More test shots- Fire (Hannah)

Today, Hannah and I went out on location to take some test shots. This was so that when we go out on location next week to work on wind and water she has more of an understanding as to what I was aiming for.

In reference to the previous images I photgraphed in the woods with Racheal, I wanted to continue the idea of the flame in the woods. These images are for test purposes so that the dancer can play with the fabric. I will be photographing a shoot with Hannah and he dance partner David on the beach to symbolise water and wind.

Below are images taken from the shoot and how I would like to improve them and also what other inspirations came from the shoot

The image below I like because although it is not what I hope to capture the structure of the body is nice an strong, symbolising the strength of the flame and although the fabric is coming down on her she remains strong. The only thing I find distracting about this image is again the background and how you can see the lights and the path apart from that the movement of the dancer is strong. This time I asked Hannah to perform and represent fire whilst I photographed her instead of trying to direct her and found the images to be very interesting.

I like the image below are she walks in the fabric and how it covers her face and how there is no main distractions in the background. It is not one image I would use to exhibit but I like how it has turned out.

The next four images below are again photographs of Hannah performing with the fabric and although they are not as I imagined them or aimed for them to turn out I like to use of the dancer controlling the fabric and how the colours look effective.

After Hannah performed her dance I asked her to spin around to create the look of a flame fluttering. Below are some examples

The images below reminds me of smoke come up and wrapping round her body, I was aiming for her whole body to be covered in the fabric so asked her to spread the fabric around her more. Also I find the trees in the background to be distracting

Although the images below shows her face. I like the effect the fabric gives so decided to put it in as im example of how I would like the fabric to be but not be able to see the dancers face.

The last few images below are the dancer from behind so that I cannot see her face and only her structure of the fabric as she dances with the fabric. There only thing I will think of next time is so that the fabric did not rise up I asked her to either stand on the fabric or to tuck it in and the dancer tucked it in but I didn't realise that it was too tucked in. Therefore, making her ankles look swollen. Also the grass was wet so has the fabric dragged on the ground it became more wet and hard to use as it weighed down by the water and not as floaty. It also make the fabric look dirty and you can see it in the images below so we decided to stop and I would let it try out and try again some other time.

I felt Hannah had more of an understanding of what I was aiming for but my only concern was that my poems are based around fire and I feel that the images are too literal to the poem as the fabric looks like a flame. Therefore I have booked Hannah and her male dance partner in for another shoot and will be ask them to interpretate fire, water, wind and earth without the fabric and too see how they have turned out. That will be my next step with Hannah.

Overall I feel Hannah has more of an understanding as what I would like to achieve and next time I will take along my poems for Hannah to have a look at so she can try a present one of the elements through her dance and to dig deeper into each element.

Below are contact sheets from the shoot

Research and Ideas for WIND

I found this poem below and felt it would be suitable towards the element wind

I felt a funeral in my brain,

And mourners, to and fro,

Kept treading, treading, till it seemed

That sense was breaking through.

And when they all were seated,


A service like a drum


Kept beating, beating, till I thought 


My mind was going numb.

And then I heard them lift a box,


And creak across my soul


With those same boots of lead,


Then space began to toll

As all the heavens were a bell,


And Being but an ear,


And I and silence some strange race, 


Wrecked, solitary, here.

And then a plank in reason, broke,


And I dropped down and down--


And hit a world at every plunge,


And finished knowing--then—

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/funeral.html

Below are some ideas in creating this image

• On the beach and have the dancer turning into the fabric as it floats along to symbolize going crazy and in a spiral. Also symbolizes a tornado (wind) spinning…
• Make the image again panoramic to symbolize the continue movement on spinning that it doesn't stop
• Include the dancer having a battle with herself to show she is battling with herself

Positivity of the wind

• I could also have an image that is the opposite that this person is positive and pushing against the wind to show that she is a fighter and thinks positive.
• The dancer could be free with her movement to show the creativity side, happy to show the positive side.

Research and Ideas for EARTH

Below are some ideas to use for the element 'Earth'

• Find earth poems about being alive, coming alive as in being reborn…
• Dancer can start off low on the ground on grass and rise up as to symbolize growth.

Earth Physical

• Strong, powerful structure (dancer) in movement- look similar to the structure of a flower.

Also go the opposite and have something to symbolize dead.

Earth can symbolise patient

• Slow movement and calm to symbolize patient and persistent

Research and Ideas for WATER

Below are some ideas of what I would like to do when photographing 'water'

Water - Reflective

• Have two dancers? Symbolize reflection or have them side by side dancing like a reflection.
• Have the dancer on her own using blue fabric and big exaggerating movements to symbolise waves so movements going up then down (like a wave)
• Big movements- water is uncontrollable and yet still, so two images and one that is vibrant and big and one that is still, calm and quiet.

Water can also be emotional

• One image that is very soft and subtle, calm and sad (like a river) Make the image thats is long and panoramic with the fabric floating along the shot to symbolize the flow of a river.
• One very vibrant and big, mellow dramatic attitude (symbolizing a wave) Upwards movement and BIG

Water is also responsive-

• Quick reacting (wave) fast, movements
• Show more movement using a slow shutter speed so the image is slightly blurry symbolizes waves that are dramatic.

Research and Ideas for FIRE

Fire represents- Strong, dramatic, enthusiastic, direct, outgoing, joyful

Below are some ideas to photography the element fire

• Use the 2 toned colour (red/blue)
• Red symbolises love and passionate (but love can be sad (blue) and not always joyful) so this relates to the colour of the fabric that it is red and blue
• From the test shots I have done I would like the dancer to be on one leg to give to give the shape of a flame, and having the fabric starting from the ground and spreading out as it grows up
• Passion means having strong feeling towards something, so I would like the movements to be strong and stiff and flexed.
• Passion also relates to sex so try having seductive dance positions and be intense and expressive with emotions.

All these are ideas on how to direct the dancer. I would like her movement to be free but relate to the element fire.