Work record one

Research plan

• London - journey too and from
• Family - take photos of my family and how they naturally act
• Photograph what is around me

Contact sheets

My best images

This was taken in the London Liverpool Street train station while I was on the escalator. I do realise that the exposure for this image is dark but I will be editing this image so it is lighter. The framing device in this image is the handrails and the clear screen of the escalator, I like how this image is framed because you can see the people in the costa shop and walking past - these people may be coming home from work but needed something to eat first or some may be meeting another person/people. This was inspired by Saul Leiter - this is because of how he took pictures of people minding their own business and this is what I have done.

This second image is of my brother (left) and uncle (right). I will be cropping this image and just editing it only the slightest. This was taken in burger and lobster after we had eaten our food and this was taken because they were proud of how many glasses we had during our meal. This is a comedic photo as their faces are surprised and happy & the scenario is just funny. The framing device for this would be the background and how they both have their own doorway behind them. This has no particular inspiration but in a way it is like Saul Leiter's work because it is of two people having their photo taken at a point in the day when an event has just happened.

This was inspired by Lee Friedlander. One of his pieces that I have included in one of my posts involved a mannequin - as to which I felt the need to do something similar as I was in London and there are lots of shop windows. This image shows a male and female mannequin in very smart clothes, with a sign on the window saying "Women's Shirts 2 for £60" - this represents the wealth in London and how this is a sale/bargain for the people who can afford this, whereas one shirt (£30) is expensive too some people.  I will use the crop tool to rotate this so that the composition is better. The framing device is the window, the mannequins would be centre of the window from a different angle but as I took it from a side angle they look further away.

This was on the train home so the sky is darker which adds a more dramatic feel to this image. This shows my subject looking outside and with this image I have captured the reflection in the window as well. I will use photoshop to make the exposure of this image lighter. I like this image because the camera focused really well on my subject and the aperture was on the setting that I wanted it to be. The framing device is the window and the reflection. This was inspired by Saul Leiter because the photos I have chosen to present in my research post involved windows & people and that is what I photographed.

This was taken around the same time as the one above. This is my uncle and I photographed him as he was talking, I like how the chairs are more in focus and yet your eyes still draw to the man. The framing device is the train chairs as it allows you too see specific features. This was inspired by Saul Leiter because just like the others I have photographed someone unexpectedly.  I will use the brightness/contrast filter on photoshop so some parts of the image can be seen more clearly but I the natural light is quite appealing for this image.

Images that require improvement

This was taken on the train journey towards London and I took the opportunity to photograph the landscapes outside the train but I did not have the correct shutter speed so certain parts are blurry when I didn't want it to be. Also, the framing of this image is poor as the bag in the bottom corner could have been positioned better. The exposure of this image could have been slightly more desirable. This was inspired by John Szarkowski - because I wanted to capture a very simple image and then expand it and develop it in a similar way John does.

This was taken at a similar time to the image above, the same things apply to this image. The shutter speed was not correct. The image is too dark and if I attempted to edit this and make the exposure lighter it would look to seedy and not appropriate for what I want to represent in my work. This was also inspired by John Swarkowski and his landscape framing photography.

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.

For my first shoot I wanted to start of basic by photographing similar settings as my researched photographers just so I have an idea of what I need to photograph. I now know that I can photograph all sorts of settings, such as the environment which is what I will be imputing into my second shoot. This shoot was successful but I believe I could have done more - there is a lot of repetitiveness. I could have expanded my ideas more of what I was photographing,

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.

I used my Samsung NX20 20.3 MP SLR camera and used a tripod. I concentrated on my researched photographer images to give me an idea and I do believe this helped me produce these images.  I started taking photos when I was in the train because a window is a framing device so I took this opportunity and took photos of the landscapes outside, however the natural lighting was poor so the images are not that good but for some I was able to edit it to be lighter and still look appropriate. I was also with my family so I got images of them chatting and being themselves (without acting awkward and 'posey' around the camera). I have a mini tripod which is travel sized so I took that with me and it just stabilised the camera enough for it not to be shaky.

AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.

When photographing for framing devices I found out that anything can be represented as a framing device, you just need to get the right composition. By researching and analysing the photographers and their images I gained knowledge about the what possible things I could focus on and what I can photograph. 

