Concealment
Camouflage
Optical illusion
Secrets
Lies
DISGUISE?
Disortion?
Dark lighting/ half the face and body hidden
These shots that I experimented with in the studio look at extremely dark and moody lighting. I was really aiming for the subject to be emerging out of the darkness and I love the shadow that forms across her face. We are only seeing elements of her body and features and it is all about her eyes- we get a real sense of who she is just from that- even with a lot of her being hidden in the blackness.
The idea of dropping/ emerging in darkness works with her dark hair and pale complection. There is something rather eerie partiularly about the shot with her eyes shut- there is an interesting glow forming around her head. Everything else is unseen.
Scans from sketchbook
Have compiled various images/ notes/ sketches etc as I go along. Like to have a book handy to work in and then compile on here.
Just exploring the various forms of HIDDEN
Looking into images, making notes etc
I’m in to very theatrical looks so really like the idea of masks and costume etc concealing someones identity.
Like how these images are quite surreal. There is an element of hidden within them.
The natural image of something being hidden by distortion- eerie.
Exploring a location
Whilst walking around Bath found many locations that was not familiar with in all my 13 years of living in this area. This was very interesting and sentimental for me as these locations felt like they were from another place entirely- you just wouldn’t have thought you were in the middle of a city. I think that is the beauty of Bath.
This little sketch and photography were just exploring the place where I live and the loveliness of it. Thinking how two years ago I had no idea this hidden gem was here.
Physical hiding the face, hiding behind hands
Quick drawing with wax crayons! 
Looking at the idea of hiding the face, how a lot of emotion are in the features and expressions. How is it when the emotions are hidden? How do we read someone’s body language. Love some of these images are very interesting regarding composition. I particularly like the image where the child is covering their face with a leaf. It is almost like replacing something very complex with some completely different and muc more simple. We lose the eyes and they way they may communicate- most of all we lose the mouth which is the key to communication.
From hidden features etc it took me to hidden emotions and how we don’t always know everything about a person from the exterior. We don’t know what they may be feeling etc. Some of these examples look at the idea of self harm, eating disorders and general depression- focussing on how these are visually represented but also exploring how these problems are hidden and people do perfect ways of disguising issues.
I always remember this sequence from Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums. It looks at a very unhappy and confused individual who shuts him self away and rather casually slits his wrists. It is difficult to analyse as I myself don’t have experience with this but it is a strange sequence that shows him closing the door on the others (who seem quite unawares). It is very nicely put together.
Interesting shot- obviously not very pleasant but I love the symmetry in the film. This is one of the many examples and is the prime moment in the bathroom sequence.
HIDDEN EMOTIONS
Very keen to go with this idea- looking at the ways in which we hide emotions and in particular people with personal, emotional issues.
Not opening up
COMPRESSING
I know that I would like to persue photography and perhaps film for this project and I also know that with this theme I think it needs to go rather symbolic.
Inspiring visuals in video and photography…
Interesting and surreal- I really like the effects and the focus on geometric shapes throughout.
Can visualise my piece being a little darker-this (I suppose for the purpose of the fashion) is against a white backdrop.
More work by Andersen M
Love some of the intricate stop- frame pieces, in particular:
A Map Comes to Life
There are some very lovely shots – I really like the panning around the little house. It s lit up with the use of a lamp inside.
Really like the shadows and lighting in this shot
Opening to Bright Young Things
I find inspiration in this opening sequence mainly because of the red filter. I also really like the effect the blurred spots of light have under the credits. There is something rather trippy and surreal about it which is reflecting the narrative.
More sketchbook scans- focussing on HIDDEN EMOTIONS
MASKING IT 
Quick play with images of masks- various emotionless faces, hiding behind something else
SYMBOLISM/ METAPHOR
More sketchbook images concerning Hidden Emotions- looking at less obvious ways of showing the idea and hiding problems/ emotions.
For my idea I am very keen to focus on parts of the body and how we can hide. These images all capture for me interesting composition.
IMAGINATION- Escaping to a different place
Stills from The Virgin Suicides- find this an inspirational film/ story as it is all about emotions and tying to live with grief and difficulty.
I like the idea of showing two opposing feelings
Bright/ golden/ positive
Dark/ grey/ unhappy
Which one do we hide? Are positive happy memories stored away somewhere? OR are we keeping real feelings from everybody else.
Hidden- The Ideas
Hiding an emotion,
Symbolic- wrists wrapped in red ribbon, clasped hands
*Bright sunny day, CONTRAST- touching on the idea inspired by the Virgin Suicide images- dream likes (all is well in appearance at first etc?)
*BIT OBVIOUS? More abstract
TRY AND CAPTURE A REFLECTION???
Bit of graphic image from Cindy Sherman but I like the fact we only see in the person in the reflection of the glasses. Would really like to persue a similar idea with reflection and/or
a very quick insight into the person.
