Pre-Completion Evaluation

As this project gradually draws to a close I feel that I have made an effective response to the majority of the topics. Initially, at the beginning I struggled to create successful photographs for several reasons. Firstly my framework was not effective and on some occasions I wasted considerable amounts of the frame. However, due to studying and replicating the work of Robert Mapplethorpe I have improved my framing ability and use up the correct amounts of the frame. My positioning has also improved accordingly by analysing the work of Mapplethorpe. Also I have had the opportunity to enforce the black and white effect onto my work successfully which I have always aspired to do. I have enjoyed portraiture the most out of all the topics as it allows my to customise and personalise my work however I wish. I was able to alter the colours of backgrounds, the strength/positioning of the lighting, introduce props and acquire facial expressions to the subject to create atmospheres and emotions surrounding the piece of work.

Additionally, I also enjoyed going on the walks to gather images. It was given the opportunity to work in a different environment other than the college campus. I explored different aspects of nature and was able to capture which can contribute to the previous topic.

When I Initially started to take photographs associated with back of head portraiture I struggled in my compositions and blending the background. As I continued to attempt to improve my work I was able to blur the background significantly. Also by buying my own camera I was able to practise several techniques which I can employ and improve my previous work. An example of this is where I took photographs relating to movement and lines from a bridge over the top of a motorway at night. But experimenting with my camera I was able to discover how to increase my camera's exposure levels and decrease the shutter speed. As the vehicles pass by I was able to capture streaks of red and white lines which look extremely effect. I then edited these photographs in photoshop to darken the background and enhance the colour of the lights. I also created a computer experiment from these by altering the colour balance level to a light shade of blue (teal). Personally these photographs were my favourite and I believe they form a very effective response to the topics.

Over the next two weeks I would like to improve the initial topics at the beginning of the course which I studied,and then enforce the better skills which I now have. This will therefore allow me to improve my project as a whole and experiment with my new adapted ideas and techniques. Therefore resulting in my work being more consistent and successful.