Shape

Shape

"the external form, contours, or outline of someone or something"

A key part of shape photography is the use of negative space. Negative Space - the space that surrounds an object in a image.

This photo clearly uses negative space. The cross in the centre is the shape that the photographer is trying to focus on but it doest not take up the majority of the photo, but the negative space creates more focus on the shape and shows it shape more. 

Image Bank

The evident sexual imagery in this photo is used to show the woman as venerable as she is in the nude. The connation with being naked and being venerable links to the hard contrast of the white positive space and black negative space.  

Artist Research

For my artist research for shape I chose Debby Lewis Harrison. She mainly focuses on food photography but the majority of her work relies on the fundamentals of negative space. 

These three photos really show different uses of negative space.

These two show the use of non majority negative space, the photo is in mainly dominated with the subject of ice cream but there is still negative space. The negative space is also not one colour but has a pattern to it. The negative space is used to outline the shape.

This photo is two thirds negative space but the viewers eye is till drawn to ingredients. The negative space is also one colour just in different light. This is done so that the viewer is not distracted and focuses on the subject. It also helps the objects stand out. 

I also did a small amount in to Jonathan Knowles. He is known as the liquid photographer as many of his photos contain liquid. His use of negative space is too allow the focus on the shape of the liquid and to not distract the viewer. 

This photo is a clear use of negative space to promote focus on the subjects shape. The negative space takes up the background and is not one colour but it matches the colour palette of the subject, these complimentary colours allow the subjects outline to blend in but the complexity within the shape to be observed. 

Contact Sheet

Selected Images

Improvement Needed

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.

My plan for recording shape was to photograph objects with negative space allowing the outline of the object, this was in the style of Debby Lewis Walsh. I also wanted to capture liquid relating to Jonathan Knowles, my plan was to pour bright coloured liquid into water and then take photos with a high shutter speed. 

When taking photos with negative space I felt that shadows and light effect the negative so that it was more distracting. If I were to re-shoot this I would use more effective lighting to make the background one solid colour so that it does not distract from the object's space. Many of the photos turned out well as they capture the outline of the shape well.  

When attempting to capture the shape of liquid I managed some successful shots of the liquid but again the negative space was not one colour which led to it becoming more distracting. If I were to do this again I would focus on working with the light and also using a higher shutter speed so that I could capture more shapes of the liquid. 

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.
For recording Shape I used my canon 5D and used changed my settings depending on my subject. Most of the negative space shots which focused on a static object I used an automatic shutter speed but for the liquid shots I had to use a high shutter speed so that I could capture more shots of the liquid moving. I did not have to change the aperture as I used lighting to make sure each shot had correct lighting. 

Each of my selected images needed some editing to make them closer to the Jonathan Knowles style I was going for.

With this image I will need to set the white balance so I achieved a white negative space to outline the shape more. I will also need to remove the marks that were on the surface when the photo was taken and I will also need to crop the photo so that the shadow in the back is not in frame.

 I first set the white balance using curves. I selected the most white point on the original photo. This has created a whiter negative space but it has made the marks on the surface more obvious and problematic. The negative space is not one solid colour as I want it to be but it is better to the unedited version.

I then went through with the Patch Tool and removed any marks by selecting the areas that had marks and then selecting a clear area. This made the negative space more as I wanted it as it had nothing to distract the audience.

I then cropped the image, making it more square but making the negative space seem more like one colour instead of shades of white.

Overall the edit allowed for negative space to become one solid colour and made it more in the style of Jonathan Knowles.

With this photo I wanted to make the negative space

AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.

My research into Debby Lewis Walsh and Jonathan Knowles really inspired the majority of my photos. Debby Lewis Walsh's use of negative space inspired many of my photos to allow a focus on the subject using an empty background and a simple item in the centre. Jonathan Knowles work with liquid inspired my photos involving coloured liquid in clear water. 

AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.  

This series of photos I believe closely resemble the style of Jonathan Knowles and is a clear portrayal of shape. I really like these photos as each photo is unique of the shape its portraying. I would like to do this shoot again inside the studio with correct lighting and a large shape to use but these photos do resemble the intention I had. Even with the photos that do not use liquid they still follow his style of negative space.