Flaws & Perfections
A flaw is defined as a mark, blemish or other imperfection which mars a substance or object. It can also be defined as a fault or weakness in a person's character.
A perfection can be defined as a state or quality of being perfect, a person or thing can be considered to be perfect.
A perfection can be defined as a state or quality of being perfect, a person or thing can be considered to be perfect.
My initial ideas I am intrigued by the way flaws and perfections can manipulate how ascetically pleasing an object can be seen, also the way in which camera manipulation such as zooming in and focusing on an image can make the object appear different to what they are. Two photographers which link to these two ideas are Jon Shireman who takes flowers in which are seen as beautiful freezes them so that he can make and see more of an impacted when he destroys them, therefore changing the how appealing the flower is now. Secondly I am intrigued by Francois Delfosse due to the manipulation he creates with the viewer by making his photos of plastic bags look like snowy mountain peaks. He has been able to do this with the element of focusing on the imperfect bumps and rustles of the bag to make them look like beautiful, majestic mountains. Both photographers works are shown below
Initial Contact Sheet 1
For this contact sheet I decided to take photos of flowers, I have done this because like in Jon Shireman's work I want to look at the way in which perfect things can be destroyed so that they are no longer perfect. In this way I have used flowers as they are a natural object that have been perfectly created, in which some people may argue flowers are to perfect and delicate to destroy, however, I also want to see during this project whether or not something as beautiful as flowers and other objects can be destroyed but still be able to capture the beauty of them once destroyed.
This image is of a bunch of flowers standing in front of a black background, you can see that there is more than one type of flower within the bouquet. I have chosen to use the rule of thirds to emphasise the subject, also by using the rule of thirds it exaggerates the subject and makes it more aesthetically appealing for the viewer, I placed the photos against a black background because of how contrasting the flowers bold colours looks against it. I used flash when taking this photo to enhance the focal point of the flower, as you can see this has benefited me because of the dark, shadowy areas around this flower, which has now created a strong, atmospheric environment. I used Photoshop to enhance the vibrancy of the image, furthermore I changed the contrast of the image so that the shadows are more prominent therefore making the flower stand out more. A flaw that happened in these photos was the reflection of the flash against the black background, if I was to do this again I would have to have a matte black finished surface to have as the background instead of a reflective one.
This image is of a bunch of flowers standing in front of a black background, you can see that there is more than one type of flower within the bouquet. I have chosen to use the rule of thirds to emphasise the subject, also by using the rule of thirds it exaggerates the subject and makes it more aesthetically appealing for the viewer, I placed the photos against a black background because of how contrasting the flowers bold colours looks against it. I used flash when taking this photo to enhance the focal point of the flower, as you can see this has benefited me because of the dark, shadowy areas around this flower, which has now created a strong, atmospheric environment. I used Photoshop to enhance the vibrancy of the image, furthermore I changed the contrast of the image so that the shadows are more prominent therefore making the flower stand out more. A flaw that happened in these photos was the reflection of the flash against the black background, if I was to do this again I would have to have a matte black finished surface to have as the background instead of a reflective one.
For this image I took photos of other flowers within the bouquet and zoomed in closely to the flowers so that I could create more shadow within the image and capture the finer details of the flower such as the rigid edges of the flower petals. By having the flash on this helped to enhance the contrast of the shadows and highlights and also enhancing the vivid colours of the flowers in other areas. Unlike the first enlargement I decided to centre my subject so that it could create a more of a dramatic atmosphere along with the shadows that are covering. I used Photoshop to enhance the contrast and vibrancy, not only this I sharpened the main flower and blurred everywhere else, by doing this it made the subject standout more. The mood in which is being portrayed in this image, in my opinion is strong and calming, yet still has the ability to create a powerful atmosphere.
Initial Contact Sheet 2
Following on from my previous contact sheet in which consisted of flowers I decided to take photos of man-made objects that are and have to be perfectly made, this is why I chose glass. As you can see I have only taken photos of drinking glasses, however, the glasses that I have chosen are hand-made coursing them to be in my opinion more unique and 'perfect'.
