Conceptual Artist Research 2: Tom Hussey

Born in America, Tom Hussey is a photographer that specialises specifically in lifestyle photography, and in this case in the form of portraiture. I have been aware of Hussey’s work for a long time now, and I realised that his project depicting age is quite similar to my project about the progression of my photography skills and knowledge. The progression of time is relevant and is the main basis for both of these projects, which is why I found Hussey a fitting photographer to include in my Final Major Project.

The first image is of an elderly woman who is shown to be looking in a mirror,  but the reflection that looks back at her is a significantly younger version of herself. Upon first glance of this photograph, it might appear that nothing is out of the ordinary. However, it quickly becomes evident that photoshop has been used in this image quite heavily, to create quite a surreal piece of art. I really like the way the image has been edited to such a large extent, yet subtly enough so that it is not immediately recognisable as an impossible image. Although both versions of this woman are quite formal in terms of their clothing, and wearing dark colours, it should be noted that the younger version of the woman has more colour on her, perhaps indicating that the woman feels like she was brighter or happier when she was younger. The mannequin in the background seems to be supporting part of the dress that once worn by the woman in the reflection. This could be indicating that the elderly version of the woman does not feel comfortable wearing the same clothes as she did when she was many decades younger. The composition of the image is very well formed, there are no parts of it where nothing is happening, or from which information cannot be gained from. This particular photograph is probably my favourite image in all of Hussey’s work that I have seen in this project.

The second image of Tom Hussey’s project that I wanted to reflect upon is this photograph of an elderly man and his wife looking into a mirror. However, quite like the previous image, the reflection is not correctly repeating what is looking into it, instead showing a much younger man, who seems to be on his own. I can infer from this that the elderly man is looking upon his younger self, who has not yet seemed to have met the woman the elderly man has by his side, and seems rather busy with some form of work instead. It can be seen by the wedding ring on the elderly man’s left hand that he is married, so it is very likely that the woman next to him that seems so caring of him is his wife. I think this image is sharing a message of what life is like after retirement, perhaps indicating that although the working part of his life may have ended, he has instead gained love, something that, judging by the elderly man’s smile, he is rather content about. I really like the use of colour here, the reflection showing quite a bleak and darker toned world in contrast to the colour shown within the clothing, furniture and overall atmosphere of the real world.

The third image from Hussey’s ageing project that I have chosen to write about is perhaps his most intriguing and serious image that I have seen. Following the same structure as the last two images, in which a mirror reflects a person, but not within the same age, status, situation or emotions that are evident on the actual person. In this image, a woman seems to be happily trying on wedding dresses, yet when my attention was drawn to what the reflection depicts, my curiosity was immediate. Unlike many of Hussey’s photographs in this project, this mirror’s reflection of the woman seems to be roughly the same age as the woman in the wedding dress. However, the main difference this time is her clothing and emotions. It is evident that the reflected version of the woman is in a hospital gown, and the tag around her wrist suggests she is a long-term patient at a hospital. The saddened look on her face is very intriguing to me, and although I immediately assume that she is concerned over whatever illness or injury she is in the hospital for, I also wonder if there is more to the woman’s story than what Hussey is letting on, perhaps leading to messages expressing views on arranged marriage, or domestic abuse. Again, the use of colour really allows the viewer of the photograph to realise which woman in each side of the mirror is in a better condition of life, depicting the wedding dress as white, clean and bright, and showing the hospital gown as pale green, crumpled and wonky. This project by Tom Hussey has always been particularly fascinating to me, and is among one of my favourite projects to refer to if studying surreal photography, or any form of photography that has a deep meaning or concept to it.

Technical Experimental Shoot 3

Prior to taking the photographs of the northern lights that were to be used in my photomosaic, there were a few night trips that ended in exposure to northern lights as well. As each day came and went, my skills in taking photographs of the northern lights increased greatly. On the first day, it took a while for me to actually show any lights in my photographs of the night sky, however with help from my tutor and peers, I was soon able to get to grips with focusing correctly on the right parts of the sky in order to capture the best images. It was important to practice taking pictures of the northern lights if I was going to take a photograph good enough to enter into the Final Major Project exhibition. If I were to compare this shoot to one of the artists I have researched, it would be Eric Cahan, who famously took photographs of the sky as part of his ‘Sky Series’. However, the majority of his photographs took place in the day, and in order to see and capture photographs of the Northern Lights, I needed to do my shoot in the evening/night. My main focus was also the solar flares as opposed to clouds or common sky colours.

