Research

Edweard Muybridge.

Edweard used multiple cameras to capture the movement of animal locomotion. He then created the zoopraxiscope. The zoopraxiscope projected images from rotating glass disks in rapid succession to give the impression of motion. It was the first example of stop motion animation.

He made all of these images and then put them in order to make an animation so that it would make the sense that the horse is moving like in the film below.

This was the first scientific proof that a horse lifted all of its feet off the ground when it ran. Muybridge also created a phenakistoscope disc of a couple waltzing.

This then turned into a zoopraxiscope when spun around with a film camera focused on one part of the picture. When the disc spun round, it would make this film.

I like this work because it shows how movement can be captured in photos to discover new things about that movement. I will take from this work the idea of discovering how animals move and to find out if my dog's feet leave the ground when he is running. I will also make animations of my dog running.

Carli Davidson.

Shake is a small series of dog shots shaking off water. For this project, Carli sprayed water onto the dogs so that they would shake. She used a high shutter speed to capture their faces as they were shaking.

I like this project because each photo is unique and because it is exciting to see the dogs faces distorted as we have never seen a dogs face as they shake close up before. I also think it has a good emotional connection to viewers because it has humour and relevence to dog owners. I will take from this work the idea of movement in dogs which has never been seen before and close ups of a dogs face when in motion.

Anita Peeples
Anita takes photos of her own dog in different moving positions but she does it as a hobby and not for any projects.

 

I like these photos because they show the Boxer doing different things in motion, such as fighting, running and jumping. I will take from this work that I should get my dog in lots of different situations so from this I decided to make a film of my dog on a dog walk.

Gopro cameras:

My final outcome was based on a TV programme that I saw which showed a camera mounted onto a bird's back and recorded the bird's journey. This idea inspired me to do the same but with my dog, Bongo. This idea of seeing from a 'bird's eye view' is very recent and there are only a small amount of films with animals in hem using gopro cameras. I didn't use a gopro camera, instead I used a normal lightwieght camera which was just as good and Bongo didn't mind. Becuase the idea is very new, there aren't any artists that I could find that used these cameras to film animals, so instead, I would recommend you watch these youtube videos that use gopro cameras.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aB9A0Zv07xM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=lswBDZuL-8w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=p-_RHRAzUHM

Brainstorm

1. My first idea was to take close up photos of Bongo's face as he is running. I thought this would be a good idea because it would be interesting to see what a dog's face looks like when they run. I also think it would be good because we could compare his face in each stage that he runs.
2. My next idea was to compare a dogs movement to different animals of a different build or shape, for example to find out if a dog moves like a horse or a rabbit.
3. I had another idea which was to take photos of Bongo in different leg positions in each stage of his run. I thought this would be interesting because it shows how a dog runs and we don't normally notice this so it will be giving an insight into how they run.
4. Another idea was to create a sequence of photos of Bongo with the same background behind him so that I could put them altogether. I could develop this idea by taking photos of Bongo running towards me so that he gets bigger and bigger with the same background. I could then make the photos appear then disappear for the next photo in the sequence to appear and make it look like Bongo is coming towards the viewer.
Another way of developing this idea is to capture different types of sequences, for example a sequence of Bongo running, waking, jumping and leaping towards me. These pictures could then be put into a very short, slow animation of Bongo. By replacing the last picture with the newer one, it will create the effect that Bongo is moving but it is only in the animation.
5. As I was doing the experiments above, I thought to myself how I could make this project better. I came up with the idea to document a dogs life in motion and out. This got me thinking that I could compare a life of a dog to a life of a cat and documenting them.
6. The animals I had been photographing recently all had four legs and were healthy, but what about the ones that aren't. I had the idea of photographing a dog with three legs or had something that stopped them from moving like a normal dog. I could then compare how the different dogs move.
7. Another idea was to take photos of the cycle of an animal being alive to being eaten and the energy that the person gets from eating the animal would be photographed as well. The movement of the person could be compared to the movement of the animal to see if they move the same.
8. Another idea was to take photos of well known phrases to do with animals. For example a bull in a china shop or running like a headless chicken.
9. An idea with potential is taking photos of sports logos with animals on them and to see how people move in them. This could be compared to how the animal moves.
10. Also, an idea was to photograph or film animals in public transport and how they behave.
11. Seeing things from an animals point of view is a good idea if I could attach a camera to Bongo and then see what he does on a walk and the things he sees.