Kristin Seymour
Project 1
Self-Assessment
For
this project the goal was to create artwork based on alternative input. I chose
to experiment with existing light at night and how the camera can catch the
range of colors and movements in the dark. I created two series of three
photographs each. My central theme was to explore how the lights at night
create a wide range of colors. My overall theme and goal of most of my recent
photography is to show what the eye cannot see. The camera has the great
ability to freeze, overlap and experiment with time.
Before
this project, I had never truly worked at night. I have always liked how night
photographs look and how detailed and abstract they can be but I have never
done my own photo session while in the dark. My inspiration came from Kevin
Fleming and his son. Both have mastered night photography and sell these images
in their gallery. The main image I was trying to create was using a method to
capture star trails. Also, I wanted to try painting with light (illuminating an
object in the foreground with a flashlight). I started my experimental process
by first researching methods, and the proper settings for night photography. I
found that I needed a tripod and recommended a remote shutter release. This way
there was no movement of the camera, which would mess up the photos. I went out
and bought both. Also, through hours of research I found that I needed to find
not only the bulb setting on my camera but that I also had to alter the white
balance among other settings.
I
set out the first night not really having a set goal. I wanted to try painting
with light and also star trails. Well, this night there were no stars, only
lightning. So I tried to photograph the lightning and pretty much failed. I
then captured a few interesting images of the light within the
waterfall/fountain near Good Pastor. I also experimented with placing myself
within the images. I finally finished the night with a few images of cars going
by on campus. Once I got home I decided the car images were the most compelling
and goal oriented, and this was the path I began to follow. The second night of
experimenting I headed strait for the road. First beginning by admissions
facing the greens. I recorded through multiple slow shutter speeds the cars
coming up the hill and over the first speed bump on college drive. This
beginning shoot helped me determine the right shutter speed and other settings.
I then progressed to route five and shot many photos of the cars driving on the
road perpendicular to the camera. These images created a panorama style with
the car lights painting the scenery. I placed myself within the images also and
they turned out very nicely in my opinion. The idea was decided in class, to
try and create panoramas from the shots, but I determined that it would not match
up correctly and the images were stronger by themselves, not stitched together.
I finally tried to paint with light. As I walked past Cobb house I realized it
looked eerie and slightly haunted. I got the idea to use the flashlight to
create a ghost-like trail up to the front door. In the end, the panorama style
images won out and I chose to experiment further with this style.
For
my final shoot I headed strait for Route Five, I knew what I wanted to capture.
I captured multiple images of the road running horizontally in front of the
lens, I took photographs in each location at least twice, once normally and
then next with me in the image. Each shutter speed was over a minute long and
took a lot of patience. Sometimes I would set the camera up and release the
shutter, walk across the road to place myself within the image, then no car
would go by, so I would not get the light I was striving for. Sometimes the
light that cars made turned out very appealing and other times it lacked the
right element I wanted. I ended the night with taking photos on top of the hill
by Queen Anne Hall. I faced the camera toward the road and docks. It was here
that I captured the remaining four images that I used, the large image with the
two panoramas and all three of the second series. I created the second series
of square images by using a blown glass blown over the lens. I then moved the
bowl in and out like a lens would move in and out to focus. This is how the
streaks of light that appear tunnel-like were created. I chose to format these
images into squares because I wanted our eyes to move down the lights like a
tunnel. I wanted the movement within my images to be constant. Also, within
this series the large image was the closest in panning out to the last images
being the widest angle. In the first series was displayed in that manner to
show the streak of car lights the best as well as the set up being
aesthetically appealing.
My
work habits, I believe have gotten better over the years and with each class. I
spread out my work well and did not procrastinate at all. I shot three times
with a decant amount of time in between to asses the images I took. I also
researched extensively first, which I have never done before. I also researched
further before my last shoot, to make sure I took the best images I could. I
think that I also stepped out of the box on this one by not only experimenting
with night shots but by also not pushing things too far. I think one down fall
in the past, was I tried too hard. I put too much effort into something that
just flopped in the end. I took this project slow and though every detail out
before finalizing it. I also stepped out of the box as to how I presented the
images. Squares are slightly odd and even questionable at first but in the end
I think they worked out very well. The panorama style was also a new way of
presentation for me and I like the end result of these too.
If
I were a viewer I would be immediately drawn into these images because of the colors
and odd presentation style. The shapes are odd as well as the colors in
comparison to the dark backgrounds. The
colors are so rich and vivid creating sunburst and firework-like images. I
would probably then after looking at the first series of panoramas and large
image, would realize that in the panoramas there was a person. I would wonder
why there was a person in the images and why they were on the road. Also, even
though it appears as the same person, they are in different clothes so it may
not be the same person. The first series would raise questions for me, and as
an artist that was one of my main goals. Then I would progress to the second
series of square images and of course look at the large one first, then move
onto the second and third. I would recognize a lot of the same colors but also
new vivid colors like orange. I would probably realize that both series were at
night, both created by existing light but I would wonder about the second
series. How was it made? Why all the lines and why three? Then I may realize
that the large one is the closest in then the last is the furthest out. My main
goal was not for the viewer to necessarily see the different framing and
proximity but to just ask questions about both series and to look further into each
image. I wanted the colors in the images to draw viewers in. If they were
hanging on a wall I would like to put a short description saying that each
image’s colors are close to raw. Those are the colors the camera captured at
night, true hue.
I
believe I deserve an A on this project because I took previous advice to keep
experimenting and to think through my projects more. I tried a photography
method I had never done before and researched beforehand. I did not go into
this project blind and I feel that I have improved a lot since this assignment
last year. What I fell short on last year I combatted this year. I stepped
outside of the box in experimenting while shooting as well as printing. I used
a different format with the panorama and square prints. Also my end result,
mounted to the black foam boards was very professional looking and thought
through. I am very pleased with my final images and personally think that they
are some of the best photographs and projects I have ever made.
No comments:
Post a Comment