Health Campaigns

Photo Shoot One & Two - Lungs

After being inspired by the work of Oliver Toscani, I have decided to proceed with my work and take some photos. 

This is an image which was taken in the first photo shoot which I have done. I worked in the studio focusing the lighting of my work. The subject featured in the image is a 'pigs pluck'; this is the lungs of a pig. I felt these looked realistic and when edited would create a repulsive and graphic effect. I wanted to created a shiny and 'sheen' effect of the organs. This had been previously inspired by the work of Toscani. A small amount of gelatine was used and spread over the organs. This was so that when the lights triggered, this produced a nice shine to the subject. 

I feel i have captured the composition of the lungs well however, I felt they looked too healthy and colourful. The lungs were supposed to be an example of smokers lungs, or someone who had lung disease. I decided to play around with the photograph on Photoshop. 

Above shows the image after being edited on Photoshop. The background colour has been changed as I felt the photograph would work better on a black background. This means the set of images would have to take this colour background so the images are consistent and work as a set. 

The selective colour tool was used to detract any bright tones, and the vibrancy tool was used to reduce any colourful areas. Colour burning was used to darken areas of the lungs, this can be visible on the patchy dull areas on the lungs. I personally felt this worked really well. 

The image above was also taken by me, this was to accompany the image of the lungs. I wanted to include a message about smoking through the use of a 'ticking time bomb' mechanism. The lighter represents that every time a cigarette is sparked and smoked, it's a step closer to start 'alarm bells ringing'. In a literal sense, this could be due to a disease or ]condition caused by smoking. 

The original image (shown above) featured a light grey background, but I decided to change this so that this could tie in with the photograph of the lungs well. I highlighted the clock face, paying careful attention to sharpen the numbers and hands of the clock. I asked some viewers what they thought of the image, and they said it was too literal. I don't agree, as I feel it works well and is straight to the point. To make the background black I had to use the brush tool and go round every element on the photograph. This is a time consuming process but I felt it was worth the final outcome. 

Photo shoot Thee,Four & Five - Heart

The image above was taken from a test shoot I did of a pigs heart. I liked the idea and concept but after having a  VIVA with my class, it was discussed that having the organs consistently photographed in the same style and technique may work better. 

This is my third final image which has again been edited using Photoshop. This image was difficult to edit after going round the entire organ with the brush tool. Some areas were hard to carefully define but I feel I managed to improve this after going over it a few times. I like the overall effect this photo has. It appears to be very gory and would hopefully convince viewers to take actions to care about their heart more. 

This image was taken to go as a triptych alongside the heart organ. I use a black background when shooting but it obviously wasn't dark enough. Again, the consistent background was kept by using the brush tool. One of my tutors felt the images look 'cut out' and didn't look right. Personally I liked this effect and decided to do this through all of my images. 

This image shows the photograph after the post production stage. I have purposely included a shadow which goes over the legs. I wanted to do this to show 'obesity'. I also used the liquify tool to make the legs look wider and fatter. However, it was difficult to do this without making the image look very fake and edited. Only slight changes have been made with this tool. This is the fourth final image for my project.

Photoshoot Six & Seven - Liver

These two photo shoots are the ones that I struggled with most. Unedited this image was really hard to identify. When displayed with the other two organs I feel that the liver will look better and people will recognise it. Being honest, nobody really knows exactly what a liver looks like. I love the glossy effect which has been caused by gelatine being put on the organ. When the flash triggered it caught the gelatine and caused a sheen effect.

This is my least favourite image which I produced for the project. After losing my SD card, I lost some potential final images this caused me to have to do a photo shoot the night before the deadline. The background isn't consistent which I feel ruins the image. My flash gun was also playing up making the photo shoot very difficult to complete. I altered tones and the brightness and contrast of the photograph. 


Overall I feel happy with most of the images I produced. I worked very hard and spent a lot of time and effort editing all the images to a professional high standard. In retrospect I wish I would have allowed myself more time to do more photo shoots. I feel this would have improved a couple of my final images vastly. Before the exhibition I would like to re-shoot the toilet photograph as I feel it doesn't show off my best work. 

Self Negotiated Project - Health Campaigns

Health Campaign Research

Liver failure, heart disease and lung cancer are within the top ten causes of death in the UK. I wanted to explore the subject of health and well being through the use of photography. I am going to try and incorporate the use of still life and portraiture photography into one project. The aim is to create my own images that would be suitable to be used in health campaigns. The photos should help to highlight the horrific effects people may be self inflicting on their bodies.This could be through the abuse of alcohol, smoking and over eating. The photographs will hopefully discourage people to do this. My images are expected to be graphic, realistic and alarming. 