This first enlargement is of a glass that I have taken a birds-eye view of and zoomed in so that the centre of the glass is the main focal point. By using flash with this image I was able to capture reflection off of some of the areas of the glass, from this you can see where the glass has been hand spun as the reflections have created swirl-like patterns, in which could be described as ripples in water. I chose to centre my image because I wanted the centre of the glass and the reflections to be the main focal point, in my opinion the reflected swirl like patterns in the glass create in some what and illusion like pattern and is some what hypnotic just like reflective ripples water.
This first enlargement is of a glass that I have taken a birds-eye view of and zoomed in so that the centre of the glass is the main focal point. By using flash with this image I was able to capture reflection off of some of the areas of the glass, from this you can see where the glass has been hand spun as the reflections have created swirl-like patterns, in which could be described as ripples in water. I chose to centre my image because I wanted the centre of the glass and the reflections to be the main focal point, in my opinion the reflected swirl like patterns in the glass create in some what and illusion like pattern and is some what hypnotic just like reflective ripples water.
This enlargement again is of a hand-made glass, I have taken this image in an angle that you can see the whole length of the glass and even areas of the inside of it, I done this because I wanted to experiment with the angling of the photograph to see whether it changes the effect of what it looks like. From doing this, it has given the illusion that the glass is larger than what it actually is, and it has also given the glass more depth. However, flaws of doing this is that I wasn't able to highlight the full shape/outline of the glass. Again by having the flash on I was able to capture specific corners, and angles that reflect the light of the camera to create in my opinion more life and movement to the glass. Due to the dark colouring of the glass itself the photo has create a more sincere mood, along with the dark contouring tones with are eminent which has helped to influence the mood and atmosphere also.
From doing both these initial contact sheets I am now going to look more closely to the way people perceive flaws and perfections. This is because to me glass and flowers are perfect however, to someone else they may not, also I want to explore the different ways in which objects that are deemed to be perfect can be flawed.
From doing both these initial contact sheets I am now going to look more closely to the way people perceive flaws and perfections. This is because to me glass and flowers are perfect however, to someone else they may not, also I want to explore the different ways in which objects that are deemed to be perfect can be flawed.
Jon Shireman
Jon Shireman is a New York City photographer specializing in Still Life, Travel, Architecture, and Portrait Photography. his series titled "Broken Flowers", photographer Jon Shireman soaked various kinds of flowers in liquid nitrogen before using a special spring-loaded contraption to slam them against a hard surface, causing them to shatter like glass. The resulting images allow for a meditation on the fragility and impermanence of nature.
Shireman immerses the flowers to a maximum of 30 minutes LN2 then break them on a hard surface, recording their destruction with a high speed camera. Caught on a pure white background, fragments of the flowers look like shards of porcelain or fireworks floral.
An experiment that appears to show the fragility of poetic beauty with violence.
Flowers generally represent life, transitory youth, and vitality. Photographer Jon Shireman literally smashes these symbols into oblivion, using liquid nitrogen to render them brittle and even more fragile. Visually intriguing and emotionally provoking, his “Broken Flower” photography is a an engaging study in composition. Making mosaics out of his subjects, the photographs provokes questions as to our fascination with destruction, aesthetics, and dominion over nature.
This image by Shireman is a digital image which has been presented in colour, this photograph does not seem to be manipulated in anyway however a slight vibrance enhancement and the sharpening of the image may have been done. this image is part of a larger series called "Broken Flowers". For each of his works it is a set of two photographs showing the before and after effect of smashing the flowers. Shireman's images seems to me as an experiment that appears to show the fragility of poetic beauty with violence.
Shireman immerses the flowers to a maximum of 30 minutes LN2 then break them on a hard surface, recording their destruction with a high speed camera. Caught on a pure white background, fragments of the flowers look like shards of porcelain or fireworks floral.
An experiment that appears to show the fragility of poetic beauty with violence.
Flowers generally represent life, transitory youth, and vitality. Photographer Jon Shireman literally smashes these symbols into oblivion, using liquid nitrogen to render them brittle and even more fragile. Visually intriguing and emotionally provoking, his “Broken Flower” photography is a an engaging study in composition. Making mosaics out of his subjects, the photographs provokes questions as to our fascination with destruction, aesthetics, and dominion over nature.
