After discussions with tutors and peers, I've reflected on the potential directions this project could go into. It was suggested to explore a more sinister outlook, investigating anxiety and fear.
I reflected on my own anxious tendencies and incorporated them into some initial draft concepts. For example, the fear of someone trying to break into my house prowling outside, attempting to gain entry. Using a photo of my bedroom window as a base, I created the illusion of a shadowy figure lurking on the other side, peering in with malicious intent. My goal was to evoke an intimidating and unsettling atmosphere for the viewer. To achieve this, I employed a very dark colour palette, complemented by fog and streetlights, which enhanced the ominous presence of the figure.
I believe this piece successfully conveys the intended tone and sense of discomfort, so I am continuing to explore and experiment with other compositions and ideas.
This is another ominous draft I created, depicting the perspective of a homeowner observing the menacing shadow of an armed intruder. The composition and viewpoint were especially important, as I wanted to emphasize the attacker’s physical dominance over the victim. To achieve this, I positioned the victim’s perspective at the bottom of the stairs and made the shadow noticeably large and imposing.
I deliberately chose not to include the criminal’s figure within the frame to introduce an element of mystery and uncertainty.
I believe this image effectively conveys the sense of menace and ambiguity I aimed to capture.
Next, I considered how to depict the fear of a monster lurking under the bed without fully revealing its form. Through creating these drafts, it became increasingly clear that using shadows is essential to obscure the image, leaving room for ambiguity and allowing the viewer’s imagination to fill in the gaps.
With this in mind, I deliberately concealed most of the monster’s outline and features within the darkness. I believe that showing only its glowing red eyes and sharp teeth greatly amplifies the sense of menace and evil.
While I’m satisfied with all three outcomes individually, they don’t yet connect in a purposeful way. Moving forward, I need to focus on developing a cohesive narrative to unify these ideas.
After reviewing the earlier images, I decided to focus on exploring the anxiety surrounding a break in. I believe this narrative holds great potential, as it can be interpreted and depicted in a variety of ways. I also preferred the colour palette and the unsettling atmosphere it created.
Additionally, the blend of photography and digital media proved to be effective, so I plan to continue using this approach in future outcomes.
I’ve begun exploring different scenes to add to the narrative, such as a door handle rattling as if someone is trying to open the door. However, I’m not satisfied with the handle’s design or the composition, it feels clunky and unrefined. so I'm going to rethink my approach.
I came up with the idea of a close up, goggle-like view of a sinister eye peering through the peephole. My goal was to evoke a sense of intrusion and discomfort. I believe the image I created successfully achieves this, and I’m pleased with the outcome.
I’ve begun exploring the transition from the window to the door, as it currently feels too abrupt. I felt it was important to capture the figure’s movement toward the door. To illustrate this, I created two additional images that mirror the style of the first. One shows the figure's hands eerily dragging across the window, while the other depicts its shadow moving distantly toward the door.
I believe this definitely helps the narrative flow the way I envisioned, and it's providing me with clearer direction for its development moving forward.
After discussions with tutors and peers, I concluded that incorporating both the perspective of anxiety and a first-person viewpoint could be highly effective, offering two different lenses through which to experience the same narrative. I want the anxiety perspective to feel menacing and filled with malice, so I plan to use elements that emphasise this, such as fog and darker tones, to contrast with the lighter, more grounded first person perspective.
However, I feel this concept still needs significant development. Right now, it seems too faded, and although I am aiming for a darker atmosphere, it still needs to be clear and effectively highlight the main details of the images.
Despite these issues, I really like the transition and the images I’ve chosen. they flow together smoothly. My goal is to convey anxiety as something stalking and lurking in the shadows, watching silently. With that in mind, I selected images that represent this sense of being followed.
To amplify the idea of stalking, I drew inspiration from the perspective of a predator hunting its prey. I created a circular, sinister frame to overlay the images, aiming to evoke that feeling of being watched through a predator’s eyes.
After overlaying the frame onto the images, I found it achieved the effect I intended, effectively creating the impression of viewing the scene through a predator’s eyes.
Taking some time to reflect on the current outcomes, I realized that the bright red of the door distracted from the overall tone of the image. To address this, I neutralized the color and softened the shadow by blurring its outline, as it felt too sharp given the distance from the viewpoint. Additionally, the images seemed to lack depth, so I adjusted the contrast and brightness to enhance dimensionality. I believe these changes have made the visuals feel more balanced and closer to a finished product.
To build on the narrative, I aimed to mirror the first-person perspective by showing anxiety gradually creeping up to the window. I believe this effectively conveys that sense of looming threat and tension.
Examining the two narratives, I felt they could be more distinctly differentiated through style and color. I began experimenting by applying a subtle wash of blue or yellow to see if it would enhance and clarify each narrative’s mood.
I experimented with using a yellow frame and a yellow wash, but it didn’t work well and I don’t think I’ll be incorporating it into the final design.
Recognizing that a subtle blue best amplified the dark tone of anxiety, I applied it across all the images. This choice proved highly effective, and it’s clear that blue is the right colour to enhance the mood I’m aiming for.
I believe the blue works especially well because it mirrors the midnight light, creating a sense of pathetic fallacy deepening the emotional impact of the images.
Noticing that the perspectives were a mix of landscape and portrait formats, I looked for a way to unify them. I decided to use square framing for both, and I believe this actually improves the compositions by directing more focus toward the central elements of the images.
Struggling to find a way to present both narratives together, I researched different display methods and came across the idea of a concertina design. I created a mock-up using a five image template to visualise how it might look. Upon reflection, I believe this approach has great potential and could be very effective, allowing each perspective to have its own side while smoothly flowing from one to the other.
Identifying another issue, the first person view of the door not fitting well within the frame, I reevaluated how I could portray the scene. I decided to shift to a lower perspective, drawing the viewer's eye toward the bottom of the door. By adding light seeping through, it further suggests the possibility of intrusion. I believe this adjustment allows the narrative to flow as I originally intended.
Another challenge was how to conclude the narrative by revealing the reality of the situation through juxtaposition. After some discussion, I settled on the idea of showing milk bottles on the doorstep with the shadow walking away, implying that it was just the milkman all along. This innocent reveal perfectly highlights the irrational nature of the anxious perspective.
I now feel that the content not only flows seamlessly but also effectively conveys the meaning I set out to achieve.
To conclude, I professionally assembled my concertina as the final outcome. Overall, I am very pleased with the result, as it effectively conveys everything I intended. It successfully captures the juxtaposition between anxious fear and reality, while also executing the dark, sinister narrative I set out to create.
