Photoshoot 7: Surrealism Ghost Location Portraiture: Straight Images -

Photoshoot 7: Straight Images - 

Ghosts and Memories:

The image directly above is somewhat too dark and as such the subject is obscured. Although, the possible issue outlined above could be understood as an attempted aesthetic choice to create an atmosphere that well relates to style of dark surrealism. 

The outcome of this photograph is also relatively dark as flash was not used. The reasoning for this is because the use of the flash in this environment emphasised the mist and fog which can be seen in the below image but the continued aesthetic throughout would not have made for a dynamic shoot. 

This image is variant from those above in that it utilises the flash and its effect on the mist to create an eerie atmosphere in which the eye is automatically taken to the central subject in accordance with the rule of thirds compositional grid. Additionally, this image is an example of good clarity with the background not distracting from the subject but serving to exaggerate it further. 

This photograph is effective in that it combines both the dark background with the flash lit mist which thus frames the subject within the photograph by adding silhouetted figures of the trees. The model is also extremely centralised which plays with the idea of balance and composition. 

This image is interesting due to the combination of flash lit fog and a lighter landscape. The fog is captured in circles around the lens creating a frost like effect. However, the lighting in the background, which was an attempt to utilise the setting to create a more dynamic photograph, distracts and draws the eye away from the main subject. Also, the use of flash meant that the setting reflected a large amount of light detracting from the atmosphere of the final outcome. 

The above photograph is an example of experimentation within the field of surrealism. The items placed in the foreground proved to be somewhat aesthetically distracting from the poetic lone figure of the other images although they did have a purpose. The idea behind the props was that the anonymous figure is reflected in the empty photo frames which are often used to capture images of family and friends and memories shared with them. The taxidermy butterfly is a symbol of transition and resurrection but also of a delicate balance between life and death; all of which theoretically link well to the concept of a ghost and forgotten memories.

Square Versions of Select Few: