Alex Haney- Binge.
Hey everyone- sorry I'm late with this. This photo and concept has gone through a few different incarnations, and I'm still not satisfied with it. My goal was to portray a binge eating session (this comes from personal experience, as I was bulimic as a teenager). At first I wanted to photograph a secret binge in a dark bathroom at night, lit with a flashlight (or at least, make it seem like it was lit that way), but the lighting was more than I bargained for with that. So I turned away from a literal interpretation and decided to focus more on portraying the intensity of emotion, guilt and shame surrounding a binge/purge session. Let me know what you think and any improvements you think I could make! Do you like this interpretation, or should I go back and try to mimic a flashlight with something like a speedlight?
Alex, though it sounds like you aren't quite in love with how the lighting turned out, I do feel like it was quite successful. It may not look like a flashlight has shone upon the subject, but to me I can imagine the lighted space growing, as a door is opened and someone is finding out the truth, while this rush is going through you. I think, regardless, it works really well.
ReplyDeleteMy only suggestion is, using photoshop, softening the line at the bottom as my eye is drawn there because it is so harsh unlike the rest of the image.
Great work,
Becky Turner
Thanks Becky. I don't hate the lighting- I think it works to convey the mood, although I'm not crazy about the way the shadow merges with my head. Maybe I should have moved away from the wall some more? And yeah, the line bugs me, too... will try to make it more circular in photoshop. I like the way you still interpreted it as being in a dark bathroom with the door opening.
ReplyDeleteAlex, the image is very nice but seems sterile, I see were you were going with this, the thing that gets me is that contrast line at the bottom mid frame that separates you from the negative space, My input is work with the negative space. :O)
ReplyDeleteI think it'd definitely strengthen your concept if you try to make it look more like a door opening. I agree with Geo that the dark, harsh change at the bottom of the photo threw me off a bit. If you were to make the light warmer, it'd be more like a flashlight. The emotion is definitely there, so adjusting the light a bit will make it stronger.
ReplyDelete- Lucy
Firstly - I love the interpretation! I think the lighting works well - perhaps not 'flash lit' effect, but I agree with Becky. Though I would be interested to see Lucy's idea of the door-slit. The diagonal line (in to the right of you) bothers me more than anything else. In terms of portraying the idea, the only thing I might suggest is make it messier (gross as it may be to shoot) I think this might solidify the 'binge' aspect. If you're binging, go all the way with it and don't be afraid to get messy - food on your face, lap, etc Alex Gooding
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone! Okay I am going to reshoot, and do it on a white seamless. The black line is because I didn't have a seamless and so I just shot against the wall, so you can see the floor. Does anyone have any idea of how I can make a spotlight appear more square, like a door opening? I used the barn doors here but the beam is still circular.
ReplyDeleteAlso, what do you all think about making it appear more like a bathroom? I've been playing with the idea of maybe trying to find a toilet to bring into the studio and set it up more like an actual bathroom scene. I bet I could find one for free. I could either leave it without context, and fix the lighting, or go more into creating a narrative. I'm just worried about it possibly being too cliche if I do that though. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteJust about the whole bringing in the prop thing... I feel like fixing the lighting would be enough - and that actually bringing in a toilet tells too much of an untold story, you know? Like the viewer needs to figure out the 'secret' for themselves, or discover the image, without the answer behind it's meaning being RIGHT in their face.
ReplyDeleteBecky!
Alex
ReplyDeleteAbove comments are great, I think you also need more food so this looks like a binge.
-Robyn