I think this shoot especially shows my progression and adaptation as a photographer, which is what my Final Major Project is all about. This was my favourite shoot to perform in this project, and possibly my favourite photography shoot that I’ve taken part in of all time, which is a great way to finish my time as a photographer before I move into Media Studies. If I could have improved this shoot, I would have stayed outside for a longer period of time and taken many more photographs. However, I am more than happy with my images overall.

 

Conceptual Experimental Shoot 2

For this experimental shoot I focused on one of the conceptual and techncial aspects of landscape photography. Prior to beginning the shoot, I undertook some online research into what camera settings are ideal for taking photographs of the sky. My reasons behind this idea can be explained with an integral part of my Final Major Project image. The background image of the final image will be the northern lights, a stream of solar flares that are visible from the north and south countries of the Earth. In order to be able to take successful photographs of this phenomenon, I am going to need to have knowledge and experience in taking photographs of the sky. This shoot was loosely based on the work that Eric Cahan produced in his ‘Sky Series’ project, and I definitely think this sort of shoot could fit quite nicely into this specific project of his, given the topic, colours and basic shapes and textures involved.

I particularly am entranced by the colours found in the majority of these images, specifically the dark and light shades of blue that peek behind the soft white and dark grey puffs of cloud. Shape is also a very notable formal element, the unique shapes of the cloud being shown quite prominently in each image. The texture of the clouds is also very noticeable, looking soft, or a similar texture to cotton, despite only being water vapour. One thought that entered my mind during this shoot is that, similarly to my progression as a photographer (the main basis of my Final Major Project), these clouds are advancing through the sky.

In terms of the post production stage of this shoot, photoshop was a huge contributing factor to the completion of the images shown above. Levels and curves were both used to  increase the contrast of individual colour channels (red, green and blue), and I controlled the brightness and darkness of each image through filters. If I had to improve this shoot in any way, I would take pictures of the sky at different times of the day, so as to see the difference it would make on my camera settings and how I could make it look in the post production stage.

Conceptual Artist Research 1: Eric Cahan

Eric Cahan is a lanscape photographer that has experimented with many different forms of landscapes in his career. Many of these landscapes depict very rural and working class parts of the Earth, but one specific project of his that captures my interest and is relevant to my Final Major Project is his ‘Sky Series’. In this project Cahan has taken photographs of the sky during different parts of the day, in different parts of the world, showing the various shades, lights, clouds and creatures that can be found in this specific environment. Upon viewing all of these photographs for the first time, I was captivated. The colours he found and captured, particularly during the sunrise and sunset sections of the day, were amazing to behold.

The first image of his that stood out to me when looking through Eric Cahan’s portfolio is one of  the busiest photos in the ‘Sky Series’. Whilst many of the other photographs he has included in his project show just colour and shades, this photograph shows clouds, buildings in the distance and water across the horizon. As someone that has always found the sky a beautiful and particularly photogenic part of the world, I am immediately captivated and attached to these images. The composition of this image also needs to be applauded. The rule of thirds is used quite clearly in this image, the top of the image showing a bold, barren blue sky, the middle showing a busy, cloudy atmosphere, and the bottom showing a distant civilisation with buildings and a long stretch of water. The fact that Cahan made two of the thirds portray the sky makes it look vast and magnificent in comparison to the very small town and the tiny amount of ocean that is visible in the image. The various shades of blue in the image are also beautiful, and very aesthetically pleasing.

The second image by Eric Cahan that I am going to write about is this photograph of a sunset in San Francisco that he has captured. Unlike the previous image, this one does not have any objects, people or anything other than a complete vibrant sky. However, this particular image caught my attention due to the abnormal colours it is showing. The fact that the sunset in this area of the world is a dark and powerful shade of purple is so fascinating to me, as I have never witnessed the sky show this form of colour before. I love that the shade goes from very vibrant and dark at the top, slowly changing as it progresses down through the image and eventually reaching a light blue/white colour. Because of this shade difference, this image is also composed in a way that includes a rule of thirds, despite showing only the sky.

 

The final image that I will be analysing is this dark toned image that is another part of Eric Cahan’s ‘Sky Project’. I love that, immediately, the viewer of the photograph gets this feeling of ominousness due to the connections we make when we see dark clouds forming. Again, the image seems to start very vibrant at the top and end up much lighter at the bottom. This recurring theme in Cahan’s work is both enjoyable to witness and quite unique.

