Lynette Jackson

Contemporary Collage Photographer.

L I N K S :

Lynette Jackson: Architecture as Subject for Art

An Artist Reinvents Architectural Photography via iPhone

Mobile Photography Interview - A Day In The Life of Lynette Jackson - A Very Talented Mobile Photographer with a Unique Style - TheAppWhisperer

iPhoneography Spotlight: Lynette Jackson | Life In LoFi: iPhoneography

Lynette Jackson is an American architectural collage photographer, born and raised in Los Angeles. Instead of using a tradition DSLR type camera, she edits and photographs using her iPhone as it is a quick access to take a handful of photographs within the big cities. Focusing on architectural buildings and creating them into an artistic piece, using contrasting blocks of colours which links with the design elements of the buildings.

Lynette Jackson's work combines aspects from contemporary art and architectural photography to create an artistic collage piece. Her flow of work and creative concepts stands out as she has a defined style of work. Using digital manipulation and the incorporation of contrasting colours within angular shapes - colour blocking with sharp edges.

Primarily using bold shades of colours such as; warm reds, oranges and yellows alongside the cold saturated blue blocks of colour. Whilst the main photograph being in black and white, this stylistic choice works extremely well with the overlaying of colours to create sections of what used to be a black and white image into a piece that incorporates different coloured views.

The incorporation of photographs is quite minimal only using 1 or 2 images stacked against each other in a way which links - from the angles of the building to matching the architectural details or lines.

Experimenting with the placement of each geometric or angular shapes to create a minimal yet detailed collages. She doesn't stick to the same background but uses a variety of different tones of beige, reds and yellows rather than just using plain white backing.

Throughout her portfolio her works have a uniformed style, continuing with the squared format and incorporating different tones of the same colour family.

These two pieces of her works incorporates elements of line work which matches the architectural design of the photograph, the lines continue the image outwards similar to an outline. She also does the same but instead of lines continuing the pattern using the colour blocked shapes. It emphasises certain elements of the piece, mainly from the windows or places which have a clear number of angular shapes.

I like how she has made each of her pieces feel like a hand rendered physical collage but has been created and edited digitally. Having different textured background which resemble paper or stone to having and old warn out feel from the boarder/edges. Framing the building which have been placed within the centre and having negative space on the outer areas.

DIGITAL RESPONSE : PROCESS

ISO 200 7.1 1/200

Started with applying a red base colour and added different texture layers to create a organic paper feel. Using the multiply layer made it blend seamlessly to the red backing - removing all white from the layer.

I also created my own texture using an assortment of brushes that have different effects and edges.

Before adding any colours, I edited the photograph to become black and white and warped it so that it had a straight view (using the transform tool).

For adding an overlaid colour blocks, I first placed the yellow square and duplicated it so that one was above the original image and the other would be under the image layer.

The top layer would then have the multiply effect and be clipped to the photo - so that only the colour would show through.

Outlined parts of the window frame and shifted it to the left side.

DIGITAL RESPONSE:

I originally started off making simple collages using blocks of colours and shapes with elements of white outlines, however, I experimented more with the multiply layer and creating a look in which the photograph blends in with the background - similar to printing it onto the coloured card. I find this it has more of an abstract and interesting concept, as the photographs take up more space on the canvas as opposed to being focused in the centre.

Canon 600D, 18-55mm lens, ISO 200 7.1 1/200

Canon 600D, 18-55mm lens, ISO 200 8.0 1/200

Canon 600D, 18-55mm lens, ISO 100 4.0 1/400

Canon 600D, 18-55mm lens, ISO 200 7.1 1/200

Canon 600D, 18-55mm lens, ISO 100 4.0 1/400

Canon 600D, 18-55mm lens, ISO 100 7.1 1/125

Canon 600D, 18-55mm lens, ISO 100 4.0 1/250

ISO 100 4.0 1/640

Canon 600D, 18-55mm lens, ISO 100 7.1 1/125

TRADITIONAL RESPONSE : PROCESS

For the traditional pieces, I wanted to use recourses that I am able to find and incorporate into these pieces. Going for a fully physical hand rendered collages. I think that it will be vastly different to how it would be created digitally as some elements like the vignette effect will be difficult to recreate and achieve, and that the colours will be less diverse and bold due to the limited choices.

PROCESS & ATTEMPTS:

I started off with cutting out the backings of where the collages will be laid on - 21 x 21 cm.

Editing each images into black & white, having 2 photographs on 1 A4 page. Then using an exacto knife to cut out each buildings.

My first 2 attempts have been quite straight forward, however, I feel that I could do much better with the placement of colours.

I find that the traditional attempts are limited in terms of colours and ways to create a more clean type of image. For the colours I have they're are much more vibrant than to what Lynette Jackson uses, similar to this, overlaying colours to have a transparent coloured feel is challenging to recreate.

For my second attempt, I didn't originally edit the photograph but instead printed it without colour, which I think was a bad choice as the dark shadows have been lost/ washed out. I think that I should also focus on matching the colours more with the actual piece rather than using a random mix of colours.

For my next pieces, I will incorporate thin layers of coloured tissue paper to recreate the overlaying look. I will also experiment with using pencil led or soft charcoal on the edges/rim of the piece to create the old type of very traditional look (almost worn out and stained). Gathering more shades of colours which from paper to tissue paper and to have a varied size of shapes.

TRADITIONAL RESPONSE: