Connecting Essay 1

My Photograph

This is my photograph that I took in my second shoot. I captured a couple of my favourite perfume bottles by composing them in the frame from different perspectives. I wanted to group the two bottles together because I feel that it makes the piece more successful as a whole. The perfume in the background is called Ghost Sweetheart, and the one in the front is One Direction's Our Moment. Both of these bottles have pink tones in them, Our Moment especially. They look extremely appealing because I have used light from the back to bounce off of the glass bottles and the glittery material in the front bottle. This light emphasises the shine on the bottles and allows them to sparkle, reinforcing their femininity. There is a shadow that comes from both bottles and grows closer to the lens rather than further away from it. This adds a sense of drama to the photograph which I find successful.

Online Photograph

This is the photograph that I found online, which is of two perfumes in bottles of the same style, but different sizes. The yellow tones in this photograph attract someones senses, as I would see this perfume as smelling similar to vanilla. Those who love this scent, would most likely be attracted to this photograph because of the impression it gives off. Their is a reflection beneath the bottles which suggests that the bottles were placed onto a laminated surface, a successful element indeed. There is a light source coming from the right side of the frame which casts shadows heading towards the left, and shadows on the left side of both bottles, more so the lid of the left one. Having the reflection and the tone/form evident in this piece contributes towards the successful appearance of this image, as these formal elements are strong and effective. The composition has also worked well as all of the focus is directed towards the bottles. The larger bottle could have been a larger focal point if the positioning of it was more in the foreground, however it pairs perfectly with the miniature version, making both products equals when it comes to the focal point of this photograph. 

The Connection

There are a large number of connections shared between my photograph and the online photograph, along with a mixture of differences. Firstly, both photographs feature two perfume bottles, however mine are from different brands whereas the online ones are of the same family. The bottles in my piece are positioned in different angles and different segments of the frame, whereas the online ones are side by side with the same angle. The colours in both photographs are different, mine appearing more fresh and appealing whilst the online one appears more warm and comforting. Despite the differences, there are evident formal elements in both photographs which make both pieces successful advertisements. There are shadows casted from both bottles due to one light source shining down on the subject with a beam, whether that be a light shadow or a dark one, it still makes both images more visually dramatic. Even though the bottles in my photograph are not of the same brand, they are still different sizes, just like the ones in the online photograph. This variation of sizes works well in the frame as there isn't too much filled up nor is there too much blank space. Overall, both photographs work as advertisements for perfume bottles and I believe my photograph is just as successful as the Internet photograph.