DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 3.5

After my images were edited they were all renamed according to the shoot it belonged to.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 3.4

My client and I reviewed all my photos once edited and selected the ones that we believed were the best ones to show the detail of the make up.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 3.3

Once my images were uploaded onto my laptop I copied them onto my usb device so I can transfer them onto another laptop to edit them.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 3.2

When I uploaded my photos I checked all of them to ensure they were of good quality and if they were not to my standard I deleted them.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 3.1

For my grave photo shoot I had to use automatic camera settings as my flash gun is a standard on/off flash which means i couldn't customise the aperture or shutter speed because I needed the auto focus in order to get crystal clear images because of the lighting situation. If the camera settings were all on manual the shoot would have taken much much longer because i would have had to adjust the focus manually which would risk the quality of some photos because the surroundings were so busy It would be difficult to get the focus spot on and it would have been impossible to try and achieve the correct focus for when the actors/models were moving targets.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 2.5

I covered legal issues in pre production by writing a letter to the police stating the purpose and equipment the crew and I will be using and also by producing release forms for the actors/models, cemetery and farm. I carried out a risk assessment too.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 2.4

For my grave photo shoot I had to use automatic camera settings as my flash gun is a standard on/off flash which means i couldn't customise the aperture or shutter speed because I needed the auto focus in order to get crystal clear images because of the lighting situation. If the camera settings were all on manual the shoot would have taken much much longer because i would have had to adjust the focus manually which would risk the quality of some photos because the surroundings were so busy It would be difficult to get the focus spot on and it would have been impossible to try and achieve the correct focus for when the actors/models were moving targets. 
Also my camera produces jpeg images by default.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 2.3

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 2.2

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 2.1

My client strictly wanted the grave shoot to be taken in the daytime as she wanted a grey, muggy, slightly mystical feel to the photos which I could then enhance in photoshop. When people think of the genre of zombie/grombie they instantly think of a dark, nighttime setting as they are dead, human eating beasts and therefore creep around at night to scare their food/prey. I liked that Anne broke this convention and chose daylight. However for the second photo shoot at the farm we had no choice but to do it in the dark because of work commitments but this was not a bad thing. The night time enhanced this particular set of photos to the maximum as I had good lighting from my flashgun and so the focal point was clearer and the images themselves were better quality than the first shoot in the daytime. Anne did not specify in her brief what kind of editing she wanted for the farm shoot but i did ask her when we was on location and she said she wants the photos to draw every bit of attention to the make up and so the sky or surroundings do not necessarily need an atmospheric colour put over them like the first shoot did. By simply having the 2 shoots in different times of the day changes the feel you get from each shoot despite them both showing zombies in action.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 1.3

When taking photos for a sports event it important that you have a fast shutter speed, you can get faster shutter speeds if you have a fast lens. If you want to get a very clear, in the moment photo without any blur, a shutter speed of 1/1000th second is perfect. However if you was a little bit of motion blur you can use a 1/250 second setting. In order to obtain a fast enough shutter speed you should set the sensitivity to the lowest ISO setting. In good light, a 100 or 200 ISO would be fine, the less light you have, the higher the ISO number should be. Using a wide aperture will increase the shutter speed however will decrease the mouth of depth of field.


For portraits, it all depends on what type of portrait you are doing. For example when doing photos of someone, inside, you want try not to put them so close to walls when using a direct flash that is close to the lens to avoid heavy shadows. By using off-camera flash you can achieve a softer, more attractive effects with the correct shadow in the right places. For all close ups it is ideal to use a low f setting such as f/8 because it allows more light in. Using the 'Aperture Priority' setting on the camera is the most effective way to control the f settings and allows you to control the depth of field so you can blur the background and put more focus on the subject. When getting a sharp focus, I personally like to focus closer on the eyes as they can say a lot about the person in the photo. 


