Shoot Four - Overview Essay

Shoot Four:

In this shoot I wanted to create abstract images using only a pepper, I wanted the viewer to not be able to guess what the object might be. I chose to conduct my shoot in this manor to show how an everyday fruit (pepper) can be transformed into different things, or be seen entirely differently to what it actually is, likewise to Nadege Meriau. I used the technique of macro photography, using a macro camera in order to get extremely close to the pepper, to make it harder for the viewer to tell what the objet was as a whole. I also used a tripod to control the camera, and reduce and shaking in the frame, as this would have made a vast difference as I was so close to the pepper. I also used a light meter to measure my lighting, and I used studio lights to light up my pepper effectively. 

I was inspired by Edward Weston, as he shot his images of various vegetables in a studio, his images are not entirely abstract but they do cause the viewer to look at the object differently to how they would have before. Moreover, I took inspiration from him to convert my images into black and white, in order to highlight the different tones and textures within the image itself.
Nadege Meriau also inspired my heavily as she photographed images of organic objects in the studio, turning them into a new image/environment in themselves. Nadege's images are extremely abstract and don't look like the object they actually are. In my images I used Nadege's technique of being close-up to the object in order to create ambiguity within my own images, I believe this worked within my images as they are extremely abstract. 

I photographed the images for this shoot in the college studio, I used a soft box, back lights, a table top, tripod, camera, reflector and a light meter in order to capture my images.  I am happy with the overall outcome of this shoot as the pepper doesn't look like a pepper in the photographs, it appears to be something else which was my main aim. I took inspiration from Weston to convert my images into black and white, and inspiration from Nadege in order to get up really close to the object, to create ambiguity in what it was. 

In my next shoot (shoot five) I will use the technique of multiple exposure to combine images of nature and people, to create one final image showing how us as humans and nature can work together, also to demonstrate how we are 'made up' of nature, and it helps us to survive.