Change of timescale

With the agreement of my tutor, I have extended the timescale for this last assignment. The reason here is that the timescale that I am now working to is very much determined by the artists with whom I am working rather than my own more rigid timescale.While I originally had reservations about changing this timescale, I think now that this will be better suited to the kind of 'soft sell' images that I think this assignment needs. By 'soft sell', I mean that the project brief requires images that convey more of the artist and the contribution that they can make to the space being converted in working studio space..to 'sell' the space to a working artist as well as a local resident who has preconceived ideas of what artists are like ...To do this I need time with artists to come up with the right kind of images.

This revised concept is also suggesting a much longer project  that will outlive assignment five..one focusing on artists and artistic space.

Assignment 5 :What difference a space makes ...and talking to artists

Desktop research into possible images/ locations for my project is leading me in a number of directions...

For example, I'm now wondering whether this assignment might lead to a bigger project 

Recently, I found myself talking to some of artists who use the studios at 'Making Space in Leigh Park. I'd rung the administrator asking if I could have a look at the studios prior to trying to contact the artists who worked there. She invited me to join them at their 'makers' lunch the next day to talk about my project.


Talking to these very friendly and interested artists, answering their questions and listening to their ideas was really stimulating. The concept that we chewed over was how and what the presence of an artist at work can lend to a 'space' and conversely what a 'space' can lend to the artist in their work..whether space,its shape, place and or use impacts on creativity... 

I came away from the lunch having been reminded how powerful it is to be able to talk over ideas, have them challenged and in answering the challenge moving on to develop the idea(s) further. 

I made two useful contacts at Making Space ..artists who are happy for me to return with my camera. 

I also now have promises of help from artists working in the Arches Studios in Southampton which is encouraging..These studios are located within a series of converted storage arches under the Central Bridge in Southampton.See    www.aspacearts.org.uk 

Assignment 5 : Hunting for artists and locations..

Well, I thought that this assignment might be a real challenge and I'm not being proved wrong..I've been out and about looking for possible locations for exterior and interior shots

So two key challenges ...1) arches  2) creative activity within confined space 

Arches 

I've been out and about looking for possible locations for exterior and interior shots...

Looking for how railway and road arches are being used ...

P1004: F8 @ 1/8  18mm  ISO 200

 

P1002: F8 @ 1/1000  24mm  ISO 400

P1005: F8 @ 1/25  26mm  ISO 200

 

P1003: F4 @ 1/200  40mm ISO 100

 

P1006:F8 @ 1/500 24mm ISO 200

                    And how 'heritage' arches are being used





Creative activity
Looking for different kind of artistic work and artists willing to help me out ..i.e. willing for me to take shots of them at their work, ideally within their studio. What I have found are there are a number of artists working away in small studios but tracking them down and making contact is very time consuming...

Reflection on Assignment 4

I think that this assignment has demonstrated to me that it is much easier than I thought to approach complete strangers to ask permission to take their photo outside in the street or on their own territory. I still steered away from using a formal permission form and on reflection, I should have used a form. Having got a number of interesting images, I cannot use them in a publication since I do not have the model's written permission.

I have now devised a permission's form for future use.

I also realise now that I should not feel embarassed in taking my time to compose a shot better. This is going to help with assignment five.

And interestingly,my research for this assignment had a real direct influence on how I approached composing my shots i.e. suggesting different ways of approaching shots to present what was really a straight road in a more interesting fashion e.g. looking down on the road as well as looking up; cropped more closely than I would usually have done to bring more energy in to the frame.

Pierdom....Simon Roberts exhibition in Brighton

A lucky break while researching the seafront arches in Brighton..I discovered that forty photographs from Simon Roberts' Pierdom were being exhibited at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery.











I like piers fullstop. I lived by the sea as a child and visiting the pier was what you did in the summer holidays whether at home in Worthing, visiting nearby Brighton or further afield in Blackpool. 

P589

P331

More recently I've looked to these piers for inspiration and a resource for some of my OCA assignments. Surprisingly, or maybe not, I found them tricky subjects at the best of time...



I came across Simon Roberts' his three year project 'Pierdom' earlier this year and I had really liked the images I saw online. How would they look in reality? I wasn't disappointed.

 In a you.tube video ( https://youtu.be/z3gdMYXr4qM ) Roberts talks about returning in the footsteps of Francis Frith, one of the last British Victorian photographers to make a record of the piers around the British coastline. Over a period of three years and using Victorian style equipment i.e. a 5 x 4inch plate camera. he looked for and captured the small narrative in the landscape or the architectural quality of the structure. He commented that using a plate camera is a slow process where you need to think carefully about the composition of the image.The result is some very striking and thoughtful pictures.

Worthing Pier

 

 Although my image below of Roberts Southsea Pier is spoilt by the reflection, I wanted to see how his interpretation varied from mine done last year for a Digital Photographic Practice assignment.

P336

Apart from distance and angle, I much prefer  the way that Roberts image is peopled sparely and in relation to the length of the pier which adds a further dimension somehow..and a much better composition.




                                                                              

I like the abstract quality of this image on the left ...very striking visually ..

while the spare composition above on the left is equally powerful and almost moving in its apparent 'simplicity'.



I came away from this exhibition with strong visual memories of Roberts work and the realization that I should slow down my actual act of taking photographs to think far more about the composition before acting...



 

Assignment 4 - tutor feedback

Here are my tutor's comments on this assignment. I'm pleased with how my images have come across here and these comments have given me as they say 'food for thought'. My responses are in italics.

