Headshot #10 / Facial Expressionism / Final Major Project / Kasra Soltani

Bringing my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project to a remarkable close, Headshot #10 marks the end of my Final Major Project Practical Work as I have photographed my close friend, Kasra Soltani.

For this final collection of headshot photographs, I have made sure to get Kasra to do some facial expressions like before, but for these headshot photographs, I have adjusted the lighting to accommodate for better focus on Kasra so that each expression he has made connects to the photography work I have already produced. Taking a new direction on the photographs, Kasra has done some new facial expressions that I initially didn’t have in mind at first and this has given me a better outlook as to how I can assign each expression with its own name, as well as to how that specific emotion connects to the facial expression I have not only asked him to make, but the facial expressions he has made naturally in most of these photographs.

This final headshot collection has informed my critical thinking, as well as the research I have done on the five photographers, which are Fazal Sheikh, Irving Penn, Thomas Ruff, August Sander & David Bailey.

Below are the final headshot photographs for my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project, complete with the WordFoto Edits and Black & White Versions of the Original Photographs.

Canon EOS 1200D

Calm & Collective (1)

Concentrated Whilst Relaxed (2)

Thinking of Life (3)

Depressed (4)

Concentrated With Arms Crossed (5)

Smile! Make the World Go Around! (6)

Furious or Stunned (7)

Be Rebellious & Enjoy Life! (8)

Interested (9)

In the Shadows (10)

Observing the Area (11)

Naturally Suspended (12)

Concentrated (13)

Hey You! I’m Looking at You! (14)

Hey You! Come Here! (15)

I’m Looking at You! I Need You! (16)

Smile. Happiness Makes This World a Better Place (17)

Yes! It’s Good to Be Back! (18)

Concentrate on the Best Things in Life (19)

Focus on You & Only You (20)

Unhappy, Interested or Fascinated (21)

WordFoto Edits

Calm & Collective (1)

Concentrated Whilst Relaxed (2)

Thinking of Life (3)

Depressed (4)

Concentrated With Arms Crossed (5)

Smile! Make the World Go Around! (6)

Furious or Stunned (7)

Be Rebellious & Enjoy Life! (8)

Interested (9)

In the Shadows (10)

Observing the Area (11)

Naturally Suspended (12)

Concentrated (13)

Hey You! I’m Looking at You! (14)

Hey You! Come Here! (15)

I’m Looking at You! I Need You! (16)

Smile. Happiness Makes This World a Better Place (17)

Yes! It’s Good to Be Back! (18)

Concentrate on the Best Things in Life (19)

Focus on You & Only You (20)

Unhappy, Interested or Fascinated (21)

Black & White Versions of Original Photographs

Calm & Collective (1)

Concentrated Whilst Relaxed (2)

Thinking of Life (3)

Depressed (4)

Concentrated With Arms Crossed (5)

Smile! Make the World Go Around! (6)

Furious or Stunned (7)

Be Rebellious & Enjoy Life! (8)

Interested (9)

In the Shadows (10)

Observing the Area (11)

Naturally Suspended (12)

Concentrated (13)

Hey You! I’m Looking at You! (14)

Hey You! Come Here! (15)

I’m Looking at You! I Need You! (16)

Smile. Happiness Makes This World a Better Place (17)

Yes! It’s Good to Be Back! (18)

Concentrate on the Best Things in Life (19)

Focus on You & Only You (20)

Unhappy, Interested or Fascinated (21)

I am so pleased to have achieved such fantastic results from the photography work I have produced throughout the course of the Facial Expressionism Final Major Project, and I have noticed that every headshot collection I have produced I’ve seen improvements every time. Now that I have got together all the photographs I have produced for my Final Major Project, I will be making sure to pick a selected number of photographs from all of the headshot articles to present them as my chosen final pieces. Contact sheets are being produced at this stage which will be going in my sketchbook and my aim is to get the Final Major Project Proposal done and finalised and then get the last of my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project work done and ready before Monday 5th June.

All of the research and headshot photographs I have produced as part of my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project coursework can be found in my E-Folio.

Headshot #10 brings the practical work for my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project to a remarkable close. I am so pleased to have worked my socks off over the last few weeks. All this hard work will eventually pay off and considering it’s my final year at Croydon College and my final year of the two-year film and photography course, I want to make sure I can aim for a higher grade with all of this coursework. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can get the best final result possible by the end of this year.

