Do these two people look familiar? In some ways yes and in other ways no?
The two people that occupy the frames don't actually exist in reality. They are in fact computer generated avatars, the end result of what's formed when several faces combine into one.
After exploring this concept in detail, I've learnt just how incredibly naive the human eye really is. It fascinates me to think that someone unaware of this would simply mistake these two images for being standard portraits of individuals, without a backwards glance. Everything you see resembles all the representations of the human face and it's because of that reason your vision is challenged, you automatically assume that the "people" live and breath and sat in front of the camera exactly how you see them now. The truth is that neither exist in the physical world, their creation was developed by imagination and technology.
I think the naturalness of these images is down to the minimal manipulation process I carried out. By keeping a small fraction of the original image the still intact, I disguised and replaced the most prominent identifiable features with others from my collection. I want to make clear that there was no specific reason on the selection that determined what parts of each person I incorporated, it was honestly a matter of recognising the most striking asset that stood out for me.
When you think about it theoretically, analyzing a face is something we all fundamentally do when we meet someone for the first time. Before we can acknowledge anything else about them. That's what I find quite powerful about the face, as it's usually insignificant crevices and promontories that define one person from the other, its how we know each other.
Obviously my work could filter into many issues that have currently been introduced to the world. In terms of science for instance, parents can now determine what genes their unborn child will inherit and the controversy that surrounds this designer baby issue. Shouldn't we let nature take its course? I myself feel that I've played God just by tampering with a few facial elements. Our appearance is naturally determined by the looks and genetics we inherit from our parents. So you could argue that the images also portray a mixture of generations which dramatically widens the overall combination.
I've now come to the editing stage of this assignment. This is the most significant part of this entire process as I'll be able to develop my idea visually for all to see.
The method I went by is less complex than it actually looks. As I mentioned previously I instructed each person show no emotion, keeping their expression simple and plain. This made it much more easier for me to manipulate the face as I didn't have to compensate for any unwanted assets such as dimples or laughter lines.
The first important step was to pick a portrait at random to act as the base layer. Once I decided on this it was a matter of looking through the rest of images and pinpointing certain features that I wanted to meld on the original the portrait. From square one I had already decided that I didn't want to make any drastic changes to the face structure (i.e changing the face shape), because I wanted to obviously keep the appearance to remain as life like as possible, so instead I only tampered with subtle details such as the eyes, nose, mouth and on certain occasion skin colour and facial hair. Choosing the different features was not a hard task, I simply analysed every face I had photographed and incorporated the asset I found most striking about each one.
The first changes I made were to the eyes. Again I didn't make any alterations to the actual eye shape but just replaced the colour of the iris. In order to create a slight different I chose a someone who's eyes were significantly darker to the model of my base layer.
This was a very straightforward clone tool operation. First of all I already had the first portrait as my base open. Then once I decided on the eyes I was going to use I opened the another image. Flicking back to the original portrait, I create a new layer, appropriately re-naming it eyes. I then return back to the second portrait, zooming in on the person's iris and with the clone tool pressed the alt key which marked the point of where the tool was copying from. Switching back to the original once again, I then once again zoomed in around the eyes and with the clone tool, softly blended in the new eye colour. Whilst doing this I had to pay particular attention to anything that might of been merged in that made the eye look slightly abnormal, like a drooping eyelash or the tiniest spec of mascara. Fortunately the eraser brush was at hand if any of those problems did occur and by lowering the opacity to about 50%, I was able to maintain a natural appearance to the transformation.
I then basically followed the exact same routine when it came to altering the nose and lips, making separate layers for each counterpart so that it was easier to correct the appearance if errors emerged and lowering the opacity so that the landscape of the face remained as human and authentic as it possibly could.
- Print Screen - Step by Step to come of nose and mouth-
Shoot 1
Taking a step with my intended idea further, I've drafted an overall plan for my up and coming shoot. I'm going to focus primarily on the head and shoulders so that the images replicate passport documents. With this aesthetic incorporated into my work, it should surely challenge the viewers perception to some extent as one would normally assume that confidential material such as a passports are truthful pieces of identification.
Consequently I've chosen to go for a reasonably minimalist high key lighting set up. I very much admire the approach that photographer Martin Schoeller used in his "Close Up" portrait series of celebrities as this is very similar to what I anticipate my photographs to look like. Examining these two examples its obvious that ring flash was used, as the reflection is clearly highlighted in the eyes. I like how its managed to evenly illuminate the face, giving it a fresh healthy glow which is how i'd like to record the features of each person. It also appears that instead of using a backdrop a set of florescent lights have been placed behind the model to narrow the depth of field and in doing so bringing out the eyes and lips, key areas where expressions are most prominent.