This image by Shireman is a digital image which has been presented in colour, this photograph does not seem to be manipulated in anyway however a slight vibrance enhancement and the sharpening of the image may have been done. this image is part of a larger series called "Broken Flowers". For each of his works it is a set of two photographs showing the before and after effect of smashing the flowers. Shireman's images seems to me as an experiment that appears to show the fragility of poetic beauty with violence.
This image is created with a before and after effect, by using to photographs and merging together to make one. The image is showing how even the perfect things can be destroyed to become flawed. When experimenting in how to recreate Shireman's images I decided to stick the flowers in a freezer so I could try and get a similar outcome to Shireman's, I had to stick them in the freezer as I could not use liquid nitrogen. Successes of this was that I could get a familiar likeness to Shireman's smashed flowers as the flowers were frozen enough that they created a brittle effect when smashed. However, flaws of not being able to use liquid nitrogen is that once out of the freezer you have to be very quick, especially once smashed because the flowers start defrosting very quickly and become soft. Although this images are aesthetically pleasing I feel as though it gives off an atmosphere of being isolated, I feel as though this is because of the pure white background and the frosty coating on the flowers.
Again the flowers in this image was done in the same format of freezing the flowers, taking to separate photos of a before and after, and merging them side by side with the use of Photoshop. These photos were taken with a DSLR camera positioned on a tripod to help create the 'birds-eye view' framing. I have used the rule of thirds to create a clear focus in the images. The photos were shot indoors with the flash on to light the white background and highlight the light areas of the flowers. I have edited the image slightly by adding more brightness and toning in the image so there can be more contrast between the pure white background and the vivid, contrasting colours of the flowers. In the same way that Shireman's works shows the beauty within violence through the fragility of flowers, I am also trying to portray that as well as showing how although broken the flowers on the right still to me has an eerie atmosphere yet holds a powerful prominence of beauty.
Dee Sands
Born 1963 in Gera Germany. Works mainly in aluminium.
This image by Dee Sands is a digital photograph presented in colour, this image is like many of her works and creations.
The image is a picture of one of her artworks made from aluminium, the piece seems to have been created by smashing and compacting aluminium together so that it forms a cube like structure. Sands' structures link strongly to my work as she destroys objects that were built to be perfect so that they could work properly, and in that way I am doing the same. Seeing this structure emits the mood of destruction and fear yet has an aesthetically pleasing feel due to the toning and shading in with is naturally shown.
This image by Dee Sands is a digital photograph presented in colour, this image is like many of her works and creations.
The image is a picture of one of her artworks made from aluminium, the piece seems to have been created by smashing and compacting aluminium together so that it forms a cube like structure. Sands' structures link strongly to my work as she destroys objects that were built to be perfect so that they could work properly, and in that way I am doing the same. Seeing this structure emits the mood of destruction and fear yet has an aesthetically pleasing feel due to the toning and shading in with is naturally shown.
For this image I used an old strip of copper and bent and distorted the shape of it, I misshaped the copper strip so it became cube like so it could stand as well as me using the same style as Dee Sands' I used the centered rule so that the strip of copper would have a clear focus. The photograph was shot in the studio using diffused lighting, I used diffused lighting so that it could highlight the corners and bends of the copper but not strong enough so that the reflections emitting of the copper with be to overpowering and detract away from the rest of the object. To help the copper stand out more I used Photoshop to sharpen the edges of the copper and brightened the background, furthermore, I added more contrast and toning to emphasize the bends and dents in the copper so that it could create a more of a dramatic atmosphere when looking as this image.
Jiang Zhi
1971 Born in Yuanjiang, China, 1995 Graduated from China Academy of Fine Arts Jiang Zhi currently lives and works in Beijing and Shenzhen. Jiang Zhi's practice includes photography, video, installation and painting, as well as documentary film and text, reflecting on philosophical questions about what constitutes ‘reality’ or ‘truth’. Following his early focus on specific cultural and political topics, Jiang Zhi’s more recent work addresses wider issues concerning ideas about the temporality and materiality of objects, as well as the broader socio-political context in which the art is made and interpreted. The works I am looking at is a series of photographs in which Jiang captured flowers going up in flames, conveying transience, beauty, and decay.
