Work Diary - Blurring

Evaluation:

In this shoot I set up a mask on a stool with a black background which did not work that well, as to show the blurring technique. To show the technique you need details in both foreground and background in order for the camera to blur. If you don't the image just looks like a bad case of camera shake. They way in which you do this is by having the exposure open for a period of time then from begin zoomed in you have to quickly zoom out which creates a blur coming from the centre of the image.

So this was my first attempt. It was interesting that the mask has eye holes and the zoom technique made it look like the eyes were closed. The camera was on a tripod with a two second exposure and I zoomed in while taking the picture.

Once I had taken the plain background away to reveal trees in the background the shot started to work much better.  See below. This was a 2 second exposure with the camera on a tripod and I zoomed throughout the exposure.  I did this in manual mode to give me control over aperture, speed and ISO.

Progression:

I re-visited this latter on in the day and experimented with the subject moving rather than me zooming and got this effects. To achieve this I had the camera with open with a longer shutter speed of two seconds. This allowed for the correct level of light to get to though the camera and create this blurred affect seen bellow. This blur is blur due to movement of the model which in some cases works very well and also creates an interesting affect.

Here we see I have got the model to violently shake their head and the light captured by the camera has made it so we can see two positions of the head clearly allowing for one of them to look calm and peaceful looking to the left and the other face looking violent and demonic facing towards the camera.

This image was of more of the body. This allowed for there to be less control over the face because we can see less of it. Here the image isn't as strong as the above but it still works to show blur in an image.

Technique Page - Blurring

The Blurring technique is one that can give really good and dynamic effects. It works best when there is a mixture of still subject matter in relation to the camera and movement in the same shot.

For example if I was to set up the camera on the dash of my car so that you can see perhaps the window frame and bonnet of the car and then the road in front and I was parked by the side of the road. I would then set the camera to a slow shutter speed like 1"4th second.  If I then photographed the traffic driving past I would see the blur of the traffic through the still of the car.

I took this image at home with the camera on a tripod. In manual mode with a 2 second shutter speed and ISO 100. Then while clicking the shutter I zoomed in.

Technique Page - Multiple Flash

Multiple flash is where you use the flash multiple times on a long exposure to capture the model in different possessions in the image.

The starting point of this is first getting a really dark room with a black background. Then you set up the flash so you can shoot the flash with a remote. You then explain to the model that you want them to do, then start to flash the camera at each required interval.

The aim is to get multiple images of the same person doing different movements but all on the same photo.

This image is one of the images from my multiple flash where we have the model with their arms in separate places to make it seem like they have 6 arms. The main issue with it was there were multiple faces in separate places which made it look out of focus. The model was in the middle of the photo so both flashes hit the model at the centre of the photo.

Work Diary - Shoot 2

Evaluation:
During this shoot I went to an abandoned military ammunition storage fort called North Weald Redoubt which was flooded. For most of the photos I decided to use a flash on the camera which worked well because it illuminated the dark rooms in which ammunition and transport trucks and cars where kept. Most of these areas where heavily flooded because they were underground and the sewer system was not working. This created lots of good photos for when I plan to overlay the images from shoot 1 on to some of these images. The images I have chosen to show are not the ones I plan to use for the superimposing of shoot 1 because they won't work. Although the images I have chosen to show are images that and strong in just stand alone images. Even though they aren't horror images they do show the abandonment of the building and they also show the decay and ruin of a building that has been left alone for a long period of time.

I decided to do this image at an angle because it creates a more dramatic effect. Also this images would be perfect of having someone superimposed on to it because I could have someone for example walking across behind the broken window frame. Even though this is full of colour and is fairly vibrant, I have changed the saturation of the image and boosted the magenta it creates an interesting affect on the image. The above shot was taken on a Canon MK3 using on camera flash pointed up slightly. The exposure was 1/200th second at f7.1  ISO800.

I liked this shot as it felt ideal for use in a montage at a later stage. This image has little editing as I prefer to do all my editing and montage work when I combine images. I believe that it would create a greater affect on the image itself.
Shot at 160th Second at f5.6b ISO800 with no flash. Just using the ambient lighting on the day.

