Best Edit

Here is my original, untouched image. In order to get this fog-like effect, I got my friend to throw Talcum powder in my direction, between me and the camera. This created a dusty atmosphere, and because the powder is very dense, it lingered in the air for a while. Thanks to this I was able to create a layer of 'fog', which allowed me to make it seem as if me, the subject, was outside, when in fact this was taken in the studio. 

I had originally intended for the light behind me to be brighter so it would over shadow me and I would be darkened - so all you would be able to see would be a silhouette of me and some fog. 

Here is my best edit. I played around with the curves, saturation and hues to create a more vibrantly coloured image, which popped out more.

My Editing

Because my image's main colour is black, I am able to edit it very flexibly. I can apply different gradients, hues and other effects to see which one makes my image stand out more. Here are a few examples:

Here is the first edit I have done. Personally I find it a little bit dull and so I have decided to tweak it using different methods of editing.

Here I added a little bit more fog using Photoshop CS4. I feel I went a little over board with it as I found it quite easy to get carried away, and now I look at the image and I realise it's too foggy, and that makes the fog very artificial looking.

I decided to add some colour to my image. I did this by adding a new layer, putting a type of gradient on it and lowering the opacity so you could still see the original layer below. I think I went over board with the editing here as well, and so I will not use this image for my final piece.

My Second Artist

Using the style of Chicago photographer, Kyle Thompson, I have created a new image which represents Homichlophobia, the fear of fog. I was inspired by his picture 'Pause' which was created in 2013.

Pause (2013) by Kyle Thompson

This image is a self portrait. I took it using a Nikon Shutter-Remote, which allowed me to take the picture from a distance. A friend helped me in the shoot by throwing talcum powder in front of me in order to create a fog-like layer between me and the camera. Out of the 100+ images I took, this was by far the best. I edited this initially in GIMP, where I added an extra fog layer to really emphasise the powder. I then edited it in Photoshop by adding a new layer and using the gradient tool, added some more colour and lowered the opacity in order to still see the layer below. 

I have bittersweet feelings towards this image, on the one hand I'm proud of the effort I put into it (it then involved me sweeping the studio for just under an hour...) On the other hand, I feel the studio light in the background is a little random, and didn't end up as I'd originally wanted it to come out, which was bigger and add more luminosity.

Here is the contact sheet for my shoot: 

(You will have to click to enlarge)

Additional information:
Subject:
As this is a self-portrait, I am the subject.
Costume:
I wore a black vest top for two reasons, firstly, it blended in nicely with the background and so it wasn't at all distracting. Secondly, I wanted my arms to be visible, and so wearing a black long-sleeved top was out of the question.

Location:

Situated in the school's photography studio.
Equipment:

Nikon D5100
Nikkor 18-55mm f3.5-5.6
Giottos 3 tripod
Lighting:
Portalite studio light with a snoot attachment.
Risk Assessment: 
As I used talc powder in an enclosed studio space, lack of air circulation meant that me and Ollie, my helper, were breathing in the powder. It was important that we didn't inhale too much of the substance so every 5-10 minutes we stepped outside the studio for some cleaner air.
The powder made the floor incredibly slippery, and so we had to ensure that we walked with caution not to slip and hurt ourselves.
Because the studio lights are powdered via mains, long cables were lying around on the floor. It was crucial we made sure we were aware of the cables and didn't slip.
Not touching the lights in order to not burn ourselves was also very important.
As we were in a completely dark room (apart from one small light source) we needed to be aware of what was around us, so spacial awareness was important so we didn't bump into any of the tables or stools, or even camera equipment.