photoshoot - Miss Miller

It is essential to take photos as they are needed for both promotion purposes of the artist as well as to cover the digipak/album etc. It is important to take a variety of different shots as what may appear to be working well on the camera may look different when on the computer and has been stretched. Ideas are likely to change along the way through the editing process however if the editing team are only provided with a certain few types of images and few of them then they aren't face with much to work with meaning that they are less able to expand therefore unable to better their work. If the audience feel as though the artist is simply using similar images throughout then they are like to apply negative connotations upon the artist as this suggests that they are being fairly lazy or that they are quite un-creative as they are using the same style again and again. It also suggests that the artist doesn't care as much about their audience which is highly subversive towards the soul genre and certainly something to avoid. This would suggest that the artist doesn't care much about providing a positive experience for their audience hence they don't consider the smaller details. Artists of the soul genre are expected to really care about their audience and the bond they form with them. Hence it is important to highlight this treasured bond when trying to help the audience conform to the soul genre so to attract the right audience. 

Here are some of the images I gained from my photoshoot:

Here is one of the final images and the original shot which I plan to use for my digipak. Once I had altered the colour of the image slightly and changed tones etc. I discovered just how grainy the image really was. This was unfortunate as it meant that I was unable to keep the image so similar tones as it originally was only slightly lighter and without the shadows being so highlighted. I knew that it would be okay for the audience to know that there was a shadow there in the image as that is to be expected; in fact without it the image would be rather subversive as it would appear rather unrealistic for there not to be a shadow. This would appear over edited painting the artist to fit the image of a typical star in the music industry rather than adopting traits of a typical artist of the soul genre. Hence I decided to allow the shadow to stay and be noticeable however I did make it so it was less highlighted. I also changed the image from a mid shot to a close up, this was done in an attempt to help the audience build a relationship with the artist. As the concept of a close up suggests that the audience are closer to the artist as she appears to be closer to them because she is physically closer to the lenses. It also represents to the audience that the artist isn't holding back because she isn't shying away from the camera. It also helps the audience to view the artist as a more attractive figure as the concept of having an artist up close to the camera and looking good more them appear more appealing as many people find that they don't like the look of themselves when closer to the camera as they feel this highlights their flaws. Showing the artist to be more attractive is beneficial to the representation of the artist as it urges the audience to look up to her more so; as often young women who are thought of as being fairly attractive are often thought to be not much more. Making the artist appear to be a very positive role model for female audience members particularly the younger more impressionable female audience as following the artists influence would seem to be much more inspiring and positive for audience members whom are discovering themselves and looking for direction. The purpose of the close up also helps to convey codes and conventions of the soul genre as not only does it portray the element of the artist attempting to become closer to her audience but it also highlights her make up. Which suits to the genre as it follows the styles of make up you would expect from women within the period the genre was born (1950s/1960s) of which the genre has ceased to develop from as the audience adore it's classical vibes. Hence female artists of the genre often still present themselves within this way so to suit the genre. As the artists eyes are shut this forces the audience to look at other features of the audiences face rather than her eyes which would usually be the first thing the audience looked to as people often feel that they are able to catch a glimpse of others through their eyes. Therefore the audience are more able to notice the artists winged eyeliner, highlighted cheekbones and rouge lips. The concept that the artist is looking in the mirror is conventional as it demonstrates that the artist cares about her apperance which is also convention as women of the genre were expected to care their appearance as this is what men judged them on and men's opinion of women mattered more so in this era as  women found that they had to relay on men as they suffered at the hands of a lack of rights. What is actually shown of the location also sets for conventional tones involving the colour scheme which is still evident through a black and white filter. Showcasing mainly black white and grey all of which are conventional colours as they are seen as being rather classic. The idea of filtering the image in black and white also follows codes and conventions of the genre as it implies the concept of going back in time as seeing black and white reminds the audience of past times were colour film wasn't available thus the concept of black and white filtering provides the audience with a sense of going back in time.  The mirror is a rather conventional piece of iconography as it appears to be rather grand and expensive, this follows codes and conventions towards the genre as artists of the soul genre are thought to take great pride in things that they do and look after their belonging hence they are able to buy grade pieces and treasure them. Where as genres such as Pop are known for changing with the seasons hence there is no point in the artist spending a lot of money on one piece and genres such as Hip Hop and Grime are known for being a bit more 'trashy' and therefore artists are unlikely to spend large amounts of money on such things. Where as soul artists are known for sticking with things and keeping classic vibes hence this is conventional. 

