My chosen theme for my GCSE photography is Landscapes. I will be specifically focusing on mountains and seasides. I have chosen to study this theme as I believe it allows me enormous scope to explore and specialize the skills that I have learnt throughout the photography course. In order to produce a successful, creative and unique final piece I intend to carry out a variety of research on my chosen theme of Landscapes. I will research and interpret a variety of photographers and photos, such as the work of Charlie Waite. I will also extend my knowledge of this theme by visiting different mountains and near the seaside, such as the light house, where I will visit the light house, the sea and the mountain following Charlie Waite with his sea images. I intend to capture a variety of photo shoots to explore my chosen theme of Landscapes. I will take involve myself in a number of photo shoots, outside of schools environment to progress my idea, capturing specific photo shoots influenced by certain photographers but also take broader photo shoots to indulge in creativity. I hope to include a variety of photographic genres into my work. I intend to visit the light house as mentioned above, which will provide me with a setting influenced by Charlie Waite. I will also research photographers such as Ansel Adams, Thomas Heaton, David Noton and Robert Adams. Each of these photographers will influence my ideas and help to extend and build upon my knowledge of the theme Landscapes. Throughput this project, I will use a variety of techniques with the camera, photo shop will help develop my chosen theme. I will explore both manual and depth of fields , helping me make the image have more depth. I will also use White balance to create emphasis on certain features within the photographs. I may also experiment with a tripod to help keep the camera steady and manipulate the photograph to comply with each other. In doing this project, I hope to learn more about the theme Landscapes and carry out an extensive research on a variety of particular photographers. I also hope to specialize and finalize the skills that I have learnt and successfully implement them into my final piece. I see my final format as being a spread of three to five photographers, taken from my best photo shoot within this project. I will aim to corporate the theme of Landscapes not only into the context of each photograph portrayed in my final piece but also in appearance and presentation.
Photography research: Glyn Davis
Context Glyn Davies Photo Artist Ltd is directed by Glyn Davies himself, a professional photographer and artist since 1987, but also a graduate in Photography at University of Westminster (Harrow Campus, London). Before that he completed a 1 year Arts Foundation Course at the Falmouth School of Art in Cornwall. He is professionally qualified with the Association of Photographers (London) and has had numerous exhibitions, TV and Radio appearances and also won numerous International Awards. He taught photography part time, at the University of Wales for 14 years. He has now published 5 books two of which were gifted by the UK Prime Minister to Prince William and Katherine Middleton for their Royal Wedding. https://www.freeindex.co.uk/profile(glyn-davies-photo-artist-ltd)_177596.htm - The link I have used
Content In this photograph they have used the sun setting rocks and the sea. They have use the sun to create a gold effect on the rocks and it looks almost as if a bomb has just been blown up. The effect of the gold makes the image more better as the viewers attention is on the gold. The images looks new. The image is dark near the rocks but more lighter towards the sun. I think this photograph is in Anglesey. It is made from nature.
Composition This image is taken from eye level which means it is as if you are standing next to the photographer as he is taking the picture. This viewpoint also means you can see to the horizon which makes a bigger impact in my opinion. There is a large depth of field from the rocks to the sun and I think the photographer has used a large aperture such as F24 to capture the shot. In the depth of field there is a rock in the foreground, the sea in the middle-ground and the horizon with the setting sun in the back-ground. In my opinion it creates a bigger impact because it is in more depth and a stronger picture to look at and more to examine. I think a tripod was used as the picture is so clear and because it is quite dark the shutter speed would be slow and without a tripod it would be blurry. The lighting is coming from the sun and creates a gold effect on the rocks, which creates a soft contrast with the dark tones of the water. There are very strong leading lines with the horizon and some rocks leading towards the middle of the picture and draws the eye of everyone to the middle of the picture. The rock on the right is sitting on a sweet spot of the rule of thirds.
Connection The theme is Landscapes and this id relevant to my work as I am studying the theme of landscapes through different structure such as buildings and rocks in rural and urban areas. This image can link to my work because I am going to be focusing on different rocks and buildings in rural and urban areas. In my opinion there is a message behind the image showing the nature of the sun and how it contrasts with other objects giving them a glowing effect. I may use the sun as it impacts on my work a lot and it is also a natural thing which creates a massive effect on the picture.
Mind map of my ideas
Photography research
Photography research
Context Len Grant uses rule of thirds with the long building on the left. Len has used a wide angle lens with his camera as well as a tripod. the refection in the ocean catches my attention as it is used as a mirror. The sun also reflects on the building to give it a more glowing effect and make it shine out. I became a freelance photographer in 1990 after an unrewarding stint in sales and marketing. I had no formal creative training, just the odd workshop here and there. I’d just turned 30 and thought I would give it a go. I became the photographer of new landmark buildings in Manchester and Salford. I captured the construction of the Manchester arena, The Bridge water Hall, The Imperial War Museum North and The Lowery. They were published as hardback books or as exhibitions that celebrated a new era of urban renewal.
