Documentary Straight Images

Concept for Documentary
I have decided that I will photograph two different people within the same environment but expressing different emotions and struggles within their lives. I will experiment with different environments to show the emotions that I am trying to portray however I am unsure if I will use these images in the final edits.

Top Images

These images all show the same thing within the connotations and denotations. I experimented with different camera angles and I also moved the light around to cast shadows in different areas of the room. The denotations are of a girl sitting on the end of a bed in what looks to be a rundown bedroom. The walls are broken, it is hardly decorated and the lighting is very dark and dismal. There are many connotations within this image and the image can be interpreted in different ways depending on the audience's imagination. I intended the connotations to be as follows; As I want to portray emotions and illnesses within my work, I intended this image to show a form of loneliness and ridicule. With her back to the camera she is almost distancing herself from the audience. The dark lighting combined with the posture and the locations all express the deep emotions of the character within the image. The broken and undecorated walls also show her emotions and how she is slowly crumbling as a person. 

These next two images both show the same character as before in the same room. However, she is in a different position and the lighting has been repositioned.

We can see that the female is laying down on a bed in a position that almost covers her body parts. These two images were intended to show that females are sexualised within the media and how some women feel when seeing images of females that have 'perfect bodies.' I asked the model to cover her chest and also cross her legs to show that women aren't sexualised objects. I chose the lighting to be dark to add to the depressive atmosphere and to also emphasise the emotions that I want to portray within this project. The lighting helps emphasise the connotations of the image. The connotations of these images are that females are effected by how the media portrays the female sex. The model is in a state of depression as the result of the media's representation.


This image shows the same model as before however this time we see her face. Her facial expressions looks upset and her eyes are watering. Her hair is messy and half of her face is covered due to the lights position. The connotations of this image are that the young girl is simply upset. The way that she is looking into the camera addresses the audience directly and almost mass us sympathise with her as she looks like she is asking for help without saying anything at all. Her messy hair shows how she doesn't care how she looks and that she is truly in need of help. It also covers a part of her face. The lighting casts shadows on a part of her face covering half of it up. This brings focus on her eye and facial expression which allows the message that I am trying to portray get across to the audience easier as this is the focal point of the image.


This next image is also showing the same girl however this time we see makeup over her face that looks like it has been smeared. The lighting is now centred onto her face so that the whole of her face is brightly lit. Half of her hair is covering her face like the light is from the previous image and her makeup represents her emotions. The connotations of this image, because of the makeup, are that the female represented is in deep pain and distress.


Separate Story
With this story I wanted to primarily focus on appearance as the moral issue. I did this by using a few props and different ways of photographing images to portray the emotions of the character.


This image shows a different model. The location however is the same but I photographed using different angles so that the room looks different.

The denotations of this image are a woman's lower face and neck with dark frizzy hair. She has a tape measure wrapped around her neck tightly. There are many connotations to this image. I wanted to portray how women are represented within the media with a range of images so I used a tape measure to represent the struggles of weight with women in the media. Because there is such a push for women to look a certain way I thought it would be a good idea to represent the feelings and thoughts of certain women in society who see this within the media and are effected mentally and physically. The tape measure is a metaphor for suicide as the tape measure is meant to represent a noose. "The Perfect way or No way"

This next image shows the same model as before covering her facd with her eyes. I asked the model to move her hands quickly away from her face within a second of the camera shooting the image. I was on a shutter speed of one second so this made the image look ethereal and ghost like with the faded hands covering her face. There are many connotations to this image. I wanted to show a woman hiding behind a shield to cover the way she looks as the character is very insecure. However, people can still see through the mask. The hands are only a temporary solution.

This next image is very simple but powerful. It shows a woman looking into a mirror at herself whilst holding a lipstick. The lighting is very dull and only a part of her face is showing. There are many ways to interpret this image, much like all of the previous images, however I intended it to portray another form of mask like the previous image. Makeup is only a temporary mask to cover the way she looks.