When taking landscape photos you should be aware of your surroundings and take many things into consieration. For example if you are doing nature photos of trees and flora you want to note the weather conditions. Wind can cause the flowers, branches and leaves to move which means you will not get a clear cut shot. Genuinely with a landscape photo, photographers will want to get as much in the photo as possible. In order to do this you will want to use a small aperture setting, smaller than 8. Although, a small aperture means a longer exposure time and therefore, on a windy day, your photo will be ruined by small but visible motion blur of the flora. A way to avoid this is to use the 'Aperture Priority' or 'Shutter Priority' camera settings. On a clear day with no wind, setting your camera to a small aperture will produce sharp images. In windy select the 'Shutter Priority' setting with the exposure time less than 1/400 to not get any movement of the flora.


Good quality night photography can be very difficult due to the lack of light. It requires you to know the capabilities of the camera being used and technical knowledge. Poorly lit scenery can be captured only with long exposure times. You will need to know what 'ISO' speed is and how to steady the camera at different shutter speeds. Again 'Shutter Priority' mode is the best setting to use because you can have more control over the exposure time. A shutter speed of 1/13, the speed is very slow which means you will need to hold the camera very still or use a tripod in order to get a great photo. The ISO setting depends on what you want in your photo. For example if you want low noise you could use a ISO setting of 50. I fyou want more noise then simply use a higher ISO speed.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 1.2

There are many elements to what makes good image composition, and these vary when different elements are put together.


One element which is something I enjoy incorporating into my photos is 'Depth Of Field'. The depth of field that you chose when taking your photo will dramatically affect the composition of the image and can give different meanings and feelings. It can isolate a subject from it's background or foreground, therefore giving instant focus to that subject. It can also put the same subject in context by revealing it's surroundings with a larger depth of field.


A rule that I like to stick with in all my photos is the 'Thirds'. If there is a specific subject or could of objects in my photos i like to place them in either the left, centre or right third. I think it gives the subject(s) power in the photos.


Another element is 'Pattern'. We are constantly surrounded by patterns, we just don't notice them. Taking photos of these patterns and emphasise and highlight them in ways we would never see. The outcomes could show exciting shots and new perspectives on things along with highlighting broken patterns.


Symmetry can produce lovely, dramatic photos with strong composition. Although without a strong point of interest it can be predictable. 


If you have experimented 'Texture' photography before you will be able to create the illusion that the photo appear almost 3D and come alive.


'Lines' are an important element in composition because they have the power to draw the viewers eye to a key focal point and increase the meaning and feeling the photo gives. All lines, horizontal, diagonal, converging etc, produce different impacts and should be when framing the shot.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 1.1

For my photo shoots I used my own camera which is a Pentax K-x. This camera is pretty good but also quite standard and possibly not the best camera to use for my type of project photos. Also my flask gun is just an on/off one, I had no control of the exposure which would have really helped, particulary for the goat shoot. I changed my settings for the correct aperture and shutter speed but the camera would have had of been on the manual setting but this would not work because as the shoots were being done in low light I needed automatic focus which then limited the ability to get correct exposure.


A better, more suitable camera to use for my photo shoots would have been the Canon EOS 1D X. For my grave shoot, when trying to photograph the models running, this camera would have been ideal because it captures every second up to 12 frames per second continuous shooting which can increase to 14fps in 'Super High' speed mode. Also having the Canon Speedlite 430 EX II flashgun would have been perfect for both shoots because it is made for the EOS cameras and manual mode settings in 1/3 stop increments with settings that can be controlled though the camera menu system.

PRE PRODUCTION - 4.4

The way the pre production documents were generated worked well for me and had no faults or restricted any further development when taking the photos. They were all done consistently and in order. At all stages of the pre production section I knew what I had completed and what I still needed to do. I took the pre production documents with me to both shoots and they did they're job as i was the only one that needed to refer to them but in order to get a clearer visual of what exactly the client wanted I could have sat down and crested them with the client so then as I was wiring and sketching she could guide me and by her actually watching the shots being planned out it may have sparked more ideas for the client.

