Edits

For my first two edits, I wanted to use photoshop to duplicate the amount of people in my photo, making the overall image more crowded so the the viewer is unable to focus on one thing, as there is too much going on in the picture. My idea behind this was to represent social anxiety, as many people struggle with being around crowded areas. I wanted to try to convey the sensation of feeling confined and trapped, making the viewer feel overwhelmed, similar to how people with anxiety might feel in large crowds, which I think I did successfully. I used the same model in both images to convey the different feelings of a person with anxiety, and the different personalities they feel that they have to take on in order to fit into society. In addition, I also increased the saturation and exposure levels to make the images stand out better, thus making them more memorable for the viewer.

For my next set of edits, I wanted to create a magazine cover. As my portraiture project is based around fashion and editorial photography, I wanted to dive deeper into that theme by creating something different, which I wouldn't usually try in my edits from other topics. To make these magazine covers, I created a transparent that said "VOGUE", which is one of my favourite fashion magazines and is very well known in the fashion industry. I then placed it in the empty spaces of my photos, and made sure to edit the text so that it didn't overlap any of the models features. Furthermore, I slightly turned up the contrast and highlights so that the outcome seemed more dramatic and intriguing. I think that these edits were successful and I would love to experiment more with making magazine covers.

In these edits, I overlayed two photos on top of each other to create a shadow effect. I made these edits because I wanted to experiment with blending two images together, and I think that the outcomes are successful because they further portray messages to do with mental health and living up to beauty standards. The edits are effective for the viewer, as the shadows make the images more interesting and the viewer takes more time to think deeper about the meanings behind the photos. This way of editing also makes the photos seem more crowded, which reinforces ideas about social anxiety and feeling surrounded.

I wanted to experiment with using black and white in my edits. In the first edit, I made the background completely black and white, but kept the models in colour. I think that this was effective because it makes the models stand out, suggesting that there is a clear focal point. The viewer is also more attracted to the models bright clothing. Additionally, I wanted to contrast the colourful models with the dull atmosphere to portray the horrible times that we are living in. The bright colours of the models clothing gives off an uplifting sensation, but it is juxtaposed with the colourless background. I wanted to convey to the viewer the message that although we are in dark times, we are still able to look on the bright side and find light in our situation. On the other hand, in my second edit, I made the models black and white, and the nature is filled with bright colours. For this image I wanted to show the viewer how hard is it to struggle with mental health issues such as anxiety. Even though the models are surrounded by beautiful flowers and bright skies, they are fighting their own battles inside. Although these edits go against what my photographer, Arielle Bobb Willis would do, the messages behind the edits convey similar messages to her own work.

For my final edit, I wanted to further experiment with using the overlay tool, taking away colour, and duplicating the model, as a way of showing the viewer my photoshop skills and trying to improve on them. I think that this photo was successful because it looks good compositionally; there is a clear rule of thirds and the colours complement each other well. I also think the edit links well to my ideas surrounding mental health issues, as it conveys similar messages to my other edits from this shoot.