At the start of the
project I knew my concept but was ensure of how to express it to my audience.
Having researched different ways in which architecture and fashion are related
I knew that I had to show this idea through the shape and form of the clothing.
Initially I photographed
two separate designs by students that seemed appropriate for my project. Looking
back at the shoots afterwards I realised that the quality of the images were
not that great and my concept was not recognisable through the way in which I
had photographed the images.
I thought about ways in
which I could develop my shoots and decided that I would highlight the shapes
by including elements of colour related to that of the clothing.
To develop my concept
further, I chose to photograph five different fashion graduate collections that
showed elements of shape within their design. The collections were chosen based
on their colour and designs. Each shoot followed the same lighting set up to
keep consistency.
The first shoot was a
learning curve as it was the first in the series. Working with a big team was
extremely helpful as it meant there were more people able to help out on set. I
was also specifically focused on my role as the photographer and did not have
to worry about little things like adjusting the garments.
A number of different practitioners were looked at for research including fashion designers such as Craig McDean to gain inspiration for poses. My images reflect the clear influence Craig McDeans designs had on my work as I have taken into account the way he has portrayed symmetrical elements and attempted to show this in my own work. Furthermore, architects like The Bechers and Charles Sheeler have inspired my work by Sheeler’s geometric shapes and the Bechers repetitive elements.
Initially I was shooting
with two soft boxes but went on to experiment with using one large octobox. The
results from using this lighting set up were much better quality, as the light
was placed directly in front of the model and so produced no shadows.
Another positive element
from this module was the success of using more professional models. Having a
model with experience made the whole process a lot smoother and more
successful. Furthermore, using male models was something I had not done before
this project and so helped to build my portfolio with a diverse range of
images.
There were some slight
problems regarding lighting during my second shoot. A shadow was created by the
background so in order to overcome this I had to lay down a second colourama
which in the end helped to add to my concept of shape and layering.
Moreover,
Photoshop was used for the majority of my editing, as I feel comfortable and
confident with this
software. To develop from my previous images, I experimented with
adding layers and merging multiple images using what I had learnt from Jennies
retouching workshop and numerous YouTube tutorials. I also learnt some new
software during this module including Adobe Bridge and Adobe Lightroom. On
Lightroom I was able to apply the same editing settings to multiple images to
ensure consistency through the series. Using bridge, I was able to add metadata
to my images, batch rename a shoot and create contact sheets.
I encountered numerous
problems during this module mostly occurred during printing. For starters, when
printing my images at a1 size full bleed they came out very pixelated as the
files were not high enough quality. Although this could have been suitable for
my style I explored other possibilities for printing I thought about how I
could re print this image.
It was a possibility to
have my prints at a3 size but I wanted to have some photos bigger to show off
the size of the garments and attract my audience. I wanted the photos to be eye
catching from an initial glance. These photos also looked better printed large
as they show off the garments to the full extent unlike the smaller prints of
the close up, abstract clothing.
Unfortunately, one of the shoots did not go to plan as the model was very inexperienced, uncomfortable and quite difficult to direct. I was not pleased with the outcome of the images so I decided that in order to get the best quality I would need to reshoot the garments with a new model. Thankfully the second time around the model I chose was a lot more experienced and the quality of images were a lot better. Technically I knew exactly how to achieve the images I wanted as I had already had a ‘practice shoot’.
Another way in which I
emphasised my theme of shape and structure was through the framing of my
prints. Due to a technicality problem I had to change the size of my prints. I
ended up having an a1 print with a thick white border, a mount and then a
frame. Having this gradual breakdown of layers and lines emphasised the concept
I was trying to show.
I learnt all about
resizing images and the technicality behind printing including settings such as
Adobe RGB 1998.
Another problem which
occurred during this project was the printing of my look book. As I ordered the
book online I was not able to receive any test prints. The book arrived and the
colours were completely wrong. I was really concerned as to how I was going to
get the book reprinted in time. I learnt from this to leave a period of time
between ordering products online and the deadline. If I would have ordered the
book earlier I would have been able to rectify the issue. However, I managed to
go to a different printing company and get the book reprinted correctly.
Overall, I think I have created a unique recognisable
style which a coherent set of images that is suitable for my target audience.
