My final set of photos focus on capturing movement, emphasizing the beauty of movement through a series of poses.  I am deeply inspired by photographers Jim and Betsy Wilson, who are known for exploring movement in their works. Their ability to have multiple actions in one single frame stood out to me. I wanted to follow their technique while adding my perspective, focusing different movements and a black and white shade. The use of a black background highlights the movements by creating a contrast between the subject and the dark background, drawing the viewer’s attention towards the subject.

I took this set of photos in the studio with the lights closed. For this setup, I utilized a combination of high ISO and fast shutter speed settings to ensure clarity and sharpness of the movements of my models, preventing a blurred image since I took the photos in a dark room. Additionally, I positioned the lights to the side of the model to highlight the contours of the model and create depth, while also reducing shadows in the background. This setup allowed me to focus on the details of each pose, emphasizing the beauty of movement. I captured several images of each model performing different movements, aiming to portray the fluidity of their actions after photoshopping them together. After taking each frame of the movements, I photoshopped the photos to combine multiple poses into one image. By adjusting the opacity and positioning of each shot, I created a layered effect that highlights the transitions between movements.

To elaborate specifically on the first photo of my set, I hade the postures of the model positioned like her arms are reaching up. She could be reaching up, symbolizing desire or hope, or she could be putting her hands down, representing a sense of calmness. This depends on the perspective of the audience. These different ideas is what makes the photos interesting, by encouraging the audience to have their own interpretations and engage in the meaning of the photo in a deeper level. Moreover, for this specific photo, I have frame of the model’s face looking up appear the boldest in the photo, creating a unique composition. This makes the model look like she is looking up at her hands, guiding the audience’s attention towards the movement of her arms and allowing the audience to connect with the photos.

For areas of improvement in my next project, I would like to expand my focus by incorporating a wider variety of activities and performances. Specifically, I aim to find individuals who can showcase different forms of dance, as well as other dynamic activities, such as acrobatics, martial arts, or even traditional sports. By making the range of movements more diverse, I can create a more visually engaging set of photographs. Additionally, I would like to take more photos of dancers from various styles, including ballet or hip-hop. This would highlight the unique beauty of them. A variety of diverse activities would provide different movements to my photos, allowing me to explore the contrasts between different movement styles.