HOLDING IN
Part of emotional issues/feelings/ problems is the holding in and hiding. My quick sketches look at the external effects of the feelins for example
clenching fists- strain- feeling on helplessness and stress
Wringing of hands- uneasy, worry/ anxiety etc
What about the opposite of this?? - not giving away, HIDING
Photographic Experiments
Ideas surrounding the theme of hidden emotions.
Thoughts concerning low mood, anger etc OR hidden problems.
There seems to be elements of SELF-HARM coming through but this isn’t really what I was aiming for.
It is more the dark feelings/ unhappy moments that people can experience so QUIETLY
These experiments are very heavily edited but for me they are TRIALS before I tackle the real thing with photography methods.
I will consider the:
LOCATION
LIGHTING
ANY COLOURING
COMPOSITION
MODEL
For me they red ribbon could represent self-harm etc OR the way it is tied around the wrists and they are pulling apart could imply feeling trapped or over coming with dark emotion.
I completely wacked up the contrast in this image to very quickly create the black background. I did like the metallic effect that seemed to show through. HOWEVER when actually trying out this idea I will use the:
Studio, Black background, Honey comb defuser on the lamp.
I want to create a very mood scene with the main colours being the red and the black. I want everything behind total darkness.
Again playing with that idea of either self-harm or compressed and constrained emotional issues/ feelings. This time I went for a very LIGHT approach. Again I upped the contrast for my personal experiment. If I was to take this idea further I would use the:
Studio, white background, to get that really white effect light the back ground seperate from the model. Bring the model right to the foreground so I can then light them.
OR
Get the model positioned in front of the white background- very close- maybe edit afterwards and boost the colour of the ribbon.
I love how with this image the red is SO deep and looks wonderful against the white.
I have the hands clasped as if containing something between them.
This as a photo is entirely effective as it was a very quick snapshot in an inappropriate location. I do however like like the blurred focus with the ribbon becoming a large red blob
To get the idea of this shot across I took it in front of a window.
Upped the contrast to create the pure white- would take a similar approach if doing this in the studio to the other bright white image.
This one does seem much more geared towards the self harm image and the stereotypical view of it. What I did want to consider was the contrast of the bright red with the pureness of the skin- the hand, the arm and the bare knees.
Looking at red ribbon around the neck. Redness of the lips and the dark pink in the background. Against the whites of the straps and the door behind. With the shadow creeping down the side of the face and neck I do like this experiment. In a way the straps frame the shoulders and neck however it also looks odd and unattractive.
The red neck could be slef-harm or strangled by the inability to talk about issues.
This led me on to covering the mouth entirely. Unable to speak about it- the problem remaining hidden.
Everything else is very simple in the composition. I quite like the accidental white and dark pink in the background either die of the face. It gives an impression of light and dark and the conflicting ideas of happiness/ worry or the negative/positives of telling someone.
More experiments with the image of covered mouth- trying out the eyes showing and the image with a brighter look. In a similar vain the Cindy Sherman I tried working with a very small reflection which is the only insight into the person in the image. With these various shots I laid out coloured fabric and objects to reflect the mood and then just showed the eyes/ lips etc of the person in the reflection of the little mirror. I experimented with the focus and softened out all of the reds to just leave the face sharp. Opposite experiment with the focus. Trying with the eyes closed. In this image it is about the colour and the very small feature of the face looking back. However with the red even though it could be protrayed as anger or negative thoughts it could also been seen as love or lust- there are often associations with that colour and those more positive of feelings or even something like ‘sin’ etc. It has different connotations for different people. I then went on to experiment with a grey instead. I find great seems to represent depression and low feelings more in my mind. I also quite like how the eyes and nose are the only features you see. With the previous there was a hint of hair and this gave more insight into the figure. In this we only know their eye colour. Even less with just the one eye. The other did hold more expression however. This is more of a look. But I quite like how odd and eerie it looks with this one eye amongst the grey. Different again with the mouth instead of the eyes. Quite like how this is a little more sensual with the lips. I’m also pleased with the look if the greys in the main part and then the bleak and muted tones of the lips and skin. I think it adds to that unhappy, unhealthy look. Sleepy Hollow In thinking about contrast between white and red I couldn’t help being reminded of this shot from Sleepy Hollow. It is a very syymbolic sequence that sees a little child finding his mother murdered. The white surrounding the door is a church- everything is white- floor, walls, chairs and everything apart from the door and the long, thin carpet leading up to it. The murdered woman is behind this door and we are shown this flashback a number of times before what lies behind it is revealed. Even though it develops into quite a grusome scene I really like the symbolism of something negative waiting behind it and also the symmetry of the shot.
Reflection
RED & WHITE CONTRAST Inspirational shot