The artist is portrayed to really care about her appearance as she is seen looking at her reflection in the mirror, applying as though she is checking over her make up, this is connoted as her eyelashes and lips are two of the most noticeable features on her face. Also she is moving her hair out of her face thus making it appear as though she is really trying to get a good view of herself as she checks herself over. Highlighting that the artist really cares about her appearance which is conventional as you would expect a female artist of the soul genre to try to look after their looks. Because women from the period the genre was born (50s/60s) really took care of their appearances due to the kinds of pressures and expectations put upon women throughout said time for their appearances. As it was seen as socially unacceptable for women to work with this period as well as the lack of respect they suffer women had to relay on men to support them. As a result women were considered to have tried to impress more as they really felt as though they needed them to like them. This involved both the way in which women behaved, often catering their lives around their husbands etc. As well as taking care of their physical attributes which came with it's own style for the period. Of which women would fashionably apply fairly basic face make up so not to look to heavily made up, whilst focusing on their cheeks, eyes and lips. Hence as the artist is wearing fairly plan make up with rouge lips, attention around her eyes and highlighted cheeks the audience are able to conform the artist to her chosen genre. For a lot of women within the soul audience this makes the artist appear more relatable as these are aspects to the genre they find themselves attempting to adapt to so to conform. Often these are aspects to the genre of which women adore as they enjoy dressing themselves up to the genre and are happy with the finished look. It is beneficial for audience members to view aspects to the artist which they find are similar to their own as this suggests that the artist follows a similar mind-set to them. Which indicates that the artist would be able to get along well with audience members suggesting to the audience that if they were to come across the artist they would be able to form a friendship. Due to which the audience are more likely to purchase the artists music as they find themselves feeling more kindly towards her as they root for her hence they purchase her music as they want to contribute to her success and find themselves enjoying her music as they feel this connection with the artist.

For this shot I decided that I wanted to pose (as the artist) on the bed with the head board showing so really highlight that this is a bedroom. Which is most beneficial as a bedroom is known for being a relateable scene as all audience members shall have one. Therefore they are all able to consider the ways they act within their own and how they are similar to the ways in which the artist behaves within hers. Another beneficial impact of highlighting the headboard for the bedroom shot was that it also really demonstrated the wallpaper. A lot more than the image of the artist in the mirror this helps the audience to understand that both shots were taken in her bedroom which helps to paint the artist as being someone whom they could relate to and get along well with as she isn't attempting to portray herself as this grand figure getting out of expensive cars and visiting tropical places but instead she is showing herself doing the ordinary day thing living a typical life.  The wallpaper is also conventional towards the soul genre as it follows the typical colour scheme of the genre and appears to be rather classical and expensive also following codes of the genre. This is another shot where the artists make up is highlighted as I zoomed in on the shot and cropped around the surrounding irrelevant space on the image so to make up my CD cover. I done this for the same effects as before. I decided that it would be essential for me to apply this effect more than just once throughout my digipak as had I just done it the once this image may have juxtaposed the rest and really brought across the concept to the audience that the artist wasn't doing as such in the other images; which would over rule the one image where she was doing it and course this to be the audiences lasting thought of the artist. Providing her with negative connotations meaning that the audience would be less likely to purchase the artists album as she doesn't appear to be putting much effort into it which signifies that the album won't be up to the standard that it could be. It also conveys that the artist isn't particularly dedicated and that they don't exactly care about their fans or for their fans experience. This makes the audience less likely to purchase the artists album as they are painted as a negative role model meaning that the audience aren't going to like them as much and therefore not want to spend money on them. 

