Computer experiments

Smudge...

This photo is originally from my "friendship" shoot. The reason I chose to smudge the faces of my subjects was due to symbolism- teenagers are stereotyped together as a whole and I found that smudging the faces of them is quite effective in showing this; their identity is kept and its hard to tell who is who.

Threshold...

I find this experiment of this tool really interesting because its as if my subject has morphed into the graffiti- it is quite hard to tell where the graffiti ends and where my subject stands. This can be a symbolic use of editing because of creating a counter stereotype of youths don't care about anything; this photo implies that their art work of graffiti symbolises their thoughts and emotions.

Posterize...

I decided to edit these two photos in this way because I find it really interesting when looking at the counter stereotypes of youth/ the stereotypes of the subculture of "geeks/nerd" because I find this effect creates a magazine type effect to these images, implies they aren't really. This could be symbolic for the audience by suggesting because it counter stereotypes the media doesn't include it as much. The media only covers the stereotypes.

Layer Merge...

Print Techniques

Duo Tone:

Black and White:

Photo Filter:

Selective Colour:

Cluster:

Schedule for completion

Computer experiments: 10th January
Physical experiments: 12th January
connecting essays: 12th January
Final evaluation: 19th January
Print techniques: 10th January

Shoot Thirteen- Skateboarding 2- Work Diary

Due to the success of my other shoot taken in the location of South Bank, I decided to go back there to experiment with further subjects in different angles, unlike the other shoot, I wanted to go into the skate-park and walk around rather than taken photos from the side lines. I found that due the date of me going on a bank holiday, I originally found no one in the skate-park which I was a little shocked about, but then I waited for around 10 minutes and then found two people walking into the park. I then thought that unlike my other shoot, I wanted to talk to these subjects, alongside asking them if I can these images to get to know them and about them skateboarding. As you can tell from the images they are the oldest subjects but they gave me the permission and told me how they do love skateboarding they just tend to use other skateboards and rarely this one because it is generally jammed packed- which is present in my other shoot. I found it really interesting talking to these boys because even though they looked "fitting of the stereotype" it was clear they weren't but without knowing any context, these images would appear stereotypical youth- which is obviously the aim yet I thought it would be interesting to include this context in this work diary. As a whole I am really happy that I decided to go back to South Bank skate-park because it meant I was able to experiment further in my research and as a whole I think it was definitely worth it especially because I chose a day were I was able to gain a rapport with my subjects as there wasn't many people there, yet when I decided to leave, more people did start to come yet they were much older so I thought it was better to just include a shoot with just these two subjects. 

Favourite image from this shoot:

As spoken about on my straight images, I find this one of my most successful images within this shoot because of the context. You can see on my straight images that I shot this subject before this shot, waiting at the top of the ramp watching his friend do the same. Yet I didn't include the one of the other subject because I found the continuation of the activity fitted better. I also find this one of my more successful images in this shoot because I was able to present Henri-Cartier Bresson's work of the decisive moment, capturing one point in time which if I had taken the image a fraction of a moment later, the frame would differ. Yet in this style I have been able to show my subject within the centre of my frame whilst also presenting the technique of blur in my subjects foot, it moving caused this effect. The reason I decided to create this shoot a series of black and white because I found this was most successful in showing my research of the photographer Dan Boulton because he is also a photographer who has done numerous shoots at the South Bank skate-park and due to the bold colour that graffiti is, and the amount of it, when it is made into black and white, it almost flattens an image which I find really interesting as this effect means the subjects merge into the graffiti which further complies with the stereotype of vandalism- implying that all youths do graffiti, displaying their emotions and thoughts in their art. 

Least favourite image from this shoot:

Personally I find this one of my weaker images from this shoot because of the main factor of being out of focus. In some of the shoots and images I found that being blurry helped me to create a more gritty atmosphere which I did like, however in the context of this image in particular, I do not think it worked as well because it takes away focus of my subjects. Also, as I am quite far away from my subjects, it is quite hard for the audience to actually see what my subjects are doing. Another aspect which I think makes this one of my weaker images for this shoot is that the framing of this image isn't done very well. For example, it would have looked better if I were closer and I positioned them in the left third like it is here but it would be closer, or if I were to have been on the opposite side of them to take an image of their face, however, I found this meant that rather than have a graffiti background like I do in all my images in this shoot, it would be of those passing by and the river Thames which I do not think would have the same effect.