PRE PRODUCTION - 4.3

I am very pleased with the way I chose to document my pre production part of the project. I completed it in a comfortable way using programs and methods in which I am confident with. I prefer the more traditional pen and paper technique instead of computer generated although producing documents on a computer does make it easier and clearer to view and transport onto different programs because they can easily be moved with a usb or email. Whereas i had to take photos of each hand drawn documents and upload them to the programs. As the client is also my friend it was easy to talk to her because we already knew each other and felt comfortable discussing lots of ideas and was able to get our models/actors easily because we used mutual friends who were also comfortable to the photos because they were not shy to do funny poses and make a fool of themselves. I communicated with my client through Facebook and text messages.

I was pleased with the feedback that I received from my client as I feel I did do my best to incorporate the clients ideas effectively into a series of photographs. My client mentioned in her feedback that I "made sure that she took detailed documents displaying what it was that I wanted from the photographs and ensured that I had as much input as possible when on location." It was important for me to do this as it helped me stick to the requirements and mood of the photo shoot but despite the client being a friend of mine I still wanted to look and act professional as this work will be graded and contribute to my portfolio as well as my client sending them to international special effects artist companies and production companies.  

PRE PRODUCTION - 4.2

The final products came out very well however not to my expectations. The client though they were brilliant and is very happy to use them how they are but I wished I experimented more with lighting and camera settings in the particular lighting that were at the locations. The photo shoots went as planned, everything I wanted and planned to do, displaying the brief's requirements, and even added extra details and ideas in that the client and I thought of during the shoots.


Here is the clients feedback.


"I've worked with Jemma twice now and I've been very pleased with the results on both occasions. She remains professional but friendly throughout the photography shoots and has a great knack for directing the subjects and expressing exactly what it is that she wasnts to acheive from them. Throughout both shoots Jemma made sure that she took detailed documents displaying what it was that I wanted from the photographs and ensured that I had as much input as possible when on location. My photo's came back to me one week later, edited exactly as I had asked and they've improved my SFX makeup portfolio hugely which will surely make an impact when my target audience view it.
I'll definitely use Jemma and her photographic skills again.
Anne Furby"

PRE PRODUCTION - 4.1

I don't feel that i was faced with any parameters or constraints which led to the original decisions made to change. The only think that has changed, but not affected the schedule or plan of the photo shoot was that my female model was unavailable on one of the dates but it didn't create any problems as i had a second female model that knows she will be available on that date. This is why it's good to have a couple of people in mind for each role because if one did become busy, you don't have to spend a lot of time thinking of another and making lots of calls.

PRE PRODUCTION - 3.5

By making my own sketches and notes that show how I will transform the clients brief into actual photos it keeps a content reminder of how the images need to look. When you are in the moment and taking lots of photos it is easy to go astray from the initial theme and feel so by referring back to my mind maps and storyboards I was able to stick to the clients brief throughout.


One type of software that I could have used on a computer to create the pre production documents is 'Moodshare'. This website allows you to find media, make and share multi-user mood boards faster than doing them by hand. If i had used this method to make my mood board i would have saved a lot of time and had clearer images to show my ideas and intentions. 

PRE PRODUCTION - 3.4

PRE PRODUCTION - 3.3

PRE PRODUCTION - 3.2

PRE PRODUCTION - 3.1

PRE PRODUCTION - 2.7

Here is the Risk Assessment form i created and will print out to sign and carry with me on every day the crew and i are on location.

Here is the release forms that i will give to all the actors/models that will be in my photos which they will sign on the day of the shoot and the release form for the cemetery and farm authorities to sign.

Here is the letter i wrote to the police to inform them of where i am going to take my photos and that I may be using real knives.

PRE PRODUCTION - 2.6

The first bit of planning, based on what the client wants is where the photos are going to be taken. Now if it was going to be in a household that would be absolutely fine as long as the homeowner gives consent however if it was going to be done outside in a public area a lot more would have to be considered. For example if the shoot was going to be in a park you will have to be careful where abouts in the park you are taking them and who you get in the photos because when children are involved highlights a major, legal issue of child protection. In the case of using children you will have to explain the situation and receive full confirmation from the parents or guardians that they're children are allowed to take part. However if they are in the background, as long as you are not focusing on them and are actually part of the background then you will be alright. It doesn't hurt to let those around you know the reason photos are being taken.

