BRAINSTORM
MOOD BOARD
My chosen theme is 'colour'. My focus on colour smoke bombs is to represent each colour in a different way best matched to what the colour is most commonly associated with, however I am planning on combining certain colour smoke bombs with paganism to add a twist and give an outstanding finish and to show contrast between past and present through the look of my various models and through the use of the colour smoke.
AARON DURALL
Aaron Durall is a freelance photographer currently based in Brooklyn, New York. He shoots a variety of creative, promotional, lifestyle, and documentary based photography. He also works with his wife Whitney. They're a photography team whose work is based on wedding photography and engagements. They use smoke bombs in the majority of their work together. I chose their work because it shows a creative way of expressing human emotions through the use of colour. |
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EMILY SOTO
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Emily Soto is an international fashion, celebrity and
lifestyle photographer based in southern California. Since her career started two years ago, her work has been selected by top editors to be on covers of countless magazines worldwide. Soto is a fashion photographer based in New York. She captures photographs that reflects her romantic and visionary style expressing emotion and a distinct artistic style with her bold, playful images. Soto's images features on many magazine covers and national campaigns. Soto also has many recent exhibitions based in New York, London, Paris and Berlin. I chose Soto as an artist for my colour smoke bomb unit as I like her style and I want to incorporate her pagan styled photographs with my colour smoke idea as it will add a bold and beautiful tone to my work. Her work has many qualities in which my ideas would combine nicely with the outdoorsy pagan theme adding to the style and emotion of the colour smoke. |
This photograph of Soto's stands out as the crown has great detail and corresponds with what she is wearing and the background. It has a pagan style and captures a bold, quirky look which isn't seen in modern society. It's authenticity gives the photograph a dark and mysterious appearance in which creates a strong admiration for the photograph. The way the lighting and the focus is on the model creates depth in the photograph and the blurred out background, despite still being able to tell that It is in a wooded area, adds to the depth and mystery too the picture.
Camera Settings;
- The aperture should be set around f/8 to ensure that all the smoke remains in focus.
- The shutter speed should be set typically to around 1/200 or 1/250.
- The ISO should be set to 100, ensuring that there is the least amount of noise in the final image.
Red smoke plan
- colour smoke bomb-red
- colour red associated with danger, passion, desire and love.
- outdoors, in an open field just before sunset to capture warm colours of the sun, creates a romantic atmosphere
- focusing on the association with passion and danger.
- back combed hair with hairspray
- rebellious/seductive dress
- red/black smokey eye look
- bold red lipstick
- pagan style
- red bohemian style head piece
- dead roses
Purple smoke plan:
- colour smoke bomb- purple
- colour purple associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, mystery and magic, symbolises power, nobility, luxury, and ambition.
- focusing on the association with mystery and magic.
- horns, cape
- long black dress
- dark purple/black lips
- black/purple smokey eye
- pagan style
Green smoke plan:
- colour smoke bomb- green
- Green is the colour of nature. It symbolises growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with ambition, jealousy and greed.
- focusing on association with nature.
- flower crown
- white dress
- natural makeup
- pagan style
Blue smoke plan:
- colour smoke bomb- blue
- Blue is the colour of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolises trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven. It is also associated with the cold as it is a cool colour and is symbolic of the winter months.
- focusing on association with ice
- blue/black dress
- black veil
- wet hair, slit back
- long black coat
- ice
Photoshoot - GREEN
The objective for the green smoke photo shoot was to capture the smokes movement around the model to represent colour. The colour green in this photo shoot was associated with nature, which is why the location was in a park around the nature. The autumn leaves add to the effect of nature as it shows the transitioning of the seasons and also creates a morbid setting of the leaves dying and falling where it becomes part of the land, linking to the theme of paganism as there religion is based on earth and nature. The model's outfit represents paganism, and associates with nature as paganism is a nature based religion. The white dress represents the peace that nature brings to people and the pagan religion. In using this outfit I added a twist to the 'colour' theme of smoke bombs and combined a medieval/pagan style to make my work stand out against other smoke bomb photography.
Strongest Pictures;
I have selected the following as my strongest pictures due to the fine detail in the smoke captured due to the high shutter speed alongside the low aperture which created a gloomy yet focussed aesthetic. Each individual photograph symbolises the nature of the colour green and also presentst the emotions and moods attached such as jealousy, it also evokes prosperity as her expressions and body language shows us. These photographs also show off the organic and natural dynamic through the use of scene, the models costume and make up also portray this as it collaberates with my theme of paganism by the use of the flower crown alongside the whie flowy dress symbolising peace and creating a bohemian style which fits into traditional pagan culture. Even without the smoke bombs these pictures would have been successful however the use of the green smoke bomb adds colour and defintion to the photograph giving it a dramatic, bold and unique finish.
