2021 SPRING: 52: ASSIGNMENT FIFTY TWO; AIR - A CONCEPTUAL PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

SPRING 2021: ASSIGNMENT FIFTY TWO; AIR – A CONCEPT PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

DUE JANUARY 18, 2022

Yep… we have a concept shot: “Air”.

How do you show air? What kind of light do you use to reveal air?

Actually air is unseen, it is actually invisible… one of the few things that are indeed invisible. We can see things floating in air, like dust and particles and moisture, and we can see the results of ‘air’… wind blown sands, trees bent and dancing in the gusts.

And that is our project. To show air.

What is cool is that because it is a concept shot, you can work within your genre. If you are a people shooter, shoot people. If landscape or still life is your main interest… do that. This is the concept on review, not the genre or subject.

It can be a big production shot or a simple, minimalist image. It can be color and it can be black and white.

But it has to be square. SQUARE.

Not landscape or portrait, horizontal or vertical… square.

Shoot and adjust accordingly.

: Blowin In The Wind HD Desktop Background

How will you choose to illustrate “air”? Will you show the effects of air, or how air can benefit our lives? Will it be about cleaner air or how air can be used to provide something ancillary?

The client represents a company that is using air as a transportation tool. Using a vacuum and a pressure controller, they can move high speed trains across the rails without danger of derailing or wearing out the equipment. The final use will be as a brochure cover, an ad, and a DVD cover for a media kit. Square is the best call for this shot.

Air… in a square.

Resources:

70 Imaginative Examples Of Conceptual Photography

50 Dramatic Conceptual Photography Examples You Can’t Miss Out

40 Outstanding Examples of Conceptual Photography

Google Image Link

From Wikipedia:

“As a methodology conceptual photography is a type of photography that is staged to represent an idea. The ‘concept’ is both preconceived and, if successful, understandable in the completed image. It is most often seen in advertising and illustration where the picture may reiterate a headline or catchphrase that accompanies it. Photographic advertising and illustration commonly derive from Stock photography, which is often produced in response to current trends in image usage as determined by the research of picture agencies like Getty Images orCorbis. These photographs are therefore produced to visualize a predetermined concept. The advent of picture editing software like Adobe Photoshop has allowed the greater manipulation of images to seamlessly combine elements that previously it would only have been possible to combine in graphic illustration.”

Conceptual Photographers

Jerry Uelsmann | Images

Tim Tadder

Joel Grimes

Erik Almas

Duane Michaels | Images

Ralph Gibson | Images

As you can see, not all “concept” photography means using a lot of photoshop or compositing although it is a genre that can call for that type of work. Ralph Gibson is a straight photographer as is Duane Michaels.

No matter how you approach this concept it will be something through YOUR eyes… something that YOU want to say about the concept of air.

Begin sketching immediately. Research what the concept means to you… movement, space, “lighter than…” whatever your initial ideas are, take them on to paper and work them out.

CREATIVITY IDEAS;

Write down as many ‘air” related adjectives as you can think of… “hot, still, stale, cool, …”

Then write an equal amount of things that can be a result of air… “balloon, wind, blowing hair, bending trees…”

Next begin to pair them up to see what you get… have fun with it.

Mix in other visuals like color or texture or personality types… whatever YOU want to add.

Mind-modeling can lead to visualization – then quickly sketch the idea out with stick figures if you have to.

DO NOT CENSOR YOURSELF IN THIS EXERCISE… Stop any attempt to say “no, this won’t work”… just get the ideas out there and let them marinate.

NOTE: Do this as soon as you can… give yourself some time to think of the ideas and formulate a plan. Waiting for the last day of the assignment will most likely be too late.