Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Assignment 4: Awakening (Final)


The concept behind this image is an individual’s social awakening. I believe we, as humans, are all bounded by the blue fabric of reality. This fabric restricts our movements and thoughts, but it keeps us safe within the boundaries of reality. However, there will always be a few who would gain a new insight. This social awakening encountered by the guy in the middle, is represented through the releasing of the blue fabric. The wing like structure formed by the ribbons showed his liberation and ‘enlightenment’.

However, reality beyond the blue fabric, beautiful as it is, is not what it seems. The true reality is in fact more precarious and overwhelming. So here comes the choice for the individual. If the awakened individual is overwhelmed by the true reality, he would plunge to his death. However, if he wants to, he could always get back into the fabric of reality with his new insight and keep silent about it forever. Or he could awaken the rest with this new found knowledge.

This is the purpose of this picture. With education, we know there is something wrong with this world, the government and social structure. However, a lot of us choose to conform to them despite having the knowledge. Some of us are activists who silently protest the government and seek to enlighten the rest. There are also those who failed terribly and lose their mind and soul to this new knowledge. What are we going to do when we gain this knowledge? What can we do to enact change? Are we being manipulated without us knowing about it? These are all questions worth pondering about as we inspect this image.

Regarding the technique, I used simple Photoshop tools to put the various images together, First I have to take the different people individually and crop the blue cloth onto them. I then used erase tool to create the cloudy effect on the guy in the middle. This gives the impression that he is rising above the clouds.

This current picture and concept is an evolution of the three pictures I did previously on Consumerism.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Final Assignment: Spectrum

Here are the new version. This series of conceptual pictures are, in my opinion, better than the first few batches. This is because more work is involved in giving the pictures more depth.







Basically the concept is still the same.

The theme ‘Looking into the Ordinary’ allows me to pick out the most mundane things in life and create a series of pictures. After much attempts, my idea has evolved into this set of pictures. Using light and colours to depict emotions in different settings, it showed the most mundane of our lives, living.

Basically this series of pictures are to show that under normal circumstances, we are like the normal beam of white light. However, when we encounter different situations, we will be expected to act differently and appropriately. However sometimes, our emotions go beyond our control and we are overwhelmed by it.

Like a light beam entering a prism, a spectrum of colours is formed. Hence using the metaphor of a rainbow, the seven different colours depict different situations in which we might encounter and the emotions we might have in these environments.

Light: This first picture shows us in our purest form.

Red: Symbolically, red is often attached to anger or passion. In this series, the colour red depict the social setting we are in. When people around us are too passionate or too obsessive, they enact pressure on us and these pressures, if not handled properly, are frustrating, hence leaving us agitated.

Orange: Sometimes we do not fathom the social environment we are involved in. There are too many things in the world for us to know. The world is ever changing and these changes are sometimes too fast for simple comprehension, thus leaving us in bewilderment. On the other hand, these changes might also lead us to question our social environment. Have we evolved or change for the better, or have we regressed as human beings? There are many unsolved questions in life, it is often we as individuals, can get too lost in them.

Yellow: However, not all social environments are negative. There are some social settings whereby we are comfortable in and this lets us lower our inhibitions and be who we are. This outlet of all the pent up frustration allows us to relax and regain control of our emotions.

Green: Green is usually significant of envy. But rather than depicting envy, this picture is in fact showing how sometimes, the social setting we are in, makes one act out of his nature. We are constantly reminded of the moral right and wrongs, however, occasionally, the daredevil in every one of us would like to rebel and act out. We might regret after our actions but we more than often cannot control it and this is what this picture represents.

Blue: Being ‘blue’, is sometimes more than being sad. One might be feeling moody and no where sociable. Hence this particular shade of blue was chosen. The lack in vibrancy depicts the lack of social activity and the pose of the model depicts the attitude of moodiness directed to everybody else.

