Shoot 4 Work Record

For this shoot, I wanted to take a technique which I had experimented with in unit 3 and apply it to journey. This premise involved the combination of image and text, highlighting key themes within the photography and using connotations in order to cause the audience to feel a sense of journey. I wanted to create a number of images which would work as a series, highlighting different locations in order to create a feeling of journey when you examine the images together, noting the ways in which each location contrasts from each other. I wanted to research the use of image and text within photography and looking at ways I could use inspiration within my own work. Within my research, I found an image but was unable to find the name of the photographer. This image used colours and contrasts in order to highlight key themes within the image. The theme was 'never look back' and the colours within the image reflected a sun rising, suggesting the beginning of a new story. I could take the idea of connotations and apply them to each location in order to present them with their unique identity. I would use vastly different locations which I have travelled to and photograph and focus on their unique aspects in order to create a series of images that would give a sensation of journey to the audience.

Inspiration from the internet:

My Images:

These images are used in order to communicate different locations through the use of connotations within a number of different ways. The first image attempts to reflect the setting of New York through these methods. As a result specific font has been chosen to spell New York. This block font stands thick and tall and is used to evoke connotations of the structure of a building. The image uses two colours that blend into each other. This use of purple and pink is used to simulate the neon lights and heavy advertisement of times square that is commonly associated with the location. The image within the text reflects these aspects as the neon signs and tall buildings are all present, presenting New York in a unique way to other locations. These themes are also present within the second image. This image is used to round off the series of images within the shoot. They all link under the theme of journey which is refleted as the focus of the image through the use of the word. A sense of journey is implied through the use of three different locations and the contrasts in connotations associated with each one. The forest area to the left of the frame is represented through thin text that curves almost like a vine and features the colour green which offers connotations to the environment and forest areas. This then blends in to the middle image which is representing New York. The empty forest is contrasted heavily by the vast landscape shot of the city. This contrast is emphasised further through the use of thick text which contrasts with the twig-like text of the forest location. The use of pink/purple is used to imply the neon aspects associated with the city life. This image ends by blending into the southend area. The more traditional seaside area is represented by sophisticated text associated with an older time. The use of sky blue is used to offer connotations to the hot, clear weather of seaside holidays within locations such as this. As a result, these images cause the audience to feel a sense of journey by experiencing vastly different locations through the use of connotations and contrast.

I used the same technique for each image. I first created a new document which featured a white background. I then proceeded to type the word New York. It is important that the text features enough of an area that the image can remain visible within. As a result I used bold on the text and used text which would offer connotations to New Yorks tall buildings and skyline.

Once completed, I pasted my chosen background image and moved the layer to the top of the panel. I then lowered the opacity on the image and used free transform in order to achieve the composition which I needed for the image. Once I had achieve the correct composition, I raised the opacity of the new layer to 100% again and created a clipping mask for the layer. This would make the image clip to the layer bellow, which in this case was the text layer. As a result the image fitted perfectly into the shape of the text.

I then wanted to focus on colours which would reflect the connotations associated with the area of New York. For this I wanted to reflect the lights of New York that can be seen within places such as Times Square. For other locations I used a single solid colour, however in order to reflect a neon light effect I used the gradient tool which would merge colours seamlessly into each other. I reflected the neon lights through the use of purple and pink. I then cropped the unnecessary area surrounding the text in order to finish my image.

Progression:

I was able to achieve my goal of creating a series of images which would work together to evoke a sensation of journey. If I were to develop this idea further, I would look at featuring all the images within a collage or multiple imagery in order to make the sensation of journey more apparent. For my next shoot, I want to experiment with a simple form of journey through the use of travel photography which will take influence from photographers such as Stephen Shore.