The Ring (Gore Verbinski, 2002) // Film Stills + Blurred Photograph

Having looked at themes of distortion and horror, through researching artist's work such as Francis Bacon's portraits, and Andy Denzler's glitch paintings. I decided to look at horror movies and remembered a photograph used in the 2002 remake of The Ring, by Gore Verbinski. Where a group of high school student's faces had been blurred out and distorted, in order to communicate with the protagonist and the viewer that something particularly dark had happened to them. I decided to look at this photograph and a few other stills from the film, and analyse them in order to possibly draw some conclusions and ideas from them, that could influence my own work.

This close up shot reveals to us this upsetting photograph, that the protagonist comes across while flicking through her photos that she has just had developed. In terms of the film, this particular scene is quite a shock for the main protagonist, who comes across this photo to realise that something unsettling has happened to these teenagers. Personally as a visual I really like the use of this photograph, as it freaks out and disturbs the viewer initially, in a way that isn't disgusting like a lot of horror effects and visuals. As this is simply surreal and makes us feel really intrigued about what exactly happened to the teenagers in this photograph. The way the faces of the 4 teenagers are the only parts of the image that are distorted, is really quite powerful in conveying that something very specific affected them all in a very psychological way. Aesthetically I like this because it really is quite striking to see this relatively small but impactful distortion, to this otherwise normal looking photograph. 

The colours in the photograph have a low saturation, which creates this cold and raw aesthetic to this image, which I think really adds to this surreal and disturbing effect, that it is intending to create. The framing of this image in relation to the film, is very effective in conveying the idea that this distortion has something to do with this cabin that the teenagers are in front of. The rule of thirds is used well in this image, to make sure the viewers eye does not stay focused on the teenagers, who could have been placed straight in the middle and that is all we would have likely paid attention to. This placing of the group of people slightly to the right, creates a diagonal path for our eyes to follow, which leads us up to this cabin, which is just as important in this image as the teenagers stood in front of it. The use of a higher aperture also helps do this as everything in the image is very much in focus and clear for us to see and identify.

Looking at this distorted image has made me think a lot more about possible experiments I could try with longer exposure times and the movement of a subject, to create a very distorted and unsettling effect.

I also decided to look at some film stills of the cursed tape, which is very much iconic to this film, as it circles around this video tape that curses those who watch it. The contents of this tape is a number of eerie and disturbing in some cases, clips that are broken up through the use of white noise, which creates this very haunting quality to the tape, as when the video clips finally stop, all the viewer is left with is this distressing white noise on the screen. 

All the colours in the video footage, like in the photograph are very desaturated in colour, creating a very raw and clinical effect to the visuals, which is a very common effect used in horror films to create this eerie and joyless mood, which really evokes a sense of emptiness onto the viewer. A good example of this effect is in the film Silent Hill, where pale colours are used with effects such as mist, to communicate the feeling of emptiness and abandonment that had occurred in this town, which is the main subject matter of the film. 

Visually what makes a lot of the visuals so effective for me, is this strong use of tone and composition. Despite being a lot of texture in some of the imagery, the composition and subject matter is still very minimal. This is because of the use of a high contrast, as dark shadows and bright white shades are used, meaning we look more at the form of the subject matter rather than the specific colours that are there.

The faceless girl we can see in the above still, is used throughout the cursed video and is very much iconic to this film. This use of anonymity in a very haunting way, is powerful in communicating this sense of powerlessness that the viewer in the film feels, as they witness themselves being thrown into this situation very much blind and intimidated by this faceless girl, therefore evoking these feelings onto us as a viewer, who tragically has to watch the person go through the experience, of watching this very disturbing tape with it's curse. For me as a visual, this still represents how something very simplistic and haunting, can make such a huge impact emotionally on a person experiencing and viewing a visual piece of work.

Looking at these stills with this faceless girl and the blurred photograph of the teenagers, has made me think about how I can use anonymity as a tool in my work, especially in terms of communicating something much deeper, than simply representing the subject matter of the image itself. 

Below are two stills from the cursed tape in which the visuals have particularly inspired me. The use of busy, monochromatic textures, are really impactful on the viewer and for me they really are thought provoking, in that they almost shut your senses off and make you think about something much deeper than what is in front of you. I think in terms of what I can apply from this to my own ideas, is how I could use this white noise, or something with a similar texture to communicate something very conceptual to a viewer, much deeper that the subject matter of the image itself. 

