Maps & Networks: Final Piece and Evaluation

We started this project with an interesting concept but after reevaluation we decided on a stronger one the idea to make a project about how we can't handle our emotions and the documentations of use trying to open up to each other. II thought this was strong until the end of the last shoot where myself and Nina just had no idea where to talk the final piece and after a long chat we realised that the fact we can't handle or sometimes even comprehend some emotions to the fact that we both dissociate from ourselves, it was almost impossible for us to find a way to show the way in which that feels if we ourselves can describe that too eachother. We realised that we need to find a way to either present that fact that for us right now in time this project is almost unpresentable (a risky move) or to design a piece around the connection me and Nina made through this project. The latter of those two options We both this is the strongest as when looking back this theme kind of creeped up on us and evolved with the project itself. 

Voltea - Final Image 1 for Maps & Networks - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Turn Around - Final Image 2 for Maps & Networks - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

These our the final images we decided upon. We made these images as we wanted to make two images that reflect upon one another and fit together. The space we have for installation is two wall facing each other in the corridor and we want to have these two image printed at A0 facing each other. we designed the images the way they are becuase with the un finishable theme we has to begin with we realized we can finish it because we both struggle communicating it to others. But, through the process of this project we both understand how each other feels towards it. and have reached a point in our friendship in which we dont need to talk we just get what the other one means. We wanted to represent this with the lines in the middle of the images and how the red line connecting our eyes is supposed to represent how we dont need to talk we just need sight to see the other and get how they feel. This is supported by the black dead like connecting mouths. This also links into the fact we've use photography, a purely visual medium as our presentation style, to support this 'visual' connotation. To link the images we have the overall look being similar and the text at the bottom of the images is supposed to act like an action to tall the viewer to turn around and look at the other image (voltea is turn around in spanish, Ninas mother tongue, we did this to link back to the personal aspect of the project). We wanted the text as this is an installation piece and we wanted to use our opportunity. It also helps the audience to see the images consecutively and hopefully piece together the fact that they fit together. We did play around with smaller text but felt it being big and caps helped it feel more like an instruction. I feel these images link back to our research well because we have used negative space link Sam Kweskins work. 

Overall this project has been a journey and I feel I have documented it well through my blog posts. On reflection I dont think i would have done anything different with this project as I've very round of all the work myself and Nina did and that we have managed to make strong outcomes that reflect the meaning we wanted them to. The project has brought new networking contacts through Ninas friendship and helped me grow as an individual. I managed to make a piece that fits my usual style but has aspects that differ like the use of text and the mix media experimentation I've done along the way has helped me become more comfortable in them and reminded me to use them in the future. The only down fall for this project would be the slow start with the problematic first Idea we had. But over all I'm proud.

Maps & Networks: 4th Shoot

Following on from the previous shoot we decided to take the project back to our first shoot and redo it. So a clean white shoot with soft lighting minimal make-up and dress to get a rawness of the images back, as now the shoot with be more focused around the new RED concept for outfits we planned to be an nude as possible as we are now comfortable enough with each other to do so. I Nina decided on a bra and a skirt, this was becuase of even though we are comfortable with each other now we don't want to really be flashing the whole of UCA. I went for grey shorts  and a cropped white shirt to reflect ninas outfit and keep it equal between us, as well as my own insecurity with my chest.  For this shoot We had a similar set up to the 1st shoot just, We had 1 regular light and 1 hexagon softbox on the background to fill the space with light and illuminate shadows. and on the subject We set up a large beauty dish and one regular sized one to create soft molding on the subject. we did this to draw focus to the model and but still have a dynamic 'real' space. We feel this fits the concept better as it is a real personal experience to us both so we don't want the studio to look too dead. In preparation I created some shot ideas of what I wanted to take as well as I created a list of transitive verbs to help nina and myself be able to create more convincing depictions of the emotions we struggle with. 

baby shot list for shoot 4

Transitive verbs is a technique we both learned in the 'Directing Actors' workshop we had for our group studio shoot, and we felt that we could use it in all form of art. It is the method of giving your actor or model a verb to act and then this should hopefully lead to a natural portrayal of an emotion, for example; "to corner" will hopefully get the actor to play the character in a playfully sneaky way.  So with all this we did the shoot. 

