Theme 2 - Park & Garden

Preparation and planning

I had planned in advance where the shoot would take place for theme 2 and decided on the park and my mum's garden because it is local to where I live. Also, I had taken shots in my mum's garden previously so already got a feel of what may look good in the background of the images and I thought that the trees and the canal would make a nice backdrop for the park shots. I have also been inspired from photographers I have researched to take shots at the park as it makes the images more relaxed and natural rather than feeling 'set'.

Even though the weather was quite mild and sunny it was cold at times so had to style my model according to these elements. I wanted the model to appear natural in the styling like she was just taking a stroll in the park. I also did the make-up for the model which I wanted to keep light and simple.

Equipment used

For this shoot I borrowed a camera from college and a standard tripod. I used a Canon EOS 1000D Digital camera and used it in a manual setting so that I had complete control of the outcome of the shot.

Health & Safety

Even though it was quite a sunny day it was still quite cold so I had to make sure my model was comfortable and warm enough. As it was in an open public place I had to take care of the equipment used so that it wasn't stolen and just the general care of the equipment with it being outdoors was important.

Log of images

Below are some of the images taken on the day of the shoot and I have separated the ones from the garden and the park and have discussed the images individually. I have also advised of the settings used on the camera.



The Garden -

ISO - 400, f/20, Shutter speed - 1/20

This image was taken when the model was unaware which gave it a natural feel. I like the overall composition and the angle of the model.

ISO - 400, f/20, Shutter speed - 1/20

ISO - 400, f/20, Shutter speed - 1/30

Here I wanted to take the same composition as before but in portrait. I feel this works much better than in landscape and it adds more height to the image, before there was alot of wasted space in the photograph.

ISO - 400, f/20, Shutter speed - 1/30

This image was taken from a much higher view point. I wanted to compare and contrast to the ones taken at eye level.

ISO - 400, f/20, Shutter speed - 1/30

ISO - 400, f/20, Shutter speed - 1/30

ISO - 400, f/20, Shutter speed - 1/30

I wanted to use props in this shoot so decided to use a chair and I took the image from a lower viewpoint but still at an angle to add dimension to the image.

ISO - 400, f/16, Shutter speed - 1/30

There was too much light in this image which has reflected from the models face making her appear really white and you can't really pick up on her features as well.

ISO - 400, f/22, Shutter speed - 1/30

This is a similar angle and camera viewpoint as the images before but I wanted to take it closer up to pick out the textures of the models clothes. I like the way the light highlights the models face just enough to draw your attention in.

ISO - 400, f/22, Shutter speed - 1/25

ISO - 400, f/22, Shutter speed - 1/20

With these last two images I just wanted to experiment with the f-stops and shutter speed to gain more knowledge and experience.

The Park -

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

I like the shadowing and brightness of this image and how the light shines through the trees. I also like the angle of the model and how she is looking into the distance which makes you more intrigued.

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

I like the composition and the lines in this image but the model looks to 'set'.

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

I like the models position in this image and it was my intention to have the model to the right and off centre. It even uses the rule of thirds. I feel the clothes work well with the setting as well and the white of the jacket stands out against the background.

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

I like the use of the natural sunlight in this image and it makes the image come to life as I found sometimes when the sunlight didn't come through the image could look a little flat. I like that I have positioned the tree in the centre of the image and I like the relaxed pose of the model.

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

I like the lines and textures in this image. The texture of the models clothing reflects from the texture on the tree and the lines of the models glasses reflects on that of the lines on the canal boat in the background.

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

ISO - 200, f/18, Shutter speed - 1/20

Research on Nature - Andy Small

Andy Small



Andy is a fine art nature photographer and has studied fine art so spent alot of time painting and drawing which is said to have influenced his style of photography. He tends to mainly photograph close up portraits of nature and has become well known for his graphic style and use of bright colours.

Andy uses a Nikon digital camera with Zeiss lenses and alot of the effects for his images are created in a studio with backgrounds and natural lighting but he has also shot images outdoors.

"The natural world is my lifelong passion and provides inspiration for my drawing, painting and photography. Whilst I appreciate those breathtaking views, it is nature on an intimate level that I find most fascinating.
The macro lens is like a window that transports me into another world. In this place I observe details, shapes and patterns that are not usually seen even though most of the subjects are right under our noses." Andy Small

Below are some of my favourite images taken by Andy:

I love the detail shown in this image of the Lily and the use of colour makes it stand out. The natural light used highlights the tip of the flowers petals and I really like the soft lines. The blurry edges of the petals towards the back make it really interesting and makes the pollen the main focal point.

I like the patterns and symmetry in this image and I like that it is really simple and bright and colourful.

The shape and texture of this image makes it really effective and I like how the light reflects off the sharp points on the flower.

The patterns and lines here are really nice and I like how the individual leaves pan out and curve towards the centre of the image. The overlapping of the leaves gives it alot of depth.