 Oliver Toscani - Benetton

"United colours of Benetton..."

Benetton is a worldwide luxury clothing brand based in Italy. Photographer Oliver Toscani, often creates ads containing striking images which have nothing to do with the products being sold by the company. The images produces are often graphic and striking, which is why I have decided to use his work to inspire me. I personally really enjoy his controversial style and can hopefully produce a similar theme or sense in my own work. 

The image above is an image created to advertise for the company Benetton clothing. Toscani has captured fine details of the organs in this image. A direct approach has been used, using a simple angle. A lack of expression or emotion seems to involved within the image; colours are bland and bleak. The lighting is artificial creating a sheen effect on the hearts, and also making shadows present. I like the effect the lighting has on the subject. I feel it helps to create an isolated and dull atmosphere to the photograph. I am going to try this out in my own work using the studio to help produce a similar effect. 

 In my opinion, I feel the intention of the photograph was to portray a meaning of 'love' (the love for Benetton clothing). Hearts are often associated with love, and admiration. However, the hearts seen on valentines cards etc. do not resemble the appearance of the hearts featured above. The  subject in the photograph above gives the viewer an immediate association of honesty reality and genuineness. 

I also feel there could be another meaning being communicated through the image. On the hearts feature three colours 'white' 'black' and 'yellow'. The photo could be trying to involve and unite every type of human race. Showing, on the inside we are all the same and function in the same way. However, on the outside we can all be different. Perhaps this advertises the clothes to be unique and diverse to potential customers. 

This is another image produced for Benetton by Oliver Toscani. The image is simple and very bland which seems to be a regular theme through Toscani's work. The image shows a persons bum that has been 'branded' positive with HIV. Perhaps implying a particular identity and ownership that has now been given to that person. Branding is also associated with animals, this could be an offending aspect to the image. As people with HIV could be seen as categorised on the same level as animals.  

The photograph is very insensitive which probably tends to offend and outrage people. This causes controversy which people talk about, this means excellent marketing for the company Benetton. This is why the advertising campaigns by Toscani have been so successful. 

The image above shows David Kirby dying of Aids lying in his hospital bed surrounded by his grieving family. The image clearly expresses a sense of pain and suffering by both David and his family. The distribution of visual elements are very uneven which draws the human eye across the entire photograph. This is a very clever composition concept  that has been used. The viewer will view the elements in the image individually as well as a whole. The colour scheme feels cold and dull which matches the upsetting atmosphere that has been captured by Toscani. This has inspired me to carefully think about what colours should be included in my own personal work. 

I feel there is a slight faded effect to the photograph, adding a 'dream' like aspect to the photograph. Toscani has captured a very sensitive and important momentum for the family. Images like this could scare people creating a negative feeling perhaps making people at risk think twice about helping to prevent themselves ending up like David. Personally, I would like to think my images could produce the same effect onto the viewers of them. 

The work of Toscani is highly inspiring, he has not been afraid to push boundaries. The image above shows a new born baby the umbilicole cord still attached. The baby is also still covered in fluids and blood, this represents a sense of natural state. 

Some of Toscani's work could be classed as insensitive and offending. The image above shows blood drenched army clothes. This clearly implies the death and suffering of  soldiers who are fighting for our countries. Benetton argued this campaign saying that it promotes political awareness and social equality. The image certainly shows the world what goes on when fighting in the frontline. The image has been shot on a plain white background, only allowing the clothes to be focused on by viewers. This is a could point to consider when shooting my own photographs.

The image appears to have been taken in a studio setting, lighting has been used very well. The clothes are very detailed and show up every crease and rip in the clothes. The red is very vibrant and symbolises a number of different things. Red is known to represent love and passion. The person wearing these clothes obviously shown great passion and commitment to their job. Taking their own life for the safety of our countries. Red is also known to symbolise danger, speed, strength and aggression. The tears in the clothes could also display this. 

This image is another taken by the photographer Toscani; the photograph has a major shock factor. Anorexia is becoming more and more common. Some teenage girls feel that being stick thin is natural and is also attractive. Toscani has captured a very unhealthy and unhappy looking girl, who is clearly suffering from anorexia. 

The lighting technique which is clearly displayed on the backdrop behind the model. The colours created by the lighting consist of black grey and white. These colours together create a very depressing and dull atmosphere to the photograph. The models skin appears to be grey rather than a healthy glowing colour. This add emphasis to the fact the model is unwell and unhealthy. 

The model has been lit from above, this is evident from the shadow falling beneath and behind her. The bone structure has been highlighted using this technique. Her arms and legs look very fragile giving the model a weak personality.