Concentration

French novelist Louis-Ferdinand Celine stated, “The foreground in a picture is always unattractive… Art demands that the interest of the canvas should be placed in the far distance.” The idea of my concentration challenges this quote. It focuses on the use of foreground to add a compelling element to my portrait photography, while highlighting different people’s personal attributes. I did this by using appealing props and utilizing different photo techniques.

Foreground makes up the space between the subject and the camera. I chose to utilize this space to highlight the varying personalities of my models. I used props and techniques to add something unique. I wanted photos with compelling foreground elements so that both the foreground and the subject can be of interest. In images 1, 4, 7, 9, and 12, I used a projector. I used pictures of space, water, and optical illusions to illustrate the individuality of my models. I also used physical props, like in images 2, 5, and 11. In 2 and 11 I used glitter, while in 5 I used bubbles. For 3 and 8 I used a board with star cutouts and projected light through it to cast shapes on their faces. In 6 I used a strobe light and in 10 I used a gel to color the sunlight casting on my model’s face. Most of my photos were taken in the studio because it helped me demonstrate my ideas. There are a mix of warm and cool tones because it aided my idea of showing personalities. My concentration displays the use of captivating foreground to highlight the contrasting personalities of my subject.

Breadth