Looking at these film stills, has given me a lot of inspiration and ideas to think about for my final piece of work. Including the use of composition, anonymity and minimalism, to communicate a much more powerful and conceptual message, with a visual image. I've also come across this idea of using white noise and what it can communicate and the impact it has as a visual. I now want to look into how my current thoughts and ideas could be presented in a final piece of work and what exactly I could do with these ideas about light, movement and white noise.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/27527882/Film-Stills-Analysis#scribd
http://www.schuleplus.de/Englisch/films/filmanalysis-language.htm

Andy Denzler // Glitch Paintings

After looking at Angelica Garcia's Emptiness series of work I've been thinking a lot more about how I can use distortion in my work, and in terms of the word flicker I've also been thinking a lot about how computers and tv screens can flicker and glitch, and how I can translate those kinds of ideas into photography. So when I came across Andy Denzler's glitch paintings on The Creator's Project Blog, I was instantly inspired by his paintings that he created by forwarding and rewinding video tapes, that he would abruptly pause and then he would paint the result. I think the effect his paintings have with this glitched, caught in motion effect, are particularly surreal and thought provoking in this instant these figures are caught within, that really elicit a sense of emotion from them. 

Purple Leaves Fall Into The Water 2013

Above is one of my favourite pieces of Denzler's work that I have come across as I think the colors used are so mystical and calming, especially the plum shades which go beautifully with the other grey and blue tones in the image. I think this image is particularly interesting because the video tape effect that Denzler has created seems to have created movement that wasn't already there as the figure looks relatively still and looking down at something. To me these glitches across Denzler's work, really act as an emotional stimulus that the viewer can draw from, to gather their own ideas about his work. However for me personally these pieces make a comment on how memories, technology and even paintings do not last forever. Overtime things change and and moments do flicker and can disappear just as spontaneously as they occur or reappear. 

Through Denzler taking these images from old video tapes, and giving them a new existence in his paintings, he is really subverting mass media in a really poetic way, by extending the shelf life of these visuals that could disappear just as easily as new technologies and visuals are created. The effect of distortion in these paintings, also gives this really haunting and horror movie like quality to what could have been a very calm scene, had the effects of the video tape not been there. Personally I really like this effect, and it's made me think a lot more about how I can incorporates themes of horror and the more disturbing into my images, to make a comment on something social or political such as mass media, like Denzler has done with his paintings. 

From looking at Denzler's work, and coming to conclusions about distortion and more darker, but social messages, that can be communicated through an image. I now what to look at visuals from content such as horror movies, to find more influences and inspiration visually, to formulate ideas for my final piece.

http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/en_uk/blog/stuck-in-motion-with-slurred-glitch-paintings
http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671107/uncanny-oil-paintings-that-starkly-capture-freeze-framed-vhs-footage
http://www.ignant.de/2013/09/11/glitch-paintings-by-andy-denzler/

Angelica Garcia // Emptiness

Emptiness

"Everyday I lose you… time, You are like water that slips away from me. Presence. Moment. Movement. How can I do to show how you run from me? How can I show that even if I freeze you, then you aren't the same? How if I steal your essence, I don’t have you anyway? Strange presence… Emptiness."

Whilst searching for work on movement online, I came across an article on the art blog Ignant, on a series of work regarding movement and distortion by Angelica Garcia. I found it particular interesting due to the quote above, where she really states the premise behind this series, which is all about loneliness and emptiness and how memories change with time and the people within them change and our feelings towards those moments change. Which for a lot of people and clearly Garcia, is a very sad and emotional thing, that is a tragic part of life, that this series of work represents.

This series of images really brings together some of the ideas I've been looking at, as despite these being digital images, Garcia has printed them and manipulated them by hand and then rephotographed them. Because of this they really capture emotion in the same way Bacon did, in his portraits, with these painted on movements, that personally I find really poetic and heartbreaking, when you think about the photographer's conceptual ideas behind this piece and relate them to your own life. 

Above is my favourite piece from this series as I think the effect Garcia has created is so intricate and dreamy, and I love these pops of saturated colour, which really remind me of effects you can create on VSCO Cam which I find so aesthetically pleasing. For me this photograph makes me think about people I've known who've changed or done something in a negative way to taint my thoughts about them, and how you can still be presented with the same person you've once known but they can be so different in how they are and how you perceive them. I think the fluid movement in the image, is also key in conveying this as the figure seems trapped in this whirlwind, which to me connotates with feelings of destruction and negativity, which psychologically the memory represented may provide, really evoking the feelings of emptiness that Garcia is aiming to represent with this work. I suppose I've connected with work like this so much because I do find the images so emotionally captivating and they really provide a whole new perspective of looking at a piece of artwork. 