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

I think this shoot has gone really really well. The planning helped us greatly as we could keep pace while shooting and take a lot of strong images. This is also supported by mine and Nina's trust in eachother as we know the other will take strong images, as we're both perfectionists this was a small hurdle but now we're over it we have been able to come leaps and bounds. The above shown images are all I feel strong by themselves that might prove to be a problem in editing but I tried to plan images where Myself and Nina are doing the same actions so we can be placed in the same image. to kick start editing. In my shot planning I planned images that're all faceless as I feel it supports our concept stronger. I feel this because hiding emotions are a very private things, that's the point, we don't want to show these potentially unsavoury sides of ourselves so by remaining partially anonymous we keep that private aspect to the piece. Even if that contradicts it self in the fact this is an installation piece to be put on show I still think it works as this is a personal aspect of our lives and we wanna document it and see if by opening up to each other we can almost break down those bad habits. In turn by showing the whole uni of this it could help us be more comfortable in expressing ourselves. As me and Nina like ambiguous images we wanted to shoot things that show the struggle or disassociation that comes with our theme but in unobvious ways. I think we we're successful in this for example the back images or the falling images have this struggle and overwhelming (respectively) feeling to them that adds emotion. 

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

These two images reflect our use of transitive verbs in the shoot. During the shoot we wanted to get some raw emotions captured so we tried to think of experiences in which we could place one another in to bring this fourth. and we decided to talk about the most stressful thing in our lives right now, the Studio Shoot. This was a fun exercise and did release some stress. Although as we were mid word in most pictures I dont think we'll use them in the final images. and from this its time for editing.

Edit from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot 

Edit from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot 

Edit from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot 

The above images are the first edits I did just to see what I can do with the images, I started withe the first two. With these two I wanted to try and re create the struggle that the 3rd shoot has in alot of its blury images but in this and I feel I did that in the 1st of the two but the second came across as like a weird pile of dismembered legs and, as cool as it looks, just is weird concept wise and does translate well apart from in a murdery way. The last of the two I i made a few days later and Is a throwback to the mix media side of this project and sort of just me testing to see what the paint could look like. I also tried text on the image. This came out as too 'on the nose' and just made the images really obvious to the audience which isnt what I want, I dont want to bore the viewers.

Edit from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot 

Edit from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot 

We also realised that we both need to be in the images as this is a secondary theme that has sort of crept up on us during this process. We realised that project is also about how myself and Nina have both grow closer together.  So that connection should be shown in the final images. with these edits we started playing around with mix media.

 Mix Media edit from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot 

Edit from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot 

Edit from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot 

Edit from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot 

Edit from Maps & Networks 4th Shoot 

Above are the mixed media edits we did, The first two are made with ink and we wanted to make images that reflect the frustration around the theme and how it can be very overwhelming not being to express yourself fully, that last note also represents the last image shown. I feel we did this successfully in the last image more then the others. The last image is made with acrylic paint on paper that was then scraped with a knife. I this this shows frustration in the application and the sense of drowning in the outcome. two emotions loosely linked to our concept but not strong enough to be final images. The first two images are good be so messy and We feel that contradicts us in how we wanted to make such a clean shoot just to mess it up. this might work better if the ink was behind myself and Nina as that would represent the hiding aspect of the concept more. The arm picture I think is really interesting and a strong image but for it it has 'coming out' connotations and feel more about self love, which is important, but will be too much of a right turn for the project I feel. Finally the line image I really like as we tried to edit based on the connection aspect of the concept now and I like the direction of using taht as the main theme as it feels fresh and sturdier for the Maps & Networks project brief. the only problem with the image as it has very strong like puppeteering vibes which i do Not like at all, I think the line drawings could work with different image but for this one its just too controlling. Overall I think this shoot was fantastic but we are still very unsure where to go with our final piece. 

