Project Title: Every Day (The Life of a Key Worker in the Pandemic)
My investigation combines the principles of Cinematography and Photography to build a narrative exploring the repetitive every day feeling through the national lockdowns.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic being a heavy influence in my work along with the entire country being locked inside their homes. I wanted to investigate every day life and show beauty in the mundane. I followed a key worker and used my developing cinematic style to create a 52-piece narrative titled “Every Day” to show the life of a key worker in the pandemic.
In my project, I explored various avenues within staged photography, exploring a range of photography techniques in attempt to bring awareness to the beauty of objects which we come across on a day-to-day basis.
After a broad range of experimentation, both using traditional and modern, digital techniques, I became heavily influenced by lighting techniques, the use of texture and elevation, in combination with the contemporary style of commercialised photography, using processes such as light painting and image stacking to produce visually engaging images of the highest quality results so that they can be appreciated in the fullest.
My three final outcomes combined a wide range of skills and styles carried forth from previous, successful developments, with the presence of water and wood helping to introduce a greater range of texture to the scene, both stylising it whilst making it more interesting to view, isolating the focus towards the beautiful subject, elevated in the scene.
Throughout my project I have explored the variety and diverse range of an overlooked group of organisms known as the insects. I have been able to show off the detail and microstructures of these insects via the use of extreme macro photography.
As the project developed, so did the quality and unique look of the images, influenced by exploration of different techniques and inspiration from other photographers.
The ability to show off the different structures and details of the insects progressed through the project until I created my final outcomes using thousands of images and a technique using image stacking. This was a series of images, three groups of three, depicting the head the full body and the insect’s finer details.
With the end of my time at Dudley Sixth Form I am now moving onto the University of Falmouth to complete a Marine and Natural History Photography course.
My personal investigation, titled ‘Solitude’, explored the multi-layered nature loneliness, and how we as people can either enjoy being within our own company, or we can suffer from being isolated and alone. Through a varied use of image techniques, and overall, two separate styles, I have been able to convey these different feelings to my audience.
I have used both studio and street photography to communicate these opposing sides of Solitude visually, by experimenting with clear, crisp and contrasted styles to represent the way in which people are happy being by themselves. On the other hand, my use of a murkier, darker approach helped me to convey the struggle that can come with being alone. The grainier the image, the more this idea of negativity was expressed, and the brighter and more contrasted the image, the more this sense of daily life and optimism was conveyed.
As I am finishing college, I am going pursue a career in Photography or the Digital Arts.
My project explores differing mental illnesses and their perception through abstraction and distortion, both from the perspective of people personally affected by mental conditions, and from an outsider’s perception of them. I predominantly experimented with overlaying semi-transparent photographs, projection depicting self-harm and utilising adjusting hues and oversaturation to make colours within the photos uncharacteristically vibrant. Through my heavily edited shoots I have expressed both the stigmatization of mental illness in the media and the effects these illnesses have on a perception’s of both themselves and the world around them.
My final pieces are replicative of how many mental illnesses are often overgeneralized into an amalgamation of symptoms, expressed through the collaged layering of many different dramatized edits.
I am going on to study Fine Art at Norwich University of the Arts.
Social media consumes us and affects our lives without us even realising. My project explores how these social media platforms impact young people’s identity. I used cyanotypes and digital editing in order to portray elements of a concealing and revealing nature as well as corruption of identity.
I used both manual and digital techniques throughout the project in order to understand what worked the most successfully in order to present the theme of identity. I then went onto produce six large scale cyanotypes in response to this concept and by having six outcomes this gave me an opportunity to highlight to broad scope of how many young people this affects.
I am going on to study fashion communication and promotion at Manchester Metropolitan University. I am aiming to utilise my photography skills in this course as it is an ongoing passion of mine.
Within my project I explored the theme of Artificial lighting. Using a wide variety of lighting techniques I explored the ability photographers have to dramatise their work focusing on portraiture and the application of colour. After exploring a range of techniques I refined the use of flash lighting and coloured gels in my work concluding with projections of my own manipulated images in order to respond to this concept.
Furthermore, I was intrigued to look more closely into the way artificial lighting can having drastic impacts on the aesthetic of an image, as well as the way different types of lighting can differ to each other when working with a model.
Within my project, I explored the concept of ‘Mental Health’ through digital manipulation and mixed media. Incorporating ideas predominantly from Edward Honaker and Rosanna Jones, I used a multitude of techniques to support my work. I was able to develop new ways to present the idea of struggle and everyday feelings of a person. Some of these include distortion through application of materials, blurring, fragments, paint and more.
The main focus of my project was to symbolise the importance of mental health, presenting an alternative and new perception of this concept. When deciding on a final piece, I chose to use multiple models to present this idea through paint. I took into consideration technique and colour to link to the idea of mental health along with working at a larger scale.
I am now going onto study History at the University of Chester.
My project explores the concept of identity, memories and age. I viewed how one’s younger self could still shine through besides their aged exterior and physical appearance – and what is deemed to be their ‘golden point’ in life.
I researched into the history of gold in art and its representation in religious art and how the viewer could interpret its meaning in various ways. I also looked at the development of childhood drawings and how the development of children’s artwork can reflect their own personal experiences hence being a visual representation of their identity.
My intent was to explore highly detailed portraiture with multiple layers of mixed media – which this mainly consisted of watercolour, coloured pencil, fine liner and gouache to further reflect to layers to ones identity and personality.
My art project explores human perception of animals and how these different attitudes inform the relationships we have with them.
This theme has given me great scope to explore different strands in my project varying from companionship with owners to the horrendous meat markets in China. I have also looked into how culture and religion can elevate certain animal’s status as gods, such as the elephant god Ganesha.
Within this project i have been able to depict different atmosphere to reflect the mood of the piece. This was heavily influenced by my research into shock art and the work of Jenny Savile who highlights real life pain and struggle in an impactful and realistic manner.
By using a final series i was able to finalise the different strands of my project whilst being able to highlight the vast contrast in the way we view animals and how our views can be moulded and altered.