Progression section

In this shoot I have experimented only with what I know, for example: the kind of things I have photographed. I feel as if I am capable of achieving better and higher quality images but some of these were just for fun (the family images) that I ended up actually using. To improve this shoot I could have managed the settings better and correct myself if I know the photograph has not turned out well - I should've slowed down when photographing because some of these were rushed as some were taken as we was walking back to the train station (so I rushed taking photographs as we did not want to miss the train). By not rushing and taking care in what I was photographing my images would have turned out much better and more professional. For my next shoot I will take these into account. How I edited an image & why:

These screenshots are how I edited one of my images followed by a annotated image. I was inspired by Lee Friedlander to take this photograph as he has captured something similar. In his photograph he took a photo of a mannequin in New York and he wanted to represent the wealth that lives in New York and how the expensive things are behind glass that only a few can get. My image has captured the same thing as these are very posh smart clothes with a sign on the window saying '2 for £60' which to some will appear a really good sale price but to others will appears equally as expensive one shirt. This shows how London is seen as a wealthy town as they represent shop windows like this and expect people to buy these products. 

The annotated image represents my intentions with my editing and why I wanted it to turn out a specific way. When photographing and editing this image, I focused on trying to achieve a comparable scene to Lee Friedlander's mannequin photograph which I have obtained. As I said before this presents the wealth in London and I think this image shows a lot about how the stereotypical London wealth - this also shows how the advertising these businesses do are very eye-catching to anyone who walks past, they are able to represent there clothes using outfits that they want the customer to buy as a bulk because "if the mannequin looks good then you will look good"

The second annotated image is of my mum waiting for the rest of my family to get out of the restaurant and go home. I did catch her of guard hence why she is moving and is slightly blurred. This was taken in outside burger & lobster, we was waiting for the rest of the family so I decided to just take photos and this was the outcome of one. My intention for this edit was to make my own framing device using the figure itself - the figures are in the centre of two big buildings on either side of the road. I decided to do this because it was the first thing that came to my mind when starting to edit this image and I am pleased with the final edit. It looks as if the camera captured a ghostly figure behind my mother. This was not inspired by anyone or anything in particular but the process of capturing a person off guard or without them knowing is inspired by Saul Leiter.

In my next shoot I will be sure to experiment when photographing and editing my work and making it different. I will continue using a tripod to get my composition the best it can be, also I will keep checking my settings each time I take a photo so they are appropriate for the scenery. I will be concentrating more on the environment (eg. fields, trees, etc), this will allow me to capture different images so each of my shoots are different and are not the same/repetitive.

Edited images

(These two images I have created my own frame behind the people)

Comparisons

My work --- Lee Friedlander

The image on the left is my work of a shop window and I was inspired by this image taken by Lee Friedlander. I took this image because it represents the wealth in London and he did the same but about the wealth in New York.

My work --- Image bank photograph

My image was taken in the London Liverpool Street train station and this was taken on an escalator, I wanted this image to come out slightly out of focus because I liked the effect it made. The framing device in this are the stairs as they make it makes the settings look neat. The second image is an image bank photograph of what I think is also a train station (there was no information along with this image).

My work --- Saul Leiter

My image was taken on the train journey home and I have edited this so that the reflection on the window was a bit brighter and more evident for the viewer, I linked this with a Saul Leiter image (not included in my photographer research) of a man outside a window but the photo was taken from the inside of the building - I linked these because they both involve people and have a clearly seen reflection.

    

Photographer research - John Szarkowski

Why John Szarkowski 
John Szarkowski's work consists of reflections and buildings. His work is very compelling which makes me very interested in his work, his work is very professional and precise when it comes to the composition of the photographs. The majority of his photographs are captured in black and white which brings out the different colours and there 'deepness', you can clearly see which colours are darker than others. 

1. SARAH LAKE

This was taken in 1962, he used a tripod to capture this image as the composition is very straight. The reflection of the clouds are very clear and realistic, however I suspect that this image has been edited due to the accurateness and clearness of the reflections. The darkness of the mountains/land between the clouds and the reflection acts as a barrier between these two things and is keeping them separate from one another. This has influenced me too concentrate on capturing reflections in landscapes as well, this is intriguing for me because I really enjoy photographing landscapes and I can incorporate this into my framing devices project. The framing device in this image is the water because it creates a reflection of the clouds above it.

