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Experimental Photography

Henry Buckham

Out of Focus

Out of Focus

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Strange shade of colour for the sky gives the image a unnatural and extraordinary vibe. The use of colour burn really gives the clouds a 3D edge.

The house and foliage in the foreground is heavily obscured by the shadows and exposure, which has darkened most of the scenery and given it an striking, ominous appearance.

The house and foliage being out of focus helps to create an atmosphere of ambiguity about the image, with the setting and location chosen to be unknown and indiscernible.

The angle of this shot makes the building appear very large, imposing and foreboding.

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Evaluate: ideas eg analysis, results; With this final image I believe I have successfully created what I was aiming for in terms of my chosen theme, fear. I wanted to go for an image that was quite ominous and foreboding in terms of the angle and exposure and I feel like this has been reached, with the angle of the house being quite low from the ground. This perspective makes the building point upwards and appear very dominating in the image, as would any structure that is shot from the ground up. I have tried to draw inspiration from typical architectural photography in this image, mainly with the ground up shot that is common, with the added obscuring foliage to adhere to my theme.In terms of aesthetic qualities, I think my final image does well in this regard with the combination of a pale orange sky and dark, silhouetted foreground of the house and foliage. Combined together this makes for quite a haunting aesthetic, one that ties directly into my theme and also shows that the image has evolved from what it originally was, an image that was taken in broad daylight and couldn’t really be considered a scary image. In terms of weaknesses, I think that the positioning and angle could be altered a little to make sure that there is a nice symmetry concerning the subjects of the photograph, which will balance the image and make it much more aesthetically pleasing. In technical terms I feel as if this is a competent image with use of saturation, vibrance, hue and filters, as well as some colour burning to enhance the colours of the sky and give it depth. I could improve technically by experimenting with some more advanced techniques and styles to use in my image.

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I think I could improve my work by using a range of different and more advanced techniques to add to the look of the image and improve the technical competency. Also, I could try to find some better angles of my subjects and get something that is a little out of the ordinary, which will tie in to the experimental aspect.

In terms of shapes and lines in this image, there are several diagonal lines present that start in the bottom corners of the image and reach up to the corners of the top of the house, setting it firmly in the middle of the photo.

I believe that my final image here strongly ties in to the set brief and my chosen themes. The overall tone and colours used reflect my theme of fear and the out of focus experiment is highlighted by the extended blur, that obscures most detail in the image.I could fit my brief more in the future by continuing to include certain visual elements the contribute to a fearful or mysterious atmosphere, such as dark, dull colours and obscured details, both of which are already present in my final image. I believe that my images are indeed experimental as the out of focus technique that is uncommon in mainstream photography is used very glaringly in my final image to blur most of the surroundings.

Out of Focus 2

Out of Focus 2

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Colour tint of the image has been selected as a deep red – a colour common in publications intended to scare as it represents dread and warnings.

The entire background appears completely obscured via blur, with only the plants in the foreground having sufficient detail to be made out clearly.

The angle of the foreground and plants shows that the image is directing the viewer’s eyes towards the structure in the image’s background.

The two tall stalks from the plants create a sort of gateway that leads into the structure at the very back, further channeling the viewer’s vision.

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Evaluate: ideas eg analysis, results; With this second image, I tried to go for a much more symmetrical image after realising that my first image lacked foreground symmetry which most photographs possess. I have also tried a new angle and have shot this image from the ground, looking over a large plane of land towards a structure that abruptly ends the view. In regards to the symmetry the image has come out much nicer and with a greater sense of object unity than in my first image, and this is highlighted with the two tall stalks of weed that form a sort of archway over the structure in the background. The way these are presented directs the viewer’s eyes into the space underneath the archway and centres the structure at the end as the centrepiece of the image.

In terms of development I modified this image with a range of different colours, hues and shades, eventually settling on a deep red as a hue. I chose red in the end over yellow and B&W because I believed that it created quite a foreboding atmosphere, with red being a colour that normally represents danger or dread.In terms of what I like and dislike about this image, I am quite fond of the whole archway concept with the weeds as it directly controls the view of someone looking at my image, and can be represented in a number of different ways thanks to the low angled shot. The weaknesses of my image, however, are the relatively small view this image has, with only small things visible such as the garage at the back. While this is partly due to my experiment itself (out of focus) I would like to see much more of the overall structure in my next image so that, while obscured, it can be interpreted without as much difficulty.

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How could you improve your work? Could you develop your work further with additional work? What would you try to achieve with this? Could you undertake further experiments? If so, what would they be?

