Research

Firstly I looked at gathering a base of inspiration and a foundation of research regarding visual effect photogeaphy/techniques and photgraphers who have implemented and used some kind of visual effects within their work.

Regarding Techniques I looked at a variety of different photographic styles and effects. These included, Forced Perspective, HDR, Tilt Shift, Light Painting and Surrealism Photography.

It really is crucial I gather a base of knowledge regarding techniques and effect I can use for my imagery.

Forced Perspective

I really find foreced perspective a stunning visual effect. When you think of visual effects the heavily photo manipulated images but I really appreciate techniques and effects such as forced perspective that rather than rely on technique regarding software, rely more creativity and imagination. I can't help but be inspired by some of these beautiful images. It just shows me s visual effect doesn't have to be something that has been edited in photoshop. Forced persepctive done right and with the right amount of creative spark, simplie it may be can produe beautiful imagery.

HDR

HDR for me at times looks very comic and captures a more fantasy vibe and has carries a danger of looking like a cheap filter  however in some images it brings the image alive. Done right HDR can transform an image and at times can make the image look like a painting. I feel that using a HDR technique is more benefited for a detailed scene and setting and just wouldn't really work with imagery with just a simple subject, that would really showcase HDR to its full potential.

Tilt Shift

Tilft Shift is a visual effect i'm very familar with. Again simple but I find a very effective technique when implemeted well. Similar to HDR however I feel only works well when the subject is a large scope, setting, rather that a single centre piece in the image such as a single object. Certainly this is a technique I would be keen to use for my study. Just looking at a selection of tilt shift imagery, generates a vast amount of inspiration as a many of thiese images do.

Light Painting

I adore light painting/grafiti. Similar to tilt shift photography it is a technique i've used many times before. Again it is quite simple in visuals but done right looks a very modern and stylish technique. 

Surrealism Photography 

This is a technique/style of photography i'm not to familar with. This is a visual effect that is more reliant on technically ability than the other effects i've been looking at, combined with a creative mind can produce some really interesting imagery. However personally I just find this kind of photgraphy a bit too much. Technically fantastic but it just doesn't work for me, I much prefer the simplistic effects such as the perspective works that rely more on a keen eye and creative vision. A lot of surrealism photograhy I find very unsettling in a way, that in many respects is what the photographer is aiming for but it just doesn't work for me.

Ben Heine

Ben Heine is a photographer and artist I only came into knowledge of through this module and his work blew me away. He uses a pencil vs camera technique that simple it may be produces stunning imagery with the photgraphy and illustration combination. This effect is such a creative and imaginative way of producing photography. Some of his work I just find breathtaking, the way that the illustrations blend and merge into the photograph is beautiful. A really refreshing visual effect that doesn't really use any means of post production and photo manipulation. Ben Heine really shows how such a simple idea, effect can produce the most breathtaking results.

Jerry Uelsmann

Henri Cartier-Bresson

I also in my research looked at Henri Cartier-Bresson, not really the most obvious photgraher to look at regaerding visual effects, but the unique and obsure angle he would shoot from would deliver and proudce some stunning work. Basically shows photography doesn't have to be heavily tweaked in photoshop for the image to be callisfied as a visual effect piece, by shooting from different perspective, different light settings can produce a visual effect.

Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams is a fascinating photographer to look at in this respect. All his work was done in the lighroom, a time before photoshop. The way he could maniuplate the image in the lightroom was amazing and even now with such software and means available it would be so difficult to capture and produce such results Adams did decades ago. When looking at a brief, studinyg a module regarding post production photography it would be a sin not to look at adams' work. I find looking at Ansel Adams work a huge source of inspiration.