Physical Images Work Diary

Evaluation and Progression


Evaluation

  Here is an example of one of the physical images I created. I gathered inspiration from the famous photographer Barbara Kruger and Pinterest. Here I took a portrait image of a female smiling. I edited it within Photoshop to put a black and white filter on it and also adjust the brightness and contrast settings. The reason for this was because the red highlighted phrase which I was going to stick across the image, contrasted better when the image was in black and white - it also related better to Kruger's work. Here I pasted the words 'we are not what we seem' across her face. I covered all of her facial features other than her mouth because I wanted her smiling expression to be visible. I chose to write these words because I wanted to outline the fact that no one truly knows what other individuals have happening behind closed doors or they do not know if how they seem is really how they are. I thought that these words worked well with the smiling expression she has because it makes us question if she really is as happy as she looks. I created this image by hand and then scanned it to get it onto the computer and into my blogger.

Progression

  Here is my final and edited image of the one previously shown. I used Photoshop to make some minor adjustments because I liked how the image worked already. Firstly, I cropped some of the wide edges around the main image out because this was negative space. This was due to the scanning of the image. I then adjusted the contrast and brightness of the image to try and introduce some darker tones. This was because the image consisted of many light tones and very little dark tones. Lastly, I used the 'curves' setting to again try to introduce more dark tones into the image. I am very pleased with the final outcome because there is more of a balance between the opposite tones. I think that this image successfully relates to the work of relevant photographers and is a good example of physical image making. I don't think that I would do anything particularly different if I were to remake this image.


Evaluation

  Shown here is another example of a physical image which I created. I again, used my photographer research and ideas from Pinterest to influence how I created this image and the words which I used. I took a picture of a female who holds and emotionless expression on her face. I chose to put the word 'obsessed' in the middle of the image, covering her face and the opposing words surrounding it. I consciously arranged the words this way because the surrounding words are the aspects which many women are 'obsessed' with. I wanted the picture to look cramped because it relates to how women may feel due to the many pressures they receive to be and look a certain way by the media and wider society - a women may feel trapped. Difference is disregarded of in society and therefore many women feel obliged to fit the idea of being 'perfect' which includes have a certain body type, looking and being feminine at all times and looking presentable when in company.

Progression

  Here is a my final edited image of the one presented above. Again, I only made some minor adjustments because I already like the way that the image worked. I made similar adjustments to the previous image because they both required the same changes. I used Photoshop to firstly crop the image because similarly, there was negative space from where I had previously scanned the image. This meant that the image is now more centred and the focus point is more vivid. I then made the image darker and the tones more contrasted because again, the original unedited image consisted of a large amount of light tones and little dark tones. I lastly used the 'curves' setting within Photoshop to darken the dark tones within the image so that there was more of a balance between the two. I am very happy with the final outcome because I think that it relates well with the work of Barbara Kruger. I don't think that I would do anything particularly different if I were to remake this image because I think that it is a successful piece of work.


Progression

  To progress my work further, I should complete more physical images which differ to these two. I could possibly photograph a different individual or a different scene, which would add some variation to my physical image work.

Research Post (Barbara Kruger)

Barbara Kruger

Barbara Kruger was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1945. She layers found photographs from existing sources with pithy and aggressive text that involves the viewer in the struggle for power and control that her captions speak to. Much of her text questions the viewer about feminism, classicism, consumerism, and individual autonomy and desire. She took up photography in 1977, producing a series of black-and-white details of architectural exteriors paired with her own textual ruminations on the lives of those living inside. 

  Barbara Kruger created this piece of work in 1989. This is an example of one of Kruger's famous pieces of work. The fact that the image is in black and white makes the red dash with white writing stand out more. The term 'your body is a battleground' may mean that you are constantly fighting and doubting yourself. The fact that half of the image is in black and white and the other half is negative may link to that idea that we are constantly fighting the other 'negative' side of us which causes us to doubt ourselves. I like this image because she has presented the self consciousness a woman may feel but she has used this message to mask the real meaning. This means that we have to think deeper into what the message may mean and think about the conflicting thoughts and feelings a woman may have of herself. It also makes us wonder why a women may feel this way in society. Is it because of the image society has of a 'perfect' woman? Furthermore, I like her style of work because her smart one liners cause us to think about the problems within society that effect people.




  I picked this image as one which I wanted to explore because it looks at how boys/men may feel about the roles which they are expected to fulfil. Here a girl appears to be poking his arms, while he is tensing.The caption 'we don't need another hero' says a lot about how boys may feel they have to grow up to be strong and protect others. The photographer may be trying to convey that the idea of fitting into the two different moulds society holds for men and women is outdated. Furthermore, she may be trying to suggest that there are no more 'heros' needed in society and we no longer should be obliged to fit within these moulds society holds for us. Young boys may look at super heroes in the magazines, books, tv programmes etc and aspire to be like them because they are 'strong' and 'save people'. In my opinion, this image is promoting individuality because it is suggesting that we do not need to try to grow up and be like everyone else, especially sticking to our gender roles. This again causes us to look at the reasons why boys may feel obliged to fulfil the role of being emotionless and 'big and strong'. We may think about how the media may enforce these roles. I can use a similar idea when I develop my own work in this particular style.

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