can choose. In a way you can choose light or dark. This is the representation of the white and black paint on the models. I wanted to show the two sides without being completely obvious.

I am really happy with my final images and feel that they flow together more with the rest of my work now. I think my strongest image from the shoot is the close up of the eye mainly because it is so close it feels asif the model is popping out of the picture to come into reality.

Black carnival make-up contact sheet

This gallery contains 2 photos.

I have included notes about my thoughts and ideas during the shoot on the images.

Carnival beauty shoot

When I looked at my images as a group I realised I wanted the make-up on the  models to link more. I felt really strongly towards the male model shoot as I found those images worked the best. Due to this I decided to alter the females make-up to relate to these ideas. These are my finals from my first shoot in this theme.

When I was shooting I had references of paganism and my original male shoot in my mind. I wanted to make my models more masculine without taking away all of their feminism. To involve the viewer more I used a macro lens to get really close to the model, I feel this creates the feeling the model is right there not just in a photograph, it draws the viewer into the magical, surreal world that carnivals create. In a carnival you can literally be who you want to be and I am hoping to create that feeling with my work. I have continued using glitter to link everything together and glitter tends to sparkle which gives the sense something magical is happening.

By using the white paint I wanted to signify pure freedom, white is the colour of perfection. White can also signify innocence, it represents new beginnings and a fresh start. It opens up the mind for creation. I used white here to represent the complete opposite of black. I wanted to show how the carnival could be a way for someone to be who they really are. To have that new beginning and to show people who they really are. I am very happy with my final images.

Male Carnival inspired images

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After editing down the images I realised that the strongest from the set were the close up ones with the detail in the face, I edited several different angles of the face to give myself variety in my photos. I feel my strongest work is the close up of the whole face cropped in as it involves the viewer in the shot. I also like the use of the colourful bubbles as I think that it adds that little bit extra to the image and brings the viewer into the carnival theme more. I do however, love the black and white shot of my model with his hands to his mouth. It shows the whole feel of the carnival look and the use of the models hands in front of his mouth adds some action into the image. From here I am going to continue shooting beauty images using different looks but I also want to shoot a few full length outfits to show the whole effect of the carnivals.

My inspiration

Whenever I am planning a shoot I have to say that the first place that I tend to look for ideas and inspiration is Pinterest. This is mainly because there is literally anything and everything on there and when I start here I end up with so much more inspiration as one post leads on to another and so on…

When I decided that I wanted to look at carnivals naturally Pinterest was the first place I looked. On this post I have included all of the inspiration that I found on Pinterest that led me to producing my final collection.

With this image it was the unusual silver head make-up that drew me to it. I love the way the light sparkles off the silver and the jewels, this would link in perfectly with my use of glitter to represent magic

Birds of Paradise

potential face paint?

I love the idea of using glitter on the lips of the model, it would draw the attention to the model’s mouth and make it glitter implying magic and secrecy.

i love the use of the colours on this image, it is actually oil however i think this could be really relevant when looking at colour theory.

full body paint. LOVE THIS!

could I use 3D piece on the models face relating to carnival?

glitter represents magic, secrecy and allure.

love the jewels round her eyes!!

classic venetian carnival, could i use this as my theme?

HAIR!

simple yet elegant, the use of the paint in this unusual way has created a very simplistic yet stylish image, this is definetly something to think about…

Birds of Paradise.potential ways of shooting.

eyes are striking, the use of the white immediately draws the viewer to the models eyes this is a very good technique to think about using…

love the use of the colours and unusual objects.

body paint.

eye make-up styles…

love the mixture if pale skin and pastel colours.

overlays? paint? colours? throw powder paint?

love the hair! works well with the overall theme of carnivals.

body paint

drip paint on the models face, looks more spontaneous and would work well with the spontaneity of carnivals.