Shoot Thirteen-Skateboarding 2- Straight Images

This image was taken when the subjects had just arrived at the skatepark and I had just asked them if I could take photos of them, one of them then walked to the side to put their things down and could start skateboarding. Even though he isn't skateboarding at this point in time I find it suits the theme of youth subculture really well because I have been able to capture the true behaviour oh this individual and also the use of graffiti in the background is really interesting as my subject has almost merged into the graffiti.

I find this image really symbolic and interesting because these two boys arrived at South bank together and continued skateboarding together, one going and the other watching and so forth, yet in this image, I have captured the parting of each other which I find intriguing and symbolic factor of this image. If the audience didn't know the context of these two boys being friends, it could be suggested that they were just skateboarding past each other, implying they are connected through the activity of skateboarding yet it doesn't put them together as a whole subculture, implying the stereotypes may not included youth as a whole, when looking at youth subculture, it's such a broad group that it needs to be broken down. Additionally, I like how the thick pole in the middle is almost separating them symbolically implying they are no longer friends.

The reason I find this image interesting is because this is when they had just arrived at the skate-park and where sorting themselves out, yet if you were to compare this image to a similar image taken in the same part of the skate-park in my previous shoot, this part had so many people, yet on this day I was able to capture just two people, I find this to be a greater insight of the small groups of youth, whereas the previous shoot was good at conveying the main stereotype of youth gangs, going to places such as a skate-park not to only skate but to drink and smoke as a social gathering. Much like many images within this shoot, I also find this image really intriguing because the black and white effect has made the subjects merge into the walls.

This is the image which I find interesting because even though my subject isn't skateboarding at this point in time, he is observing his friend do the ramp down and then back up again. I find it interesting how in this image you are able to see this subject preparing himself to go after his friend. It was at this point that I was talking to this individual as well as I learnt they don't go to this skate-park as much as they wish to because of how busy it gets. I thought this was an interesting point because it shows that even though many youths share the hobby and interest of skateboarding, they do not consider themselves in the same subculture as each other, perhaps due to age.

This is the image which is taken after the one above, I find the one above and this one works so well together because it shows the action, I captured both this subject observing his friend and the friend doing the same, yet I thought it would be better to have the same subject as a sequence because it shows the order- this subject is doing exactly what his friend done, seeing whether they can do it or not/ at the same time helping each other. I also think this image is interesting because it links well with the photography Henri-Cartier Bresson's view of the decisive moment, I captured my subject when he was pretty much in the middle of the two posts and my frame, at the same time being able to capture the moment of the action. If I were to have taken this image a moment later, the subject would be much nearer to the post and I do not think it would have the same effect. 

Shoot Thirteen- Skateboarding 2- Contact Sheet

Shoot Thirteen- Skateboarding 2- Shoot Analysis

As progression from my Shoot 5 images, I have decided to go back to South bank skate-park to re-shoot skateboarding images. This is because I found this shoot highlighting as one of my main highlights so far. The reason I decided to go back to the same location is because I found the surroundings around my subjects really successful- with graffiti around the surrounding walls, the photos became more than just people skateboarding.

However, due to a gain of access on time, the only time I will be able to go visit South Bank skate-park again will be on New Years Day, I personally haven't be up to London on this day so I am unsure about how busy it will be/ whether or not people will actually be skateboarding, but if it is empty, I will aim to take photos of the skate-park any way because I believe it still represents youth really well.

The main inspiration for this shoot, much like the Shoot 5 images, will be influence by Marc Vallee- work is shown on my research Log. A way I intend for this shoot to differ from my previous shoot will be that I will hopefully experiment with different angles. In shoot 5 when I originally went up to London the skate-park was busy and I was only able to take photos from the sidelines, behind a bad, restricting me from taking up close photos of the skateboarders themselves. As I have chosen New Years Day for this shoot, hopefully the skate-park will not be as busy so I will be able walk around there (hopefully).