Statement of Intent
What is my chosen theme?
My chosen theme for my GCSE main project is going to be around Landscape and I am going to look at different types of landscape, such as lakes, trees, miniature landscapes, urban landscapes and possibly even my own local landscape. I have chosen to do this theme because I really enjoy nature and it will allow me to be creative and I would love to have it in my work as it brings the picture to life. My picture becomes lively and it really informs people on how beautiful the earth is and how we should stop to look and appreciate it. I think this open brief will allow me to try out lots of different techniques.
What research do you intend to carry out based on this theme?
In order to produce a successful, creative and individual final main project, I need to start by doing some in-depth research around my chosen theme. The way I am going to do this is by researching other successful photographers who also take pictures of landscapes. This is so I can get inspired by their work and get new amazing ideas. The first photographers I am going to research are Martin Lawrence because he took photos in the same location I hope to go to, Marc Anderson as his work is all close up pics on texture and bill mangold as his is a close up on creatures and live things.
I will also create mood boards and mind maps to help me with my research and have a look at Pinterest to inspire me.
I hope to explore lots of different options so that I build up intricate understanding of my chosen theme
I need to have a wide range of research using a variety of different media, to ensure that my project is well informed and in-depth. This will allow me to create a successful project and will help inspire me/ influence me
My main aim is create a project that is very personal to me and one where I can explore and develop my photography techniques and skills
I am going to use my Weebly personal photography website to record all of my ideas
What photoshoots do you intend to complete during the project to help explore the chosen topic?
I intend to capture a wide range of different shoots for this project. In year 10 we went to the Lake District and focused on capturing the natural landscape, focusing on the autumn colours and soft light. I would like to explore Studio shoots that explores texture in the landscape, such as bark, moss, and lichen.
I will be going to local places in my area and will admire all the landscapes around me. Specifically, I will be looking at fantasy landscapes because I think that they make the picture a little more interesting as it brings different vibes to them which makes it eye-catching to people.
I could use my portrait techniques and combine it with my landscape to create my own fantasy worlds.
What techniques with the camera and photoshop am I going to use to develop my theme?
Throughout my project I intend to use as many processes and techniques as possible to gain a high quality project. When I am using my camera I will leave it on the manual setting so that I can control the images I am taking. If I am taking photos outside, I will have to constantly check my iso, white balance, shutter speed, and aperture because the light is going to change all the time.
I can explore creative techniques to enhance my work so that my picture isn't boring and so it has some nice parts to it. Rule of thirds is a technique that I really enjoy so I will definitely be using this as I take my pictures. When I'm using Photoshop, I will most likely be using the brightness tool,levels,saturation,opacity,blur tool,spot healing tool and much more as they will all help make my picture seem so much better.
What do I hope to learn more about in doing this project?
By doing this project, I hope to learn more about the theme of Landscape but also how to take my work on a journey and create a really personal and meaningful project. In order to do this I am going to take outstanding pictures of simple things, for example a lake, and help it to reveal to people how charming small simple things really are.
What do you see as your final gallery of images being?
I see my final gallery of images being pictures of nature relates things such as leaves,flowers,lakes,trees etc,however they are not going to be any ordinary pictures. By using Photoshop, I will edit them to make them seem more of a fantasy but also so it can reveal the true beauty of nature that people don't really notice.
What is my chosen theme?
My chosen theme for my GCSE main project is going to be around Landscape and I am going to look at different types of landscape, such as lakes, trees, miniature landscapes, urban landscapes and possibly even my own local landscape. I have chosen to do this theme because I really enjoy nature and it will allow me to be creative and I would love to have it in my work as it brings the picture to life. My picture becomes lively and it really informs people on how beautiful the earth is and how we should stop to look and appreciate it. I think this open brief will allow me to try out lots of different techniques.
What research do you intend to carry out based on this theme?
In order to produce a successful, creative and individual final main project, I need to start by doing some in-depth research around my chosen theme. The way I am going to do this is by researching other successful photographers who also take pictures of landscapes. This is so I can get inspired by their work and get new amazing ideas. The first photographers I am going to research are Martin Lawrence because he took photos in the same location I hope to go to, Marc Anderson as his work is all close up pics on texture and bill mangold as his is a close up on creatures and live things.
