Over the past few months, I have posted two discussions asking for inspiration, advice, and constructive criticism, all for my Higher Level Project:
'To produce a series of photos around the theme: 'Dreams and Nightmares'.'
and, honestly, I have no idea how I would have gotten anywhere with this project if it hadn't been for the amazing responses I got from the 365 community, so thankyou!
So, once again, I need your help.
On Sunday, I am doing a photo-shoot for the 'Dream' photos, and on the same day, I am planning to re-take some of the nightmare photos.
Basically, I need you to tell me how you think I could take these photos better, anything at all!
Still love No.1! Would probably try to darken the surroundings a bit.
Similar for 2) would maybe darken the edges a bit.
For 4) I find the curtain behind her distracting and they don't seem to add to the composition for me. I wonder if you could process the hands/arms reaching out so they don't appear the same as the girl sitting on the bed?
Really interesting to see your ideas for that theme! Thanks for sharing!
yep i love #1 still the best. i think if the girl had a little fill light on her it would enhance the image. also maybe up the vibrance of the colors to help the in-motion bits stand out more. is she on a different layer than the other things, or is it a straight one-frame shot? these are all pretty cool, very imaginative!
@charlotteee333
I agree with darkening of the images. Think of how everything looks darker in dreams, like you're looking at the world through your eyelids. Vignetting may help in this case. Keeps the edges dark, but allows the central point to be a bit brighter.
You could also consider shooting with a higher ISO and use the grain as part of your end result (see below)
I'd go for blue filtering, for the emotional response it tends to elicit. Warm colors are seen as bright and alive, cool colors tend to make us think calm and death, nightmares.
Keep an eye on what body parts are being cut off for which reason. In #1 the tip of her foot is cut off, with #3 it's a few of the legs.
#2 A bit more straining in the face, think sadness combined with pulling off a really stuck bandaid. Her mouth should be turning down not up, and we need some crows feet around the eyes showing that she's fighting hard against it. I'd also have her bring up her other hand to "push" against the vines over her chest, they're pulling so tight she can't breathe and she needs to get them off. Otherwise a tonal shift and vignette and that ones good!
#4 Based on the curtain and teddy bear, I'm guessing you were going for a childs nightmare? Bring the curtain all the way across the background, find similar child like sheet for the bed (check second hand shops if you don't know anyone you can borrow from). Make the bedsheets rumpled, if it's a nightmare they're asleep and just woke up or are supposed to be tucked in but then got up. Barefoot or darker socks, the white jump out and make her feet the first thing you spot. PJ pants or feetie pjs (if you wanted the kids theme) would work much better than jeans. Also if the hands reaching out are supposed to be nightmare hands I'd add some dark stripes of stage paint to them, right now they just look like friendly hands coming in for a tickle :S Same below for #5. Shooting from a height above subject will make them seem younger, facial expression does need work in this one and #3, that one really does look a bit more like laughter
#5 I only just realized it was a knife in the hand, at least I think it is? Turn it so it shows, I know it's not how it would go into the body, but it needs to show more. If the cut has already been made there should be some on the body considering how much is all over the knife. If it was just a few shallow cuts there'd only be a small bit of blood along the edge of the knife with the main portion of the blade still clean and able to reflect the light (less likely to disappear in the shot). Find a syringe for one of the hands to hold. It doesn't need to have a needle in it, you can usually get dropper ones that are used for giving infants medication, cut off the end bit, then have it placed against the skin it will look like it's giving an injection.
I'm posting one of mine from earlier in the month, the photo was desaturated giving it a slightly grittier feel. It will also give you an idea of why I was suggesting injections as well as holding down your subject in #5. ISO of 200 brought in some noise which I didn't bother trying to remove.
Good theme to work with. I could never do mine, my nightmares are just too horrid. Last nights involved trying to get a strangers kid away from the people that killed her family, but first I had to convince her to get out from under the bed and the huge pool of blood from her slaughtered family and hide in my apartment (not one I'd ever lived in before) in a box so that if they came to look for her she wouldn't be found. Then I had to get her to stay still while someone else carried the box to the plane I was flying (I cant fly!) to try and get her away but my "boss" (someone I'd never seen before) was yelling at me for something I didnt' do so I got really mad and started clawing his face off.
And that was a dream, not one of my nightmares!
Charlotte, first of all: your project is the most interesting and creative i have seen here on 365. Huge congrats on that.
That put, let see how can i improve it with a few suggestions:
1) Need more consistency. All pics are saturated in color, but apart from their themes, they lack a feel that they are part of the same series of pictures. Which means you need to stick to some criteria, in my opinion. Strong light source coming from the front in all photos can be one.
Saturated colors can also be one. I would go as far even to say things as: always use full body shots or always use above the waist shot. Those are examples of criterias you can pick. A thing that varies a lot in those pics is the amount of black in the picture.
2) Photo 3, for instance is the most "out of place" to me. I would go for a close up on that one. All their clothing is confusing, colorful and don't contribute to the photo theme. I would rather go with a close up of hands reaching for her than use that open landscape format. And darken all thing a lot.
