Evaluation

Evaluation 

Throughout this unit I feel like I have done extremely well and I am happy where I now sit with my skills in digital image, I think there is defiantly parts I could improve on and I know what I will need to do better next time. 

I really enjoyed learning about the different ways of advertising and how and why they are used. I think understood this really well, which really helped me when it got to mind mapping our ideas for the editorial and also for the advert for our brand.

I found that learning the different techniques of how to shoot different images and how to create a mood with lighting really interesting because it’s not just the makeup, clothes and background. The lighting makes such a difference to a photo, which I also found out when taking my editorial images.

I would love to develop my skills further by doing more experimentation because I feel like that’s where I lack because I don’t have a lot of confidence to just try something out even if it does go wrong. I think that’s a big part of learning a new skill is learning what doesn’t work as well as what does work. To do this I would like to book more studio time just to experiment with the camera and get more commutable with lighting set ups , etc. I could also do this by doing shoots over summer and also doing more collaboration because this way I can watch what other people do and then they can help me out when I need some help with a project.

I also loved doing the research in this unit because I feel like I went a lot more in depth with it this time compared to last time when I done the basics and was almost scared to go off track. I kept myself on track and when I felt I was going off track I pulled it back by linking my ideas together. My research has influenced me hugely, without my research I wouldn’t have gotten any where near my final outcome. I think this unit has shown me how important research really is.

I did encounter some problems along the way as I had to reshoot a few times because it just didn’t turn out the way I wanted it too, but then I think practice makes perfect and this shows in my images. I think my main problem in the beginning was the lighting I just couldn’t get right but once I experimented with it I managed to get what I wanted.

If I got a chance to do the project again I would defiantly ask more questions in class because I think I held back and then when it came to actually doing the shoots I didn’t know the answers I needed to know to get on with my shoots. Which I think slowed me down a lot because I couldn’t understand why my shoots weren’t working and if I only asked in class I would know the reason why it wasn’t working?

Over all I was extremely happy with my final outcomes and cant wait to start next term and start learning even more skills I can put to the test.

Final Editorial Images

These are my finished three Editorial Image inspired by the word Photo Chemistry, I am extreemly happy with the three final images. In photoshop i didnt do much to these images as i didn't think i needed too becuase i felt like i would ruin them by editing them too much so i changed the contrast slightly and the brightness slightly.

Final Shoot - Inspirational Word Editorial

Final Shoot - Inspirational Word

I am extremely happy with how this shoot went compared to the last shoot, I'm very happy I decided to reshoot my editorial shoot images. I think these images really show what I was missing in the last ones by using a different model and also adding some colour into the shoot which I think worked really well because it stands out so much, I also wanted to choose a colour which related to ultraviolet light which worked really well because it's really bold and bright, just like ultraviolet light.

In this shoot I used the same set up as last time by having a light over the top of the model which was set quite bright with a soft box but this time I didn't have the two slight lights which I think worked really well because you can see the powder light up as there is only one light highlighting it. 

I also used the manual setting on the camera so that I could make sure its in focus as I had a bit of trouble at first because it wouldn't focus. It was only focused on the end of the nose.

I am in love with these images and I don't know how I'm going to pick just three from all the images I have. I cant wait to start editing them but I don't think these images will need much editing, might change the contrast slightly on a few but apart from that I don't want to do much too them.

First Shoot - Inspiration Word

First Shoot - Inspirational Word

Below you can see my first attempt at my inspirational word shoot, in my last post I spoke about the different face chart designs. I decided to go with the powder paint shoot because I think it linked back to my word really well, by linking the Chemical Smog into my shoot. 

I was really happy with how well the shoot went, I used baby powder to create the smog effect which went really well and using the basic makeup looked really nice, I used a light foundation so you could see her skin through which worked really well. I also like the images where she is looking into the light because the festival that this is based on is quite spiritual, I think the images where she is looking into the light works really well.

I do really like these images but I do think there is something missing which I think is that the image doesn't stand out. It's based on a festival and I'm not getting festival from these images.

I think next time I will used powder paint instead of just white powder because this doesn't show the festival in these images much. 

Also next time I will know the lighting I need and the way to do it because this worked really well but  the colours were wrong, I think next time I will also use a black background which will help the powder stand out more.

Face Charts For Inspirational Word

Inspirational Word Face Charts ... Photo Chemistry 

I have created some face charts based on my research and ideas, they all have a different meaning of photo chemistry and ideas behind how I would shoot the different looks. 

I started researching into my word of photo chemistry which is a chemical reaction between many different things but the main thing that stood out to me is the reaction it has with ultraviolet light. When I started looking into ultraviolet I got very excited about the electric colours and bight bold colourful looks I could do for this which are the two-first designs which I did. 

I then started looking more into other parts of photo chemistry which was a photo chemical smog which happens when chemicals in the air hit heat, this happens a lot in LA. 

I then looked more into the chemical smog and thought I would love to pull the two together the ultraviolet light and also the chemical smog idea. I looked at the images I could find of chemical smog and this reminded me of a video I saw on youtube of the Holi Festival they hold in India. 

