MEDIA 203 - Week 8: Portrait Story
Portrait Story
Analysis of Work
Feelings/mood
On the surface, tinkering around with a hobby might seem like an activity that spurs fun. Upon entering Wiley’s workshop, I found that repairing model planes was an outlet of meditation. This shop is a place to experiment, reflect, shed frustration, and gain a sense of accomplishment. A screw driver, a pack of stickers, and a few ounces of paint are worth a dozen sessions of therapy. My intent was to portray Wiley in tune with his craft. Images that showed him looking anywhere but upon the plane in the harness (although he was always at work during the photo shoot) did not tell the story as well as when his line of vision was upon the miniature aircraft.
Subject placement
The shop was small, so there was close quarters between the camera and the subject. The first image (left) was taken from the side to show the propeller in order for the viewer to instantly gain an idea of the subject matter. The second image (center) had greater incorporation of the tool in order to show activity. The final image (right) had the greatest distance between camera and subject in order to give a more full view of the story as a conclusion.
Multilayered
As mentioned in Feelings/Mood, there is a clear idea of therapy through ones hobby. Additionally, however, there is also an idea here related to that of a doctor. The hobby of repairing leads to the theme of fixing life’s problems and curing ailments.
Depth of field
The DOF in the first image is the most shallow of the three. The purpose was to give higher concentration on the propeller in order to establish the theme. The center and right images were taken with closer to a medium DOF. This was done in the center image in order to demonstrate the relationship between plane and repairman – each was in equal focus. However, the same DOF was used in the final image so that there was a summarized scope of the setting, but the main concentration remained with the holding of the plane.
Light
Lighting was mainly derived from a fluorescent lamp overhead. However, the door leading outside was also open to cloudy lighting. The white balance was adjusted to compensate. Since the fluorescent setting on my camera is 4,000 kelvin and the cloudy setting is 6,000 kelvin, I went in between with the daylight setting at 5,200 kelvin. This provided the desired balance. No flash was utilized.
Improvement
To improve I would remove some of the foreground clutter. There were images that had strong candidacy for display, but had too much activity in front of the plane. Tools and hardware were acceptable for photos, but boxes and bottles with recognizable labels robbed from the story.
On the surface, tinkering around with a hobby might seem like an activity that spurs fun. Upon entering Wiley’s workshop, I found that repairing model planes was an outlet of meditation. This shop is a place to experiment, reflect, shed frustration, and gain a sense of accomplishment. A screw driver, a pack of stickers, and a few ounces of paint are worth a dozen sessions of therapy. My intent was to portray Wiley in tune with his craft. Images that showed him looking anywhere but upon the plane in the harness (although he was always at work during the photo shoot) did not tell the story as well as when his line of vision was upon the miniature aircraft.
Subject placement
The shop was small, so there was close quarters between the camera and the subject. The first image (left) was taken from the side to show the propeller in order for the viewer to instantly gain an idea of the subject matter. The second image (center) had greater incorporation of the tool in order to show activity. The final image (right) had the greatest distance between camera and subject in order to give a more full view of the story as a conclusion.
Multilayered
As mentioned in Feelings/Mood, there is a clear idea of therapy through ones hobby. Additionally, however, there is also an idea here related to that of a doctor. The hobby of repairing leads to the theme of fixing life’s problems and curing ailments.
Depth of field
The DOF in the first image is the most shallow of the three. The purpose was to give higher concentration on the propeller in order to establish the theme. The center and right images were taken with closer to a medium DOF. This was done in the center image in order to demonstrate the relationship between plane and repairman – each was in equal focus. However, the same DOF was used in the final image so that there was a summarized scope of the setting, but the main concentration remained with the holding of the plane.
Light
Lighting was mainly derived from a fluorescent lamp overhead. However, the door leading outside was also open to cloudy lighting. The white balance was adjusted to compensate. Since the fluorescent setting on my camera is 4,000 kelvin and the cloudy setting is 6,000 kelvin, I went in between with the daylight setting at 5,200 kelvin. This provided the desired balance. No flash was utilized.
