Inspiration

I have come across somebody who inspires me to be a lot like them. I love how their fascination with photography continues to grow and the knowledge they know influences me more and makes me even eager to learn. I know my knowledge on photography is quite vague but i know this is what i want to do. There is so much to learn and i know its not just about taking a photograph, its about studying what you are using and who you or what you are dealing with.

Photography is about producing a lot of your own work which can be quite challenging as it is an independent job and you have to know what and who you are working with. Photography can be seen as a threat because every piece of work produced is your own form of art which can be quite personal, people may like it others might not it all depends on each individuals taste as everybody are different and it can create a variety of interest.

A lot of photographers inspire me and i know i haven't seen at least half of the amazing talents out there. I mostly come across photographers through Magazines, Internet, Television and photography lectures and i know that isn't enough.

Here are a few of my favourites at the moment and i am going to see if i come across the same throughout each stages then i know i am really intrigued with them and not just their work.

Charlie Waite - Landscape
Peter Carr - Freelance
Tony Howell - Landscape
Susan Burnstine - Fine Art and Commercial
Stephen Eastwood - Beauty and Fashion

Photoshop

I've been spending a lot of my time on Photoshop lately learning techniques and tutorials from online resources. I finally realise and understand how professionals feel when undertaking a photograph to retouch and manipulate any type of photograph. I enjoy how you can create and do just about anything using this particular software. My wrist is sprained by spending so many hours on this which i could not stop myself from the satisfaction i get.

It makes me question do professional photographers use this to a great extent to create something better from their original images or do they just enhance what they already have captured to keep it as natural as they can. 

Here are some of my creations I have learnt. They are not perfect as this is just the beginning of a beautiful masterpiece =]

Before Airbrushing

First learning how to airbrush and applying it to create more of a perfection.

Secondly i learned how to change the colour of my eyes.

 Then i followed other tutorials of how to change the colour of my hair which is basically the same rule as changing the eye colour.

 

Another thing i have learnt to use was the liquify tool which allows you to make parts of your body thinner or bigger.

This certainly clear things up for me now from how models in magazines and photographs always look perfect and how they are betrayed in the media. Even though most models are not far off from what they originally look like but it still creates an un-realistic look and this has a major impact on the public who see these images and are persuaded and manipulated to look this way and puts pressure on them even further.

Photographs shown below where edited by a very good friend of mine who enjoys and is interested in photography like me.

Assignment

This year in photography I have to produce work which involes creating a series of 12 figurative and semi figurative photographs based on a combination of portraits and landscapes. These photographs also have to be in black and white whether its something I do from the camera or take it in colour and change it into black and white in the editing process.


I have one idea i have in mind but i am not sure on the concepts and elements of this  i just like the idea of it whether it would work or not. I had an idea that i would make myself small into a borrower and having 12 photographs as each stage, fighting through obstacles in life.

This is just an example of how i would present myself into these photographs. Another concept i want to get my point across which is very personal to me is that i feel like a failure and feeling small is how i feel 99% of the time so on each stages i would continue facing my fears and the more i face my fears the more i grow in these series of photographs making me appear bigger in each photograph and the very last photograph of the series i would come across as if i was a giant.


I would have to come up with 12 stages of my life but not having the last photograph of where i am now but where i could end up in 50/60 years time. So this helps me be creative and imaginative for the stages i havent even passed yet. This could form and create some realistic and unrealistic views also each photograph will probably contain elements of fear as life is no piece of cake.


The idea originated from me but once i done a bit of research on this, this reminded me of Alice In Wonderland where she appears small and big throughout the film.

The main thing i like about this idea is that it shows Alice In Wonderland is creative and very imaginative which will allow me to have a lot of fun with this assignment.

Beginner Blogger, Amateur Photographer

Photography for me is a form of art you can view in your own imaginative way and create your own illusions! Photography is not just about pointing a camera at something and taking a photograph, it's about learning techniques and gathering knowledge from many resources as possible. Every photograph has a meaning and tells a story behind it. Photography interests me to a great amount and I enjoy each process as well as product. My knowledge at the moment is limited as I am only a beginner but I believe my photographs are to a good standard. I am writing this blog to share my views, thoughts and ideas to help myself and others along the way. For me putting my work out there is really frustrating and scary as photography is one of the subjects that gets judged a lot. Every photographic style is influenced by the photographer which in turn affects the way the photograph is presented. Photographers have different styles, techniques, views and ideas on a piece of work and everybody is entitled to their own opinion, some may be criticised others may receive compliments but we all work to an extent which allows us to be challenged along the way. We all need a little help and push in the right direction.