Mehvish Manaf

Unit 2 Evaluation

I chose the theme openings because I felt that it was very open ended and can be
interpreted from several different viewpoints. I began by mapping out ideas of
what I could photograph for this theme and went from objects to architectural
openings. I found that there was so much I could do with this theme, which was
really thought provoking and made this theme so much more engaging and
appealing to suit the way in which I work with the camera.

I started by going outside with a DSLR Nikon camera and photographing
anything that represented some sort of opening such as; tins, windows, doors,
objects, facial features and more. After this, I decided that I needed a focus point
within the area and after my first shoot I found that the path that interested me
the most was natural openings combined with architectural openings. Once, I
was comfortable with this decision I started researching photographers (as
evident on my website) so that I could start collecting different ideas and styles
to help me with my own work. I then went on a second photoshoot but this time
focused particularly on the subject matter so that I could respond to the work of
photographers I had found. I adapted Robert Adams and Frederick H Evans use
of sepia and black and white tones when it came to editing my photos.

Next, I began to form cultural references to my work and looked at how natural
openings can be restricted through the idea of manmade architectural design,
which are used to control us. I linked this with the idea of how power influences
society. Although the UK Gate Company uses photography as product
advertisement I responded by photographing gates and doorways but used a
more artistic approach by changing the angle and bringing my editing skills to
use.

Furthermore, I also looked at framed openings. Initially, I placed a split frame
against nature and edited each one differently. Although, I didnt go down this
route it was an interesting interpretation that showed different types of
openings. Curious to refine the idea of framed openings through my very first
shoot I had photographed objects which symbolized openings such as; a camera
lens. I related this to the work of Christopher Williams as a form of product
photography but still desperately wanted to develop this concept further relating
it back to my original focus of architectural openings.

This led to the idea of photographing a camera as a hole and placing an
architectural opening within it. I was really pleased with this idea because it
showed an opening through an opening in an unusual way. I left the original
camera photograph in colour but made the decision to convert the image within
it to black and white. I did this to bring in the theme of openings into the past,
which progressed my work further and made it more unique.

I then adapted this concept to the idea of facial features that represent openings
as I had first thought of but again had to relate the idea back to natural and
architectural openings. I combined the work of Jan Esmann and Thomas Barbey
to place a natural opening within an open mouth. The result again formed a very
unusual opening but I liked the ambiguity of my photographs as they didnt just
represent basic openings but used basic openings to create something better, an
opening through an opening.

When it came to shaping my final piece I began looking at natural openings
through photographing natural landscapes. This was inspired by the work of
Max Kandhola. I then edited the photos to give them a conceptual mood and
feeling and then took it one step further. I had this idea of combining different
openings from different locations and the result it would give. So I used
Photoshop to layer images at first I wanted it to look realistic and so carefully
blended similar images. This worked exceptionally well.

Next, I came back to the idea of framing openings for my final exam work and
Emmet Gowin inspired this. I then used the layering technique again but this
time made it very unusual to make the merging of two different locations
distinguishable. I made the background image black and white and then used the
dodge and burn tool to really make it dramatic and make certain areas darker
than the rest. The idea of darkness was to make the photo seem quite cold and
alter the mood and feeling. In contrast to this I placed the pathway in colour,
which gave off a more playful feeling of happiness. Something full of joy entering
the gates of darkness was the story behind the result. Eager to relate it back to
Gowins style I placed it inside a lens and used the vignette tool to frame the
photo further.

The last technique I incorporated into my work was Erwan Soyers image of sn
opening being created. To create a similar style I used two photographs and then
used the warp tool to produce the effect of something being turned. This also
worked very well and again looked like a bit of an illusion that fitted in well with
the rest of my outcomes.

I have used several different techniques on my website and different weebly
features such as slideshows, columns, photo galleries and more to make my work
easily understandable through the neat layout. For my final piece I decided to go
for different sized prints on photo paper and mounting them on large spreads as
part of my portfolio.

On a whole, I am proudly pleased with the progression I have made in Unit 2.
There is a sufficient flow of one development leading to another, all which
contributed to the final outcomes. I have shown improvements and taken
different sets of photographs.