Photography

Look at the following photos and identify the different elements the photographer has used to construct the shot.

Next, think about what is being connoted through the use of the technical elements.

We’ll do the first one together....

Image Analysis

AS Media Studies 2009

Technical Codes:

Shot type

Camera angle

Composition & Framing

Symbolic Codes / Mise-en-Scene:

Costume / clothing

Body language / facial expressions

Location

ColourConnotations of these

Connotations of these

Genre – how do you know? How is the image

appealing to the target audience?

How are the people that are featured being represented?

Does this conform to dominant ideology?

Image Analysis

Photography

For you main magazine project you will need to produce your own photos

You will need to use at least 4 images in your final project

You will need to plan your photo shoot to ensure your photographs will look right and that you make the most of your time

Your photographs must fit the style of your magazine

You can take photos of friends and family but think carefully if they have the right ‘look’ for your project. You might need to find models or find appropriate costumes. (Facebook group might help you here)

Photography

Key things to consider:

Shot type Camera angleComposition & framing (portrait / landscape)

Mise-en-scene:Costume / clothingBody language / facial expressionsLocationColourLighting

Who

You will need people to be in your photographs.

Think about who would be willing to let you take their photograph.

The person you take pictures of might need to wear something different to usual or have make-up or props. Think about where you will get these from.

To gain the higher marks and give your work a more professional look you need to make sure that the models look ‘right’.

Most magazines will feature more than one artist so take pictures of more than one person. This is especially important for contents pages.

Where

The location for your photo shoot is important.

Think about the photography in the type of magazine you are making and where it is taken.

You might be able to find suitable locations around college or you might need to go further away to get the pictures you need.

If you need or want to use a room in college then it will have to be booked so you need to plan ahead.

Think about the composition of your shot. What you leave out is just as important as what you leave in.

When

Planning a day for your photographs to be taken is important but so is the time you take them.

Will you need the location you use to be light or do you want it to be dark when you take the photographs?

The weather is not good at the moment so you need to think about how this might affect your plans.

Also the time of day could affect how many people are moving around the location, especially in college. Think ahead so you don’t waste time.

How

Look closely at the photography in your chosen magazines and think about the composition and the mise en scene.

Make sure you have plans for the shots you want based on the style of the magazine you are making.

Draw up the shots first and make sure you stick to them. Take reference material if you need it.

Get all the shots you planned for first and then any extra time can be used to experiment.

Terms

Some terms you could use to describe the photography in your magazine to help you explain what you are trying to achieve:

Candid/Naturalistic: Photographs that are not obviously posed

Posed: Photographs that have been posed for

Live: Photographs that involve the band/artist performing

Studio: Photographs taken in a photography studio

High key: Photographs which are very bright overall

Low key: Photographs which are dark overall

Terms

Colourful: Photographs which contain a lot of colour

Monochromatic: Photographs which contain only one colour or are black and white

Busy: Photographs that are busy contain lots of visual information

Passive: Photographs which contain limited visual information

MCU – medium close up

MLS – medium long shot

CU - close up

LS – long shot

MS – mid shot

ELS – extra long shot

Composition

• The composition of an image is simply what it is made up of. An image will display a series of objects or people, and when referring to its composition we look at their arrangement within the picture.

• Often we infer meaning through two objects relationship with each other:

• Is one depicted as larger? • More central? • How much space is there surrounding the objects?• Is one in the foreground / background?

The Rule of Thirds

• Images are usually composed around the 'rule of thirds'. The rule of thirds divides the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically.

• The points where the vertical and horizontal lines cross are said to be aesthetically pleasing spots to place subjects or to have perspective lines converge

Depth of fieldThe distance through which elements in an image are in sharp focus.

Shallow Depth of Field: The camera focuses on specific objects , the rest of the frame is blurry

Deep Focus: Describes a scene that is kept in sharp focus, from close-up to the furthest plane

Mise en scene

Look closely at the mise en scene to help you plan your own photographs.

Make notes on the location, costume, model and composition

Think about how you plan to use the photograph in your final piece. Does it need to be portrait or landscape format?