This shoot went far better than the first. I had forgiven myself for themistakes last time and just focused on doing my best while also having fun. I feel like the aim of this shoot wouldnt have been accomplished if it was too structured, as I wanted the images to feel very free.
I used the Nikon d810, and a 28-70mm lens - meaning I could get those wide angle shots I wanted last time as it was an FX lens rather than DX.
I remembered to change the format to RAW, meaning I was more free with editing and the images are of better quality.
I had a large long torch that I used for the long exposures, the idea was to create a sense of life with an ethereal presence.
I chose to shoot the images landscape because in the last shoot you couldn't really comprehend the width of the tree, which is rather wide and is better shown not taken in portrait.
The first idea I had was to do the long exposures all around the tree at 30 seconds, then go into the tree and have the light swirling in the branches to show that the tree is what's significant in the image, not just the light.
SEPARATE IMAGES I WANTED TO COMBINE:
These images were taken on a tripod to ensure that the tree would remain in the same position throughout the images, making it easier to edit the images together.
I really like how the yellow contrasts against the blue sky and especially the darkness of the trees.
Because it's so dark it adds to the ethereal, otherworldy feel; who is going to be in a forest when it's so dark? We usually associate that with danger. Everybody is usually in their homes at this time, and that fact combines with the fact there's no obvious human body, helps make the image feel more spiritual.
To take the photos, I was behind the camera while my boyfriend ran around and on the tree with the torch, using 30 second exposures to get a good amount of light trails in each area.
COMBINED IMAGE:
This is the final outcome after I combined the elements of all the images. I used the first image as a base (the picture with the light around the trunk), then added each image as a layer and erased most of the image apart from the parts where the light was. This ensured that if there was slight movement of the camera on the tripod it wouldn't be overly visible as the main part of the image is just one photo.
After minor adjustments to the colour and brightness I'm really happy with the image, however if I were to do it again i'd like to have a bit more light in the sparse area between the two 'layers' of light.
I also feel like it appears quite amateur in approach; light trails are a very basic camera operation that's being done by so many people, and I don't want my work to lack maturity and true sincerity. However, I feel with an added caption giving context, the image would gain a lot more of that, as it's a very serious and genuine matter.
The composition is so much better than last time; the tree is clearly the centre focus and you can see past the tree which allows the viewer to know the contextual location, which would further be given through the use of a caption. The way the light is bouncing off the floor allows the viewer to ground the image even with the ground being too dark to see.
STACKED IMAGE INVERTED:
I feel like this image has a more supernatural feeling about it. The first image was more elegant and ethereal, whereas this feels more dark.
I think that's due to the light trails not being illuminated and soft anymore, it's more like ink. If the first image made me think of life and good spirits, this makes me think of the opposite; more like souls stained with darkness.
I feel that this is more relevant to the theme and history of the photograph, as it was a truly dark time and I want to get that across the viewer.
To make sure there was enough detail in tree I had to adjust the curves, but I feel that the detail you can see is crucial, as I need the viewer to take in the shape and structure of the tree as it is the star of the show, after all.
With the image inverted, you can see the ground far more clearly, which again helps ground the image while also giving it context (the leaves on the ground). You can also see the differentiation between Old Knobbly and the other trees more clearly, again guiding the viewer to focus on Old Knobbly.
I feel like I should experiment with my previous photos using inverting to see how they come out.
USING COLOUR WITH THE TORCH:
Because I liked the outcome of the last shoot with the mist looking colours going across the tree and giving a sense of life, I decided to experiment by doing the same with the same jacket wrapped over the torch. I really like the outcome, especially against the dark tree; last time we shot it was light and so we didn't need the torch but because it was so dark the light emphasises the movement in the photo.
I really like the movement and life in these images created by the light moving in front of the camera. I want the images to feel as if the people from the past who were prosecuted are still there, in the history of the tree and the surrounding area and I think this achieves that nicely, especially with the different densities of light, showing that the thing moving isn't a solid form - it's almost as if their memory is still there rather than the women themselves.
The brighter colours against the vibrant blue sky makes sure that the images stand out, and again gives the photos life which was one of the main aims of this shoot.
The feeling of the presence of something else in the images is interesting as there isn't a whole form visible, meaning the viewer has to use their imagination,which would be pushed along by the use of caption explaining the historical significance of the location.
The tree being silhouetted creates a spooky atmosphere, as we often associate darkness with the unknown, and when we can't see the details in the trees it can help spark up the imagination - to me they look alive, like knobbly arms and fingers, which are stereotypical 'witchy' features.
COLOUR WITH TORCH IMAGES INVERTED:
I find these inverted image to have a more dark presence, like the previous inverted image. I think that's because of the form of the knobbly trees, and how the 'whisps' are darker and have those blue and green tones in them. Green has connotations of jealousy, greed and sickness, and those blues are associated with sadness and upset. While the images without the inversion has the same blues and the warm tones, the placements are switched and I feel because of what the light trails represent this suits the theme better, even if (in my opinion) the image isn't as aesthetically easy on the eye. This is because while of course the eye isn't used to bright colours in front of trees, it's also not used to seeing trees in this way. We're surrounded by them every day and often think very little about them because of their extremely similar appearance; it's nothing new. Seeing the image inverted, however, is. It brings attention to both the tree and the light obstructing it, which is perhaps more suitable for the purpose of the images.
