Evaluation Report

This module has developed my digital media skills and understanding of photograph’s language. For example how it communicates effectively as a visual medium and how its imagery operates so that I can finds ways of using these areas of knowledge to respond creatively to client-led or commissioned work.

The module was split up into two different sections. The first part was to design and create a Time Capsule that represented 21^st Century culture which could contain either Archival Print or purely digital. The second section was to create the imagery that the capsule will secure in the form of the following five briefs, Pop culture, An Event of Significance, Contemporary Exterior Architecture, Contemporary Interior Space and Contemporary Cuisine. I knew this was going to be a challenge for me but was willing to put 100% effort in to achieve the best result I could get.

During another module that was running at the same time I built a room set within a group. This was a very challenging task and something we had been working on for weeks. Once we had finished the module it felt very rewarding and worthwhile. I came up with the idea of taking a picture every couple of minutes when the room set was in the process of been taken down. I used the images in my Time Lapse for the event of significance brief. In total I captured around 100 frames which is just the right amount for a 20 second movie. I create the clip using Windows Movie Maker Live. It was quick and simple to upload the images and add the music onto the background. As the movie couldn't be uploaded straight onto my blog I had to upload it onto YouTube then put the link on my blog.

Another brief for the Time Capsule was Cuisine. I had already photographed food in the past which I thought was fun and something a bit different to what I was used to. I was keen to do another Cuisine shoot to try and improve skills in this specific genre of photography. This originally was supposed to be group work but unfortunately I was unable to attend on the day of shooting. We had to arrange the shoot with the catering student as they were going to prepare the food for us. As I missed this opportunity I had to organize something by myself. As I work at a restaurant this wasn't going to be too difficult for me. I went early to a shift one morning to photograph some of the deserts that had been prepared for service. I photographed a Raspberry cheesecake with coulis on the side.    The only problem I had with this is I didn't have much time to capture the image. I felt a bit rushed and would have definitely received a better outcome if it was in a controlled environment or in the studio. Although I am happy with how this shoot went as the cheesecake looks really appetizing. It has made me more comfortable when working with food and is definitely something I would like to try again.

Pop culture was something I struggled to get started on as I took me some time to decide what I wanted to shoot. I researched into what Pop Culture is other people’s point of views which gave me a good understanding of the topic. I summed up Pop Culture is more or less anything popular in today’s world. This could be Music, Food, Television programs, band etc. I was mostly drawn to the music side which then gave me the idea of photographing a Guitarist in their natural environment. I didn't want the image to look set up or control I wanted it to have a natural feel to it. The angle I took the picture from made it look really effective as if I caught him during his act. I experimented with different backgrounds as I wanted to find one that complimented the main subject. I also made this image into a moving image firstly by creating a GIFF file on Photoshop and then a small clip using Windows Movie Maker. The models head moves from left to right although it’s a tad jerky.

The most enjoyable shoot I did for this module was for the Contemporary Exterior Architecture brief. This shoot took place in Leeds City center as there are many extraordinary building that were perfect for this particular brief. It was a glorious day, not a cloud in the sky which helped the building stand out and contrast from the vibrant blue background (the sky). I decided to photograph two different buildings, the Candle House and Water Bridge Place. The most effect building was Water Bridge Place which is been said to be the tallest building in Britain. I photographed the building from as many angles as I could find which are shown on the contact sheets. I had a few distractions on the day of the shoot but I tried not to let them ruined the photograph. As Leeds is a busy city there were a lot of people walking by and didn't hesitate to walk in front of the camera. This delayed the shoot and made it take a lot longer than it should have done. I think the most effective images on the contact sheets were the ones where I was stood pretty close to the building looking up showing the full height. This made the images look almost abstract which is why I choose to use these as one of my final pieces.

I have decided to put all my final images onto a CD which will then be put into my Time Capsule. I wanted to keep it simple and small so it would be easy to create. The material I used for the Time Capsule is Timber and Plywood. They were easy to cut but still thick enough so nothing can get into the box when buried. The box was created in my garage where I had all the correct cutting equipment and safety gear. Overall I am happy with how the box has turned out. The box is big enough for a CD case to fit in. The two strips of wood on the lid are to keep the lid in place and to stop it slipping off. I also sanded it down so the edges were smooth but it isn't perfect.

Interior space is the brief that has let me down the most. As a group we visited Dean Clough in Halifax and photographed the interior space. The challenge was to put the images together to create a 360 virtual tour. I managed to string the images together using PTGUI although unfortunately I didn't have to correct program to convert the stitched image into a virtual tour which is Pano2VR. I tried a number of times to get the program up and running but my laptop crashed every time it loaded.

This course requires working with a lot of deadlines; therefore it can be difficult to keep up with deadlines, especially when the work load gets high. I think the most important thing to ease stress, complete work on time and manage time is to keep your work well organized. In the past I have tried many tools for doing this but I have only just found one that works best for me. I now keep a dairy with me at all times which has been really useful. Whenever I become aware of an important date I will write it down straight away. I have also set reminders on Microsoft Office which also help me remember important dates and times. You can set several notifications so that you can complete sections of the work in a manageable period before the deadline. Although I feel like I could have possibly managed my time a little better as it took me quite some time to start the project and decided what I would like to do for each particular brief.

Overall I think this module has been successful although there have been some bumps along the road. I am happy with my final images but I think they could be improved if I had more time. In the future I believe I need to work more in the studio to develop my skills. I haven’t really had a chance to experiment with different lighting or backgrounds. This is something that will make me more confident in photograph and help me understand how the lights affect the image in certain ways. Also in future shoots I would like to include models as it isn't something I have been uncomfortable with doing in the past.