JEWELS! this would link in well with my underlying style of glitter and make the model sparkle

paint over images!

dark eyes, jeweled face!

glitter.

add this hair to the model with dark eyes?

potential hair style.

more tribal, another potential route to go down…

FULL BODY PAINT & GLITTER…..AWESOME!

overlay flowers onto models?

naked, earthy, tribal, spiratual. works well with the carnival theme…paganism?

ways of shooting flower…

bright, eye-catching, fun.

use the birds of paradise flower as an actual prop on the model?

male models? use the circus route for the carnival?

full body paint

overlays! glitter!

tribal…

place the birds of paradise into the environment, use it as a portrait shot…

headgear

TIM WALKER. overlay stuff on the lens of the camera.

draw on image…

B&W

HAIR

glitter images.

love the idea of shooting in the dark with glow in the dark paint…

props on the model relating to theme

Mulberry #seeyousunday

The plot thickens…
Mulberry are not involved in the London Fashion week due to not yet choosing a creative director however, they are planning something as you can see from this video. Mulberry have joined up with the top model, Cara Delevingne to work together on a secret ‘creative project’. Nobody knows yet what this ‘creative project’ is hence the teaser video that was released this week. I am very excited to find out what this creative project is and look forward to the big reveal on sunday 16th Feb at 1:30pm.

I have included this teaser video mainly because I have been looking into black and white photography recently with this brief. I love the individual shots that have been used such as the light shining through the trees, the shots of different body parts and the flitting between different times. All these things reveal things about what the ‘creative project’ is. I have been looking at the model’s personality so I could use this technique to reveal different things about my model. Do I want to create a video? I am not sure of this answer yet, what I do know is that I am interested in moving image when related to fashion and I feel that the technique of flitting between different parts of a person’s life both reveals and conceals so many things about that person. I could even use this technique in still images. All of this is all just ideas at the moment.

Final Images from 2nd shoot

This gallery contains 5 photos.

These are my final images after playing around in photoshop. I chose the image that you see below as the strongest pose from my model. His eyes are forceful and full of emotion and his pose is perfect. The ideas … Continue reading →

Lee Jeffries – Lost Angels, Homeless

Conran on Jeffries

“If you will forgive my indulgence, This work is most definitely NOT photojournalism. Nor is it intended as portraiture. It’s religious or spiritual iconography. It’s powerful stuff. Jeffries gave these people something more than personal dignity. He gave them a light in their eyes that depicts transcendence, a glimmer of light at the gates of Eden, so to speak. The clarity in their eyes is awesome to behold, as if God is somewhere in there. He has made these people into more than poor old broken homeless people lazily waiting for a handout from some urbane and thoughtful corporate agent. He infused them with light, not darkness. Even the blind guy has light pouring from his sightless eyes. I think Jeffries intended his art to honor these people, not pity them. He honors those people by giving their likenesses a greater meaning. He gives them a religious spiritual significance. He imbues them with the iconic soul of humanity. I think that’s what he was trying to do, at least to some degree thereof.”(http://leejeffries.500px.com/about)

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L.A.

Andy

Thomas

The Cat Lady

Skid Row

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Los Angeles.

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‘A chance meeting with a young homeless girl in the streets of London changes his artistic approach forever. Lee Jeffries recalls that, initially, he had stolen a photo from this young homeless girl huddled in a sleeping bag. The photographer knew that the young girl had noticed him but his first reaction was to leave. He says that something made him stay and go and discuss with the homeless girl. His perception about the homeless completely changes. They become the subject of his art. The models in his photographs are homeless people that he has met in Europe and in the United States: «Situations arose, and I made an effort to learn to get to know each of the subjects before asking their permission to do their portrait.» From then onwards, his photographs portray his convictions and his compassion to the world.’ (http://en.yellowkorner.com/artistes/198/lee-jeffries.aspx)

It was the intensity that drew me to these images. I love the fact that Lee Jeffries gets to know his subjects before he photographs them. By doing this he can really understand what they are about and capture their personalities when he does finally shoot them. He has made his images intense, raw and full of emotions and made the people he photographs become not just an image but a separate person with an interesting story to tell. It is obvious that Lee Jeffries is very compassionate about his work and it shows through his photos. I would very much like to capture this intense moment in some photographs of my own. I want my work to tell a story much like his does. 

Mood board of ideas

As I am still unsure as to how I want to approach this project properly I have put together a mood board of images that inspire me. I know that I want to start with using light to my advantage to reveal and conceal things about my models personalities and due to this I have compiled photographs that I think portray this perfectly. I mainly found these images on Pinterest and after looking into these images I know that I want to play around with aspects from each of the images such as the smoke in the dancer portrait and the idea of using materials that already have patterns on them. From here I feel my next move would be to look for photographers that produce black and white images as this is the style recurring the most in this mood board and then do some testing of my own related to this research.