Progression:
For my next shoot I am going to shoot at a graveyard it is going to be a combination of images that I would like to have superimposed and some photos in which I would like to have as a just stand alone image. For the superimposed images I would like to try and get the images bellow because I find them to be interesting and I think that they would be very effective.

In this image we see an example of something I would like to get as one of the possible stand alone images which can also be used as a superimposed image background. What I find intriguing about this image is that there is a fresh layer of snow on the ground which is then highlighted by being in black and white. I think that I will change most of my images into black and white for two reasons. The first being by having both images in black and white this allows the blending of the two photos to become easier. The second reason is it complements the photos of both the graveyard and the model in their costume.

Here we see a rather basic example of a model being superimposed onto a background.  This isn't the kind of image I am going to try and achieve but it is along the same line as this.

Work Diary - Shoot 1

Evaluation:
This was my first shoot that is related to my personal project, that being horror. For the initial section of it I have decided to have a bit of fantasy within the shoot. This is because by allowing this I could then experiment with costumes and different types of ways to take photos. The main object of this shoot was to explore different ways in which I could use lighting to add to the affect of the photos. the main affect the lighting had on the photos was it added and defined a lot of the shadows that would have been hidden from the basic lights I had. For this shoot I used a snook and for most of the shoot I kept in under the camera facing swards my face. This then lit up my face adding shadows to the mask and allowed for there to be lots of definition on the mask which I was aiming for. In some of the photos the light casted a shadow of myself on the background which created an interesting photo and allowed for there to be more detail on the background of the image. This created an interesting horror affect because  due to the costume it created a rather menacing effect. Most of the photos worked well in black and white because it made it look more like the person was emerging from the shadows of the photo due to the black suit and the black background. There were a few photos that worked well with colour because of the shadow on the background which I previously stated but the majority of the photos worked better in black and white. The photos below were shot in the studio in dark conditions using just a modeling light to set up the shot from the single Bowens Gemini GM500R studio flash.  This was placed low and to the front right as I wanted moody shadows. I used manual mode for all these shots and set the camera to 160th second at f4.0 The ISO was set to 100.

The main thing that worked well in this  photo was the shadow around the eye. This was because it makes the model look very menacing especially with the knife that is shrouded in the shows of the image. In this image I had the snook off the left of the camera because it created more intense shadows on the models right side shrouding the knife in a shadow which makes it seem concealed. One happy accident that happened during shoot was when I changed it to black and white I noticed that the eye had also become black with a with just the white of my eye able to see. This created an almost demonic feel to the photo allowing me to create an eerie atmosphere that shrouds the photo.

This was another photo in which I felt it looked better in black and white. Before I decided to do anymore editing on it the photo was fairly plain and basic. The only interesting point in the photo was the position of the hand and head and the reflection of the light on the clean white hair, but to get this most of the other facial features had very little shadow because the snook was directed more towards true face of the model. To fix the problem of the shadows I decide to go back into Photoshop and used the burn tool to try and create more shadow which it did but also in the process it made the models face and hands look like they were covered in black dirt. This then allowed for a contrast between the extreme white in section of the hair and the black grub on the hands. I think that this creates a very strong image because white is normally related to purity and cleanliness whereas to juxtapose this we have the black grubby hands of a murderer. This photo creates an interesting contrast between the two polar opposites and also shows the viewer that even the purist of things can become corrupted. The studio flash in this shot was moved to the left.

Progression:
For my next shoot I have decide to take photos of an abandoned building in which I will take photos of eerie places within the area of the building. For the shoot I would like to try and capture the atmosphere of the place and try to capture the essence of the building. I would also like to use a flash to make the area seem more lit up and I would also like to experiment with using an off camera flash because this creates interesting shadows from a separate perspective to the camera.

Here we see an example on not an off camera flags but an off camera light where most of the rest of the room is covered in shadows but there is a main central light in which highlights the wheel chair in the centre of the room. This is a prime example of something that I would like to tryout for one of my photos in my next shoot.

This photo is another example of an image that I would like to try and re-create. The fact that this area is flooded added s to the effect the image has and adds to the character of the area. I have a place in mind where I can actually take an image like this in which the area is abandoned and also is flooded like in the photo. So this is a prime example of the type of photo I could capture and would like to have in my next shoot.

