For my Final Project, I aim to create a visually captivating series of landscapes that narrate the journey of a few toys/characters as they travel around NYC and other areas. The theme revolves around the unlikely friendship and adventures shared by these characters as they traverse through various landscapes.
The story I want to tell contains the essence of exploration, adventure, and the beauty of nature. Through the juxtaposition of the gritty urban environment of NYC as the starting point, I intend to showcase the contrast between the NY cityscape and the serene, expansive landscapes that the characters encounter during their journey. I may achieve this by taking pictures of my characters on the subway or on NYC rooftops.
Inspired by the work of photographer Kim Leuenberger, who captures landscapes with toy cars in the foreground, I aim to infuse a whimsical vibe into my project. Like Leuenberger, I will utilize techniques such as the Rule of Thirds, Depth of Field, Reflections, Converging Lines, and Frame within a Frame to create visually compelling compositions.
The subject matter may feature landscapes ranging from urban streetscapes to forests, ocean and lake views, etc Each landscape can serve as a backdrop to the adventures of these characters.
Using various lighting conditions, weather elements, and compositions, I aim to evoke a range of emotions and moods within each image. From the excitement of embarking on a new adventure to moments of the quiet and serene beauty of nature. Each photograph will offer a glimpse into the experiences shared by the characters.
I plan to shoot the project over the course of several weeks, allowing me to capture a diverse range of landscapes and weather conditions. Additionally, I will experiment with different angles, perspectives, and editing techniques to enhance the visual storytelling aspect of the project. Overall, my goal is to create a captivating series of images that not only showcase the beauty of landscapes but also tell a captivating story of the characters in the image.
Photographers:
- Kim Leuenberger
- Anna Bitanga (Four Bricks Tall)
- Daniel Laan
- Benedek Lampert
- Hosein Ashrafosadat
The obvious question is what is the character that you are going to work with and what is the story about that character that you want to tell? Pick the locations based on the story that you want to tell.
I notice that Kim Leuenberger uses shallow depth of field to blur the background and make the car more believable in the landscape. She also gets great milage from water.
Take a look at Michael Wu as another approach to putting toys in the real world.
https://www.mitchelwutoyphotography.com/
Its funny but he too uses shallow depth of field and water.
if you want to do something with water, use a fast shutter speed. If you are shooting with your phone. Use the lightroom app. It will let you control the shutter speed.