In this post, I am evaluating my work on the following aspects: 

Target Audience, Cultural Context, Production and Reflection/Self Evaluation. 

My photographs are based on the different styles of fashion that incorporates in Harlow College. I and some fellow students from my class decided to team up for a fashion shoot, basing the shoot around each of us and using other students from different courses. Looking back at my final photographs that I uploaded in the most previous post, I believe that my target audience is situated around 16-60 year olds. My reason as to choosing a wide age gap is because the college associates with mature students on various courses and, in addition to this fact, there are many members of staff who are middle aged and over. I like to think that students would appreciate these shots if they were to be published in various fashion targeted publications. 

Within the entire shoot, it involved different cultural contexts (i.e. using students/models of different ethnicities). By incorporating this into the entire project, I feel it has proved to be popular choice due to the diverse races of the staff and students. For example, the second shot that I manipulated for my first evaluation shows two students/models of different ethnicities. Feedback from other students who were not involved in the fashion shoot, but examined our combined work, agreed with our perception of popularity of this shot. The negative feedback that I received from both other students and my tutor was that the whole project slacked in the fashion side of things and they believed that the project was more concentrated on social aspects of college. Looking back at every image that we as a group took, I do have to agree with the negative comments of how we concentrated on the social aspects and I feel us, and myself as an individual, could have made more of an effort to take a step back from 

Looking back to our production and the way we handled our time management skills, our techniques of incorporating students from other courses and keeping to our deadlines for the entire project, I believe that we had made a satisfactory effort to keep on top of everything. However, from an individual perception, I feel that I did struggle with focusing on the whole. My reason for this is because I struggled to cooperate with the fashion shoot decisions. It surprised me at the time because I feel that I am a very creative and imaginative person and I could have made more of an effort to bring together my own ideas and see them in action. I did slack with time management when it came to developing our chosen three photos on Photoshop. The reason for this is because I was struggling to an extreme extent with the different functions on the program and I had difficulty in changing the colours of the background on each image. In addition, I do feel that there was not much support from our tutor at the time when it came to the Photoshop manipulations. 

Taking everything into perspective, I am very pleased with the outcome of my final three Photoshop manipulations and the fashion shoot on the whole. There was a lot of creativity to the project and I was overwhelmed by the fact that people we approached from other courses were willing to take part in the project. 

My abilities with Photoshop have proven to be very poor and my learning abilities to improve my Photoshop skills have also proved to be unsatisfactory. If I paid more attention in the Photoshop sessions, then I believe that I would have made a great success in the manipulations. It would have also boosted my self-confidence and I would have started to enjoy the sessions. On the plus side, I feel that I have learnt a lot about taking photographs from different angles to get the best shot. I have learnt different ways of shooting different genres of photographs and I am pleased I have incorporated photographic terminology in particular pieces of work on my blog. 

I really enjoyed the fashion shoot task and despite the ups and downs when it came to the practical side of things, I feel I have made a good effort in all the related work.

This particular image could be used in such publications such as the Harlow College prospectus, because the image is of a student and a member of staff communicating and this shot could create good publicity for the college. The target audience could be people who are considering to study at Harlow College and this shot is aimed at a target audience of both genders. The shot was taken at the smoking area of the college, where there is many different social classes of people. The reason why this shot was taken because we wanted to create an image that would generate a good reputation of Harlow College for the target audience. The target audience age could be from 16 onwards, depending on what age the student is and also parents and guardians would also be able to view the image if it was published in the Harlow College prospectus or the college website. This image is a unique way for promotion because it shows two different social classes relating to the ages of the models. The techniques that I used to Photoshop the image was to make the entire image black and white and also I played around with the colour contrasts, so I could also work with the background.

This shot could be used in publications such as the Harlow College prospectus and their website because the image consists of two students at the college and it shows diversity in the styling of clothing, with the male dressed in a particular uniform and the female wearing her own clothing. Also, I believe this image could also be used in fashion magazines that focus on drawing in a teenage audience, as both of the models themselves are teenagers. The target audience overall could be between the ages of 13 onwards, as the image could both be used to advertise and produce publicity for Harlow College and also could be used in teenage related magazines. The reason why the shot was taken because we wanted images that demonstrated a variety of styles and also the lighting used was ideal, as was the simple background. The techniques used to Photoshop the image was I changed the brightness of the image, as I realised that the original version was too light and I wanted to make certain parts of the image darker, so the models were the main focus.

The image was taken at the Harlow College smoking area. I believe that this particular image could not be used in publications such as the Harlow College prospectus or the college website, as both models are smoking and if used in either publication could result in bad publicity for the college. On the other hand, the image could be used in fashion magazines because both models are posing more suitably for the genre. There isn’t as much diversity in style as the other two images, as both models are dressed in similar clothing for the season. The target audience for the image could be people aged from 16-40, as it has certain aspects that their would be controversy if it were to be previwed by an audience under 16, due to the smoking. The shot was originally taken because within my group, we decided that it would be a suiting image for a fashion magazine and it also shows a high social aspect. The Photoshop techniques that I used to produce the final shot was I used the colour contrasting tools to highlight the best specific areas, such as the colours of the clothes and the bold blue door in the background.

