Blurb

Here is what i am putting in my blurb to accompany my photographs in the exhibition.

 

Zoomorphism

 

This project was an attempt to create some fashion images with a difference. Rather than styling my models with clothes and props, I decided to project my ideas directly onto their skin. The use of animal skins came from thinking about how we often use animals to personify human traits.

Zoomorphism : The tendency of viewing human behaviour in terms of the behaviour of animals.

Evaluation

   Overall i am pleased with how my final major project has turned out. When looking back at my project proposal and research, i think i have achieved what i hoped to achieve. I am paticularly pleased with the way the projections turned out, after discussing my ideas with various people and generally feeling that the technique i was planning on using was not going to work.

    If i were to re-do my project, something i would try would be to use the slide projector rather than a digital one. This would mean projecting higher quality images onto my subjects, meaning clearer, sharper images that would look perfect when printed large.

I would also practise more, as although i am very happy with my images there are a few small faults in them technically, such as the high ISO i used has created quite a grainy appearance in some.

   I would also perhaps use more variation in my projections, perhaps going for images with more connotations than the animal prints i chose. I do not regret this decision though, as i feel the images are visually very interesting and appealing.

Presentation of my final 4 images

  Above are my final 4 images. I think they work together as a group well because they are consistent in theme and style without being too similar. They are simple and i think keeping the background white on all four was a good idea because it gives them an impact. 

  I have chosen to present my final images for the exhibition as A2 prints onto MDF. I chose the size A2 because it is large, which will draw attention and show detail, but without being too large, which would be impossible due to the nature of the projections (the resolution of the projected images was not high enough to be stretched too large). I considered mounting them onto aluminum however i like the thickness of mdf, which will make the photographs stand out from the wall. I think the painted white images will add to the emphasis the white background has created on the subjects in the photos.

  To mount my photographs i am using a Hot Press, which uses a hot panel of glass and a vacuum pump to mount images onto many different materials.   

Shoot 2

I decided that for my next two images i would use a different model and a different angle, to add some variation to my images. I chose to frame them as just head and shoulders.

For my snake image i tried to make my model look snake-like with the styling of hair and make-up; i wetted her hair to flatten it and chose very dark eyes and lips to give a more sinister look. I kept her pose simple, telling her to simply stand in a sideways position with her arms by her side to make her body look more long and snake-like. I also told her to keep her facial poses simple. I think this works because the projection makes the image interesting on it's own, i wanted to keep the rest of it very simple and straight-forward.



For my final image from this shoot i am using the bottom one. I like this photo best because i feel that she looks the most snake-like in it. When looking through my photographs after taking them i realised that i preferred the ones which had eye contact- snakes when used in imagery very often have their eyes emphasised. I also think she has the right emotion in her face in this image- there is something quite sinister about her expression.

For the bird image i framed my model as head and shoulders, to be consistent with the snake photos. I instructed my model to pose in quite a serene way, keeping her eyes closed and expression relaxed.



This is my favourite image from this shoot. I think the face in profile works well in this image because the peacock is quite a regal bird and this facial position gives a similar look. It also emphasises her nose and mouth, giving a more bird-like appearance.

Shoot 1

In my first shoot i planned on taking 2 of my final 4 images. I did a set of images with the zebra projection, and a set with the leopard projection.
Here's a photo of my lighting setup

First i took some photographs using the zebra projection. I positioned my model with the projection on her back- this had to be quite precise because the image i chose was a zebra's back, which had the line which runs down it's spine in the middle. I therefore had to make sure this ran down the centre of my models back, and adjust it for different poses. I instructed my model to do quite simple poses, perhaps bringing a sense of vulnerability.

The last image was my favourite image of the shoot. I think it works best because it is simple- some of the more exagerated poses caused the projection to miss parts of her body, leaving them as black silhouetted areas. I also like the face being lit and the eye contact in the image, as this creates more of a connection with the viewer.





I then took some images with the leopard projection. For this image i wanted the front of the models body, as opposed to the back in the zebra image, for variety. In these images i instructed my model to be like a leopard, and to do simple, strong poses.

I took most of the photos with a lit background but also tried some with a black background- i felt that the white background worked better as it showed her body shape more clearly. I am using the bottom image as my final one from this shoot as think it has a regal, powerful look which is paticularly emphasised by the face in profile.

Lighting Test

I am currently planning on doing two images against a black background and two against white.


Black background


Set up:

Here are some test images i took using a black background. I used a mannequin to test these. Some things i discovered when testing this is that the easiest way to ensure i kept the background completely black was to have the projector from an angle. This has to be tested carefull to ensure there aren't too many shadows on the model. To make the projection really stand out i also had to use quite a slow shutter speed, meaning that my model will have to be very still.

White Background

Set up:

Here is one on the mannequin. I think i preder this look compared with the black background shots, as in my opinion the lit background looks more professional. It was also possible to use a slightly faster shutterspeed, meaning my model will have more freedom.

A couple i tried using a model.

After testing the lighting i have started to think i will use only white backgrounds, as it does look more professional. I will however try some of both when i do my final shoot, so that i can decide which i prefer.

Lighting

The next thing for me to consider is lighting. My idea of using projections means that i will have to test my idea out in the studio to figure out what lighting setup i can use to create the best effect. I am currently planning on using a digital projector either against a black background, or with a lit white background. When trying to sketch a lighting set up i have come up with a few possible problems-

• Flash lighting with a projector- the energy output from the projector will be tiny compared with that of the flash. Will have to use a slightly longer exposure with the house and modelling lights off to counter this.
• Images to project- i will have to find images that are sharp and with a certain degree of contrast so that they can show up clearly on the body.
• Projection on background- when using my black background set up it is possible that some of the projected image will hit the background- i will find a way round this by perhaps aiming the projector from the side.