- What is the central idea of your concentration? You should include the formal description that we came up with, as well as any other explanation you feel you need to adequately describe to a stranger what you did and how you did it. (500 character limit)
I will explore contrast through portraiture using texture, shadows and black and white. I will utilize patterns to reflect the inner emotions of the subject. I inspected the influence of light on the natural curves and crevasses of the human face and attempted to gain a deeper understanding of what is on the inside of the subject I am examining based on what I add to the façade of the model.
- How does the work in your concentration demonstrate the exploration of your idea? You may refer to specific images as examples. (1,350 character limit)
My work demonstrates my exploration through the effects of shadows on the human form and the impact that similar high contrast editing techniques have on the rhythm of a variety of photos. I believe that in portraits the most important feature is the eyes. Because of this, I decided that my portraits would emphasize the role of the eyes in relation to the shadows of my pictures. In photo 1 I started to investigate the relationship between the shadows of that played a role on the face of the model and how it contrasted with the non-shadowed component. For my second photo, I wanted to focus on emphasizing the contrast of the shadows and having the eyes of my model play a more integral role in a photo. For my third and fourth photos, I wanted to try an use more organic shapes to create my shadows. For photo #5 I discovered a framing technique that provided the appropriate emphasis on the shape of the face as well as the background. I continued to use that framing technique for through photo #10 as I started to understand that the most dramatic shadows were the result of careful planning and set up instead of only organic shadows. I wanted to challenge myself at the end of my concentration and shoot pictures 11 and 12 with a focus on not only the contrast of the shadows but the importance of value as well.