My final shots from the fashion shoot have all demonstrated different styles of clothing at Harlow College and also created a social aspect. The images show diversity relating to; race, style, gender and age. I believe that the final images used could be used in a wide range of publications relating to mainly fashion and advertising purposes (e.g. Harlow College prospectus, the college website, fashion magazines.) My ideas for the final fashion images have proved to be successful in what I wanted for each shot.

 I have made a lot of progression in my technical and creative abilities. I have gained an understanding on how to use certain tools in Photoshop and I have also developed knowledge of photographic terminology. My strengths are that I have demonstrated an understanding on how to take a better picture and what improvements I could make for future reference. I have also been able to use certain tools on Photoshop to work with to produce successful fashion shots (e.g. colour contrasting, changing the brightness of an image and how to make an image black and white). However, my weaknesses of this module are that I have failed to use more advanced tools in Photoshop to manipulate an image (e.g. manipulate two images together and how to manipulate only a section of an image.) I also have had a lot of confusion on photographic terminology and where to use certain words and how to describe and evaluate a particular image. My time management for the module has been achieved excellently in making sure I Photoshop the final shots on a deadline, using test shots to show other photographs that I took and limiting the times of when the pictures were actually took (shots taken in one morning).

 In conclusion, I am very proud of my work because I have tried my best with everything from the fashion shoot to Photoshop techniques. The end results have proved to me that I have worked hard throughout the module. The feedback from other members from my class has also verified to me that I have been successful in Photoshop manipulation.

We took this photograph because it shows diversity in age and the shot could also be used in either fashion or advertising. I used photoshop to make the entire image black and white and I also faded out the background to make the models the main focal point. The male in the photograph is a member of staff at Harlow College, so this shows that staff have to wear appropiate clothing for their jobs. The female is a Journalism student, so looking at both people, there is a clear difference in the styles. The image was taken at the Harlow College smoking area.

This image was taken in the Harlow College canteen. The image shows different styles of clothing that certain students wear (i.e. the male has to wear a particular uniform for his course and the female wears her own clothing). I used certain photoshop techniques to try and make the background more irrelevant. I wanted the main focal point of this shot to be the styles of clothing. The lighting used in the photo was courtesy of the window behind me when I took the shot. The lighting refelcts on the background, which also makes the models the main focal point.

This image was also taken at the Harlow College smoking area. The reason why this image was taken because it shows the social aspects of college. This shot was photoshopped to make the lighting in the whole image darker, as the background of the shot has dark colours( the brick wall). The image demonstrates a similar style of clothing, as both models in the shot are wearing  big coats, that’s why I chose to use this self portrait imgae as one of my final 3 shots. I think this shot works well because even though the lighting and the background is made up of dark colours, I believe I have still made the styles of clothing the main focal point. Also, the models posing techniques has made the clothes and the models themselves standout from the background.

The first image could mainly be used in advertising for the reason that the males appearance in the shot was not very strong; however the shot may also possibly be used in fashion because it represents diverse styles. The second photograph could be used in a publication such as the Harlow College prospectus, because the male model is wearing a Harlow College uniform for a particular course. On the other hand, this shot shows more strength in both the models appearance than the first photograph, so the shot could be well suited for fashion. The last photograph is the strongest fashion shot out of all three. There is not as much diversity with styles as with the first two, but the lighting and the colours of the models clothes and the background create a stronger fashion image.

These images are test shots from the photo shoot that I did with Jess, Sherisa and Holly. All of these images show us and others either in our class or other people around college.

The photo’s attached demonstrate different styles of fashion of students at Harlow College. They show diversity in how some students have to wear a particular uniform and others wear their own clothes. These shots show self portarits from my group and other shots included people from around college.

Canon’s EF 50 mm F1.4 USM

Lighting: There are two types of lighting. Natural and Artificial. Natural lighting can also be known as the term existing light. It is light from a natural source. Artificial light is from any source that is not natural light e.g. inside lamps, candles, studio lights, (etc). If you concentrate on the lighting, it can bring out the best in digital photography. Photo’s that appear blurred and hazy can not be corrected. Even software such as Photoshop can not correct the picture. Lighting is a very important aspect when it comes to digital photography. Most digital cameras now include a feature called ‘Metering’. This feature calculates the amount of light that is present in the scene and can also calculate the best fit for the shot.