In relation to this I've constructed a diagram of how my shoot will be laid out. Flash comes across as the better option on this occasion, compared to tungsten as it would cast harsh shadows, something I want to avoid immensely. Slightly mimicking the techniques Schoeller has introduced, I plan to place a medium sized soft box behind the models to act as a backdrop. This should give a soft and heavenly quality to the surrounding space. In addition to this I'll also be using a ring flash which will evenly illuminate the models from the front. For extra measure to ensure that the final composition doesn't result in too much flare overpowering the image, two dividing borders will stand either side of the model to enclose the glow of the soft box and to eliminate any shadows from falling onto the face two reflectors will sit at a 45 degree angle from the camera.
Contact Sheet
After reviewing the set of contact sheets from my first shoot, I can honestly admit that I'm not at all happy with the results. The lighting arrangement that I initially planned did not exceed to my expectations. Firstly the soft box emitted too much flare from behind the models which resulted in dense shadows covering the face, almost like a silhouette. I also experienced an issue with the Ring Flash, I found the the input of the flash was extremely strong and caused unflattering red eye.
In Conclusion to this, I've decided to re book the studio and try out a different process all together. This time around I'm going to give less emphasis on the background and give full priority to the face. I've switched the soft box with a simple white backdrop and I'm also thinking of swapping the Ring Flash for a beauty dish. I aim to have the beauty dish elevated quite a few feet above the model so the light is shining down on them. This should give a direct yet softening glow to the face and no trace of any lingering shadows. The final addition I've made is to place one last flash unit with a honey comb head attachment to stand behind the model but at angle to act as a hair light which I'm hoping will just boost a subtle amount of light to surround the models frame.
Contact Sheet
After having another session in the studio I feel much more positive about my new set of images and the rearrangement of lighting has made a big improvement to the final presentation. The face is evenly highlighted with no sign shadows in sight and the background appears much more neutral and sophisticated from being less overexposed. Having gathered a fair amount portraits, I now feel confident that I have acquired enough material to work with in terms of merging multiple faces together. I will now revert to Photoshop and persist with my structured intentions.
During this project we are acquired to learn all about 5x4 large format cameras and how they operate.
First of all the 5X4 can be classified into two types of camera for different purposes. A monorail 5x4 is specifically used in a studio shoot, where as a flat bed/technical is a more portable version and so is generally used on location. The name 5x4 literally refers to the size of film being 5X4 inches. The size is remarkably bigger than other models such as 35mm, meaning that its able to record more detail and offer better quality. Being the largest of all formats, the film comes in single sheets and only two sheets can be placed into the film holder at a time. The body is comprised of two standards, a rear standard, which hold the film and a front standard which holds the lens. Bellows occupies the distance between both standards, which keeps any unwanted light from interrupting the exposure from the lens to film.
The most dynamic thing about these camera's is the movements that can be applied. Unlike with other models, the 5X4 enables you to move both the front and rear standards which creates a series of different effects, not only changes the plane of focus but even the shape of the object itself. There are four distinct movements in total, these are commonly known as Rise & fall, Shift, Tilt, Swing.
Before any movements can be tested the camera has to be in its neutral position. Just like a regular camera the film plane has to be even with the lens plane.
Rise & Fall
This movements deals with the rise and fall of either one the the standards being raised higher or lowered down. This changes the juxtaposition of the film plane so the view will alter according to whether its moved up or down. Alternatively you can also apply what is called a Shift which involves moving the front standard from side to side. This technique is regularly used in architectural photography, where parallel lines of buildings appear at an angle, so this movement gives the photographer the option to correct this issue simply by sliding the standards up or down. By loosening the locking mechanisms, you can adjust the level of either ends until your satisfied with the overall view. This generates a effect, which makes the it look as if you are shooting from a much higher or lower distance/viewpoint than you actually are. One thing that must be considered with this movement, is making sure that the lens has as much coverage on the film plane.
Tilt
Tilt is a forward or backward angled movement of either one of the standards, which changes both the shape and focus of the image on the screen.
Tilting the rear standard changes the object shape. The light has to travel further from the lens to reach the the film plane. As the light rays travel, they spread apart and increase the size of the image.