This image by Jiang Zhi is a digital photograph which has been presented in colour, the colours in the image although they seem to be enhanced in vibrance and saturation still remain realistic. This image is part of a larger series where Zhi repeats the same experiment on different flowers. This is a photo of a bouquet of flowers that are being set on fire by some sort of flamethrower in which is being used at a height from above the flowers, moreover, the flowers seem to be encased in some sort of metal container to which helps control the flames. The photograph seems to have been taken in a studio with some sort of low diffused lighting as the background of the image does not show much reflection and is still very dark with merely low lighting used and the light off of the flames that shows with is happening in the photo. By using Jiang Zhi as an artist I am able to develop and experiment my ideas of how perfect things can be destroyed and yet still create a perfect image.
This image by Jiang Zhi is a digital photograph which has been presented in colour, the colours in the image although they seem to be enhanced in vibrance and saturation still remain realistic. This image is part of a larger series where Zhi repeats the same experiment on different flowers. This is a photo of a bouquet of flowers that are being set on fire by some sort of flamethrower in which is being used at a height from above the flowers, moreover, the flowers seem to be encased in some sort of metal container to which helps control the flames. The photograph seems to have been taken in a studio with some sort of low diffused lighting as the background of the image does not show much reflection and is still very dark with merely low lighting used and the light off of the flames that shows with is happening in the photo. By using Jiang Zhi as an artist I am able to develop and experiment my ideas of how perfect things can be destroyed and yet still create a perfect image.
This image is of an artificial flower being set alight, in relation to Jiang Zhi I experimented with artificial flowers to see how well they would set alight. from seeing these images you can see that using them was successful. I centred my image so that it would help it look more dramatic and bold. I used Photoshop for this image to darken it so it would link more to Zhi's work, furthermore, by darkening the image it enhanced the colours of the flames as the dark background to the bright yellows of the flames create a powerful contrast. Although I was not able to use a flamethrower due to safety reasons I was still able to create some sort of flame, it differed greatly from Zhi's work as even the flames are different, however, from achieving what I have achieved with this flame I feel as though I was able to capture a more delicate image which has more feeling with in the photo.
Again in the same way as the previous image I used an artificial flower and burnt it with a match, I also darkened the image using Photoshop also. However, amongst darkening the image I increase the vibrancy so that the flame could be more prominent, by doing this you can see that the flame shows more of a vivid variety of colours that stand out such as the orange rim of the flame against the bright white which proceeds more on the inside of the flame.
In these two images you can see that I tried to experiment with actual flowers that were dried prior to this, these two images show that burning dried flowers only seemed to work for certain types of flowers yet was still not as successful as I had hoped. It wasn't as successful due to the speed in which the flame burned the flowers. I took these photos in the studio with a black background so I wouldn't have to darken the image as much as the previous contact sheet.
The image on the left only caught alight for a second and as you can see it wasn't enough for the whole flower to catch alight, it mainly just burnt. I used Photoshop for this image to sharpen the edged of the flower and also increased the vibrancy and tonal contrast so that the brightness of the pink and green colours are more prominent against the black background.
In the right image you can see that, that specific flower caught alight extremely well as the whole flower has been consumed by the flame. For this image I used Photoshop to enhance the contrast between the black background and the yellow for the flame. You can see that with this image the flame seems to have more of a peachy colouring with it rather than the dark orange rim which is normally there. Furthermore, by sharpening this image like the left one I was able to enhance the small detailing that you can see inside the flower and it also lifts the flower off the page slightly so it is not lost within the darkness to the background.
The image on the left only caught alight for a second and as you can see it wasn't enough for the whole flower to catch alight, it mainly just burnt. I used Photoshop for this image to sharpen the edged of the flower and also increased the vibrancy and tonal contrast so that the brightness of the pink and green colours are more prominent against the black background.
