PORTFOLIO

An artist's portfolio is an edited collection of their best artwork intended to showcase an artist's style or method of work. A portfolio is used by artists to show employers their versatility by showing different samples of current work.

Final Self Evaluation

Overall Evaluation
During Component 1 of A Level Photography I have learnt many things that I didn't learn in GCSE, I re-visited some topics that I was taught in GCSE and also was introduced to new projects that I've never touched upon before.

During the allocated projects, I have been researching into photographers and art movements surrounding the projects given. This research has influenced my work in a multitude of ways. Certain photographers, such as Corrine Day, have inspired me and the type of photography that I would like to peruse in the future. Day's photography has very powerful messages behind it which inspired my Documentary project. I decided to plan out a story that was based around a social issue before taking photographs so that I could tailor the photoshoots to the story and make the images have a strong deep meaning and back story. I believe that this gave my images more meaning. Thanks to Day's work, I now plan out my photoshoots in detail before taking the pictures. Barbara Kruger's work also gave me similar inspiration to Corrine Day's work. Before researching Kruger, I would never have added text to my images as I felt that it would look unprofessional. I learnt, however, that this was not the case; Instead, I now feel like text enhances the meanings of images and makes them more interesting to audience members. I will take this into consideration when creating edits in the future.

During Component 1 I have learnt many new technical skills. These include the use of Photoshop, setting up a studio and also camera settings. During GCSE, we were not encouraged to use manual settings on the camera and were told that Automatic Mode was easier for us a that stage. The A Level course however did the opposite. We were encouraged to use Manual Mode which allowed us to manually alter the ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed depending on the environment and lighting around us. I also learnt how to set up a studio for photoshoots. The type of photography being taken, depended on how the studio was set up. For example; Commercial photography used a lot of harsh lights pointing directly at the object and also required reflectors which reflected light onto the products being photographed. Finally, My knowledge of Photoshop editing also increased. During GCSE we were introduced to many editing techniques, such as colour popping. Despite this, I learnt many more techniques. Primarily during the Composite Image project. I learnt how to manipulate images by adding things that weren't in original images, such as animals, into photographs.

Because of research and particular projects assigned to me during Component 1, the way I take photographs has changed in some aspects. I now plan out photographs physically instead of mentally so that I have a better idea of what to photograph. Also, by physically planning out my photoshoots, I can never forget an idea that I have and can also develop ideas further and I can mentally. The way I physically take photographs hasn't changed however. I believe that I can compose images in great succession as I do look out for imperfections within the frame before shooting the image. This helps me improve the images as a whole as there would be minimal distractions and the images look more professional as there is nothing out of place within the photograph.

During the projects, I have branched out and experimented by doing things in photoshoots that I wouldn't usually do. For example: I didn't particularly like using studios when shooting photos. However, this changed when I experimented in the studio after my tutor heavily advised the use of the studio for the Tone and Form projects. I also felt that photography should be electronic now that DSLR cameras are now primarily used by photographers. When experimenting why creating physical images however, I liked the outcome of the physical images more than I did than some of the photographs taken and edited electronically. This has taught me to experiment with many different types of photography and to not single out anything when coming up with ideas for projects.

After completing all of the different projects assigned, I see my work edging towards a certain type of photography. The work that I most enjoyed is the type of work that I feel I was most successful in. This will influence my choice of photography work that I will pursue in the future. Documentary and photography with deep moral and social meanings is the type of photography that I see my work edging towards. I also enjoy surreal art so I feel like my work in the future will be a combination of surrealism and documentary photography.

Throughout Component 1 I feel like I have been more successful in some projects than others. I feel like I was most successful in the Documentary and Physical Images projects for many reasons. One of these reasons was that more time was spent into planning the photoshoots and there was also a story created behind the images. Other projects were more difficult to create a story and therefore these projects, such as colour, were less successful. The Joiners project was, I believe, my most unsuccessful project. The reasons for this are because of the amount of time I had to complete the workload. This project required a lot of editing and I therefore found myself getting stressed because of the limited time I had to complete the images. I feel like this effected the quality of the final edits and is therefore my most unsuccessful project.