Looking at this technique and the ideas behind the distortion in this work, has really made me think more about this form of movement and the possible conceptual ideas behind using methods like this, and even creating a more abstract series of work such as this. At this point I definitely want my final piece to be conceptually and emotionally strong. I really like the idea of conveying a social message with my work and looking at these pieces has really given me some ideas to think about, in particular to do with time and change. 

http://www.ignant.de/2014/03/28/emptiness-by-angelica-garcia/

http://www.theartfuldesperado.com/photography-by-angelica-garcia/

Francis Bacon // Blurry Portraits

I've always been interested in art and artists and regularly visit galleries and exhibitions. I was looking at books in the library the other day and came across a book called, "Bacon: Portraits and Self-Portraits". I was drawn to it because the portrait on the cover had this movement to it that made me think about the Gary Schneider work I've been looking at. I've since found even more portraits in this book that I like, and have researched the ideas behind Bacon's portraits to gather ideas from them that I can apply and take inspiration from for my own work. 

Three Studies For A Self Portrait 1979 - 80

"I loathe my own face... I've done a lot of self-portraits, really because people have been dying around me like flies and I've nobody else left to paint but myself."

Francis Bacon's paintings were inspired by surrealism and work by Picasso. His work is particularly emotive and raw, reflecting his resentful existence and the confusion and anxiety that filled his life. As you can see in the quote above, Bacon really despised his own appearance, and used his self portraiture to reflect the tragedy happening in his personal life. I think the use of movement that he has created with his brush strokes, is particularly powerful in reflecting his emotions of sadness, and feelings of loss and hopelessness.

The above triptych really stands out to me as a series of self portraits, as I find it really emotionally captivating, and personally it really makes me feel really hopeless and unable to help him in these clearly tragic circumstances, he appears to be suspended in. Which is shown through this particularly deep void of negative space, he has created with black paint around him. This tight framing of his face, where the top of his head goes past the top of the paper, gives this feeling of entrapment and restriction, which to me is a metaphor for not feeling like you can escape from your problems, especially when they are all circulating in your head all the time.

The way these three paintings have been put together, gives the impression of a camera panning around his face, which to me may be Bacon expressing his feelings of pain even further, by showing that these feelings follow him everywhere, and that he feels he has no where to turn. In terms of the movement here, I find it interesting that the use of movement is more used to distort his appearance, then shift his entire face, which I think is powerful in showing how something can make such an impact on you as a person psychologically and the way you project and carry yourself.

Looking at Bacon's portraits has inspired me to think more about how movement can be used in photography, and to think more about distortion and how that kind of movement in an image can be used to convey emotional meaning. 

http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/489966
http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/portraits/francis_bacon.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bacon_(artist)

Gary Schneider // Heads

After looking at Wolfgang Tillman's work on abstraction and movement, I decided to look for more inspiration in my book, "Why It Does Not Have To Be In Focus: Modern Photography Explained". In particular the section on abstract photography, where I came across a piece called "Shirley", by Gary Schneider. I was particularly drawn to his work because you get such a sense of character from these portraits, despite being still images. I also find the technique in which these were created really unique, as Schneider exposed his shutter for 10 minutes, in a pitch black room, while his subject's remained completely still as he traced their faces with a small torch. Doing this technique reveals something really interesting within these subjects, and despite how surreal the images look, this is made even more so, in that way that the subjects almost look blind and lost in this situation, which is obviously very uncomfortable for them. To me this series makes a rebellious comment on what modern day portraiture has become and really shows how the way someone moves, is a lot more defining of them as I person, rather than a quick glamourised portrait photograph.

Shirley

This above image, is my favourite from Gary Schneider's Heads series, entitled Shirley, who is the subject of the portrait. I particularly like this image above, to the others in this series because I think the glasses that the subject is wearing, brings a whole new level to this image, which I find really interesting. To me it offers this idea about perspective and how someone sees the world. For example this light we can see in the glasses, created by Schneider's torch, reveals to us this new dimension to the image, in what the subject has in front of them. It also to me looks like some formation of storm clouds, which evokes these ideas about how someone can perceive the world around them, and how their feelings and their outlook on the world, that forms in their conscience, mentally can effect everything they perceive around them.

This dark surrounding behind the subject also gives a really intimate feel to this image and really makes us feel like we are seeing into this person's head and way of thinking. For me this use of a long exposure time of 10 minutes, creating a soft blur of movement, where the subject has moved slightly, really allows the viewer to get much more of a sense of the subject and get much more emotionally from this image. To me there is something really haunting about the way the subject looks blind, as they are suspended in these ten minutes. It really gives you a lot to think about in response to this image, which is why both visually and conceptually I think these photographs from Schneider are so effective, and are really going to inspire my future work, not just in this project but my processes and aims as a photographer in general.

