Showing posts with label Chiaroscuro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chiaroscuro. Show all posts

15/11/2010

Renaissance 'Vanitas' Painting



The other day I did a shoot for my Renaissance project. Im making a book at the end and it will be a combination of still life, fashion style portraits and big dramatic scenes inspired by Renaissance art. Ive done quite a few shoots now (well one of each) and am looking forward to evolving it further throughout the project. Anyway, for now here is one of the pictures which I am really pleased with.

The image symbolises constructed and masked beauty (in context with the other images when presented in the book) yet also the appearence of reflected idealised beauty- the skull often conveyed as something so dark yet also stylised here. Snakes and skulls were often used in Renaissance art as a sign of human mortality and temptation - am juxtaposing these concepts into a fashion vision.

21/08/2010

Fresh Start, Fresh Project!

Ok so enough of last year's Blog... I need to start fresh to reflect my true passion for photography from a fashionista's approach- without needing to include things that I wouldnt when doing a personal blog compared to one for college, so I have deleted EVERYTHING!!

Its now coming towards the end of Summer, I know, how depressing! But at the same time I really cant wait to have a motive to start my new projects. Ive had a specific idea in my head since the end of the last term and really want to put it into action.

I have done a lot (crazy) amount of research and even gone to Paris to get an insight into the beautiful and mystical world of Renaissance art. My main objectives for this project is to play with the constructs of light and dark- in artistic terms the technique 'Chiaroscuro' characterised by constrasts of light and shadow. Below is an image by renound artist Caravaggio; famous for his paintings representing realism and dramatic narrative.



You will also see a more contemporary photographic version of Chiaroscuro below- but to show the proud Brit in me here is an image by Annie Leibovitz not of fashion, but of our Queenie. There is surprisingly little out there which I can show you (or want to show you) based on my true vision for this as I want to leave yours and my idea of this ambiguous but I think you will start to understand with this post, if anyone is reading this that is..!



For you photography geeks reading this my main source of lighting is 'Arri' Tungsten which I think is possibly the most beautiful form of lighting EVER and will be perfect for this as it creates a beautiful cinematic quality. Tungsten is actually used in film making a lot- and I should know as im often on film sets as a dedicated 'extra' (a.k.a bottom of the food chainer) although I did do body doubling for Marion Cottilard the other day which was pretty awsome!

Over and out...More to come soon (maybe) if im not dead of my horrible cold.