 Light on lens                            

Flash: Internal flash is a built-in camera flash that is convenient and can be quite helpful if used within its flash range. The flash automatically adjusts because it depends on the distance of a subject. The use of a built-in flash can be enlarged when put together with other light sources such as natural light coming through a window. External flash is a flash unit that offers more flexibility than an internal flash. It has more flash power than a built-in flash and the amount of light coming from the flash can be either increased or decreased.

Flash photography

Tripod: In photography, a tripod is used to steady camera or to support flashes. Tripods are used for both still and motion photography to prevent camera movement. A tripod can be useful in achieving a good framing of ther particular image. A tripod can be an essential item for professional photography. Some tripods could include remote controls to control the camera.  

Camera Tripod

Aperture/Shutter speed: The aperture stop of a photography lens can be adjusted to maintain the amount of light reaching the image sensor. In order with variation of shutter speed, the aperture size will put together the image of exposure to the light. Generally, a fast shutter speed would need a larger aperture to ensure good light exposure and a slow shutter speed would need a smaller aperture to avoid too much exposure.

Large and small apertures

Focal length/Point: The focal length resolves the angle of view and the size of the image. Focal lengths are usually known to be measured in millimetres, but  there are older lenses marked in centimetres and there are some focal lengths that can be specified in inches. Never the less, if pictures are taken from the same distance, and enlarged to include the same view, the pictures will have the same aspects.

Shot taken with 28mm lens.

ISO: An ISO system is used to measure the sensitivity of digital imaging systems. In digital photography, the incerase of exposure relating to the use of higher sensitivities can lead to reduced image qualities. ISO can determine how sensitive the image sensor is to the amount of light present. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive the image sensor and the option to take photographs in low-light settings.

ISO sensitivity

Depth of field: Depth of field  is the range of distance within the subject that is suitably sharp.  The depth of field can differ depending on camera type; aperture and focusing distance, although print size and viewing distance can persuade our thought of it. The depth of field does not change from sharp to un-sharp, but instead takes place as a steady change. In fact, immediately everything in front of or in back of the focusing distance begins to lose sharpness.

A photograph with very shallow depth of field.

A photograph with high depth of field.

This image is a magazine cover that I created with Photoshop. It is an image of motorbike racer Valentino Rossi. I faded out the background a little for the main focus to be the image of Rossi on the motorbike and to create a magazine cover, I wrote titles of features that would possibly be included in a motorbike magazine and I also placed a barcode in the bottom left corner.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/filmdig.htm 

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-difference-between-film-and-digital-photography&id=153874 

Film and digital cameras are very different media. Both types of camera are used for similar or the same purposes, but both are also dissimilar to each other. 

A lot of people get better photo results from digital cameras. However, particularly talented photographers can get better results on film if they can complete the many more steps from shot to print perfectly. As there are a lot of ways that certain things can go wrong with making prints from film, photographers just starting out usually get better prints from digital because there are not so many changes to do.

The following is a list of 4  vital differences between film and digital cameras:

1. The sensor -  The most apparent difference between film and digital cameras is the sensor used on each to take the photo. With film cameras a film sensitive to light is placed behind the lens. When a photo is taken the shutter opens for a set period of time and light hits the film. With digital cameras a fixed electronic sensor is placed behind the lens.
2. Correcting photos: With digital cameras photos can be corrected using photo editing software. Some correction skills are built-in to the cameras but many more are available as software packages for computers. With film cameras, any corrections are very hard to make. Usually if corrections are absolutely needed the negative or the printed photo will be scanned (moved to digital) corrected and then printed again, which can take a long time and become expensive.  
3. Quality: It is a correct fact that film photography has its strengths when it comes to quality. On the other hand, digital cameras also have been known to have high-end quality can some believe that they have better qualities of photographs than film. With digital cameras strong abilities, zero photo costs and instant flexibility to changing photo conditions photographers can experiment more with digital cameras to get the best shot. 
4. Feedback: A very important feature on a digital camera is instant feedback. Almost all digital cameras include a small LCD screen. Once a photo is shot you can go back and see how the photo turned out on that screen and the ability to see how the photo looks like can result in better photos and if the photo is not good you can always take another one. Being able to see the photos result in a decision on how to fix a photo. With film cameras there is no way to know how the photo will look like until they are printed.

Mario Testino’s cover photograph of  supermodel Gisele Bundchen for  the Sunday Times Style Magazine shows a lot of volume and shape with her pose. The lighting used in the photograph is artificial lighting (light that is not from a natural source), yet it is not too harsh on Bundchen’s face and the angle that this shot was taken is at eye level, with Gisele leaning back  and laughing for the action shot. The image is quite dynamic and fresh and it shows her natural beauty. Testino’s techniques for this shot makes the photo itself feel you want to know the model. The image itself looks as if it has been Photo shopped to make Bundchen’s image more attention-grabbing and by adding more detail to her facial expressions.

‘Vogue Patterns’ – www.artandcommerce.com