In the right image you can see that, that specific flower caught alight extremely well as the whole flower has been consumed by the flame. For this image I used Photoshop to enhance the contrast between the black background and the yellow for the flame. You can see that with this image the flame seems to have more of a peachy colouring with it rather than the dark orange rim which is normally there. Furthermore, by sharpening this image like the left one I was able to enhance the small detailing that you can see inside the flower and it also lifts the flower off the page slightly so it is not lost within the darkness to the background.
Erik Hagman
From the age of fourteen Erik Hagman started taking photographs for his hometown local newspaper, Sala Allehanda. He was educated at the school of photography and film at Gothenburg University, he has worked as a photographer in New York and as an assistant to, Frederik Lieberath and Terry Richardson. Erik’s long experience and professional range has meant that over the years he has worked in most genres.
Today he is based in Stockholm and focuses mainly on sill lives, landscapes and cars. Erik is inspired by the sublime in daily life. He has a unique ability to capture soulfulness in still objects and environments that give his motives a distinctive sense of exclusivity. It’s usually the unaffected which is the most powerful. The greatest challenge in which Hagman says he faces is ‘always trying to communicate the beauty of the simple’.
This image is of different flower petals with have been taken off its original flower to form a kaleidoscope like image. The colours seem to only be based around pastel colours and the majority are blues and pinks with some added yellows and purples. When researching more into Hagman's series of kaleidoscope photos I found out that Eric Hagman sets these flower petal kaleidoscopes up on a green house floor, therefore this photo seems to have been taken on a sunny day so that the natural light was able to be used in taking this photo. I feel as though this photo seems to have a soothing, tranquil affect on the viewer preferably due to the pale colours of the petals. Moreover, this photo portrays great delicacy and aesthetic beauty.
Today he is based in Stockholm and focuses mainly on sill lives, landscapes and cars. Erik is inspired by the sublime in daily life. He has a unique ability to capture soulfulness in still objects and environments that give his motives a distinctive sense of exclusivity. It’s usually the unaffected which is the most powerful. The greatest challenge in which Hagman says he faces is ‘always trying to communicate the beauty of the simple’.
This image is of different flower petals with have been taken off its original flower to form a kaleidoscope like image. The colours seem to only be based around pastel colours and the majority are blues and pinks with some added yellows and purples. When researching more into Hagman's series of kaleidoscope photos I found out that Eric Hagman sets these flower petal kaleidoscopes up on a green house floor, therefore this photo seems to have been taken on a sunny day so that the natural light was able to be used in taking this photo. I feel as though this photo seems to have a soothing, tranquil affect on the viewer preferably due to the pale colours of the petals. Moreover, this photo portrays great delicacy and aesthetic beauty.
This image is is of my own experimental kaleidoscope using different flowers and petals it was taken on a work surface and I like Hagman I only used the natural light to lighten the image, due to me setting it up indoors I was not able to create an even light around the whole image you can see that the left side of the image is dark that the right due to where the light was coming through. I used Photoshop to enhance the vibrancy of the the flowers colours.
Again this image is taken and arranged in the same way as the previous enlargement, I used Photoshop to increase the vibrancy of the image and also the contrast so that it could detract away from the patterns on the surface in the background. I feel as though by doing this kaleidoscope style with flower petals I have been able to give destroying the perfect thing and in this case flowers yet make it seem just as perfect and beautiful even if it was its original flower.
Moving from burning flowers etc. I have developed in this way because I am able to destroy the flower yet preserve the perfect details in which flowers possess.
Moving from burning flowers etc. I have developed in this way because I am able to destroy the flower yet preserve the perfect details in which flowers possess.
Fong Qu Wei
Fong Qi Wei is a conceptual fine art photographer based in Singapore. His artistic philosophy is that an artist is a communicator, and that his message should be an authentic and original one. The artist should strive to ensure purity of message through various means, be it in the mastery of his medium or reiterations. Qi Wei strives to create art that encourages viewers to think and engage, by providing a new perspective on familiar subjects beyond aesthetics. Qi Wei has received honorable mentions in the International Photography Awards for his series Old Singapore Playgrounds. Most recently, his series Exploded Flowers was awarded the Second Prize in the Nature: Flowers Non- Pro section of the International Photography Awards.
