Research into photographers

As mentioned previously, for my main project I intend to explore Worcester by Night, making use of available light to create dynamic and enticing images. The photographers below show some examples that I can draw inspiration from.

Brassai - Paris By Night 

"While his images reflect the glitter and gaiety the city was famous for. He also chronicled the city’s nocturnal workers: night-beat policemen, their capes billowing over their bicycles; workmen polishing tram tracks; a milkman loading milk cans onto his horse-drawn cart."

A few examples of his work are in the video below

Bill Schwab - Bill Schwab is a clear follower in Brassai’s footsteps, using a similar interplay of artificial light and fog in much of his work. But Schwab’s work does not feature the light in the foreground, as Brassai’s did, but piercing through the subject of the photo from the background. This effect gives Schwab’s subjects a sort of hollow, lifeless quality that he manipulates to great effect, especially when focusing on symbols of his native Michigan’s suffering economy.

Robert Brook works with more Urban subjects which provides a more modernistic look for his images in comparison to the above (Brassai 1933, Schwab 1994+)

Minor Project - Shotscript

Working title

When the sun goes down…
City Nights

Worcester by Night

Treatment – Photography is an art form wholly built on the availability of light but what happens when we lose the main source of light that lights up the World after the sun goes down?

Well we gain thousands of individual points of artificial light of every different colour and tonal quality. Colours become muted, shadows become deeper, and that boring car parked on the side of the road during daytime is transformed into a gleaming chariot of reflected light amongst the darkness.

The outline of the story – To show images that demonstrate the unique light that comes about at night, muted colours, contrasting greys and deep/dark shadows and how these transform everyday objects at night into something different.

Options for an establishing shot

·         Cityscape at night, with numerous sources of light casting dark shadows

·         Any strong reflections of light

·         Architecture lit up at night (contrasting textures and unusual shadows) for example the various structures in Worcester, the Hive, Friar Street and the main bridges (Road Bridge, Train Bridge and Sabrina Bridge)

Pre-visualisation –

Architecture:

• Worcester Train Bridge: Focus on shape of bridge, taking into account the semi-circles and contrasting straight lines - Tripod Low ISO, slow shutter speed, wide angle (around 24mm), F5/0 (fastest setting for particular lens) 
• The Hive: Focus on lines and shapes created by the roofing/lights, also showing the gold plating - Tripod, Low ISO, very slow shutter speed, wide angle (around 24mm), F10 (slowest setting for particular lens , for depth of field)
• Worcester Cathedral: Shoot down one side of the cathedral rather than straight on, focusing on the contrasting architecture, lighting, and shadowy trees.  Tripod, Low ISO, very slow shutter speed, wide angle (around 24mm), F10 (slow for particular lens , for depth of field)

Street

• Shop windows: Capture reflections of light/street - High ISO, medium-slow shutter speed, F2/8
• Streetlights: Shadows cast, luminance and atmosphere created by lights -  High ISO, medium-slow shutter speed, F2/8
• Parked Cars: Reflection of surrounding area and light - High ISO, medium-slow shutter speed, F2/8

Cityscapes

• Over city centre: City lights, shadows, movement -  Tripod, Low ISO, slow shutter speed, F8 or slower

Equipment list – DSLR, sturdy tripod, weatherproof bag, remote shutter release, a fast lens (50mm f1/8+), kit lens (18mm-50mm f3/5-f5/6), lens hood, flashlight just in case

Legal matters – No legal matters should come to fruition but may need to permission to enter buildings in order to gain a unique perspective (I.e. top floor of buildings)

Special arrangements – Will be carried out over a 3 or 4 separate nights over the space of 2 weeks

Weather watch – Various environments indoor and out, rain although bad for the equipment would bring about even more unique photos

Specialised equipment/clothing needed – Waterproof coat