When I saw a video of this festival being held after all the powder paint has been thrown it creates a smog light atomiser. The difference between this smog and a chemical smog is that it is full of colour and is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Knowing the meaning behind it makes it even more beautiful, its that all people on this one day are all equal, young or old, friends or strangers, poor or rich, woman or man. 

My last face chart is based on this idea which I really would love to do, I would like the image to create a smog like effect. I think if I can pull of this feeling and meaning in the face of the model I think the image could be really effective.

The first two face charts are showing ways I could represent the ultraviolet light. The first one shows a strobing effect I wanted to create on the face using bight blues as well as white in between the lines to make the blue stand out. I wanted to do this on the eyes and on the lips. Using the supra or aqua colour would create a strong colour.

In this face chart I was trying to get across the idea I talked about above about the powder paint, I used blue on the face chart but I would like to experiment using white as well and see which one looks better.
Under the powder paint I would like a clean base of foundation, I don't want anything else because I think it will take away from the main focus of this image which is the powder paint.
I have then done a strong brow and eyelashes quite thick to give a strong look to the eyes and make them stand out.

Givenchy Final Image

Final Edited Givenchy Advert

Below I have my finished Givenchy Advert, which I am extremely excited and happy about as everything came together really well and everything went to plan. I wanted to talk about my overall ideas of how I have created this advert and the meaning behind it. 

The word of inspiration that I got was Photochemistry which is the a chemical reaction caused my many different things. 

I looked into this more and found that there is such thing as a Photo Chemical Smog which is harming to the environment which I then looked into doing further research on which it showed me that this effected animals and plants. 

This triggered my idea to then create an advert based on the effects that Photo Chemistry has on the environment which is why I used a dried up rose in the advert to show that even though there is many beautiful things in the world we have to look after them for example nature. 

I also did a lot of research on Givenchy adverts and picked out the ones I really liked, which were pretty much all black and white, so I decided to do nearly black and white because I think this showed my models freckles really well. I also took the contrast up a little bit to match the type of colour of the other Givenchy Adverts. 

I also used the logo brand name in the same place as many of their land scape images.

Images From Givenchy Shoot

Givenchy Shoot 

I am extremely happy with my shoot for my Givenchy Advert, the whole shoot went really well and everything went according to plan which made the shoot go well.

I am extremely happy with all the image, I took a range of different shots from close ups to landscape full body images. 

I have to say my favourites would have to be either the close ups or the full body sat down images, i think the close ups show a more dramatic effect but i think that the full body images really show off the models figure and also the rose was a big part of the advert which is how i have linked the image to the inspirational word, it also goes really well with the perfume i have chosen for my final advert.

I also really like the images of the full body sat down because I think it shows more of a story, which I think links to the product I have chosen because the perfume bottle has roses up the side which shows a meaning of love and desire. 

With the full body shots i think it shows more of a desire for love and i think this relates to my perfume really well but also really relates back to my word Photo Chemistry because photo chemistry effects the environment, and the point I'm trying to get across with the rose is that we need to not just look at everything that is beautiful like adverts and everything in magazines but actually pay attention to everything that is happening around us, for example global warming.

I love that the advert is going to have a hidden meaning behind it.

In this shoot i used an over head lighting with a soft box on to create soft shadows on the body and face, i used this light on quite a medium setting so that it wouldn't be too bright that it would take away the detail on the face but also light enough to highlight parts of the face and body and also create soft shadows on the model but also behind the model, this made the images look slightly more 3D and not flat. 

I also used a white reflector to reflect the light onto her face but not harshly because if I used a sliver one it would have been very bright but it just wanted a soft highlight.

I also went into this shoot remembering that I have to put a product on the image somewhere and also the Givenchy logo brand name, I made sure to use the computer in the studio so that I could see where I will be needing to put the brand name and product because I didn't want to get home and realise I didn't leave enough space. This was really important part of the shoot because I didn't do this last time which is what went wrong. 

The image I have put under the collage is the image I think I like the best out of the shoot and will edit to create my Givenchy advert.

Givenchy Advert Layout

Givenchy Advert Layout Analysis 

The images below show two Givenchy adverts which are both landscape. I have chosen a landscape image from my shoot I done based on this brand, I am now deciding where I would like my logo and product to go. 

Looking at the two images below they have got the Givenchy brand name in two different places, I think I prefer the bottom image where the Givenchy brand is places just because thats what really stands out in the image as well as the model, it also leads your eye to the model really well I think.

I also really like the image which is in black and white I think it shows a classic and elegant style to the brand. 

I think I will be using this in my image the placement of the logo and also the black and white version of the Givenchy adverts. 

Shoot Plan - Givenchy Advert

Shoot Plan - Givenchy Advert 

I thought i would make a shoot plan so i know exacly what i need for this shoot to be sucessful, i wanted to make a list of equiptment and props which i will need for my shoot.

I will be bringing a printed out version of my story board to show to the model and to remind myself what poses, lighting and style i want the image to be based on. 

This image has to relate show some link to the adverts that Givenchy has already produced otherwise the advert wont make sence to the audeince and the brand. 