I will also create mood boards and mind maps to help me with my research and have a look at Pinterest to inspire me.
I hope to explore lots of different options so that I build up intricate understanding of my chosen theme
I need to have a wide range of research using a variety of different media, to ensure that my project is well informed and in-depth. This will allow me to create a successful project and will help inspire me/ influence me
My main aim is create a project that is very personal to me and one where I can explore and develop my photography techniques and skills
I am going to use my Weebly personal photography website to record all of my ideas
What photoshoots do you intend to complete during the project to help explore the chosen topic?
I intend to capture a wide range of different shoots for this project. In year 10 we went to the Lake District and focused on capturing the natural landscape, focusing on the autumn colours and soft light. I would like to explore Studio shoots that explores texture in the landscape, such as bark, moss, and lichen.
I will be going to local places in my area and will admire all the landscapes around me. Specifically, I will be looking at fantasy landscapes because I think that they make the picture a little more interesting as it brings different vibes to them which makes it eye-catching to people.
I could use my portrait techniques and combine it with my landscape to create my own fantasy worlds.
What techniques with the camera and photoshop am I going to use to develop my theme?
Throughout my project I intend to use as many processes and techniques as possible to gain a high quality project. When I am using my camera I will leave it on the manual setting so that I can control the images I am taking. If I am taking photos outside, I will have to constantly check my iso, white balance, shutter speed, and aperture because the light is going to change all the time.
I can explore creative techniques to enhance my work so that my picture isn't boring and so it has some nice parts to it. Rule of thirds is a technique that I really enjoy so I will definitely be using this as I take my pictures. When I'm using Photoshop, I will most likely be using the brightness tool,levels,saturation,opacity,blur tool,spot healing tool and much more as they will all help make my picture seem so much better.
What do I hope to learn more about in doing this project?
By doing this project, I hope to learn more about the theme of Landscape but also how to take my work on a journey and create a really personal and meaningful project. In order to do this I am going to take outstanding pictures of simple things, for example a lake, and help it to reveal to people how charming small simple things really are.
What do you see as your final gallery of images being?
I see my final gallery of images being pictures of nature relates things such as leaves,flowers,lakes,trees etc,however they are not going to be any ordinary pictures. By using Photoshop, I will edit them to make them seem more of a fantasy but also so it can reveal the true beauty of nature that people don't really notice.
Mood Board
Research:
Context
“Martin is one of the UK's leading photographers specializing in landscape photography and wildlife images of the English Lake District and Scotland. He has worked as a professional photographer since 2005 and is well known for his images and articles, which appear widely both on-line and in books, magazines, calendars and the UK photography press.”
PROFILE
Since I was in my teens, I have been obsessed with wildlife and the countryside. Realizing this, my parents bought me my first camera, a Pentax Program ‘A’, which I still have today. What can I say? I was hooked and my photography journey began. Once you take up photography, you start to see the world through different eyes and for many years I spent all my free time away from my job in IT wandering the spectacular Scottish and Lakeland mountains with my camera in hand. It was such a privilege to be able to capture the scenery and wildlife that I loved so much.
https://www.martinlawrencephotography.com/
Content
The subject matter of his image is landscapes. Nothings really going on in the picture, its just a still and calm picture of a house, trees and mountains that have been reflected onto lake water. They have chosen the theme of landscapes probably to show everyone how beautiful nature really is as people do not may much attention to it.
Connections
I really like their work because, in my opinion, I think that it really reveals the true beauty of nature and it inspires me to take more images like this as it brings good vibes about the countryside. In this picture, I can see a tall tree, mountains in the back which are all very classy colours and then a really open sky but then there's a white house which really stands out as it isn't the same colour tone as the mountains and tree. This has all been reflected on a nice, silent lake which sets a very calming mood. This image links to my work as we both are taking pictures of landscapes and are both showing the true beauty of nature.
Composition
Rule of thirds (the mountains are in the top third) and the water two thirds, the impact is that it is very eye catching ( its on eye level).