2. LADDER

This is creative because there is a lot happening in this image and yet the viewer is able to concentrate on different parts each time they look at it. This image is called ladder as there is a ladder in the image leaning on the tree. In this image you can see the shadow of the tree on the house which can present that it was a sunny day, also you can see a wheel, in my view and opinion this wheel is there to show that everything has a purpose no matter how random or broken, hence why the ladder may be there as well. This has influenced me to try and experiment to widen my knowledge of what I am capable of, which will give me a more professional feel on photography. The framing device in this image is the position of the tree and its reflection of the tree on the house.

3. FLAG
This was photographed on the fourth of July, 1997. Fourth of July is the day where Americans celebrate the anniversary of the independence of there country. So this image gives us a story and a meaning, which we all know of. The flag is positioned to be centre of the doorway, so it looks bold and important as the flag is the symbol of America. This has influenced me to manipulate an image in photoshop or use an object and position it in real life so the frame is already there. In this photograph the framing device is the doorway, the doorway frames the flag so it is the centre of attention.

4. WINESAP FROM FARM
A winesap is an old apple cultivar where the apples are sweet and tangy. The black and white filter contrasts with the description as the filter does not express the apples and their sweet taste, the filter should be colourful and saturated. The doorway of the shed makes the winesap look very appealing and nice. The ladder leaning on the tree shows that it had been recently been picked from, showing that it is use. This has influenced me to be creative, and also capture natural settings because they are beautiful and eye catching for viewers and I will manipulate it using photoshop. The framing device is the entry way of the shed around the winesap.

Photographer research - Saul Leiter

Why Saul Leiter

His work consists of street photography and he captures peoples ordinary everyday lifes which gives us an insight into how these places are daily and what people look like around the world. Saul Leiter's work uses frames to put the focus on something else and it makes his work very aesthetically pleasing to look at. 

1. RED UMBRELLA

This photograph is from his project 'Early Colours', he called this photo Red Umbrella for the obvious reason to what is seen in the image. This image shows a person walking outside using a very vibrant red umbrella, this sets the scene of the photograph and shows that the weather in this area is not the best it could possibly be snowing due to the excess snow on the window from which Saul took this photo. Saul took this image from the backseat of a car, he possibly took this whilst in traffic and took the opportunity to take pictures. This photograph has influenced me to photograph from inside a vehicle and take pictures of whatever is outside and use the window similar to what Saul has done, because this gives a very natural feel. This links to my topic of framing devices as the window acts as a frame to the landscape/person/object on the outside.

2. TAXI

This image was taken in 1957, by looking at this image I feel Saul has edited this so it appears a little bit more old fashioned and vintage. The photograph shows a man in a taxi holding onto the safety hold, they appear to be in traffic as there is another car in front of the camera and they seem to be halted. The colours are very vibrant and attractive, using a low depth of field emphasises the colours on the car further away from the camera. This has influenced me to photograph everyday life and photograph whatever I feel is interesting and try to find a framing device in that image. The framing device is the car window looking into the taxi and seeing the man's hand, this creates a mystery as we don't know who this man is and where he is going.

3. SNOW

I suspect this image is called snow because it must have snowed that day and the condensation on the window is the outcome of that snow. Too my imagination I think the man in this image is lighting a cigarette, you can't clearly see this happening but as the weather seems cold and smoking can make you feel warmer and relaxed which would be nice for this kind of weather. This image was taken from inside a building as the man is on the outside, the warmth of the radiators, etc from inside the building has created the condensation on the window. The blurriness has created a mystery affect as we don't exactly now what this man is doing and what he looks like. This has influenced me to use windows and create different affects on the people on the other side. The framing device in this image is the window, which frames the man. 

4. SUBWAY LADY

The image of this subway lady is very effective especially with the black and white filter on it. We don't know the exact emotion of this lady, so it is up to our imagination to decide how this lady is feeling - from the hanging of her head and her posture I believe she is tired or distressed. She appears to have luggage between her legs she may be travelling a far distance, away from home or going home. We do not know much about this image and who this woman is, so it is up to the viewer to choose the story behind this image. I could not find any information about this image, so there is not much I can say about this image that is now known, the interesting thing about this image is that we can decide who this lady is and what is happening. This looks to be taken behind a clear door where you enter through to get into the subway station. This has influenced me use doors and the windows on doors to capture a frame around people which is interesting, as your capturing someone behind something else. The framing device in this is the window in the door which captures the woman. 

