Still Life Evaluation

This project was dedicated to photographing Still Life; we had many different workshops introducing us to some of the different types of still life subgenres. We had to create a final photograph for each of the workshops and then further we also had to decide upon a series we could create; I chose to create a series of perfume bottle advertisements, as this would combine skills from many of the workshops I had attended such as styling the bottles and in the Product workshop I was introduced to a studio set up for photographing perfume bottles.

Our first workshop was the for Food, we had a studio demonstration which introduced us to photographing fruit, this helped me with this project because it made me spend more time carefully selecting the food I was going to be photographing. For my final photograph I chose to look at strawberries as I thought a close up of food would be more interesting than a meal; I created a high-speed photograph of the strawberry splashing into a bowl of strawberry milk. I think this image is successful however if I was reshooting this I change my lighting, as it appears flat.

The next workshop was Product work, being able to shoot products is very useful as there will always be available work in this genre. Our workshop was designed to get us thinking about some of the problems that would be encountered and I think that with the team I was working with we managed to solve the issues and we worked very creatively.  I photographed many different products for this workshop but I chose one of a row of CD’s as my final because I think the reflection in the glass is successful and because I felt it could be used in a catalog.

The Documentary workshop I struggled with because this is not my preferred shooting style and I prefer commercial. I chose to look at people’s jewellery boxes and the necklaces within them as everybody wears necklaces yet everybody wears different. My final image is a triptych of photographs showing the necklaces on a background of clothes that they could be worn with. It was required to work with only natural lighting for this project; I found this difficult to begin with because of the window reflections that could be seen on the necklace, however after rearranging the scene I managed to photograph them quite easily.

Vanitas was a workshop in which I worked with a team to create the final outcome, instead of using the two weeks photographing both times we used the first week to research into the painting, the symbolism behind it and organising our object responsibilities within the group. I think that our final piece was very successful in portraying a Vanitas style photograph because we understood the importance of the object that was being included. I very much enjoyed this genre and I am looking forward to continuing in this style with a commercial variation.

I am experienced using Photoshop so the Digital Montage workshop was a very enjoyable one. In this workshop I created three different advertisement style outcomes for three different canned drinks (Coca Cola, Fanta Orange and Coca Cola Cherry). I used photographs that I had taken as I felt unsure about taking photographs that belong to somebody else. However I did use some logo’s and small fruit photographs that were not mine. I think my strongest outcome is for Coca cola as I had taken more photographs of these cans because I was intending to use these for my Product workshop.

The second half of this brief I was photographing perfume bottles, I researched into the intended brand identity and the target audience for the perfumes; I then created a photograph that could be used on websites or billboards to advertise the perfume bottle. I did this so that I could change from the standard portrait orientation style works that are typically produced. Working with these bottles has inspired me to continue photographing in this style as I enjoyed it immensely and I think the skills that can be learnt are easily transferable onto other product works.

Overall I think that this project has been a success as I have learnt many new skills and I have found work I want to continue working in this style in future projects. I think over the course of this project I have developed more into my own style and that this has become noticeable and recognisable as my works. I am also feeling more confident with working in front and collaboratively with people although I do still struggle with some types of personalities. I did not run into any major problems during the course of this project and the only final outcome I do not feel is successful is the Food workshop.

If I was going to change anything in this project I think I would spend more time perfecting the Food outcome and perhaps try reshooting in the studio so that I can better control the lighting. Another point of change is the Documentary workshop as I neglected this slightly as I did not enjoy shooting in the style of documentary, I would take more time to develop my idea further and expand this workshop further in depth by taking more photographs out on location of peoples jewellery boxes.

I want to continue in the Commercial Pathway because I enjoy working in this style and creating works for “clients”. I feel that this series of work is my strongest outcome from the modules so far and I want to expand and develop my portfolio with similar series of works. I want to learn more skills that will help me succeed in the retouching industry and I feel that working commercially over the next year will give me more opportunities to practice and that experience will be valuable, furthermore I feel that the networking skills I can learn will also be very beneficial to me.