About Myself:
I chose GCSE photography because I find it extraordinary how something so imaginative can be extracted from something so ordinary and plain; it's a way to express feelings and convey a deeper meaning. It's easy to click a button but takes skill to create a photograph from nothing. Photography has captured people and their ideas since the 19th century- and will continue doing so. I have been excited to explore and emulate the work of numerous photographers including Edward Weston, Anna Atkins, Horst P. Horst, Karl Blossfeldt, Dennis Wojtkiewicz and Jenny Woods.
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My photography interests:
I often show an interest in different genres such as nature, portraiture, long exposure, landscape and fashion.
Nature is something believed to be pure, incorrupt and untainted; I enjoy looking for plants, animals, e.c.t which have developed independently as a species, untouched by humans like most appears to be. Portraiture almost adds depth to an image- just by the expression, or lack of, portrayed. For example, if it was a photograph of a sunny day and located in a field, we assume the model to be happy, more commonly referred to as pathetic fallacy. However, if the person looks destressed or upset we may think of something different- though the scenario remains up to the viewer as everyone interprets things differently. Faces can have an extreme impact on a photo and change everything about it. Long exposure (I believe) can either completely ruin a photograph or be the cause of its success. Its most commonly seen in landscapes and portraiture, which is where it would most likely improve a picture. In landscape imagery, the sky or sea could seem a smooth, silky texture whilst in portraiture the model could be moving- portraying defiance or possibly distance. These results would have a huge physical advantage over long exposure mixed with others such as nature/animal photography- which would blur and maybe destroy the image. This however, is not to say it cannot be mixed with other genres that tend to convey sharp images and not look great. I personally love the different ways it is used. Landscapes are frequently subject to destruction- objects necessity to adequate living including buildings, houses, bins, poles and walls repeatedly getting in the way of a good landscape photo; utterly juxtaposing the whole image, practically turning it into an oxymoron in itself. This is why I think its unbelievably hard to conjure a picture unpolluted by the modern day world. Finally, fashion. A topic regularly seen by todays society. The media constantly commentating on the latest trends and worst outfits- dictating what many young teens, and even adults, wear. When a male dresses in something seen feminine, and visa versa, it sparks very interesting discussions which are always up for debate. Things such as heels, originally worn by men, have become tagged as femininity- but why? I, as many others, can become particularly captivated by this. I like mixing and matching contrasting things stereotypically recognised as fe/male- e.g someone in a dress partaking in 'a man's activity' for instance, hunting. Or, something just typically perceived as 'weird', a rare sight- and not just because of the impracticalities of getting dirt on a nice dress. |
Photography time line:
Age 11, unedited, Canon IXUS 175:
When I began photography, I often preferred taking pictures of nature, including animals and landscapes. As my skills developed, I still favoured natural forms but started trying different techniques and styles such as macro and abstract photography. I liked the idea of freezing any moment in time- knowing if you are unaware of the scene, people will automatically create different stories as they see fit. For example, the image on the right shows a hamster, curled up in a ball and seemingly asleep with its head resting on its paw. Some may assume the small animal is upset and
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covering itself as it tries to shrink, using its fur as some sort of shield- whilst others may perceive the young pet had worn itself out and innocently fell asleep, mistaking its paw for some sort of make-shift pillow.
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Age 12, unedited, Sony DSC-HX60:
Age 13, unedited, Sony DSC-HX60:
Age 14, unedited, Lumix FZ82:
Age 15, unedited, Canon 4000D: