1. Proposal
Subjects:
For my proposal I will be focusing on a range of different subjects not only to have some variety,
but also to see how the experimental technique works with them to produce the final image, and
whether or not they result in an interesting image for theme of fear. One of my main subjects will
be nature, because of its abundance, and ease of capturing in a photograph. Another reason for
nature is because of its traditional representation of concealment and camouflage in horror-
orientated media, where leaves and foliage can easily hide people or things. This is an idea that I
would like to explore within my series of photographs.
Another potential subject I may include is buildings or structures, decrepit or abandoned ones in
particular. The reasoning behind this is because older and ruined structures have a lot more
stories to tell behind them as opposed to a well-maintained modern building still being used,
whereas an old, dusty mansion would be a treasure trove of spooky potential. A key to invoking
fear is making the viewers unnerved by provoking thought, asking them ‘Why.’ One such way of
doing this is using an old building, and therefore making the viewer ask, ‘Why was this building
abandoned?’ or, ‘What is inside this building now?’
Locations:
The locations I will use during my project will vary quite heavily depending on the chosen subjects
at the time. If I will be photographing nature such as trees and foliage, I will likely just stick around
my house and the fields around it as there is an abundance of greenery and it can easily be
adapted for my chosen theme.
However, if I were to use buildings for my subjects it would be a little harder as I would have to
seek out some older, and possibly decrepit buildings to photograph. While I do know of several
abandoned houses they are built up areas and as such the presently liveable condition of
surrounding houses may detract from the feeling of the image.
Techniques:
For this project I will be using out of focus as my main experimental technique. This is because I
wanted to use what is usually an exposure nuisance in a professional sense, in order to create real
depth in an image and obscure certain elements to focus on others. Tying in to my theme of fear,
photos being out of focus causes the capturing elements of the image to be shifted to something
else that is visibly, letting the photographer direct the gaze of the viewer and make them focus on
something he wants them to focus on.
Reasoning:
The reason that I want to use the out of focus technique is because I believe that it has a lot of
potential in a fear-inspired atmosphere and application. Many ominous photographs don’t tend to

2. have perfect exposure in order to retain a feeling of the unknown, that is, not being able to make
all the details out. I think that by doing this, the photographs feel a lot more ominous than if they
were not obscured, because having a perfect exposure leaves nothing the imagination.