Productive day so far...

I'm aware I've been blogging my ideas as I create them today but I thought I'd share out my order of portfolio as it stands at the moment;

1) Starter - Marco Polo
2) Table - Marco Polo 
3) Wine Shot - Tbs
4) Penne Pasta - Marco Polo
5) Spaghetti Bolognese - Marco Polo
6) Fish - Martineau Guest House (Double Page)
7) Crab Cakes - Martineau Guest House
8) Crab Interaction - Martineau Guest House
9) Eggs - Cakes By Becky
10) Butter - Tbs
11) Rolling Icing - Cakes By Becky
12) Icing Cake - Cakes By Becky
13) Iced Cake - Tbs
14) Cupcake & Cases - Tbs
15) Cupcake - Cakes By Becky (Double Page)

Woo! Its all coming together, just fingers crossed for the "tbs" images!

Cupcake Cases

Cupcakes

So I wanted to do some images of cupcake cases, I feel like if I need the cases (which have to be used) I may aswell take pictures of the cupcakes also.

This is my idea of the cupcake cases (already used)

Then maybe just playing with the composition of the cupcakes on the wooden board for a picture.

White Iced Cake - continued.

White Icing Cake

Totally depending if I can get one in time, my idea is to have the cake on a wooden background again – this is probably going to be my running theme.

Hopefully the chopping board will pull it off by making it look very home made, Corse it won’t be home made though as I want to shoot this in the studio for a very crisp effect.

I’m going to go to Asda hopefully and get the props.

Then I’m going to have a few pictures of the cake – which will probably not look as good until I cut into the cake revealing the inside of the cake. Photographing the texture inside will be more interesting and visually more appealing.

I could experiment with just the one slice on a plate also.

Here are some rough ideas from the Internet;

Brown Butter Parcel Idea

Butter Brown Parcel

So I want to keep this image very “urbany” and because my images aren’t about showing brands I’m going to use brown paper to wrap my butter in. I want to make it like a parcel so it looks very organic and home made.

I have been looking all over the internet to see if my image has been done so I can imagine it and tweak it, it hasn’t so I’ve been printing bits and bobs and stuck it together then scanned it to show my ideas.

 (Chopping board)

 (Butter parcel) (Extra butter)

You’ll have probably realized I should of flipped my butter before printing it – so yes it is upside down.

Then thinking about cropping in the image when taking it in camera, this is my ideal crop.

If I can get an image (obviously more impressive than this) that shows butter looking yummy and home made I’ll be good to go!

Still not sure if I should add a knife?

Icing on the cake?

So Graham was telling me that I needed a picture to go with my baker rolling out her icing, the original idea was a white cake slice or just the whole cake.

I still want to capture this but this morning I've been editing this photo that I had taken the first time I visited Becky's. 

Also the icing on the cake was green, I've edited the photo to make it white.

I'm not great on photoshop but hopefully I can pull off what I've done!

Monday 18th March – Deadline Week

Monday 18^th March – Deadline Week

Okay, sorry I haven’t blogged much lately I’ve been busy working in retail and unfortunately not my photography work. However the pressure is on, my portfolio for my interview had been completed but now its time to make sure my portfolio project is also completed. I know roughly what I need to do its just about getting it shot and printed in time.

My deadline is Friday so I’m cutting it pretty fine, however I like the Images I have so far for it so hopefully I just need to take maybe 6 more? I have 10 printed in my portfolio already. Graham has seen it and he likes the layout too his only advice was to add more.

So here’s my plan of action this week;
(No doubt it’ll probably change)

MONDAY

Plan what I need shooting, buy products to shoot in Studio on Tuesday

TUESDAY

(Shoot in studio all day)

9:30 – Set up lighting table and experiment

10:00 – Capture wine in glass

10:50 – Sort lighting for headshots

11:00 - Commissioned headshots for drama students

12:00 – Lunch

12:30 – Research and look through pics taken so far

1:00 – 5pm – Shooting the rest of portfolio

WEDNESDAY

Print what shots I have so far

Last opportunity to shoot

THURSDAY

Have ALL work printed – depending on printing queue at college

Write up evaluation of work/ update you guys on my blog!