Indigo: Our social settings on some occasions scare us. We are sometimes afraid to step out of our comfort zone and the unknown frightens us. We would then view the environment as dark and haunting and wish to have no part of it. However, when we do take the first step, sometimes it is more rewarding and eventful than our comfort zones. Therefore one should take risks while being cautious.

Violet: No one is perfect. However the social standards are overtly exaggerated and our flaws are sometimes magnified. This internal struggle to conceal our insecurities is found in everyone, and sometimes it is the social environments we are in that makes us doubt who ourselves. This colour, violet or more commonly known as purple is closely associated with royalty, and it is this in which I wish to depict insecurities. Everyone, including the rich and famous, is inflicted with self-doubt. We tend to shy away from the crowd and hide behind other material objects.

Dark: Last but not least, the final picture depicts the loss of self identity. Like a beam of light, we might sometimes be overwhelmed by the darkness surrounding us. We would slowly lose our self identity and fade amongst the shadows.

This set of pictures is taken with the model standing at the bottom right of the picture because, this shows that we are only a small part of a bigger picture. We are not alone and our actions are interdependent on one another. The model’s clothes are also specifically chosen to be the same throughout because, this gives the idea that we, as an individual, are constant while adapting to the ever changing environment. We might lose control of our emotions but ultimately, we are who we are and that is important. A male model is also chosen because the society we are living in now is a masculine one. However this does not give the men advantageous benefits that women do not have. This series of pictures are to depict the fact that men are also subjected to the pressures of the masculine society as well.

Assignment 5: Emotions (Final)

Here are the final pictures for the portfolio.
Progression
Aperture: f/22 Shutter Speed: 1/40 sec ISO: 200 Focal Length: 20.0 mm
Loneliness
Aperture: f/32 Shutter Speed: 1/5 sec ISO: 200 Focal Length: 85.0 mm


Gloomy
Aperture: f/4.0 Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec ISO: 800 Focal Length: 17.0 mm


Happy
Aperture: f/3.5 Shutter Speed: 1/35 ISO: 125 Focal Length: 6.3 mm

These are the final picture for Assignment 5: Emotions. I decided to use this gloomy rainy weater to depict Gloomy instead of Harmonious with the picture of Chinese Garden because I received many feedback that it is the least strong among all four pictures. I personally think this is much better because it is very grey looking.



Sunday, November 16, 2008

Final Assignment: ME (Part 2)

Ok I did a couple of changes... Not sure which is better...











Saturday, November 15, 2008

Final Assignment: ME

This are my new series of pictures for my Final Assignment. I have decided to change the idea from Insecurities to ME! So take a look!













Hope you all got what I want to say haha

Basically the colors represent the environment. Our moods and emotions are very much affected by whatever is surrounding us, our social setting. Hence the different colors depict the different social settings that lead to the different emotions portrayed in me. My position in the pictures are rather stagnant and the white tee is supposed to be constant to show how we, despite being the same on the inside, is very affect by our social settings that our emotions run rampant without us controlling them.

The first picture is typically the normal me and like a light passing through a prism, the different colors would show the different emotions within me. However after all these strong emotions, I realised that I am actually fading into the background. The losing of the individual self is represented in the alst picture with a darker gloomier wall and a disappearing me.

Hope you all got what I am trying to say! Feedback!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Assignment 5: Emotions (Take 3)

Harmonious
Aperture: f/16 Shutter Speed: 1/80 sec ISO: 200 Focal Length: 17.0 mm

After much consideration, I decided to use this picture to depict Harmonious.

By definition, Harmonious is forming a pleasingly consistent whole. I personally think this picture depict this aspect since all the elements in the picture are indeed consistent in forming a congrous whole. Therefore this picture would be titled Harmonious.
Joyful

Aperture: f/3.5 Shutter Speed: 1/35 ISO: 125 Focal Length: 6.3 mm

I decided to use this picture to depict Joyful. Colors are always joy inducing and furthermore candy and sweets are also very associated with joy and happiness. So therefore this picture is most apt for depicting Joyful.