NOTES FOR NEXT TIME:
I used the Nikon d810, and a 28-70mm lens - meaning I could get those wide angle shots I wanted last time as it was an FX lens rather than DX.
I remembered to change the format to RAW, meaning I was more free with editing and the images are of better quality.
I had a large long torch that I used for the long exposures, the idea was to create a sense of life with an ethereal presence.
I chose to shoot the images landscape because in the last shoot you couldn't really comprehend the width of the tree, which is rather wide and is better shown not taken in portrait.
The first idea I had was to do the long exposures all around the tree at 30 seconds, then go into the tree and have the light swirling in the branches to show that the tree is what's significant in the image, not just the light.
SEPARATE IMAGES I WANTED TO COMBINE:
These images were taken on a tripod to ensure that the tree would remain in the same position throughout the images, making it easier to edit the images together.
I really like how the yellow contrasts against the blue sky and especially the darkness of the trees.
Because it's so dark it adds to the ethereal, otherworldy feel; who is going to be in a forest when it's so dark? We usually associate that with danger. Everybody is usually in their homes at this time, and that fact combines with the fact there's no obvious human body, helps make the image feel more spiritual.
To take the photos, I was behind the camera while my boyfriend ran around and on the tree with the torch, using 30 second exposures to get a good amount of light trails in each area.
COMBINED IMAGE:
This is the final outcome after I combined the elements of all the images. I used the first image as a base (the picture with the light around the trunk), then added each image as a layer and erased most of the image apart from the parts where the light was. This ensured that if there was slight movement of the camera on the tripod it wouldn't be overly visible as the main part of the image is just one photo.
After minor adjustments to the colour and brightness I'm really happy with the image, however if I were to do it again i'd like to have a bit more light in the sparse area between the two 'layers' of light.
I also feel like it appears quite amateur in approach; light trails are a very basic camera operation that's being done by so many people, and I don't want my work to lack maturity and true sincerity. However, I feel with an added caption giving context, the image would gain a lot more of that, as it's a very serious and genuine matter.
The composition is so much better than last time; the tree is clearly the centre focus and you can see past the tree which allows the viewer to know the contextual location, which would further be given through the use of a caption. The way the light is bouncing off the floor allows the viewer to ground the image even with the ground being too dark to see.
STACKED IMAGE INVERTED:
I feel like this image has a more supernatural feeling about it. The first image was more elegant and ethereal, whereas this feels more dark.
I think that's due to the light trails not being illuminated and soft anymore, it's more like ink. If the first image made me think of life and good spirits, this makes me think of the opposite; more like souls stained with darkness.
I feel that this is more relevant to the theme and history of the photograph, as it was a truly dark time and I want to get that across the viewer.
To make sure there was enough detail in tree I had to adjust the curves, but I feel that the detail you can see is crucial, as I need the viewer to take in the shape and structure of the tree as it is the star of the show, after all.
With the image inverted, you can see the ground far more clearly, which again helps ground the image while also giving it context (the leaves on the ground). You can also see the differentiation between Old Knobbly and the other trees more clearly, again guiding the viewer to focus on Old Knobbly.
I feel like I should experiment with my previous photos using inverting to see how they come out.
USING COLOUR WITH THE TORCH:
Because I liked the outcome of the last shoot with the mist looking colours going across the tree and giving a sense of life, I decided to experiment by doing the same with the same jacket wrapped over the torch. I really like the outcome, especially against the dark tree; last time we shot it was light and so we didn't need the torch but because it was so dark the light emphasises the movement in the photo.
I really like the movement and life in these images created by the light moving in front of the camera. I want the images to feel as if the people from the past who were prosecuted are still there, in the history of the tree and the surrounding area and I think this achieves that nicely, especially with the different densities of light, showing that the thing moving isn't a solid form - it's almost as if their memory is still there rather than the women themselves.
The brighter colours against the vibrant blue sky makes sure that the images stand out, and again gives the photos life which was one of the main aims of this shoot.
The feeling of the presence of something else in the images is interesting as there isn't a whole form visible, meaning the viewer has to use their imagination,which would be pushed along by the use of caption explaining the historical significance of the location.
The tree being silhouetted creates a spooky atmosphere, as we often associate darkness with the unknown, and when we can't see the details in the trees it can help spark up the imagination - to me they look alive, like knobbly arms and fingers, which are stereotypical 'witchy' features.
COLOUR WITH TORCH IMAGES INVERTED:
I find these inverted image to have a more dark presence, like the previous inverted image. I think that's because of the form of the knobbly trees, and how the 'whisps' are darker and have those blue and green tones in them. Green has connotations of jealousy, greed and sickness, and those blues are associated with sadness and upset. While the images without the inversion has the same blues and the warm tones, the placements are switched and I feel because of what the light trails represent this suits the theme better, even if (in my opinion) the image isn't as aesthetically easy on the eye. This is because while of course the eye isn't used to bright colours in front of trees, it's also not used to seeing trees in this way. We're surrounded by them every day and often think very little about them because of their extremely similar appearance; it's nothing new. Seeing the image inverted, however, is. It brings attention to both the tree and the light obstructing it, which is perhaps more suitable for the purpose of the images.
NOTES FOR NEXT TIME:
- Investigate the pond nearby
- Shoot in other parts of the forest
- Bring symbolic props? - noose
- Try having people in it
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