Monday, December 15, 2008
Production Journal
Felix Penzarella
Proff K.
12/14/08
Visual Litteracy
Production Journal: Gender?
This project was, to say the least, interesting. Though I did not change much from my original idea of gender stereotypes and the reversals there in. My project (and the quality and depth of the shots) improved over the coarse of the entire production.
Going into this final project I was confident that my idea was strong enough that it would carry me to the end. I set up my shots, photographed some models, did some slight touching up in Photoshop, and called it finished. The pictures that I took were relatively strong and I was as happy as could be expected. However, due to (what I know find out) a virus that has been spreading on the popular networking site “Facebook”, my computer crashed and all data, which was not properly backed up, was erased. Luckily, I do use an external hard drive to keep most of my work safe, however, the recently finished photo project was not saved to the external and in turn was destroyed.
After a solid amount of complaining and feeling sorry for myself I decided to view this disaster as a blessing (at least as much as I could manage without inflicting bodily harm to myself). Because of this unique situation I was given in which I could remember my essential “rough draft” and as such go back and improve, I was able to create a, in my opinion, very strong final project.
Preparation
My idea for this project originally came from a speaker who I saw in my Visual Literacy class who discussed the changing roll of women in today’s modern society. This idea sparked a larger one regarding gender rolls in general. I began to question why are certain things considered masculine and others feminine. Are we not all human beings performing simple acts? This is the question that essentially drove my project.
Devising the shots was not difficult. I sat down with my models and began brainstorming and writing down various acts that are stereotypically male and female. We then chose what we thought would go together best in a short series and which gender should take which roll.
I thought it would be most effective if I were to portray three shots of each model. The first shot would simply be a portrait, which showed the man or woman completely removed from any act and simply posing for the camera. This approach sets up the viewer to then look at the following shots in a more appreciative manor.
Following the first shot I decided to use the “gender stereotype” photograph. This eases the viewer into the third shot as it is not foreign and helps them get acquainted with the subject and hopefully allows them to relate to the picture. In my project the girl is putting on makeup and the boy is preparing for a rugby match.
The third shot is meant to display the subject in a gender roll reversal. In other words they are assuming a stereotypical action usually taken by the other sex. In my project the girl is shaving her face while the boy is shaving his legs.
Production
In all honesty, this project was an absolute blast to shoot. Because I did not want to approach this through voyeurism or a photojournalistic I was able to interact and direct my models as I thought best. This allowed me unprecedented control over the shoot and ultimately let me “paint” the picture I had in my mind.
Lighting was not a major issue as the ambient light I found was relatively bright. However, I did use flashes and desk lamps to compensate for lighting that I thought could be improved. Needless to say working with mirrors and multiple flashes proved to be an interesting, but fun, challenge.
One thing that I could have done differently in my shoot is allowing the model more freedom to “play”. Because I was working with amateur first time models I found myself directing them more than I wanted to. However, after they felt more comfortable in front of the camera they seemed to open up much more. one thing that I think I did well was make sure the model was comfortable. From past experience I know that an uncomfortable model is a bad model. For example I made sure to bring an extra dry towel for the girl after she put the saving cream on her face, I also bought a brand new razor and blades for the two different shoots. I found that originally the girl was relatively uptight about putting on makeup on camera as this is general a privet action. However, after some joking and kidding (including me putting on some makeup to make her laugh and help her relax) I found that she was able to stare into the camera in almost the exact same way she would a mirror. This model and photographer is extremely important and I believe plays largely into the quality of the shots.
Postproduction
The postproduction for this project was relatively simple. I sorted through the 300 some digital images I captured on the different shoots and, in essence, chose the best. From an album in which I put all potentially good pictures I chose 6 of the strongest (1 for each “chapter” of the 3 shots per gender). One by one I then exported and edited these shots in the Adobe program, Photoshop.
I found that the male pictures seemed to have more of an impact in black and white, while the female shots lent themselves more to color. In hindsight I believe that this was because the female face is general more full of color than a males. Men tend to have rougher tougher skin and as such black and white tends to extenuate the “grittiness”.