Tilting the lens towards the object does not affect the image size or shape but will dramatically change the focus as the lens relationship with the film plane is altered and relocated to the another area within the scene.
Swing
A Swing is another angled movement that can be operated from left to right by adjusting either the front or rear standards. It has the ability to change the both the shape and focus in one go.
In similar ways to a tilt, a rear standard swing reduces the size of the object on one side while enlarging it on the other.
Once again by swinging the front standard the plane of focus is distorted. The general effect is to move the area of sharp focus that is normally parallel to the film plane into a new position where it spreads across the object at an angle.
Yousuf Karsh
In a nutshell this man could be referred to as a master of portraiture. Throughout his lengthy career, Yousuf Karsh dedicated his time and efforts into producing the most inspirational portraits of the worlds most famous figures of the twentieth century. It's very possible to have come across his work without ever acknowledging the man behind the camera and I will confess that prior to this assignment I was completely unaware of his existence. However, this just go to show that because the essence the of his photographs are so iconic, they are universally familiar to everyone. At some stage in our lifetime we've all seen these images, it almost impossible for us to of lived and not to of encountered them. So I suppose the question now is why? What is it about Karsh's portraits that makes them so enduring?
To me, I think the answer lies in the way Karsh has captured each one of his subjects. It is well known that he had a very specific method that he effectively used as a way of probing deeply into the soul of who ever sat before him. "Within every man and woman a secret is hidden and as a photographer it is my task to reveal it if I can". Just as his quote indicates these portraits appear very intimate and truthfully raw. Karsh has simply stripped away the mask that shields us from seeing one's genuine self, as if unraveling parts of the puzzle of who they really are. Karsh also had a renowned lighting style which to some extent separates his work from others. In every one of his portraits low key lighting is a constant feature which makes the overall atmosphere extremely emotive. A streak of harsh light leaking over the subjects extracts them from the shadows almost as if the spotlight is shining them, that this their moment, the opportunity to openly present themselves to the rest of the world. Its evident to see that Karsh developed a strong connection with his subjects, and would always take time to establish the person he was intending to photograph. Even on his official website Karsh reminiscences about the experiences he encountered with each individual he was fortunate to meet. This obviously contributes to his portraits in the way the person felt comfortable to freely express themselves, be themselves without having to adopt a false public persona. Karsh would strive for the perfect shot and I suppose that's what I admire about him rather than the portraits themselves. His passionate and conscientious attitude filters throughout his work and as a hopeful photographer myself, i'm genuinely look up to him as a child would look up to its older relatives. If there's one thing I've learnt from this man, it's that I should always seek out for things what interests me and not worry about how its been photographed just as long as the end result satisfies me. By doing this you inevitably gain a distinct, individual style of your own and just like Karsh puts it's you should never feel it necessary to sign your work because "the stamp of your creativity should be recognisable."
Richard Avedon
A photographer who has really stood out for me goes by the name of Richard Avedon. One thing I find quite remarkable about Avedon is the way he diversified himself as a photographer. Working for high profile magazines such as Harper's Baazer and Vogue, Avedon was first and foremost established by others as an fashion photographer. However those who are familiar with Avedon's work will know full well that his real creative genius shines through in what he considers his "deeper" body of work, his portraits. In some ways this has a lot of relevancy to what I intend to do in my future career, specialising in one field which fuels regular income and then devoting my spare time into exploring and delving into other areas that I'm personally interested in. Quite literally i'm compelled by both sets of work. In his fashion images the models are captured in dynamic positions, clothed in the most extraordinary costumes I've ever seen and above all other things actually in motion, a attribute that notable photographer Irving Penn famously disregarded, demanding that the models acquired complete statue like stillness. I think another reason that I like these images is purely down the fact that they are so unique from the average fashion shot. There's more depth to them, they hold the viewers attention for longer. I feel an involuntary impulse in my eyes beckon whilst observing them. Two of my personal favourite images from this archive are "Dovima with Elephants" and "Natassja Kinski and the Serpent". I love the interaction between model and animal. How the Elephants are mirroring Dovima's pose and the way the snake has constricted itself around Natassja's body subtly whispering into her ear. These are sights I'd never imagined would be possible for someone to capture with a camera.
