After some research into my chosen artist, I began experimenting with light photography using a model, first starting by using phone flashlights with coloured gel around them to change the colours, creating these images.
However, the light was too thin and wasn’t creating the effect that would look like a thicker and tangible portal. I then used a larger brick of light so I could get a thicker looking outline for the portal.
The pictures started off shaky because I didn’t know how to properly control the light yet and the panel was also too big for me to use it properly. My custom light diffuser was also not working very well and was making it more difficult to move the light around. I decided to continue the shoot at home in my room the next day. I used a light brick that was smaller, had a light diffuser, could switch colours and used a bedroom to match the scene of the final shoot.
These portals were easier to make because the light brick with the diffuser on provided a god amount of light and also allowed me to mess around with the colours. There was also the advantage of having the bed in frame, meaning that I would not have to draw the full portal and that I could easily create the top without having to worry about the bottom. However, I still needed to make the portal look more real by keeping it smooth.
For these portals I decided to try and make the full shape. This allowed me to get more used to the shape of a full portal while still not having to worry about making a full connection because it is hidden behind the bedframe. I continued to develop the idea by trying to create multiple portals at once to get used to controlling the camera and then getting the portals done in the allotted time from the shutter speed.
With these portals I tried to speed up the amount of time that it took for me to make them. I used the idea for the colours from the popular game “Portal.” I did this by drawing the first portal and then changing the colour with my back turned to the camera so it doesn’t recognise the light. This idea allowed me to make my portals more circular and get the shape done quicker and more efficiently.
For these images I experimented with using a model in front of the portal. I used a greenscreen to make it easier to edit out the inside of the portal, but I did not light the inside enough. I was considering placing a flash on the model’s stomach so it provides light to the greenscreen without lighting the rest of the shot, but I decided that it would be better to just shoot without the model, as if the bedroom is left empty as the person has already entered their ‘dreamlike world’.
In this test shoot I was practicing doing portals at a different angle as well to add a slight bit of dimension in as well as some photoshopping practice. I attempted to add this into my final piece because with my editing, I thought it looked created a nice look for the picture because it follows the lines of the bed to make it blend more easily into the environment instead of looking artificially placed.