Overall Comments

Good searching research and reflection on a variety of artists. This is building your photographic and visual vocabulary. Continue to explore in this way to enhance your own development.

The blog has evidence of much research and reflection although as you are now at the stage of completing a number of assignments it is becoming a little more difficult to navigate.

You have demonstrated a good technical approach in the capture of light and colour and your work on this is a real strength. The prints are of a good quality and have translated very well from digital (some areas could be further refined see notes below).

The work presented has a clean and professional look and hangs together coherently, some of the images are very strong and it has the potential to provide an alternative sense of place.

Feedback on assignment

Demonstration of technical and Visual Skills, Quality of Outcome, Demonstration of Creativity

Your exploration is considered and thoughtful. You have really engaged in this technical and creative practice looking to produce work suited for the intended outcome of an article of the atmosphere of a road and giving a sense of the place.

You demonstrate good control of the lighting, and the whole body of work has a feel of the complex nature of the area you explored. The images you have taken exhibit these points well and it can be seen that you have the combination of an observers but outsiders eye. The references and research into a variety of photographers practice has been informative here, the look at Arnold Newman’s sketches was interesting. The ‘Gursky’ approach you explored was good practice and charming your way onto balconies helped provide a view that was more interesting!

P981 The print is well exposed and there is very good detail in the shadow and highlights. The shadow creeping across the road and the single person with the colourful and varied shop fronts is engaging. The two similar toned cars do also work, as the shops get to stand out.

P979 This print has warm tones although the white areas and some of the skin tones of the man in the white t-shirt have been blown out a little. I can see this would have been a difficult place to light. I wonder if a little more attention to detail could have been useful here, the half open curtain suggests more but the wriggly thing in the middle of the frame is distracting (what is that?) It is a really interesting place that has much potential, it was good to see you were able to photograph people.

P984  This image as an introduction to the Albert Road area is visually interesting. I like your exploration and discussion of the image being used horizontal or vertical but I do agree with you that the horizontal image works much better. The print here is sharp and although you have a good exposure with detail in the buildings and the sky it does look a little blue? As you were in the shadow this has made the image appear a little blue.

P978  Some good energy in this image, the people make this more interesting and you want to know what the little boy has found. Although as you say this is an image captured on the shadowy side it is well exposed and not too blue. In an instance like this it is good to take many images to get all the figures in the right place, it is difficult to do as you are taking it without directing the models but the lady in the image is a little blocked and to see more of her would add to the idea of the place being of interest for all.

I think this was a case of lack of nerve in getting too close and tipping off the subjects that I was there...I did take a number of images but from more or less the same angle so they came up with the same result...Agree that it would have been more interesting to have seen more of the woman. 

P997 I feel this image is really successful as it is bright and colourful as well as being visually very interesting. The movement of the wind blowing the dress on the model adds to the energy. This is your strongest image of the set.
I feel this is the image of the course for me!!

P980 This was a nice capture of some people although it doesn’t seem as aesthetic as the previous image, it does have that human touch. 

I would suggest there is a lot of dead space in the image as the brown wall between the people is quite dominant.  In a publication this might not be such a good use of space.

Interested in this comment of dead space...that hadn't occurred to me re an image for this kind of publication..in advertising ,yes ...

P977 The bright patchwork figure in the central foreground really attracts the eye. This tight crop is quite brave but also simplifies the image and you get a real sense of what is going on without having to have it obviously portrayed. Bright crisp print, the contrast because of the bright sun has meant a little of the detail in the dark areas of the clothing is lost which might mean a publication of this would not do it justice.

I did wonder about the usefulness of having a square image for a publication but was carried away by the concept of cropping in close and being pleased with the result...not a practical approach if shooting for publication!

P976  Good spotting of these two characters. I really like the strange combinations. The print does though appear quite blue? 
I know this was a` quite spontaneous shot but moving a little more left would perhaps have helped to frame the pair and also give more of an indication of the different heights of the people.

My idea here was to contrast the very ordinariness of the road with this curious, unusual sight. Agree that a left move would have given an opportunity to frame the pair better but I wonder if my original idea would still be achieved? 

Your reflection of the work achieved is useful and recognizing that taking images for an intended outcome is a different process as you have to take into consideration the formats and telling the story with single images. There is always a tension when producing work for an identified outcome, in some ways it gives you a direction but it can sometimes feel as though some creativity is lost. I would suggest it is more about the photographer working with some discipline and often if you are lucky enough to get a commission the reason you are chosen is because of your way of working so this is the negotiation that needs to be undertaken to bring about satisfaction for both parties.

I wonder if a development of the work could be to consider titles for the images? You could caption them, depending on the publication style or have more challenging titles.
I did wonder whether I should have captioned the images... 

Also to consider, most publication tend to prefer either vertical or horizontal regular format images as this fits best with the text. When you produce square images it can impede the placement of text.

Pointers for the next assignment

Do read around your approaches to continue to develop your theoretical stance. Consider looking at the history and development of documentary/ editorial practice in photography and where it stands in contemporary photography.

I think this work could be considered for publication rather than left as an exercise, do some further research into suitable publications? 
I've been thinking about this suggestion and I'm having some difficulty thinking what kind of publication would be interested. I can see that a tourist website or publication wanting to attract visitors to the area might use them. Perhaps an article on the state of the local 'high street' thriving or otherwise...captions for this kind of approach would probably need to be more prosaic. That said, I'll have a go at some captioning...

A more practical query is one focusing on subject permission...can you offer images such as these for publication if you don't have the subjects permission or names?The answer here is a no..so I need to sort out a permission form that I can use on assignment..