Long exposure photography is a very interesting photographic technique that I have started to explore this year. The technique has a unique mixture of controlling and not having control of the results. They are always unique and unexpected. I think this is what draws me to the process of long exposure photography, there is always an element of surprise in how the final product will turn out.
There are many ways to approach long exposure photography and to capture movement. As I experimented with long exposure portraits, I was intrigued by the mysterious, abstract results. As a photographer I felt that I was really capturing the person, because I wasn't just photographing one moment but many all in one. Looking at the finished series, I took and edited the photos with similar elements of layering, compositions, and mood.
The process of taking the photographs was also something that I enjoyed about this challenge. I would compose and set the model, and then convey directions on what to do. Although I had a loose idea of what I wanted in the picture, I kept my directions minimal and allowed the model to do what felt natural. I feel that doing this allowed me to enjoy the process as I didn't know what to expect, but having loose instructions also made the photographs more successful and true to the person being captured.
Using a person as a subject always create such alluring results as I feel it creates a direct connection between the photo and the audience. By distorting what is so familiar it really aids in evoking the mysterious and surreal atmosphere. The work was really inspired by underlying and hidden emotions I feel and see around me everyday. As a society we tend to conceal our true selves, and how we really feel. We wear masks to hide true emotions within us, because we are afraid to be judged and afraid to be caught. Although we may try, removing our masks isn't easy because society has made it so, but how long can you hide before you lose who you truly are?
I was thinking of a lot of these ideas when I named the series, Revelations. The photo themselves were revelations of the long exposure process. I would wait to see the results be revealed to me. However, it is also a revelation of emotions that I want to portray.
As the artist I think I was able to achieve my goals for the series and really experiment with this technique. I think what I have also taken from this process is the loss of control in your photography. Although I love studio photography where you can control everything from the subject to the lighting, it is also nice to capture what's really there. I think that this series has sparked my interest in more abstract styles, and I will see how that may inspire my future work.
There are many ways to approach long exposure photography and to capture movement. As I experimented with long exposure portraits, I was intrigued by the mysterious, abstract results. As a photographer I felt that I was really capturing the person, because I wasn't just photographing one moment but many all in one. Looking at the finished series, I took and edited the photos with similar elements of layering, compositions, and mood.
The process of taking the photographs was also something that I enjoyed about this challenge. I would compose and set the model, and then convey directions on what to do. Although I had a loose idea of what I wanted in the picture, I kept my directions minimal and allowed the model to do what felt natural. I feel that doing this allowed me to enjoy the process as I didn't know what to expect, but having loose instructions also made the photographs more successful and true to the person being captured.
Using a person as a subject always create such alluring results as I feel it creates a direct connection between the photo and the audience. By distorting what is so familiar it really aids in evoking the mysterious and surreal atmosphere. The work was really inspired by underlying and hidden emotions I feel and see around me everyday. As a society we tend to conceal our true selves, and how we really feel. We wear masks to hide true emotions within us, because we are afraid to be judged and afraid to be caught. Although we may try, removing our masks isn't easy because society has made it so, but how long can you hide before you lose who you truly are?
I was thinking of a lot of these ideas when I named the series, Revelations. The photo themselves were revelations of the long exposure process. I would wait to see the results be revealed to me. However, it is also a revelation of emotions that I want to portray.
As the artist I think I was able to achieve my goals for the series and really experiment with this technique. I think what I have also taken from this process is the loss of control in your photography. Although I love studio photography where you can control everything from the subject to the lighting, it is also nice to capture what's really there. I think that this series has sparked my interest in more abstract styles, and I will see how that may inspire my future work.