Photoshoot 8: Cut and Paste Old and New Juxtapositions: Straight Images -

Photoshoot 8: Straight Images - 

Juxtapositions:

 

1:

This image is the first dissection edit that I completed and is less exaggerated than some of the others as it drew direct inspiration from John Stezaker unlike the below photographs where I used more experimentation with my own ideas.

To improve this photographic montage I could have ensured that the lighting in the studio matched or closely replicated that of the original photograph to create a more cohesive yet still surreal juxtaposition of images. Additionally, this could also have been done in Photoshop to brighten the secondary layer to more closely adapt a pastiche of the original image. 

The above photograph is the secondary edit of image one which is more of my own ideas and a combination of John Stezaker's technique with the aesthetic of Lucas Simoes. The geometric joining of the photographs works well in that the images are well aligned, with the eyes matching, but reveal enough of each layer to create a dynamic final outcome.

Although, to improve upon this image I would adapt the lighting to more aptly match the base layer photograph. For instance, the below images with various hue and saturation layers such as sepia or a blue overlay had the secondary layer images edited to match the aesthetic of the original. This would be a step to take to improve this photograph to achieve a better final outcome. 

2:

The above image is a photographic outcome that is inspired by John Stezaker with the combination of two portraits, one old, and one of my own.

However, this is one of my lesser favourites in that the alignment is somewhat off centre, the scale is sightly different and the background is distracting from the subject. Moreover, the other images were edited using Photoshop so that the colourisation was similar between the two images to form a cohesive yet juxtapositional final outcome. This is seen in the below photograph in that the blue hue was increased in my photographs to match the polaroid image; this technique was not employed with this image and as such is less effective. 

3:

The image seen above is within the stylistic frame of John Stezaker but is also adapted to fit my own ideas such as the use of old family photographs and my own images captured from within a different time frame. This image is very effective in the poses of the subjects matching closely to those of the original which made the Photoshop editing process easier.

Despite this, this image could easily be improved by focusing more closely on the layering and the scale used. For example whilst the change of scale helps to provide a secondary surreal element to the final image it also detracts from the cohesive nature which is exemplified in the photographic outcome of image 1. Moreover, the ratio of layer distribution is off and as such there is too much of the secondary layer, my new photographs, covering the older image.

4:

The above photograph is successful in the careful consideration of scale and similarities needed between the shoots to create a cohesive link that works well as a juxtaposition simultaneously. Additionally, the deterioration of the primary image aids the aesthetic of the final layered outcome; one main factor being the ripped corner but more subtly the cracks in the base photograph which are not replicated in the second layer.

In contrast though, the secondary layer is too prominent when compared to the older photographic image and this could be amended using Photoshop to either fade the secondary layer or instead, the preferred method, would be to remove more of the second layer specifically focusing on the face.

5:

This image is successful in that the compositional difficulties of replicating the original images layout was done using five models posing which I then separated in Photoshop and edited individually. Furthermore, the align ment of layers and utilisation of effects allowed me to create the cohesive image where both layers were also of a sepia colourisation that made the photographic layers the juxtapositions opposed to more blatant contrasts such as colour.

Although, more elements of the secondary layer could be utilised to ensure that the technique is employed throughout the complete main sections of the image instead of focusing mostly in the top half of the image.

6:

This final photograph is successful as the images fit so well together that the layers appear almost merged with one another and create a final outcome that works as a cohesive yet mentally jarring image which creates a surrealist conflict within a viewers mind. Additionally, the compositional decision to leave one subject untouched was to ensure that the image was still accessible and understandable as a composite collage.

Consequently though, the decision to leave one subject untouched could result in the image being seen as separate to all of the previously mentioned images. Despite this, the use of technique, style and colourisation ensure that these images work well as a corpus of images within one photoshoot.