My Idea...

For my photographs I'm going to have my mum modeling for me. I'm very close to my mum hence why I'm putting here into my shots. I think my mum looks great for her age. I think shes 60, but defiantly doesn't look it and she takes a great photograph. I would of liked to put the rest of my family into my photographs but I'm only allowed to use one model.

Location...


My sister has a huge house with old with a lot of quirky interior. In her kitchen she has a window bench. So id like to do my shoot in there, not only because of the look but the lighting is perfect. It has a light right over the bench and different other lights in the kitchen so i have allot to play about with.

Id also like to do a few shots in her living room. Its cosy and has a homely feel about it. Which is what my shoot is about family and being at home. After all there's no place like home.

I want a plain white cake with an element of it red. Maybe put some heart sweets on the top and Ribbon round the edge. I also would like little cream cakes, as if it was a tea party.

I also need to consider what my Mum is going to be wearing. I think i want something simple. Plain black maybe with jewellery. Shes very fashionable and i would like her to dress like she would normally do so. I also want her to have the same make up. Shes the type of woman who would be seen dead without make up, even walking to the shop - it HAS to be on, she does her make up well so that's no worry :)

I also want the shoot to be relaxed and no to look as if the photo is being posed for.

Things i need:

• cake/smaller cakes
• balloons
• confetti
• ribbon
• sweets
• red cups
• plates
• wine glasses
• table cloth
• pillows (for the bench) different colours maybe some white some red

The power of colour...

Here i have been looking at photographs with he colour red in them. Some black and white and others in colour...

                                                               Colour photographs...

And... Black and white...

All of the images above i have picked out as i really like them. For instance the red boat picture i really like, its peaceful, great composition and i love the reflections. I also like the intensity of the red against the misted grey tones. Slot of the images above are simple yet very effective. Less is more in these pictures. I also love the selective colouring. Which is what i will be doing in my photo's. I love the vibrant colour against the black and white. especially in red.

My Brief

Looking at both briefs Ive decided to go with option one as The British Heart Foundations competition stands out more to me, I like the fact that he colour red must appear somewhere in the photographs.

I have a few ideas of what i want to do, I'm thinking a black and white image with an aspect of the image/prop in red, so the red will stand out more and catch the eye, but I'm also going to look at colour photographs in my research.

In the brief it states that we don't necessarily have to feature hearts in the photograph, but to think about hearts as a theme and what that means to me.

When thinking of a'heart' i think of 'love' and love to me is my family. So that is a possible idea to centre around. In the brief it also states that, as its The British Heart Foundations 50th birthday the picture could capture an element of celebration. So keeping that in mind, i could base the image around a 'family' celebration.

Research: Exposed.

Exposed

Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera

Tate Modern 28 May  –  3 October 2010

About the exhibition

"...promises to be a magnificent, intriguing, sometimes shocking, sometimes risque show". The Evening Standard
Exposed offers a fascinating look at pictures made on the sly, without the explicit permission of the people depicted. With photographs from the late nineteenth century to present day, the pictures present a shocking, illuminating and witty perspective on iconic and taboo subjects.
Beginning with the idea of the 'unseen photographer', Exposed presents 250 works by celebrated artists and photographers including Brassaï's erotic Secret Paris of the 1930s images; Weegee's iconic photograph of Marilyn Monroe; and Nick Ut's reportage image of children escaping napalm attacks in the Vietnam War. Sex and celebrity is an important part of the exhibition, presenting photographs of Liz Taylor and Richard Burton, Paris Hilton on her way to prison and the assassination of JFK. Other renowned photographers represented in the show include Guy Bourdin, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Philip Lorca DiCorcia, Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Nan Goldin, Lee Miller, Helmut Newton and Man Ray.
The UK is now the most surveyed country in the world. We have an obsession with voyeurism, privacy laws, freedom of media, and surveillance – images captured and relayed on camera phones, YouTube or reality TV.
Much of Exposed focuses on surveillance, including works by both amateur and press photographers, and images produced using automatic technology such as CCTV. The issues raised are particularly relevant in the current climate, with topical debates raging around the rights and desires of individuals, terrorism and the increasing availability and use of surveillance. Exposed confronts these issues and their implications head-on.