Overall, I feel like I have learnt a lot more about Photography that I have in GCSE and now know what type of photography I will pursue in the future.

Connecting Essay - Richard Avedon

Richard Avedon's Work
Richard Avedon's work is centred around portraiture. He photographs celebrities and used different types of body language and facial expressions to exert a certain level of power on the audience.

This portrait of power shows a former governor of California; Ronald Reagan. The way he is photographed allows him to exert a level of power over the audience. Also, when combined with the context of who the person is, an even higher level of power is portrayed.

The image is in black and white and was shot in a studio with artificial lighting. The image was composed so that the model's waist up was in frame. The model fills up a majority of the space in frame.
My Work
To take this image I took inspiration from Avedon's work and altered it so that it had a personal twist to the image.

This image does not exert as much over over the audience as Avedon's does and this may be because of the context of both images. The model is a student simply smiling into the camera. This body language seems very relaxed as his hands are behind his back. This doesn't exert as much power as it could exert. A low level of power is portrayed because of the context and the composition.

This image is in colour and was shot in a studio with artificial lighting. The model fills up a majority of the frame.

How They Link
These two images link in a multitude of ways. The first way is the way that it is composed. By looking at the image it is obvious that they look similar despite their colour difference - They both contain a male figure and are both shot from the waist up. There is also a plain background on both images. Furthermore, the way that both of these images were taken was the same. They were taken in a studio with artificial light boxes poised onto the subject. Finally, they both exert power. Even though the level of power is different in both images, there is still a level of power within them.

Connecting Essay - David Hockney

David Hockney's Work
David Hockney is best known for his work with Joiners. This piece of art is a combination of photographs taken of a single person. The photographs are of different body parts that have been combined to create one image of that said person. This particular image is of an old lady.








My Work
This image was created during the Joiner project. To create this image I used the same method and followed Hockney's work. I took a lot of pictures of the different body parts of one person and then compiled them all together into one image. The image wasn't perfect as Hockney's work was also not perfect.










How They Link
Both of the images were created in the same style - A bunch of images were taken and connected through overlapping images to create one large image. Both images are not connected perfectly.

Connecting Essay - Thomas Ruff

Thomas Ruff's Work
This first image of Thomas Ruff's work is from his Portraiture projects. He wanted to take people's portraits in the style of passport images. This shows the models in their natural state, no editing on their faces and they are also not posed. There is a bright coloured background and a female within frame. The model has been shot from the chest up and her facial expression is blank - she is staring into the camera's lens. These images were taken in a studio.






My Work
My version of this image has many similarities. The image was a part of the portraiture project where we had to take portraits in different environments. This image has a vibrant coral coloured background and has a female model in frame. She has been shot from the chest up and she has a blank facial expression looking into the camera's lens. This image was taken in a studio with lights surrounding the subject.






How They Link
Both of these images link in a verity of different ways - both the visual aspects and the way the image was taken are very similar. The backgrounds are both vibrant which allows the model to stand out to the audience. The models both have blank facial expressions and are looking straight into the camera. The angle at which they were shot at is very similar and the fact that a studio was used to take the images. There is also a female model within both images.

Connecting Essay - Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams' Work
Ansel Adams work is based upon landscapes. All of his work is taken with a very wide depth of field so that all of the image is in focus. This particular image is of a large forest area that has a river running through and mountains in the distance. All of this image can be seen clearly: there is no blur within the image.




My Work
My image was taken with Ansel Adams' work in mind. This image is of a large housing estate with a tower of flats placed in the far right of the image. Furthermore, the sky in this image is dominant over the ground landscape. The majority of the image is in focus therefore there is minimal blur.



