Rust - Photo shoot
This is my photo shoot inspired by the photographer Alice Rushworth. I replicated her idea of fragments within the topic of peeling paint, by choosing to photograph fragments of rust.
Annotating my editsI have annotated these images as a whole, due to the fact that I have edited every one in an almost identical way. Within these photographs I was attempting to enhance the texture, as well as colour of each fragment of rust. Thus, this colour and texture was my main subject matter within the photo shoot. I took the photographs with a Canon Bridge Camera at around mid-afternoon in/around my garden outside in the daylight. In order to allow myself to alter the shutter speed, zoom, brightness and also other key settings on the camera, I left the camera on the manual setting to manipulate these factors myself. Therefore, to enhance the texture and colour of the rust, I used the manual settings to adjust and speed up the shutter speed, so as the image was exposed for a short amount of time. This fast shutter speed allowed me to obtain a clear, crisp focus of the colour and rust, which really enhanced the grainy texture of the fragments it created. In addition, by using the manual settings to adjust the brightness, it added an almost warm and saturated look to the rust to really highlight the deep red/orange colours.
The work of Alison Rushworth influenced me in completing this piece due to her use of colour, as well as composition. Within her images, she uses a variety of angles and also levels to create an interesting arrangement within the frame. I wanted to replicate this since this provides a range of perspectives in which the spectator can view the rust fragments peeling off their surfaces – really adding to the texture and dimensions of the image. Furthermore, Rushworth’s use of colour is really bold, which catches your eye. In addition, they really contrast and complement one another. This adds an almost abstract theme to the images. Again, this influenced me, as I wanted to ensure I edited the images (and used the camera settings) to highlight the bold red/orange colours produced by the fragments of rust. |
I feel that the composition is effective, due to the fact that I used a great variety of angles and levels, to obtain a variety of perspectives of the rust fragments. I completed this in order to ensure the framing is as eye-catching and interesting as possible, whilst contributing to the subject matter of texture and colour within the fragments. Overall, I manipulated this framing to ensure the texture and also colour was as enriched as possible. For example, within the edits 1, 2 and 5, I used angles that were more slanted at eye level, to really capture the different colours. However, within the remainder of the edits, I used a variety of lower and higher angles/levels to obtain a clear, crisp focus of the grainy texture of the rust fragments. However, some features were slightly ineffective. For example, within edits 3 and 4, some unnecessary background is showing (that does not relate to the topic of rust fragments); this is ineffective due to the fact that it could distract the eye from the subject matter of the images. To overcome this, I could use photo shop to crop this background out, so as the main focus of the image is the subject matter of the rust fragments.
The contrast of colour within the edits appears to be effective due to the fact that the dark blacks and browns, really compliment the blood reds and also the fiery oranges. Thus, this creates quite a warm, homely effect on the edits. Overall, the idea of rust fragments provides an old/ancient theme to the images – these warm, homely colours almost create a meaning of an old longing for home. Consequently, this adds a desolate mood to the edits, since an old longing for home is particularly melancholy. Furthermore, the change in colours is very abrupt, since the dark blacks against the blood reds really contrast each other; again this is effective due to the fact that it adds to the abrupt mood of feeling desolate. I edited these colours within photo shop by increasing the brightness and contrast, as well as adjusting the exposure (offset ad gamma correction). As a whole, this enhanced the warmth and also the saturation of the images to really highlight the difference in colours. Changes in tone can also be seen within edits 1, 4 and 7; I increased the brightness, as well as exposure to increase the lighter tones increasing the aperture. However, I also increased the contrast to provide that difference in tones and aperture – between light and shade. This allowed the colours seen within the rust fragments to really stand out.
In order to refine and develop these edits I would (as explained previously) crop out some of the more distracting backgrounds within edits 3 and 4. In my opinion, this will move the focus onto the rust fragments, so as the eye is not distracted by unnecessary background features. Additionally, within my next fragments photo shoot, I will attempt to focus in on different sections within the images – to provide a more interesting depth of field. For instance, the whole of edit 5 is in focus; to improve this, I could have focussed on a small section of rust fragments in the centre and left the top and bottom of the image (background) out of focus. This would really enhance the pattern, as well as colour on the rust fragments, providing a more professional appearance to the edits. Finally, I could attempt to tone down the warmth of the edits by decreasing the exposure (offset and gamma correction) slightly. Although this adds to the idea of bold, contrasting colours, it may seem a little overpowering to some spectators.
The contrast of colour within the edits appears to be effective due to the fact that the dark blacks and browns, really compliment the blood reds and also the fiery oranges. Thus, this creates quite a warm, homely effect on the edits. Overall, the idea of rust fragments provides an old/ancient theme to the images – these warm, homely colours almost create a meaning of an old longing for home. Consequently, this adds a desolate mood to the edits, since an old longing for home is particularly melancholy. Furthermore, the change in colours is very abrupt, since the dark blacks against the blood reds really contrast each other; again this is effective due to the fact that it adds to the abrupt mood of feeling desolate. I edited these colours within photo shop by increasing the brightness and contrast, as well as adjusting the exposure (offset ad gamma correction). As a whole, this enhanced the warmth and also the saturation of the images to really highlight the difference in colours. Changes in tone can also be seen within edits 1, 4 and 7; I increased the brightness, as well as exposure to increase the lighter tones increasing the aperture. However, I also increased the contrast to provide that difference in tones and aperture – between light and shade. This allowed the colours seen within the rust fragments to really stand out.
In order to refine and develop these edits I would (as explained previously) crop out some of the more distracting backgrounds within edits 3 and 4. In my opinion, this will move the focus onto the rust fragments, so as the eye is not distracted by unnecessary background features. Additionally, within my next fragments photo shoot, I will attempt to focus in on different sections within the images – to provide a more interesting depth of field. For instance, the whole of edit 5 is in focus; to improve this, I could have focussed on a small section of rust fragments in the centre and left the top and bottom of the image (background) out of focus. This would really enhance the pattern, as well as colour on the rust fragments, providing a more professional appearance to the edits. Finally, I could attempt to tone down the warmth of the edits by decreasing the exposure (offset and gamma correction) slightly. Although this adds to the idea of bold, contrasting colours, it may seem a little overpowering to some spectators.
Before and after edits
As you can see, many of these edits are very subtle, since the original images already possess a very effective composition within the frame. However, the alterations I did make mainly enhanced the warm (red/orange) colours created by the rust - really highlighting the subject matter of colour. Although, these edits also slightly enhanced the sharpness of the texture within the fragments (also a part of the subject matter).
Original photoshoot
Here are the photographs I took prior to selecting a few to edit. Some are out of focus; thus why I took a range of photographs to ensure I had a strong selection of in focus images.