“Ocean’s Embrace” by Shelia
Concept
This diptych project is a captivating exploration of the complex relationship between longing for the sea and the surreal, mystical allure of the underwater world. The diptych format is used to emphasize the inseparable connection between two seemingly distinct realms: the one we physically inhabit and the one our imaginations can dive into.
Process
- Photographing Part I
I collected 24 photos taken at the aquarium, and this is my contact sheet：
I chose a picture of a girl touching the blue smoke as the first picture for the photo diptych.
It portrays the alluring beauty of the ocean’s surface, with the girl’s figures reaching out to touch it, symbolizing our love and longing for the sea. The deep blue hues, illuminated by soft, oceanic light, create an atmosphere that feels like an underwater dreamscape. The girl is seen standing in this vivid blue environment, reaching out as if to touch the water. The blue smoke in the image adds a surreal layer, symbolizing our love for the sea and our desire to immerse ourselves in its embrace.
- Photographing Part II
The second image was created through Photoshop manipulation. It delves deeper into the imagination, showing surreal underwater creatures.
The original background of this image is a section of blue smoke.
p.g.1 Background
The image on the left predominantly features a blue color scheme, therefore I wanted to enhance color consistency on the right side. Simultaneously, I aimed to prevent the colors from becoming too dull. To achieve this, I overlaid a layer of images featuring jellyfish as the central focus, resulting in an overall color palette of blue and purple. I also fine-tuned the colors to accentuate the jellyfish.
p.g.2 Jellyfishes
The next step is to add the main body of the picture, which is the silhouette of the girl.
p.g.3 The silhouette of the girl
There is a notable layer of blue smoke that was put on the silhouette of the girl, making the blue smoke appear to penetrate her. The composition blurs the line between the girl and the smoke, creating an illusion that the girl is in the embrace of the sea. This manipulation adds depth and an otherworldly quality to the image, accentuating the mystical and dreamlike aspect of our connection to the sea.
p.g.4 The layer of blue smoke
The biggest difficulty I encountered was the problem of color mixing. The different layers in my photo diptych have a lot of overlapping areas. When you change the color, warmth or light of the upper layer, all the layers below will be affected and need to be adjusted constantly. In addition, I need to highlight the silhouette of the girl in the picture, which is also a process that takes a long time to adjust the color.
p.g.5 A screenshot of part of the layers I made
Together, these images create a conversation that resonates with our yearning for the ocean, blending reality and fantasy.
As for the improvement, I would like to figure out how to enhance the picture by introducing greater diversity among its elements and imbuing it with a more abstract and dreamy feeling while maintaining tonal harmony as a foundation.
My Photo Diptych:
