I decided that I would use this image as it was my preferred out of the two composition plans. The overall image is edited and composed more professionally. I carried on the bag motif, as in all my precursory pieces, as to maintain a consistent visual metaphor for the suffering and frustration caused by mental illness, as well as to pay homage to a source of inspiration for me ; Magritte. I tried to replicate the blurred technique in an un-named piece from Honaker's series, which uses a similar motion blur to portray the mania and stress mental ilnesses like depression can cause.
I decided to use a sepia colour filter to make the image seem aged, to add to the uncomfortable feeling expressed in the image.
I again gave the models formal dress, as this was to stay closer to the style of the artists who I drew inspiration from. This type of attire is often associated with success and well-being, and so in this context breaks the facade of the 'well off' being truly well off. That no matter where people may be in life, they may be suffering in some way.
My image was intended to be an urban take on 'Les Amants' or 'The Lovers' by Magritte. Magritte has multiple versions of 'the lovers' but this one struck me as it is made to be reminiscent of a family portrait, but with the facial coverings making the image seem twisted and preturbed. i had at my disposal the means to attain similar models and apparel for the scene,. However, choosing a correct location was difficult as I was unsure, and decided to go with an urban setting as it was not only easier for me to capture but gives the image a more distinct look, rather than being a solid copy of the piece.
Chosen Final Image
I felt however, that this image alone was not substantial material for a final piece of work. It was unique, but so were my other works.
I decided that I would incorporate some of my earlier images into my final piece, and arrange them side by side to portray a story, and sense of progression (and seperation of the couple) due to the illness.
A possible arrangement for my final piece could be as follows:
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The layout is supposed to represent a story of the progression of the illness.
In all images the mask is representative of the illness.
The couple originally both stand together (this image is the largest as it is intended to be the main focus) enduring the hardship, the blur around the faces representing that there is some strain at this point, but they are united.
It would then show them fragmenting over time.
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I decided that my initial idea was too jarringly seperate to present as a coherent final piece. Though the individual of each piece could be seen as a piece, it did not present continuity of style or any professional 'polish' to the image. I decide to attempt a triptyc sort of image, with 3 seperate parts. I would be able to incorporate images from both of my attempts at possible outcomes. However, I do not wish to use it at the final stage where the image has the two models joined at the head. I wish to take the two models seperately and crop them into two sepeare images again, but make both images the same size to fit the triptych style.
On both images I converted them again to black and white, as sepia filters create a better ageing effect on photos that are lacking colour. I did this on both the image of the male model and female model. I then used a combination of changing the colour balance and the curves to make the white of the mask stand out heavily from the backdrop, as this is to be the focus in these images.
I then cropped both of these images so as not to have the aid in the image visible. I intend to make these images both the same size, slightly smaller than the main images, as the main image will be the central pice to the triptych, but symetry to the piece is necessary for the triptych effect.
I then finally applied the same filter which I have used before to add a sepia tone and a border to the image that gives the effect of an old photograph. The filter is called 'San Carmen' on wix.
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My Thought's On The Outcome
I am pleased with my result. It stands as the culmination of all I have learned so far during my work. I have utilized the bag again to represent the mental illness, and the pressure and panic it creates. The piece fits my initial intention as it both represents mental illnes and loss of identity, which was entirely my intention. In future I will wish to take more careful consideration of background scenery, as in my image I have simply used scenery that was visually appealing and was in a garden, but did not take the opportunity to include any symbolism or deeper meaning to the context of my photographs.
The piece is supposed to represent thegreat facade that our society has for the 'well off'. The subjects are elegantly dressed and carry themselves as a typical family in the central piece. However, beneath the surface, they are suffering a great deal. The concept behind the material wrapped around their faces is that of the frustration and panic that come with mental illness. Their entire identity is shrouded as they wrestle with the constant presence of the illness that consumes their entire being. The central frame is supposed to represent the calm before the storm if you will. The images to the left and right are intended to show their inner selves scrambling to get free from their mental constraints. The whole piece is that of the inner turmoil of a couple who struggle to deal with the presence of mental illness in their lives. The motion blur on the faces showing irratic movement in the otherwise still image, which is intended to be unsettling and to portray the warped reality that the people who suffer mental illness inhabit (as many of my previous images have also attempted to portray). The idea of mental illness being unnatural and disturbing for the suffering is added to by the sepia and artificial ageing of the images, aswell as the facial coverings themselves, which are intended to leave an unsettling effect on the viewer.
The lighting in the middle image is intended to be slightly saturated, to give a slightly uncomfortable and nausiating feel to the image, to allow the viewer to empaphise with the subjects of the image and the unpleasant situation. The models are centre frame, taking roughly two thirds of the space, with alot of the surrounding being negative space, to increase the focus on the models. The sepia tone in all images is to make the images appear like old photographs, to add to the unsettling tone of the images. The images to the left and right are darker, partially as they are not intended to be the main focus, but also as they are intended to be showing an individual struggle, and the lack of light makes it seem more sinister. In these, I edited the covering to be somewhat brighter, as the mental illness is supposed to be apparent in all images, and as the covering is intended as a sort of manifestaation of this, if it did not stand out like this the message would be negated from somewhat.
How My Work Has Evolved
My intention was simply to encapsulate the feeling of suffering, and stripping away of identity that are caused by a mental illness. In my images I achieved this with the bag motif masking all sense of identity over the subjects, and portraying strife and anguish in some way. I believe I have done this well as a clear message of strife and suffering is presented in my images.
The only thing I wish I had changed was simply not having such a stark contrast between my earlier work and later work. The techniques I used to follow Seung Hwan Oh completely juxtapose with the later work inspired by Honaker and Magritte, and (for obvious reasons) appears more amateurish. I also believe that I should have payed better attention to background details, rather than just the model's postition and clothing. The scenery in images, such as in my first idea for a final outcome 'Homesick' which although is intended to be a simple garden, I wish I had used the scenery more to my advantage, finding symbolic use for the garden and plants rather than for a simple pleasant background.
My earlier images in shoots 4 and below were attempts to mask Identity using editing techniques, such as liquifying the face, and having the model hold their head in their hands. In my first shoot I did not obsucre the model's face at all, to try to capture expression, however I soon found that this sort of image was less visually evocative of the frenzy, panic and suffering many people undergoe when dealing with illness. My techniques have definitely improved and although the focus on the model has been a constant in my work, the quality of my images and techniques utilised have vastly improved after my change to using the bag motif. I moved towards a combination of focus on the model's appearence (which had not previously been a factor, with clothing being something I never truly considered until my fith shoot), the setting and less novice techniques at digitally editing my photos, such as using curves and colour balance to better stress the shadows or light in an image.
The development and focus on the facial coverings is a newer development and was not explicitly part of my intentions. I started initially by obscuring the face and using methods to hide the identity and warp the face. But the idea of a central motif arose after my research into Honaker and the presence of it in one of his images, which further inspired me to research Magritte and further utilise this technique. This expanded upon my initial intention of beneath the surface and loss of identity, and allowed me to create a series of images truely unique for my chosen theme.