Learning from this image, when I take my third and final image I will try and balance between obscurity and detail, as while my experiment is out of focus, I should not let it become too blurred so that a lot of crucial elements of the image are otherwise unnoticeable or impossible to make out. As said before, while this image lacks a lot of straight lines, the aforementioned weeds forming an archway is the subject of this image and directs the viewer’s eyes with some clear straight lines that lead up to the garage at the back of the shot. To develop this in later images, I could try to centre my subjects more so that there is a greater sense of symmetry within the image, and that the subjects do not appear jumbled or misaligned.

I consider this image to fit my chosen theme and application well, as I have used a combination of heavy blurring and lots of post-processing techniques such as colour burning and altering the vibrance and saturation to give the image a dull, washed out look with a red hue. I can make this conclusion that they fit the brief by having looked at a lot of ‘creepy’ images (specifically a repository on the Creepypasta Wiki, a site for horror stories and images) and common themes seen within are heavy use of blur, black&white or dull colours, and use of sepia or dull red hues.

Out of Focus 3

Out of Focus 3

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Dull, unwashed colours create a glum atmosphere. The lack of vibrance also connotates with decay and neglect. This is a recurring trend in many ominous images as bright and vibrant colours suggest a peaceful and happy world as opposed to a dark atmosphere.

The position and angle of the camera gives the illusion of someone (the viewer) peeking around the tree. This constitutes with a sense of the unknown.

Colours have been kept to a low number, around three to ensure a unitary style and theme. This was done by controlling the shooting location.

Focus has been shifted to the tree on the left to provide a 3D-esque effect, that contributes to the feeling of actually being inside the photograph.

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Evaluate: ideas eg analysis, results; My intention for this image was to try and create a ‘personal’ feeling which makes the viewer feel as if they are there in the photograph. I have used such techniques such as a deep depth of field with focus shifted to the tree in the foreground, as well as positioning the camera in such a way that it gives the illusion of someone peering around a corner. This is a break from my previous images which don’t feature such a unique shooting location and setup, instead being focused on closeups (my second image) and a high level shot focusing on the roof of my house (my first image) My main influences come from several story threads that I have seen around the internet that revolve around a set of images to tell a story or recount a journey. These types of photographs usually feature very short depths of field to create the illusion of eyesight and this is used to make the viewer feel like they are experiencing it themselves first-hand. However these images tend to be much more clearer in terms of appearance and I have broke from this style to focus on my chosen experiment, and have blurred the image in several places.

Qualities:What I like most about is this image is the use of the blur and the dull, washed out colours. These have both contributed to my intended atmosphere and chosen theme. What I like about the blur is that it is not used to a massive extent but still obscures the background entirely, leaving just the foreground in focus. This ties in to the earlier mentioned first person narrative that was both an influence and theme for this image. This is a break from my previous images which rely much more heavily on the use of blur and lack of focus. In my fourth test image I briefly tried an alien visual by the altering the image into otherworldly colours.What I dislike about this image is the fact that it is quite simple visually and doesn’t show a great deal. The background abruptly ends with the hedge so not a lot is left to the imagination and in the future I would choose a background that stretches out much further, such as an open area like a field.

Technical Qualities:In a technical sense this image is slightly underwhelming in accordance to my chosen application although I have tried to use some new techniques. One in particular is using a new layer and altering the opacity, as well using several filters such as noise and solarize. I do believe that my use of opacity to dull the vibrance is the strongest technical point as it has given the image a very unique look, but my use of the blur is the weakest. If I was to repeat this with the intention of making a better image I would utilise my aperture and focus more, blurring a lot more of the image rather than just leaving it with good exposure in the foreground.

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How could you improve your work?

To further improve upon my work in this future I will begin trying some new techniques and styles after realising that this image was quite technically basic. I would like to improve upon my use of the blurring to create an obscure yet effective image that fits with my theme and application. To achieve this I will likely take a couple more shots and edit them accordingly, trying out styles and eventually submitting the ones that I personally consider the best.

When talking about your work, consider formal elements such as lines, shapes and patterns as well as the colour and contrast and also tone of your image. Think about the composition of your work and where this could be developed.

While this images lacks any clear straight lines and shapes, a few hypothetical shapes can be seen from the branches and the irregular shapes of the hedges. The fork shaped branch at the top of the photo acts as the arrow of sorts, directing the viewer’s gaze into the hedge in the background. This is further supported by the mown grass at the bottom, which acts as a path and works around the tree and hedges and directs the viewer in a similar manner. If I was to improve this image in compositioning terms, I would like to get some more symmetrical shapes and create a more noticeable viewing path for the viewer, so that any subjects of choice in the image can be seen almost instantly, allowing the photographer to control the viewer’s eyesight.

Out of Focus 4

Out of Focus 4

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Photo is dark and obscured. The tree in the background can still be made out but that image is now blurred enough to have a sense of mystery.