Within this image the artist is represented to be rather dominant considering her facial expressions rather than smiling as audience members may expect or even pouting both facial expressions which inform the audience that the artist is happy or at least concerned about how she is perceived, which is suggested as it appears that the artist is attempting to urge the audience to view her in a more physically appealing image. As the artist appears not to feel as though she needs to convince others that she is content or even try to please in the sense that she is content or even simply pleasing them with her looks makes the artist appear more fierce and independent. Traits which many audience members shall like about the artist as the fact that she presents herself not to need comfort from others implies that she is good enough to stand on her own. Not only does this connote that the artist is somebody that the audience should invest in as she unlike most people doesn't seek the respect and attention of others, thus hinting that she is above others and therefore someone to b admired but a lot of female audience members shall look up to the artist for presenting herself in such a way. As despite the stereotypical image of a women of the soul genre suiting to the presentation of women within the 50s/60s she certainly doesn't present herself to obtain the mainstream mind-set for the period. As she appears perfectly fine and content on her own. A lot of women shall like this

subversive representation as it works as a strong representation of women hence implying that the artist is a good role model for female audience members particularly young and impressionable ones; because she is able to provide them with the inspiration and motivation to become independent on their own as she is proving to them that women are capable and that they shouldn't feel as though they are inferior to men.

Although this is a positive representation of the artist some audience member's may view different sides/connotations to the image which may not be beneficial to the artist or her representation. Although the artist presents herself to appear unhappy she doesn't look particularly sad either she simply more unimpressed and unwilling to find joy. This could result in the artist be perceived as someone who forces misery on herself therefore suggesting that this is a theme she spreads to those around her. This can lead audience members to feel that her music is particularly worthy of listening t as with the clear codes and conventions to the genre of soul the audience re lead to believe that the artist has most likely wrote her music or had a large amount of input into it therefore implying that a lot of it reflects the bad persona the artist appears to have around her connoting that listening to her music wouldn't be beneficial and that it would be a waste of time. This image also paints the artist as being someone whom is unapproachable which leads onto another point as to why this concept to the artists representation is negative as the audience are less likely to buy into an artists music is they find that they don't particularly like the artist. Working in the same way that if an actor who many audience members didn't like landed a main role in a film. Many people would find that they wouldn't be interested in watching the film as they don't want to watch this person or support any of their projects.  Another concept to this which may be turning audience members away from the artist based on this image alone is that the audience are less likely to be interested in an artist if they feel as though the artist wouldn't be someone they would get along with in real life. However the digipak as a whole package makes up for this as the images together capture a persona for the artist which makes her appear more relatable to audience members for the artists chosen genre of soul. Soul artists are conventionally known for being more personal with their music and often talking about issues and emotions which have risen within their own lives however they are also known for keeping these aspects to things which people outside of the industry who are unaffected by fame may fall prisoner to. So rather than referring to having large sums of money and attending big parties with fellow members of the public eye artists are known for singing about issues which have been filtered so that they are more relatable for audience members hence this has become a convention of the genre so much so that it is also conventional to represent this themes throughout other stages of artists conventional representation belonging to the genre for instance relatable locations being used for artists when they are posing for promotional photos or when they are filming their music videos. Thus the effect of the artist clearly being in her bedroom for this image as well as being shoot in various other different relatable locations throughout the images on the digipak as well as throughout her music video paints the artist as being someone the audience would be able to relate to. This is beneficial towards the artists representation as it suggests to the audience that the artist is someone whom they would find themselves getting along well with if they were ever to meet. This is an important aspect to the artists representation not simply because this presents the artist as belonging to their genre but also because it displays them as the kind of person audience members should get behind and want them to do well. With this further encouragement the audience are more likely to buy the artists digipak. The idea of the artist looking less than impressed also has it's benefits as it implies to the audience that this is a part of some sort of narrative either running as a theme throughout the artists album a technique  followed via many artists for instance 'Marina and the Diamond's' or simply throughout one song or music video etc. regardless this effective as it shows that the artist is able to imply the conventional depth which is adored throughout the soul genre as well as the benefits to displaying a narrative which has become known as conventional towards the soul genre as soul artists are known for wanting to provide their audience with a more in-depth experience. Thus this shall be a good image to display on my digipak as it clearly shows the artist as belonging to the soul genre as well as providing the audience with clues as to what her music may be about. This is most beneficial as it gains the audiences interest as they find themselves wanting to know what topics the artist reaches to throughout her music. As well as showcasing a questionable representation of the artist which can lead audience member's to feel more intrigued via her as they attempt to work her out/understand her. This can also gain the audiences attention as often members of the soul genre feel misunderstood or as though they are struggling with everyday ways to life so they seek comfort in the art of soul which may be interrupted as something the artist does from her less than impressed persona.