It has a strong leading line from the gravel shoreline, mountains and trees running down the hill and the building. The reflection helps the compositions as it creates a pattern and depth in the image. The colours are quite soft, I feel like the picture was taken around sunrise because the atmosphere is quite foggy and the sun hasn't fully raised.
What season is it (look at the trees)?I feel like the season is late summer as the trees are still green however they are slightly orange ( its getting close to autumn).The vanishing point is the small white house as it is in the middle of the lake, trees and mountains. Probably used a telescopic lens as everything is in Sharp focus with a deep depth of field (f36).
Picture taken at eye Height, the impact is that it makes you feel like your stood right next to the photographer in the water. Foreground is the water, mid ground is the gates on the RHS of the picture, distance is the mountains. The tree is on a sweet spot and is next to a smaller tree which is next to an even smaller tree; this shows scale between the trees. I really love this image because it really shows how amazingly beautiful nature is and it really does reveal how fascinating it can be. I have also attended a trip to the lake district and the areas that I went to are very similar to this picture. They all have trees,mountains,open sky and a calming atmosphere. This is why Mart Lawrence inspires me as I really enjoy taking pictures of nature because all these hidden things that I may not have noticed are absolutely spectacular!
“Martin is one of the UK's leading photographers specializing in landscape photography and wildlife images of the English Lake District and Scotland. He has worked as a professional photographer since 2005 and is well known for his images and articles, which appear widely both on-line and in books, magazines, calendars and the UK photography press.”
PROFILE
Since I was in my teens, I have been obsessed with wildlife and the countryside. Realizing this, my parents bought me my first camera, a Pentax Program ‘A’, which I still have today. What can I say? I was hooked and my photography journey began. Once you take up photography, you start to see the world through different eyes and for many years I spent all my free time away from my job in IT wandering the spectacular Scottish and Lakeland mountains with my camera in hand. It was such a privilege to be able to capture the scenery and wildlife that I loved so much.
https://www.martinlawrencephotography.com/
Content
The subject matter of his image is landscapes. Nothings really going on in the picture, its just a still and calm picture of a house, trees and mountains that have been reflected onto lake water. They have chosen the theme of landscapes probably to show everyone how beautiful nature really is as people do not may much attention to it.
Connections
I really like their work because, in my opinion, I think that it really reveals the true beauty of nature and it inspires me to take more images like this as it brings good vibes about the countryside. In this picture, I can see a tall tree, mountains in the back which are all very classy colours and then a really open sky but then there's a white house which really stands out as it isn't the same colour tone as the mountains and tree. This has all been reflected on a nice, silent lake which sets a very calming mood. This image links to my work as we both are taking pictures of landscapes and are both showing the true beauty of nature.
Composition
Rule of thirds (the mountains are in the top third) and the water two thirds, the impact is that it is very eye catching ( its on eye level).
It has a strong leading line from the gravel shoreline, mountains and trees running down the hill and the building. The reflection helps the compositions as it creates a pattern and depth in the image. The colours are quite soft, I feel like the picture was taken around sunrise because the atmosphere is quite foggy and the sun hasn't fully raised.
What season is it (look at the trees)?I feel like the season is late summer as the trees are still green however they are slightly orange ( its getting close to autumn).The vanishing point is the small white house as it is in the middle of the lake, trees and mountains. Probably used a telescopic lens as everything is in Sharp focus with a deep depth of field (f36).
Picture taken at eye Height, the impact is that it makes you feel like your stood right next to the photographer in the water. Foreground is the water, mid ground is the gates on the RHS of the picture, distance is the mountains. The tree is on a sweet spot and is next to a smaller tree which is next to an even smaller tree; this shows scale between the trees. I really love this image because it really shows how amazingly beautiful nature is and it really does reveal how fascinating it can be. I have also attended a trip to the lake district and the areas that I went to are very similar to this picture. They all have trees,mountains,open sky and a calming atmosphere. This is why Mart Lawrence inspires me as I really enjoy taking pictures of nature because all these hidden things that I may not have noticed are absolutely spectacular!
Close up pics
Best And Worst:
This is the best image because the focus is on point. You can see the water drops on the mushroom because the picture is very clear. It gets blurry in the background which builds a strong effect on the mushroom because it leaves the focus all onto it, also because its sitting in a sweet spot.
