Videos

I experimented with different types of lighting using a desk lamp on a grapefruit.

This week’s homework was quite the challenge for me, especially at the beginning of my filming process. For starters, I struggled with the idea of strangers watching me as I filmed, and the spotlight effect fully controlled me at first. As a result, I began by filming close-up shots within secluded areas. However, as I continued surveying my surroundings, looking for the next area Vish and I could film in, I realised nobody was looking at us – in fact, nobody seemed to care that we were carrying a camera at all. This realisation led to me letting go of my fear, allowing me to begin playing more with my surroundings within the shots. 

I used films I find nostalgic, such as Ever After and Pride and Prejudice (2005), as my inspiration for how I shot my clips. Within these films, the angle of the camera is used to both highlight their dreamlike quality while simultaneously emphasising the power dynamic between both the characters and their surroundings. As Vish and I were shooting our postcard within the Old St. Pancras Church and St. Pancras Garden, I played with low angles (a worm’s eye view) to emphasise the looming church and extravagant graves. I also played with the idea of the moving subject not being entirely in focus to create a fairytale-esque and hazy feeling to the shot. Furthermore, I wanted the shots to still be vibrant despite the cool grey palette which dominated the landscape, so I played with the white balance and the exposure of each shot to make it seem more vibrant than it truly was. As my hands were severely shaking, I also tried using different surfaces as a tripod, such as a fallen tree or my knee, which despite not being my original plan, made my shots feel more united with the landscape because I used what was already there. 

Overall this homework was very challenging for me, and encouraged me to stretch my creativity to overcome some of the issues I was having. However, despite this, it was also very fun playing with the camera and how I framed each shot.

In the quiet morning light, the squirrel sits quietly in the tree, small but determined. Its hair shimmered in the sun like a soft golden glow. It is motionless, as if time is frozen in the moment, and the noise and turmoil around it have nothing to do with it. Maybe he’s having a quiet time of his own.

Lights

I photographed this beam of light because I imagined the final effect would be breathtakingly beautiful. When I exported it, I found that indeed it was. However, as I watched and contemplated it repeatedly, I became increasingly curious about what lay behind the light. Yet, I knew I could not see clearly. I wondered if there was a shy angel hidden behind the glow.

https://mediacentral.ucl.ac.uk/Play/115003