Statement Of Intent

The area of photography I have chosen to study in my personal investigation is Portraits. I have chosen this area of photography because I enjoy revolving my images around body art. Therefore the main focus in my photographs will be portraying different themes using body paint etc. The main thing that captures my attention in photographers work is the specific colour used, due to this I would like to make my work very colourful so that it stands out. I will use mostly exotic colours, as these are the more noticeable colours. I started to use make up to enhance my models features, most of my previous images where themed so the make up helped portray this theme more accurately. I would like my photos to be taken mostly from the shoulders upwards so that the concentration is purely on the models face. Sometimes I may use props to make the imagine more interesting but again I will keep that to a bare minimal, as the main focus will be on the model and her face. I also think that it would be interesting to incorporate some slow shutter speed photoshoots into my coursework portfolio because that will show off my camera techniques. I will dress my model in brightly coloured outfits so that these shoots also link in with the theme of ‘colour’.

During my project I will be looking at the work of Cristina Otero because she has a very unusual taste, which inspires me. Her work links in very well with my idea because her photos include exotic colours and body paint. Most of her pictures are themed which is what I am focusing on. I plan to make sure I know exactly what I am doing in a shoot before I take the photos. Therefore my first photoshoot will be based around the work of this particular artist. I will also be investigating the work of Rankin. Rankin’s work is always very exaggerated and over the top. His use of makeup is very particular and his shoots are always unusual. I would like the outcome of my photos to look similar to Rankin’s as well as other interesting artists.

When my Images are edited and are to my full potential, I would then like to print them and then do art work on top of them. For example, I would like to sew into them, sometimes following the lines and being very accurate and then not following the lines just like Cristina oteros work. By doing this it is making my final images unique therefore it will attract my viewers attention. My plan of action is to take a new photo shoot every 1-2 weeks, each photo shoot will have a different theme, however if I feel a photoshoot could be improved then I will follow it up and re do it.

I am thinking of producing a photo book as an option for a final piece when I am nearly finished this project. This book will include all of my most successful images and edits and a description of each. Each photo will have a name so that the theme is obvious. Some however will be perplexing so that my audience has to work out what the photo is about. However it depends on what my successful images are like to how I display them.