Evaluation

Architecture – Evaluation

by jillbarnetthn1photography1819

Edinburgh College

HN1 Photography

Unit Evaluation 

Summative Assessment

Name: Jill Barnett

Class Group: B

Unit: Architecture

 

Introduction

The briefs were as follows;

Interior Architectural Image

The Interior I chose was Kilberry Bagpipe makers. I was using this for my Corporate and thought it would also be ideal for the interior image, I like the contrast in the warm toned flooring and the cool tones outside the window. The challenge there is it is narrow and not deep but has very high ceilings and I wanted to capture the writing at the top of the windows. It is also a mixture of lighting – natural daylight, tungsten lamps and fluorescent strip lights further back. I think it is an interesting image with plenty to look at and it’s a well used workshop with very old tools and machinery so I think it works. The whole place was interesting to shoot.

Interior Architectural Image forming part of a set of four images with a Still Life image and two Portraits. Commissioned by a magazine.

This was shot in the Commercial Pub in Larbert. It was shot with window light, tungsten light and fill flash to light up the stools around the right hand side of the bar. The room itself is really small and I was in the wee entrance hall to take the photos and I took them as wide as I could without getting the doorway and things in the shot. I like the image as I think the Pub looks good in it. The owners are family and I know they were pleased with it too.

Architectural Exterior

A long exposure here of the SECC. I took it as the sun was going down. I bracketed and took around five shots to get the river light enough and not burn out the highlights on the building. I think I probably could have lightened it further.

Architectural Exterior to be integrated with Portraiture, informed by a fashion brand of your choice

This was inspired by Burberry. I have always loved Burberry as a classic British brand. I shot a building just of George Square in Glasgow. I hadn’t planned that but as soon as I seen the big gates and the interesting details behind and surrounding them I was drawn to it. The colours in the shot really lend themselves to a Burberry advertisement.

Creative Interpretation of an Architectural Exterior

This was taken at Rosslynlee Asylum in Roslin. I thought the building was different as it was almost like a long hut but when you went inside it feels like it goes on forever. This shot I like because it is a funny shaped building and you can see where it has a couple of turns. I like the specific angle I shot it at with leading lines, the creepy windows and it’s still quite light and soft tones, a lot of mid tones which is unusual as mines usually have more on the dark side.

Positive Aspects

I like Architecture, especially if it has something quirky, maybe a lot of shiny details or a cool reflection in the windows. Or something like a random open door when everything else is uniformed. Thats what works in the last photograph, the open windows pulling you in, intriguing, and it’s what I like about Kilberry too. The rough, take it as you find it nature of a workshop. A lot of dirt and signs of hard graft make it more interesting. These are my two favourite images.

Areas for Improvement

I over processed the Clyde Armadillo looking back on it. I have a tendency to go a bit dark on my images I think (hope) I am getting better as I am really trying to get away from that. I know myself but still seem to do it.

Evaluation of Learning

I spent a while on the Armadillo walking up and down the river to get the best angle. I think I filled the frame a little much I could have left a bit breathing space at the edges. That and the over processing as mentioned above are points to keep in mind for future. I also learned to plan for extra time should things go wrong etc. In the pub I went way before opening in the morning thinking I had more than enough time to shoot however I was still working as it was opening, mainly due to the lighting kit taking time to set up in various places.

Still Life – Evaluation

by jillbarnetthn1photography1819

Edinburgh College

HN1 Photography

Unit Evaluation 

Summative Assessment

Name: Jill Barnett

Class Group: B

Unit: Still Life

Introduction

There was a total of four briefs for this image;

  • Shoot an image for a Sunday supplement illustrating a recipe

I chose to do a Roast dinner; it was Autumn and I wanted something home made looking and giving a warm cosy feel. I bought all the ingredients and half cooked most of it, so it was looking its best. The chicken was raw, and I painted it with dark oak wood stain as I read that was a good way of preparing chicken for photographs. I shot it in a roasting tin using a tripod and studio lighting, shooting from above. I used hessian as a background. I had underestimated the amount of veg the tin would hold so I filled one half of the tray full of veg and the other side was empty, I got my shots and then kept the settings the same but moved the veg from one side to the other and shot again. This gave a full look to the food, it looked much better. 

  • Shoot a front and back cover for an annual report for a Glassware company

For this task I photographed a bottle from above and straight on and used masking to duplicate them several times each and arrange them in an interesting way and coloured them green. I wanted to do something a bit different and work on my Photoshop skills for this. There was a bit of a bend in the glass, so I duplicated half the bottle, flipped it vertically and matched it so the bottle was exactly symmetrical.

  • Produce a Flemish Still Life image

I bought a dead rabbit and pheasant from the butcher’s shop. I researched Flemish Still Life quite a bit and read all the meanings of different foods, books, candles etc being in the shot and bought what I wanted in it. I arranged the dead animals on the table first on hessian, folded as informed by the Flemish techniques. I arranged everything else around them as that was the easiest way (They took up a lot of room. I used my black backdrop for the background and used an LED torch and a long exposure to do light painting for the photos. I used 5 or 6 different images concentrating on different areas and masked the layers in to make one whole properly lit image.

  • Freestyle Image to tie in with Architecture and Portraits 

This shoot was in my brother-in-law’s pub. I took an Architecture shot, two portraits of pints being poured etc so thought a good idea was to set the Pint of Tennents up on the pool table with the light coming nicely through the glass and the pool balls, chalk etc to set the scene. I used Bowens lights from the studio which I took to Larbert with me for the shoot. I really liked the Tennents shot. It looked refreshing and also got a ‘like’ from Tennents on Instagram!

Positive Aspects

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this unit, I enjoyed the careful nature of it, everything being very precise and taking time to get everything perfect. I found there was a lot of work went into it, especially the Flemish and the Recipe. The Flemish one cost quite a bit of money, even though I scoured the charity shops for most of the items in it. The rabbit and pheasant were about the cheapest things there! I didn’t mind and thought it was totally worth it for the shot although handling the animals felt a bit grim. Light painting was fun. It’s good that you can control exactly how much light goes on to certain areas so there is no over-exposure on highlights etc. I really liked the Flemish one and the Tennents. I think the colour palettes were good and the pint looked good in it. Thankfully I was getting them topped up for free!

Areas for Improvement

I would say out of all the images my least favourite was the Glassware one. I just wasn’t inspired, and I think it probably shows, I put all my effort into the other ones. I took several shots and had a good idea of what I wanted to do, and at first I was happy with it but the more I see it the less I like it. I think possibly if I took the opacity of the colour hue layer down so it wasn’t as heavy, I would prefer it. I think I looked at it too long when processing it and kept tweaking what didn’t need tweaked so by the end I just wanted it done with. In future I will take more of a step back, I can get quite caught up in processing then overdo it. I need to take a rest and go back to it, not just keep doing more and more.

Evaluation of Learning

It was worth all the researching the Dutch Masters and Flemish style and techniques. I learned a lot from that and found it interesting. It means I know about what’s in my image and what each item represents. I spent so much time on this unit and feel it has helped me improve my skills not only in Still Life but in general. It required thought, decision making, planning, creativity, patience and so much attention to detail. The post-production was varied, some pictures were layered together, some needed hardly and processing ie. the Lager and others like the Recipe and Glassware needed a lot done so those skills have also improved too.