The series of Wei's work that I am going to look at is his exploded flowers which are images that show the radial symmetry of flowers, and also individual floral components.
This photo is of a pink rose that has been disassembled into each separate part, and placed in order on a flat surface in a circle shape so that the viewer can see each dissected part of the rose.
The act of disassembling the flower shows the various shapes and textures of the flowers, and what is interesting to me is how much more expanded some flowers can get when they are disassembled – the relative surface area to size of a rose is so much greater compared to a larger flower like the sunflower. Also, as a medium that captures a moment in time, the use of photography captures the beauty and intricacies of nature’s flowers in the moment of full bloom, and at the same time let you have a different appreciation of their beauty. The photo seems to have been taken in a studio where Qi Wei could use strong lighting.
The series of Wei's work that I am going to look at is his exploded flowers which are images that show the radial symmetry of flowers, and also individual floral components.
This photo is of a pink rose that has been disassembled into each separate part, and placed in order on a flat surface in a circle shape so that the viewer can see each dissected part of the rose.
The act of disassembling the flower shows the various shapes and textures of the flowers, and what is interesting to me is how much more expanded some flowers can get when they are disassembled – the relative surface area to size of a rose is so much greater compared to a larger flower like the sunflower. Also, as a medium that captures a moment in time, the use of photography captures the beauty and intricacies of nature’s flowers in the moment of full bloom, and at the same time let you have a different appreciation of their beauty. The photo seems to have been taken in a studio where Qi Wei could use strong lighting.
This is an image of a disassembled flower taken apart in order and place in the same position as it would as a flower. It is taken with a digital camera and has been centred to create a more powerful and dramatic effect as well as to have a stronger focus on the subject. I shot this photo in the studio with strong lighting to make the image as crisp as possible. I used the brightness and contrast tools on Photoshop to give the image a brighter feel, as I wanted the vivid colours of the flowers to be enhanced so that the image can be more eye catching and aesthetically pleasing. In my opinion when seeing this image I want viewers to gain a realisation as to how detailed and actually beautiful a flower is, upon seeing this flower dissected in little separate pieces you can begin to look more closely at how every single part of the flower has its own perfections and flaws, its own detailing such as marks and pigments of colour, as it is only now you can really take in how by taking the flower apart you can find a different reason as to why the are beautiful, and that by destroying it can help to appreciate it more.
For this image I decided to keep the stem of the flower in the photo and not to disassemble the flower piece by piece this is because I wanted to experiment to see whether it creates the same effect as showing every part. From seeing both photos I do feel as though showing every part separately creates more of an effect. This photo was taken with a digital camera, again I centred the image to gain that clear focus, and although centred I feel as though this image is aesthetically pleasing, in my opinion I feel that it is because of the pink in the flower and the way it gradually gets lighter the more to the centre you get. I took this photo in a studio where I used strong lighting to give a sharper image.
Experiments
This image is an experimental idea of another way I could show the dissection of flowers, for this I used metal wires to stand the petals in place and stuck the wires through a polystyrene sheet so it would stay standing, however, due to the flimsiness of the wires in the polystyrene I had to tie string around the stem so it would all hold together. I took the photo in the studio and used strong lighting to enhance to contrast between the background and the colours of the flowers. Using Photoshop I increase the brightness of the image and contrast, furthermore I added more vibrancy in which helped the smaller details to become more prominent.
Tim Walker
Born in England in 1970, Walker’s interest in photography began at the Condé Nast library in London where he worked on the Cecil Beaton archive for a year before university. After a three-year BA Honors degree in Photography at Exeter College of Art, Walker was awarded third prize as The Independent Young Photographer Of The Year.
Upon graduation in 1994, Walker worked as a freelance photographic assistant in London before moving to New York City as a full time assistant to Richard Avedon. When he returned to England, he initially concentrated on portrait and documentary work for British newspapers. At the age of 25 he shot his first fashion story for Vogue, and has photographed for the British, Italian, and American editions, as well as W Magazine and LOVE Magazine ever since.
Walker staged his first major exhibition at the Design Museum, London in 2008. This coincided with the publication of his book‘Pictures’ published by teNeues.