Preperation before the shoot- 

I have had to do some preperation before the shoot becuase in the shoot i want to have dead/dried flowers, which are the link between the advert and my word of inspiration which is Photochemistry, which i have done indepth research on the chemical smog which kills nature. I wanted to include this in my shoot but wanted the petals to look like they have had the life drained out of them, to do this i brought two butches of flower which i have hung upside down and which creates a ombre look to the petals. 

I have decided to keep the makeup for this shoot to a minimum, i have decided this becuase in the Givenchy adverts they don't have the models wearing huge amounts of makeup they have them wearing a no makeup - makeup look. This is what i will be going for in this shoot, i will also be keeping the hair very flat and straight, but with a slight bed head look to it. 

I am going to be taking inspiration from their CatWalk Spring/Summer 2016 ..

http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/spring-summer-2016/ready-to-wear/givenchy/full-length-photos/gallery/1463125 

I love the makeup in this catwalk, i think it shows of the brands image very well by having minimul makeup but it looking effective and stunning. 
I think this makeup look says a lot about a brand, i think that Givenchy is such an elagant brand that they dont need to pile on the makeup to make it stand out. The brand sells its self. 

Givenchy Face Chart Design's

Givenchy Face Chart Designs

I started the design process for my face charts by looking at Givenchy adverts and campaigns and looking into how they sell their brand, this was really interesting by comparing their adverts throughout the years because my personal opinion on the brand is that they don't need to do a whole lot of advertising because the brand sells its self. 

The main thing I saw was that the skin is the main focus on their adverts, it always had a Dewey look to the skin, and a very flawless look but also not perfect! 

This is the main thing I noticed about the brand is that their makeup looks are not perfect, you can see freckles etc through the foundation, you can see the natural skin under the makeup which is what I really love about this brand. 

They have used slight contouring in their adverts and not much eye makeup in most of them.

I have done some designs based on the brand as a whole, I have tried to keep it minimal because they don't wear heavy makeup in their adverts.

My first design show a light foundation, a slight contour under the cheekbone and around the temples and a neutral brown on the eye lids.
For this look I haven't got any mascara on because in quite a few of their adverts they don't have any on or the model is blonde and they reenforce the no eyelashes no eye brows look.
To keep some intensity to the image I have put on a neutral nude brown on the lips just to keep the balance of colour on the face.

In this face chart I have done a more warm look to the face, using a light foundation but slightly more bronzed and bright, I have also gone for more of a bigger brow using more of a feral brow.
I have then used a orangey brown on the tops of the eyelids.
I have also used a orangey warm toned colour on the lips.













In this face chart I have done a light foundation over the face but so light you can still see the freckles of my model through.
I have then got a neutral brown on the eye lids and an eyeliner flick and mascara on the lashes.
I then have got a slight contour and darker lips.














I have decided to go with the first face chart at the top because I really like the idea of using a blank look to create a beautiful image because I have never done a no makeup look on someone so I'm really excited to start experimenting on my model. I also really like this look because it really speaks for the brand image.

Understanding Beauty Advertising

Understanding Beauty Advertisements 

In this image you can see a woman as the main focus of the advertisement, she is wearing black leather gloves. She is also posed in quite a seductive way, she also has a very full face of makeup which is very focused on the eyes because her eye lashes are very full and thick, which leads me to the next part of the image which is the typography which is dotted around advert which is over laying the image. 

The way the image has been arranged shows that the main focus is the woman in the background behind the text but also the mascara wand at the bottom of the page. The advert is mostly black giving off that more edgy look to the  advert which is the kind of attitude they are trying to get across in this advert, they have created this attitude by using colour very well, for example she has black hair, eyebrows and very dark lashes. This all adds to the bad girl look that this ad is trying to pull off. The leather gloves in the image also adds to the attitude in this advert, shows a biker style which could act as looking quite dominant as riding a motorbike is seen to be quite masculine which also adds to the bad girl image. 

What this advert is doing is creating a look which people may desire to look like, making the audience want to buy this product so that can adapt this attitude and bad girl look from having the false lash effect. 

The lighting the photographer has used in this image shows it has been side lit as you can see she is looking towards the light which creates a beautiful but harsh shadow under the cheekbone which adds definition to the face. This lighting set up means it has also lit up the hair really well and also made the chin and neck look very feminine because of the light creating a beautiful outline to the jaw. 

They have also shot the image straight on but slightly lower than the model which gives a sense of domination from the woman, this shows a sense of power. Trying to get across the message of being a powerful woman maybe?

The only this that takes this away is that they have used the hand on the lips again as a way of showing a seductive attitude because this is a very sexist way that beauty and fashion photographs show woman because it come across sexy but really it's saying woman don't have the power because they are playing on the minds of men because men will find this sexy but they aren't selling this product to men they are selling it to women so why are they trying to appeal men to this advert... Because this makes woman buy it because they want to look like this woman to impress men.

From looking at this advert and other adverts it helps me to understand how i should shoot my images, and also the best poses to use to create an advert which will not also attract women but men as well because its just as important that men are attracted to the image as women are.