The War

I initially had a light hearted idea in mind for today, but when I was going through items to photograph I came across my collection of measuring instruments. I looked at the calipers over and over again thinking they resembled soldiers with guns and in light of last weekend's events and the general inability for our species to co-exist in peace and harmony I thought I'd drag out the lightbox and make a picture about war instead.


Influences: Loosely inspired by the work of John Heartfield.



The War

Copyright: Clayton Bastiani

Light drawing

About a year ago I made friends with a chap down here on The Island who had started up a studio nearby (Studio2). It's been a long time since I used studio lighting, I tend to use natural light wherever possible. I would never profess to being an expert at using flash, but I'm slowly getting better and after a period of closure the studio will soon be open and I'll get to practise again. 

I've found over the last year that I tend to create small projects. It helps to give me a sense of purpose and direction and it's a good way to create an environment whereby you can explore creative options. Feeling a bit intimidated by the whole studio set up I started bringing alternative lights to the shoot, handing models lights and torches that are easily found in hardware stores. Once the model has the lights in their hands, the studio lights get turned off and over the course of the shoot we work out a direction and see what we can come up with. 

The Monochrom Project has let me both sides of the camera so I thought it about time I picked up the torch and had a go myself...

Influences:

Decorating, decorating, decorating, trying to get some bedrooms up together before Christmas. After so much painting I thought it apt that I pick up the torch and do a bit of light painting.

Film: The Green Mile, and the bursts of energy given out by John Cofey when he performs his miracles.

The Magic Box

The universe has this strange habit of steering you towards different ideas, away from those you may have planned. I've learnt over the years not to fight this natural current and let go and see where it leads.


I got up for sunrise this morning in order to work on today's picture. Hoping for a lovely, still, sunny start to the day I was instead given thick, cold, damp, windy fog.

Oh well. C'est la vie.

After getting a little lost in a field of cows Tigerbelle and I decided to head home and I spent the morning trying to come up with a Plan B.

Several hours later (without as much as a whiff of any serious inspiration in all that time) I noticed a small empty cardboard box sat next to the torches I've been using recently with some of my photos.

And that is how the universe conspired to ensure today I would make...


The Magic Box.





Copyright: Clayton Bastiani

Model: Tigerbelle




Inspiration:

Real Life: An ongoing project of mine, taking photographs lit with alternative lighting easily found in hardware stores.

Film: The mystical suitcase from Pulp Fiction