How we Met:
It’s widely acknowledged that introducing a second or third person to a portrait shoot
can make the process either a whole lot easier or a whole lot more demanding.
Taking the Independent’s ‘How we Met’ as inspiration you are to make a portrait of two
people who know each other very well, who have a professional or personal bond –
don’t con us with your selection and don’t photograph your sister, brother, mother, father or lover!
Of course, in your supporting work on your blog, you’ll need to show you’ve explored
editorial portraiture – every week there are 100s of commissioned portraits being shot
and across a range of publications, from broadsheet to specialist magazines. Who’s shooting this work?
Shop Local
Produce a three-picture story of a small local shop, one with some character. Of the
three images, one must be a portrait of the owner; at least one must be landscape
(wide) and one portrait format (tall). The accompanying shots must reinforce the nature of the shop.
In your supporting work you’ll need to show you’ve explored editorial features – what
range of subjects are being covered, who publishes this work, does some of it fit with your own interests?
Leisure
Produce a portrait of a sportsperson, accompanied by one additional detail shot that
reinforces their ‘sport’. Your definition of sportsperson can be wide; it might be a
Mountain-biker, Archer, Gymnast or even Hiker.
Use the location to help emphasise the activity and the same with the detail but also
make this an image that is photographically interesting/intriguing.What titles sports and leisure titles are there?
Well this brief is an interesting one ! By first glances this brief is clearly set out to challenge us with working with different people, in unfamiliar environments and working to a time frame . Exactly what editorial is about. An opportunity to photograph something that maybe in the past haven't had the guts to explore. Being a photography student i understand the guts it take to ask people for there portrait because most people are no co-operative also theres something about holding a camera up that changes peoples comfort zones and part of the challenge to relax your subject. If i am to set myself a personal target for this brief it will be to improve my communication skills with potential clients and help them feel more relaxed towards me and my camera.
I have chosen to look into the leisure(sport mans) part of the brief for many reasons. Shop local struck me at first but i have done a similar project before involving a certain street in morecambe doing the same thing so i have already set my bar and i would like to challenge myself. How we meet is also a good brief but i think after the previous portrait of an anarchist brief i would like to try something completely different. Although nobody in direct family to me are 'leisure sportsman' unless Friday nights pints is a sport i do have extended family , work colleagues , friends and also friends of friends who do sport in there free time. I also think that a sports person will be more compelled to let you take more creative images and be more comfortable because it is a hobby slash passion of theirs that they might want to document.
It has been a weigh up between two sports and two different models. I have had the choice between a friend of a friend called Kieran who's hobby is to Trick or a family friends daughter who does CaniCRoss at weekends. Both very un traditional sports that could make an interesting artical topic and hasn't been over done photography wise. Both sports are not in the main media daily and are both interesting to watch. After much debate and time tabling to see which model could find the time that week i have decided to go for the sport Tricking knowing that i had a local model at hand this week and he is wanting shoots for his publications portfolio so we can be doing each other a favour. I have watched my model trick before and i think this is going to be a really interesting shoot to conduct. I want my images to portray the sport.
Urban Dictionary Definition
| 1.tricking | |||
a kind of extreme sport where the "athletes" do cool, fast, beautiful flips and kicks without any wires or trampolines
| |||
| 2.Tricking | |||
A form of acrobatics where practitioners focus mainly on linking together chains of acrobatic kicks, flips and twists in combinations, or combos. Trickers train and can be found in many locations, including fields, Martial Arts dojos, Gymnastics gyms, and even public locales. People who trick are known as Trickers or Tricksters.
3. Tricking
The Combination of Any Martial art,Gymnastics and Breakdancing-The Combination of These 3 Elements Creates a Artistic Lifestyle Known As "Tricking".