How They Link
There are not many ways that these two particular images link. However the way that they were taken are almost the same. Both of the cameras used to take these images were at a wide depth of field. I took my image at a F/stop of 22. Ansel Adams' work was taken at a similar F/Stop. This allowed us both to put almost all of the image in focus with minimal blurring. Both of the images were also taken from a high point of view. I took my image whilst standing on top of a large building looking down upon the landscape. Ansel Adams also took his image from a high point of view. This allowed us to put a large majority of the landscape into focus. Despite the similarities, there is also a few differences. Adams' image is in black and white and mine is in colour. You can also see more of the ground in Adams' work where as you can see more of the sky in mine.

Connecting Essay - Barbra Kruger

Barbra Kruger's Work

This image is one of Kruger's most popular images. It shows a simply a woman's face. One half is black and white and the other half also black and white but the colours have been reversed. The image is captioned with "Your body is a battleground". This was a poster created to fight for women's rights to choose in the late 1980's. The image itself is very powerful as it shows a woman with two different appearances which emphasizes the connotation of having the right to choose.

My Work

This image is from the physical images project. The image shows half of a woman's face and neck. There is a tape measure around her neck. My image is also captioned with the quote "Your body is a battleground" However, I used the quote differently. It was not intended to express women's right to choose but instead, their representation within the media. 

How They Link

Both of these images link in a multitude of ways. The first clear link is the caption used; even though they have been used to represent different things, the caption is the same. Another way that these images link is the way that they were created. They were both made with physical materials and  both bare a similar visual element. There is a red strip with white text on them; the font is also the same. Finally, they both link with their connotations as they are used to represent a feminist view. These connotations are about how women are treated within society: Unequally. I believe that I've created a successful image in the form of Kruger's work because of all of these similarities that the images have.

Research Note - Lee Friedlander

Lee Friedlander
HISTORY/BIOGRAPHY - (https://fraenkelgallery.com/artists/lee-friedlander)
Lee Friedlander, born in 1934, began photographing the American social landscape in
1948. With an ability to organize a vast amount of visual information in dynamic compositions,

Friedlander has made humorous and poignant images among the chaos of city life, dense landscape

and countless other subjects. Friedlander is also recognized for a group of self-portraits he began in

the 1960s, reproduced in Self Portrait, an exploration that he turned to again in the late 1990s, and

published in a monograph by Fraenkel Gallery in 2000. Friedlander’s work was included in the

highly influential 1967 New Documents exhibition, curated by John Szarkowski at the Museum of

Modern Art. Included among the many monographs designed and published by Friedlander himself

are: "Sticks and Stones, Lee Friedlander: Photographs, Letters From the People, Apples and Olives,

Cherry Blossom Time in Japan, Family, and At Work." In 2005, Friedlander was the recipient of the

prestigious Hasselblad Award as well as the subject of a major traveling retrospective and catalog

organized by the Museum of Modern Art. In 2010, the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

exhibited the entirety of his body of work,

Friedlander's Work

Friedlander's work consisted of a large range of photographs that featured random, everyday people living their domestic lives. He documented everyday life. Within all of the images he featured himself physically in one way. His images were a form of self portraiture because of this.

This first image shows a woman walking out of a building with reflective walls. Through the reflections you can see Friedlander
taking the photo. Within this image, you can see everyday life occurring and also the photographer within. The photographer's face however is hidden by the camera.

         This next image is simply of a glass wall and a set of doors. Again you can see the reflections of Lee Friedlander within the glass. This is how he featured himself within this image. His face is covered by a white rectangle however. I think this is a poster that has been placed on the glass. Even though Friedlander is in all of his images in some way, his face is not featured in any of them. 

         This final image shows a man looking out of frame. His shadow is on the wall and the reflection of the camera is also. Even though Lee isn't in the image physically, the camera is. The camera represents Friedlander and is a metaphor for him being in the image.