Maps & Networks: 3rd Shoot

Projection!

As said in my last post we needed to practice with different light sources for the red in these images and we couldn't decide between gels or projection. We both went with projection at we feel we could be more creative with it and explore new messages in how projection is an image thrust upon the subject and how the act of using a projector affects the overall meaning of the images. We also wanted this shoot to be more contrasting and almost a combination of both the 1st and 2nd shoot as to see how the projection acts as a post production edit before post actually happens. 

3rd Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

3rd Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

3rd Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

3rd Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

3rd Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

3rd Shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

I kind of love this shoot and its images, I mean looking back it was painful to do as we actually filled the SD card 3 times. But I do really love the images. For the projection I made some quick graphic images to project. some red squares on a white background (see image 1) and its reverse (see image 4) and some graphic vectors of prints and patterns and a paint splatter, that came out a lot more like blood. I made these things to project as I wanted us to have a variety of things to model in front of and hopefully help focus our final outcomes. As for the images, I felt better about this shoot when what we've created previously as it was definitely a step in the right direction. But in that sense I feel it was because we used more white aspects in the photography and had that contrast in the images, and the all red images we're very aggressive, almost like we're like like shoving it in your face that we're both crap with anger and I dont think thats the right approach at all. In this shoot as well you can definitely see how myself and Nina have come a lot closer together and are more comfortable around eachother now. 

Out of the ones shown I really like image 1 because it has that ambiguous thing about it where you look and have no real idea what its about so you have to think more, and  I love art like that as I feel art should be something you spend time looking at.  I feel it also definitely carries the theme we want with it too as it has a peaceful aggression about the image. with the stillness off the body contrasting the arms. For me this is kind of how I feel when it comes to some emotions, like a turtle on its back. with these strong images I still wanted to see what I could do with them in Photoshop. 

Shoot 3 edit

Shoot 3 edit

In reflection I think these are interesting. I mainly like the second as it is visually pleasing and is a developed form of what I liked about the picture I spoke about previously. Its strong but something just doesn't feel right about it. With the first I tried to make the inverse of the second image but it just feels so messy and almost unreadable.  when I look at the image It feels unfinished and yet too much. Looking back this is how I feel about the whole shoot. It is strong but the aggressive contrast of the shoot just feels too punchy for our subject matter. The projector also is a problem, even though it has this interesting context of painted on feelings or like a digital representation of like when someone puts their guard up, the nature of the light is just so digital and unnatural and it take away from the realness of our concept. 

Maps & Networks: 2nd Shoot

Hooray for new ideas, it's time to talk about the 2nd shoot. 

As this shoot is with a new concept it kind of came out like shoot 1 version 2, as we didn't plan any specific shots and just wanted to see the effect we get under the red lighting. For the red lighting I have a string of red LED lights that me and my housemates normally use for parties but we strung it up around the front of the studio right about the camera would did if doing a wide shot. It gave a very gloomy and brooding environment, which we found perfect for the concept, as it reflects the deep inside where we shove our unwanted feelings. Through the eye the lighting was beautiful but on camera was another story. For some reason, even after looking up a tutorial, The Nikon D-90 just was struggleing in the low light enviroment and only really worked on tripod even though we kept using it handheld, In the end it worked to our advantage as I really liked how the blurrier pictures came out. 

Image from 2nd Maps&Networks shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from 2nd Maps&Networks shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from 2nd Maps&Networks shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from 2nd Maps&Networks shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

The above 4 images I've collected together as they had the LED's visible in them, Personally the 2nd is my faveourite. Just for me its one of those images that are like 1 in a million. The composition and positioning of the lights behind Nina and the how that effects the lighting on the face, the focus on the face and this combined with the hair movement making it seem like the image was shot with a fixed 25 mil lens with a tight focus, and even the facial expression. It just works for me visually and I feel it also fits the projects concept as it has this almost tired feeling in regards to handling emotions which is very true, like an impatience with negatives emotions. It doesn't fully reflect the projects visual style as its not the cleanest or bright, But we might develop into a direction that is a lot darker and use a black background. 