Shoot 2 - Straight Images

Shoot 1 - Straight Images

Horror - Image Bank

A distorted and masked man with strong shadows as seen by the image on the wall leads the viewer to think there is something evil about the character.

It is the face that plays the most important part in horror images. Ripped skin, disfigures eyes looking right at you, mouldy teeth and dark lighting all add to make the image intimidating.

This is a famous image from Hellraiser. It is a still from the movie but the disturbing imagery of pins in the face is really what puts you off.  The shot its self is not special only the makeup.

A blind figure who sees through his hands. Distorted features and skin. Again anything abnormal from the standard face leaves the viewer spooked. The background here is dark and knocked out of focus there are no recognisable objects which adds to the photograph.

A mask made out of dead skin to hide the assailant. Shot on a white background with most of the face in shadow gives a menacing feel to this shot.

This freeze frame shot make the viewer look like they have caught the ghostly figure unaware and she is lashing out. The hand right in the foreground gives a depth to the image and this coupled with the monotone shades is very effective.

A gruesome torture scene again with very monotone lighting and one light source namely that from the torch of the woman. The figure looks decomposed like its been there for a long time. The angle of the shot adds to the effect of the image.

As I analyse each of my chosen pictures  there are overriding characteristics in each and every image. Distorted and dead looking skin, blood shot eyes corpse looking characteristics. 

Full-blown phobia of clowns (or coulrophobia). I don't know why clowns are scary. They just are. It might be that the mask just hides the real person. The above image with blood shot eyes and mouldy teeth take this to the extreme. In this shot the close up of just the face is all that is required.

The use of monotone and heavy contrast exaggerates any disfigurement in people. This image with its small depth of field leads the viewer to the face. 

This is almost too creative to be scary. Nicely lit, composed and shot, it just looks like fancy dress.

Horror images need an air of the believable to really work.

Again this is rather contrived. The girl looks too posed and styled so while this is a nice image I dont get a scary or threatening feeling from the shot.

Really well done makeup applied selectively looks like the skin has been cut and peeled away from the face. I really horrible image.

Really well done makeup applied selectively looks like the skin has been cut and peeled away from the face. I really horrible image.

In this image we see a depiction of  people wearing gas masks.  This is another form of horror  in which we have the World War II depiction of death.

In this image we have a rather pale woman in a graveyard wearing a black dress and fishnet stockings. She looks a lot like Morticia from the Addams Family. 

In this we see a rather joker lie image were the woman looks like she has removed part of her face and then put it on face like a mask like the joker in Batman.

In this image we see another probable image of death. This is because he has black hands and looks like he has killed a bird as well with the touch of death.

Here we see a girl holding rabbit while wearing a paper bag on their head.

A man with the heads of all of his killings from a single day of executions.

Here we see an image of a woman who has added makeup on her face to extend her face and add in razor sharp teeth. She kind of looks like a Leviathan from the T.V show supernatural.

An Angel that is half light and half dark undecided if its alliance is to Heaven or to Hell,

In this image we see a woman who has made it seem like she can unzip part of her face leaving the exposed muscle under it.

In this image we see what looks like an alien. This rather creepy image may not be an alien but it defiantly looks like some form of weird creepy horrific image.

This image shows a rather creepy image of a kid taking a scan of their face and getting an image of it. 

When I found this image the caption for it was "Lucifer comes in many forms not just that of a man". I like this because this image shows one of his forms in which most people think he looks like. A weird goat like creature.

What I like about this image is the skull projected over this guys face make it look like his skull is somehow  coming out of his head or he is shedding his skin.

In this image we have a recreation of a murder in which someone has been killed by people wearing rather strange looking clothing. This is either to hide their faces or because it is in America it could be some form of cult which a rather propionate during the time of this murder.

In this image here we see one of the many different depictions of  death incinerate coming to claim the life of someone under a tree. This may not be a photo but it still shows on of the very real element of horror and where horror and fear originated from. That being "Death". Death is known by many names across the world, to us we know him as the Grim Reaper but he has many names.