I am open to your responses and critique, so please feel free to suggest any improvements you feel I could make when it comes to producing any future photography work.

Your responses and critique are greatly appreciated.

Alex Smithson

If you want to follow my close friend, Kasra Soltani, on Instagram, I have provided his Instagram username here: @Kass.ll7

David Bailey / Research

Drawing the research stage of my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project to a remarkable close, the fifth and final photographer I have chosen to research for my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project is David Bailey.

David Bailey is an English Fashion & Portrait photographer, who became a photographic assistant at the John French studio in 1959 and in 1960, David Bailey was a photographer for John Cole’s Studio Five before he was contracted for the iconic and internationally renowned fashion magazine, British VOGUE.

Below are the slides in the exact order, and the work I have done Harvard Referencing for which references David Bailey’s photography work I take absolutely no credit for. I also take absolutely no credit for the self-portrait photograph produced by David Bailey himself. I’ve merely referenced David Bailey’s photography work in my research as inspiration to inform and develop my own photography work and photography skills further as I approach the end of my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project.

The pages that are referenced can be found below, complete with Harvard Referencing, which describes in short detail who David Bailey is, the best photographic pieces of work he has produced, the publications he has released, the exhibitions he has done to showcase his photography work, including the awards he has received, with references and external links to further research. All credit goes to David Bailey.

Page 1 – David Bailey (Research)

Page 2 – Who is David Bailey?

Page 3 – David Bailey’s Best Work

Page 4 – David Bailey / Publications

Page 5 – David Bailey / Exhibitions

Page 6 – David Bailey / Awards

Page 7 – David Bailey / References

Page 8 – David Bailey / External Links to Further Research

Now that I have managed to cover all five photographers for the Facial Expressionism Final Major Project I have been working on, David Bailey’s photography work, including Fazal Sheikh, Irving Penn, Thomas Ruff & August Sander‘s work have helped me to develop my headshot photographs better. As I am wrapping up the Facial Expressionism Final Major Project very soon, I can promise there are three more headshot photography articles on the way.

This research presentation on David Bailey can also be found in my E-Folio and the next subject I have photographed, who is the last subject I have photographed for my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project before I submit all of my Final Major Project coursework on Monday 5th June 2017 will also be featured in the E-Folio once they’re published. I can confirm there are three more headshot photographs on the way, so keep your eyes peeled, as these photographs I have taken have shown my improvements in my photography skills, as well as the locations I have shot these photographs whilst in Croydon.

If you found this final research presentation on David Bailey useful, please let me know. I would love to hear your response.

Alex Smithson

Headshot #7 / Facial Expressionism / Final Major Project / Mhamad Rauf

Continuing on from Headshot #6, in which I photographed Terrence Mathew & Leonardo Mouza, Headshot #7 focuses on my next photographed subject, which is Mhamad Rauf.

For this photographic set, just like I did with Terrence Mathew & Leonardo Mouza, I photographed Mhamad outside and got him to do the facial expressions I asked him to make, but also photographed him in different positions, including some modelling headshots.

The graffiti on the walls of the walkway really help as they put an emphasis on the facial expressions I have got Mhamad to make, as the colour of the walkway, including the graffiti, can help to compensate for the facial expressions I have asked Mhamad to make.

At this stage, these photographs have informed the research I have done on Fazal Sheikh, Irving Penn, Thomas Ruff & August Sander.

Below are the headshot photographs of Mhamad Rauf, including the WordFoto Edits and Black & White Versions of the Original Photographs.

Canon EOS 700D

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Unhappy (4)

Surprised (5)

Concentrated (6)

Angry or Furious (7)

Excited (8)

Interested (9)

Confused (10)

Depressed (11)

Be Realistic (12)

Disgusted (13)

WordFoto Edits

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Unhappy (4)

Surprised (5)

Concentrated (6)

Angry or Furious (7)

Excited (8)

Interested (9)

Confused (10)

Depressed (11)

Be Realistic (12)

Disgusted (13)

Black & White Versions of Original Photographs

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Unhappy (4)

Surprised (5)

Concentrated (6)

Angry or Furious (7)

Excited (8)

Interested (9)

Confused (10)

Depressed (11)

Be Realistic (12)

Disgusted (13)

Overall, I am so pleased with the end result that has come out of these photographs I have produced and by experimenting again with the walls of graffiti found in the walkway outside Croydon College, this has actually allowed me to let my creativity run wild, ultimately giving me the chance to produce these photographs with more vibrancy so that they connect to my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project.