In 2010 Walker’s first short film, ‘The Lost Explorer’ was premiered at Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland and went on to win best short film at the Chicago United Film Festival, 2011.
2012 saw the opening of Walker’s ‘Story Teller’ photographic exhibition at Somerset House, London. The exhibition coincided with the publication of his book, ‘Story Teller’ published by Thames and Hudson. In a 2013 collaboration with Lawrence Mynott and Kit Hesketh-Harvey, he also released The Granny Alphabet, a unique collection of portraiture and illustration celebrating grandmothers.
This image is of flowers that have been put into jelly and presented in a composition that would be used at a dining table, with the jelly presented on a plate and a spoon resting on the edge. This image seems to create a surreal atmosphere which to me is very off putting. In some ways looking at this image it looks unnatural and fake, due to all the white detailing contrasting with the pink, floral jelly. This images seems to have been taken in a studio with strong lighting. I have chosen to analyse this image because it caught my eye and I found it the most interesting of the series, this series links to my work because I want to experiment with preservation and the way that now I have gone through the process of destroying the flower I want to see whether preserving the beauty changes in anyway.
Upon graduation in 1994, Walker worked as a freelance photographic assistant in London before moving to New York City as a full time assistant to Richard Avedon. When he returned to England, he initially concentrated on portrait and documentary work for British newspapers. At the age of 25 he shot his first fashion story for Vogue, and has photographed for the British, Italian, and American editions, as well as W Magazine and LOVE Magazine ever since.
Walker staged his first major exhibition at the Design Museum, London in 2008. This coincided with the publication of his book‘Pictures’ published by teNeues.
In 2010 Walker’s first short film, ‘The Lost Explorer’ was premiered at Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland and went on to win best short film at the Chicago United Film Festival, 2011.
2012 saw the opening of Walker’s ‘Story Teller’ photographic exhibition at Somerset House, London. The exhibition coincided with the publication of his book, ‘Story Teller’ published by Thames and Hudson. In a 2013 collaboration with Lawrence Mynott and Kit Hesketh-Harvey, he also released The Granny Alphabet, a unique collection of portraiture and illustration celebrating grandmothers.
This image is of flowers that have been put into jelly and presented in a composition that would be used at a dining table, with the jelly presented on a plate and a spoon resting on the edge. This image seems to create a surreal atmosphere which to me is very off putting. In some ways looking at this image it looks unnatural and fake, due to all the white detailing contrasting with the pink, floral jelly. This images seems to have been taken in a studio with strong lighting. I have chosen to analyse this image because it caught my eye and I found it the most interesting of the series, this series links to my work because I want to experiment with preservation and the way that now I have gone through the process of destroying the flower I want to see whether preserving the beauty changes in anyway.
These two image I have composed both in the same style of Tim Walker, like him I have put flowers into jelly and composed it like it was laid out for someone to eat, however, instead of doing the exact same as Tim Walkers photographs I disassembled the flowers and then placed them in the jelly. The photograph has been taken on a digital camera and I have made the plate of jelly itself the main subject. I have slightly placed my subject off centre to try and make it more pleasing, however, in my opinion I feel as though these images are slightly unsettling. I used Photoshop to sharpen and brighten the images, although not a lot of brightness was needed as I used strong studio lighting when taking the photo. Also I enhanced the contrast of the image so the colours would stand out more.
Experiments
For this image I attempted to preserve flowers in water, I chose to do this because I wanted to continue exploring preservation and wanted to capture the aesthetic difference between the flowers in water and the flowers in jelly. I prefer flowers in water as the image is clearer and the view is able to explore the beauty and fragility of the flower, I also feel that in a sense the photograph is the ultimate tool for preserving the flower. Next I will continue exploring how the preservation of something perfect is flawed as it can never truly exist forever, I will do this by freezing flowers in ice and smashing the ice to pieces.
Experiments
For these sets of images I have followed on to develop the idea of preservation of the flower so I chose to freeze different types of flowers and flower petals in a tub of water to see a different way you can preserve and whether it creates a different effect. However, from seeing both destruction and preservation I feel as though destruction is more of an effective way to show that something like flowers doesn't need to be in its perfect condition to be perfect and beautiful.
