Final Proposal

Final major project

Todays Tales

My chosen genre is fashion photography. 

Over the last year or so I have enjoyed creating narrative imagery for editorial pieces and used a lot of digital manipulation with tools such as Photoshop to achieve my final images. I like to photograph and create images that have an aesthetic value, a hint of surrealism and have a narrative background, a story to tell.

My influences are from varied sources. Tom Hunter inspired me after researching his work, which I then went on to feature in a previous unit of mine. I like the way he incorporated master’s paintings into his unheralded stories images. Bringing the scenes of these paintings into today's currant affairs. 

Anchor & Hope-Tom Hunter

Christinas World-Andrew Wyeth

                                           

I also love Tim Walkers work. He features often in fashion magazines and is renowned for his fashion photography that also has a hint of surrealism and can be at times presented in an editorial style.

Tim Walker-Dreaming of Another World

To help me progress and refine my work for my Final Major Project I would like to focus on a mock client requirement. My love for fashion and fashion photography has influenced me and my mock client will be Vogue-Vogue Italia and a designer’s range of clothing or accessories.  

After identifying my client’s requirement, they wish to have a three-page feature in their July edition. 

This particular feature must display a designer’s clothing/accessory range and convey a particular lifestyle. Each image must portray a lifestyle of such that the viewer can relate to envisage to be part of. The client would like the images to be magical and surreal but also modern.

The final images will be presented in a series so I will need to put some thought into the format and print to ensure that each image will be able to be presented in the same manner. All images will have to flow from one to another naturally. Using similar tonal values, colours and textures etc. will encourage this. I will also have to bear in mind the composition, that these images need to be adaptable in order to sit within a publication, taking into mind for example negative space for text overlays or no subject is central in case the publisher wants the image to be a centre page spread etc...

I have chosen a theme of fairytales and folktales. My images will be a modern adaptation of an old tale with a surreal twist.

I will be producing a series of three digital images that will be representing Menswear, Ladies wear and children’s wear of a particular designer. Each image will be a narrative image of a fairytale. The twist will be that the fairytale will be presented in a manner that will be as if it took place in this day and age. This will allow the clothing range to fit within the theme. The lifestyle this will convey will be fun, adventurous yet versatile.

In the first instance I will be researching old fairytales and folktales, carefully selecting which ones could be realistically incorporated into today's currant affairs and modern life scenarios.

I will be using my Pinterest board to pin any useful sources of information such as children's books, paintings, photography and movies (Hansel & Gretel etc.). Alongside this will be research on photographers who specialise in fashion photography and surrealism, their techniques and equipment used to achieve their final images.

I will be shooting my images digitally so I have the option to shoot in raw. This will allow me to edit the images without taking quality away. I may need to manipulate and impose backgrounds etc. to achieve the final images so I need to research and practice these techniques in Photoshop. I will also be using the specialist location unit to achieve the desired affects for my final images.

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The final images will be a series of three images in digital square format. They will be presented to the client as single images both high and low resolution. I will also include a triptych template version again in high and low resolution.

Each image will be a scene representing a fairytale portrayed in this day and age with models displaying a particular designers clothing range.

Decision maker

After weeks of research and a couple of mind maps thrown in I have decided to go with today's fables for my Final Major Project. 

I have at least one of my three images for my series and the ideas seem to flow more organically for this than Child's Play.  However, I will definitely see Child's Play through to the end at some point. There are a few gaps, I have a beginning and end to it but can't find enough content at present that will allow me to communicate with my viewers the narrative behimd the series of images. I will need more time and thought put into it. 

Today's Fables will begin with jack and the beanstalk, I have uploaded a screenshot of my sketch for the final image,. 

I simply wrote down the heading, jack and the beanstalk. From that came the signified, goose, beanstalk, giants, mother, the signifiers followed giving depth and meaning to these objects/subjects, goose=money, beanstalk=climbing/challenge etc, this formed a mind map (see below) 

From this map I was able to develop my image, to adapt the story to a situation that at arose in this day, choosing a lift to represent the beanstalk, suited young man as jack, his briefcase as the golden goose, the giant changed into the 'big boss' upstairs on floor 13 etc etc.... 

