Hera Shoot Planning

 Hera, the Queen of Gods, and the Goddess of the sky and the stars of the heavens would make a great addition to my project because she is such a central figure in Greek Mythology and as she rules the sky and stars as a whole, it would make for a great centrepiece.

For this shoot, I will take inspiration from The Peacock complaining to Hera (Juno) by Gustave Moreau (1881).

I found this painting to be most fitting for my project as it's an obvious display of femininity, elegance, and colour-wise, very visually appealing. On a deeper level, we have themes of confidence, happiness, jealousy and comparison, which are things that all human beings suffer with. While a lot of the other painting that I looked at also told interesting stories, this is the one that centres around Hera herself and not about Zeus, although he does make an appearance n the symbolism of the Eagle in the top left corner.

Photoshop

Like the previous shoot I planned, I believe this one will need to have a lot of photoshop elements. This is because she is floating in the sky, and talking to a peacock. I would have to paste myself on a chair into a different background, probably a composite of many other images in order to match the painting, and then paste in the peacock. To make the dress flow I would also have to make a composite of the dress fabric - this will make it look like it is being taken by the wind as Moreau painted it. I will also need to add the head of the eagle, the small bird on her throne, the star above her head and possibly the sceptre, although I'd prefer the props to be physical. All of these aspects are really important to the image as it comes from the symbolism movement - every aspect represents something in regards to her presence and story.

Location and Lighting

As such, with this photoshopped background and beach location, the location of the main shoot isn't really that important. I will make sure it's in daylight, as to match the lighting in the image - the lighting isn't necessarily directed in one way so it will have to be a bright but not too sunny day as to reduce any harsh shadows that may occur. The clouds in the sky can be painted in using photoshop brushes, which I already have experience in and feel confident with.

Costume and Props

   The costume for this image is actually rather difficult. It's hard to find fabric with the yellow and black trimming that is shown at the edge of her drapery, and so I would probably have to hand stitch this on myself. The fabric appears light and flowy, a bit pink in tone. So I looked at this pale pink satin fabric, as its shine will present this idea of luxury and elegance. Another option, which will give the more layered look that the painting has, is to use organza. While the tone of the fabric is more accurate to the painting, this actually isn't much of a big deal as the satin can be edited in photoshop anyway. The organza I think will give more depth and definition to the image and so I have chosen to use this in layers to create a drapery and skirt around me. 

In terms of trimming, I think I will just have to let this aspect go, as if I try to make it exact it will go far out of my budget.

 For the crown, I've found this cheap crown that I can desaturate and make look more silver and more shiny within photoshop. The shape seems good for Hera and Moreau's painting and fits well within my budget about about £3.50.

For the sceptre, it's important to get it right. This is because her lotus tipped sceptre is a huge part of her symbolism, and so will help identify her as her, and to be historically accurate.

I have chosen this sceptre, which is gold and has a partly blossomed lotus flower on the top. The price is £25, however I think that for this image this and other symbolic things is where the budget for the image needs to go. 

The prop that will cause me the most hassle is the throne. I think in order to save me money here, I will have to use the wicker chair I already have, unless I can find something else in a charity shop - which isn't ideal to go into given the current climate. This is okay, however, as my images are not supposed to be replicas of the paintings, more so inspired by them. The wicker will work with the natural feeling also coming from the birds, the peacock and the branches coming out from behind her. If I need it to look more golden I can always adjust the hue and saturation to match this. I can also intertwine some branches and perhaps blue flowers between the holes to make it look fuller and more full of life.

Equipment

This shoot will use the same equipment as previous shoots;  The Nikon d810 with a 24-70mm lens. If I need extra lighting I will use the Nikon speedlights as usual, and diffuse it heavily to keep that natural but bright feeling. A good stable tripod will be needed as I aim to merge a few things into the image, which may mean I need multiple shots of at the exact same angle in order for the photoshop process to go smoothly. Also because of this, a remote trigger is going to be ideal so I don't have to touch the camera as much, which could risk moving the camera accidentally.

Overall, this shoot will certainly test my photoshop skills and capabilities, but I must look at it as a way to expand my skillset. I see this piece as being central to the whole project, with her ruling such an expanse and being so relevant to the topic, and her being the Queen of Gods.