Interestingly, I found that the shots of the female subject required substantially less postproduction than that of the male to achieve what I was after. Her colorful blue eyes and red hair really came out well in camera and as such were better off left alone. However, the male pictures allowed me much more room to “play” using levels, curves, and the channel mixer I was able to bring out some very strong (and gritty) black and white tones. After the base tones were laid I went in with the dodging and burning tools and accented specific parts of the shots. This workflow does not vary much from my usual methods, and I have found it to be the most effective in maintaining photographic integrity (not altering any truths) while also bringing an emotional pull to the pictures.
The cover shot with the word “Gender?” required a relatively simple process to create. After doing the above black and white techniques I then added the text on a layer above the dancers. I then created a layer mask and with the brush tool painted out the dancers hands so they would display on top of the text. I then decided for aesthetic purposes that the text should be at around 40% opacity. I think this shot makes a strong introduction to the 6 shots the follow.
I have found post processing to be a very serious (borderline spiritual) act for me. Through it I develop a sense of clear awareness for my final goal and very rarely do I “stumble” upon something I like. The strange connection between the photographer and the model is never clearer then when the photographer essentially changes the subject to be what he or she wants. However, this is never my goal. Instead, through post processing I simply look to bring out what is already there as I have resigned myself to the idea that there are very few things I can do better than nature.
Conclusion
Overall this was an amazing experience. From the first shot to the last I learned something. From backing up your work to model interaction I feel that this project helped me grow as a photographer. In my proposal I mentioned creating a shot or two that could find a place in my portfolio, however, it is my belief (as I hope it is yours) that any one of the shots in this project are strong enough to stand on their own and as such find a place in my portfolio.
The though and idea of gender rolls, stereotypes, and the reversals there in is an interesting one. Though our society does not immediately recognize the pressures it puts on individuals, I hope the projects like my own will at least spark a thought in peoples minds and raise some sort of awareness of the borderline ridiculous nature of these standards.
Thanks for the opportunity to pursue such an interesting topic and the freedom to do with it what I did.
Proff K.
12/14/08
Visual Litteracy
Production Journal: Gender?
This project was, to say the least, interesting. Though I did not change much from my original idea of gender stereotypes and the reversals there in. My project (and the quality and depth of the shots) improved over the coarse of the entire production.
Going into this final project I was confident that my idea was strong enough that it would carry me to the end. I set up my shots, photographed some models, did some slight touching up in Photoshop, and called it finished. The pictures that I took were relatively strong and I was as happy as could be expected. However, due to (what I know find out) a virus that has been spreading on the popular networking site “Facebook”, my computer crashed and all data, which was not properly backed up, was erased. Luckily, I do use an external hard drive to keep most of my work safe, however, the recently finished photo project was not saved to the external and in turn was destroyed.
After a solid amount of complaining and feeling sorry for myself I decided to view this disaster as a blessing (at least as much as I could manage without inflicting bodily harm to myself). Because of this unique situation I was given in which I could remember my essential “rough draft” and as such go back and improve, I was able to create a, in my opinion, very strong final project.
Preparation
My idea for this project originally came from a speaker who I saw in my Visual Literacy class who discussed the changing roll of women in today’s modern society. This idea sparked a larger one regarding gender rolls in general. I began to question why are certain things considered masculine and others feminine. Are we not all human beings performing simple acts? This is the question that essentially drove my project.
Devising the shots was not difficult. I sat down with my models and began brainstorming and writing down various acts that are stereotypically male and female. We then chose what we thought would go together best in a short series and which gender should take which roll.
I thought it would be most effective if I were to portray three shots of each model. The first shot would simply be a portrait, which showed the man or woman completely removed from any act and simply posing for the camera. This approach sets up the viewer to then look at the following shots in a more appreciative manor.
Following the first shot I decided to use the “gender stereotype” photograph. This eases the viewer into the third shot as it is not foreign and helps them get acquainted with the subject and hopefully allows them to relate to the picture. In my project the girl is putting on makeup and the boy is preparing for a rugby match.
The third shot is meant to display the subject in a gender roll reversal. In other words they are assuming a stereotypical action usually taken by the other sex. In my project the girl is shaving her face while the boy is shaving his legs.
