Ballet Image Research

Lois Greenfield and Vihao Pham are two photographers which I have researched into. They both specialise in many different styles of dance including ballet.

The following websites show the photographers work:
LoisGreenfieldWebsite
VihaoPhamWebsite

These are a different style of ballet images, with the use of a natural setting, and the black and white colour blends her within the image.

These images are excellent examples of the potential ballets image have, they add excitement, colour and depth through the shapes and positions captured. With the use of props such as scarfs or flowers adds more to the image and helps add texture and colour.

Various Portraits

One of my other thoughts and tasks was to capture various portraits of the model's character and personality. These images below are portraits of a variety of people, they show there reaction and immediate positions when having there photo taken. Although some reacted differently to each other, the most common reaction was 'I don't know what to do?'

I was aiming generally to capture the individuals character with one click but the images below vary enormously between more staged portraits and caught without realisation. 

Photos outside

After going through these images I didn't feel like they brought enough depth to them; with each image being a different distance away from them it had no persistance. So I keep with the idea of dance, and will research in to other styles like ballet and get more ideas.

Shooting Developed

After completing the images in the dance studio I felt the image below of the shooting position showed potential and due to the action expressed obscureness but interest.

After taking these experimental images in the dance studio, this lead me to develop this specific image, thinking about setting, costume and a change of positions to enhance the reality or imagination of the image.

This positions pulled in this image I feel compared to some of the others is one of the best, but with the setting being centre of a road next to a pretty cream coloured house and garden does not show any roughness to the area. Although in some aspects, the tree

Once looked through the images, I selected one and experimented with the colour and brightening of the red ribbon. I did this to see how much effect the brightening of the red/blood would add to the image. Testing the brightness/contrast but also amending the image to become black and white.

Here I selected the red ribbon/blood and changed the brightness/contrast, on one photo.

In this screenshot I changed the image to become black and white, on a duplicate of the same image.

Once edited those two images, I placed them on layers on top of each other.

This then lead me to rub through the top layer of the black and white copy, to show the brightened red colour of the red ribbom.

Here I selected the ribbon again and brightened the colour slightly again to add emphasise in the image of the idea she is being shot.

Here it shows the whole image in photoshop after editing the colours, this image could be improved greatly, but when experimenting with the colours and effects on Photoshop, this is what came about. When taking the images previously the idea was spontaneous, then shooting in a more public place could then help it become more real. 

Then using Photoshop has helped focus on the use of the ribbon and the idea of creating blood. With an abstract idea the 'blood' stands out from the darkened scene which was created. 

Dance Studio Images

These next photos were taken in a dance studio with several spotlights on. This helped create shadows from their movements as they danced. 

These photos are mainly of jumps, leaps and positions. I feel these images show great character and excitement through their expressions and positions. 

The expressions and action in this photo add excitement and character to the image. 

 The ease and simplicity of her jump in the air adds interest.

These images although were very spontaneous and individual images more abstract, the characterising, the emotion and stories come across easily within these. From their facial expressions to the movements they were captured in, can help tell us something about them and their unique personality. These images are photographed from the front, an improvement from this could be to delve more into the movement, changing angle and direction. Although these specific images work best when being the 'audience', they are captured at the perfect moment creating spontaneity and fullness.

Dance Field Images

Here are a selection of some of my first experimental images, luckily on this day the sun was shining so with this I was able to create effective shadows and shapes with the dancers. 

Below are many images that I took, individually with difference compositions and shapes created through the dance movement, positions and balances.  

Here with her hands covering her face gives a sense of the unknown and with the angle being a lot lower, like we're beneath her initiates status and hiding.

The only link from these two photos are thoughts of imagery, animalistic and the sense of spinning/movement.

The angle of this image accentuates the position of the dancer, with her legs lining up with the horizon of the grass/sky balances the the photo. With the perfect timing and the positioning of herself in the sky, the composition leads towards her and her comic expression.  

The natural lighting in this image shines on there clothing, this initiates the direction in which it is shining. This helps emphasises the shadows on the left hand side of the image. I feel the image could have been improved with having more shadow showing in the image but trying not to distract from the position they are holding.

Her position she is holding slightly looks like its upside down and shes pushing against the grass. I feel her face expression adds to this. The position she is holding is very obscure and intriguing.

Her shadow of hers is leading inwards towards her and the sun.

Here is the same photo but one is turned upside down; looking at the photos individually in original photo compositionally they are positioned between two trees either side, her arms are the same level, her hair is split coincidentially into two sections and their shadow leads towards them. And when looking at the photo upside down, it seems to change the look of it completely, it doesn't look like the same image. The image seems to play with the eye more and makes you think indepth.

The photo on the left is the leading position into the image on the right, but generally I feel the preparation image is more engaging due to the alien like position. It almost seems they are like one and joined together.

The idea that her legs are cut off links to the idea of leading somewhere.

The main focus in this image are there height of their legs, and the lining of it.

Here is a very similar photo to one in this post, shes pulling the same position but generally the positioning of herself in the photo is that shes more central and in line with the grass. It also seems like the grass horizon is curved slightly and positions around her.

These 3 photos are all the same jumps and positions but only from different angles and each one brings something different.

This ones also different with including the school location in the background and the 3 different dance movements. It feels more informal with the bags and coats left in the image, which adds also to the imbalance of the image with the dancers on the far left.

Each movement is different but linking slightly. With the Fenella and Hayley having similar positions and Lauren leading towards Hayley who is in the background.

With having the sunlight behind them, shadows them and there faces, outlining there bodies and the position held.