Photographers Research: Sophie Calle

Photographers Research: Sophie Calle

Sophie Calle is a French artist that dabbles in many different mediums  including writing, photography, music and more. She is a professor in the School of film and photography at the European Graduate School in Switzerland. 

I chose to investigate Calle for this project of selective colour as I adored the layout of her project 'The Hotel' where she includes on coloured photograph, small text and then several images following that are the contents of people lives documented in cold black and white.  I wanted to use this technique in my work but still keep one colour visible so as to hone in on the emotions behind the colour.

In this image set the first photograph shows where the person has been sleeping for the past nights. A sickly peach wall paper covers the scene which has tragically been matched with the bedsheets so that the guest may not forget where they are accidentally. The effect of this on the viewer makes is that it highlights this is only a temporary room, everything about the scene creates an air of hostility which is transferred to the viewer.  

I this image set the wallpaper behind the bed is a worn cream colour yet the bed header is a dark maroon, this inspires connotations of blood spilled over white sheets,thus again creating an air of hostility again. In the images below the bedrest she has chosen to take a photograph of this persons toilet, is it possible that this is a comment on their personal hygiene or simply part of a routine check for this hotel. 

This image shows two single beds pushed close to one another implying good friends or family staying together. The walls are white floral print and the bedsheets are a deep turquoise with small embellishments of different colours. In the images that follow she has shot these people's clothing. We can see a floral patterned garment which one would assume is a womans paired with another dark crumpled lump which could also be assumed to be a mans shirt. Thus implying a couple which solves the mystery as to why the two singles were pushed together to form a double. 

Influence and Summary:

Above is my response to my research into Sophie Calle.

I have chosen to use Calle in this project of selective colour as I loved the layout of the images and the candid compositions which convey a documentary style. I believe that this research was incredibly useful for this shoot as it provided another viewpoint for this project that I hadn't yet considered. 

Photographers Research : Emelie Otterbeck

Photographers Research : Emelie Otterbeck

In this image Otterbeck has used pastel tones to create a still and tranquil effect that also conveys character. The dusty shade of pink is an interesting choice as it implies intimacy and a deeper connections. However, she then pairs this intimate pink with a cool and calculated blue which provides contrasting inferences within the image and consequently draw more attention towards the deeper meaning. 

This image is using the same composition as the last image, despite this it seems infinitely more open due to the refreshing use of the white garland and stripy abstract flower pot which creates quirkiness and thus is more vulnerable than the last shot which makes it more inviting to the viewer.

For this image Emelie Otterbeck has gone out of her way to match the background to the plants, this suggests that this flower often passes by unnoticed, she has then cut them open to reveal the intricacies withing them. This has strong connotations of humanity in general - we don't know what were made of until we are broken. 

This shot is of a tall glass of frothing juice meant to ensure someone grows healthy and strong. Despite this the darkening stain in front of the juice is suggesting something sinister. This conveys to the viewer the freshness of the juice as it has just been made, hence the spill and therefore the quality of the juice as good.

I especially like this shot as the different glasses are completely unique  in their own right, from their different shapes right down to the shadows they cast. This may be a comment that peoples possessions are a reflection of their selves.

Influence and Summary

I chose to study Emelie Otterbeck due to her talent concerning compositions. She is able to take seemingly benign items such as drinking glasses and give them a personality of their own. I wanted to convey my own uniqueness in my shoots also. 

 I used my knowledge of the colour wheel and contrasting colours whilst acknowledging the influences of Otterbecks compositions, thus resulting the above image. 

Artists Research: Isabella Day

Artists Research: Isabella Day

Isabella Day is a Goldsmith based in Devon. She specialises in the unusual and intricate jewellery pieces. I chose to investigate her as an artist as she has to consider different colour combinations on a daily basis. 

This set of three rings includes silver, bronze and gold. These are analogous colours and so they are complementary to each other. The effect of this combination on the viewer is soothing as these three colour fit together smoothly and as they're metal tones they have cool undertones which symbolise strength. 

This is a  necklace with small cogs encased inside blue resin. The colour combinations in this piece is silver and blue, both of these colours are cold and steely. The effect of this on the viewer is enthralling, the different highlights within the blue resin are reminiscent of light beams from under water. These under water connotations are further backed up by the bubbles in the far left piece. The results of these effects is endearment towards the viewer/ wearer as it seems as though they are carrying a small piece of the ocean with them on their travels. 