Production
In all honesty, this project was an absolute blast to shoot. Because I did not want to approach this through voyeurism or a photojournalistic I was able to interact and direct my models as I thought best. This allowed me unprecedented control over the shoot and ultimately let me “paint” the picture I had in my mind.
Lighting was not a major issue as the ambient light I found was relatively bright. However, I did use flashes and desk lamps to compensate for lighting that I thought could be improved. Needless to say working with mirrors and multiple flashes proved to be an interesting, but fun, challenge.
One thing that I could have done differently in my shoot is allowing the model more freedom to “play”. Because I was working with amateur first time models I found myself directing them more than I wanted to. However, after they felt more comfortable in front of the camera they seemed to open up much more. one thing that I think I did well was make sure the model was comfortable. From past experience I know that an uncomfortable model is a bad model. For example I made sure to bring an extra dry towel for the girl after she put the saving cream on her face, I also bought a brand new razor and blades for the two different shoots. I found that originally the girl was relatively uptight about putting on makeup on camera as this is general a privet action. However, after some joking and kidding (including me putting on some makeup to make her laugh and help her relax) I found that she was able to stare into the camera in almost the exact same way she would a mirror. This model and photographer is extremely important and I believe plays largely into the quality of the shots.
Postproduction
The postproduction for this project was relatively simple. I sorted through the 300 some digital images I captured on the different shoots and, in essence, chose the best. From an album in which I put all potentially good pictures I chose 6 of the strongest (1 for each “chapter” of the 3 shots per gender). One by one I then exported and edited these shots in the Adobe program, Photoshop.
I found that the male pictures seemed to have more of an impact in black and white, while the female shots lent themselves more to color. In hindsight I believe that this was because the female face is general more full of color than a males. Men tend to have rougher tougher skin and as such black and white tends to extenuate the “grittiness”.
Interestingly, I found that the shots of the female subject required substantially less postproduction than that of the male to achieve what I was after. Her colorful blue eyes and red hair really came out well in camera and as such were better off left alone. However, the male pictures allowed me much more room to “play” using levels, curves, and the channel mixer I was able to bring out some very strong (and gritty) black and white tones. After the base tones were laid I went in with the dodging and burning tools and accented specific parts of the shots. This workflow does not vary much from my usual methods, and I have found it to be the most effective in maintaining photographic integrity (not altering any truths) while also bringing an emotional pull to the pictures.
The cover shot with the word “Gender?” required a relatively simple process to create. After doing the above black and white techniques I then added the text on a layer above the dancers. I then created a layer mask and with the brush tool painted out the dancers hands so they would display on top of the text. I then decided for aesthetic purposes that the text should be at around 40% opacity. I think this shot makes a strong introduction to the 6 shots the follow.
I have found post processing to be a very serious (borderline spiritual) act for me. Through it I develop a sense of clear awareness for my final goal and very rarely do I “stumble” upon something I like. The strange connection between the photographer and the model is never clearer then when the photographer essentially changes the subject to be what he or she wants. However, this is never my goal. Instead, through post processing I simply look to bring out what is already there as I have resigned myself to the idea that there are very few things I can do better than nature.
Conclusion
Overall this was an amazing experience. From the first shot to the last I learned something. From backing up your work to model interaction I feel that this project helped me grow as a photographer. In my proposal I mentioned creating a shot or two that could find a place in my portfolio, however, it is my belief (as I hope it is yours) that any one of the shots in this project are strong enough to stand on their own and as such find a place in my portfolio.
The though and idea of gender rolls, stereotypes, and the reversals there in is an interesting one. Though our society does not immediately recognize the pressures it puts on individuals, I hope the projects like my own will at least spark a thought in peoples minds and raise some sort of awareness of the borderline ridiculous nature of these standards.
Thanks for the opportunity to pursue such an interesting topic and the freedom to do with it what I did.
Topic Proposal
Felix Penzarella
Proff K.
12/05/08
Visual Literacy
Project Proposal: Comparative Gender Reversal
For my Visual Literacy final project I propose a photographic project. The topic of this short photo essay would be “Gender Reversal”. By this I do not intend to embrace the borderline cliché idea of “guy dressed up as a girl” (or vise versa). Instead, the goal of this project is less physical and more situational.
