Connecting Essay 5

Online Image:

Blue gel lighting illuminating his shirt and the right side of his face. The colour blue exhibits the feelings of masculinity, as the colour blue is usually associated with men. There is a strong light source on the opposite side of the males face, this lights it up and makes it stand out to the audience. The males facial features are also explored through the use of the colour blue, which highlight the males facial features. For example, the males wrinkles are shown with a tint of blue and a dark shadow. The males cheek bones are also illuminated by bright lights either side of the face. There are dark shadows at the bottom of the image, which make most of the males body in complete darkness. The photographer has chosen to use a black background, which calmly reflects the blue surrounding the males face and also creates a blue tinge behind him. The colour also conforms to the males shirt, which has been highlighted through the use of the blue colour. The shadows in the creases give the image texture. The male is looking at the camera, with a calm but also intriguing facial expression looking towards the viewer. The males hair is a plethora of different colours, which gives it texture but also makes the male feel quite rugged - enhanced by the shadows around his wrinkles. 

Own Image:

The use of colour gels in this image explore the males sexuality, with a light blue on one side of his face but a strong red on the other. The colour red in this image to me connotes anger, enhanced by the models strong facial features and deep glare into the camera. The male is lit from underneath, by a beauty dish, which enables the audience to see the males clothes and his neck. It also makes the model stand out and not blend into the black background. The use of gel lighting from both sides light up the models face. However, as there is not a light shining down on the male we cannot see his hairline, and therefore it blends into the background. The males face has shadows, but not enhancing his facial features. Instead, the gel lighting bounces off of the males eyes and make his appear to like tired. The lights also reflect on the males eyebrows, lifting them up and making them appear demeaning. The males eyes are the main focal point in this image, as they are much clearer and reflect the light into the viewer approaching them to look towards him. 

Overall, these two images are both similar but also very different at the same time. In the first image, the male is much more lit up through the use of a bright light on the left hand side of his face. In the second image, his face is purely lit by a beauty light which leaves the natural soft shadows and also keeps the colours the same. The colour gels are either side of the males face, which draw attention to the mid portrait shot, and in both of the images the males are looking directly into the camera. The first image appears masculine and ragged where the second image appears to be more sinister due to the bold red colour.