My next stepnis to think of colours and lighting and what mood and energy I want to portray, positive or negative? Locations needs to be sourced for lifts ........,.

Draft Proposal Todays Tales

Todays Tales

I will be producing a series of editorial style images portraying fables represented in this day and age.

Over the last year or so I have enjoyed creating 

narrative imagery for editorial pieces and used a lot of digital manipulation with tools such as photoshop to achieve my final images. I like to photograph images that have an aesthetic value and I want to show the viewers that we all live in our own personlised fairy tale or fable.

My influences are from varied sources. Tom Hunter inspired me in particular some time ago when featured his work in a previous unit. Please click her to view my post. Tom Hunter I like the way he incorporated masters paintings into his unheralded stories images, bringing the scenes of these paintings into today's currant affairs. 

I will obviously be researching old fairy tales and fables, carefully selecting which ones will realistically incorporate today's currant affairs and modern life scenarios. I will be using my Pinterest board to pin any useful sources of information such as children's books, paintings, photography, movies (hansel & gretel).

I will assess each story with a mind map of some sort. it will start with the title of course then I will ask a series of questions such as 

• who are the characters?
• What is the moral behind the story?
• What are the main signified and signifiers and will I be able to use something similar in my shoot?
• Can the scenario be easily adapted to todays day and age?

Jack_and_the_Beanstalk_by_Ahvia

I will be shooting my images with a dslr so I have the option to shoot in raw. This will allow me to edit the images without taking quality away. I may need to manipulate and impose backgrounds etc to achieve the final images so I will need to research and practice these techniques in photoshop. I will also be using the specialist studio/location unit to achieve the desired affects and final images. I will be presenting these images in a series so I will to put some thought into the format and print and ensure each image will be able to be presented in the same manner. All images will have to flow from one to another naturally. Using similar tonal values, colours and textures etc will encourage this.

Draft Proposal Childs Play

Childs Play

This project will be a series of images of a child playing with their imagination along with old-fashioned role-play toys.

I have been heavily influenced over the past months by conceptual fine art photography with hints of surrealism. I enjoy manipulating images with lighting and props and locations along with the help of applications such as Photoshop. It helps me to create images that people can only imagine, that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I think this project will allow me to expand on this, as there is plenty of time to do so. Time was limited with previous projects so I was unable to apply myself fully.
Many artists have influenced me. The first was Annie Leibovitz, I love the way she can create any scene from out of a film, story or pure imagination and make it somewhat ‘real’. Brooke Shaden has inspired me over the last year or so too, creating beautiful imagery purely from her imagination. Styles and techniques I like range from the desaturated colours of Loretta Lux to the textures Shaden uses. I love the desaturated skin tones with vibrant colours that Billy und Hells use, inspired by artists such as Lucas Cranach who painted in a similar manner.
Other influences are Maggie Taylor, Tim Walker, John French, Richard Avedon and Rankin. I love fashion and I love surrealism. It’s nice to escape the negativity that is expressed so widely nowadays. I would love to take my viewers on a little journey of happiness, adventure and innocence. Wouldn’t that be refreshing?

Based on what I want to achieve in my series I will need to research and practice my techniques in Photoshop. Perfecting techniques such a blend modes, montaging and other various adjustment layers.
I will have some element of specialist studio techniques also which may be taken out onto location? Digital montage and scannography would be very useful, as I will be building an image with images, similar to Maggie Taylor and Brooke Shaden. I am participating in a three-day workshop on creative live to learn the techniques of a conceptual fashion photographer name Miss Annalie.

I will have to make a final proposal along with set designs etc within the coming weeks as preparation will take some time, sourcing the props and correct locations for the final sets. I would like to present the images in a square format, maybe a 40 x 40 print with giclee on velvia paper, I want the images to be like a painting so I think to present them on a textured paper would be suited.

I will review and analyse my work by assessing the images individually and as a full series. The images should appear surreal in thought but real in capture. I will have to be meticulous and pay attention to detail, ensuring light sources and shadows and tonal values are all the same for each blended layer, ensuring they all knit together as one seamless image. The series should flow but each image should stand out individually and portray the innocence and creativity within a child’s imagination.

These images will represent that each child holds something inside of them that we should all hold on to and encourage our children to keep and take with them into adulthood.