For the following two pictures, I decided to stick with them for Progression and Loneliness. This is because I personally think they are the most straightforward depictions of these two emotions.

Progression

Aperture: f/22 Shutter Speed: 1/40 sec ISO: 200 Focal Length: 20.0 mm

This picture, Progression, is one of my favourities since it showed the Old and the New in the same picture. However is the New over taking the old or are we still living in the past by fossilising these old buildings?

Loneliness

Aperture: f/32 Shutter Speed: 1/5 sec ISO: 200 Focal Length: 85.0 mm

I guess the boat on an open sea tells all of the loneliness of the open waters. The ocean, although vast and filled with life, it always induces a feeling of claustrophobia. Anyone would be overwhelmed by loneliness.

Assignment 3: Symbolic of the Sun

This is the final image for my Symbolic of the Sun.

Personally, to me nothing is more symbolic of the sun than an umbrella. The umbrella has multiple purposes. For some it aid as a walking stick, to most of us the umbrella is used to shelter from the rain as well as the sun.

Therefore the image was taken from under the umbrella to show the bright sunny day. This represents the view of the umbrella user, this common everyday life event is sometimes overlooked but it is simple things like this that is significant of living. This, to me, is symbolic of the sun.

Symbolic of the Sun

Aperture: f/32 Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec ISO: 800 Focal Length: 60.0 mm


These few pictures are the latest cropped versions for the final portfolio.


The Dragonfly (Close Up)

Aperture: f/14 Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec ISO: 800 Focal Length: 60mm

Totem (High Key)

Aperture: f/29 Shutter Speed: 1/20 sec ISO: 200 Focal Length: 38mm

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Assignment 5: Emotions (Retake)

So I went to Chinese Garden today and it was eventful. Took a few good shots and these are some of the shots taken. However I'm unsure which of the following is more Serene/Calm/Peace.

Do let me know your feedback. Even if they are not at all Serene/Calm/Peace inducing pictures haha.

Ok this first picture below was taken vertically. I wanted to to depict Serenity or Calmness. But some of the feedback I got back was the color is too intense to be calm. And furthermore the portraiture of the image makes it less serene/calm than a horizontal one.


Aperture: f/16 Shutter Speed: 1/80 sec ISO: 200 Focal Length: 17.0 mm

Therefore I cropped the first picture into a landscape picture. However the image looked to cluttered.

Aperture: f/16 Shutter Speed: 1/80 sec ISO: 200 Focal Length: 17.0 mm

Therefore I decided maybe I can use another picture I took horizontally and see if the image is less clutter and more calm.

Although less clutter, I'm not too sure if it is serene enough. I need your feedback please thanks!

Aperture: f/16 Shutter Speed: 1/80 sec ISO: 200 Focal Length: 17.0 mm

Oh and I edited the previous Progression picture. So here is the new edited one. I am much happier with this picture than the previous one because of the color.


Aperture: f/22 Shutter Speed: 1/40 sec ISO: 200 Focal Length: 20.0 mm

Oh I'm not sure why also but the colors do not seem to be as strong here. The images in my folder are much stronger compared to these.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Assignment 6: Insecurities (Take 2)

After last week's attempt, the feedback was it was very straight forward. So after much thought, I decided to use shadows to conceptualise the series. The theme would be the same 'Insecurities' but the portrayal is now different.

Past Haunting You
Society Pressuring you
Society Judging You
People Grabbing You
Society Pressuring You
Drowning In Insecurities
Trapped by Your Insecurities

Due to the space constraint, I was not very satisfied with the product. I'm even more disappointed after viewing the rest of the tutorial's pictures. Therefore I decided to redo my entire concept. But the tutor said she likes this week's pictures more than last week's because this week is more conceptual and original. She is also worried about the time constraint I might face if I were to redo everything from scratch.
If I were to stay with this concept, I would use the shadow puppet method to get a sharper image.
However, I think I might resume back to my Disney Princesses idea. Generate 6 pictures based on consumerism or insecurities. I shall think about it.