Photoshoot 2 - PURPLE
The colour purple in this photo shoot represents the association with magic and purple as it is often associated with mystery and dark magic. I incorporated a pagan style again and added horns to create a mythical and bewitching appearance in which represents the witchcraft/sorcery in pagan tradition. The lighting in this photo shoot is darker than my other photo shoots as I wanted to create an enchanted atmosphere; in doing so I created a sinister feel, a dark magic and a medieval touch. The smoke appears as if it was created by a spell as the smoke rises and clouds her surroundings. The model wearing black to show that she is conjuring a dark magic. Magic and paganism correspond as magic is also traditionally associated with the pagan religion and their spiritual rituals.
Strongest Pictures;
I have selected these photographs as my strongest due to their composition and final presentation. Each photograph represents my theme well, yet also portrays different perspectives and creates a different outlook; the idea ,as I have previously explained, was to create a mystical and and mysterious atmosphere using the costume of horns and a black cape in order to put across a pagan/wicken style, showing a darker side to paganism and the correlations with the colour purple. In each picture my model displays a different appearance as I take photographs from different angles such as low angles, high angles, mid shot , close up shots and longer distance shots in order to see more of the background and the whole extent of the purple smoke in order to create a misty and magical vibe. The way my model presents herself is exactly how I had imagined it and she showed off my theme and the connotations of purple tied up with it well; this helped me capture these strong images alongside my choice of costume, setting, makeup and the use of a fast shutter speed which allowed me to capture detail in the smoke rather than having a blur.
Photoshoot 3 - RED
For my red colour smoke bomb I decided to have my model wear a velvet red maxi dress and a black cape, this fits in with my pagan theme as it gives a dark and dangerous image. The gave my model a red smokey eye in order to enhance and focus her eyes to create a bold and seductive look. My red photoshoot represents dangers, passion and energy, the colour red is a bold and vibrant colour and I have used costume and make-up in order for the audience to feel the dangerous and passionate energy shown through my models appearance. I also used my background in order to fit with my atmosphere, the tall brown grass and plants gives a dark and moody atmosphere which fits well with my pagan theme as it is natural yet gloomy.
Strongest Pictures;
These photographs are my strongest due to the presentation and the detail in each picture, There is a clear unique shot from different angles and perspectives capturing my model in different lights and also capturing the detail in the red smoke bomb from the high shutter speed and low aperture insuring that the lighting also fits the mood. The way the smoke rises and forms around my model creates a dangerous and eye catching look, it adds definition and drama to these photographs. These are my best images as if the smoke bomb was not there the aesthetic and the quality of the image would still be very good and still make a great and dramatic picture however the smoke makes the photograph bolder and shows more creativity, linking to my theme this unit of paganism and colour smoke bombs and the connotations attached to each colour.
Before photoshop |
After photoshop |
Photoshoot 4 - BLUE
For my blue smoke bomb I took advantage of the cold weather and the snow, it fit perfectly with the cold blue colour as it fits with my icy theme. It creates a cold and dark atmosphere for my blue smoke bomb which compliments each other well. I had put a black veil on my model to create a dark and mysterious effect, she also wore all black, this is due to the contrast between the black with the white snowy background. I chose a model with blonde hair as it creates a colder effect and brings out the colour of the blue. My model also has blue eyes which is perfect as it coordinates with the blue smoke bomb and the snow in the background. The blue colour smoke bomb represents confindence and wisdom and is portrayed in the my model's costume and facial expressions. She raises her head which shows confidence and fitting into my pagan style she also illustrates a widow, which suppports the representation of wisdom and loyalty.
Strongest Pictures;
I have chosen these multiple images as my strongest due to how each picture is dramatic and fits with my aim of this theme. The way in which I have captured each picture shows different perspectives of the models appearance and also involves the background to make the images come together and represent the connotations of my blue smoke bomb with the use of a paganism style. I mainly used close ups in these photographs as it braught out the definition of my models features and the veil resting over her head, and also captured the detail of the snow on the dead tree branches and that has fallen on her veil in some of the photographs. I managed to capture so much detail due to the high shutter speed and despite the difficulties of the weather I managed to get the lighting and create the atmoshphere I wanted. Overall each picture I have selected as my strongest brings out the character in my theme and presents an excellent collection of photographs and final pieces.