Distance

I have created this distance image by adding a gaussian blur around the subject whilst keeping the subject in focus. This makes the background appear further away and a person closer.

Edited Shallow Depth of Field Shot

I took the original photo demonstrating a shallow depth of field, and edited it so that more blur was added. I achieved this by using the 'gaussian blur' effect on Photoshop that allowed me to blur the entire photo. After the entire photo was blurred, I used the eraser tool to remove the blur effect over the area that I wanted to keep prominent; the tree.

Shallow Depth of Field Aperture Shot

Shallow
To create a shallow depth of field using a camera, you have to set a very low aperture (5.6) as this allows the lense to focus on objects that are close and blur the background. As shown below, I have demonstrated a shallow depth of field shot as the tree closest to the lense is in focus with the background of leaves out of focus. Using this technique, it makes the viewer focus more on the subject closest to the point of capture.

Freelensing

Freelensing is the process of removing the lense from the camera slightly and then taking a photo. By slightly removing the lense, you get many different effects including a variation in light.

I have created my own image using freelensing. By removing the lense I have created a natural vignette that is the edge of the lense. Also the light coming through the window is quite vibrant and has reflected onto different parts of the stairs.

Gursky Attempt

The image below is my attempt of creating a photo in the style of Gursky: 

From analysing Gursky's work, I found that he uses a series of vertical and horizontal lines to create detail in his work. I feel I have represented this in my own work as I have achieved this effect of Gursky's. Also Gursky uses a subdued colour palette in many of his photos and I have have also done this by using a black and white filter as this removes all vibrant colours that are apparent in the original piece.

Andreas Gursky Photo Analysis

"Paris,Montparnasse"
This iconic image by German artist Andreas Gursky labelled "Paris, Montparnasse" represents a typical tower block at the time. The photo contains a series of horizontal and vertical lines in a lattice structure to create a box like effect. Moreover the solid horizontal line at the top of the building appears parallel to the other horizontal lines throughout the building giving the image a consistent and interesting outcome. Also halfway down the building, there is a split in the colour, with the left half being a slightly darker shade to the right side possibly showing the contrasting feel of the piece. Finally the subdued colour palette of the entire building with the grey sky above gives an eery feel to the image and also makes it seem like an normal and everyday picture.


"99 Cent"
This image created by Gursky shows a different element to the type of work that he creates. For example the bright vibrant colours of the supermarket and the rows of coloured food makes the piece visually attractive to the audience. Also the depth of the image represents with the perfectly ordered food makes the photo quite busy and attractive as it all looks quite symmetrical. The use of people who are dotted around the shop are used as subjects and take the audiences attention away from the busy colours of the shops products. The people are also used to represent the photo to be a normal day with people who are getting their food shopping giving a natural impression of everyday life.
  

Fine Art Photography

Andreas Gursky

Andreas Gursky is a German artist born in Dusseldorf in 1955. His main influence could be said to be his father- a successful commercial photographer in Germany. Many of his shots have been taken of everyday life in the modern world for example large flats and supermarkets.

Many of these photos contains immense detail on each individual part of the composition. For instance the individual box on a supermarket shelf can be easily identified and recognised. Moreover the vibrant colours used make the photo attractive to the viewer and adds a different dimension to the piece.

Gursky has also had some success in the photographic world. His simplistic yet effective shot of the Rhine River in Germany sold for  a record $4.3 million in auction becoming the worlds most expensive photo sold. The photo labelled 'Rhine II' that was 12 feet wide, left many people scratching their head as to the extraordinary price that the photo was picked up for. 

Surreal Photography

Kevin Corrado
Kevin Corrado is an American Photographer who focuses on creating surreal photography when creating his photos.


His photos tend to feature humans in who have had parts of their body taken out to create this surreal effect. For example the image shown on the left makes the entire piece feel lost and broken as the main part of the body and head is missing. Also the picture frame around the lower part of the party adds to the overall randomness of the piece.







Many of these surreal images use a subdued colour palette to add emphasis to specific props such as the umbrella in the image above. Also the contrasting colours of black and white focuses the audiences' attention to the object.

Portrait Photography

Steve McCurry
Steve McCurry is an American photographer who is particularly famous in the photographic world for his portrait photography. 

'Afghan Girl'
His portrait image of an Afghan girl, who was living in a refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan featured on the front page of the June 1985 National Geographic magazine issue. This iconic photo, was hugely successful and has been used in brochures, posters and calendars as well as major human rights group Amnesty International.  This striking photo displays a stunning young girl in a war torn country who has obviously been affected by the war possibly due to her worn and ripped clothes. Her emotionless and wide eyed face conveys her horrible experiences.   

Steve McCurry has travelled to many different countries in order to get a variety of different portrait photos. By doing this he can experience many different ethnic groups and cultures allowing him to experiment with his photos.

McCurry tends to use quite close up photography. This makes it appear quite intimate and shows a relationship between the subject and the audience. Also this fully shows facial expressions and outstanding facial features such as cheekbones, dimples and blemishes.  

Landscape Photography

Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams was an American Photographer who specialised in landscape photography particularly in the American West. His visually stunning, high pixel photography of settings such as Yosemite National Park, have been widely used by organisations including National Geographic. Adams' photography is particularly special due to many of the images being shot as early as 1927.  

Most of Adams' photos were created by using a large-format camera as this enable Adams to achieve a high resolution and sharpness to his images. Moreover with the help of fellow photographer Fred Archer, the 'Zone System' was developed. This allowed people to determine the proper exposure and adjusting the contrast on the final print, meaning a better end result.      

black and white photos give a crisp and original feel to his pieces making them visually attractive for the time. Also the contrast of the lighter and darker colours present make certain aspects stand out such as the peaks of the mountains and the natural light on the river.