Not only were the outfits almost the same, smoking, drinking and violence was a huge part of Film Noir. In all of the Noir Films there would always be a male dressed in such and most likely smoked/drank alcohol as doing this was the typical 'cool trend' at the time.
As for the woman, they were mostly dressed to look 'sexy' or 'attractive.' In Noir Films, you'd never see a woman in trousers or shorts as back in that time, the way to determine someone as a woman is if they wore a dress or a skirt. Their hair was also similar, it would be short and curled at the end. They may also wear heavy make up to make them seem more attractive. These woman in Film Noir are known as 'Femme Fatale.'
I was inspired by many photos and screen shots from late Noir Films. They helped improve my photography as they shown me the type of lighting they used to create certain affects as well as the clothing style, and objects you will be most likely to find in the background. The images also helped me choose a range of angles I could use to improve my images.
Here are some examples of the photos I looked at:
Lighting for Film Noir proved quite difficult. There are many different lighting techniques one could use to give their photo a Film Noir effect, but I decided to just use a torch and natural lighting as the torch was easier to transport rather than a redhead, studio or backing light. In most Noir Films the light is being reflected, but to save time I was unable to do this and just had to work with what I got. Originally, I should of used a redhead light, backing light and then light for the shadows. Due to time this wasn't possible to get all the equipment.
As for my ideas for my photography, it didn't go as planned. Though I still managed to take usable photos I believe that if I was given more time and booked the right equipment out in time, I would be able to create exact replicas of the photos I got inspired from and was planning to recreate from the beginning. However, the photos I took still correspond with Film Noir and can still get the task done.
There was many considerations I had to take into account when taking and making the final image. While taking the images I had to consider the safety of me, my model(s) and the camera, especially when out of the college grounds. One of the most important things I had to consider was the use of props, clothes and lighting as they are key features in Film Noir. I had to provide my model with the correct attire in order to achieve better photos. Locations were also taken into consideration as I didn't want to take photos in some where modern as it would ruin the Film Noir theme. I wanted to chose locations where you can barely see the background at all, or at least looks urban and old city like. This is to make the images look more as if they were taken in the 1940's-1950's.
When editing my photos, I had to use Photoshop to change the colour, add additional effects and add the writing.
Although they do not match my original images, they still make good covers that fit in well with Film Noir.
My tests shots helped me chose a perfect angle that draws in the eye and sells the product. After looking through them it showed me where the best lighting was in the area and how I need to hold the camera.
Thanks to the test shots, I know more about how to control the ISO and some other modes on the camera to achieve better results with my photos.
When it came to editing, I firstly have to go to 'Image', 'Adjustments' then 'Black and White' to make my images look like they're taken in the 1940's. I mostly used the Curved tool on Photoshop to darken shadows and to lighten key features like the face. This tool came in handy for when my shots were either too dark or too bright.
I used a gradient tool in most corners of my photos to help the black blend in with the photo. When changing the opacity, it created a even tone leading up to the lighter backgrounds.
I had to use a website called 'DaFont' to get my fonts. I cropped the image and used the wand tool to get rid of the white background on the fonts then re-sized them to how i wanted, using the gradient too l behind the fonts to help them stand out if the background was too dark.
I also had to take age ratings (ect) off Google to make my covers look genuine and more realistic.
If I was to re do this project, I would take more time taking my photos and gathering the proper lighting I will need to use to complete my photography to the best of my ability. I would also make sure to take more test shots so I can get as close to my original idea as possible, as well as looking at locations prior to choosing the images.
I would also make sure that I have the correct equipment and props ahead of time to assure that I get the images looking as close to Film Noir as I possibly can.
I learned a lot from this assignment. For example, I learned how to change the ISO correctly to match the lighting in the area which I am taking the photos. I also found out what lighting creates what effect.
In my opinion, my final results do not match my proposal at all. This is probably because I did not spend as much time looking for the proper locations as well as not getting the proper props in time. if I was to spend more time finding the right locations and provide myself with the right lighting, I could most likely achieve my proposal.
No comments:
Post a Comment