1. Take photos of action figures that creates a sense of tension or drama 2. Edit photo to make the action figures seem realistic
Research
I like these photos because of the tension they have. With the ways the figures are set and the editing that's been done to them, the stakes of the imaginative scenario are present. The one on the left is taken from a side view and has a side profile of the figures and with the dust creating a cool atmosphere, you can assume that a duel is about to take place. The one on the right has the same idea but taken from a different angle. It's taken to make Darth Vader tower over the in focus figure to show the power he has and with his lightsaber being bright and creating another light source, it adds variety to the photo. The red also stands out from the more dry color palette. With all these things cooperating, it creates a very cinematic shot.
These two photos inspire me to create a cinematic shot as well and it also shows the potential color has to make a dramatic scene. The camera angles also let the viewer know that there's a sense of power and that makes the photo a lot more interesting to look at.
New Photos
Near the river I went to for photos was a sandy environment so I took these photos in that environment. Since it was easier to pose the figures, I was able to have to of the figures in a walking stance. More dynamic poses were also used for this photo and that allowed the scenes have more action and movement to them. A lot of the colors of the photos also feel slightly desaturated due to the clouds.
Final Edits
For these photos, I continued the cold filter similar to the past two assignments. Because the red figure was the only vibrant color of the photos, I made it have less saturation so the other figures could have a little more emphasis added on them. For the two other photos, I made the red more vibrant to grab the viewers attention so they can look from the center to then around the center. I depended very much on the selective color tool to mix different colors in the shadows of the photos and that added more of a uniqueness to the shadows rather than having be simply black. The same goes for assignments four and five.
Printed/Matted Photo
5 Step Critique
Observe: The photo has a Halo spartan ready to face off against two Predators. Describe: The spartan action figure takes up the middle vertical fifth of the photo, a predator action figure takes up the right half of the photo, and another predator action figure covers the left vertical third of the photo. The predator action figures are blurry and that leads the viewer to look at the central, in focus spartan action figure and combined with its vibrant red, the viewer immediately knows the focus of the photo. The photo also has an overall cold temperature to it and everything besides the spartan has a desaturated feel to it. There is also a high contrast because the light and shadow that can easily be distinguished. The setting the figures are in is a river shore with the figures standing on sand with multiple rocks as the backdrop. Analyze: Color and emphasis work together in this photo because the red action figure displays that relation. Everything has a desaturated appearance but the vibrant red of the central figure breaks the consistency. It's used to let the viewer know that the red action figure is the main focus of the photo because it stands out especially when you take a quick glance. The first thing you notice is the red. It's important because the disruption of the overall color palette adds a unique element to the photo. If everything was desaturated, it could be seen as boring or unnoticeable. With the bright color, it grabs the viewer's attention and once the viewer has looked at the figure, their attention will branch out to the rest of the photo. Shape and unity also work together to make the photo more unique. Everything about the shapes of the photo seems rugged and gritty and even though the rocks in the background have somewhat of a smooth appearance, the color and shadow add some grittiness to them. The figures also have somewhat jagged silhouettes that aren't perfect and that creates unity. Their uneven nature unites them despite their different colors and accessories and that allows the photo to seem equal. This is important because even though the elements in the photo have different characteristics, the unity of the figure's shapes unites it all and allows the photo to work as one. Interpret: The idea of the photo was to present a sense of tension. The two predator figures are facing the red spartan figure with the spartan pointing a gun at them. The gun is the give away that there's a sense of tension because you don't what's gonna happen it's as if the photo captured the calm before the storm. That was the idea of the photo. To show that some sort of conflict would arise between the figures and the viewer would have to use what's displayed so they can come up with their own outcome. The story of the photo is a lone spartan wandering a foreign land. While exploring the area, he arrives upon hostile lifeforms and he comes to a standoff with them. The gun is his only way of fighting the two opposing forces and with the color/temperature of the photo, the reader can infer that the situation is no hopeful one. The two figures opposing the red figure seem to overlook him and that adds to the fact the the red spartan knows he's outnumbered but with his gun ready to fire, it let's the viewer know that he's not going down without a fight. Evaluate: The photo is well executed because it meets the project's objectives, It provides a sense of tension and that makes the viewer run their imagination. It doesn't just give the viewer something to look at because it does more than that by showing a situation that can have various outcomes which makes the viewer think about the photo. The way the photo is edited also provides the mood very well and that makes it a lot more interesting to look at. The only thing that I would change about the photo is to make the predator figures more daunting by taking the photo in way to show the threat they pose against the red spartan figure. That would allow the photo to have more story to it.