Another issue with carrying out a shoot in a public place is that you may need consent. For example if you want to use a grave yard you should ask permission via writing a letter or if they have contact details on a website then via that. If you do not ask, in the worst possible case police may be called but usually the groundsmen will nto bother with calling the police unless vandalism was involved. So if caught taking photos you will most likely be escorted off the premises.

While being out on location and doing a full shoot, depending on how long it does actually take, camera batteries could run out and if you haven't got spares then you will be forced to stop as you physically cannot carry on. Another disadvantage with being out on location is that, particularly with my shoot, props such as make up materials could spoil and be no good for the rest of the shoot. Also as the weather is unpredictable you may be in the middle of taking a certain set of photos where you need certain lights for example then a group of clouds come along and ruin the lighting. You then have to wait for them to pass or finish the set on another day.

People becoming suddenly unavailable is another big issue that can cause the shoot to be rescheduled which will cause inconveniences for everyone so it is always good to have back up actors/models incase this does happen.

When planning for the photo shoot you want to keep all of these in mind and always have a plan b incase. I have considered all of these and am very prepared for if any of the above was to happen.

PRE PRODUCTION - 2.5

PRE PRODUCTION - 2.3

The software I prefer to use Microsoft Word for all of my written based documents as I know how to use it really well and you can create clear, easy to read documents. However another way to record my pre production documents would be via a visual slideshow or even videoing me talking to my client, the police station or showing my models verbally agreeing to be in the photos and me having full rights of them. I personally wouldn't like to use these methods as i'm comfortable and confident with using Microsoft Word.


An advantage of using word is that I can transfer the files where ever I want and where ever I want. I can simply save the documents to a usb device or email it to myself so I can have access to the files when I have a computer or internet.


I also like to draw/sketch so this is how I can show my planning for the actual photography I will be doing so i can get a rough idea how the shots will be taken and transfer what my client wants visually.

PRE PRODUCTION - 2.2

As the shoot involves zombies, a lot of blood, wounds, maggots, death and animal body parts it's safe to say the genre of my project is horror. I researched some zombie photo shoots and most of them are located in a dark environment such as a woodland area or a street in the night-time.

This is the biggest convention when shooting anything within the horror genre. I will use this convention but also break it too by doing another zombie shoot in the daytime. This will still have great effect because it allows you then to show a lot more detail of the surrounding area and and by having natural light it gives me more freedom when playing with lighting in photoshop. In both of the images above, girls are used. 

A lot of images I found on the internet were mostly female populated whereas in my shoots I am having 2 male zombies and 1 female. Although in one of my shoots the girl is going to be an innocent human but in the other she is going to be a zombie. Also something i didn't see when researching zombie photos was the use of animals. In previous photography projects I have used a lambs heart - Photo below.

Because of the positive reaction I received by using a real anatomical heart i have decided to use them again along with a real skinless goats head. I was able to get one of these from an African food market and it only cost me £3. The goats head will have an amazing impression when people look over the photos because it isn't something you would think you could get hold of easily or cheaply. The market also had head with skin still on but the skinless ones look so much more disgusting and powerful and will be easier to add make up to in order for it to look more gross because you can see the muscle and flesh and all that will need to be done to it is have red food colouring and fake blood painted onto it.

PRE PRODUCTION - 2.1

CLIENT BRIEF CONVERSATION


The client is my friend and we were communicating through a social networking site and through text so the  conversation is in colloquial language. A summary of the brief is; my friend Anne is a special effects make up artist and i knew that she was looking for someone to do a photo shoot for her so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to use Anne as my client as we will both benefit from it. Anne agreed to be my client and we begun to talk about ideas for the shoot. She was sure to tell me that her target audience is international SPX and production companies. The type of SFX make up that Anne specialises in is blood and gore so it was very easy to decide on the zombie theme. Choosing our actors/models was simple as we had mutual friends that we knew would do a fantastic job as some had drama experience. I threw in a few ideas to Anne but we mainly stuck to her initial ideas which was to have an innocent looking girl visit a grave and 2 zombies are hidden in the cemetery who notice the girl and chase her only to catch her and feast on her body. Anne also stated a possible twist we could have used which was the girl turned round and killed them.. again but we chose not to carry out this twist. We then spoke about a second location that we could use being a tattoo studio but we did not use this idea either. We also discussed what type of editing Anne wanted on the photos, mentioning white goul eyes and a blue/purple atmosphere. 