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This is the worst image because its out of focus causing it to be very blurred. There is no main focus and it looks like a complete mess. The flash is also on which makes it worse as it is bright, revealing the blur of the plants.
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Flowers
Best And Worst:
This is the best image because it is very close to the camera, revealing all the detail on the flower. The white balance is also on Tungsten, causing the flower to look a lot more blue than its original colour.
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This is the worst image because even though the focus is perfectly fine, the focus isn't on one thing because the flower sits slightly off a sweet spot which causes the human eye to look right in-between the grass and the flower. Its also not as close up therefore it doesn't reveal many details.
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Lakes
Best And Worst:
This is the best image because the focus is decent, it could be better however, the image shows the beautiful scenery from lakes to tress to mountains and clouds. This will attract a human eye because it sets a quite atmosphere.The picture is also very well leveled and still,making it more attractice.
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This is the worst image because it is extremely blurry and out of focus making it hard to see the water. It looks horrifically messy and there are no levels or sweet spots. This pushes away people from viewing the picture because its very confusing and inconvenient.
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Best And Worst
This is the best image because the focus is on point. It is also very clear and still, you can nicely see the detail of the waves in the water. The clouds sit nicely at the top, its a very levelled picture.
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This is the worst image because its very blurred. You can also see the fingers of the person taking the picture which ruins the whole vibe - also known as photobombing.
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Trees
Best And Worst Images:
This is the best image because it has a nice focus and the tree is sitting on a sweet spot. The attention is drawn to the bark sticking out causing people to become more attracted to it.
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This is the worst image because the focus is a bit inaccurate causing the photo to appear a little bit blurred. The tree however, is sat on a sweet spot which causes it to attract peoples eye however the blurred parts of the photo pushes people away.
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Best And Worst Images:
This is the best image because the sunlight is shining through hitting the sweet spots such as the leaves ,grass and a part of the tree trunk.The sun is shining from behind the tree causing it to give a "glowing" affect.The picture is very nicely levelled and the focus is very accurate.
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This is the worst image because it is blurred and the lighting is very inaccurate causing the human eye to avoid looking at it - it wont be attracted to it.
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Grass
Best And Worst Images:
This is the best image because the grass sits right on the sweet spot causing it to be the main focus of the picture. It also slightly blurs in the background which leads to the flowers and grass to stand out more creating a very good effect which will bring the human eye to pay more attention to it.
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This is the worst image because the ISO and the Exposure is extremely high, causing the picture to appear really bright. This makes it a bit difficult to see what's going on in the picture, making the human eye lose interest in it.
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Sky
Best And Worst Images:
This is the best image because it is very nicely focused and levelled. The exposure is just about right and you can nicely see the fog among the mountains. The clouds are very clear and still you can even see the sun as it nicely sits on a fair level.
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This is the worst image because the exposure and ISO is a bit higher than expected, causing it to appear a bit more bright. This makes the sky seem very blank and boring as you cannot see the clouds. The tree, which sits in a nice sweet spot, is also very faint and doesn't catch the human eyes attention.
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Extras
Best And Worst Images:
This is the best image because it is very nicely focused. There are a few sweet spots where the rocks are sitting on however its not too affective. Its exposure sits just right and is more decent than the rest of the pictures from this category.
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This is the worst image because the sheep and trees are both very blurred almost as if the person taking the picture was shaking perhaps. The exposure is normal, it does sit on sweet spots especially the sheep however its blurred so its not very attractive.
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I have decided to try and change my picture to make it seem more mystical. I have aimed to use the brightness, levels and saturation tools to change the mood of the picture. I didn't follow a tutorial since I edit pictures at home, I already have practice so I just did it on my own.I am interested in going down the root of fantasy and mystery because its very different and it really brings out my imagination which you will hopefully be able to see in my future outcomes.I do not want to keep all my pictures by doing the same thing to all of them therefore,I have decided that I will be using a few tutorials to make my work more unique and not too similar so its more interesting to look at.
