New Conceptual Project - Outside The Frame

Paul Lange

Paul Lange

Moderator
I've set myself a personal project and have just made these three pieces. They're not really finished images as such, rather sketchbook work in order to develop the idea. I won't go into the arty stuff in detail but the idea is about how a photo is not really an honest thing. You see what you are only allowed to see and what is outside the frame can be just as important as what is inside. There are some shots for an ad campaign that have a similar flavour where the backdrop stands and other studio equipment are in the shot with the models. These put across the idea in a more literal way. I'm going down a more conceptual route. Good to start thinking more about this stuff again after so many years. I find it quite interesting to go through the processes that I haven't really thought about for a while. The conceptual part of what I want in the image is usually at odds with the aesthetic elements and I find myself always trying to find the compromise that works. Even if conceptual stuff is not your cup of tea I hope that you at least find something in the images that you like. Cheers.

PlazaPano1.jpg


road.jpg


ParkPano2.jpg
 
Paul - I really like the assembled images in #1 - can you walk me through the thinking behind the central dark square?
 
If you look just below you will see that it is a light on top of a post; you can see the reflection in in the windows. I looked around for something that could make a focal point of an image. In this case the unusual round light framed by the windows of the hotel. I then shot a pano spot metering off the clouds and then increasing exposure two sops (this allows you to get detail in the clouds, I didn't want them white blobs). The pano has the appearance of being shot roughly but it was a fairly considered process. On the PC once I was happy with the general montage I used the black square to censor out the focal point (or what could be potentially). The idea is to make you think about what a photograph does, it doesn't so much make you look at a scene as make you not look at a scene. These are just "sketches" as such, I need to keep plugging away with ideas and hopefully I can get to a point where I get the idea across conceptually and visually and loose what might be considered to be affectation.

Chris, does that rather boring explanation answer your question?
 
I think that this a really interesting ideal Paul and I'm looking forward to seeing where you take it. I expect you have seen the montages of Polaroids used to create patchwork scenes of famous places (there was a photographer in Brighton specialising in them a few years back). I also saw once a similar idea but with different degrees of 'zoom' etc applied. The thinking was that when we look at a scene we pay more attention to some parts than others and the montage was intended to sort of simulate that. An interesting excerise but I was not convince it achieved it. I think you idea is more interesting.
 
Paul - that's the info I was looking for - hats off to you for having an idea, and now executing on that idea as a project

Looking forward to seeing how it develops :)
 
Although I'm not to sure about the idea myself, having said that I bet a series of these with some famous landmarks missing would help bring the missing focal point message home a little. As it stands now it's more of a puzzle.

The style of one and two are nice, both would make good stand alone images although with the first being the most interesting to me and I have thought about doing something similar with a portrait.


Vic
 
I think the 2nd one is the most easy to look at/complete image... I like it!

I'm not so sure about 1 and 3 ... I think the idea is interesting, but I think they lack finesse some how ... Like an idea that hasn't run it's course ... I think the boardering needs a bit more thought ...
Vics suggestion also makes sense to me!

I'm definately interested to see where this goes
 
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Thanks for the comments. I agree that a series with the famous landmarks covered would make the concept behind the idea more apparent. However it would have connotations that I'm not sure I want. Saying that though No 3 has the Houses of Parliament covered and I've just had an idea about another version of it.
 
Had a quick Google of Magritte, interesting ideas.

I've had a play with an idea on No 3. Not sure it's what I wanted but it has given some further ideas to work on. Had a few technical issues as well. I've been trying out Serif Photoplus X4 and until now discounting a few minor things it's been OK. However it's fairly hopeless with large files including ones with loads of layers. Quits whenever you try to save!! Started to loose interest in Serif software again.

ParkPano3.jpg
 
That's actually quite a lot closer to the idea this chucked into my head, although I was thinking a more heavy vignette more than a frame ...
Vignettes are used to focus the eye more to the centre of the frame... With multiple vignettes in the way you have framed those you could perhaps achieve somthing a touch more subtle ... ???
 
Funny you should say that I have just come up with this...

PinkCoat.jpg


Not particularly linked to the others per see but I like the vignetting and possibly the frame. Frames have always been something that I've been interested and the idea of frames within frames appeals to me a lot.
 
Some more ideas, these are just "sketchbook ideas" and not finished articles. Just thought I would post any ideas that I have whether as an image they work or not. I find the process helpful as even the unsuccessful can be springboards for new ideas.

TreeTrptich.jpg


TreeTrptich1.jpg


TreeTrptich2.jpg
 
Not too sure about the landscape Paul but I kind of get where your are going. I have a print I have been meaning to make for ages. I have 3 frames each with 3 cut-outs that are positioned next to each other on a wall with a gap of about 20 cm between each. I have been meaning to make a single print for them such that only the 'windows' in the frame reveal the image. As I know the exact dimensions / positions of the 9 cut-outs I can simple crop sections from a larger image and print just those bits. I'm torn between a figure study and a landscape / cityscape of some sort which is why I still haven't done it.
 
Yeah, I'm just experimenting at the moment. I'm desperate for a chance to get out and spend a good few hours taking new shots for the project. Meantime I'm just using any old shot really. Interesting to see what meanings they generate whether interesting or not really. I've been thinking about the idea of cutouts and triptichs etc and if I can work them into my project. The tendency is to go down the route of perverting and subversion which is a bit overdone these days and I feel often used just to add shock value to otherwise mundane ideas. Trying to stay away from that if I can.

One idea was similar to yours having the image behind cutouts but having the wrong or unexpected parts of the image showing. I think this will be a real challenge to take a sot that will work with this.
 
Has anyone seen the new Heinz Ketchup ad on TV? It's like they read my mind and changed it for a TV add. The ad has people sat at a plate of food banging the bottle with their hand, or squeezing, or digging out with a knife the ketchup. You can't actually see the bottle but it's obvious what they are all doing.
 
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