The 1st image really shows how red light almost blows out on skin an interesting thing to consider in the future of using this LED light in shoots. and the final image is something neither of us though to use, lightpainting, even though it does look cool, like a light crown, its just not what we need or want for this project. light painting is definitely not something we,re going to take further as its connotations of technology and whimsey take the realness away from our concept and almost belittle the negative mental health aspects of not dealing with emotions healthily.  As visually interesting as all of the above images are they feel too far from what we set out to do  and could be potentially used in the future as development inspiration but I feel the second half of the shoot fit better with what we need. 

Image from 2nd Maps&Networks shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

Image from 2nd Maps&Networks shoot - Joe Palmer/Nina Sayuri

I find the blurry photographs we took very interesting as the method of purposely making your pictures blurry isnt something I've ever done before but it came out really interesting for me. I think the blurry figure make it seem more primal and expressive. I find this because the ghostly warped figures add another level to the subject and extend the facial and body expressions. I think it could be good to explore this technique further and perfect it so when hung on a wall the image will still be readable. When it comes the the editing of the pictures for this shoot I thought I'd get more visceral and for them I know edited when I was overcome with an extreme emotions, most of them happened all at once when I was incredibly annoyed.

Angry edit from shoot 2 

Lonely edit from shoot 2 

Angry edit from shoot 2 

Angry edit from shoot 2 

On reflection, I do love these edits I did for this shoot as, I feel atleast, they are a lot more emotional. I didn't really have a method I just kind of let my hands do the work. They all involve layer blend modes and then in a few I played around with the brush tool and rubber to distort the images more. I find each image has its own readability through this edit. The 1st is has a very lonely feeling to me and so does the 2nd image but both at each end of the loneliness spectrum. The 1st is like a frustration and the 2nd is more of a longing feeling. The 3rd image is like a horror nightmare scape, and just all i see is screaming and pain, and the last is definitely my least favourite but i still enjoy it. I kind of reminds me of the Lady Justice, the statue outside of most american court houses.  and then the black line across the neck is very murdery  and the whole image for me acts as like a representation of the death of justice. I feel the biggest downfall for all of the images is definitely the grain on the images and the stock of images I had to edit with.

Mixed Media edits - Shoot 1 &2

Mixed Media edits - Shoot 1 & 2

We both reflected back on our research at this point and realised we hadn't done any mixed media editing, something we both want to explore, so Nina tackled it for this and the last shoot. In regards to our skill set Nina has better skill in more practical editing and I have better luck with Photoshop, so we split the editing load mainly that way to get the best outcomes but in future we will both partake in both in order to push ourselves and build skills. I really like the way they came out in the end, mainly the red edits as they are a lot more of an obvious edit so i feel the audience notices the physical aspect of the edit more, and for me if your going to do something practical with the actual physical image I'd want it to be obvious. The 1st shoots edits are interesting but we will have to find a way to improve the cut out and crumpled look as they are too subtle.

Even though the shoot was successful I we really need to improve on it as becuase its such an ambiguous topic it's hard to focus down on where we want it to truly go visually in the portrayal of the theme. Although I've become alot close with Nina through this project which is awesome and I feel we're meshing well. In order to stay within the aesthetic minimalist style I think moving on from this project we're going to experiment with a different light source for the red.

