Photographer Research - Phillip Shannon

Why I've chosen him

Phillip Shannon began shooting professionally in 1996. He started his career shooting on film and this background gave him a base to embrace the digital revolution which came about 2-3 years later. Shannon said he was lucky enough to be part of one of the first studios to buy, implement and start shooting on the first Phase One digital camera backs. Many years later and thousands of shoots later, he has always kept up to date with the latest advancements in technology using the latest cameras and software. This is one of the main reasons as to why I have chosen this photographer to study, because he is professionally skilled in Photoshop, using techniques that create artistic images and layouts that draw you in as a viewer. Pattern is a very strong formal element found in all of Shannon's work, whether that be realistic pattern or edited pattern. Shannon also doesn't work in just one specific area of photography, he is an exploratory and creative artist with many inspiring ideas that have already influenced my imagination.

In this photograph, Shannon has photographed a grooming product for men; Simple Aftershave Balm. Simple is usually known for consisting of the colours green and white, whereas with this product the packaging is jet black with white text. This colour works well with the male gender as it has the connotation of masculinity, whilst white has the connotation of femininity. Shannon has worked from this and used a black background to compliment the colours of the subject, along with a few out of focus lights in the background to create more pattern in the image. He has also added in a Photoshop splash beneath the bottle to add extra dramatic effect, making the product appear more fresh and revitalising if used as part of a mans skin care routine. The bottle stands out among the patterns in the frame and the black backdrop as there has been two lights used either side of the product to make the edges shine; this white glow emphasising the size of the product and allowing it to stand out from the other features in the composition.

This is a different style of photograph by this photographer of cookies and milk which has required no specific Photoshop editing or techniques, just high key lighting and a neatly arranged composition. The pattern in this photograph is evident in the red and white striped straws and the pile of chocolate chip cookies. As the cookies are the subject of this photograph, they are in focus, whilst minimum depth of field has been used to create a strong blur in the background objects. Red is main accent colour of this image as it also appear in the background in the top right hand corner of the frame, contrasting effectively with the bright white surroundings. This image looks like one that draws you in for when you're looking for recipes in a book as the cookies look extremely indulgent. They are thick cookies that easily crumble, suggesting that they are fresh out the oven. This corresponds with the use of colours as white has the connotation of fresh, making this photograph an all round success when it comes to the lighting and use of formal elements.

Similar to the first photograph, Shannon has used a black background which enables the illuminated blue to stand out as dark colours contrast effectively with highly saturated colour. An irregular pattern has been created by this splash which starts in a small group at the bottom and expands into a larger arrangement of bubbles at the top. This pattern is effective because it makes it look as though the bubbles could constantly grow into a large group if the fizz carried on outside of the frame. The composition of this image is effective because Shannon has left a large quantity of space to the left for text to be inserted, which would make this image look more finished. It has the potential to be an effective piece of advertising photography for a refreshing drink if Shannon were to employ this technique into his work.

Similar to the second photograph of Shannon's, this is another one of sweet food that looks extra delicious because of the use of bright and saturated colours with their positive connotations. There is pattern in the hundreds and thousands and pattern in the ice cream cone. I think it is extremely effective putting two images next to each other that have different coloured backgrounds because the colours are able to contrast with each other, which always results in a successful outcome and eye catching photograph. Shannon would have edited the ice cream cone photograph on Photoshop in order for it to stand up without anybody holding it, which looks more like a piece of pop art than it would if there was a hand/arm involved in the composition. 

How he has influenced me

In Shannon's first photograph of this post, he captured a beauty product with splashes as the pattern. In shoot 5, I carried out a shoot of the Ed Hardy hand cream and the grafruitti flavoured Lucozade. These products both have packaging that include extremely detailed patterns that fill the whole bottle. These patterns were enhanced in the studio with the lighting, where I shot the first one in a more simpler way than the second one with the splatter effect, inspired by Shannon's technique.

Summary

Overall, Phillip Shannon is a very broad based photographer who enjoys exploring a mixture of themes in his work from still life to food to creative to people etc. The main photographs of his that will help inspire my project are his food based ones and his creative ones as this is where I will be able to capture the most pattern. As I am extremely interested in advertising, this photographer captures photographs that come under this area, therefore making him an extremely appropriate inspiration for my upcoming work. His use of colours are what I enjoy analysing the most because he often makes sure there is a colour connotation to relate to the subject, which results in photographs that have meaning, therefore making them stronger.