Novacane by Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean is an R&B artist. From his album, “Nostalgia”, I decided to pick the song “Novacane”. In his song, he describes the feeling of an illusion while being on drugs. The breakdown of the title “Novacane” has been broken down to 2 meanings, “Nova” which means star, bright, shiny especially in the dark and cain which is a play on word that has to do with drugs an alcohol. Due to the explicit meaning , I decided to use these words from the song.

“Now I’m something like the chemist on campus
But there’s no drug around quite like what I found in you, you
I still can’t feel my face
What am I smokin’ anyway?
She said don’t let the high go to waste”

I wanted to focus more on the many faces and expressions of the illusions of what being on drugs with the different colors and the effect that it gives.

Article: 8 Reasons Bold Lipstick Can Make Your Life Better

1. The article talks about how bold lipstick can improve your life. By helping you feel more confident and better about yourself. If the entire point of the beauty industry is to make us feel great about ourselves, then choosing to wear statement making lipstick is all of us getting to that point. A bold lip brings drama. Helps you dress better because who will wear a red lipstick with sweats on? Find the shade that works best on you and makes you feel confident and you’ll be taking compliments from just about everywhere.
2. My audience are females.
3. My approach is literal.
4. My images will include people and the products.
5. My model will be Valerie.
6. The products will be bold lipstick or lip glosses.
7. I would like to use a soft box to light the model and two back lights with color gels to create a colorful background.
8. The technique I will use is probably close up beauty shots with a well lit face and product shots with shallow dept of field.

Article: http://www.livescience.com/20997-science-fatherhood-fathers-day.html

1. The article “The Science of Fatherhood: Why Dads Matter” is about the importance of a Dad in a child’s life. It explains how their love, influence and persistence positively affect the child’s life even if they’re not the biological parent. The article goes into detail explaining how children are less likely to get into trouble and more likely to succeed in school and in life with the presence of a father figure in their lives.
2. The audience is everyone but particularly fathers.
3. I am taking both a literal and Metaphorical approach by using both models and objects that represent the presence and absence of a father.
4. The pictures will include both models and props.
5. I will be using a child and possibly an adult.
6. “Father-son” related props. Ties, shoes, baseball gloves..
7. Brightly lit studio lighting.
8. Making the studio area bright and fun will show the article in a positive way, bringing out the benefits and positive parts of fatherhood.

1. The text starts by talking about the last time Native Americans were in the eyes of the media, in 1973 when occupying the town of Wounded Knee in South Dakota. The article talks about these horrible injustices towards Native Americans and compares the situation in 1973 to the current situation at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. For months, Native Americans and allies have gathered at Standing Rock to protest the Dakota Access oil pipeline which is a pipeline that would cut through some of their sacred site and pollute their waters. The protests have brought together tribes that have been enemies in the past, to together fight the government not only for the DAPL, but for the continuous injustices towards Native Americans that includes lack of funding for tribal education and building infrastructure on Indian land without consultation or consent from the tribes. Thousands of people are protesting at Standing Rock, without weapons, but still being treated in an inhumane way by the police.
2. The primary audience is people who are ignorant about Native Americans, and the secondary audience is people who want to stop injustices for Native American people and who are working to educate the primary audience
3. My approach is a combination of literal and metaphorical
4. I’m planning to use still life for the project as I see that as the most efficient way of illustrating the issues
5. N/A
6. The objects I’m looking at using are feathers, a dreamcatcher and a mix of olive oil and black paint that is supposed to look like it’s petroleum oil
7. I will use dramatic lighting, 4:1
8. I’m planning for the photos to be dark and dramatic. One image idea is to use techniques with shutter speed to freeze oil dripping into water. Another idea is for a dream catcher to catch fire – assuming I can’t actually do this in the studio, the fire will have to be done in Photoshop. I will photograph the dream catcher hanging in the air towards a black background, maybe over the reflective black table.

http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/fur/chinese-fur-industry/

Summary: The article speaks about the intense abuse and cruel treatment of animals, mainly dogs and cats on the fur farms in China who is the largest exporter of fur garments to the United States. The article goes on to say foxes, minks, rabbits, dogs, cats, and other animals pace and shiver in outdoor wire cages, with no shelter from driving rain, freezing nights, or the scorching sun. The article speaks about the after leaving in such deplorable conditions the animals are skinned and their fur is used to make various products.

1. The article is overall very informative. The mood is serious and evokes a sense of compassion for the treatment of the animals.

2. My audience is people that wear fur garments as well as people who do not.

3. My approach will be metaphorical than literal.

4. I believe that I may use models as well as still life to bring out my ideas.

5. I’m thinking of using female models.

6. I will also use stuff animal of a dog and cat, jacket and boots.

7. I will try bright light with 2:1 ratio and also a very dark mood with a 4:1 light ratio and maybe strobe light as well.

8. High contrast. I want to the focus to be mainly on the objects and not the model.

Results: For shoot one I believe that I was able to show the meaning of the topic in some ways. Interesting enough it’s very hard to capture a specific sympathetic mood using stuff animals yet I was able to use additional props to somewhat show case the idea. Also, I used various lighting to bring out a somewhat dramatic feel.