All my pictures are landscapes which is why I have already came up with a few ideas I will be including such as clouds,castles,stars and more.My aim is to make my work become so full of fantasy,that it changes peoples perspective on nature and so that they pay more attention to it.I really enjoy the stars as I feel really connected to them which is why I see myself making an outcome that includes stars because I strongly feel that people don't pay much attention to such beautiful things which is why I want to bring it out in my work so everyone is more aware of the beauty of our Earth.
All my pictures are landscapes which is why I have already came up with a few ideas I will be including such as clouds,castles,stars and more.My aim is to make my work become so full of fantasy,that it changes peoples perspective on nature and so that they pay more attention to it.I really enjoy the stars as I feel really connected to them which is why I see myself making an outcome that includes stars because I strongly feel that people don't pay much attention to such beautiful things which is why I want to bring it out in my work so everyone is more aware of the beauty of our Earth.
Photoshop
Snips
Final Product
Before and after
Mock Exam
Tutorial Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLqk1LrHlKc
The Process
Final Image
Before And After
I really love how I have transformed a boring picture of a tree in to something magnificent. This really does go well with my theme 'Weird And Wonderful' as it has butterfly's coming out of a tree which is something you would never see in the real world. This is why I find this picture fascinating. I have done this by using the pen tool and duplicating the butterfly's which you can see if you scroll up and see the process of my final image.
Lockdown Homework
Picture Before Photoshop
Photoshop Snips:
Final Image:
What I Am Doing Next.
I have enjoyed editing my photos on photo shop to make my work more magical. The techniques I have used are a half cut face because it makes you see the picture in a whole different way. It links to my research because its based on landscapes and all my photos are pictures of trees,views,rivers etc. have looked at a few tutorials such as half cut face and circle shadows because my goal is to not make my work all the same, I need it to be interesting with a bunch of different things. I need to work on finding more tutorials which are not so similar so that my work is unique. I am after a
fantasy, bright and unusual so that my work becomes a lot more interesting to look at since its going to be based on things people do not see everyday. I will present my work on Weebly, on my component 1 section - landscapes because it links with the rest of my outcomes. I am hoping to make a photo frame out of all my outcomes so I can always treasure my hard work.
fantasy, bright and unusual so that my work becomes a lot more interesting to look at since its going to be based on things people do not see everyday. I will present my work on Weebly, on my component 1 section - landscapes because it links with the rest of my outcomes. I am hoping to make a photo frame out of all my outcomes so I can always treasure my hard work.
Developing my ideas using the black and white filter and lens flare
Final Image:
Task 2 During Lockdown
Final Image:
Task 3 During Lockdown
Final Image:
Task 4 During Lockdown
Final Image
Task 5 During Lockdown
Final Image
Photoshop - Project 1
Photoshop Snips
Final Image
Photoshop - Project 2
Photoshop Snips
Final Image
Photoshop Project 3
Photoshop Snips
Final Image
Developing my work from my galleries:
So far in my project I have been using 2 different pieces of software, Photoshop and Photo-pea. I have been developing my own photographs so that I enhance the final outcomes. The tools I have been using are lens flare, magic cut, levels and adjustments and this has helped me to improve my skills at editing pictures. The more I have practiced editing my pictures and the more new tutorials I have tried, the better my outcomes are and the better my work is getting. The tool I found very effective was the levels and the adjustments tool because it really helps change your picture into something a lot more interesting and effective. I also tried the fish eye tool however I didn't really like the outcome, it wasn't really something that interests me although it did help develop my knowledge of the software. For my final outcomes I am determined to do something that you would never find in reality since my work is all based on things out of the ordinary. This time I'm planning to have a few black and white pictures to add a new vibe to my work.
Some Moderate Clear Convincing
The project theme was landscapes.I personally think that it was a wonderful theme as I really enjoyed taking pictures of views which made me feel happy and proud to be able to enjoy it the theme really helped open my eyes to see how beautiful the world is.Part of the project was to visit the lake district in autumn where all the colours of the leaves and the sunlight blended in together beautifully.
I mostly enjoyed editing my photos on photo shop. This is because I managed to turn something pretty into something extremely fascinating.It was absolutely breathe taking seeing how amazing I could make the pictures look and it made me feel very joyous towards nature as it doesn't fail to inspire me in taking more photos of incredibly fabulous views.