These photographs I have produced will help me to build on, develop and inform my photography skills further and will most certainly inform the creative work, research and headshot photographs I have already produced.

The Headshot #7 photographs I have taken of my close friend, Mhamad Rauf, including the edited versions of these photographs that I produced in WordFoto and GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) can be found in my E-Folio.

I would most certainly love to get your response on these photographs and please let me know if I can make future improvements for next time. Your response is greatly appreciated.

Alex Smithson

Headshot #6 / Facial Expressionism / Final Major Project / Terrence Mathew & Leonardo Mouza

Continuing on from Headshot #5, which consisted of the subject, Leonardo Mouza, who I photographed for my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project, I have, again, decided to photograph Leonardo for Headshot #6, but this time, with his close friend, Terrence Mathew.

For this photographic set, I have decided to photograph Leo & Terrence doing the facial expressions that I’ve asked them to do, as well as the natural facial expressions they have made themselves. For some, if not, a lot of the photos I took of Terrence & Leo, I wanted to photograph their own expressions, as well as what interests them, so in this case, they’re using technology, but I want to create the concept where their facial expression describes what they are looking at.

These photographs build upon the research I have done so far on the photographers, which are Fazal Sheikh, Irving Penn, Thomas Ruff & August Sander.

Below are the photographs I have produced of Terrence Mathew & Leonardo Mouza, including the WordFoto Edits and the Black & White Versions of these photographs.

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Thinking (4)

Unhappy (5)

Surprised (6)

Concentrated (7)

Angry (8)

Excited (9)

Interested or Shocked (10)

Confused (11)

Furious (12)

Disgusted (13)

Natural (14)

Off-Guard But Natural (15)

Amused (16)

Focusing on Reality (17)

Focused on You (18)

Keeping in Focus (19)

Be Natural (20)

Concentrated While a Little Surprised (21)

Focused on One Thing, Life (22)

Be Natural & Think Different (23)

Be Yourself, Yes, You! (24)

Enjoy a Happy Life (25)

Determination & Precision (26)

Just Be You (27)

Your Personality Lets Your Creativity Flow (28)

WordFoto Edits

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Thinking (4)

Unhappy (5)

Surprised (6)

Concentrated (7)

Angry (8)

Excited (9)

Interested or Shocked (10)

Confused (11)

Furious (12)

Disgusted (13)

Natural (14)

Off-Guard But Natural (15)

Amused (16)

Focusing on Reality (17)

Focused on You (18)

Keeping in Focus (19)

Be Natural (20)

Concentrated While a Little Surprised (21)

Focused on One Thing, Life (22)

Be Natural & Think Different (23)

Be Yourself, Yes, You! (24)

Enjoy a Happy Life (25)

Determination & Precision (26)

Just Be You (27)

Your Personality Lets Your Creativity Flow (28)

Black & White Versions of Original Photographs

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Thinking (4)

Unhappy (5)

Surprised (6)

Concentrated (7)

Angry (8)

Excited (9)

Interested or Shocked (10)

Confused (11)

Furious (12)

Disgusted (13)

Natural (14)

Off-Guard But Natural (15)

Amused (16)

Focusing on Reality (17)

Focused on You (18)

Keeping in Focus (19)

Be Natural (20)

Concentrated While a Little Surprised (21)

Focused on One Thing, Life (22)

Be Natural & Think Different (23)

Be Yourself, Yes, You! (24)

Enjoy a Happy Life (25)

Determination & Precision (26)

Just Be You (27)

Your Personality Lets Your Creativity Flow (28)

Overall, I am so pleased with the end result that has come out of these photographs I have produced and by experimenting with the walls of graffiti found in the walkway outside Croydon College has actually helped me to produce better photographs in a more vibrant format that connects to my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project.

These photographs I have produced will help me to build on, develop and inform my photography skills further and will most certainly inform the creative work, research and headshot photographs I have already produced.

The Headshot #6 photographs I have taken of my close friends, Terrence Mathew & Leonardo Mouza, including the edited versions of these photographs that I produced in WordFoto and GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) can be found in my E-Folio.

I would most certainly love to get your response on these photographs and please let me know if I can make future improvements for next time. Your response is greatly appreciated.

