Click here to view flickr set.
I’ve had some time to reflect on my tutor’s comments from Assignment 4 and there was a lot to digest, but on the whole I’m very happy. I feel that my photography has improved a lot from the beginnings of TAOP and I am enjoying myself more and more. That’s not to say that there aren’t still things to learn mind you.
One thing that came to light was the particulars of the fair use policy of other artists’ work: it does NOT apply to digital logs. The fair use for study purposes does not apply to the internet, so my learning log only hyperlinks to others’ work.
One of the main things to come out was using high ISO settings on my Nikon in order to achieve a faster shutter speed. Because my home made lighting setup lacked the power of actual studio lighting I was forced to up the sensitivity to make the series work, but there is of course the drawback of noise. Normally this would be a big no for an assignment but hopefully this wont be a problem at assessment as I’ve explained my reasons why.
This brings me rather neatly to the Focus on Imaging show at the NEC that I attended. If I’m honest, it wasn’t what I was expecting: too many people pushing the hard sell, even when attending the demos and workshops. One on the more exciting things I tried out was a radio trigger for a lighting setup where I took the photograph shown right. The ISO for this was at 100 and needed no editing: this is the shot as per. Life would have been so much easier for Assignment 4 if I’d thrown money at it, but of course this was not desirable. What has been suggested by my tutor are cheap flood lights from B&Q so I will give these a go for next time. 
Focus on Imaging also reaffirmed the whole objectification of people that I was the subject of my last assignment. I felt somewhat embarrassed taking photographs of the models and found myself rather gingerly thanking them after my turn. I know that they were getting paid and its there job to model for the lighting setups but people (well, men really) flocked around like a cattle market.
All awkwardness aside, I did, of course, take advantage and took some photographs. Another thing worthy of note is that my model for Assignment 4 looked a little wooden and uncomfortable at times. Apparently, a great deal of research has gone into the ways in which people pose and still have it look relaxed and natural. I suppose that this is a failing of myself as I had set ideas in my mind as what I wanted from Assignment 4 and that probably made my friend a little uncomfortable. If you see some of the photographs I took of the professional models, they all look as if they’re not even trying and know what you want from them (it is, after all, their job).
I didn’t buy anything despite the hard sell from a particular stand trying to get me to purchase a membership following a lighting tutorial I watched. Did I mention that the demonstrator was trying to sell the lighting setup while giving the tutorial? Well, he did. Then the model he was using tried it on too…. Doesn’t mean I don’t want them mind :-P
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