Individual portrait = a great success!

My studio portrait on Tuesday afternoon turned out so good :)

Because it is quite personal to Jayama i gave him my word i would not upload it to the internet out of respect for him, but i will show you the slightly modified lighting setup i had to go with in the following diagram - in order to pull this shot off just the way i had envisaged.

I have since shown a copy of the image to my course coordinator via email and received a very supportive reply - which has made me extra proud of the image.

To top things off i will show the man himself his photograph when i see him at work tonight and ask what he thinks of it.

Can't wait to show him.



D.

Product Photography - needs a re-think.

Okay, so i now have to re-think my original plan (see earlier post on this) of photographing a product or two and matching people to go with the product/s in order to create a believable magazine add or poster layout. I am a bit pi**ed off, but perhaps it's all for the best.

This being the case i now have to re-think what and who i'm going to match together for this major assignment. This week is my last week at CIT before a two-week break - so i will use this break to find that WHAT and WHO and simply photograph them at home using my own equipment to create something special to show J-dog as soon as we get back.

I need to run back over the friends/acquaintances i have made since moving to Canberra and think what (product) might suit them. This will be challenging, but i won't let it beat me. I may also logon to my ModelMayhem account and ask around online to see if any of the people i'm associated with on their would be keen to help.

Anyway, i best get cracking on this, because i don't want it to drag on and become a rushed job towards the end of semester.



D.

Jayama - take two.

Okay so after a successfull first photo-shoot with my mate Jayama and his delightful family it is time (tomorrow) to photograph him individually to satisfy another of the studio portrait assignment requirements.

The brief asks us to photograph our subject in 3/4 - full length alignment and focus on light and shadows to convey something about the person. With a less is more approach.

So... considering Jayama's story extends to the civil war that broke out in Sri Lanka a few years back. Long story short, he was ambushed by rebel soldiers and shot through the shoulder. Wounded and with no medical attention available to him, he lay hidden in bushes basically bleeding to death for two days until someone he knew he could trust crossed his path and aided him to safety.

With this in mind, my aim is to photograph Jayama in a way similar to the photographs below. I would like to have some facial engagement from Jayama as he looks back over his shoulder (with the bullet wounds) at the camera.

I feel the key to the success of bringing out the best in this portrait is to try get Jayama to think back to that moment in his life to bring out some genuine emotion. It might be hard, because he is always happy, but i'm sure i can make something work.

I will keep the lighting simple - perhaps a single light with a grid to concentrate the light more where i want it to fall across Jayama's shoulder area and then add a single reflector at a parallel angle to the source light below shoulder level to bounce light back into Jayama's face to balance up the ratios.

Will be bringing in all of my own equipment (apart from the lights) to do this shoot and i look forward to achieving a good result.

Stay tuned..


D.

I don't mind the angle of the subject in this photo and
i can see myself posing Jayama in a very similar
manner. The way the light has been concentrated
across the shoulder and face is also much like
what i plan to do - hence why i have used this as a
reference photo i guess :]

Cropping in this much won't work, but i do like the
look given off by this subject.

A good example of how much of
the subject needs to be included
when shooting a 3/4 portrait.
i plan to crop in a little more than
this though - perhaps as low as the
hand up to the top of the head.
Position will also be flipped as
Jayama's wound is on his left side.

TEST - on elearn.

MUST GIVE THIS A GO TONIGHT - I"M TOLD WE GET THREE ATTEMPTS SO DOING IT ONCE WILL ALLOW ME TO GOVERN WHERE I"M AT WITH MY GENERAL KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL STUDY.

WISH ME LUCK `:|



D.

Small Product Assignment - Part 2.

As a follow up to the previous assignment requirement for this semester's studio component we are to also create 4 creative product photographs from the following categories.

1. Electrical appliances
2. Hair & beauty
3. Kitchenware
4. Bathroom
5. Toys

It is important for us to maintain a consistant look-n-feel to the four images. Styling and concept must remain very similar according to your target market. The target market is best described like this - will the products be sold at Meyer or a two dollar shop? With me ;]

Anyway, i feel i might go with KITCHENWARE simply because i know i can go purchase a few stylish things from somewhere like Meyer or David Jones, bring it home (remembering to keep the receipt), photograph it and then simply return the items un-harmed for a full refund of the purchase price - no question's asked :] Pretty cool i say!

So i don't have anything as yet, but plan to go acquire some items late next week and begin to photograph them into the weekend ready to show Julian for some feedback.

Stay tuned for a progress report and supporting photos.

D.

Small Product Assignment - Part 1.

Okay, so this is a major assignment of ours that is to be completed by November.

Put simply, we are to photograph a person and product individually, but in a way so they can than be combined to produce an overall image to help sell the product like that of a magazine advertisement.

What am i gonna do?
I have chosen to call in another favour from my mate Alex (muscle-man from semester 1's creative portrait assignment) and possibly his girlfriend to create an image that will compliment my proposed idea to photograph a range of sports supplement products - either men and women's multivitamins or protein powders.

The product has to be photographed in a way that allows for it to be deep-etched (cut out) from the background and then dropped onto of (added) to the photograph or the supporting subject. Thee final requirement is for us to top it al off with a sourced copy of the product's actual real-world logo and perhaps a catchy one-liner of text.

This is cool, because it allows us to demonstrate our abilities with camera, lighting and post production :]

Here are a few images i have sourced as research that have already gotten some ideas flowing around the old brain.

So far i have acquired the following products from Alex to start photographing, but a part of me is still wanting to go with the men and women's multivitamin option simply because i personally feel it is a more natural supplement and it will allow me to shoot outside or inside if you catch my drift..

Some of the light modifying equipment i have at my
disposal at home that i may use to help introduce
some creative aspects to the product.

The assignment states that the subjects are to be photographed in the studio, but i have since spoken to Julian expressing my concern that i'm not sure feel this will not compliment my overall vision. It will be dependant on the following.. 

• If i choose to photograph the multivitamins i would like to then photograph Alex and Liberty outside doing some exercise and looking naturally happy for an overall fresher look than that of a sterile studio environment.

• If i choose to photograph the protein powder stuff i may be able to make something work within the studio, or at least take my equipment (camera and portable lighting) to the gym where Alex works and shoot there in order to get them both pumped and naturally sweaty etc 

D.