Alex Smithson

August Sander / Research

Continuing on from the first, second and third photographer I have researched for my Final Major Project, the fourth photographer I have chosen to research is August Sander.

August Sander was a German portrait and documentary photographer, and his first book, titled: “Face of Our Time (German for Antlitz der Zeit)”, was published in 1929. He was also described as being “the most important German portrait photographer of the early twentieth century.”

Below are the slides in the exact order, and the work I have done Harvard Referencing for which references August Sander’s photography work I take absolutely no credit for. I also take absolutely no credit for the self-portrait photograph produced by August Sander and used by Widewalls. I’ve merely referenced August Sander’s work in my research as inspiration to inform and develop my own photography work and photography skills further.

The pages that are referenced can be found below, complete with Harvard Referencing, which includes August Sander’s legacy, the posthumous exhibitions done after August Sander passed away on the 20th April 1964, including the publication he released in 1929, titled: “Face of Our Time”, also noting the unreleased book that was left incomplete that detailed his travels, with references and external links to further research. All credit goes to August Sander Stiftung and Widewalls.

Page 1 – August Sander (Research) [Alex Smithson]

Page 2 – Who was August Sander?

Page 3 – August Sander’s Best Work

Page 4 – August Sander / Legacy

Page 5 – August Sander / Posthumous Exhibitions

Page 6 – August Sander / Publications

Page 7 – August Sander / References

Page 8 – August Sander / External Links to Further Research

The research I’ve done on August Sander will help me to develop my headshot photographs better for my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project. As I’ve mentioned before, I will be photographing some subjects for my Facial Expressionism Project, so you’ll be seeing some new headshot photographs very soon. This research presentation can also be found in my E-Folio and any of the subjects I photograph will also be featured in the E-Folio once the headshot photographs I produce of the subjects I photograph for my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project are published. I can promise there are more headshot photographs on the way, so keep your eyes peeled!

If you found this research presentation on August Sander useful, please let me know. I would love to hear your response.

Alex Smithson

Headshot #5 / Facial Expressionism / Final Major Project / Leonardo Mouza

Continuing on from Headshot #4, in which I photographed the famous actor and Mental Health Awareness Campaigner, Oli Regan, Headshot #5 brings the next subject I have photographed for my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project, Leonardo Mouza.

For these headshot photographs, I wanted to take a different approach with the same expressions I wanted him to make, but this time by getting him to do those expressions naturally as to how he would make those expressions himself, but from his perspective.

These headshot photographs I produced build on the research I have done so far on the photographers, which are Fazal Sheikh, Irving Penn & Thomas Ruff.

I used a black backdrop to produce these photographs of Leo as I wanted to make sure the facial expressions he made would stand out and that his facial features had a sense of sharpness that would connect to each emotion I got him to make. These photographs help to build on the foundations of the Facial Expressionism Final Major Project I have been working intensively hard on.

Below are the headshot photographs I have produced of my friend, Leonardo Mouza.

Canon EOS 1200D

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Unhappy (4)

Surprised (5)

Concentrated (6)

Angry (7)

Excited (8)

Interested (9)

Confused (10)

Furious (11)

Disgusted (12)

WordFoto Edits

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Unhappy (4)

Surprised (5)

Concentrated (6)

Angry (7)

Excited (8)

Interested (9)

Confused (10)

Furious (11)

Disgusted (12)

Black & White Versions of Original Photographs

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Unhappy (4)

Surprised (5)

Concentrated (6)

Angry (7)

Excited (8)

Interested (9)

Confused (10)

Furious (11)

Disgusted (12)

Overall, I am really pleased with the end result of these photographs, considering the lighting I used would bring out a natural approach to the facial expressions I got Leo to make. I will be continuously improving on my photography skills as I will be photographing outside the college next time so that I can get more hands-on with my photography skills. I have taken into account that at least two of the photos came out but not in the way I initially expected but as I said, I will be continuously improving on my photography skills over time. These photographs, including the edited versions that I produced in WordFoto and GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), can be found in my E-Folio.

I would most certainly love to get your response on these photographs and please let me know what improvements I can make for when I produce more Facial Expressionism headshot photographs next time. Your response is greatly appreciated.

Alex Smithson

Headshot #4 / Facial Expressionism / Final Major Project / Oli Regan

Following on from the research I have done so far on the photographers, Fazal Sheikh, Irving Penn and Thomas Ruff, the third subject I am honoured to have photographed for my Final Major Project is the famous actor and Mental Health Awareness Campaigner, Oli Regan.