Through the entire process,I managed to learn so many new skills that I was surprisingly good at - skills I didn't even know I had.I managed to learn how to edit my pictures of reality and turn them into a whole other fantasy - things out of this world.Tools I used the most was magic wand,levels,saturation and pen tool.Such things have managed to make a huge difference on my pictures,making my work unique and interesting which makes me feel accomplished and proud.
I would love to develop on using my imagination to come up with new ideas rather than having to research other pictures and stealing ideas off a few.Although it is a good skill to be able to incorporate other peoples ideas,I would feel a lot more successful and genuinely proud of myself to know that I can come up with something so magnificent all by myself.
During my journey throughout the 'Landscapes',the main photographer I researched was Martin Lawrence because although his work isn't based on fantasy,it was based on landscapes and his outcomes were incredibly outstanding.His work really inspires my landscape images which is why hes one of my main inspirations.
The technique I enjoyed the most was editing my pictures because ( like I mentioned before) I really love spicing things up and stepping out of my confront zone and being able to make the impossible possible in my photography,taking that chance makes me feel like I'm floating.
The most successful part of my project has to be the images I managed to take.At the lake district,many areas were different.From field of flowers to a lake of fog and mist.My pictures are not all the same,very different which causes my work to be marvellous!
Throughout my journey we had an enormous problem.A global pandemic took place leaving us to be unable to attend more trips and take more beautiful pictures.The lock down had made many of us,including myself,to fall behind in our classwork however we managed to catch up by working really hard.
I managed to learn that anything can happen and nothing is guaranteed therefore I must always be prepared for any obstacle that attempts to affect me and my work.I had to catch up on my work however I have managed to overcome the problem of falling behind and I am back on track,ready for whats next.
If I could go back in time,back in the middle of my journey when I begun the theme of 'Landscapes',I would have gone out more to take more pictures with people in,since I don't have many with people in right before the pandemic had begun.
I mostly enjoyed editing my photos on photo shop. This is because I managed to turn something pretty into something extremely fascinating.It was absolutely breathe taking seeing how amazing I could make the pictures look and it made me feel very joyous towards nature as it doesn't fail to inspire me in taking more photos of incredibly fabulous views.
Through the entire process,I managed to learn so many new skills that I was surprisingly good at - skills I didn't even know I had.I managed to learn how to edit my pictures of reality and turn them into a whole other fantasy - things out of this world.Tools I used the most was magic wand,levels,saturation and pen tool.Such things have managed to make a huge difference on my pictures,making my work unique and interesting which makes me feel accomplished and proud.
I would love to develop on using my imagination to come up with new ideas rather than having to research other pictures and stealing ideas off a few.Although it is a good skill to be able to incorporate other peoples ideas,I would feel a lot more successful and genuinely proud of myself to know that I can come up with something so magnificent all by myself.
During my journey throughout the 'Landscapes',the main photographer I researched was Martin Lawrence because although his work isn't based on fantasy,it was based on landscapes and his outcomes were incredibly outstanding.His work really inspires my landscape images which is why hes one of my main inspirations.
The technique I enjoyed the most was editing my pictures because ( like I mentioned before) I really love spicing things up and stepping out of my confront zone and being able to make the impossible possible in my photography,taking that chance makes me feel like I'm floating.
The most successful part of my project has to be the images I managed to take.At the lake district,many areas were different.From field of flowers to a lake of fog and mist.My pictures are not all the same,very different which causes my work to be marvellous!
Throughout my journey we had an enormous problem.A global pandemic took place leaving us to be unable to attend more trips and take more beautiful pictures.The lock down had made many of us,including myself,to fall behind in our classwork however we managed to catch up by working really hard.
I managed to learn that anything can happen and nothing is guaranteed therefore I must always be prepared for any obstacle that attempts to affect me and my work.I had to catch up on my work however I have managed to overcome the problem of falling behind and I am back on track,ready for whats next.
If I could go back in time,back in the middle of my journey when I begun the theme of 'Landscapes',I would have gone out more to take more pictures with people in,since I don't have many with people in right before the pandemic had begun.