 

Bibliography

Emma Biggs Research:

http://www.emmabiggsmosaic.net/

http://www.mosaic-blog.com/

http://emmabiggsandmatthewcollings.net/

Robert Silvers Research:

Home

http://www.photomosaic.com/bio.html

http://www.photomosaic.com/portfolio.html

Eric Cahan Research:

Sky Series Selected Works

About

https://www.artsy.net/artist/eric-cahan

Tom Hussey:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Hussey_(photographer)

https://www.tomhussey.com

Elderly People Look At Their Younger Reflections In This Beautiful Photo Series By Tom Hussey

 

 

Peer Feedback

I gave out questionnaires asking my peers what their overall thoughts were of my Final Major Project. A lot of the responses were very positive, and I am pleased with the outcome.

When asked what the initial thoughts of project were, my peers answered:

• Good idea, good research with relevance to the project and with relevant experiments
• Creative and a good way to show progression
• I like how you’re showing your full journey as a photographer and the northern lights makes it more personal
• Very creative and it shows that you have a lot of skill with Photoshop techniques.

From this I can infer that my idea is creative and a good way to finish off my photography course according to my peers.

When asked if my artist research is relevant to my Final Major Project, all of my peers answered ‘Yes’.

From this I can infer that my peers believe my artist research to be satisfactory in accordance with my Final Major Project.

When asked if there is anyway in which I could improve my Final Major Project, my peers answered:

• Show artists that are relevant to your concept
• Nope
• Complete more experiments and add in some mood boards and visual research to show your idea
• More Experimental Shoots
• I think that the work you have done so far is very good
• Do more experimental shoots to expand your ideas

From this I can infer that in order to improve my Final Major Project so far, I need to include more experimental shoots and visual research. I will make sure to implement this into this unit as soon as possible

Hockney Inspired Shoot

David Hockney – ‘The Arrival of Spring In Woldgate’.

David Hockney Review

As part of my second year at Harlow College, we were permitted to attend a trip to the Tate Modern museum in South Bank. A specific tribute was on during this visit, one for the renowned artist David Hockney, known specifically for his images of water and the physical  figure of men. I was immediately fascinated by his command of colour and texture, and the various meanings and reasons behind his paintings and general artistic style. Here is just one of the paintings that took my interest:

This specific piece of art was perhaps the most popularly viewed when on the exhibition trip, and could be argued to be the most popular piece of art that Hockney has ever produced. The use of lines in this piece makes the majority of the image seem quite basic and plain, until the main focus of the image becomes obvious: the splash. The amount of detail spent on creating this splash effect using paint is evident, and I think this is a really clever way of putting the focus of the viewer on something specific. I also love the different shades of blue used throughout the effect of the splash, going from the dark blue of the pool, lighter and lighter until it reaches pure white. This painting is one of my favourites in Hockney’s work.

This is another one of my favourites of Hockney’s work. I find the contrast between the styles of photography and paintings very fascinating, as different techniques are used to create the same visuals. For example, depth of field is a contributing factor to why this painting looks so interesting. There’s almost a 3D effect with this canvas, showing the depth of this colourful forest. Hockney does this by drawing a variety of thickness in the lines that make up the outline of each tree. I also personally really like how the trees have almost a hairy look, making the forest look alive, not to mention the extensive use of multiple colours on not just the trees, but the grass, the path, and the background and skies too. It is overall a really well formatted and styled painting, and is also one of my particular favourites of all of Hockney’s work.

Here are some other examples of paintings and photographs that David Hockney is known for, or are just personal favourites of mine by him:

Overall I found David Hockney’s work to be very inspirational as both generally an artist, and in helping me decide and confirm what I wanted to do in my Final Major Project this year, especially due to his photomontages.

Conceptual Experimental Shoot 1

As I was walking to my class, I noticed these mosaic patterns on one of the walls at my college and thought they were quite reminiscent of  Emma Biggs’ work. I took a few pictures of the mosaic I found because I wanted to show just how common mosaic’s are around the world, and how similar in style they can be to each other, especially if made by the same material. I also wanted to keep a note of the way this mosaic is pieced together so that I could try and realistically replicate it when creating my photomosaic.

