I like the textures of this piece, the way you can see the scales and the claws in detail. I also like how the entire foot isnt in the picture, but I like that context. I like the way the entire thing isnt in the picture. This picture looks more like an illustrative photo than a fine art photo, as its more about the intricate design of the scales.

I like this picture for the same reason. I chose the background for this one as it stands out against the black of the bird, and is the same colour as the brown specks, so it works quite well. I also like the way that the bird is positioned in the picture, the way it fills the frame and goes past it, creating an interesting focal point. I also appreciate how intense the shadows are, lifting the bird from the background. 

This picture is one of my favourites from the set. I like how delicately Im holding the bird, giving the picture quite a respectful and spiritual feeling, like Im paying dues to it. I also like the way that the bird blends into the black background, but stands out enough for it to look interesting. I like the way that my hand doesnt take the attention away from the bird, but instead complements the photo. The sensitivity of the hand connects the images to me, and its quite significant. It changes the meaning showing the human connection with the animals, that we co-exsist with them, but at the same time, due to the fact that the birds dead it could show that we are responsible for the animals death and destruction, giving the piece several meanings to the viewer.

I love the way the bird has quite a soft shape to it in these photos, and the way it blends quite nicely. The bird itself has quite intense colours, meaning it stands out quite well, but still looks really natural due to the way its positioned. On the first photo it looks almost like its still alive. I also like the way that shadow is created on the underside of the bird, but I think I could've done a better job at hiding the hands on the second picture, maybe blending them in a little more. 

Photography set #1

The audience of these pictures would be people who are interested in fine art photography, and people who are interested in anatomy and seeing the beauty in death. These pictures are more based on focusing on blending the animals in with the lighting, using lighting that works best with the colours and the kinds of animals featured. 

I decided to bring more of my animal skins into college, and try them out in the photography room with different styles of lighting. Im actually very impressed at the results. 

I especially like how bright this picture is, and the composition of the piece. I also like how soft the shadows are, and the choice of material. The yellow on the more tropical bird doesnt stand out too much, but it still adds an attractive flare to the piece, making something a focal point, but not stealing too much detail.

I also really like these two pictures, and could potentially make them a set due to the way that the duck is facing different ways in each image. I also like how elegant it looks, despite being dead, almost like an angel fallen from grace. I also like how the colours are still quite soft, and the effect that the background gives the image.

I really like the rather tropical feel of this photo, the colours of the bird standing out really well against the warm background, the blues contrasting with the fiery colours but not in a sense that its hard to look at. The way the birds wings are outstretched and the way that it is positioned in the piece also give it an edge in the appeal. To the viewers, these images could have almost a biblical sense, like the birds have been crucified but people still respect them. The fact that the light is focused on the bird could give it some kind of holy spiritual light.

This picture was going for a more contrasted base, and I love the way that the outline of it is really dark and it lightens up towards the center of the piece. It draws attention to the birds absolutely gorgeous plumage. I also adore the way the bird is positioned, showing off its body in a rather sad and emotive way. The background also adds a lot of expression onto this piece.

This piece was taken in my bedroom, hense the less professional look to it. The day it was taken on was quite sunny and it made some really interesting and intense shadows on my wall, so I decided to play around with that. I also love the way that the back end of the fish is in entire darkness.

These pictures are my favourite ones from the set, I absolutely adore the lighting and the positioning on this piece, the way the bird looks extremely delicate and the way that the lighting works for it. The colours are incredibly soft and they all blend in, giving the picture a natural feeling. 

Research
CONTEXT/LIGHTING RESEARCH
Jody MacDonald

Jody MacDonald doesnt photograph dead things, instead she's more of a documentary photographer, but she uses lighting to her advantage to enhance her images in such a way that they look quite peaceful. I especially like the lighting in her humpack whale photos, the way that you can see the rays of light shimmering through the ocean.

MACDONALD, J "Untitled" (2008)

I like the way that the rays of light impact into one area, and the way that they reflect off the whales. I also like the way that the whales appear to be in a sequence, and even though they are dark in colour their contrast doesnt take too much from the image. The way that the surface of the water is still visible makes the picture seem more real.

MACDONALD, J "Untitled" (2008)

I like the way this picture is angled towards the whales, giving it an interesting composition. I still like the rays of light on this photo as I did in the previous one, and I also love the slightly darker boarder and the way it improves the impact of the piece. I like how the background is empty, no other creatures or disturbances around, so all attention is drawn to the whales. This research is in relation to the lighting and peacefullness that Im going to inherit into my artwork. 

Vadim Trunov

Vadim Trunov takes absolutely beautiful macro photos of insects, usually playing with lighting too. He seems to enjoy taking photos that reach an almost fantasy element with the lighting and the environment around them. He could take these photos for people to see the beauty in the small creatures that are often hated or disliked. He also uses water to capture reflections of the creatures and make his pictures almost tranquil and divine.

