LILY HALLIDAY
Y O U T H
S M O K E F A C E S H O O T
To continue developing my ideas and work in the style of Demaison, I plan to experiment creating physical smoke in front of my models face in different ways rather than editing the smoke in digitally. This process could either be a lot more effective, or be unsuccessful, but I am willing to experiment to achieve the best outcome.
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Initially, I will experiment creating the same smoke effect I have photographed so far in my refined shoots, but place my model behind the smoke. Hopefully this will be more effective working in the style of Demaison. As for my theme, I believe the concept of having the smoke physically surrounding my model within the photograph will help to emphasise the idea of a parent’s addiction surrounding a child’s life.
Although this shoot has been more for experimental purposes than high quality final piece photos, I have found it unsuccessful. The incense sticks I had used in my previous shoot didn’t produce as much smoke as I had hoped and therefore didn’t cover the face of my model as much as Demaison. I believe for this experiment to be successful, the smoke itself would have to be of a much higher volume surrounding my model to portray the idea of a parent’s addiction surrounding a child. Even though I set the mini shoot against a black backdrop, the smoke still didn’t show up very well. Overall, I have still found this experiment purposeful as it has shown me I must search for a new technique in creating a smoke like effect.
P O W D E R S H O O T
​To re-create a smoke like effect to work in the style of Demaison, during research I came across the technique of blowing baby powder at the camera lense. I believe there is a possibility of this working to create a smokey effect, but I doubt it will create as much smoke as I would hope. Again to make the 'smoke' show up more clearly I have set the mini shoot against a black backdrop.
As expected this technique hasn’t created as much 'smoke' as I had hoped, but it was a fun and purposeful process. I have only found a selection of photos successful visually, but ineffective in portraying my theme. I have also found that the use of the hand in the photos are less effective and introduce an aspect that I haven’t been exploring throughout my project.
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To further experiment using the powder aspect within my photography to see whether it can be more successful, I took a range of photographs once the lense has been covered in baby powder. I cleared a small area in the centre of the camera lense and caught images of my model holding a cigarette. Even though at this stage I am looking for other ways to portray my theme, I found this stage very experimental to see what works and what doesn’t.
I found these experiments very unsuccessful, and believe the effect comes across as an accident or bad lighting rather than a smoke like effect. At this point within my project I know that I want to find a new technique in which I can create an effective smoke effect that will portray the idea of smoke surrounding a child.
R E F E R E N C E A R T I S T -
J O V A N A R I K A L O
As the smoke covering the face directly was hard to experiment with and fairly unsuccessful, I have referenced the artist Jovana Rikalo that has inspired me to focus the smoke aspect around the model rather than covering the model. I also found within my power shoot that the power/smoke spread further than the actual face giving a similar wispy effect like Rikalo.
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To me it appears that the type of smoke used in Rikalo’s work is a lot thicker and of a higher consistency compared to the smoke I have been creating so far using incense sticks. I have also found this similar aspect within a selection of Demasion's work in the first few photographs I searched, where the smoke is coming from inside the model herself. Therefore, to produce a different smoke effect I have decided to experiment with smoke bombs. I believe the smoke given of will give off the effect I am looking for, creating a more 'surrounded' effect emphasising the idea of parental addictions surrounding and entering a child’s life and possessions.
