Agoraphobia:
Many people assume agoraphobia is simply a fear of open spaces, but it's actually a more complex condition. Someone with agoraphobia may be scared of:
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travelling on public transport
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visiting a shopping centre
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leaving home
For my idea I decided to show the frustration and annoyance someone with agoraphobia most likely feels. I shot on a 50mm lens, on aperture priority. Initially I would've preferred to have more people in the shot looking down at the person with the phobia to make him feel crowded, however shooting on a short notice made it difficult to get more people. I'm also not pleased with the focus, I should have shot on a higher f point. Below are some extra shots from the shoot.
Coulrophobia
Since it is not an old phobia, but one that increased in recent decades, little is known about coulrophobia.
Scientists and doctors now agree that it is a result of not knowing who lies behind the excessive makeup, red nose and hair colour.
The clown wears a colourful makeup to deconstruct the facial features to create a new identity.
And clowns can also break social norms, their mask makes them able to do things that others can’t do socially, like interacting with unknown people at ease.
The main fear
Plan For Shoot:
For this shoot I plan to have two models, one dressed as a clown and the other a sufferer of Coulrophobia. I want to show the clown invading the space and mind of the victim so the photos can openly represent how someone with coulrophobia feels creeped out and uncomfortable.
The Photoshoot
To prepare for the shoot I had to buy the face paint to make my model appear like a clown. I asked a drama student to play the role of the clown because I thought that they would be able to deliver the facial expressions well.
The location I shot at was a dimly lit fire exit stairway which I thought made this phobia easier to shoot by setting the mood of a uncomfortable, sketchy location.
I used a 50mm lens and an LED light, the camera was set on aperture mode. I took some time editing each photo, especially the clown makeup which I made more prominent in photoshop. It was difficult and took time matching the makeup in each shot however I'm pleased with the editing result. My favourite photo from the shoot has to be the first blown up photo, for me that's the sort of outcome I had hoped for all of my photos in terms of lighting and I believe that it captures what Coulrophobia would feel like to someone who experiences it. I am pleased with the other shots however I feel like they aren't artistic enough for a photography task.
Chris Hieronimus-Conceptual Photographer
Chris Hieronimus’ washed-out conceptual scenes convey the states of melancholia and contemplation. Embodying sadness, courage, and self-awareness, his ethereal subjects wander down empty roads, through fog-choked fields, or curl beneath the roots of an old tree. Hieronimus’ artistic mantra is “the change is me,” referring to the power of human passion and creativity to enact positive transformation.
His work shows themes of solitude and loneliness. He shows this by placing an individual alone in a location where they appear to be isolated and he manages to capture this raw emotion. My personal favourite is the black and white portrait which for me is the most successful at presenting these emotions and I would like to experiment something similar to this. The portrait is part of a series of another 4 images shown below.
My Photoshoot:
For this Shoot I tried to get inspired by the black and white headshot series that Chris Hieronimus did. I wanted my models to express some sort of emotion through the black and white photo, I wanted the portraits to be solely based on the emotion they express. I think i manages to capture what I wanted in these shots. I shot on a 50mm lens and the editing process involved adding a soft glow from the dodge and white paint brush with the opacity turned low. The glow was only placed where the light was directed to make their face be the centre of attention. One of the complications that I faced during the photo-shoot was getting the models to have the right facial expression.
Abstract Photography - Aquaphobia
To shoot in abstract we had to present a phobia through a series of photos. The photos should represent the feeling that phobia creates.
When creating an abstract image, focus on:
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Colour and Tone
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Shadows and Highlights
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Texture and Pattern
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Framing
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Shapes and Lines
For my shoot I focused on the phobia of drowning/Aquaphobia. I tried to show this by capturing the movement of ink dropping in water.
People suffer aquaphobia in many ways and may experience it even though they realize the water in an ocean, a river, or even a bathtub poses no imminent threat.
For the editing process I merged four images together, erasing away parts that weren't needed. I increased the brightness and contrast so that the glass wouldn't be visible. The editing was the part where I struggled, because I struggled with making the prominent features of the ink to stand out, but it helped me learn new skills on photoshop.
This shoot was something that I had never tried before which helped me develop new skills and gave me an insight and experience in new experimentation.
Seplophobia
Seplophobia, similar to germophobia, is a fear of decaying matter. An individual with this fear may have a profound struggle dealing with decaying food left over in their fridge. Something small like germs can trigger the phobia. The phobia inspired me to shoot with fruit, or rotten fruit more specifically.
I think I need more practice in this sort of figurative shoots where an object is my model, because for me its a harder concept to shoot. I also should've planned better how I show the phobia side to it more or how to stylise the apple to make it appear appealing.