A bumpy ride.....

I've been quite busy these last few weeks, working on my current graded project.

My tutor gave me back my workbook, and I was pleased to learn I'd gotten full marks for my planning, due to the amount of detail I'd included. What can I say?

In the meantime, I've been thinking about what has gone well, and what has gone wrong. I had already shot three scenes: in the car; on the street; and in the flat. But I wasn't 100% happy with my shots. So, as time is/was still on my side, I decided to reshoot. This is one of the benefits of scheduling to get the shots out of the way early - it's given me time for reflection.

In the Flat
I booked out some studio lighting to reshoot the "in the flat" shoot, and used two studio lights with softboxes attached, to try and help illuminate areas which had been lost to the shadow, without over exposing the highlights.

In my initial shoot, my primary source of light was from a window, with a reflector being used to bounce some light back into the shots. I felt though, that the background needed to be brought out more - specifically the black record shelves. The soft boxes were placed to help illuminate the background, as well as the characters and to reduce harsh shadows across their faces.

I wanted to show the couple as if they were living together, or at the very least in one of their homes. I wanted to show what happens behind closed doors, to explore a side we often only see with our family, close friends, and, if we're in a relationship ourselves, with our partner. There's a certain element of relaxation, when you're no longer on display or on show, and an ease of being familiar with the belongings of one another.

On the Street

I've also reshot my street shots, where I had my models stand with their backs to the sun, in order to try and get some nice highlighting and colour illuminating them, while using a Metz flash to light up their faces. It was a lovely evening, with a nice warm light which lit up the background - the red sandstone flats in Glasgow - beautifully. You wouldn't have thought that only a few hours previously we'd had a thunderstorm, with hail stones!

I wanted this scene to look warm, and cosy and comfortable. The idea of a couple walking home perhaps, close together - it's such a simple thing but it offers such an opportunity of bonding, and a walk home becomes much shorter with someone than without.

In the Car

I reshot my car shots with some help from my boyfriend. I used a circular polariser filter to reduce the reflection on the windscreen, and the scene was lit from the sun, and using a Metz through the windscreen to add highlight to their features under the car roof. The car shots have gone from being my least favourite to my most favourite images.

I also reworked my models here. They are terrible for getting giggly during shooting, which is fantastic when I need them to be a happy, smiley couple. Not so great when I'm trying to create a moment of tension in the shoot. So I found they concentrated better when they didn't actually make eye contact.

My rationale for the mood of this scene, is that cars are like a pod of privacy when you're out in public - you can be seen by pretty much everyone due to being surrounded by windows, but we sometimes forget how exposed we really are. They are also miniature environments for us to perhaps reveal the worst in our characters - through road rage to arguments between passengers/ the driver. And they offer no opportunity for escape, or relief.

The First Date

I had wanted to shoot a first date, perhaps in an art gallery or in a restaurant. But I decided that the couple would go on a less conventional date - to the Botanic Gardens. This was a good decision, as it offered at least three different scene opportunities. The idea of the date was to show a certain amount of awkwardness between the couple. On first dates, people are exploring one another mentally - trying to assess one another's' needs without having any idea; trying to relax but perhaps feeling the tension of expectations and hopes. Wanting that first date to go well, so that it might progress into a second or third date or a relationship.

The first shoot was inside Kibble Palace. I'd thought that the green foliage would make a lovely backdrop - there was something rather reminiscent of the garden of Eden (although that might have something to do with the statue of Eve in the middle of it all). Something tropical, warm, exotic and sensual. This was shot using a Metz, which was attached to the camera with a bracket.

My second shoot for the "First Date", was to have them sit under a cherry blossom tree. Here, Olivia picked at a fallen blossom, which gave the scene a rather awkward, distracted feel. Again, I had the couple sit with their backs to the sun, so that it would highlight their hair, while pointing a Metz flash towards them from the opposite direction. I feel that these shots were very successful in terms of lighting.

My third part of this shoot, was to have Olivia sit on a park bench, looking at her mobile phone as if she is waiting for Colin to arrive. Colin had been late for the shoot, and had chained his bicycle nearby. This was then used as a prop in the scene.

I think of these shots, I'm most drawn to those where the couple are sitting under the tree. Mostly for the lighting, although I do like the use of the bench/ bicycle as props.

The Finale

I still have one more shoot to do, which I've scheduled for Thursday. I had considered shooting the couple in another "date" scene, but I decided I wanted to do something which evokes a slightly different idea. So, I've decided to shoot my final shot in my friend's flat, specifically, her bedroom. In this scene, I'm planning to give the couple a selection of pregnancy testing kits. And hopefully, they won't burst out laughing, as I want this to be quite a dramatic moment. I'm planning again on using studio lighting for this scene. However, as this scene would be ordinarily quite dramatic, I want to try and add some drama to the lighting, perhaps using directional light to cast strong highlights and shadows; add some angles into their faces and pick out certain looks.

From here....

From here, I need to pick five final images - one for each scene. I've shortlisted my (current) favourites, which can be seen in this Flickr set. Once I'm finished with these images, I need to print them up. My plan is to print them to 20 x 15 inches, landscape, with a matt finish. I am contemplating whether the images ought to be in panoramic form, or whether to stick to landscape format. I'm also considering whether I can afford to mount these images. I could either go with the expensive option of 5mm foam mounting, or I could go for a cheaper option of using cardboard mounts. Alternatively, I could try mounting the images myself. The plus side of this is that it would cost me a lot less; the downside being that I'm not very good with straight lines.

The basic cost for five prints is £37.60 (including VAT).

5mm foam mounting would add an extra £60.51.

Alternatively cardboard mounting would cost £41.71.

While mounting the images myself would be ideal, I also have to get my workbook ready, for hand in after I finish my shoot.

And...?

Any thoughts on the above, any commentary, ideas, constructive criticism, would be gratefully received.