The Commission - Seminar 1 - Analysis of three images

This photograph, created by Finlay Mckay displays great focus and sharpness on the subject at hand, yet the clouds and dark greenery creates a subtle negativity within the picture. This almost dull outlook on the general aesthetic can be disappointing to a viewer as the athlete displays great focus and determination, yet the general outlook of the colours presents little hope. This could represent the characters need to complete his task even while he ventures onwards through the darker roads.

Contrastingly, this image by Toby Glanville gives off a generally relaxing vibe due to the gentle light resting on the teacher and the back wall. The dull green, although not that pleasing on the eye, presents a sense of long existence (which could tie into the character) as the colour is aged and visually out of fashion. The subtle light and the subtle smile all present tiny quirks that can generally make the audience assume a positivity from gazing at this image, which somewhat differs to that of the image above.

Lastly, this image by Ulrich Gebert presents itself in a middle ground. The character has focus, yet the image shows strong primary colours. The use of strong and vibrant colours is simple, so it's easy on the eye and therefore pleasing to look at. The image places itself nicely in-between the first and second above, as the vibe given can be positive, and the expression shown is similar to McKay's character. I would say that there is a sense of hope, more so when compared to McKay's, but the subtlety of colour is not present. The colours are vastly different, with the lighting being much higher key. 

This image has a sense of documentation shown, much like the second image, whereas the first image has a constructed, almost commercial aesthetic. The first image and the third's characters share a similar desire to keep focus on the task, but the general vibe of the second and third are more alike in there positivity.

Fashion/Constructed Image Project Idea

For this project our group chose to find an old folk tale that we could take and reinterpret in a fashion and current style. We chose the story of Baba Yaga - on old Slavic story, originating in Russia.

Baba Yaga is a witch that lives in the woods in a house built on the top of a giant chicken foot. In some variations of the story say that she kidnaps children and then eats them. Others say she flies around in a giant pestle and mortar . she ages by one year every time someone asks her a question but then this process is reversed if she drink tea with blue roses in it. 

Our concept for this project will be a modern version of this story, choosing out a specific element that can be translated through issues within society that we see today. Our image will show women's obsession with beauty and the quest for youth and how some women hide away from society if they do not think they fulfill the media's ideals about what it is to look young. This relates to the story as it talks about Baba Yaga's isolation and spite towards others around her and what she undergoes in order to recapture her youth.

This is a timeline of what needs to happen in each week of the project and a list of each persons role within the group: 

Fashion/Constructed Image Street Photograph

Fashion/Constructed Image Analysis

The model here is named Lesley Lawson, or better known as 'Twiggy.' She is a well known character within the media industry, especially since this is her when she is much younger. These days she is known for doing all sorts specialized in HIV. She stands here with her eyes turned away, but looking towards the light, this particular pose deliberately avoids the camera and puts the focus on her bodily features rather than her expression. The background is well lit to be made white with the focused lighting bringing out her face. This creates a narrative of innocence as the face rests in no shadows, although, as she looks towards the light, it creates a long shadow under her; with just this action, she suggests a darkness of her. The choice of dress shows off only her arms, and the placement of them may be seen as a way if shrouding her bare skin. But the leg stance creates a binary opposite in posture, having them placed far apart and at an angle. This divides her character into that which is trying to be innocent, and that which is being suggestive or promiscuous.

The colour of her dress is warm, but not strong or overpowering. The salmon colour is inbetween red and pink: Red suggests passion and love or even anger, whilst the pink is quite innocent or even stereotypically associated with women generally. This coral colour places itself in the middle of these qualities to truly bring out the suggested reading. The hair is straight and slicked back, whilst her eyelashes are large and attention seeking - this draws us to her eyes. The dead emotionless upward stare leaves us guessing as to what the mystery of her emotion is trying to tell. The earrings are largely extravert, as the size suggests a clear intention of her trying to grab attention. This combination of attention seeking and mystery invites us further into the image, but leaves us with little more to think about. The simplicity of the overall image's colour makes is easier for our eyes to digest, ultimately making this easily favourable.