I like that the background is blurry in this image as this makes the flower stand out even more and the focus is on the flower. I like the angle of the flower and the way it leans in to the centre.

This image has a really simple composition and I like the bright white colour of the daisy and the yellow stands out. The hints of natural light on the flower is really nice and gives it some life.

The shadows created by the sunlight is really beautiful in this photograph and I like the depth of field. Your eyes are drawn towards the back of the image through the woods and the colour of the bluebells is shown off really well.

The light is more towards the back of the image here with the bluebells still standing out. Even though the bluebells are the main subject in the photograph your eyes firstly go to the bark on the floor. I like the way this bark sweeps across the image and I like the shape and angles.

This image makes you want to follow the path and explore what is beyond. I like the way the path winds towards the end and the way the two trees frame the pathway.

The best part about this image is the use of sunlight and the shadows created by the sunlight filtering through the trees and the colour of the bluebells.

I really like Andy's style of photography and it is quite modern. The use of colour is brilliant and really makes the images stand out from the crowd, most of all I love the simple compositions of the close up shots.

Research on Fashion - Christine Szeredy

Christine Szeredy

Christine was born in Germany where her mother worked for a fashion designer. Because of this Christine got involved with the sewing and pattern making and was clearly influenced by fashion.

After graduating in Germany Szeredy moved to the United States where she focuses on fashion and beauty photography. Her clients include Abbeydale, Maxim Agency and Compass USA.

'I am the happiest when I am shooting, trying to be better today than yesterday. Photography is a constant improvement for me.' - Christine Szeredy

Below is some of Christine's work in fashion photography. I wasn't able to include some images I wanted to because of copyright but you can view her portfolio on her website and the link is below:
http://www.szeredy.com/

This image is very theatrical and dramatic and really shows off the dress that the model is wearing. With the dress being so big the photographer as had to shoot from afar to capture the full length of the dress. The dress is so dramatic in itself so she has used a dramatic background to mirror this. It also has quite a magical and look with the snow and the castle backdrop and I like that the model is centered to the image as this draws your eyes through the photo.

The depth of field in this image is really nice and the white dress really stands out against the darker background of the trees and hill-side setting. It has a very natural and effortless feel and I like how the photographer has positioned the model and that the detail of the dress is shown. The model is the main focal point, however, you do end up looking into the distance.

This is the same model as in the image before but is more focused on the model with the shot being taken in portrait instead of landscape and more close up. She has also chosen black and white for this image which gives more of a mood to the photograph and I like the way she has added movement to the shot with the models hair moving with the wind. 

I love the earthy colours and tones in this shot and I like the angle of the model as this shows off the clothes the model is wearing. The colours and lines are really sharp and there is just enough aperture.

This shot is really powerful and energetic. The photographer has used portrait instead of landscape to create more height in the shot which gives the appearance that the model is jumping much higher than they actually are. I love the drama of the clouds and the smoke in the background and the rural setting adds more edge.

This is more of a beauty shot and making the image black and white makes it more classic and beautiful. The lighting used here is lovely and highlights the features of the models face really well and has created some lovely shadowing.

I love the drama and energy in Christine's images and this is the main thing I will take inspiration from for my own images.

Research on Fashion - Jerry Avenaim

Jerry Avenaim

Jerry was born in Chicago and started his photography career as an assistant to photographer Patrick Dermarchelier.

His first solo assignment was in 1985 which was to shoot supermodel Cindy Crawford for the cover of a foreign Vogue magazine. He then went on to base himself in Milan where he worked for Italian Vogue.

Jerry moved to Los Angeles in 1992 where he is still based today and this is where his love of photographing celebrities began.

Jerry's work has appeared in many magazines including Vogue, GQ, Glamour, Vanity Fair and he has also done advertising shoots for Guess, Warner Bros., Phat Farm plus many more.

Below are some of my favourite images by Jerry.

Quite obviously by looking at these first four images the photographer has thought about the whole theme of the shoot and not just about the photography. He has thought about the era that the clothes portray and worked around this to make the images more effective. The models look relaxed and natural and the images really transform you back to the that time when clothes like this were worn. The models are centered in the image which draws your eyes straight to them and I like the natural light used in the first and fourth images.

Again for these next three images the photgrapher has thought about the feel and era that the clothes portray and has shot the images in a way that reflects this and edited the shots to give it more of an older appearance. The lines in the photographs are really sharp and precise and I like the straight on positions and composition as a whole.

These three images are advertising shots for Eyewear and your eyes are drawn to the models faces straight away which is obviously what the aim was, to sell the product in the photograph. They are quite glamorous shots and are really bright, fresh and colourful and really pop out. I like the movement in the first image as this makes it more interesting and I like the use of light as this is used to highlight the subject. I think the curved effect in the last image is really clever as this reflects the shape and curve of the glasses being advertised.

Jerry is a photographer that seems to be highly influenced by different era's and styles and the way he merges the looks with the location and subjects is very clever and inspirational.