The portraits on the other hand is obviously where Avedon's real passion lies. Again in a similar way to Karsh, Avedon has adopted a specific lighting style over the years which trademarks his creativity. The signature white background isolates the subjects, all of whom have been desaturated of any colour with jagged black margins occupying the edges of the frame. Ironically I do prefer Avedon's style to Karsh, although i'm not a fan of high key lighting in this particular scenario there seems to be more focus on subject as you see their entire features without any traces of shadows clouding over. I also like the heavy contrast that's generated between the subject and background which makes the portraits appear more demonstrative. In relation to this I've figured that high key will probably be the best style suited towards my intending idea as I want to illuminate the whole face in order to avoid shadows so that the manipulation process doesn't become too complex when it comes to merging peoples facial feautres.
Avedon succeeded in photographing pretty much every famous face that conquered the planet during the 20th Century. He had various encounters with respectful figures of the entertainment industry and not to mention a fair share of run ins with powerful politicians and heads of state. However aside from photographing the rich and famous Avedon also branched out and changed his focus on distinct minorities within society ranging from mental health patients to Civil Right protesters but his most influential piece of work comes from his exploration of the American West. Throughout this endeavor Avedon created yet more sensational portraits but this time around miners, oil field workers and unemployed drifters stood before the camera. I think it admirable of him to of develop an interest on not just privileged celebrities but also average human beings. His fascination with the American West is not only intriguing but also insightful as we get to observe these people more closely than we might not of done before. I personally think that inhabitants of the west are commonly misunderstood as their way of life is rarely highlighted which makes this culture within America ambiguous to outsiders like you and I. Clearly the viewer will no doubt read into the surface of portraits of the famous because they are familiar with who they are looking at, consequently when one is confronted by a portrait of someone who is in fact not famous, a nobody, the viewer still surprisingly also reads a lot into that which kind of proves that Avedon is try to give these people the dignity they deserve and in turn allows us to gain better knowledge about their lives.
Rineke Dijkstra
After exploring the traditionalist methods of Karsh and Avedon I was keen to look at more modern examples of portraiture and the conceptual ideas that have been expressed. I googled the work of Dutch photographer Rineke Dijkstra and from that moment on I was captivated. Throughout the various archive of portraits Dijkstra examines the notion of transition, an inevitable occurrence that her subjects have experienced or are in fact undergoing. She usually targets individuals whose lives have endured monumental change and the most prominent choice of subject matter are adolescents who are evolving into adulthood. We all go through that phenomenal transformation but the process can seem like a challenge and constant struggle as we try to fit into society. Our own awareness becomes clearer which generates insecurities and endless amounts of emotions. This is clearly expressed in the series entitled "Beach Portraits" where Dijkstra photographed a number of teens as they retreated back to the shore after dabbling in the sea. Within every one of the images each teenager tries to compose themselves confidently however the resulting body language translates the inner venerability and self conscious frame of mind. The fact that they are all in bathing attire, semi-naked also adds to the awkwardness of their stance as they have been captured during the formative stage of their development where change is perceivable and bodily alterations are beginning to emerge. We also need to take into account that the teenagers were probably approached by Dijkstra quite suddenly so all of them must of felt rather caught off guard by this daunting prospect. If this was the case there must of been little if not no time for them to perfect their image which therefore means that these portraits reflect the natural reactions of young and confused individuals experiencing brief a moment outside of their comfort zone.
The concept of transition continues to feature in her other series of images however the focus is narrowed towards more self inflicted changes arising in the subjects lives. In 1997 Dijkstra produced portraits of young civilians just before they where about to enter the army, she then went onto chart their progression by re-photographing them once they completed military training. As you would imagine both before and after shots differ quite significantly, there is an obvious dramatic change regarding the soldiers physicality but it also appears as if the inner, non visible psychological change as been captured too. I find it effective the way Dijkstra has coupled the two images together, in a sense it kind of minimizes the time span between the then and the now, exaggerating this sudden transformation even more.
Bettina Von Zwehl
I envy this woman's creativity and the reason why is because she goes to endless lengths to challenge the idea of portraiture. If anything I think of her in as a scientist trapped in a photographer's body as she carries out interesting experiments in order to capture her subjects in a midst of an experience.By distracting the sitters attention the fixed pose that each of us individually adopt when we confront the camera is stripped away within the blink of an eye and the involuntary reactions of the human face are exposed.
Looking through her archive of portraits I found it hard to acknowledge which series I admired the most as I found every set extremely innovative and thought provoking. Setting this matter aside I've chosen to elaborate on Von Zwehl most credited pieces of work, images of which first spring to mind by the mention of her name.