Research log

John Schabel - Passengers

I selected this image because it is interesting to me how the faces are clearly seen in this small window. This image was shot at the end of an airport runway using a 500mm reflex lens with a 2x teleconverter lens, these were taken in the mid-90s so no one was suspicious of cameras and were not uncomfortable or angry when being photographed. This image shows three people in an aeroplane window, one woman leaning on the window, another looking out of the window and the last one looking straight forward. People will think the last time they went on a plane or the first time they went on a plane and it will bring back any emotions or experiences they felt.




Rich McCor - Ship in bottle

Rich McCor has created his own series called "Paper", he creates his own frame and object to manipulate a real building or object and make them into something else. He posts these on instagram @paperboyo and has gotten lots of fame because of it. In this image he has created a bottle out of paper and placed it over a boat. This can indicate how it is a popular concept of collecting or making ships in bottle because of the intricate detail. He thinks of ideas on the spot and makes a paper cut out and the takes the photo. This inspires to capture whatever I see if I think it is appealing or worth capturing. This image brings memories to some people of when they make ships in bottles or when they have had past experiences on a boat.


Rankin - Light box +

Rankin is a beauty photographer, who is very creative when it comes to showing off a product, he photographs celebrities for his work. This photograph shows a woman with vibrant eyeshadow in and red lipstick, the paper cutout of the zig zag make the image look more professional as the concentration is then drawn to her make up. The framing of this image is the cut out zig zag which is very creative, it is imaginative and inspiring. The image is very attractive due to this being based around the beauty of this woman and the make up done professionally. Behind this image, this can make people inspired by how bold her make up is and may feel like they can achieve this make up look, making them more confident and expressive with their make up. However, some other people may feel as if this is too much and is not realistic towards what the product actually gives the buyers it could be exaggerated.


Nick Turpin - Through a glass darkly

This is one image from Nick Turpin's portfolio of "Through a glass darkly". He is a street photographer, based in London and near Lyon, France. The images in this series are very similar to one other, the only difference is that they are of different people and each old a different story. These are taken from the perspective of someone waiting for a bus, the people in the photographs are on the bus, these images are effective because of the emotions on their faces which represent tiredness, etc. The framing of this image, is the window and the evaporation on the window which blurs the strangers. Behind each of these people there is a different story and are stopping at a different place. This relates to my task because I have to creative with my photographs and show how I can present a frame in an image.


Francesca Woodman - Mirror cry

Francesca was best known for her black and white pictures featuring herself or other female models. Most of her photographs were taken using medium format cameras producing 6x6 cm square negatives. The framing device used is a mirror which creates the frame around the reflection so the viewer feels the main point of this image is based around this girl. This image displays two women, one in the reflection and the other standing behind the mirror holding it up. They are wearing the same dress which can create an illusion that the girl is trying to say to herself "your beautiful, love what you look like" but the girl in the reflection is refusing to listen. Most of Francescas' images are in black and white which can emphasise some of the darker points and lighter points in the image, this can make the photograph feel like it has a deeper meaning and has a deep story behind it. This can be relatable, especially for girls as, girls are more concern with how they look like and feel they will never be good enough.


Sebastian Łuczywo - Children's day

Sebastian is a Polish father of two children, he photographs his family and animals in a beautiful village in Poland. This is part of his series called "Children's Day", he focuses on photographing his children and their emotions of enjoyment. This image shows a big window, with a few broken sections in the separate squares, his son in one square at the bottom. The emotion on the boys face looks suspicious, as if he is up to something, there is broken glass around him which is dangerous but he seems to want to explore it more. This can show how people at his age or were at his age are still exploring the world and are experimenting with dangers to see how far they can go.  



Thomas Leuthard - Public library stairs


Thomas Leuthard is a Switzerland photographer who travels to big cities and documents the streets. He works with a discrete Micro Four Third camera to capture the ordinary life around him. This image was taken in the Stockholm public library. He has photographed a woman walking down the stairs, he has captured this due to the contrast of lines - the woman is wearing vertical stripes on her leggings and the stairs are horizontal.

Image bank

Google, pinterest, instagram - 

This is my image bank of photographs that appeared when I searched framing devices photography. I looked on google images, instagram and pinterest because I felt I could find more by looking on different websites. I have widened my knowledge and views on framing devices, all of these ideas are all distinct which gives me more ideas.