Information from: tate.org.uk

Research: The British Heart Foundation.

The British Heart Foundation is a charity organisation in the UK that funds research, education, care and awareness campaigns aimed to prevent heart diseases.

To get a better idea of what is expected of me, Ive looked into previous winners of The British Heart Foundation photography competition, and looking at the previous winners and runners up i love the different ideas Incorporated into an image.

'The Swimmer' -  David Jenkins.

 For instance 'The swimmer' by David Jenkins, I like the way he has expressed different feelings into a photograph, Its a strong image I like how 'the swimmer' is isolated, something i wouldn't of thought of, but looking at the different winners the more ideas I'm getting for my own work.

“The idea of the image was to set the strength of the colour red against a muted minimal backdrop to draw on themes of tranquillity and solitude. This in turn is linked metaphorically to feelings of isolation when battling personal health issues; the isolation is represented by the swimmer, though the beauty of life is still present.”  David Jenkins

“This is an incredible photograph; you really empathise with the man about to take the plunge into the ice cold pool! Dave’s composition is strong and striking in colour with the red against the snow white background. It has a natural feel and is really well taken.”
Sophie Batterbury, Judge and Independent on Sunday Picture Editor.

The image below is another winner. I myself don't really like this image, but I do like the use of lighting , with just the stung beam of light and the backrop in darkness. For me its shows the dark side of living with a condition and the light, the good side. Family, friends, memories, etc.

 

“In this image, the heart is represented by a powerful beam of light which punctures the surrounding darkness. Surrounding this are swirling images that clamour for the light and attention of the piercing gaze of the 'heart' “. Tom Price

'Pulse' by Tom Price.

“This was a strong category, but Tom’s photograph really stood out. The photo is experimental with the use of light, which does not feel contrived and has interesting composition.” Sophie Batterbury, Judge and  Independent on Sunday Picture Editor.

 

 

The image below is another stong image i really like. It looks fun and healthy and very different to the previous two. The other images are captureing a different type of moment. This image to me represents friendship, That theres a bond that can't be broken.

“I feel that this photo shows young people keeping fit and healthy and having fun outside.  It shows how important friendship is and that everyone needs to help look after each other. This helps promote healthy hearts because everyone is wearing something red to enhance the idea of “Red for Heart”.  Beanie Trant

'leap of faith - Beanie Trant'

 “This is a technically strong image – using a panoramic format, capturing the perfect moment and the fun nature of the competition. We hope that Beanie continues with her photography; she has natural talent." John Angerson, Judge and Photographer.

The briefs...

For this project we have been given two briefs to choose from. We have to select which competition brief we would like to follow and between 4 to 6 images must be presented for the submission.

Option one: British heart Foundation: Red for Heart
i will be required to produce a series of black and white or colour images including red somewhere in each image based on the following competition brief:

''the theme for the competition is red for heart. The only rule of the competition is that res must be incorporated somewhere into your photograph.

You don't necessarily have to feature hearts, but think about heart as a theme and what that means to you. As we are celebrating our 50th birthday on 2011 the picture could capture an element of celebration. beyond this, the brief is open to interpretation and we encourage creativity.''

Option two: Sony Open World Photography Awards: 'Exposed' - Creative brief
I will be required to produce a series of black and white or colour images based on the following competition brief:

''The aim of the brief is to produce a photograph that explores the theme of 'exposed'

Your image should draw on the themes explored within the Tate Modern's Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera exhibition.

We want to see your creative response to these images and ideas. We'd like to see how you think the themes affect the world around you. Consider the increasing use of surveillance cameras, camera phones and the circulation of images in the media and on the Internet. Look around you and observe different ways we experience 'exposure' through imagery.

We are looking for a clear image to represent the above themes. Your photograph should record and communicate the essence of your idea''.

Where to start... ?

Well, we had our photography brief yesterday and was really excited to get started until i seen that we would be writing a blog instead of a using a sketchbook, but I'm sure it will be an interesting and different way to approach a project, so here it goes. My first blog entry.

Welcome to my page and ill hopefully try and not bore you too much. I'm off home this weekend to work so i shall be without a computer but I'm sure i will find lots of interesting images and lots ideas to upload Monday.