Maps & Networks: Times are changing

So,

After the last shoot myself and Nina were planning on shooting our next crop of images, and then we had a lecture that changed everything. The lecture was on the concept of 'The Other' a topic I previously new alittle bit about but never fully looked deeply into, I referenced it in my research post (this this I have added a in depth definition of "othering' to the post as I've learned alot). Long story short Mine and Nina's previously planned conceptual idea "conversation on culture" is rather problematic in how instead of it being a "interesting look on ethnicity" is not good, I know from my point at least I do Not feel comfortable making a piece around that concept as its not my place and I had to check myself and say that it was very misguided and we really should have thought of the possibly implications of that idea.

Moving on from this we have decided to change our idea. As I use art as an emotional outlet especially in the sense that it gets me more involved with the piece as it becomes personal. Myself and Nina decided to do a more personal piece. Stumped at first, I remembered one of my favourite music videos; Eclipse by Kim Lip. The video (shown below) has a very strong red motif giving it a very strong impactful 

Screenshot From Eclipse By Kim Lip of LOONA
Music Label: Blockberry Creative

cinematographic style as it contrasts the dull worn buildings and stark white sets. I found this simple use of 1 colour against white, black, and worn brown brick, very striking and effective and drawing in viewers. The reasoning behind the colouring in for this K-pop groups music video is simply that each member of the group has a set colour and her happens to be red.  Even with this basic starting point they complimented the overwhelming red with neutral tones to give the music video more contrast in its visuals creating a more dynamic colour palette that I feel matches the contemporary dance heavy visuals. I wanted to use the power of red in this project as it would be a great way to punch through a message of an art piece. So, from this myself and Nina started brainstorming the colour red. 

We looking tion the psychology of colour around red and its connotations. All of the connotations of red are to do with passion in some form for example; Anger, Love, Excitement, and Power. All of this along side how red is a very stimulating colour visually as it's the only mid toned prime (yellow being a light prime, and true blue being a dark prime). This makes the colour very versatile in its use.All of these connotations easily translate into emotions making our job easier, So from this We realised that these intense red connotative emotions are ones that myself and nina both usually struggle with. finally we have our new Maps & Networks project concept. We wants the make a photo series around around the theme of the inability to handle red connotative emotions and the connection between us and how we both bottle up these emotions. We want the project to be a studio style but it's less about  a message and more of a documentation of our inability and our relationship together. We want to create this project through a series of images with a simple minimalistic style to make the viewer focus on the subject, us, as this is a personal piece for us both. We also are sticking with photography as it is a media that follows 1 sense, sight, and this cut senseless aspect of photography will help portray our image. I feel this because emotional disassociation is such a mental thing it doesn't fulfil any sense we want to keep it as minimal and possible in that aspect to reflect how personal and unknown this subject matter can be.

With this revelation I went back to the last shoots images and edited them quickly along the new theme to get us prepared for the next shoot.

1st Shoot edit with New concept theme

1st Shoot edit looking back closer at the research

The 2nd image shown was a rough edit looking back at our research, we looked into a lot of mixed media artists would i tried to visualise what that could look on the style of portraits we've taken. The first image I've shown above is just a look into a possible shoot outcome where we shoot in re lighting. It was easily created by tinting the wholy image and then placing the original on top with a blend mode on multiply and the opacity at 45%, then creating an almost black rectangle on top of the image and rubbing out the centre with a 0% hardness brush and then dropping the opacity on that layer to about 20%. From this edit we decided to plan the next shoot around this red lighting and potentially combining it with a re do of our 1st shoot to create a more visually interesting installation. We could also bring in the mixed media in this way too by having a red image and a white image but to make them cohesive having red mixed media aspects on the white image.  We played around with different ways to portray the action of bottling up emotions in a more obscure way as it's not a noticeable trait in a person. This kind of obscure art style in my and Nina's personal favourite as it causes the viewer to look into the piece deeper. 

Idol modeling and promo pictures belong to SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment

This is just some quick edits of images in the style of what we want to capture and how they could be edited in the future and methods in which they could be installed. The top left image in the main way we are thinking of installing as it makes the piece more interactive as the audience would have to move around the piece in order to see all of the images fully, representing how bottling emotions is like hiding them. Like the images would be doing.