This image I decided to use twice. I done so as I liked the different ways the image could be used. I also realised the potential which lay ahead with using the same image only edited in different styles for different purposes. At first glance you could be forgiven for thinking that these were three different images however once you take a proper look at all three the audience is able to realise that they are the same image. Hence when the audience make this connection for themselves it makes them feel rather pleased with themselves as they feel as though they have discovered something for themselves. The fact that they have discovered this on their own makes them feel as though they have a better connection with the artist as they are able to realise this which makes them feel as though they are more than just another fan. It also means that the positive feels which come with the audience discovering this are then applied as positive connotations upon the artist as the audience unconsciously recognises the artist with this experience. It also helps the audience to remember the artist more which is important as this keeps them as fresh and therefore relevant in the audiences minds. The audience are more likely to remember an image if they have seen it on numerous occasions; however if I was to use the same image without the different editing styles then this would likely apply negative connotations upon the artist as it would appear that they had be lazy in different taking different shots and trying different styles for their images. Which would suggest that they don't put much care and attention to detail into their work applying the same negative connotations to their music. These different editing styles set this to be the main image for the artist for this album. A technique which many artists use. For instance Marina and The Diamonds has created a different persona to adopt for each of her albums. This helps the audience to really get into the album and creates a hype around it spreading word of mouth helping the artist to reach a wider audience. It also encourages the audience to remember the album as they remember this image to the artist. Within this image the artist looks very powerful and dominating as she is seen holding the iconography of the microphone which provides connotations of the artist being someone important as this item reminds the audience of situations where microphones are often used often when someone in power needs to give a speech. Hence this portrays the artist to the audience as being someone of importance and relevance this perks up the audiences attention gaining their focus thus they are more likely to purchase the artists digipak. As the artist has her eyes closed this suggests that she is more  in tune with her music than she is of the people around her. Representing that the artist cares more for her music than she does impressing others; demonstrating to the audience that the artist cares more about creating quality music than she does impressing others. Informing that audience that the artists music is of a high standard whilst also providing further positive connotations upon the artists representation as it is highlighted that the artist is in the industry out of a pure passion for her music not for the fame or fortune. Capturing the artist as a better person as she is shown to be being true to herself and not allowing shallow obsessions to get the better of her thus painting her to be a positive role model.