TRUNOV, V "Untitled" 

I like the way that the background on this picture is really bright on one side, the angle of the lighting really improves the picture. I also like how the lighting is behind the butterfly, shining through its transparent wings. I love the way the greens and purples make the piece really natural, giving the piece an all around peaceful feel, almost like the butterfly has overcome something.

TRUNOV, V "Ants" (2011)

I like the way that the intense red of the ants in this piece makes them stand out from the background, and the way that their reflections are extremely clear in the water. The way the water blends into the background too. I like the little yellow stems mixed in with the green ones too as they add a little flare to the piece, too. The depth of field is incredibly shallow, only being in the area where the ants are. This makes them the only focus of the image. The way one ant is touching the water could represent the fact that theyre trying to overcome something and trying to think of how to do that.

TRUNOV, V "Snail and the raindrop" (2012)

This is my favourite picture by him. It almost has an imaginary fantasy feeling to it, the inquisitive snail, the mushroom, the water droplet, and the soft lighting. Aside from the droplet, the water is otherwise still, and I really like the way that the light is shining through the snails shell. The way it is using the mushroom to bend over the water really shows the curiosity, and how clear the reflection is in the water, like the snail is admiring itself. 

PHOTOS OF DEATH/ON TOPIC

Sally Mann

 "Immediate Family and Death" 

(left) MANN,S "Untitled"

(right)MANN, S "Jessie and the Deer"(1985)

Sally Mann takes really quite expressive photos of children with dead animals. I especially like the way she makes the pictures almost innocent, like the kids have no real idea whats going on. Like the photo below, for example, the deer has been bled out, its throat slit, and the child is stood there in a rather innocent pose, unaware that theres a ghoulish dead animal beside her. The pictures bring awareness to the innocence of children through the contrasted desaturated scheme and the intense blacks and whites.

"Body Farm"

(left) MANN, S "Untitled" (2001)

(right) MANN, S "Untitled" (2001)

These two pictures are extremely ghastly pictures that Sally Mann took at a body farm, where decomposition is studied. The pictures are extremely ghastly, with the steam coming off the bodies and the way they look like they are screaming. They could be taken to show the horrors of death, yet at the same time they could be seen as beautiful and almost magical to another person, the way they are positioned on the ground, especially the second one. She could have taken these photos to express people to something they find shocking, but the desaturation if the pieces takes most of their grotesqueness away. 

Haarala Hamilton

I like the way that Haarala takes their photos, with the very dark background and the low key style. I also like the way that the black is very intense, and the white contrasts with it quite a lot. They also catch the movement of the animals quite well, making them look more like x-rays of living beings than beings that are dead, showing off the articulation well.

HAARALA HAMILTON, L&M , "Immortality","Untitled"

I like the way the spine is exactly central through this piece, and the ribs are almost symmetrical. It makes it look quite abstract and like something is growing from the depths. The way the shadows play with the light is also very impressive, the ribs casting quite beautiful shadows onto the vertebrae. I also enjoy the way the cartilage seems pitch black, leaving distance between the bones. 

HAARALA HAMILTON, L&M  "Untitled"

I like the way that these two pieces are of articulated animals, looking like they are emerging from the depths of the darkness with their white purity. I also like how the skeletons are articulated in an interesting manner, they are given life rather than looking static. This further adds to the effect of the image. 

HAARALA HAMILTON, L&M  "Untitled"

Marian Drew
Marian Drews still life contains dead, stuffed roadkill animals usually resting beside fruit, using quite impressive compositions and elements in her work, like lighting and creased blankets, the way they play with shadows. The fruit is bright and light colours, and seems to draw away the grotesque dead animal, creating a shock factor when it is finally noticed. The lighting on her images always seems to be focusing on the fruit to enhance this.


DREW, M "Wombat and watermelon" (2005)

Meanwhile, the bandicoot in the second picture is white, like the plate underneath it to help it blend in. The vegetable, however, is dark coloured and stands out significantly.

DREW, M "Bandicoot on plate" (2007)

She also uses animals from her home country, making them quite personal to her as it is something from home.

David Bailey

BAILEY, D "The skull beneath the skin" (2007)

This picture reminds me of the High Key photographs I did last year, a dark, rusty coloured and broken skull on a light coloured environment, and a shallow depth of field. The way the jaw is positioned gives the photo a little more artistic merit, instead of the entire thing just facing forwards. It has a certain emotion to it, as the skull looks upset and down.

BAILEY, D "Now" (2010)

This picture reminds me of the High Key photographs I did last year, a dark, rusty coloured and broken skull on a light coloured environment, and a shallow depth of field. The way the jaw is positioned gives the photo a little more artistic merit, instead of the entire thing just facing forwards. It has a certain emotion to it, as the skull looks upset and down.