I will attempt to shoot pictures of things that are stereotypically gender bias (or have been in the past), and turn them around. I feel that this is a more realistic interpretation, representation, and depiction of the various pressures that surround modern day gender identity.
What does it mean to be “male”, or “female”. Are there specific acts that boys and girls need to perform to be considered their gender? Obviously on a physical level no, however, on a deeper more psychological level? Possibly.
Some shots that I have already begun to construct and consider are as follows:
1. A man shaving his legs, something that is generally performed by girls and in modern society considered relatively feminine.
2. A woman opening a door for a man.
3. A woman Shaving
4. A man putting on makeup
5. A woman helping a man into his seat.
6. A woman paying for both movie tickets.
7. A group of men seemingly going to the bathroom together.
8. A man crying as he watches a movie.
Though I feel that shots of this nature would be very successful, I also believe that there is a level to this project, which would add even more dimension to the final set.
While displaying simply gender reversals would work as a set I believe that I could achieve a more striking final set if I show both sides of the pressures set in place by our society.
By this I mean I will attempt to show one single portrait shot displaying the subject in their most raw uninfluenced form. Then I will show the subject performing a role which is generally associated with the opposite gender. And finally I will show a picture in which that person is performing an act, which typically belongs to their sex. The order of these shots is not set in stone in my mind and is still subject to change.
All the shots will be set up (unless the opportunity presents itself in which I can shoot a none posed picture) the project will total between 6-8 very strong B&W pictures, as well as color images (possibly black and white for one sex and color of the other?) and they will be displayed in a linear slideshow format on the projector (as to achieve the best presentation to the class as far as lighting, color, and contrast goes). Also a slideshow ensures that the pictures will be viewed in the order they are meant to be seen.
Over all I really look forward to starting this piece. I think it will be strong and I hope to take some shots from the shoots and keep them as part as my portfolio.
Thanks professor and I hope to hear back from you regarding this!
Proff K.
12/05/08
Visual Literacy
Project Proposal: Comparative Gender Reversal
For my Visual Literacy final project I propose a photographic project. The topic of this short photo essay would be “Gender Reversal”. By this I do not intend to embrace the borderline cliché idea of “guy dressed up as a girl” (or vise versa). Instead, the goal of this project is less physical and more situational.
I will attempt to shoot pictures of things that are stereotypically gender bias (or have been in the past), and turn them around. I feel that this is a more realistic interpretation, representation, and depiction of the various pressures that surround modern day gender identity.
What does it mean to be “male”, or “female”. Are there specific acts that boys and girls need to perform to be considered their gender? Obviously on a physical level no, however, on a deeper more psychological level? Possibly.
Some shots that I have already begun to construct and consider are as follows:
1. A man shaving his legs, something that is generally performed by girls and in modern society considered relatively feminine.
2. A woman opening a door for a man.
3. A woman Shaving
4. A man putting on makeup
5. A woman helping a man into his seat.
6. A woman paying for both movie tickets.
7. A group of men seemingly going to the bathroom together.
8. A man crying as he watches a movie.
Though I feel that shots of this nature would be very successful, I also believe that there is a level to this project, which would add even more dimension to the final set.
While displaying simply gender reversals would work as a set I believe that I could achieve a more striking final set if I show both sides of the pressures set in place by our society.
By this I mean I will attempt to show one single portrait shot displaying the subject in their most raw uninfluenced form. Then I will show the subject performing a role which is generally associated with the opposite gender. And finally I will show a picture in which that person is performing an act, which typically belongs to their sex. The order of these shots is not set in stone in my mind and is still subject to change.
All the shots will be set up (unless the opportunity presents itself in which I can shoot a none posed picture) the project will total between 6-8 very strong B&W pictures, as well as color images (possibly black and white for one sex and color of the other?) and they will be displayed in a linear slideshow format on the projector (as to achieve the best presentation to the class as far as lighting, color, and contrast goes). Also a slideshow ensures that the pictures will be viewed in the order they are meant to be seen.
Over all I really look forward to starting this piece. I think it will be strong and I hope to take some shots from the shoots and keep them as part as my portfolio.
Thanks professor and I hope to hear back from you regarding this!
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