Research Note - Corinne Day

Corinne Day - http://www.corinneday.co.uk
HISTORY - She was born Feb 19, 1962 and Died in 2010 on August 27th from a drug overdose. Corinne Day grew up in Ickenham with her younger brother and her grandparents. She left school aged sixteen and worked as an assistant in a local bank. After a year at the bank she became an international mail courier. It was during this period that someone suggested she try modelling – she worked consistently as a catalogue model for several years. In 1985 she met Mark Szaszy on a train in Tokyo – Szaszy was a male model and had a keen interest in film and photography. During an extended trip to Hong Kong and Thailand, Szaszy taught Day how to use a camera and in 1987 they moved to Milan. It was in Milan that Day's career as a fashion photographer started. Having produced photographs of Szaszy and her friends for their modelling portfolios, Day began approaching magazines for work.

BIOGRAPHY (Found on her Website) - Corinne Day is a British photographer whose influence on the style and perception of photography in the early 1990s has been immense. As a self taught photographer, Day brought a more hard edged documentary look to fashion image making, in which she often included biographical elements. Day is known for forming long and close relationships with many of her sitters (most famously Kate Moss), which have resulted in candid and intimate portraits. The most notable of these being the photographs of Moss in the 3rd Summer of Love editorial for the FACE magazine in 1990. Days approach as illustrated within the lifestyle and fashion magazines of the 1990s, came to be known as grunge and grew into an international style.
In 1993 Day photographed Kate Moss in her own flat for British Vogue. In the context of a fashion magazine the images appear to have a documentary feel about them and when published caused a certain frisson of discomfort. 
For the following seven years Day spent much of her personal time taking photographs for her first book, Diary (Kruse Verlag, 2000), an intensely personal visual record of her life and friends. It is by turns both bleak and dispearing but it is also a tender, poetic and honest chronicle of young lives. 
Corinne Day continues to take photographs for fashion magazines. She is regularly commissioned by British, Italian and Japanese Vogue. Days work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Modern, Saatchi Gallery, The Science Museum, The design Museum, Photographers Gallery, Gimpel Fils London and included in The Andy Warhol exhibition at the Whitney Museum NY.

Kate Moss
Day decided to photograph Kate Moss, a famous beauty model who work for a range of companies. She even has her own line of lipsticks with Rimmel London.
This image is very powerful with the connotations associated. We see a celebrity known as Kate Moss in minimal clothing surrounded by lights. The connotations of this image say that the celebrity is constantly in the spotlight and can't escape from it. This image brings to perspective how the celebrity may feel; Trapped and unable to escape from the fame. This image may bring a reality to the audience about fame and that it isn't all positive. 






This next image is again of younger Kate Moss. She is shirtless and has a happy facial expression. This image is a very strong and meaningful image as to the media, it could be classed as inappropriate because it features a shirtless woman. I believe that Day is trying to express the ideas os gender roles and stereotyping within this image. Usually a woman can't be seen shirtless in public is seen as morally wrong. However, men can be. Therefore this image is challenging this moral and promoting gender equality.





This final image is an image of nine different images that portray different facial expressions. Audience members could interpret these facial expressions in different ways. I believe that this image was created throughout a conversation with Kate moss. Her face was captured at nine different moments and this created a range of different facial expressions and emotions throughout a conversation. It's an image that simply tells a story.

