Shell

This image was one that was inspired by two photographers. The shell aspect was inspired by Edward Weston and the reflection was inspired by Florence Henri. I decided to combine their two techniques into one image due to the fact that I thought that they went well together and actually create a pretty strong image.

I used, like Weston, a chiaroscuro technique to allow shadow to hide a part of the shell. The rest of the shell stands out against the dark background due to the fact that the shell’s colour scheme is lighter. This contrast of colour allows the main focal point of the shell to be more noticeable and stand out more.

The black and white tones of the image also bring out the different textures involved. The shadows become more apparent, which makes the textures come out more and so draws attention to them. These textures make the image less boring to look at for the image, so it adds something extra.

The reflection aspects adds a sense of manipulation to the image and I think it works quite well since it allows the audience to see the bottom part of the shell that you wouldn’t see unless you turned it over. It also draws attention to the spiral effect that is going on inside the shell, which makes the image look quite cool. The reflection is also quite subtle since you can’t see the mirror, so unless you look closely, you might mistake it for one big shell instead of a reflection.

Done