project Commercial

When we first received the commercial projects i was so excited. I knew straight away what i wanted to do. I was first told about this project when i was on holiday through email. I was on the beach dreaming that my images were in the Vogue i was reading. This project was the perfect chance to show what i was capable to produce.

To fit the brief for Ian Shipley’s project, I will be creating six commercial images involving female and male possessions. I will be shooting four out of the six images of females. As I have mainly female accessories and items. Two out of the six images will be the males; I will be using my boyfriend’s items.

By the second week of this project being set i already had the studio booked, sketches, planned, props, models and even backup props and back up models.

My influence for this project was every season of Vogue but mainly the fashion photography Mario Testino who did a series for vogue called “a touch of pink.” I became obsessed when i researched Testino’s work.

The day of the studio shoot I turned up three hours early to get a car parking space next to the studio to help with the heavy props. All of the models were unable to make this certain day but this didn’t really bother me as I could work around it. When I finally got the black backdrop positioned it ripped right down the centre, so it was totally unusable.

I am usually good at improvising but this major set back really effected me. My first option would be to leave the photoshoot until the back drop can be replaced. My second option was to rethink a new idea and my third option would to carry on with the photoshoot but on a white background. Waiting for the replacement of the black back drop would be time consuming. I fell in love with my idea and I felt It would be incredibly proud of the final image, and using the white background was defiantly not an option as white wouldn’t give the dramatic effect I imagine in my head and also the white was incredibly dirty.

My whole idea was based on a black background, i feel using a black background would give a dramatic effect. In my head i could imagine the lighting just focusing on the subject and with the help of a black background the subject will stand out so much more. I love the atmosphere that a black background gives.

I was so annoyed and upset. It took me a week to get over what would have been an affective and beautiful image. I couldn’t think of an idea that would match or be as good as my last idea.

As time is running out I have decided to work with the title “Possessions.” This idea came from an argument involving me and my mum as she keeps borrowing my accessories, shoes and clothes without my promotion or she uses my possessions and doesn’t put them back where they belong.

I wasn’t really influenced by any photographer for this last minute idea. I just knew i had to do a series of images to pass the brief i was set, that was all that was important to me.

As i was shooting items in my room for this project, i thought the images looked a little basic. I needed some atmosphere and some edge to them. As i was editing i chose to use effects from my favourite era. I love the textures and contrast of old style photographs. I love the grain, the bold contrast between black and the white and sections in and out of focus. I then began to research old style photographs.

If i could do this project again i wouldn’t have let the black backdrop destroy my idea. I really didn’t see that disaster coming, i thought i had everything sorted. My tutors advised me that i could buy black material and use that, but researching how much material i needed and how much it would cost that advice was ridiculous! All i wanted was a simple black background and i couldn’t get that considering how much i pay to use the studio already. I love my vogue idea and i will be reshooting it again very soon for personal work.

I also wish that i let myself have more time to improvise and research more into my new idea. If i had a chance to do redo my new idea i would use film and gain more experience in the darkroom instead of editing them to the era effect.

Overall i am pleased of the outcome of my series of images. Every project and every photoshoot is a learning curve for me, sometime no one can prepare you for the little disasters. I just have to work with them and change the idea in my head slightly instead of giving up altogether.