#027 Two more images for virtual and real photo-montage & video record of the process

Continuing my idea on the virtual and real photo-montage, I needed to create 2 more images so that it will fit the arrangement of the frames I have in mind. When I referred back to the old photos, I noticed that my dad and I had photos taken during Christmas. Therefore while having a video conference with my dad I asked him to share photos that he took in China that showcase some kind of festive season so he sent me 2 photos taken during Christmas with his friends.

So I dressed up in my winter coat and scarf together with a Christmas cap while imaging myself in a cold country hearing Christmas jingles, but in actual fact it was really warm and I perspired like crazy as the heat was transmitted from the projection where I stood to take the photo running back and forth from the projection to the camera in order to check how the photo turned out.

For example: In this photo the cap I was wearing is black and made the image appear dark and my arm got cropped off at the side. So I had to reduce the size of the projection.

So I when to change to a red Christmas cap so that the image looks more bright and cheerful but this time round, I blocked my dad's face. So I had to readjust my poise and position.

Finally, after all the adjustment I managed to not block my dad neither did my arm got cut-off. For example as presented below, I have two images that fitted to the criteria of being selected. So I based my final selection by the expressions and poise of each figures hence I preferred the second image 'Christmas 2' instead of the first as my expression mimicked my dad's smile. These images that I have presented here are just one third of the total images I took for one projected image. Despite it being a tiring process, I enjoy it as I get to practice making decision by being critical in the selection of images in terms of the image that best represent what I want to say or portray.

Christmas 1

Christmas 2

Adding the Christmas photo-montage into the overall arrangement:

As Paul had suggested that instead of just projecting an image, I could project a video record of the process of creating my family portrait. Therefore I did a recording for my family portrait photo-montage. Because of the size of the file I cannot upload here so I will show the snapshots of it.

Referring to the family portraits taken when I was young I noticed that my dad is usually at right side, mum at the left and I am in the middle so I incorporated the same seating arrangement for our current virtual family portrait too.

I decided to select this photo (below) from all the other photos taken during the shoot because I like the poise of how my mum and I are sitting close to each other as I wrapped my hand around her shoulder also considering the similarities of our expression and smile. The first image is the original photo taken thereafter I cropped it so that the black strip and the text box is not shown.

Original Image

Edited Image (Finalized)

After looking at the image taken, I am concern and a little disappointed about the projection of my dad. It appeared rather murky and blur due to the quality of my dad's webcam and perhaps because our video conference was held at night the quality of the image is affected. On the other hand, I am not very sure whether I should use the video but I would just prepare it and consult Paul about it again...

#026 Editing and Installing Photos into the Frames

After settling the arrangement of the photos, I have to decide on the photos that I want to display. Thank God that my mum used to enjoy keeping albums and albums of photos filled with memories that we had, so I have the resources that I needed.

Subsequently, the task is to select the old photos sensitively that would portray a reflection of the times my family and I have spent together, focusing on pictures that tell the story of the relationship between my dad and I from age of 0 to 4 half years old (the period from 1988-1993). The images are arranged so that years increases from the images on the left (1988) to the right (1993).

1988-1989

(Events & Places: Chinese New Year, Genting (Malaysia), Bird Park, Botanical Gardens) 

1990-1991

(Sentosa, Cameron Highlands, Tioman)

  1992-1993

(Singapore Zoo, Tioman, Christmas at Orchard Road, Chinese New Year at Chinatown) 

There were also other things I had to take into consideration, such as deciding on which images will be displayed in the larger frames and which images in the smaller frames. I also had to scan the old photos, edit the colour slightly and remove cuts and scratches, crop the images so that it will fit the frame. I want to retain the original look of the image but sometimes the colour that appears on screen after it is scanned and printed will turn darker or more yellowish so I have to edit accordingly.

An example of the difference between the colours of the original image and printed version. Hence I needed to correct the colour of the printed version by decreasing the yellow level and increasing blue and magenta levels in photoshop:

Original Image

Printed Image 

Another example of removing stain and cropping the image to fit into the smaller frame:

Original Image

Edited Image

Thereafter I would need to manually cut-out the images from the scenery for the eighteen photos I have selected. Also I have to be conscientious not to omit the small cutouts of small areas between the legs or arms of the figures that do not connect with the main image but is separated. So when I am fitting the image into the frame, I would first fit in the bigger image, I would then add in the smaller pieces.

These are the figures that are cut out from the images.  

Although the outcome looks like its quite an easy task just fitting images into the frame, it is not as it appears to be. I used to think that works that are framed up are easily done, like John Clang's works that are frames and presented in a time-line layout. And also because the cut-out area of my work is white, I must also look out for dust particles so that I remove them before fitting the image onto the glass plane. I never thought that so much consideration must be made, such that the image and the frame compliment each other instead of clashing. The images that are next to each other must also compliment the entire unit of work. Hence I learnt that the artist or the curator must have thought about all these details when arranging a collection of works.

#025 Visualizing Initial Layout on Wall

After deciding on Layout 6 and arrangement of frames no. 5, I needed to visualize it how it will look like on the wall. 

So I cleared a corner in my room to try it out. I stuck a piece of majong paper with the arrangement of frame drawn onto it on the right wall, together with the real-virtual photos on the left to consider the layout.

The old photos with my mini torch projection will displayed on the left wall while the real-virtual photos and the projection of how the process of creating the real-virtual photos will be presented on the right wall.  And the cut-out text can be stuck in the middle.

I was thinking of displaying the texts (30cm by 60cm) as mentioned in the previous post in the middle to compare the similarities and differences with regards to how I had perceived my family and I when I was young and how I perceive my family and I now. Some things have not change such as my Dad's absence from home due to work. Other things have changed, my mum stopped cooking, I have also grown up. And over the years, as my Dad shifted to China to work the distance between us both physical and emotional have escalated. Nevertheless we 'learnt = have to' to adapt to the change. When I read the paragraph that was written when I was younger, I'm actually quite surprised at my 'optimistic' sentence that "But most thing I love is my whole family" despite my dad's absence or what I think of myself. In response, I asked myself how do I feel now over the years, I think one thing that have remained unchanged, my family is still the thing I value most.

Text written when I was in Primary 4, 1996 

Text re-written currently, 2011