This image is also beneficial in capturing the artist to the soul genre as she is shown in the typical element for a soul artist; performing live on stage. I decided that I wanted members of my team who had photography skills to take photos of me as the artist on stage as I knew that using this location for my photos would be a good way to convey my artists chosen genre to the audience. Because artists of the soul genre are recongised for having a genuine talent. This stems from the fact that artists of the genre have always been known to singing live on stage often with a big grand band instead of a backing track and without all of the other added extras which artists of other genres such as R&B and Pop need to entice their audience. Hence showing the artist so simply as she is on stage appearing to be in her element clearly demonstrates codes and conventions towards the genre meaning that the soul audience are able to take notice of the album and which means that they are likely to buy it. I decided that I wanted to include the key piece of iconography of the microphone as this is what really signifies the artists performance to the audience. Without this she may simply be standing in front of a red curtain as they are unable to see an audience and her mouth is almost closed. I was very particular about the backdrop for this image. I wanted a red curtain for the back of the stage and I wouldn't have settled for anything else. As it wouldn't have appealed the same effective. The image of the red curtain, the artist looking all glammed up  and of era and the microphone in its stand screams codes and conventions towards the soul genre. As this is the typical image the audience think of when thinking about a soul artist performing live on stage as it represents a typical jazz cafe from the era the genre was born. Jazz being a genre which is closely next to the soul genre often with over laps often on the part of my chosen artist Amy Winehouse herself. Along with the typical make up traits which have been conventional throughout the images taken throughout my photo-shoot the photos taken for this set where done so with Mise en scene elements such as costume, hair and make up highlighted even more so than previously before. This was important to highlight as the scene the artist was in she would be expected to be even more conventional. As in this environment this is what is expected and is considered socially acceptable however in other environments this would be fairly subversive hence to remain relateable to the audience as a whole the artist would tone this elements done in these areas to appear more like a real human being and not present herself as a star such as Lady Gaga whom to many audience members is so far fetched from the norm she seems alien. I asked my hair and make up team to style my hair so that it I had a big quiff on top of my head. As it was conventional for women of the period the genre was captured to have big hair and has been adapted by many modern day soul artists. Such as Duffy, Adele and again Amy Winehouse herself with her infamous 'beehive' hairstyle. 

It is important to really highlight what genre the artist belongs to right away. It is our job to grab the audience attentions not their job to seek out artists. Buying new music isn't seen as a necessity, hence audience members don't go out and buy it in the same way that they would food, the artist and their music need to be promoted in such a way that the audience feel as though they need to buy the digipak or at least that they strongly desire it. So the digipak needs to attract the audiences attention. However just because something attracts attention that doesn't necessarily mean that it's a good thing. To catch attention I could fill the digipak with neon colours but this wouldn't help with sales. The use of neon colours would be subversive towards the soul genre, so subversive in fact that audience members may even think that the artist is following the genre of dance rather than soul. It is important throughout the digipak with the usage of various different codes and conventions following the genre so that the audience are aware of the artists chosen genre. This is a good way to reach an audience as this does more than simply catch the attention of audience members belonging to the soul genre but it also enables them to feel a connection.

One of the first things the audience notices/looks to when looking at an album or digipak is any images of the artist. Throughout the media and various other forms people have been trained to focus on ones and others appearances. Hence rightly or wrongly people often take others appearances as indicators as to who they are. Because of this it is important to capture the essence of soul around the artist. Even suiting her more so towards the genre that she would dress/style herself even with her admiration for the genre. This is because it really needs to be highlighted so to ensure that the message is properly being brought across and that the right audience are attracted to the artist. I plan to achieve this by using images of the artist where she is shown not just by her actions, locations or narrative to be following codes and conventions towards the soul genre but also simply it how she presents herself e.g. key Mise en scene elements including the artists hair, make up and costume. Thus I decided to take much of the images for the photoshoot on location when filming the scenes for the music video which included the artist performing at the jazz bar as not only does this show the artist in the kind of location you would expect to see an artist of the soul genre and expect to see them feeling comfortable but this is also an environment where they are free to really let their passion for the genre run wild. Hence the artists costume, hair and make up for these scenes where more emphasised of the genre. As the period in which the genre of soul was capture was in the 50s/60s a time period in which the genre hasn't developed much from as fans of the genre enjoy it's classic vibes it is expected for artists of the genre particularly female artists to follow the ways in which women of the period dressed. However often artists add their own modern spin on this but the overall feeling is kept alight aspects which really remind the audience of this time are still used or at least referenced to. For instance the popular fashion of big hair for the period which is often used via female artists throughout the genre hence I adopted it for the representation of my artist. As well as the style of make up often appearing to be fairly light and basic base make up, where emphasis is put on the artists eyes, lips and cheekbones thus I also opted for this when styling my artist. The artist is shot wearing a black off the shoulder dress this is conventional for a variety of reasons for instance black suiting the popular colour scheme for the genre as it provides the classic vibes suiting to the genre as well as representing that the music is often of a much darker nature compared with other genres such as dance and Hip-Hop as soul artists are known for singing more so about issues which are personal to them. It was also common for women of the period to wear off the shoulder dresses and women were beginning to feel more free and empowered to wear certain types of clothing however it was still fashionable not to show off too much skin. So women often opted for revealing their shoulders and collarbones as this is thought to be an attractive and aesthetically pleasing part of the body which doesn't reveal parts of the body which are deemed to sexual or personal.

