Project 2 Portrait

My idea was to portray the different aspects of a relationship, but mainly the struggles and negative aspects of a relationship between two people who are completely not meant for each other. Many people end up in bad relationships and for many different reasons end up trapped in this bad relationship. Whether it be because it becomes routine, denial, or something else. Some people make excuses, which makes him or her feel better about being in this relationship.

I began exploring this idea in the studio with the strobes, showing the models themselves, who are not actually dating. I then tried to incorporate shadows and showing this concept using only body language shown through the shadows. I also experimented a little with showing one subject and the shadow of the other.


For my second shoot I took my models outside and took images of them and their shadows on different backgrounds and textures. I had some trouble in the studio getting the shadows fully defined because of the defused lighting the strobes give off, and the direct sunlight worked very well to define the figures. I thought that the different contexts help show the progression of the relationship.

Blog Entry #4
Kelli Connell

The Valley 2006
http://www.kelliconnell.com



Subject Matter:
Two women
Form:
I. Point of View – The point of view is straight on to the subjects, who seem to be on a bed.
II. Distance to Subject – This is a medium shot, which is close enough to show the intimacy of the subjects.
III. Color– The colors are neutral and soothing, adding to the mood of the image.
IV. Positive/Negative Space – The negative space in this image is very interesting because of the light coming through which gives the background an interesting glow.
V. Balance – This image is very well balanced because of the directional lines formed from the way the women are facing.

Interpretation:
This image shows a very intimate scene. Knowing how the photographer works influences how this image is interpreted; that the “two” women is really the same women. It is a depiction of the relationship one has with themselves. The distance is quite important because the camera is far enough away were it can capture most of the scene, but close enough to show the intimacy and give the viewer the feeling of being close. The emotion in this image is what intrigued me; the fact that this looks so real, not only with the rendering of more than one image, but the actual expression and feeling I get from this image. It doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable that this is the same woman. The framing and positioning of the subjects is what makes this image so strong.