Quote of the Day

How to Photoshop Vintage

This tutorial helped me with editing images in a certain way. I'm very involved with vintage so I wanted my imges to look vintage. Here is a step by step guide of how to photo shop an original image to a Photoshopped image.

Here is my finished result:

Issues and Representations

“What sense can we make of Beyoncé’s ethnicity?”

Pre-requisite module: MC5035 Issues and Representations (Year 2, semester 2)

My detailed proposal includes a revised question that it academically informed and relevant to the issues and representations of how African-American women such as iconic superstar, Beyoncé, is represented in the mass production of advertising.  My research question focuses on the genre of how different mediums of the media industry do not portray black women as their full identity/ethnicity but more as a photo shopped copy version of how the creators of the brand want them to be visualised by their niche audience.

In 2011L’Officiel were accused of darkening the skin in the shoot that was intentionally honouring L’Officiel’s 90^th anniversary and both Nigerian musician and pioneer, Fela Kuti.

In 2008 L’Oreal  were  accused of ‘white washing’ by digitally lightning her skin and making her to look a white version of herself.

My issues of debate are to tackle the questions that have not been answered to their full potential such as; is the fashion industry alienating African-American women from their own identity to fit a niche audience point of view?

Is Beyoncé wearing ‘blackface’ to highlight the theoretical make-up that darkens the skin considered offensive because it is perpetuating stereotypes or is it just a normality of being creative in a photo-shoot?

Why didn’t L’Officiel use a darker skinned model/celebrity instead if they needed to use theatrical makeup to highlight the essence of African descent?

These questions will be best answered through virtual ethnography where I can understand the audience research through different contents of online forums.

My object of study will be to look closely at the different magazines and advertising texts such as the magazines of L’Officiel and L’Oreal. I will look into the company themselves and research them as a whole to find out how they concept ideas to create and produce their brands. Using different secondary and primary sources will help me build up a different commentary of facts and opinions. Along with using my method of textual analysis in my report, finding the responses of the company of what their perspective of the shoot would be a good interpretation to add into my dissertation. My biggest focus of research will be looking at the point of view point of Beyoncé I would want to find if she found the photo-shoot to be problematic or a positive cause.

Aspirational Career Destination

Aspirational Career Destination: Is to work for a professional world renowned fashion magazine company and also be a fashion journalist. I would still like to be a freelance photographer to a wider content of industries.

 

Quote of the Day

Production Event Photography

The Production Event Photography was based on the theme of Multicultralism. This was my first Year 1 Production of organising. And for the event I was co-leader to the rest of my team mates. The idea that we decided to come up with was a documented exhibition on the theme of multiculturalism split into 5 categories which were; Fashion, culture, food , music and religion.

...traditional African Clothing being warn at an African/Nigerian wedding...

...European clothing...

Celebration of a church anniversary

Being in front of the Camera....

These photographs resemble that not only am I the person that is behind the camera but I can also reflect myself through being in front of the camera as a subject. These are self-portraits of me in different shot angles and variety poses. The black and white photography highlights my attitude and personality of being an enthusiastic, diverse, risk taking, thoughtful and active person. I love the way that these shots actually look like editorial and commercial images.

These images where taking by a photographer of mine called Gavin also known as Afrika Soulchild.

...I'm not afriad to look at the camera as long as I and the lens both know who we are...

.....my hair in my face still doesn't change anything I am what I am...

....side profile...

....this works... though I may not look like I'm completely interested I'm still focus...

...a thought for me is like being in my own comfort zone away from everyone...

....my eyes give off signals...

...if the eyes could talk the things they would say...

...throwing a cheesy smile says a lot about me!....

....being able to use movement is a key advantage...

....dramatic though maintained...

...my favourite of them all...

...a guaranteed uplifting smile...

I have always said that I’m a cross between being behind the camera where I can take the most unusual images that convey a story or either in front of the camera where my wellbeing is a narrative that tells its own story.