Tuesday 16th December

Brief 2, project ‘Trapped’ evaluation.

With regards to mine and phoebes project, overall I feel it went really well. The styling that I chose (very minimal and black) I feel strongly conveyed the meaning behind the project of feeling trapped, not only literally or physically but mentally too. Our first image looked at the literal entrapment a frame can convey and how you can present restriction through simple but strong additions to a photograph. The frame portrays how you can feel small and boxed in and the expression on the models face also conveys a sort of bizarre and menacing look thus suggesting a dark feeling towards the world. (see right)

The second image represents a more mental feeling of trapped, how psychologically you can feel trapped to the point you need to scream, maybe from frustration, anger or sadness. I feel this shoot went really well and the image is really strong although simple. (see below)

The third image states how someone can have more than one personality or one belief. How sometimes we feel confined by the world and the pressure to be a certain way. This shoot was challenging due to the lack of studio space but I feel has resulted in an extremely emotional and powerful image. (see below)

For the fourth image we decided to do a very raw portrait where by the model looked straight at the camera conveying emotion. We then added the wire on top of the photograph (using Photoshop) to give an enclosed look. The styling focuses on simple clothing representing the lack of freedom to express oneself outrageously and how society so often makes us feel restricted. (see right)

The next image again uses fencing but this time we decided to only place it on the face to show a psychological kind of restriction. The shadow behind the person is to link in the idea of having more than one opinion in life. I think this shot is really strong and conveys our intended message effectively. (see left)

For the sixth image we used string to bind our
second models hands together to represent a physical struggle someone can
have. The light also focuses on the hands to emphasise this. This shot I feel
makes you think of events where by you can relate and really pulls you in.
(see left)

 Next we concentrated on the idea that you can feel smaller than the world and that you can feel trapped in terms of there being to many options out there. It portrays how you can feel trapped from instead, not form a lack of possibilities but actually that some feel there is so many and thus can feel trapped by the possibility of taking the wrong one. This is my favourite image within our story as the detail within the shadow i just fascinating and was in fact very rewarding to capture; I love how you can even see his eyelashes and the bits of hair that are out of place. (see right)

For the eighth image we decided to use a white background to emphasise the netting placed around the arms. This again as does the sixth image, represents a physical entrapment and aims to make the viewer consider what it would be like to lack a body part and how that physical loss would make you feel trapped in your abilities. Not being able to see the models eyes also gives a very unsure feeling, drawing you in. (see left)

For the ninth and final image we again used props to emphasis a physical feeling of trapped. The bag over the head suggests suffocation and the string portrays the struggle and the will to break out of feeling that way. The use of dark lighting within the image I feel in turn conveys a dark message and makes you feel cold and also consumed. (see right)

Overall I think our story presents a set of really strong and story-telling set of images. Although I think we could have possibly played with the wardrobe further I also feel that the lack of emphasis on the clothing creates a stronger message and makes the viewer consider the feeling and emotion behind the image in more depth. I think that in terms of lighting we produced effective images although further practice would have been useful. Being able to have access to a studio would have made lighting and then editing easier, however in image 9 I feel the crinkled and uneven background works as it portrays that life is not smooth and nor is the feeling of being trapped.