            Jemma: Hay Anne (: Ummm do you still need photos taken for your bloody, manky, maggot infested make up? If you do I can do a shoot for you because for my diploma I need to do a photography project where I need a client and I was thinking you could be my client and the photos I take you can use to promote and show your work. Tell what you think (: x

Anne: Ooh sounds cool but I don't photo great so we could use Tony haha when do you need this to happen deary, and any idea of location etc? xx

              Jemma: Woo great thank you! We could use tony and Joe and maybe my friend so we have a girl too. Everything is totally up to you, you're the client so say what you want it to look like and basically I have to make it happen lol. It needs to be a really good location, not just a plain background.. Possibly graveyard? Just somewhere dark and where you wouldn't like to go at night lol. And maybe to be taken on a weekend in the next 3 weeks? x

Anne: Great stuff, OK so let me ponder it, chat with Tony and get this wknd in Devon out of the way and I'll contact you next week with a couple of options, all the makeup can be done at my sisters house just downstairs from Joe’s and then we can bundle in the car and venture to our locations! Should have a few cool props too seeing as tis Halloween season x

            Jemma: Yeaa sounds good >< x

Jemma: Haay, did you and Tony have a little think about location ideas and shizzle? We need to create a brief, like you need to write what you want, i.e. our agreement and terms (not too sure what that means but its on my list to have) you need to specify the target audience, conventions used equipment, resources etc. Also we'll need to think and state legal and ethical issues and limitations and we'll need to plan a schedule of when we are doing the pics. Let me know what ideas you got then we can start making concrete plans (:

Aaaaand you need to say how you want some of the pics to look, like what positions or what you want going on, e.g. someone biting someone’s face off or feasting on another person (:

Sorry you may get a few messages throughout the day as I think of stuff >< I'm liking the idea of somehow using mirror(s) in the shoot. Like the dead people being fascinated by their reflection kinda thing. Are they going to be zombies or just injured people?

I'm also liking the idea of possibly having a clinical looking setting for some of the pics. So having a whitey room or just a light colour so the guys make up will really stand out

Ooo you know where I think we could use, you know bow cemetery that's right next to Orrie’s! I don't think that ever has a keeper and it scares the shit out of me so I think it would look really good!

I'm going to get some bones and meat and try to get a goat’s head!

                  Jemma: Hay Anne, I don't want to be a pain but I kinda need to know you're ideas before Monday. If you just list it all I am happy to write the brief. I just need to start getting the pre production side going. Tarr (:

Anne:  Yo sorry for taking so long. Been a busy busy bee.
Ok so I'll chuck some ideas at you n I'll let you put some ideas etc in too ?!

I like the idea of the graveyard setting with an innocent visitor sitting at a grave with a bunch of flowers in (preferably her) hands, and 1 or 2 zombies walking towards her in the background, but she's completely unaware of them. I'd quite like this to be in a prettier, forestry part of the graveyard where there'll hopefully be a bit of colour. Not sure if we could pull this shot off in the dark, and Tony doesn't finish work until the evenings on Saturday's so it might be one for an early Sunday afternoon? I think there's something more unsettling about zombies in the daylight myself?!

Ok then we could maybe have some shots of them chomping down on her. I have some fake hearts and eyeballs so we could make this pretty cool, although doing her makeup in the cemetery could prove tricky.. Failing that, maybe an unexpected twist could be some shots of her going all psycho and killing them..? Ooh and maybe after the killing shots we could have a single snap of her looking down at a big bite mark on her arm... And we all know what that means... Uh oh!

