Hands

Artist Statement

So for this project we were tasked to take a photo that represented and had hands in it and its overall subject. My subject is Faith and she did a very good job helping me with this project and supplied the hands. I tried to focus in on her hands but also it have a portrait essence. This was taken in the lightroom in front of the big grey canvas. I took this photo with the tripod light pointed at the left side of her face to have the most light possible around and on her face. I didn't really use any materials besides the light room and the lights in there as well as my phone. I chose to create this specific image because it goes along with my inquiry question as well as shows how different black and white is compared to the color we have because it gives her a very blank expression. I decided to do a selective color portrait because I really like the way the look and that it would really make her hands pop out and represent the project. After getting her in the right position and capturing the photo I took it to photoshop and brainstormed editing ideas and put a black and white layer and liked it but didn't really make the hands stand out so I thought of selective color and really liked the idea and knew that it would look really good. I decided to cut out jut her hands instead of all of her exposing skin because if all skin was showing it wouldn't really make the hands represent the whole image. I also thought about clone stamping the "BE" off her hand but when I tried it looked messy and didn't look pleasing.

Some of the techniques I used were selective focus, shadows, and rule of thirds. I used the selective focus to focus on faith herself and leave the background blurred and dark. I also positioned the light to give off a specific shadow on the canvas behind her and make everything around her dark and shadowy. I also used the rule of thirds to position her on the right side of the image and leave the black bar and clothes hanger seem mysterious and have a purpose. My original project idea was to right something on hers hands like a 2 word metaphor or analogy of some sort but I didn't really know how to frame it or get her hands to be the focus of the image. So I decided to have her sit in front of the big canvas and have her hand show her little heart on her hand and have her run her hands through her hair.

The meaning behind my image is to just not care about anything to a point. I think this gives off a very self-assured vibe where faith doesn't care about looks or grades or anything materialistic because at the end of the day all that matters is her confidence in herself and this photo shows that because of how her expression re-assures herself that she has confidence. This relates to my life because it shows how I have confidence yet needed someone else so I could show that through them as well as I'm thinking about the future instead of past mistakes that are "holding" me back. I think If I were to evise this image I would first erase the "BE" on her hand to make it clean skin as well as position her hand in a different position on her head and have her laugh or smile to evoke more emotion.

-Matthew Kempf