I spent lunchtime today experimenting with a new technique. I'd done similar things with still life before, but this was the first time trying it with a portrait. [img]http://charliemoss.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/layered-photoshop-portrait.jpg[/img] I built it up by shooting multiple similar images and then layering them in Photoshop. I think it worked pretty well for a first go with the idea! (Thoughts on the approach very welcome, of course.) What kind of unusual or experimental techniques do you use in your work? Do you enjoy trying new approaches? What is your goal with art photography?

Image is AWOL😉

Then I've done something wrong and I don't know how to fix it, because I can see it.

[quote][i][b]CSD_Images[/b] wrote:[/i] Image is AWOL😉[/quote] I see it just fine! Reminds me a bit of something Richard Wood did on a fine art video course of his I am working through at the moment. I tend to do much of my messing about post But I do want to start doing a bit more in camera again. NOthing exciting though. Shooting through crystals perhaps and quite fancy doing some light painting with a pen torch and dark room sometime

I guess I am more at home experimenting with props and sets. This was messing around with a Manica I made as part of a gladiator outfit I am working on. This was just a mess about. On reflection I should have done it a bit more desaturated but at the time I just wanted to get a feel for how it was developing as an idea [image]1359428[/image]

It works very well for me Charlie, I like the way the secondary images leave the primary images sharp. They seem to draw the eye to the subject more than just a straight image. I think you have the balance about right. As for my own experiments, at present I'm limited on time and  to experimenting with new kit before I use it on commercial jobs. This one is from a while back when I was playing with grain and in a lose way trying to emulate Gaf film, famed for working well in high key, grainy shots, if anyone else is old enough to remember that! [img]https://www.net-model.com/users/images/201406/647B7A2846F69132C34CCD8848F19C5B1D2185EE-60954.jpg[/img]

Bit of a delay in replying - hurt my neck yesterday and spent the afternoon in A&E! Not the most thrilling day, I've got to be honest. [quote][i][b]redbaron[/b] wrote:[/i] I see it just fine! Reminds me a bit of something Richard Wood did on a fine art video course of his I am working through at the moment. I tend to do much of my messing about post But I do want to start doing a bit more in camera again. NOthing exciting though. Shooting through crystals perhaps and quite fancy doing some light painting with a pen torch and dark room sometime[i][/quote] Do you have a link to that course? It sounds really interesting. I had a quick google but could only find a wedding photographer which doesn't seem quite right. My partner recently bought me a prism because he thought it would be fun to play with (after I told him about the very expensive lensbaby accessory holding ring and he decided I could make do with some blu-tack). I should really do something with that. [b]redbaron[/b] wrote:[/i] I guess I am more at home experimenting with props and sets. This was messing around with a Manica I made as part of a gladiator outfit I am working on. This was just a mess about. On reflection I should have done it a bit more desaturated but at the time I just wanted to get a feel for how it was developing as an idea[/quote] Aha, another prop maker! I like to make historical costumes - I make everything I wear in my historical self portraits generally. I really, really love making costume. I have plans for a set of leather armour that is decorated all over with a tattoo machine... I just need to find the budget! [quote][i][b]Ace[/b] wrote:[/i] It works very well for me Charlie, I like the way the secondary images leave the primary images sharp. They seem to draw the eye to the subject more than just a straight image. I think you have the balance about right. As for my own experiments, at present I'm limited on time and  to experimenting with new kit before I use it on commercial jobs. This one is from a while back when I was playing with grain and in a lose way trying to emulate Gaf film, famed for working well in high key, grainy shots, if anyone else is old enough to remember that![/quote] That's really interesting, will have to look up Gaf film and see what it's all about. I'm also planning on buying a decent medium format setup in the new year, so may have to look and see if there's anything similar available on the market.   [quote][i][b]MB47[/b] wrote:[/i] I have started last year working with my photographs with encaustic wax. I see we live in the saome town. Hope you will also place work in the Ironstone Prize 2020 at Banbury Museum.[/quote] Sounds interesting, how do you work with encaustic wax in photography? Never really been bothered about entering the Ironstone Prize. I doubt I'd win, so it's basically just an expense I'm not sure I can afford.