Tricking Is Known As The highest Level of Martial Arts,For many reasons,Not only are The three outlets strong in-Themselves But Combinding Them Makes an Artistic Desplay of talent Like NO other, Tricking Is Becoming Very Popular in todays Society,You can Do Tricking anywhere and Anytime By anyone That is fit and Athletic, | |||
Tricking Photography
Here are some tricking photographs that i have found on line which have really inspired me the problem is iv searched ever where and cant get any information on the photographer, i cant even find i real name , The only information available is that its called martial arts series taken in 2009 by an online blogger who calls himself djswim. Not only is the backdrop stunning and visually appealing but also the lighting on the subject and the positioning on the subject is perfect in each shot. These images would fit suitably in an editorial lay out weather that be print, online or screen based. I could see these publications in both traditional new print publications or maybe an extreme sports magazine.
Reaserch into the sport
I have chosen before composing my shoot that it might be important for me to get a little more knowledge and understanding about the sport in order to catch it how it would be desired. Although parkour and more urban sports are becoming more popular and main stream Tricking is on iv heard very little about before meeting my model Kieran. From the brief chat me and him have had about the sport its like an urban gymnastic mixed with Martial arts and performance. Its a highly difficult sport to partake but often is it self tough which i find amazing. A poor wo/mans Gymnastics maybe? does this sport support a certain class of people in Britain today and should it be vastly documented because most of the research i have done so far there really isn't to much information on it. Maybe iv found an interesting niche in the market for editorial photography ? My model has advised me to research and view 'tricking samplers' on youtube. Tricking samplers are a way of the trickers self promoting themselves and showcasing there skills through the use of video often they are very creative and take months to put together.
Here are a few i have studied online for inspiration for my still shoots maybe this is something the Tricking industry is missing STILLS.
The sport of tricking has exploded all over youtube but seems a mystery to the rest of the world . The shoot i will be conducting will be a real life version of the sport and possible publications it could be viewed in are straight traditional newspaper such as the Guardian ect for awareness of the sport and the kind of people that partake.
I have taken a selected few images from both the sun news paper and the the daily mailAll are sports related , relating the the breif and there is a mix of portraits and additional shots (Action). I have perposly chosen a variety of sports to depict if there are different style in the photography aswell as the sport.
Aims and objective for shoot
I have many aims for this shoot as well as the point i have made above about making my subject more comfortable in front of the camera i also would like to capture the spirit of the sports hence the research and video watching i have done about the sport. When meeting with my model to discuss the shoot one thing that was apparent was that he almost sees the sport as a life style rather than just a hobby. I want to capture its urban roots and the lack of professional training, or finance going into the sport.
Possible edits
Here below i have added a fer images from the shoot to critique and explore further.Some good ones some bad ones.
I like the composition of the image, the statue bird in the background can be symbolic to the essence of the sport also the fact that the bird is on a bricked shed type thing enhances the urban aspect to the sport. Unfortunately though the model still looks uncomfortable maybe due to the cold weather conditions or the fact he was topless in public but i wanted to catch the tattoo on his chest related to the sport, showing the models dedication.
This is by far my favourite portrait. Whilst shooting i wasn't feeling the traditional portrait so iv tryed to create an unconventional portrait to mirror the unconventional sport. I think i will edit this image slightly for the finish piece and maybe try making it black and white in photo shop. I feel black and white will compliment the image and give it its much deserve edgy look it may also help the image become more urban and gritty. Also i feel this is a good angle to show case the models tattoo and also his athletic body.
I like how iv captured his movement and the fact that i have snapped it leaving no trail of movement it give the image a surreal feel. The composition isn't the best but the image would work alot better if the subject was higher maybe so i looked as if he was over the building. This would enhance the extremity of the sport with clever camera tricks.
Well when it comes to the additional image i have tryed to achieve capturing the movement of the sport and for my final image i think its defiantly a toss up between this image and the one below. Although i like the models positioning better on the shot below this image has more height, compliments the horizon line more and looks more natural but still has the urban, gritty shocking appeal that i desired.
Great body posture from the model but the way the image has been composed makes it look as though the subject is doing a headstand on the building below which is humorous but not the urban extreme angle i was trying to achieve.
Final Images
Portrait
Additional shot reinforcing the sport
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