My sister, some cling film and flour.

A

Adamhoward1

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Adam
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Thought that title may get your attention.

Unconventional portraiture is still my chosen topic. Here is my last photoshoot if anyone is interested. http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=302566

All have been briefly touched up. I’ll go through a few of my favourites later and get them looking perfect.

Some of the colours haven’t came out as perfect as I would like. If anyone would like a go editing these images please feel free.

1
9s0n


2
9s0r


3
9s0t


4
9s0B


5
9s0D


6
9s0H
 
You don't like your sister much, then? Sorry, they don't do anything for me either.
 
Not what I was expecting and certainaly unconventional
 
I get marks by asking for feedback and improvements for the vast majority of photoshoots I do. I fully respect the fact these may not do anything for you. The photographer can sometimes be blinkered by his own work.

My sister was more than happy to volunteer. This wasn't forced :p
 
Great stuff, especially number three and eleven.

For me the background could have been either absent or something a bit... more... if that makes sense. It's just that the white lines and creases are a bit too visible in some shots.

I love the whole unconventional portrait idea though.
 
I'm sure there's a fetish site for this that would buy your pics.. :D Full marks for trying something new (y)
 
The lighting seems a bit off. Personally think it may have benefited from a higher keyed background - it looks a little lumpy and grey (may also help to get a little more distance between the backdrop and the subject).

Did you have the camera on a tripod? I find the change in framing a little distracting - can't help but thinking that you'd convey a stronger impact with a fixed viewpoint (square on, perhaps).

Hmmn, am now thinking what difference a black background would make.....

I love what you're doing. It's refreshingly different and, I trust, original. Keep it up.
 
I don't get it? but one thing is for sure your sister must love you :)
 
adrianday said:
The lighting seems a bit off. Personally think it may have benefited from a higher keyed background - it looks a little lumpy and grey (may also help to get a little more distance between the backdrop and the subject).

Did you have the camera on a tripod? I find the change in framing a little distracting - can't help but thinking that you'd convey a stronger impact with a fixed viewpoint (square on, perhaps).

Hmmn, am now thinking what difference a black background would make.....

I love what you're doing. It's refreshingly different and, I trust, original. Keep it up.
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The background is far from an expensive decent white photography backdrop. Truth be told, it's a ikea roll down blind that I have attached to a vertical pole. The school has much better lighting and backing boards but I feel this is beyond the acceptable mess they would allow me to do.

Your tripod suggestion sounds like a neater way of taking these shots. I did actually use one for a previous photoshoot where I cracked eggs over my head. I'm not mad. Please just take my word with that.

Ill keep your suggestions in mind for future shoots :) Thanks.
 
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Looks like a laugh, but I'm not sure if you should've made more of an effort to create a 'point' to this?
 
Defiance said:
Your poor sister...you don't live in Norfolk by any chance do you ? :D
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Oi! :LOL: You need something much stronger than clingfilm around there parts!


loplyg said:
Looks like a laugh, but I'm not sure if you should've made more of an effort to create a 'point' to this?
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Indeed. What's the story or the point?
 
Lynton said:
Indeed. What's the story or the point?
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A2 Photography Project. Subject title is ‘Challenging Convention’ and i’ve chosen to try and challenge my thoughts of what I think portraiture actually is.

At the moment I am just experimenting with different ‘unconventional portraits’ to get a understanding of the area.
 
These pics are very different. No doubt and you get points for that. But like many others have already said, they just dot do anything for me and look more akin to BDSM pics, tbh.
 
For me a portrait should say something about the subject. These seem to be saying more about the photographer. That could be seen as challenging convention, I suppose, but it doesn't make it particularly appealing.

Technically it's difficult to see what is going on, apart from number 3, in which you can see the bag of flour.
 
Not my style but I get it. Why the heck not? I've seen far more abstract portraiture done with less technical merit hanging on the walls of galleries, offices and in books.

Don't think the lighting needs any work, the image is about the subject. Had you lit strongly from behind when you were dropping the flour you'd have got better separation but as soon as you start along that route it's easy to lose the viewer... although does seem that's mostly already happened :(
 
:thinking: oh.. umm :wacky: no... errrrmmm :shrug: oh i know... oh not that either.:help:
 
Thank you for all these comments, they are just what I need for my sketch book.

If anyone has any further unconventional photoshoot suggestions that would be much appreciated.
 
I'm doing an A2 next year I think...

I guess all I can say is how I'd have done it. Things like this are very much down to your own interpretation of the brief, so what I have to say has to be taken with a pinch of salt. There is, after all, no "right" way to do things.

My interpretation of portrait would be to actually be able to see the person with a degree of detail. That's missing from this, and all you have is a shape. The shape itself could be a subject if it were something unusual. The pose is too "standard" with the sole exception of #1, which is the best shot (IMO).

Shooting flour against a white background kind of removes a little of the impact, which was touched on in a similar vein with the talk of making the background a bit different. If you were considering a reshoot, maybe a different colour (black?) would work better.

I'd also consider showing a bit more of your model. Once the pouring of flour has finished, (as in #8 & #9) maybe a tear an opening in the clingfilm around the eyes and try and get some expression in the image?

#4 has some distraction in the bottom of the image. The chair, that red thing... I'd be tempted to try a crop without it.

Anyway, these are all just ideas and thoughts, and not really meant as a crit. I'm not sure how I can crit something as unconventional as this :)

All the best!

Ian.
 
I think you are trying far too hard to be kooky and not concentrating enough on the photography.

Maybe once you have improved your skills (lighting, focus, composition, depth of field) you can get back to the weird stuff.
 
I think these set of pics would have worked rather well if your sister's face was not covered up so we could see the facial reactions the moment the flour hits the head and the resulting fall out.
 
^ Agreed.

And it puts the pictures into the weird category as it looks like she can't breathe.
 
Good idea i think? but the photos are just bland...
might have had more impact with a different colour background, black or something darker than the original background.
 
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Hypnorm said:
Good idea i think? but the photos are just bland...
might have had more impact with a different colour background, black or something darker.
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Does it get much darker than black?
 
Personally, I think that there is too much grain in your photos :D.



:coat:
 
This is indeed, most strange...
 
Was worth a try... what a long suffering sister....
Resut not that exciting though.
 
just don't be surprised if she gets her revenge by killing you in whist you are asleep!
 
well, ill give you that they are unconventional, but it just doesnt seem like there is much contrast. IMHO i would ditch the clingfilm and use a coloured powder to add a bit of liveliness to the image. maybe go for a few shots of her bracing for the impact with a bit of the powder coming in from the side of the frame? but thats just my rambling. Its your A2 coursework, its entirely up to you what you do with it :)
good luck :)
 
ziggy©;3495770 said:
That bag of flour would have fed an African child in Zamunda for a whole week... :clap:
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Would it help if I said the flour was beyond it's sell-by?
No?
I lied anyway.

I'll see if she's up for a reshoot and take all your suggestions into consideration. Thank you.
 
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