Connecting Essay 4

My Photo Ryan Connors

In this photo, Ryan Connors also looked at photographing a makeup look with feathers, as did I with my personal shoot. Connors has chosen a colour scheme and stuck with this throughout the shoot, ensuring that all the colours are working harmoniously together. This also enhances the idea of a bird having the colours on its feathers. In this photo, Connors has only focused the eyes and face and blurred out the rest – this has allowed the eyes to become the focal point in the photo as he has used feathers (the only real source of colour in the photo) on the eyes and neck. By having the feather on the neck the focus point would have been distracted, but by blurring the photo he has eliminated this. The expression of the model is quite mysterious and her eyes are very captivating for the viewer as she has connected with the camera well. The background has been left sterile and this has helped as the focus has not detracted from the subject. The cropping of the photo has really framed the face nicely and in turn accentuated the models facial features and the angles on her face.

My photo that also featured a look using feathers has focused the makeup around the eyes, accentuating them and making the focal point. All the colours in the photo work well harmoniously and help to balance each other out. The background is sterile and this has prevented any distraction from the subject. I like the expression of the model, as it seems mysterious and almost slightly enchanting. The eyes have connected well with the camera and this has made the shot more drawing for the viewer to look at. The gems on the face have added a nice element to the look and I love the way they have caught the light. I also like how the model’s glittery nail varnish has also subtly captured the light.

I think both of the photos are visually very interesting as both capture the idea of the bird through makeup well too. They both have lots of similarities, yet when they are put next together like this I think you can still see some differences, mostly in colour, and this has highlight the slight difference in feel/vibe the

photos have – I think my photo is much darker and mysterious whereas Connors photo is much lighter and refreshing too look at. Both photos have clean background, which has allowed the subjects to remain dominate in the photo as well as both ensuring that the subjects make eye contact with the camera, which has also accentuated this (the fact the makeup is also focused around the eyes has also helped this too). The similar expression of the models has complimented the makeup and the overall photo and given a nice vibe to them that reflect the bird idea/theme that has been captured.