For these headshot photographs, I experimented with a black backdrop so that the facial expressions I asked Oli to make would give the emotion from the facial expressions he made more emphasis and more depth.

After I photographed Oli with the black backdrop, I then opted to try out a red backdrop, so that I could capture some of the facial expressions again, but this time, I wanted to try and photograph Oli like as if I photographed him for a magazine cover photoshoot.

Canon EOS 1200D / Black Backdrop

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Unhappy (4)

Surprised (5)

Concentrated (6)

Angry (7)

Angry (8)

Excited (9)

Interested (10)

Confused (11)

Furious (12)

Disgusted (13)

Canon EOS 1200D / Red Backdrop

Normal (Test Run with Tungsten Light)

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Normal (3)

Normal (4)

Normal (5)

Normal (6)

Thinking / Interested (7)

Unhappy (8)

Surprised (9)

Concentrated (10)

Angry (11)

Excited (12)

Confused (13)

Furious (14)

Happy (15)

WordFoto Edits (Black Backdrop)

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Unhappy (4)

Surprised (5)

Concentrated (6)

Angry (7)

Angry (8)

Excited (9)

Interested (10)

Confused (11)

Furious (12)

Disgusted (13)

WordFoto Edits (Red Backdrop)

Normal (Test Run with Tungsten Light)

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Normal (3)

Normal (4)

Normal (5)

Normal (6)

Thinking / Interested (7)

Unhappy (8)

Surprised (9)

Concentrated (10)

Angry (11)

Excited (12)

Confused (13)

Furious (14)

Happy (15)

Black & White Edits (Black & Red Backdrops)

Normal (1)

Normal (2)

Thinking (3)

Unhappy (4)

Surprised (5)

Concentrated (6)

Angry (7)

Angry (8)

Excited (9)

Interested (10)

Confused (11)

Furious (12)

Disgusted (13)

Normal (Test Run with Tungsten Light) [14]

Normal (15)

Normal (16)

Normal (17)

Normal (18)

Normal (19)

Normal (20)

Thinking / Interested (21)

Unhappy (22)

Surprised (23)

Concentrated (24)

Angry (25)

Excited (26)

Confused (27)

Furious (28)

Happy (29)

Overall, I am so pleased with the end result that has come out of these photographs I have produced and experimenting with a red backdrop has actually helped me to produce better photographs alongside the black backdrop, but it is an absolute pleasure to have worked with Oli Regan and I am absolutely honoured to have photographed him. Oli Regan is such a lovely and down-to-earth guy and you would be absolutely honoured to work with him.

These photographs I have produced will help me to develop my photography skills further and will most certainly inform the creative work, research and headshot photographs I have already produced.

The Headshot #4 photographs I have taken of my close friend, Oli Regan, including the edited versions of these photographs that I produced in WordFoto and GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) can be found in my E-Folio.

I would most certainly love to get your feedback on these photographs and please let me know what improvements I can make for when I produce more Facial Expressionism headshot photographs for next time. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Alex Smithson

Thomas Ruff / Research

Continuing on from the first and second photographer I have researched for my Final Major Project, the third photographer I have chosen to research is Thomas Ruff.

Thomas Ruff is a German photographer who lives and also works in Düsseldorf in Germany. As he currently shares a photography studio with other German photographers, such as Andreas Gursky, Axel Hütte and Laurenz Berges on Düsseldorf’s Hansaalee, the photography studio itself formerly comprised of a municipal electricity station, which was converted between the course of 1998 and 2000 by architects, Herzog & de Meuron, who are part of Tate Modern fame, with an updated basement gallery that was completed in 2011.

Below are the slides in the exact order, and the work I have done Harvard Referencing for which references Thomas Ruff’s photography work I take absolutely no credit for. I also take absolutely no credit for the self-portrait photograph produced by Hans Peter Schaefer and Thomas Ruff. I’ve merely referenced Thomas Ruff’s work in my research as inspiration to inform and develop my own photography work and photography skills further.

The pages that are referenced can be found below, complete with Harvard Referencing, the awards that recognised Thomas Ruff’s work, as well as the various exhibitions he has done, including his publications and ISBN numbers, and also his major collections, with external links to further research. All credit goes to Thomas Ruff, Tate Modern, Hans Peter Schaefer, Haus Der Kunst & Rubell.