Article: For Christmas This Year: Don’t Shop, Adopt!
http://www.lohud.com/story/rochester/2013/12/16/for-christmas-this-year-dont-shop-adopt/4031369/

1. The mood in the article is serious and informative. Informing people why its better to adopt than shop during the holidays.
2. My audience are people who do not have a pet and are looking to get one, and hopefully adopt one.
3. My approach will be literal.
4. I think i might want to use models in my images as well as having my dog alone. I think having a model will add on to the image, showing some love and compassion towards the dog.
5. It can be a male or female model, having to be very happy, in a good mood.
6. I will like to have some christmas decorations and some christmas clothes for my dog.
7. I would like to use bright lighting. Maybe a 2:1 lighting ratio.

For my final project I want to shoot a series of images to accompany Beyonce’s Lemonade album. Aside from her lyrics the video album includes various monologues that give you some background as to what she is singing about. The entire album is about the struggles in her marriage but she ties it into african american culture and finding a man like your father because that is all you know. The album has various phases and ends in reconciliation.

2. My audience is definitely women of all ages, whether your father walked out on you or your husband was unfaithful or your relationship ended badly this album is for all of us.

3. My approach as of now is metaphorical. Im currently listening to the monologues and trying to find objects that I think will work well with the quotes.

4. I want my images to just be still life. I feel like not having to depend on a model will help also theres always a little more creativity and flexibility. Some of my objects will include antique hand mirrors, make up, toy dining room sets, and possibly cake toppers.

Lighting wise i was thinking 4:1 or 8:1. I want a really dark sultry feel to it.

Article: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/25/why-our-brains-love-horror-movies-fear-catharsis-a-sense-of-doom.html

1: Summary: The article mainly illustrates the correlation between our brain and the fear that is emitted from horror movies. It conveys the idea that people like to be scared, as it is akin to a rollercoaster about to go down a huge drop. It is that rush, that excitement that stimulates people’s minds, and they can not get enough of it, even if they hate horror.

2: My audience would be teenagers to adults both male and female who like horror movies.

3: My approach would not be as metaphorical, so some shots may be, objects, while others may include models

4: Mainly still life, and some models as an alternative.

5: Models both male and female

6: My props would consist of objects

7: I’ll be using strobe lights to have high contrast.

8: This technique will allow me to get high contrast on my photos, dark shadows, ect.

Article: http://www1.cbn.com/devotions/real-meaning-christmas

01. Summary: This article talks all about the joys of christmas and the different experiences we go through when the holiday is approaching. It also talks about that not many people are fortunate enough to experience this, and it also may be a time of sorrow. For various reasons, such as not having enough money to buy presents to your loved ones or not able to share quality time with them. Yet, this season shares great joy. Because, what Christmas really is celebrating the day the Jesus Christ was born. God send his son and many others shared their delight of this great event. The article talks about the reason being this was done. It mentions that “He sent Jesus to us that one day, He would grow up to become a very important part of history. His story is one of truth, love, and hope.” But what I really enjoyed about this article is the positive attitude towards Christmas. No matter what is happening, we are reminded that we are Gods children, its a time to live in joy and peace. The reason for the season is to rejoice! In conclusion, the article shows a certain gloomy mood and then afterwards hits you with a chance to feel aspiration towards this holiday by looking at in another way.

02. Target Audience: All ages, I want everyone to see this photograph and understand that Christmas may have its up and down sides but the real reason, is to know that we are loved by God. It shows that great love we have for one another, which is something worth celebrating to.

03. I believe my approach would be metaphorical, I want to show two different types of Christmas experience, but I want to also show the overcome of choosing happiness and peace. Rather than a sad holiday in someone’s life.

04. I believe my images would work best if its a still life photography. The reason being, I want to include so many elements that take a part in the festivities. Such as, ornaments and cards in the mail.

05. My photoshoot ideas won’t include models (as of now). I don’t think it will be necessary.

06. I would like to use ornaments or presents that would show different types of associations of Christmas and what takes part in the celebration.

07. I would want to do try many types of lighting, because I want to show different types of Christmas experiences. I am considering in using a softbox to create certain effects.

08. I think I would want to do a shallow depth of field and possibly have a lot of darkness all around the images, but the focus would be one a bright and joyful component.

The Article: http://www.gq.com/story/video-game-rehab

1. Summary:  The article is about a guy name Callum, a World of Warcraft fanatic with an regular office job, most of his life is spending long night playing Warcraft till the sun come up at his office computer. When the morning would dawn, his would sneak into his home so his mom mistake the entrance for the housekeeper. Even though his gaming habits weren’t as bad in his teenage years, it worsened through his college and adult life; to the point that he was doing poorly in college and dropped out of Southern Methodist University. After dropping out, his mother’s boyfriend spotted him a job as a legal aide in his law firm, running errands and helping with the firm, he used World of Warcraft as a the only part of life outside of his aide job. Callum would spend 20 minutes at the job doing legal aide work and the rest was blacking out on his Warcraft life, ranking in the top 10 in the world and using $2000 of his savings account on a PC. From dusk to dawn, his life pertained to his normal nine to five job and his addiction to World of Warcraft.

2. My audience would more pertain to the ages of 20-30, young adults both males and females

3. My approach would be metaphorical with both the portraits and props.

4. It would include mainly models, and still life as well as an alternate.

5. The models would be both males and females to keep it universal to all people.

6. The objects would be video game controllers, headsets, a laptop.

7. I would use strobe lighting, with a 4:1 lighting ratio to bring more drama to the shoot.

8. The technique would need to give me a dark tone for my shoot, the strobe lights and a depth of field to work with both the props and models