Preparing for my final shoot

I was lucky to find a model that was willing to come to Salford and pose for my project.

Before my shoot I made a few sketches so it would be easier and faster to do everything on the day. 

The ideas that I had for my shoot and quick sketches that I made:

1. Shadow shot. Inspired by my test shoot I wanted to create a shot with model standing emotionless and with the big distorted shadow behind her. Shadow represents the creatures that appears in sleep paralysis. Everything that people see during sleep paralysis is from their own mind. It is their own creation that is why the shadow is still similar to the models shape, but just by looking closer it is obvious that is different. 

2.  Shot with the ropes. As I was talking at the begging during sleep paralysis body can't move and it feels like you are tied up. So I want to represent the feeling when try to move, but you cannot. 

3.  Shot with the books. This shot was inspired by the Henri Fuseli painting The Nightmare, where women is sleeping on her back and strange creature is sitting on her chest. It represents the feeling that most people have during sleep paralysis when you can't breathe and the feeling like someone is sitting on the chest. However in my shot I am going to use books instead of weird creature. In my case, my sisters, her friends and many others sleep paralysis occurred before the exams, when person is stressed and does not get enough sleep. so books represent the reason why sleep paralysis happens. Moreover, the books that I am going to use are going to be about sleep, sleep disorders.

4. Cling film shot. In this shot the girl would be screaming, however she would be tied up in cling film. During sleep paralysis person cannot move or talk. I am not sure how exactly yet, but cling film would cover her face, which gives a feeling like sound can't come true even how loud model screams. 

5. Shot with the chair. This shot is inspired by Francis Bacon paint of pope. In the painting he sits in the chair and screams like he saw something that other people cannot see. Sleep paralysis is very similar to that, because everything that subject sees during it is just his own creation and the only person that can see all of the things that is happening is just him. The dreams that the subject has are super realistic and can be very frightening. So the model would be sitting tight on the chair and shout like she just saw the worst nightmare ever.












Furthermore, I got an idea how I would like to display my images in the gallery. The gallery walls would be painted black and I would use lightboxes for the images. I would hang four vertical images - two near each other and other two just below them. It would look like a window. Due to the fact that the room is black and there is light coming from the lightboxes it would give a feeling of someone looking inside through bedroom's window. Sleep paralysis usually happens at the night time and in the bedroom that is why I think that kind of display would be perfect for my project.