Final evaluation

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. In the future I will definitely carry on using make up artists and stylists when shooting as the quality of my images prove to be much better when working in a bigger team.