FRIDAY

TGIF

So thats my plan for this week briefly, I admit its a tight one but I'm going to give it my all to get it right which means plenty of determination, research and passion!

Second last project before Summer break - weird cause it doesn't feel like it as its STILL snowing!

3rd Year

I got an email today saying I GOT IN!!!

Just thought I'd share that with you all, now off to spread the word & celebrate!

Side Gallery

My mam and me were long over due a day out so as it was a nice day and I’d just had my interview we decided to have a look around Newcastle.

Firstly we went to Pink Lane Coffee as I go there with my Uni friends and my mam wanted to see what all the fuss was about these cute little tea cups! (Shabby sheek but in a good way) So we had a pot of tea each while she asked a million questions about how my interview went. I’ve gone blank now I can’t remember half the questions Ally asked!

Then we met up with my friend Jan who is a fabulous story teller! (You should all follow her on twitter – Stories For Tots)

We had a lovely catch up then it was time for Jan to go to work so my Mam and me were off to the exhibitions.

She hadn’t been to the Side Gallery which is probably one of my favorites cause its quite enough to take your time and not be in peoples way!

The last time I went to the Side Gallery was before Christmas and it was about poor women being attacked by the Taliban. It was very moving and I found some images to be distressing, maybe this is just because I feel protected from what happens in other countries in the world. To see images of women being beaten or women who have chosen to set themselves on fire than carrying on their lives is just horrific.

So when I got to the Side Gallery we went upstairs first (yes should of started at the start which would have been ground floor) it was all about the tsunami, which struck Japan. It was amazing to see how much damage had taken place, very sad. I do think the one positive thing out of the exhibition was the way everyone looked out for each other. Some folk found personal photographs and made a shrine for those all over to come and claim.

We had a flash flood this Summer which the North East was badly effected with but this was a pin prick compared to what these people went through!

When we went downstairs to continue the photos’, there were stories of before images and after the disaster struck.

I would advise everyone to have a look while its still on as its very interesting, emotional and touching!

Side Gallery

Current Exhibition

Saturday 12 January - Saturday 16 March

Debris deposited in Yamada Bay by the 11th March 2011 tsunami. Dean Chapman

Tsunami: Archaeology of a Disaster

The Aftermath of Japan's 2011Earthquake and Tsunami

Dean Chapman

Interview

Wow, just had my interview yesterday and it was scary. I was fully prepared but nervous as a wreck. I was more nervous about screwing the whole thing up and messing up my future.

The good points about this interview were;

• ·      I wrote my first CV (finally got round to it)
• ·      Passport Photo (actually had one handy for a change)
• ·      Portfolio (decent investment £80)
• ·      Prints (blood, sweat & tears but I had prints I was happy with)
• ·      Statement of Intent (took about 5 attempts)

Here is my statement of intent, might be quite interesting to read!

I feel that there will be a high demand in food photography as our lifestyle keeps changing. There will be a market for this, as companies want to promote a healthy organic lifestyle. Due to the outbreak in horsemeat in our processed foods, the public needs to regain trust in where their food comes from and what they are actually eating. Also our country is constantly refereed to being a climate of obesity and the government are wanting to change this by bringing in healthier school meals, and promoting healthy alternatives. I would like to start a project in the food photography area as its important for the public to see what they’re eating. I live in the rural parts of the countryside where there are farms and local businesses, which thrive off being organic and using local produce. I believe photographing food right now will benefit local markets to show the public what they’re eating and how it can be healthy, organic and mouth watering to look at.

I believe this final stage of my course is vital to my long-term business plan, as eventually I want to become self-employed. In order to reach my goal I need to reach certain targets in my careers path. Firstly I’d like to get more assisting work and build relations with photographers and companies. I will use this year to build stronger connections from becoming an assistant then hopefully become a confident freelancer. I will work for local companies such as papers and promotion to gain experience and a more regular client base. I already network weekly using Twitter by talking about my aims and my passion for photography via #Northeasthour, this is already bringing in commissions and paid work. It also brings the aspiration of being self-employed closer which is my long-term goal that I will work hard and passionately for.

 Now I am just hoping I got a place on the course as it really does sound ideal for what I want to do! Fingers crossed for me people!!!