Thomas Ruff (Research) [Alex Smithson] – Page 1

Who is Thomas Ruff? – Page 2

Thomas Ruff’s Best Work – Page 3

Thomas Ruff / Recognition – Page 4

Thomas Ruff / Exhibitions – Page 5

Thomas Ruff / Publications & ISBN Numbers – Page 6

Thomas Ruff / Major Collections – Page 7

Thomas Ruff / External Links to Further Research – Page 8

This research I’ve done on Thomas Ruff will help me to develop my headshot photographs better for my Facial Expressionism. As I’ve mentioned before, I will be photographing some subjects for my Facial Expressionism Project, so you’ll be seeing some new headshot photographs very soon. This research presentation can also be found in my E-Folio and any of the subjects I photograph will also be featured in the E-Folio once the headshot photographs I produce of the subjects I photograph for my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project are published. I can promise there are some updated headshots on the way, and one of the subjects I will be photographing soon will be someone who I’ve been working with most recently, so I am absolutely certain that you won’t want to miss the creative photography work I will be publishing very soon.

If you found this research presentation on Thomas Ruff useful, please let me know. I would love to hear your response.

Alex Smithson

Headshot #2 / Facial Expressionism / Final Major Project / Jonathan McCartney

Following on from the first set of headshot photographs I took of my good friend, Jonathan McCartney, I present to you the second headshot photographs I took of my friend, Jonathan, but this time, with a black backdrop, which I must say actually works much better compared to a white backdrop, and the black backdrop was an idea a close friend of mine suggested to me after he critiqued the Headshot #1 photographs I took of Jonathan.

These headshot photographs have not only improved my photography skills, but it does make a lot of sense to use a black backdrop in these photographs, including any other photographs that I will produce.

I have made sure to experiment carefully with these photographs by editing them in WordFoto and GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) so that they can retain the facial expressions I asked Jonathan to make, as these headshot photographs tie in with my Facial Expressionism Final Major Project, including the research I have done so far on the Facial Expressionism photographers, Fazal Sheikh and Irving Penn.

Below are the Headshot #2 photographs of my friend, Jonathan.

Normal (1 – Test Run)

Normal (2)

Normal (3)

Thinking (4)

Unhappy (5)

Surprised (6)

Acting Surprised (7)

Concentrated (8)

Angry (9)

Excited (10)

Interested (11)

Confused (12)

Confused / Furious (13)

Furious (14)

Disgusted (15)

Just like before, I have edited these photographs with WordFoto and used more than one word on one of the edited photographs shown below.

Normal (Edit) [1]

Normal (Edit) [2]

Normal (Edit) [3]

Thinking (Edit) [4]

Unhappy (Edit) [5]

Surprised (Edit) [6]

Acting Surprised (Edit) [7]

Concentrated (Edit) [8]

Angry (Edit) [9]

Excited (Edit) [10]

Interested (Edit) [11]

Confused (Edit) [12]

Confused / Furious (Edit) [13]

Furious (Edit) [14]

Disgusted (Edit) [15]

I have made sure to develop the photographs further by also changing the selected photographs to black and white whilst raising and lowering some of the curves on the photographs so that the lighting on Jonathan brings out his facial expressions better with a sense of depth and detail.

Normal (2)

Normal (3)

Thinking (4)

Unhappy (5)

Surprised (6)

Angry (7)

Concentrated (8)

Excited (10)

Interested (11)

Confused (12)

Furious (14)

Disgusted (15)

Overall, I am absolutely pleased with the end result that has come out of these photographs, and being critiqued on my work has actually helped me to develop my photography skills better, not just from receiving peer critique whilst in my Film & Photography lesson, but also from receiving critique from a close friend of mine.

The Headshot #2 photographs I have taken of my friend, Jonathan McCartney, including the edited versions of these photographs that I produced in WordFoto and GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) can be found in my E-Folio.

I would love to get your feedback on these photographs and please let me know what improvements I can make for when I produce more Facial Expressionism headshot photographs for next time. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Alex Smithson

Weekly Log 6 (Tuesday 17th May 2016 – Thursday 19th May 2016) – Final Major Project

Bringing the Final Major Project Weekly Log collection to a remarkable end, here is the final Weekly Log from the Final Major Project, which reflects on what I did in the final week of the Final Major Project, as well as to what I did over the entirety of the Final Major Project.