This conceptual work has really inspired me to put a lot of thought into the ideas behind my work and why I choose certain methods of image making. I now really like the idea of doing something with movement in my work but would like to explore more ways of creating movement, and the comments it can make and bring artistically, and conceptually to my future work. 

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2004/03.11/13-schneider.html

Kelly O'Connor

Kelly O'Connor creates collages influenced by her own memories, fantasy and pop culture using media such as printed photos and colorful shapes which she layers to create super psychedelic and surreal scenes. These mythological scenes Kelly creates are to challenge these western cultural ideals that we get through pop culture facades that we readily embrace. I really like Kelly O'Connor's work and the meanings behind it, I especially love her use of colourful geometric shapes on top of old photos which I think creates a really vivid contrast as shapes like this remind me of of futuristic set designs from the old Doctor Who series.

In the series of work entitled Post Utopia Kelly O'Connor takes a more introspective approach to her work taking images from an area of Yellowstone she visited as a child. Judy Garland as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz features in the majority of these pieces and acts as O'Connors alter ego. O'Connor likes using figures such as Judy Garland as in their iconic role they provide such artificial joy when in reality their lives were quite tragic. This again is O'Connor exposing the duality of public facades which she explains that her work to a great extent is all about in her artist statement. 

For me O'Connor's intricate collages are not just a thing of beauty but are also so intriguing and purposeful. I've never appreciated collage so much and I think the way she creates such mystical and eery scenes is really powerful in conveying her message about pop culture in our society.

Looking at Kelly O'Connor's work has inspired me to create some more collages using themes of pop culture, shapes and to be more purposeful in what social messages my work can convey.

The first collage I made includes this iconic photo of Mia Wallace from the Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction holding a cigarette in her hand. I created this with expressing my feelings towards smoking in mind and also used an old cigarette advert and image of the respiratory system to juxtapose one another. For me this collage represents what influences smoking which are the companies that produce the products and advertise them, health professionals who tell people to quit smoking and more social factors like people we see on television looking cool while holding a cigarette. I also used a piece of brown paper to create some negative space under my image of the lungs, this picture could of filled the whole space but I thought adding this negative space communicates the feeling that the large corporations are still making just as much money at the expense of the general public's health. 

After playing around with colours in my Davis Ayer inspired images I decided to try the same with my collages by playing around with the vibrancy to see the effect it has on the image. 

I particularly like this effect as it merges all the elements together nicely and gives a more surreal feel to the piece.

In my next collage I took a little bit more inspiration from Kelly O'Connor and chose an iconic character from one of my favourite films American Beauty. Angela Hayes really represents a very common character figure which is the high school mean girl who thinks they are better than everyone else. I created elements around Angela to create this imaginary world behind her, which people seem to be in at this time of their lives when they tend to be still be quite naive and still don't have to take on the responsibilities of real life. I cut out some hexagons inspired by O'Connor's wide use of geometric shapes, drew some obscure looking plant shapes, and used an image of space and the stars for the background and stuck some foil down and pressed circles into it to create some texture. 

Again I have played with the vibrancy of this image to create an Angela Hayes green with envy and giving more of a mystical feel to her surroundings.

I found this image of Jesus in an old Bible and decided I had to do something with it. I'd printed off a few images of cigarette type adverts for my collage with Mia Wallace and though it would be ironic to make Jesus endorse safety matches. I decided to press brown paint into circles on this image to take away the detail on the centre of the packaging and create some texture and I then stuck my image of Jesus over the top. I just find this little collage humorous because of the way he has his hand out to take you in creating an ironically emotive feel with this product. 

For my next collage I decided to try using a photo I had taken of my sister rather than a recognizable figure. I personally like being more minimal with collage and this is my personal favourite as I really like the way I put the elements of the collage together.

I also decided to play with the vibrancy of these photos which I think created some really interesting effects.

I also decided to photocopy my original collage to see what I could do with it. I decided to fill in the circles with brightly coloured oil pastels and painted the background in. I also put white chalk over my subject and rubbed it in to create a really grungy, worn look to the image. 

I really enjoyed producing these experiments and really like how they turned out. Doing this has made me think about more about different forms of image making and how I can use collage techniques in my future work. 