Improvement
To improve I would remove some of the foreground clutter. There were images that had strong candidacy for display, but had too much activity in front of the plane. Tools and hardware were acceptable for photos, but boxes and bottles with recognizable labels robbed from the story.
Portrait Analysis
1. What is the first thing you notice about the subject/s of the portrait? What components of the portrait do you see that makes you say that?
There is a visual magnetism in the butterfly mask. My attention was drawn here first due (1) the mask which is distinctive and unusual enough to raise curiosity and question (2) the lines of the road that lead to this position of the image, and (3) in the English language we read left to right and top to bottom.
2. What does the facial expression tell you about the subject/s?
The girl looks almost expressionless. There is greater emotion expressed through her posture than through her facial expression. The boy has less expression than the girl, and the mask adds to the idea that he is reserved in his thoughts.
3. What does the subject/s attire, expressions, gestures, the setting, and props tell you about the subject or the overall scene?
There is clear evidence of dirt and stains on the childrens’ clothes. There is a possibility of extensive chores since the setting is remote the trailers suggest either poverty or life on the go. Since the children look tired, there exists a greater possibility for this.
4. What do you think the subject does for a living or how might the individual spend his/her spare time?
The children should be in school, but the scene reveals this is not the case. If this is Summer break, they are probably tired from playing in the sun, and thus we see a drop in their energy level. However, they are both wearing sweaters, so we are probably not witnessing Summer.The idea of child poverty remains a possibility.
5. What would you ask the person if you had the opportunity?
My primary question would be for the photographer: is this scene natural (caught in the moment) or staged? For the children, I would ask where everyone else was at and if they had any neighbor children to play with?
6. What do you think the sitter wanted the portrait to communicate? What components of the portrait do you see that makes you say that?
The blank expressions, dirty clothes, and remote setting suggest ideas of loneliness, exhaustion, and abandonment. The viewer is left to interpret which idea, or mix of ideas, is most fitting. However, there is also evidence of closeness between the children: they seem to depend on each other to get through hard times.
7. What would you like to ask the photographer?
What brought you to this setting to take this image? Was this a detour stop on a road trip, a specific destination, or where you live?
There is a visual magnetism in the butterfly mask. My attention was drawn here first due (1) the mask which is distinctive and unusual enough to raise curiosity and question (2) the lines of the road that lead to this position of the image, and (3) in the English language we read left to right and top to bottom.
2. What does the facial expression tell you about the subject/s?
The girl looks almost expressionless. There is greater emotion expressed through her posture than through her facial expression. The boy has less expression than the girl, and the mask adds to the idea that he is reserved in his thoughts.
3. What does the subject/s attire, expressions, gestures, the setting, and props tell you about the subject or the overall scene?
There is clear evidence of dirt and stains on the childrens’ clothes. There is a possibility of extensive chores since the setting is remote the trailers suggest either poverty or life on the go. Since the children look tired, there exists a greater possibility for this.
4. What do you think the subject does for a living or how might the individual spend his/her spare time?
The children should be in school, but the scene reveals this is not the case. If this is Summer break, they are probably tired from playing in the sun, and thus we see a drop in their energy level. However, they are both wearing sweaters, so we are probably not witnessing Summer.The idea of child poverty remains a possibility.
5. What would you ask the person if you had the opportunity?
My primary question would be for the photographer: is this scene natural (caught in the moment) or staged? For the children, I would ask where everyone else was at and if they had any neighbor children to play with?
6. What do you think the sitter wanted the portrait to communicate? What components of the portrait do you see that makes you say that?
The blank expressions, dirty clothes, and remote setting suggest ideas of loneliness, exhaustion, and abandonment. The viewer is left to interpret which idea, or mix of ideas, is most fitting. However, there is also evidence of closeness between the children: they seem to depend on each other to get through hard times.
7. What would you like to ask the photographer?
What brought you to this setting to take this image? Was this a detour stop on a road trip, a specific destination, or where you live?