I opted to use this image for both my advert and my digipak because the effects of it really represent the artist well as a whole. As it is apply to successfully paint her to the genre of soul whilst still portraying her to be a positive music icon throughout the industry; as well as demonstrating aspects to her personality which capture her to be a good role model away from her world of work and more as an individual. This is formed as the artist has her eyes closed as she focuses on her singing and not the people which although aren't shown are evidently there following the narrative as the artist is captured performing on stage. Signifying to the audience that all of the attention doesn't matter to the artist as she cares more about her personal passion for music. I also wanted to use this image twice as it reminds the audience that they have already heard of the artist which is important which a fairly new artist is being promoted as this is the hardest yet most vital stage for an artist to make themselves known. If the audience hears about new music coming from an artist they have never heard of before they may simply disregard it as being nothing exciting as if the artist were good then they are likely to believe that they would have heard someone of them before. The use of using this image twice only with different editing effects and techniques keeps the artist relevant in the minds of the audience meaning that they are more likely to pay attention when hearing of the as they seem to be someone of relevance.  

 At first I planned to filter all of my images in black and white however I soon found once editing the different ways in which I captured the different black and white filters through altering the tones and lighting etc. that the different styles of black and white provided different effects and worked well with different images. Hence the black and white effect which I found looked really nice on one image different look great on another hence I made the necessary changes which I thought were needed so to make the image look better. Although I soon deemed it to look rather scruffy having different black and white filters next to each other on the actual format of my digipak all contrasting each other. As a result of this I decided that I wouldn't have all of the images for my digipak in black and white; I still wanted some to remain in black and white as I think the effects of this are both aesthetically pleasing and providing beneficial connotations upon the digipak benefiting the portrayal of the artist for instance the evident codes and conventions towards the soul genre which are essential in the audience ensuring that she is marketing herself towards the correct audience. I did decide that I didn't want any images in black and white to be next to each other as this contrast created for a messy, unappealing and unprofessional look. Which would have been subversive towards the genre as artists of the soul genre are known for taking pride and care into their work which is so strong that it is able to stand the test of time. 

I am very happy with the ways in which both my team and myself styled myself in portrayal of the artist so to suit the codes and conventions expected of a female artist from the soul genre. Following Mise en scene elements such as hair, make up, costume and iconography where the first elements I chose to focus on so to highlight the artists genre to the audience as these are the first things the audience consciously picks up on. This is because the media has taught society that appearance and materialistic items matter. It is key for the audience pick up on these codes and conventions suiting the soul genre as this means that the soul genre audience are aware that this artist is aiming her album towards them. Without having done so they would have likely overlooked the album as the genre is fairly subversive in terms of modern day music. Which is generally filled with Rap, Pop and Hip-Hop music. Due to which members of the soul audience are less likely to be looking to new artists when attempting to discover music of the genre which they are yet to become well acquainted with. I also like how the artist has been captured with a persona which paints her to be relateable. As not only does this provide further connotations of the genre but it also impacts positively upon the artists likability factor. 

Although we are working as a group and have taken these images together we plan to create individual magazine adverts and digipaks. Hence we needed to take an even wider range of photos than we would have to simply ensure that we had enough and that there was a big enough range to experiment with different ideas. As ideally we would like for group members to be able to use differing images so to ensure that are magazine adverts and digipaks really are different. Naturally we all had different plans for how we wanted our digipaks to look meaning that we had planned different image styles for instance involving different costumes, locations and poses meaning that what I may have planned to pose for and asked to be taken may not have been of any use to anyone else in my group anyway as it wouldn't have fit the theme for their music video.