Inspired By Davis Ayer

American photographer Davis Ayer uses analogue photography to create beautifully unique photos making great use of double exposure techniques to give a really mystical vibe to his work. Ayer's photos have a psychedelic use of colour created through light leaks, solar flare and other manipulations that really has given Ayer a recognizable style to his work. His subject matter mainly features women in obscure poses in surroundings such as foliage, and a lot of his work is also taken around the Mexican desert and in desolate places which really creates this mystical mood along with the use of lower lit settings which to me looks like Ayer makes a lot of use out of the golden hour to

give more of a soft and hazy appearance to his photos in terms of lighting. 

The image above is one of my favourites of Ayers despite being less bright and vivid like some of his more popular work. I just think this photo looks so effortlessly pretty with the use of shadows and the tiny little scratches on the photo which to me really adds texture to this image. I can't tell if this photo was taken through a window with a reflection of the outside or whether Ayer has created a double exposure which he often does. Either way Ayer has managed to create a really eery mood to what I think is really pretty subject matter. I also find this image very intriguing in the way the girl is covering her eyes but it appears to be dusk rather than sun shining in her eyes. Maybe she is stood inside with her coat on waiting for the daylight to go. The girl also looks quite young so the image may be a comment from Ayers about how teens are today, a rather poetic one if it is I must say.

Ayer's use of double exposures and colour has inspired me to experiment creating my own vibrant double exposures digitally with some of the photos I have taken in the past year.

Before

After

For this image I took a photo of my sister that I took in the summer and put it over one of my street photography photos of a factory in Colne. I decided to lower the contrast as Ayers photos appear to a lower contrast to add to the hazy effects he achieves in his images. I also added chemical burn effects to all of my experiments and played with the vibrancy of colours to achieve the more mystical colours that Ayer uses in his work. 

Before

After

Before

After - 1

After - 2

This is my favourite from my experiments as I think I managed to create a really mystical feel to this image. I also like how the two photos interact with one another as if my subject is touching the firework.

Before

After

Through conducting these experiments I've developed my own digital editing skills and found a new way of manipulating images in a style I really like. Now I would like to try creating double exposures in dark room and experiment more with adding texture to film photography.

Helena Almeida

(Above) Work by Yves Klein

Portuguese artist Helena Almeida is well known for her self portrait work in which she photographed herself using analogue black and white photography and applied paint cleverly over the image to create a narrative. She always uses the same shade of blue very much like that used in monochromatic work created by Yves Klein, which some people believe has something to do with her protesting at Yves Klein's house in the 70's against the objectification of women in his artwork. As in one of her pieces shown on the top right she appears to be eating the shade of blue which is a colour that was very much dominated by Yves Klein in the art world. 

Almeida's work is very much a private exploration of her own craft in breaking the confines of the 2 dimensional artistic canvas. This is shown through the used of mixed media and how the two communicate with one another which is what really draws me to Almeida's work. It just feels like such an emotive form of personal expression to me and her hopeless expressions not only act as a form of physical liberation but also reveal a great deal of emotion drawn from living in Portugal under the dictatorship of Antonio Salazar and his right winged regime, which inspired many artists such as Helena Almeida living in Portugal at that time. 

This image is one of my favourites from Almeida's work as I find it incredibly emotionally captivating. In the image we see Aleimda looking at her self in a mirror with this expression of hopelessness on her face. At first I thought she was intending to give the impression of painting herself from the view of her inner negative voice, hence the look on her face. But after looking at it longer I realised that the paint is being used here as a eraser as if she is painting over her own face to hide it. The interesting thing to me about this image is that she appears to be painting over the person in the image we would usually assume to be the real person and not the reflection. It makes me quite dizzy to think about but because the reflection is scribbling over the real person then maybe she isn't real, however now the viewpoint is reversed we as the viewers are being made into the reflection, meaning we therefore inhabit the painting and not Almeida. This labyrinth of thoughts created by this image is what I love about Almeida's work so much. That what can seem a very minimal image can create so much narrative and intrigue. 

Inspired by Almeida's technique I decided to print some of my own images and paint over them, in an attempt to create a new narrative to my images and change the tone of them.

The paint I used was not completely opaque creating an interesting effect as you can still make out some of the detail in the image behind it but I do feel they lack the striking contrast that Almeida's images have. I experimented with brush strokes and how they can interact with my subject matter

The image above was the result of making my paint very wet and painting over one side and then turning the paper over to reveal this very grainy and vintage looking image which I really like.

Through doing these experiments I have discovered an interesting technique of image making that I would like to take further in my future experiments, I especially want to try using paint more as I really enjoyed getting more arty with my image manipulations.