[photographer=CharlieMoss]@CharlieMoss[/photographer] The site where Richard wood hosts his video tutorials is [url=https://theportraitmasters.com/]https://theportraitmasters.com/ [/url] I originally bought his compositing one, with the Mermaids as I wanted to build up my skills in this area and much prefer his approach to the more common ways this gets done  (Like stick pretty girl studio shot onto beach rather than just visit sodding beach with pretty girl) Or the likes of Brook Shaden, who has great ideas but is not my style. That got me hooked on the fine art Rembrandt /Renaissance style. Though still trying to nail my own signature. I love the tones and lighting for example but not so keen on the bored child sat holding random flowers/flamingo/book while staring at camera that has been the recent fashion. Recently Richard bought out the fine art portrait one too. Some of it picks up from the previous one and some is stuff I feel I know but need to refine. I have found it useful as beteen them I have been able to get inside his head a little and in the process understand where I want to move on to. Bare in mind I run a portrait studio for a living so it is always a balance between learning to play again and creating stuff normal people buy. Another photographer local to me, who I did a day with is Pip Bacon of  [url=https://www.purpleraspberry.uk/Fine-Art-Gallery]Purple Rasberry[/url]. On the costume side I am picking up most of my ideas from Cosplay tutorials. Amazing what you can achieve with foam floor matts and a lot cheaper than leather much though I love that material.  I know the leather is probably the biggest cost but was curios why a tattoo machine? If I were t o go this route I would have thought American style leather carving with swivel knife and hand embossing tools would be a cheaper option in terms of tools and allow a much more 3D style or decoration. Did a bit of this a long while back. Very cathartic at the end of a long day.

[quote][i][b]redbaron[/b] wrote:[/i] [photographer=CharlieMoss]@CharlieMoss[/photographer] The site where Richard wood hosts his video tutorials is [url=https://theportraitmasters.com/]https://theportraitmasters.com/ [/url] I originally bought his compositing one, with the Mermaids as I wanted to build up my skills in this area and much prefer his approach to the more common ways this gets done  (Like stick pretty girl studio shot onto beach rather than just visit sodding beach with pretty girl) Or the likes of Brook Shaden, who has great ideas but is not my style. That got me hooked on the fine art Rembrandt /Renaissance style. Though still trying to nail my own signature. I love the tones and lighting for example but not so keen on the bored child sat holding random flowers/flamingo/book while staring at camera that has been the recent fashion. Recently Richard bought out the fine art portrait one too. Some of it picks up from the previous one and some is stuff I feel I know but need to refine. I have found it useful as beteen them I have been able to get inside his head a little and in the process understand where I want to move on to. Bare in mind I run a portrait studio for a living so it is always a balance between learning to play again and creating stuff normal people buy. Another photographer local to me, who I did a day with is Pip Bacon of  [url=https://www.purpleraspberry.uk/Fine-Art-Gallery]Purple Rasberry[/url]. On the costume side I am picking up most of my ideas from Cosplay tutorials. Amazing what you can achieve with foam floor matts and a lot cheaper than leather much though I love that material.  I know the leather is probably the biggest cost but was curios why a tattoo machine? If I were t o go this route I would have thought American style leather carving with swivel knife and hand embossing tools would be a cheaper option in terms of tools and allow a much more 3D style or decoration. Did a bit of this a long while back. Very cathartic at the end of a long day.[/quote] I'll have a look at that website! Looks like a similar idea to Creative Live, where I've bought a few tutorials before. As for the leatherwork - I just like the look of leather over foam. Foam always seems a bit too cartooney to me, plus it needs to be painted which isnt' where my skill set lies. I enjoy constructing leather by wet moulding and by sewing which aren't quite as available when you're using foam. I also like using dyes and even airbrushing the dye on for different effects. Tattooing vs carving - they're just different. I've been seeing lots of amazing tattooed shoes recently which I love. To me it's like asking why you photograph rather than paint portraits - different styles, different ways to achieve different looks. :-) I'm also planning on playing with laser etching leather at some point - some friends who are professional costume builders have an A0 laser machine. We've used it for cutting fabric before, but not for etching and cutting leather.

Hello there, I like to experiment with odd images, I go around looking for textures and patterns and stuff. I try to find odd places to get pics, the main bit in this was a rock pool, a few odds and ends and Keira. Stck 'em all together and sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't, [img]https://images2.imgbox.com/52/85/qJNOZii3_o.jpg[/img] This is what you find! Cheers - J