3) light from below is an apropriate light for nightmares and terror movies. So, Photo #5 is the closest to that and the one that transmits a real unease feeling. Work you light.
4) To dream theme i would go with the exact opposite: soft light, bokeh, high key photos, desaturate things a bit... just something like the processing @snippets and @pocketmouse usually do.
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Similar for 2) would maybe darken the edges a bit.
For 4) I find the curtain behind her distracting and they don't seem to add to the composition for me. I wonder if you could process the hands/arms reaching out so they don't appear the same as the girl sitting on the bed?
Really interesting to see your ideas for that theme! Thanks for sharing!
in the 3rd she looks like shes laughin not scared.
and the second screams fake
I agree with darkening of the images. Think of how everything looks darker in dreams, like you're looking at the world through your eyelids. Vignetting may help in this case. Keeps the edges dark, but allows the central point to be a bit brighter.
You could also consider shooting with a higher ISO and use the grain as part of your end result (see below)
I'd go for blue filtering, for the emotional response it tends to elicit. Warm colors are seen as bright and alive, cool colors tend to make us think calm and death, nightmares.
Keep an eye on what body parts are being cut off for which reason. In #1 the tip of her foot is cut off, with #3 it's a few of the legs.
#2 A bit more straining in the face, think sadness combined with pulling off a really stuck bandaid. Her mouth should be turning down not up, and we need some crows feet around the eyes showing that she's fighting hard against it. I'd also have her bring up her other hand to "push" against the vines over her chest, they're pulling so tight she can't breathe and she needs to get them off. Otherwise a tonal shift and vignette and that ones good!
#4 Based on the curtain and teddy bear, I'm guessing you were going for a childs nightmare? Bring the curtain all the way across the background, find similar child like sheet for the bed (check second hand shops if you don't know anyone you can borrow from). Make the bedsheets rumpled, if it's a nightmare they're asleep and just woke up or are supposed to be tucked in but then got up. Barefoot or darker socks, the white jump out and make her feet the first thing you spot. PJ pants or feetie pjs (if you wanted the kids theme) would work much better than jeans. Also if the hands reaching out are supposed to be nightmare hands I'd add some dark stripes of stage paint to them, right now they just look like friendly hands coming in for a tickle :S Same below for #5. Shooting from a height above subject will make them seem younger, facial expression does need work in this one and #3, that one really does look a bit more like laughter
#5 I only just realized it was a knife in the hand, at least I think it is? Turn it so it shows, I know it's not how it would go into the body, but it needs to show more. If the cut has already been made there should be some on the body considering how much is all over the knife. If it was just a few shallow cuts there'd only be a small bit of blood along the edge of the knife with the main portion of the blade still clean and able to reflect the light (less likely to disappear in the shot). Find a syringe for one of the hands to hold. It doesn't need to have a needle in it, you can usually get dropper ones that are used for giving infants medication, cut off the end bit, then have it placed against the skin it will look like it's giving an injection.
I'm posting one of mine from earlier in the month, the photo was desaturated giving it a slightly grittier feel. It will also give you an idea of why I was suggesting injections as well as holding down your subject in #5. ISO of 200 brought in some noise which I didn't bother trying to remove.
Good theme to work with. I could never do mine, my nightmares are just too horrid. Last nights involved trying to get a strangers kid away from the people that killed her family, but first I had to convince her to get out from under the bed and the huge pool of blood from her slaughtered family and hide in my apartment (not one I'd ever lived in before) in a box so that if they came to look for her she wouldn't be found. Then I had to get her to stay still while someone else carried the box to the plane I was flying (I cant fly!) to try and get her away but my "boss" (someone I'd never seen before) was yelling at me for something I didnt' do so I got really mad and started clawing his face off.
And that was a dream, not one of my nightmares!
That put, let see how can i improve it with a few suggestions:
1) Need more consistency. All pics are saturated in color, but apart from their themes, they lack a feel that they are part of the same series of pictures. Which means you need to stick to some criteria, in my opinion. Strong light source coming from the front in all photos can be one.
Saturated colors can also be one. I would go as far even to say things as: always use full body shots or always use above the waist shot. Those are examples of criterias you can pick. A thing that varies a lot in those pics is the amount of black in the picture.
2) Photo 3, for instance is the most "out of place" to me. I would go for a close up on that one. All their clothing is confusing, colorful and don't contribute to the photo theme. I would rather go with a close up of hands reaching for her than use that open landscape format. And darken all thing a lot.
3) light from below is an apropriate light for nightmares and terror movies. So, Photo #5 is the closest to that and the one that transmits a real unease feeling. Work you light.
4) To dream theme i would go with the exact opposite: soft light, bokeh, high key photos, desaturate things a bit... just something like the processing @snippets and @pocketmouse usually do.
Hope i have helped.
1) is great - she's looking confused
2) no, she's smiling
3) and again, no, she's laughing
4) her eyes aren't scared enough - she's just looking into the distance
5) is excellent! well done!!
Lovely idea!!