In this piece she has used a precious blue stone set in gold surrounded with smaller white stones. Both gold and blue combinations are usually reserved for royalty, this conveys to the viewer the value of this piece. There is also a small amount of texture on the ring if one looks closely which further emphasises the value. 

This pair of bracelets is textured to look like the trunk of a tree which has connotations of faeries, which is ironic as most faerie law suggests that they are adverse to silver as it is considered pure and faeries are born from both demons and angles. 

Once again these Day has used harmonious colours as they are pleasant to view due to their compatibility, the reason they fit so easily together is the colours aren't far from each other on the colour wheel. The effect of this on the viewer is that they feel they are free to choose whichever one of the trio they feels best suits them as they are all presented as similar to one another. 

Influence and Summary:

The main reason I wanted to research Isabella Day is because her work is so unique yet she is able to create effective colour combinations that maintain an air of sophistication alongside the individuality of the piece. 

Above is my own image with the colour combination of gold and black. I chose these to colours due to my research in Day as she is sometimes unconventional in her pairing of colours and so this pushed me into experimenting with two colours that aren't present on the colour wheel. I wanted to convey the two sides of an individuals personality : the public and the private - the introvert and the extrovert. I believe I was successful in utilising my research in my shoot and this is conveyed in my final images from the shoot. 

Photographer's Research : Damien Hirst

Photographer's Research : Damien Hirst 

I chose to investigate Damien Hirst as I like the childish joy that he is capable of creating, also because this contrasts to some of his other more graphic pieces that he has co-ordinated. 

‘Beautiful, pop, spinning ice creamy, whirling, expanding painting’
1997
2134 mm or 84 in 
Household Gloss on Canvas
This piece has a large amount of reds and oranges with underlying tones of greens and blues, this creates an explosion effect. The green and blue are at the bottom of this 'stack' of colours and so with the reds and purples exploding out of the middle of the painting it is as if it consists of two paintings. One that was calm and collected, then another than is onto which is full of passionate and even angry colours. The significance of this may be that the individual had remained calm and collected (signified by the blues/greens) and then had an outburst of emotions that resulting in the vibrant overlay of extreme reds and oranges. These two layers are also very separate and haven't been blended by the movement of the canvas and so may signify that the individual isn't a mixture of these two emotional states but separated by them; hot and cold, angry and calm. 
The effect this creates is explosive and passionate. It conveys to the viewer these two very different emotions that are encapsulated in this one painting, this translates as passion and confusion between the reds and the blues. This is also representative of life which results in a deeper emotional connection with the viewer. 

Beautiful Naked Psychedelic Gherkin Exploding Tomato Sauce All Over Your Face, Flame Grilled Painting

2003

Diameter: 1829 mm or 72 in

Household gloss on canvas

The name of this piece is controversial in itself, then there is the place where it is being displayed: A Burger King Restaurant in London. 
I feel that Damien Hirst is a man of talent that sometimes reverts back to his childhood behaviour simply because it pleases him. However, the location of this painting does correlate to the title if not the painting itself. 
I believe that a large amount of green and periwinkle in this image are representative of the gherkin and the movement of the canvas has spread this paint in an erratic fashion, thus creating the explosion.

@Beautiful Juicy Orange Splattered All Over a Sumptuous Blue I Feel Naughty Painting'

2006

746 x 1220 mm or 29.4 x 48 in

Household gloss on canvas mounted on board

Most of these 'Spin Paintings' are a source of childish joy for Hirst which is most probably one of the contributing factors as to why he has created so many over the years. In this image, there are two main components: the orange and the blue. As it states in the title the orange is orange juice and so it can be reasoned that the blue is representative of a table cloth. This creates a very vivid scene in the viewer's mind of Hirst spilling orange juice over a beautiful blue tablecloth. This is further reinforced by the adjective 'naughty' in the title as it is very basic, a characteristic of children's language as they have a limited vocabulary. 

Beautiful sunburst of cowardly yellows and shocking pinks painting

2001

Diameter: 2134 mm or 84 in

Household gloss on canvas

The title of this painting relates more to how it was created than the final product as there are only slight hints of pinks but a large number of browns. Unlike some of Hirst's other Spin Paintings the colours have begun to blend together due to the motion of the canvas and so the yellows were slowing blending with the reds. This is reminiscent of a sunset which relates to the title also. The effect on the viewer is more tame than Hirst's other pieces both due to the title and the harmogenous colours which blend together well. 

Summary and influence

The above is my own image and below is Damien Hirst's. 

Image Bank

Image Bank