Assignment 2 – Post submission tutorial and reflection

The written feedback I received from my tutor prompted me to rework the assignment, focusing in on just the subject and the mask. To capture the vice-versa theme, I created images of the subject masked and unmasked. This time, I also introduced different masks.

I was able to complete this before my tutorial with my tutor so these notes represent my reflections regarding the second submission.

See Assignment 2 – Vice Versa – Final here

My tutor felt that I had sharpened the meaning of the series, however recommended I remove or change the photo of the subject wearing a black mask, as he felt that his expression wasn’t authentic and looked like he was play acting. Based on this advice I removed the image. His advice when taking portraits is, to wait, this will give time for the sitter to relax and give more real or truthful expressions.

We had a discussion about the lighting set up. My tutor felt it was a bit harsh even though I’d used speed lights shot through umbrellas. I will consider the use of soft boxes going forward.

My tutor suggested that I found away to display my final assignments at the top of my blog page, so that it is easy for assessors to find them, so I have now added a section at the top of the side bar, which lists the assignments.

In relation to his comments about exercise 2.4 – same background, different models, my tutor felt that this should be more about capturing the environment than the background and study how it changes depending on the person you are depicting.

Having been given an extension to finish the course, my tutor has agreed that I can send in my assignments whenever I’ve completed them and that the dates on the feedback are more of latest deadline. This is really helpful, as I am intending to complete the next assignment before the end of March, to give be the best chance of finishing the course by August.

Next Assignment

We had a good conversation about the next assignment and I explained my working ideas around depicting my membership of the online work community. i.e. working from home. He felt it was worth exploring and encouraged me to get them made up to the point that I felt I couldn’t do any more. The point of having a tutor was to help refine the work so it doesn’t need to be a finished piece on first submission.

For future assignments, we discussed the cover image on my blog and how that could be used as a basis to explore relationships – on the ‘window’ theme, real versus reflected. I felt my tutor has given me a really great steer here and something I will look to explore.