I thought this mosaic was quite similar to Biggs’ work due to the natural image involved in it (a sunflower). It is entirely possible that the creator of this mosaic was influenced by Emma Biggs during the time of its plan and creation. The colours in particular are well thought out and placed so specifically to create the overall pattern, and I hope to try and recreate that in my final photograph. The multiple shapes used are also quite interesting, each triangular or square shape being different from the other, it really works in terms of making it look man-made and hand-crafted. However, the majority of Biggs’ mosaics are more meaningful than this simple sunset that has been displayed here, so I would say that Biggs’ work is better in this case. I will try to find more mosaics around town and elsewhere so that I can see both the popularity of them, and the variety in terms of their design and creation, so that my knowledge on this form of art can be improved before I start creating my own photomosaic.

Technical Experimental Shoot 2

The intent of this experiment is to show how I will be creating my final photomosaic for the final major project. Instead of using my own photograph though, I shall use a famous painting, in this case I am using Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’. This shoot is loosely based on Robert Silvers’ photomosaic project, however, instead of simply showing my final outcome as he does, I am writing about and displaying just how I got to this end result, using screenshots of Photoshop.

1. Open a new page on Photoshop by clicking on ‘File’ and then ‘New’.

2. The box shown below should appear, name your work.

3. Change the width and height of the page to the following measurements

4. Once the page has appeared, click on ‘View’ at the top, and scroll down until you get to ‘New Guide’.

5. A small box like this should appear, click on ‘Vertical’.

6. Change the position to ‘10%’. (It is important that the percentage sign is used.)

7. A blue line should appear along the left side of the page. This is the start of a template you are making.

8. Go back onto ‘View’ > ‘New Guide’ and this time type ‘20%’ in.

9. A second blue line should appear.

10. Repeat this procedure, changing the percentage amount by +10 each time, until you reach 90%. The page should now look like this.

11. Going on ‘View’ and ‘New Guide’ again, this time select ‘Horizontal’, and type in ‘10%’.

12. A horizontal line should cross the top of the page as shown below.

13. Just like with the vertical lines, keep adding horizontal lines until you reach 90%.

14. Go onto ‘File’ and scroll down to ‘Place Linked’.

15. Select one of the images from your files that you want to include in your photomosaic.

16. A large sized version of the image should appear as shown below.

17. To shrink the image, use the command key (cmd) and press ‘T’. You will now be able to shrink or grow the image.

18. Shrink the image so it fits roughly inside one of the small boxes of your template. Click the tick at the top of the screen.

19. If any parts of your image are going into any other boxes or off the screen, select the dotted square select tool that is the second option down.

20. Select the area of the image inside the square you wish to use.

21. With the image selected, click on ‘Layer’ > ‘New’ > ‘Layer Via Copy’.

22. A layer called ‘Layer 1’ should appear.

23. If you click the small eye next to the layer below ‘Layer One’, it should remove the parts of the image you do not wish to keep. You should also delete this layer so as to keep a clean board of layers.

24. Your page should now look something like this.

25. Again, click on ‘File’ > ‘Place Linked’.

26. Select the second image you wish to be a part of your photomosaic.

26. Following the previous instructions, shrink the image and place it inside the second box.

27. Use the select tool to highlight your chosen part of the image.

28. Click on ‘Layer’ > ‘New’ > ‘Layer Via Copy’. A shortcut to this is to press command (cmd) and ‘J’.

29. Once ‘Layer Two’ has appeared, delete the original image file as shown previously.

30. Repeat these stages until you completely fill the board. To keep a back-up, save the project as a ‘photoshop’ file. You can now ‘Flatten’ the image by clicking on ‘Layer’ > ‘Flatten Image’.

31. Click on ‘Edit’ and select ‘Define Pattern’.

32. Name your template.

33. Click ‘File’ > ‘Open’ and select the image you wish to be the background photograph in your photomosaic.

34. Duplicate this image by clicking ‘Layer’ > ‘New’ > ‘Layer’.

35. Click on Edit and scroll down to ‘Fill’.

36. Click on the scroll down option in the box that appears and select ‘Pattern’.

37. The last image in the ‘pattern’ box should be your template. Select it.

38. Your pattern should appear over your background image in a repetitive stage like this. If it does not look like this, change the image size by clicking on ‘Image’ > ‘Image Size’, and make it smaller to your taste.

39. Above the layer boxes, click on ‘Normal’ and scroll down to ‘Multiply’, and select it.

40. Your image should now look something like this.

41. To change the opacity, select the ‘Opacity’ slider above the Layers and slide it down to your taste.

42. Your image should now start to look both like your template and your background image.

43. Select the ‘Fill’ option and scroll it down to your taste.

44. Your photomosaic is now complete. Save it by clicking on ‘File’ > ‘Save as’ and save it as a photoshop file or a jpeg.