Express Yourself: "Guilty Pleasures"
Guilty Pleasures
Course 224453a Visual Language and Photodesign
Summer semester 2024
Lecturers:
Prof. Gabriele Kille, Thomas Weccard, Kristof Lange, Jörg Rohrbacher
In this course, students are first taught the necessary basic knowledge of camera and lighting technology, shooting and image editing. Building on this, the photo shoot is created at the end, in which the individual components then flow together.
In "Express Yourself", the students themselves are at the centre of the task. Within a team of four, they are asked to create a picture of themselves in a freely selectable common context. Once the concept is agreed and realisable, the subtleties of each individual shot are then worked out. This involves atmosphere, lighting moods, but also props, styling, outfits and make-up.
Idea
The photo series "On a silver platter - Our Guilty Pleasures as faithful companions during our studies" is an original and humorous portrayal of us female students shortly before we graduate. The central idea is to present our heads on a silver platter, surrounded by our favourite food. This symbolises that we are the "end product" of our studies and at the same time shows which favourite food has accompanied and supported us during this time. It is a humorous homage to the so-called "guilty pleasures" and student eating habits
Realisation
Image content:
Each picture shows one of our heads sticking out of a silver tray, surrounded by our favourite food. The depiction is deliberately scenic and unusual to emphasise the food sins and small pleasures of student life. The different types of food represent different aspects and moments of student life, from quick fast food to sweets as nerve food.
Set/equipment/props:
The props used are the chosen food and matching food and crockery. The structure of the set remains constant, while the props and details vary depending on the food being presented. The table, the silver tray and our heads form the basic structure of the scene. The tablecloth and the colour of the background are also chosen to match the food.
Styling and background:
Hair and make-up were chosen to reflect the colour scheme and mood of the meal. The backgrounds are monochrome and match the colour scheme of the respective motif. This provides a clear and consistent visual structure and draws attention to the central elements of the images - our heads and the food.
Realisation
Cropping and perspective:
The image is cropped so that our heads are placed in the centre of the silver tray and the surrounding props are clearly visible. The perspective is slightly from above to reinforce the impression that the head is presented on the tray.
Image processing:
Image processing focuses on harmonising the colours and contrasts to make the scenes vivid and appealing. Particular attention is paid to the details of the props. Light retouching is carried out to improve the overall aesthetic and remove distracting elements.
Student team:
Marie Müller, Miriam Suchy, Gina Marie Haas, Elisa Stetter