Monday, October 22, 2012

Annie Leibovitz - Alice in Wonderland

 
 


This shot has to be one of the most recognisable images she produced from this series. This scene is also considerably important in the story as it tells the tale of the growing cake and shrinking potion. Many elements of this image are important, the main being Alice, the uncomfortable look about the way she is sitting as well as her facial expression with a creased forehead. The main colour of this shot is blue which contrasts with the other photographs in the series being mainly shades of green in the background. Alice however is overpowering due to her out of proportion size. The miniature furniture and room make the image intriguing giving a sense of scale. I can only speculate on how this was achieved but i assume that small furniture was constructed to make the room the size of her or that the room was a regular size and the illusion was created in post production. For me another important piece in this shot is the small window looking onto the woods as it connects this photograph to the next.
 
 
 
In this shot Alice is back to her usual size in an outdoor environment this time away from the constraining environment of the kitchen. The man to the left is Karl Lagerfeld the fashion designer who plays himself, he has an air of power as he stands with both hands on his hips. His sunglasses mask his eyes giving a sense of mystery however the slightly tilted head and disgruntled expression give him an air of authority added to by the tie and various gold. A contrast between the two characters is also the size of Alice being next to him emphasises the difference. Alice is cradling the pig however she has a stern expression which is explained in the text. I like the back lit effect in this shot it highlights both Alice and Lagerfeld's hair creating a soft glow. The natural light also creates a soft backdrop complimenting the colours, the greens follow on from the previous image introducing continuity also with the repetition of Alice as the main character.
 
 


The main thing i notice about this photograph is the opposites: Alice is standing, Jean Paul Gaultier (as the Cheshire Cat) is perched, she is on the ground, he is up a tree, they are at opposing sides of the frame on different levels and she looks stern as opposed to his mischievous grin. I also noted the fact that Alice is in the opposite side to the frame than the previous image. Another key part i notice is the light coming through the trees in the centre of the shot, it brings out the textures on the trees. The consistency of the outside setting in the woods works follows on well from the previous photograph.

 
 
 
This next photograph is of the renowned mad hatters tea party. The mad hatter played by Oliver Platt does not meet my expectations to be frank in this shot, i do not feel the character from the book is portrayed as well as it could have been, however the checked trousers, waistcoat and hat are somewhat quirky it just seems to me a little bland. This also matches the mood of this image, the facial expressions are that of fed up and bored. The hatters is somewhat curious which does link with the quotation from Alice in Wonderland displayed. One larger change I see in this photograph is a different angle of view. In most of the photographs in this series the figures of the characters have been fully displayed, in this all of the subjects are seated and are not completely visible. It is also shot from a slightly higher viewpoint.
 
 


In this next image Alice is in the right hand side of the frame with the 'Queen of Hearts' played by John Galleano situated in the left of the frame. The eye contact is one of the first things i notice with both the queen and Alice looking into the camera, this is similar with most of the images i have looked at so far. The Queen's stance with his hand on his hip is powerful as well as the pointed hand, this mirrors Alice's stance in an image later on. In this image she seems more reserved, with the flamingo under her arm. The kings stance is also of power looking down on Alice. We are again in the woods which is becoming a consistent theme as we go through, greens and blues are recurring colours however pinks seem to be important with the flamingos and paper sash the Queen wears. The facial expressions seem to be key to this shot making the lasting impression.

The next photograph links back to the woods, this time she has been positioned to the left of the frame with the other characters to the right, an irregular pattern seems to be emerging with the alternation of where she is placed in the frame. The main colours been greens, blues and blacks again are consistent with the narrative. The expression of the character to the right is interesting as it contrasts with the plan look on Alice's face. The scenarios created are successful perhaps because they invite the viewers interpretation.
 
This photograph utilises more props in an indoor environment like the kitchen set I previously looked at. The elaborate set gives the image character. The main thing i like about it is the movement in the photograph, the act of walking into the mirror. The main light sources visible are the chandelier as well as the open door, which create soft highlights on the furniture. It does appear that extra lighting was used on Alice herself as the shadows become harsher on her against the black, the disappearing into the black mirror does seem to be the intentions of Leibovitz. The woods in the background i feel are again important to the consistency of the narrative, they create a loose link along with the consistency of Alice and the main blue colours.
 
In this image she has arranged Victor and Rolf (Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee) in the left hand side of the frame, each with one arm around the others waist, by facing their bodies away from Alice we get a sceptical stance from the two this is added to with the stern perhaps disapproving looks on their faces. Alice's Stance is much more powerful in this shot especially in comparison with the previous images. Her look is not stern like theirs it is more questioning towards them, confused. This is wear the dialogue helps us to understand. The backdrop for this works well as the blues of her dress and beige and blacks of the suit stand out against the green. The lighting for this shot is hard to determine, it appears to have been shot on location so a great deal of natural light will have been utilised however artificial lighting may have been used to enhance, as well as reflectors. 
 
 
 
 

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