That is why for this contact I preserved and destroyed, by smashing the block of ice. The photo has been taken with a digital camera and the main subject is focused on the two large blocks of ice. I have tried to centre the larger blocks so that they are the main focal point, however, due to the way it has broken apart I have not focused a lot on the composition of the piece. I used Photoshop to brighten the image and enhance the vibrancy, also by adding tone and contrast I feel as though it has made the image more eye-catching.
That is why for this contact I preserved and destroyed, by smashing the block of ice. The photo has been taken with a digital camera and the main subject is focused on the two large blocks of ice. I have tried to centre the larger blocks so that they are the main focal point, however, due to the way it has broken apart I have not focused a lot on the composition of the piece. I used Photoshop to brighten the image and enhance the vibrancy, also by adding tone and contrast I feel as though it has made the image more eye-catching.
This image was taken after smashing the block of ice a number of times as you can see especially in the bottom centre of the image a lot of the flowers had started to defrost and become 'slimy'. This image was taken in a studio with strong lighting, again due to the shattering of the ice I have not been able to fully compose this image, however, my main subject in which I focused more precisely on is the ones in the background, this is because I feel that the colours are more vivid and in the background it has better defined blocks of ice in which shows more destruction. I used photoshop to enhance the vibrancy and tonal contrast of this image so that even though the flowers are being shattered you can still see the colours and details vastly.
Justine Khamara
Justine Khamara lives and works in Melbourne, Australia. In 2003 she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art from the Victorian College of the Arts.
Khamara's practice to date has sought to disrupt photography's smooth, two-dimensional surfaces by building sculptures and collages entirely out of photographs. A flat image, usually figurative, is transformed either by slicing directly into the photographic skin and pulling features into three dimensional form, or by taking multiple shots of a single subject which are then collaged. Often evoking biological processes of replication while also engaging with notions of self-representation in an era of instant, endlessly generative (re)productions technologies, her work is best understood as a deeply psychological response to contemporary notions of being.
This image by Justine Khamara is a digital photograph which has been presented in colour, it is not a true representation the image as Khamara has taken the original photo and cut it up into strips, by printing the image onto a sturdy plastic Khamara has been able to make it stand up right, however, due to the image now been cut into strips even when presented in order, the image is still distorted. Apart from the image being distorted physically it does not seem to of had any camera or photoshop manipulation done to it.
Khamara's practice to date has sought to disrupt photography's smooth, two-dimensional surfaces by building sculptures and collages entirely out of photographs. A flat image, usually figurative, is transformed either by slicing directly into the photographic skin and pulling features into three dimensional form, or by taking multiple shots of a single subject which are then collaged. Often evoking biological processes of replication while also engaging with notions of self-representation in an era of instant, endlessly generative (re)productions technologies, her work is best understood as a deeply psychological response to contemporary notions of being.
This image by Justine Khamara is a digital photograph which has been presented in colour, it is not a true representation the image as Khamara has taken the original photo and cut it up into strips, by printing the image onto a sturdy plastic Khamara has been able to make it stand up right, however, due to the image now been cut into strips even when presented in order, the image is still distorted. Apart from the image being distorted physically it does not seem to of had any camera or photoshop manipulation done to it.
EvaluATION
The theme of this project was flaws and perfections, I developed from this by looking into the way that things that are classed as perfect can be destroyed and flawed, that is why I used flowers to develop this idea. During my project I did experiment with destroying man-made objects such as glass and metal to see whether they had the same effect as the flowers or whether they had a more powerful effect. However, I felt as though destroying flowers created more of an impact, this is because of the fragility of a flower, they are seen as a precious thing you see this as they are given as gifts of love and compassion, you see this as people will give there loved ones flowers on Valentines Day, children give flowers to there mothers on Mother's Day and many people also give flowers to people who are ill. Therefore, by destroying this perfect gift of love it can illuminate many reactions.
Throughout my project my work has changed from experimenting with the destruction of flowers to the preservation
Throughout my project my work has changed from experimenting with the destruction of flowers to the preservation