Slow sync Work Diary

For this shoot, I was set with the task of shooting the technique of slow sync. For this technique, I would have to use a combination of studio light and specific camera settings. The effect has the potential to capture a range of movement in an almost ghostly appearance. In past units, I have had experience with similar shoots with similar techniques. My older images would often appear to be limited by the small studio environment and limited technique. For this attempt I wanted to experiment with how this technique can be used to elevate an existing form of photography such as portraiture in order to create a more exciting effect. In my search for inspiration I looked at photographers such as Jeremy Hall whose work with slow sync had shown me how the technique can give new life to an image by highlighting movement. I knew that I could take the effect that Hall had used and develop it into the format in which I wanted to show my images. I could use the new colours and tones that can be found within movement to create a hypnotic frame, causing the image to appear more dynamic than standard portraiture would allow. I also could link this subject to my subject of hyperreality as I am taking normal things such as portraiture and movement and combining them through photo manipulation in order to create an entirely heightened experience. As this shoot would be heavily reliant on my camera settings and light set up I had to make sure these were accurately set up. I used two lights with soft boxes which would set off a flash as the camera began taking pictures. I used a shutter speed of 2.5, an f stop of 16 and an ISO of 200. A slow shutter speed would allow me to capture the range of movement that I wanted while the other settings would make sure that the image remained detailed within this process.

Jeremy Hall inspiration:

My images:

This image features a simple portrait of the back of a head. Typically, this type of portraiture would appear very dull in most cases. However, through the use of the technique, the image appears to be a lot more interesting. I used slight movements for the person I was photographing in order to create a glowing effect. The colours within the portrait appear much more vibrant and contrast greatly against the black background. I wanted to enhance the contrast so I used levels within photoshop to enhance the darker areas of the image. I also had someone walk through the background in order to create a ghostly streak within the background. This would also allow for more visual information to fill the empty areas of the frame. The result takes a simple portrait and makes it much more striking.

This image takes this theme of portraiture and explores a variation of it. Instead of focusing on contrast like the last image, this image focuses more on the use of colour within the frame through the use of movement. I had the person wave a cloth around in a swirl motion in order to create an effect similar to a tornado. The result would cause bright colours to be cast around the frame, filling the spaces that would usually remain empty. The result makes the frame appear vibrant and full of energy. The audience can also see a range of movement within the frame that can only be achieved through this effect.

Progression:

If I were to develop this shoot further, I would explore the use of different movements. I could implement different objects such as footballs in order to create some variation. I could also experiment with a similar technique within location shoots. This would open up more possibilities for what I could achieve within the subject, since I could implement things like cars and larger groups of people into my shoots in order to offer more variation. I could also develop this technique into the subject of hyperreality. I would focus on how the technique takes a standard format of portraiture and presents it in an entirely heightened way that is unlike anything in reality.