Research Note - Barbara Kruger

Barbara Kruger

BIOGRAPHY / HISTORY - (http://www.barbarakruger.com/biography.shtml) 
Barbara Kruger was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1945. After attending Syracuse University, the School of Visual Arts, and studying art and design with Diane Arbus at Parson’s School of Design in New York, Kruger obtained a design job at Condé Nast Publications. Working for Mademoiselle Magazine, she was quickly promoted to head designer. Later, she worked as a graphic designer, art director, and picture editor in the art departments at House and Garden, Aperture, and other publications. This background in design is evident in the work for which she is now internationally renowned. She layers found photographs from existing sources with pithy and aggressive text that involves the viewer in the struggle for power and control that her captions speak to. In their trademark black letters against a slash of red background, some of her instantly recognizable slogans read “I shop therefore I am,” and “Your body is a battleground." Much of her text questions the viewer about feminism, classicism, consumerism, and individual autonomy and desire, although her black-and-white images are culled from the mainstream magazines that sell the very ideas she is disputing. As well as appearing in museums and galleries worldwide, Kruger’s work has appeared on billboards, buscards, posters, a public park, a train station platform in Strasbourg, France, and in other public commissions. She has taught at the California Institute of Art, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the University of California, Berkeley. She lives in New York and Los Angeles.

Advertising Image Manipulation

Barbra Kruger was a feminist who took images that already existed and manipulated them by adding quotes she made to portray a powerful message. This first image is of a powerful, evil leader with the text; "If you don't controll you mind someone else will" This message is very powerful to audience members who have a shared knowledge of the Nazi leader. He was believed to use mind control to have his way. He also manipulated many people. With this in mind, the message she portrayed holds more meaning and power when partnered with this leader. Kruger is telling people to be their own person and believe what you believe because you believe it, not because others who are famous do.

This second image is of a young, pretty girl looking into a mirror. The image is partnered with the quote "Who's the fairest of them all" which is from a well known fairy tale: Snow White. This phrase is all about beauty and how females in particular should look. The quote stemmed from the evil queen who wanted to be the fairest of them all but couldn't because someone else was prettier than her. This made her fill with envy and made her try to kill Snow White in order to be the prettiest. This shows the battle that women have with the media and how they are pressured to look a certain way that is acceptable for the media. The quote also shows how women are obsessed with beauty and will do anything to be beautiful and be accepted by the media. The quote also reminds us of the story which shows the audience how dangerous it is to envy over others and to not love yourself for who you are. The image itself doesn't say as much as the quote does and therefore the quote is the focal point of this art. 

This final image is another feminist view much like the previous image. Instead of focusing on women however, this branches over all genders. This image is very powerful compared to the previous image in my opinion. This image is telling the audience that everyone should be equal and that gender stereotypes are only there because the media is catagorising people. This image is encouraging everyone to be themselves with the male half natural and half made up in make up.

Research Note - George Logan

George Logan

BIOGRAPHY/ HISTORY

George Logan Images

George Logan is a surrealist artist who creates images that teaches the audience lessons and also shows us things that we may not realise on a day to day basis. This first image is very simple yet also very powerful. It is of a flower breaking through into a man made modern city. The connotations of this image are very powerful. It shows the power of nature and also brings the audience to realise what we, as a society, think is important. The beauty of nature is being hidden by ugly, industrial buildings. The image shows how society feels that having big cities and industrial buildings are more important than having nature visible. The flower is breaking through the man-made object which shows the power of nature and that no matter how hard we try to conceal it, it will grow back. The only bright colours within the image are the natural things that man hasn't created. This shows the photographer's feelings towards the battle of nature vs. industrial. The bright colours also bring joy to the image where as the dull grey colours bring despair. 

This next image is of a father and a son simply shopping. It seems like they are living their normal lives. However, the use of the phone adds an aspect of framing to the image and the frame shows a connotation to the image. This connotation shows the young boy in a race car. The connotation could be pointing out a dream of the young boy or even for the parent. The trolly is a metaphor for the race car. This whole image shows the two people living their normal lives but making fun of it. There could be a hidden meaning to the image. One that tells the audience to not take life too seriously and to have fun along the way. Or even that dreams are made possible through the simplest of things.

This final image shows a young lady photographing wildlife in the distance. The wildlife is very small however and this is where the connotations erupt from. The small size of the normally large animals and trees puts photography itself into perspective and how you can capture a large moment or area and make it such a small size that it can fit into your hand. I believe the artist is using surrealism to portray this image within his work.