Are you able to Photoshop these images at all? The zombies would look much more effective if you could pale out there eyes, kinda like a corpse that's been dead for a couple months. Contacts are soo expensive!

Haha or a zombie with a bunch of flowers visiting a grave.. A little spin off. Also Jem, just to let your know I will obviously be using the photos for my SFX portfolio so they will be seen by international sfx artist companies and theatre/tv production companies. Not to put pressure on you but just so you know who my target audience is.

                  Jemma:   Oo no worries (: That's really good that you will be showing the photos to them, I will make sure they look as prioffesional as I can make them.

I'm liking the innocent girl and flowers, that would look really good because i could make them quite bright and obvious and the zombies obvious but subtle in the background. yea we could do a Sunday afternoon, that’s cool, depending how long we're at the location we could try is at the sun is going down too because I think if the sky is a bit mild bluey/purple it will have a good impact, but we can see when we're there.
I think we should just do a range of some in the day and night because I'm planning on taking a couple hundred photos.

Yea I was going to buy some hearts as well and either use fake blood or red food dye to make it redder - really works in previous experience. Oooo I like the twist of her turning on them!! If we use the graveyard next to Orrie I'm sure he would let you do the make up up there, also I don't know if there is a pretty area of that cemetery

Yea I have a new version of photo shop (: For the eye's i am signed up to Picnik and they have an eye colour changing tool and the eyes can be literately any colour you want and it also has a Halloween section where they have like vampire/goul eyes (:

Can you think of anywhere that would look clinical? I'm really stuck on the idea of the zombies feasting on someone in a whitety room! I can't think of anywhere though. I think we should use a minimum of two locations (:

PRE-PRODUCTION - 1.2

One way of using software to produce pre production software would to be to create an effective, animated presentation using an online program called Prezi. I have used this to evaluate my A level media studies exam work (to view click the link http://snipurl.com/2bqk9g ) but it can also be used in the same way, and be as successful when creating pre-production documents. The program is very easy to use and incredibly fun. There are so many interesting, imaginative ways to make a simple presentation into an exciting one. It shares all the same basic features like a selection of fonts and sizes that can be used, bolds, italics and colours that for example Microsoft PowerPoint have. But what PowerPoint doesn’t allow you to do is to transform the presentation into a channel. By channel I am referring to how when using prezi, each bit of data that you put on adds to the path so they do not have to be viewed in a linear form.

For example the first image shows you an overview of one section in the presentation, the presentation then zooms to where ever you have put as the next part of the path. In this case it is a close up of the diagram. After that the presentation has been made to zoom to another area of the workspace which by the creators choice shows the title and then zooms in again so the text is visible to read.

The way you get the presentation to run very much the same as on PowerPoint. You select a ‘play’ button and have to click the mouse button or arrow keys to move onto the next slide/area of page.

PRE-PRODUCTION - 1.1

Mood boards, spider diagrams, storyboards, any visual method of recording information is going to be very helpful when you have keep referring back and reminding yourself of the original ideas and possible paths you could take. I have personally used mood boards and spider diagrams a lot in my photography and media studies.  Here is a mood board I created when I was creating a music video for my A level media studies coursework.

I found using a mood board particularly useful because it allowed be to collect all the ideas, colours, shapes and settings I had in my mind, put them down on a sheet in front of me and let my mind wander. By being able to see everything I imagine together it forces me to experiment with combining each element and producing a whole new impression. The same applies to spider diagrams, however instead of looking at an image you can encourage the expansion of one idea by creating the diagram using colour. For example, the main idea could be in blue, then an element branching off that could be in orange and so on until you have a page of every colour in the rainbow. Colours are always useful for remembering things and influencing new ideas as they aid the memory and help with recall significant points of that project. However one disadvantage of using paper-based research is that you could easily lose it and there isn’t a way to back it up. (Unless you create more than one, which is very time consuming) Another is that with storyboards you can draw and create the frame and put everything you want, how you want. But, you cannot accurately judge the real location when putting it down on paper. Therefore when it comes to carrying out the task or project you may come across a few implications because not all of you props or actors will fit in the shot.