Object & Body Critical Appraisal

Object & Body Critical Appraisal

Environment Critical Appraisal

Environment Critical Appraisal

Deconstructing Environmental Photographers

Rut Blees Luxemburg is a German photographer who's work is based around the general concept of 'City' using her own concepts to portray it in a unique way, she usually does this through taking pictures at night. Her night concepts tend to be shot in and around the urban areas of a city. The photograph below called "Piccadilly's Peccadilloes", which was taken in 2007, has a distinct reflection within the puddle. This reflection can be seen as a metaphor of herself looking upon the city that has dirty marks all over it, the weak orange light gives a sense of warming to it, yet we only see this through the reflection and it may be portraying an idealism that is far from the truth. The puddle itself suggests a dreary wet urban surrounding that may provide an insight into what the general consensus is in terms of emotion or outlook on life. The chewing gum could also hint at the size of the population as the many pieces have been squashed on the floor. This carelessness ties in with the wet dreary cement slabs that depict a certain negative mood. All in all, this photograph probably tells us what the city should be, but how it actually is.

In this next photograph "Folly", the general vibe continues to extend itself. This unconventional picture is also associated with the cit. Rut Blees Luxemburg has presented a flooded staircase, but leaves the viewer with any extra information about this photo, apart from the shadow seen of the camera used. The depth of this image is seen through the loss of light as it goes further on in distance from the camera. Some would suspect that this place may be underground as the staircase has growing limescale decaying the edges of the rails. This could depict a place hidden from general public and truly shows what actually happens in the city underneath the public. The true erosion and damage that having a city does is seen here and shown at it's best. 

The third and final photograph by Rut Blees Luxemburg is a little different in it's conventions when compared to the two previous. It's angle is similar to the one above where it is skewed, probably trying to show something out of kilter. This particular one focuses all the way from top to bottom creating an immense sense of depth. The image tends to draw people's eyes towards the centre (which is at the bottom of the building) to give a true sense of height. The angle may suggest then that it's height is overwhelming, especially to those at the top. The concept behind this run-down imagery is probably to drive the viewer to believing in the negative impact large buildings may be having.

The next photographer I will talk about is called Richard Wentworth, and he has created a photograph that is called "Bottlestick." What's interesting about this photograph is that it is less abstract than Luxemburg's work. Wentworth presents a bottle crammed between two trees central to the image, this simple representation of nature and a man-made object together shows the collision of two different worldly inhabitants. As much as the bottle 'fits' it does not present something that feels correct - it easily be viewed as out of place. This bottle also goes to show the carelessness presented by mankind to take care of the rubbish they create by consuming man-made products. Nature then takes the brunt of it and acts as an irregular disposal of something that individual simply did not want to own any longer. Morals could be brought into this. 

Just like the previous photograph, the following one also has a similar moralistic background to it. The simple idea that a plastic cup could represent very similar concepts as previous. What's interesting is that Rut Blees Luxemburg focused on the buildings and their skyscraper character being overwhelming, whereas Richard Wentworth focuses much on the human's and the society's behaviour amongst the city itself, particularly when it comes to litter/rubbish. This very observation goes to show that as a society in the city, people are to blame and there needs to be change. This image communicates that brilliantly.

Vera Lutter is a photographer who has a tendency to present her imagery inverted, black and white. In this particular one, it could be directly comparable to night photography with all of it's dark shadows. This interesting aesthetic definitely presents itself as unique in comparison to the other photographer's imagery. This inversion makes our eyes focus on all of the brighter areas such as the windows. You could say it helps viewer's eyes focus on things completely differently. Because of the unfamiliarity of this type of image, we find ourselves looking at the vertical and horizontal lines that make up the image rather than the objects themselves. There is also a hint of ghosting above the buildings, maybe merging of two negatives. This makes the image seem very flat, and you start to consider the implications of Lutter's choice to make it inverted.

Another one of Vera Lutter's photographs focuses on a clearer subject. The similarly implemented technique of inverting the colours is present again as Lutter presents a symmetrical image as opposed to the previous. This one could be compared to the images of Rut Blees Luxemburg through the use of darker areas and more abandoned places. The image generally conveys a dark coloured feel that connotes a negativity too, almost to suggest that these tall buildings are getting too overwhelming - again, much like Luxemburg. These messages are all shared with us in an attempt to get our attention and work out that these city landscapes may have some issues work talking about in a worldly context.