The most famous photographs by Von Zwehl come from her series named Alina. This body of work comprises of twelve portraits of young girls each of whom where invited into a studio to be photographed. A relatively normal request, however unknown was it to them that the studio would not only be insufficient of light but also of sound. Each girl was told to sit and wait in the darkened, silent room to be photographed. How long each of them waited varied considerably, for some it was a matter of mere minutes, others as long as thirty minutes and the rest anything up to an hour or even possibly longer. Whilst they waited anxiously in the dark, classical music supplied the room and the sitter slowly became heavily engrossed by the stimulating tune forgetting the fact that the lens of the camera still remained on them. In the moment where the sitter became completely oblivious to their surroundings and the music reached momentum bright flash lights interrupted the soothing ambiance and the portrait was taken, incredibly suddenly and unexpectedly. This inferred that Von Zwehl had complete control over the each girl's overall representation and their emotions. As you see before you no false expressions are present, instead something far more human and natural dominates the face.
Another particular body of work that achieved great attention was Von Zwehl's rather intimate portraits of people as they awoke from sleep. At first glance the composition of these images appears quite amibigous. As you initially perceive it you assume that the people are sitting in front of a white background but then if you observe more closely you begin to realise by the two-dimensional weight distribution, they are all in fact lying down. I think this is rather unusual. Traditionally portraits are normally taken with the person standing or sitting upright but another unique concept is that we the viewers are technically hovering above these people and that's something I find quite interesting. We don't personally know these people and yet we are observing them from a heighten viewpoint. In reality we wouldn't normally observe people like this, unless we were emotionally connected to them.
As with Alina, Von Zwehl carried out a similar operation however this time round she set up a portable studio within each of the sitter's homes. Each individual was told to rest their eyes but what wasn't informed was when they would actually be woken up. Once again the times were diverse, with some lasting as long as four hours. From the images we can see the brief moment of confusion as the sitter emerges from their subconscious condition with that customary disheveled glare we all naturally pull with every waking day.
Portraiture existed long before the invention of the camera, therefore our only visual recollections of historical kings, queens and nobles are paintings. We rely on these as a way of understanding what these people actually looked like.
Albrecht Durer - Self Portrait
This is a self portrait done by German artist Albretch Durer. This specific painting is quite remarkable as it is the very first example of of self portraiture. Duruer had introduced something incredibly unique within the art medium which nobody ever considered before. It wasn't thought logical for artist to create a portrait themselves and why would they need to when they were paid to paint others?
To have your portrait painted back in the 1500's fundamentally meant that you had significance and your social status was worthy enough to allow you to experience luxuries such as this. Looking more closely at Durer's self portrait it's extremely easy to derive the religious associations that have been implied. Durer is simply portraying himself as an artist in the guise of Jesus Christ. This portrait is also a form of self expression Durer is announcing himself onto the world stating who he and what he is. It also interesting to point out that he actually singed this piece of work which suggests a sense possession and authenticity. If we were to link this to modern day photograph we'd find a relative similarity in the way most photographers also label themselves to their images in order to preserve ownership.
Marcus Gheeraerts - Elizabeth I
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First thing you notice and which is typical of Elizabethan paintings are proportions of the body, the ridiculously pinched in waist, gigantic arms and ballooned out legs have all been overly exaggerated for dramatic effect. Here we see the one of our most notable Queens looking immensely stern standing on a map of the south coast of England. Towards the right side of her shoulder a storm cloud and lighting fill the frame. When someone is standing on the map the instant assumption is that they are the ruler in dominion. This particular portrait reflects the occurrence of the Spanish Armada one of the many challenging events that Elizabeth faced during her reign. The south coast directly faces the Spanish enemy and was at the time vulnerable to invasion. Standing over the map indicates Elizabeth's determination to protect the country. She's also glaring back intimidating her opponent to signify that she won't give up without a fight. This was a very forceful attitude coming from Queen, seeing as most the monarchy had been dominated by kings. Initially Elizabeth was not presumed to rule for very long given the criticism she received, however this painting reaffirms her authority and control and the lighting bolt reflects her ferocious temper.
John Taylor - William Shakespeare
Another portrait of an instantly recognisable individual. This painting is an official a from life portrait, meaning that Shakespeare was in presence, sitting before Taylor whilst he worked on the painting. It's was the first portrait to be acquired by the National Portrait Gallery and as a consequence used time and time again to portray Shakespeare. The earring in his left ear is another significant attribute as it infers something his about character. He is wealthy, noble and highly respected.
The two people that occupy the frames don't actually exist in reality. They are in fact computer generated avatars, the end result of what's formed when several faces combine into one. 
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