Introduction to my project
The topic that I have decided to base this project on is "Nightmares". When I told people that I have chosen this topic, they were very shocked. I don't like anything frightening because I get scared very easily. However, I do love surreal style photography which I felt would work amazingly with "Nightmares". I feel that from experiencing so many scary things in the past, I will know completely what I want out of each photograph I create, and hopefully I will be able to reflect my emotions and encounters through my images. I have seen other people's photographs that are weird and wonderful, so I wanted to try and create some unusual photographs myself. My imagination is a big place and "Nightmares" is the perfect topic where I can show my creativity through the photographs that I take. One part of photography that I also enjoy is the editing, and with "Nightmares", a lot of editing will need to be done to make each image as realistic as possible. My ideas for each shoot will come from nightmares that I have experienced, stories from other people, or films that I have seen. Each shoot is going to tell a different story, and to go with the story theme, I am also going to create a physical book explaining the tale behind each shoot, which will later be presented on this website!
Someone who creates amazingly peculiar stories through film is 'Tim Burton'. Burton's films are incredible. The thought and creativity in the way he has directed these films is so original and mind-boggling. His imagination is a wild place full of mystery and amazement. Tim Burton creates family based films, however they always have a dark twist. It isn't intentional to scare children, but it is meant to challenge the depths of your imagination and create confusion as well as wonder. Although, many children get nightmares from Tim Burton's films because of the theory's behind some of his characters. For example: Edward Scissor Hands. The character is meant to be portrayed for you to feel sorry for him. His owner died so he has been kept alone in an old house for years, everyone gets along with him until things start going wrong. We then see him hurting people with his scissors and the film takes a completely different turn where everyone hates him. We as the viewers are still meant to feel sorry for him, but as a child it is easy to fall into the trap of outlooking the nice and just seeing the negative character come through. When something is seen in a horrible way, it is hard to find positives again. Especially in nightmares. Another one of his films which could be hard hitting for children is 'The Nightmare before Christmas'. This film, for me was not scary. It was unusual, but it didn't cause fear within me. This animated film could be seen as being scary to children because of the character 'Oogie boogie'. This was a character who was filled with horrible insects and he was also the one who kidnapped Santa. To children, Santa is the jolly man that brings them presents and they have been taught to love him. So when this horrible bogie man with a deep voice comes along to kidnap him, it could shock hatred into any child. Oogie boogie also has a singing part which includes lyrics such as: "Cause this may be the last time you hear the boogie song" which suggests you're going to get taken away or even killed. The boogie man is also one of those characters which your parents tell you aren't real when you're young, so because Tim Burton has made the character into reality, it is hard for some children to realise it is not real. The whole film is meant to be happy, but children play on the idea that it is called 'The Nightmare before Christmas' which instantly makes them scared from the very start.
Therefore, my task is to channel my inner imagination, just like Tim Burton does, to create empowering images that aren't meant to freak you out, but are very intense and strange to look at. I am obviously going to create tales behind my images which give more background into where the thought of each nightmare originated from. I am passionate about my chosen topic because I like the idea of how certain people are scared by different things to other people. So with my images I want the eerie darkness to come out to everyone.
I hope you enjoy looking through my portfolio of "Nightmares!"
The topic that I have decided to base this project on is "Nightmares". When I told people that I have chosen this topic, they were very shocked. I don't like anything frightening because I get scared very easily. However, I do love surreal style photography which I felt would work amazingly with "Nightmares". I feel that from experiencing so many scary things in the past, I will know completely what I want out of each photograph I create, and hopefully I will be able to reflect my emotions and encounters through my images. I have seen other people's photographs that are weird and wonderful, so I wanted to try and create some unusual photographs myself. My imagination is a big place and "Nightmares" is the perfect topic where I can show my creativity through the photographs that I take. One part of photography that I also enjoy is the editing, and with "Nightmares", a lot of editing will need to be done to make each image as realistic as possible. My ideas for each shoot will come from nightmares that I have experienced, stories from other people, or films that I have seen. Each shoot is going to tell a different story, and to go with the story theme, I am also going to create a physical book explaining the tale behind each shoot, which will later be presented on this website!
Someone who creates amazingly peculiar stories through film is 'Tim Burton'. Burton's films are incredible. The thought and creativity in the way he has directed these films is so original and mind-boggling. His imagination is a wild place full of mystery and amazement. Tim Burton creates family based films, however they always have a dark twist. It isn't intentional to scare children, but it is meant to challenge the depths of your imagination and create confusion as well as wonder. Although, many children get nightmares from Tim Burton's films because of the theory's behind some of his characters. For example: Edward Scissor Hands. The character is meant to be portrayed for you to feel sorry for him. His owner died so he has been kept alone in an old house for years, everyone gets along with him until things start going wrong. We then see him hurting people with his scissors and the film takes a completely different turn where everyone hates him. We as the viewers are still meant to feel sorry for him, but as a child it is easy to fall into the trap of outlooking the nice and just seeing the negative character come through. When something is seen in a horrible way, it is hard to find positives again. Especially in nightmares. Another one of his films which could be hard hitting for children is 'The Nightmare before Christmas'. This film, for me was not scary. It was unusual, but it didn't cause fear within me. This animated film could be seen as being scary to children because of the character 'Oogie boogie'. This was a character who was filled with horrible insects and he was also the one who kidnapped Santa. To children, Santa is the jolly man that brings them presents and they have been taught to love him. So when this horrible bogie man with a deep voice comes along to kidnap him, it could shock hatred into any child. Oogie boogie also has a singing part which includes lyrics such as: "Cause this may be the last time you hear the boogie song" which suggests you're going to get taken away or even killed. The boogie man is also one of those characters which your parents tell you aren't real when you're young, so because Tim Burton has made the character into reality, it is hard for some children to realise it is not real. The whole film is meant to be happy, but children play on the idea that it is called 'The Nightmare before Christmas' which instantly makes them scared from the very start.
Therefore, my task is to channel my inner imagination, just like Tim Burton does, to create empowering images that aren't meant to freak you out, but are very intense and strange to look at. I am obviously going to create tales behind my images which give more background into where the thought of each nightmare originated from. I am passionate about my chosen topic because I like the idea of how certain people are scared by different things to other people. So with my images I want the eerie darkness to come out to everyone.
I hope you enjoy looking through my portfolio of "Nightmares!"