Development - Sixth Photoshoot the final one and Depression

The sixth and final shoot of the photograph series and is based on the conclusion of all anxieties depression. This image was planned near the start of the project and I knew were to get most of the props from. This is a digital media image of the original storyboard drawing as I have did with all the storyboards. I will put more and expand on these ideas more in my development sketchbook. Doing these media tests were useful for me to get to grips with Photoshop again and refresh my memory as well as editing the photographs.

Anxiety conclusion - Depression

This shoot is based on Depression which myself and almost everyone I have known has suffered from it. Depression can effect people in a lot of different ways but it can be an everyday illness that effects the persons life. It effects our mood, thoughts, behavior, physical and mental well being and our world views. It makes us feel helpless, worried, worthless, guilty, hurt, restless, makes us loose interest in enjoyable activities. We eat less or over eat, lack of concentration, aches and pains, digestive problems, decision making, fatigue, insomnia, over sleeping, and can make us suicidal or attempt it. It's not exactly a disorder it self but it usually is the result of anxieties and mental illness. It can be a natural reaction to negative life events and changes and a normal response before we can become happier again. But for some it is a nightmare and talking about it with others almost makes it indescribable tying to communicate the subject.
Since it is the result state of us and a common illness I felt it was appropriate to have it finish off the photo series.

Prop Making

For the shoot I needed a bed, figure, and some chains, getting a bed was easy since we had a spare one in our flat and it could be moved easily since it had wheels and could fold up. We tried it out in the flat first to see how it would turn out. I also got covers and a pillow for the shoot but the chains were a lot more difficult to obtain. I went around a few hardware stores and tried online shops but either the chains were to large and heavy or to expensive. I eventually found a seller on Esty who had chains and would let you pick the length you wanted. Which is what I needed cause wasn't exactly sure how chains are measured. But I had to wait for them to come in the post before the shoot could be ready.

It fit around quite well and what I wanted then it was just a case of moving it all to a studio.

Setting up

We got the bed set up with the covers and blanket as I said in the previous post my last model couldn't make the shoot that day. So me and Alastair improvised and used the space to our advantage for another shoot in the same day.

Equipment

We did a lot of test shots and tests for the lighting as well as to get as much of the bed into the frame as possible and to play around with composition and angles. We used Soft boxes and an strobe light and switched between the two and used them at the same time for certain shots.

We also tried the tripod above Alastair to get different perspectives and close up shots.

During my many trips to the recycling center I found a very old rusty looking key on a path and thought it was quite beautiful. I incorporated it into this shoot cause my original idea was to have key in the shoot but wasn't sure how I was going to do that so we improvised yet again. Believe it or not I tied the key with a blue string to a broom and held it away in front of the camera to get the shots. It was very difficult since I had to work the camera and balance the broom from falling and wobbling. It took a lot of attempts to get the images I wanted.

When it came to the last few images above I taped the string to a light reflector and it made things a little easier.

Meaning Behind The Image

The symbolism behind this shoot is to represent depression and picked a bed as my main prop for various reasons. A bed represents parts of us that are intimate and is a bridge of our unconscious and conscious. Bed's give us security and comfort and if we visualize them subconsciously we are searching for that security in our lives. Myself and others I have spoken to about depression do discuss how difficult it is to get out of bed in the morning. It appears lazy but it is really that facing a day is to much sometime to bare and facing other people and responsibilities our depression makes us feel a burden that their to much to handle. That everyday simple things are to difficult to deal with because their appears to be no joy in them or we have no purpose.

Chains often mean restriction, limitation, and slavery they are confiding and represent being trapped and controlled. The chains are there because we feel trapped and helpless within ourselves and could represent this by our own doing or outside forces. I wanted the chains to be wrapped in zigzag pattern to represent conflict of the individuals inner struggle instead of the lines being straight or organized. Also subconsciously the zigzag pattern also can look like the letter Z which is last letter of the alphabet and this is also the last photo session.

Keys in symbolism mean opening and closing doors and also knowledge which is what the depressed needs to learn to be happier. The knowledge and security keys can give to be able to get on with their daily lives and not feel trapped or worthless. Obtaining a key gives the user power and control in this sense to take control and not to be confined by depression. This image I hope can convey that struggle and the effects depression can have on the human condition.

Possible Final Images

The pictures below are in the set to be the final ones they have been edited and cropped.

Doing these photo shoots were challenging but a great experience it was good to work with different people and try out the spaces and equipment. Now I just need to set up the pictures with frames and arrange my assessment space. Will be finishing off sketchbook and organizing things better for the final push within the next couple of weeks.

Development - Progress of sketchbooks and props

In the meantime I've also been working further on sketchbooks and props for some new Photo shoots. Theirs been a bit of trouble with materials and budget but getting there slowly but surely. Been jumping between doing digital work in photo shop as well as getting back into drawing for the development sketchbook.

Sketchbook Work

This is me been working on pages that are studies of the props and their symbolism meanings that are included in my pictures. I plan to decorate and paint the pages and make a self reference symbolism book/guide and include it in the sketchbook because of time and other work that's needed to be done. But it's helped me get back into drawing and it's made a better work flow so I can work on things away from a computer.

Prop Making

I've been making a lot of the props myself and finding different ways to make them in the ways I want them for the shoots. I've been creating a mixed media sink for one of the next photo shoot ideas. The idea is to represent the environment of a bathroom area and the sketch below is what I plan the storyboard to be of. The masks have been painted and ready for a while and the tiles and mirror has been collected as well. Have been preparing a place/studio to be able to set it up as well as finding out how to create the pieces on the wall.

Started to create the sink by painting a piece of card board with poster/acrylic paint and then measured out a hole in the middle with a sliver bowl. The bowl will be used in place to create the dip in the sink. I tried to create the dip with tracing paper since it can be shaped but it was to delicate and ripped a lot which made me turn to something stronger.

I created the taps by using newspaper and tin foil and shaped them with tape and the paper. I did this to keep the feel of the media apparent hopefully in the finished pictures. To keep a sort of surreal feel instead of using the actual parts the crafts are representing. All the photographs are going to become pretty surreal in nature as it is and feel the props that are self made are adding a extra touch. Also that getting an actual sink will be very heavy and more expensive to achieve and buy.

For another picture I've been wanting to create a type of window that was see through but that could add other medias to it and control them. I have had a lot of trouble with trying to do this since I didn't know how to start creating it or even what materials to use. At the start I looked into things such as fish tanks and even tanks they use for keeping pet ants. But they caused issues such as size, weight and price that caused more problems as well as time. So decided to try and create it myself and asked around the workshop and the University's art store. It was a bit expensive as well but I ended up finding a type of plastic that was thick enough and clear enough.

Measured and used a metal ruler and a normal scalpel and used a bit of force and managed to cut the plastic into strips. I put them together and used some pressure to push the pieces together and used a all purpose glue which worked amazingly for the purpose.

It ended up being the right size and I'm very happy with the results and it even stands up on its own which is what I wanted as well. Just have to do some tests with medias inside it such as paint/ink and maybe other props that might be successful. Also have a model ready for this shoot just need to arrange a photo shoot and studio soon.

Felt made some good progress with these props despite the difficulties at the start but just need to get into a studio and set them up now. Will continue with sketchbooks and I got some prints for my first photo shoots done as well. I'll try to arrange some new shoots this week if not will try for next week.