Research / Context

During the course of the sixth week, I started to get together my research, which were the Chosen Photographers presentation, including the Photo Research presentation, including my experimentation photographs that I have taken over the course of the past six weeks since the beginning of the Final Major Project. Based on the previous set of photographs I took of my first subject for Shoot 5, I took my sixth and final set of photographs, but this time of my fourth and final chosen subject. The location that I chose to take the sixth shoot of photographs was the car park, opposite Croydon College, as I had previously developed my experiments there when I took my fourth set of photographs but of my third chosen subject. The car park opposite Croydon College was the location I strongly believe was best suited for taking my sixth and final set of photographs, as I was able to use the settings I adjusted on the Canon EOS 1200D correctly to take my photographs of my fourth and final chosen subject and I also felt that there was a dramatic improvement in the way I took my photographs, based on my reflection of Shoot 5. In terms of the research and photographic experiments I have done, I have made sure to pick the best photos that I have taken, as I will be presenting the photographs that I feel are my best for the show, which I will also want to count as my final pieces for the first year of this two-year Film & Photography course.

Practical Tasks Done

As I wanted to make sure that my sixth and final set of photographs were of the correct standard that my previous experimentation photographs were at, I did make sure to set the exposure for my photos correctly, including changing the light setting to Cloudy, given the damp and dismal weather conditions during the course of this last week of photo experiments. I also made sure to keep the ISO below no more than 400, to ensure that my photographs are of the best resolution and lighting where possible and I also made sure to set the aperture and white balance correctly so that my photographs would come out the way I wanted them to look.

I did initially find taking these photographs of my fourth and final subject difficult at first, as I was worried that because of the damp and dismal weather conditions, this would affect the photographs I would take. These photos were difficult to take initially given the areas of lighting in and around the car park, so I did make sure to think very carefully about the variety of locations around the car park that I could use.

What worked well for me was I was able to produce most of these photos to a much better standard than to how I did my previous photographic experiments, as some of the photographs I took of my fourth and final chosen subject didn’t need to have the curves adjusted in Adobe Photoshop, including not needing to have the levels changed. I did feel that Shoots 4 and 6 had that standard of photographic exposure that I wanted and I feel pleased with the overall result that I have managed to achieve.

To improve on this in the future, I will be making sure to choose a better location next time for taking my photographs, that’s including setting the exposure, the aperture, the white balance and the light setting correctly, so that I stand a better chance of producing a set of photographs that will be of the best quality where possible.

Critical Analysis

For my critical analysis, I did make sure to refer to all of the research I have gathered over the course of the Final Major Project, including referring to the photographic experiments I have developed over the duration of the Final Major Project. As the photographic experiments I’ve done on my first, second, third and fourth subjects have developed over the course of the entire Final Major Project, I have noticed that I have been able to produce my photographs better each time, and when there has been the odd occasion where certain photographs I take may end up possibly fuzzy due to camera shake or being underexposed or overexposed, I have made sure to rectify any mistakes I’ve made in taking certain photos by improving on them better for the next time. August Sander, Fazal Sheikh and Thomas Ruff’s photographical works have influenced me and inspired me to create my own concept throughout the whole of the Final Major Project and I also feel that the level of research and experiments I’ve done, including doing extended research by taking notes from the Barbican Gallery have helped me to produce the concept I wanted from the very start to the very end of the Final Major Project.

I feel that I have developed and bettered my understanding over the entirety of the Final Major Project, as I have been able to reflect on the experiments I’ve done, including the research I’ve gathered to produce my own concept for my Final Major Project, which has been based around Facial Expressionism. I also feel I have developed a better understanding of my own concept, which was influenced and inspired by the three chosen photographers, August Sander, Thomas Ruff and Fazal Sheikh, and I now have a clear intention of the final pieces I will be producing for the show, given that I have the best photographs available to use now for digital printing. My concept has, from the very start, been genuine and I strongly believe that I have developed my confidence better with camera work, including getting a better understanding of the settings I can use to produce a better photograph or a set of photographs for experimentation, and I strongly feel that the photos I have chosen to use as my final pieces are ready for printing and are also ready for hanging for the show in June.

This Final Major Project Weekly Log set has officially come to a remarkable end. I hope you found all of these Weekly Logs interesting, and if so, please feel free to submit feedback. All feedback is much appreciated.

Alex Smithson