Composition This image is taken from eye level. This viewpoint means you can see a wide length and he had used a wide lens which has a big impact on the image. In this image there is rule of thirds with different buildings the bridge being in the right, the main building in the middle, on the left is the war museum. The photographer has used reflection as the image reflects into the sea and this creates a massive effect. I think the photographer has used a tripod. as you would have to be very stationary as the picture is very clear and has strong leading lines between the sea and the buildings. My eye is drawn to the building and it has a golden effect from the sun which makes it great impact on the composure. There is a little bit of depth of field with the sea being the foreground, the buildings being the middle ground and the sky being the background. I think a wide lens has been used as the image has a long scale and has used a tripod.
Connection The theme is landscape in Manchester and is relevant to my work as I am doing landscape in the same area specifically in Salford. The image can link to my work because I can take from this image and apply to my images to make my images more better and get the attention from others. I think the message behind the image is showing that Salford is a beautiful place and a good place to go to as the view of it is amazing. I would look forward to taking more images like this to develop more in my work and achieve higher grades.
Content The structure of this image is there are buildings, bridges and a river. The buildings are quite big and the bridge is long and the water looks clean. The image looks quite new as the structure of the buildings look amazing. The image is in color which makes it look new, old pictures tend to be more in black and white. The glowing of the sun also creates a good effect on the image as it makes it look even more new.
Manchester and salford
Looking up
Best This is my best imagine because it clearly shows that I am looking up at the building and shows the side of the buildings structure and how it is constructed. You can also see the clouds reflecting on the building to make a better effect on the image.
Worst This is my worst because it is not looking directly up and can just about see the image. There is too much lighting and makes the building harder to see as the light reflects onto the building.
Looking down
Bridges
best This is my best image because you can see a clear walk way and how long it is. Unlike the other photos this one is clear and know what it is about
People
Vehicles
Under the bridge
Grids
Red
The Lowry
Manchester and salford
We went to Salford on tram. We got Old Trafford tram to Corn brook as we waited for the Media City tram. We went to Salford Quays and as we walked I took a series of photos on structures. Then we went to Hilton Hotel and went up to cloud 23 and took photos of the seating, looking down at the buildings from an Ariel view. Then we went to the museum and took photos looking up at buildings. We walked back. We went Alderly edge in a car with two teachers and two students me and a peer. It took us 29 minutes to get there
Alderly egde
Mushroom
Worst this is my worst image because it is not focused and the is too zoomed in.
best this is my best image because it is focused and the contrast is perfect. the mushrooms have a glowing effect because it is wet this improves the image massively.
Trees
best this is my best image because the trees have fore ground middle ground and back ground which make the image more interesting. the deep depth of field of the furthest tree gives a massive effect on the image.
worst this is my worst image because it is out of focus and it does not fit well with the other images.
close up of a tree
berries
Fern leaves
steps
Tree root
developing my ideas in Photoshop
In photoshop I used the pen tool and cropped two people from a different image and put it on a different image with a background and was testing out different black and white background. I like the way the background is different to the people. what annoyed me was accurately using the pen tool as it you have to take time and can not mess up.
developing my ideas even more in Photoshop with different background colors
Final Image (10-15 different images)
Mock Exam Evaluation
The project theme that I am currently studying is landscape. In landscape I am studying around rural and urban areas. The rural area I focused was Alderly Edge and the urban area I focused on was Manchester, mainly in the area Salford. My first thought about this project was that it would be fun as I was able to explore more about the area I lived in and how sustainable it was and if it would harm the needs of future generations. I looked at two artists one was called Glyn Davis, he did his theme on landscape in rural areas which inspired me. I like the way he has used the horizon of the sun to his advantage and it gives a nice contrast on the effect of the rocks and it creates a glowing effect which brings a unique effect and is very clever. The other photographer I researched was Len Grant he did his landscape in Salford, a urban area. He used a building from salford and also used the sun. the sun reflecting the images onto the river and it gave a spectacular point of view. My favorite part of this project was going out and taking amazing pictures I thought i couldn't take and it surprised me even more when I was able to develop it more further in photoshop. I would say that I should've taken a series of more images so I had more to develop in photoshop. I developed my photos with the idea of Tiny World. Matt Granger was the founder of how to do it and I watched his tutorial and he explicitly shows you how to do everything step by step so I used his video to create my own Tiny World. The new techniques I have experienced is how to use the camera settings and how to turn tour images into Tiny Worlds. I think my mot successful part of the project was developing my images even further in photoshop because I have also learnt something new as I have created the Tiny World I think it looks way better in the Tiny World than the normal image. It was very complicated but I managed to achieve my full potential on photoshop. I encountered a few problems with the camera settings but as I worked on I managed to find out what the problem was and was able to help others that had the same problem. The photographer I chose to look at inspired me because of the way they have used the sun light and I would like to try the same next time as the sun is a huge impact on the image.