Photos for the Hand in

Unfortunately I ran out of time and wasn't able to get back into the photography lab for a fifth shoot so I went back over the photos I had already taken and tweaked a few things.

I only made a few very small adjustments with this image, I quite like this image as a stand alone but not entirely sure about its cohesiveness with the series. It demonstrates the idea of the makeup coming from a happy home with a family, though I also like the almost fake-ness of the scene which matches to purpose of makeup in reality. I took care in choosing what pieces of makeup I used, the mascara and eye shadow being the parents of the eyeliner (all have a similar use in reality - a family) who is used almost every time makeup is worn, thus the pawn of the game. The innocence of the scene emphasizes the idea of the makeup being on the side of the 'good intentions', again keeping the frame in portrait to be more of a reference shot over an establishing shot. 

For this image I was trying to make the green of the alcohol glow against the background making it seem toxic. I also brought down the brightness to cast an ominous tone over the scene. I think it fits well with the first image having a portrait frame and very simple but distinct background shapes. I followed on with the idea of a path, though in this case a tarmac road, to give the idea that the object is leaving to go somewhere. Also the angle in which this was shot was to give the idea that the alcohol knows what its doing, it has a clear direction being front on. Where as the previous image is looking at a slight angle as if it doesn't really know what its in for, but its clear that it is under prepared.  

Here I went back to a technique I tried after the third shoot of the narrow landscape shot to give the impression that your eyes are narrowing in skepticism. The fact that the forces are joining on the battle field/ chessboard establishes the intention of the gathering. Again I kept the bleakness of the scene with the really low saturation, almost as if reality of what is about to happen is sinking in. Something new I noticed was the king/foundation lid was dirty which suggests that this isn't the first battle. The lighting isn't perfect across the pawns/eyeliners and is something I would work on if I had enough time for another shoot. Overall I like the stark contrast of this image as it keeps in line with the previous images.   

It is this scene where I started to loose the effectiveness of the distinct symbolism, its almost if there is too much going on. On the other hand its quite dark suggesting doom though not bleak like the first image because the colours are still shining through. I was happy with how the squares of the chess board have been reflected up into the shots, revealing to the viewer more about whats outside of the shot. Again I carried on with the idea of the shot being at a slight angle as if the alcohol cannot be stopped or it is unfazed with what is about to happen, this is emphasized of course by the fact that the objects are not contained by the frame. Ideally I would have liked to make the green glow like I had in the second image of the series though I ran out of time.

I am the least happy with this shot, I was trying to get the focus to be on the one eyeliner pot making the first move but there are so many other objects within the shot that are out of focus that it begins to take over rather than provide a contrast. I left this image in the series, however, because I felt it was crucial in understanding the emotion I was trying to portray. That being the viewer is nervous hiding behind the 'good intentions' and only focusing on that one object making the first move. 

I always intended to use Capa's WWII scene within the series when I came up with the over all idea because I really liked the uneasiness the shot creates, by looking like a bad shot technically when actually representing the scene in the best possible way. Still I feel like there is a pinky tinge to the shot and I had trouble trying to remove it without loosing the redness of the 'blood'. Something new I noticed was the bottle in the top left third looking like it was almost trying to shoot the last eyeliner pot as the bottle itself was dying.