Baker Shoot.
For this shoot, i decided to take my Lego figure of a baker (with a whisk) and i baked banana bread, photographing images as i went along - placing the Baker Lego figure in different scenes and positions. Firstly, i placed the figure in the dry ingredients of the banana bread and I placed it once lying down in the dry mix but also 'standing' up. I then later photographed when my banana bread was ready to go in the oven before it was cooked, I used walnuts and dark chocolate to create an almost rough and rocky surface to look like a pathway or perhaps a rocky/muddy terrain which makes the figure look even larger as the small chocolate and nuts are in proportion to the 'body' of the figure. I also shot my images outside, in my garden because the lighting was better than the tungsten light inside my house – whereas outside was brighter and more natural which also reduced shawows which was important for my overhead shot of the dry ingredients. I took the photos using a Canon EOS 4000d DSLR camera, changing the settings dependent on the angle.
Original Image.
For this image, i took it just before the banana bread was going to go in the oven because i felt that i could gain better colours and composition before it was cooked, as well as this it was easier to take the image because the Lego figure could be placed easier into the banana bread before it was cooked, rather than after. In addition to this, I used a shallow depth of field which blurred out anything which wans’t the banana bread or the banana bread tin which focued the attention of the image. Also, i chose this image because i thought that the banana bread’s rectangular tin framed the image and created a straight and curved line which was parallel to the head of the figure which framed the image - and brought attention to the detail of the character’s face. I removed the head of anohter Lego figure and placed it on this one because i wanted a shocked expression on the figure. The figure is placed looking past the camera and with the added expression it looks as though the figure has seen something and is shocked by it which creates a comical yet slightly confusing and mysterious atmosphere.
Developments:
Final Image.
For the developments of this image, I didn't alter the image much because I liked the original compesition in which I took the image. I first used the heal and clone stamp tool on Adobe Lightroom to remove the dark patch in the corner of the original image, where the floor was showing – by editing this out it allowed the final image to be more concise and focused on the subject. I then increased the highlights and whites and decreased the shadows to brighten the image and fix the slightly dull lighting in the original image. I then increased the temperature of the image and increased the vibrance and saturation to make the colours more vibrantand warm, to match the comforting atmosphere of the image. Finally, I sharpened the image and slightly added texture to highlight the texture on the dark chocolate.
Original Image.
For this image, I placed the Lego figure into the dry mix, after slightly whisking the dry mix. By whisking the dry mix and positioning the plastic whisk of the lego figure into the dry mix, it looks as if the tiny Lego figure has whisked it. In stark contrast to Samsofy's style where he makes the Lego figures appear larger than reality, whereas in my image I placed the figure directly in the centre of the frame. By placing the figure in the centre of the frame and taking an overhead image, it created space around the figure – making the figure appear larger, exhibiting the minuscule size of the figure – which creates a more interesting image.
1/60, f/14, ISO800
Developments:
Final Image.
For the developments of this image, I opened Adobe Lightroom and immediately began to crop the image to a 1x1 square to bring more attention and focus to the figure. I also cropped it in this way to experiment with the use of space and the composition which makes the figure appear larger, wheras my original image exhibits the true size of the figure. I also added a vignette to focus the image onto the subject (the figure) which further emphasised the size of the Lego figure. Next, I increased the contrast and whites to make the figure more defined and to turn the dry mix into an almost blank background which would look more subtle behind the figure. Finally, I increased the vibrance and saturation, similaryly to the development from my other image in the 'Baker Shoot' to make the colours more vibrant and warm.