I kept the image in a portrait orientation while shooting to give the illusion of someone looking up to the sky.

Initially this photograph was quite sharp and choppy (seen in the progression slide) and I have used blurring to smooth the edges and improve the aesthetic.I removed the colour from the image to give a monotone and depressive feel. It also contributes to the sense of mystery as without colour it is hard to tell where this might have been shot.

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Evaluate: ideas eg analysis, results; With these images I have tried to use the out of focus application more thoroughly, producing a set of almost entirely blurred images as opposed to my semi-blurred previous attempts. The key intention for these particular images was a feeling of obscurity and the unknown and I have achieved this with both the use of blurring and the actual angle of the photograph. I aimed the camera upwards and orientated the photograph as a portrait to give the illusion that it was someone looking up to the sky. In turn this also controls the viewer’s vision and brings the focus up to the sky and the foliage. In comparison to my earlier photographs I believe that this set isn’t as ‘fear’ related, but they have succeeded in a more technical, using the chosen application more widely and displaying use of several techniques and exposures.

Qualities:With my final image in this set I have once again used foliage as a primary subject, aiming the camera so that the glare of the sun appears to be completed surrounded by leaves in an almost spherical shape. This creates a view hole of sorts and directs the viewer’s gaze directly into the centre of the image. I believe that these images connect to the theme of fear because they offer feelings of the unknown (in a similar sense to my second image, albeit without the changing of colour) from the aforementioned viewhole, as well as a overhanging mood from the use of black and white. However, where I believe these images fall short is the use of subjects. While there is the clear centre subject in the final photograph, a lot of the test shots lack a clear subject and have been show gazing towards a nondescript object that lacks any sort of purpose or belonging. If I were to try this image again I would aim for a more specific subject in the image and make sure that the viewer’s vision is directed towards it.

Technical Qualities:In terms of the technical this image succeeds over my previous attempts as I have used the blurring technique to a larger extent, to the point where a lot of precise details have vanished and the image is much more obscure. This is lacking in my previous photographs, which only have a partial out of focus technique and instead rely on depth of field for their visuals. My post processing techniques for this image includes desaturating the image, use of opacity and altering the levels to get the image where it is now. During my post-production I also considered a return to colour with increased vibrance but eventually decided against it, choosing the black and white effect for my final image. If I was to repeat this series, I would like to try shooting with a clear effect in mind and going on from there by choosing earlier on if I would like the image to be in colour or to be black and white.

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How could you improve your work?

To improve this image if reattempted in the future, I would like to utilize some more advanced post-production techniques that aren’t just changing the colour. This would probably go for all my images in general as they all offer very little in terms of post-production competence. I would like to attempt usage of cropping, blending and filters to really make my images stand out from the preliminary shots. Also, I would like to take a variety of images in the future and not just limit my shooting location to the grounds around my house. Possible locations to shoot for a future project would be going into Easingwold and possibly beyond, as well as using some of the public land that lies near my house. I could also consider taking some shots indoors and applying the same techniques I have used for my existing photos.

When talking about your work, consider formal elements such as lines, shapes and patterns as well as the colour and contrast and also tone of your image. Think about the composition of your work and where this could be developed.

As mentioned earlier in the previous slide, this image offers a view-hole created by the angle of the tree’s leaves and several bushes to the left, which directly leads the viewer’s vision into the centre of the image. This is also present in my second final image with the weeds acting as arches and leading the viewer to look at the structure in the far background. My use of black and white in this image very easily distinguishes the sky from the foliage and creates a vignette effect with the bushes. Next time I shoot my images, I would like to have a greater sense of symmetry within the photo, and if there is a subject on display, I would like to pronounce my elements, making them much more clearer and stable and allowing the subject to be easily interpreted by following a set route through the image.

Do your images fulfil the brief?

Overall, I believe that these images work well in accordance with my set brief and applications, using blur and lack of focus to invoke an aspect of fear. I have studied many ‘spooky’ images that can be found on the internet and found that a majority of them have a deliberately poor exposure or focus in order to retain the obscure and unknowing aspect, as a photograph with perfect exposure leaves nothing to the imagination. This is most promiment in images that claim to show ghosts, which are never in perfect exposure and often have their surroundings blurred to the point of being unrecognizable.I do consider these images experimental as they break the typical boundaries of photography – a lot of typical, ‘normal’ photographers avoid blur and lack of focus and many see it as ruining a picture. I say this because a typical series of photographs will likely have perfect exposure and immense detail, with nothing left to the imagination. Granted, there is use of blur outside of a horror aspect when photographers want to bring a certain object into focus. They will do this by altering the depth of field and focus to blur the background and leave the foreground in focus. In my series I have used it as my main theme and as an artistic aspect to create the desired unnerving atmosphere.