Assignment 3 -Tutor feedback

Here are my tutor's comments on Assignment 3 - my comments in response are in italics.

Overall Comments

An energetic submission and you have practiced and considered how to capture the images taken. You are thoughtful and questioning in your journal entries, and you are honest in your initial reflection.

The prints presented are very clean and crisp and your use of the paper to frame the image is bold and confident. The printed interpretation of the mixed lighting has been well controlled.

You have provided much evidence of your exploration and reflection, could I also suggest you have clear sections as the tags are so numerous that it is slightly difficult to navigate your journey with coherence.

Feedback on assignment

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

Exercises: The explorations into the differing lighting situations and challenges from each different environment demonstrates the variety of choices you made and type of camera used to capture the differing places and the issues that arose because of these choices.

                  The different angles show different positions well, I would like to see you with more engagement with your angle of view too. This changes the viewer experience too, it is like I was there! Always capturing a space at five foot five (or there abouts) can be a very traditional approach, it is good to mix it up and thus challenge the viewer and also for the case of buildings, challenge how you see and observe it being used.

Assignment three

                 The themes of space and use has great potential. Consider that in some ways the place is not the important element, it is the function of the environment. You are also playing with the ideas surrounding memory; places and experience help us with this but of course the photograph is also a powerful tool in providing a memory and also evidence.

                  You explored a number of differing spaces and you have reflected on your own approach to these environments. Consider that these spaces not only challenged you technically but also your emotional response has been evident.

Mary Rose Museum; The image of the outside of the museum is not very exciting, it does look like you were not impressed with it! It is a capture of the building and it may have been good to change your angle of view so really demonstrate that dramatic design you recognize. The interior images are composed and balanced, P911, is very graphic and it is interesting to work out which way up it goes. The photographs work suitably as prints and at the size presented, the high iso is not too noticeable. 

Interestingly, I did try out a few different angles :

P970:F8 @ 1/100  18mm ISO 100

P968:F3.5 @ 1/400  18mm  ISO 100

P969: F5.6 @ 1/125  48mm  ISO 100

                  I think perhaps P968 gives a better idea of the ship design, P970 less so but places the building more clearly in  its environment ; though I like P969 better as it looks just like the stern of an ocean going liner, particularly with the champagne bottle and glasses- a striking image. That said,  I'm not sure that these last three images captures the impression of the overall design and footprint which i was trying to convey by way of setting the scene for the interior images.

The interior images are composed and balanced, P911, is very graphic and it is interesting to work out which way up it goes. The photographs work suitably as prints and at the size presented, the high iso is not too noticeable.

P910

               P910 This image has good use of light and shadow to provide a good rhythm. I do wonder if you were photographing the space or the objects? Or do the objects make the building? 
I was photographing the space and how the gallery space on the left as we look into the image was being used to give the impression of the interior of a ship- though I can see that it looks more like the objects were the real subject. You can argue here that the objects made the building in that the design was very specifially chosen to portray the objects in a way that almost breathes life into them ; giving a sense of life and reality.  

The image P912 (corridor) could have been made more dramatic with a lower angle of view to reveal the wood detail rather than the lit wall.

P912

P912a cropped

I tried a cropped version of P912 ....it's not taken from a lower angle but probably works better as I think that bringing the angle down lower would raise the view to above the actual wooden timbers on display showing more of the inside of the chamber. An alternative angle can be seen in P971  but here you can see why  lowering the angle would likely have the same effect in reducing the view of the preserved timbers.I guess in terms of showing how the space is being used behind the window, P971 does work better?

P971: F3.5  @ 0.6sec  18mm ISO 1600

The P913 (glass cases), although you comment that you feel this space was less successful in design as it was less in keeping with the nautical shapes else where, this image is interestingly seen with the layers of information and it does make you look around the image at the different points of information and the engrossed viewer informs this further.

East Beach Café; You have captured this image in a real architectural style, including the environment, the building as well as the people indicating the function. The mix of colours and textures also works well, the print is bright and colourful and the angle of view is challenging. P905, this image has some good intent. The people against the dark building work well but I wonder if a slightly different angle of view and providing more of the structure would be more informative of the space? This print is a little light but only by a shade as the road is quite bright. The interior shot, P907 is well exposed with good straight lines, this demonstration of the purpose and function of the building works well. A very clean and sharp print. Could the image also have been more square on, showing the picture windows clearly framing the amazing views? Agree that a more straight on view framed by the windows would have been worth exploring though I'm not sure the view would look any more amazing  ; more a question of being better framed.The difficulty that I had was the fact that the staff were quite anxious that I didn't take any images of their customers or disturb their enjoyment of the cafe..this made me feel quite in inhibited i.e more or less keeping to my table area which was not best placed to get a straight on view and using my mobile phone camera. I should perhaps have anticipated this kind of problem more before getting my coffee and sitting down!  

The other image is a document of the space, I wonder if an image to expose the adaptation of the space because of its shape would have been interesting, for example the bar in the ‘cave’ is fun.Yes, I think with hindsight that a closer shot of the bar area would have been more interesting..

Tate;        The image using the light and shadows is very graphic although the print is a little dark so some of the other linear detail is lost. The people within this great space also really add to our perception. The other images also look at the industrial footprint of the space. The shop image, framed with a square format while the glass is on an angle works well.

Spinnaker Tower; The prints are every green in this series. The tinted glass is the issue, changing the white balance may have helped. Overall these images are less carefully composed than some of the other groups. The image P902 does celebrate the space and function. 

P902

                     I didn't realise the impact of the tinted glass until I looked at the images on my desktop. So then I tried to adjust the white balance afterwards using Lightroom but with very little success as can be seen by the final images.

Boathouse 6; The mess of colours and then the image being cut in half by the beam suggests the changing use of the space. It may have been good to crop out the left of the image as this unbalances it visually. Agree - see cropped version below:

 

P929

 

P929 cropped

 A clean and bright print. P930 is very warm and some of the light areas in the background are a little burnt out. The huge metal work towering over the tables and chairs is interesting. Your reflection on how you would use/ see the space is a valid consideration, this is often how we respond as there are emotional and functional responses as well.

Aspex Gallery; This was an interesting space, an art space is not so much about the space but the content. The mix of textures/ modern and historic materials is really on show here. It does seem quite chaotic even before you put anything in it! The prints are clean although P931 the focus does not seem to be where you look at.

The prints are generally of a good quality and using the paper to frame the image works to present them.

Learning Logs or Blogs/Critical essays

Context

You are using your learning log well. Continue to reflect upon your journey. When doing either an exercise or assignment continue to take some time to look at other artists work, to inspire you further and evidence this.

Suggested reading/viewing

Context

Look at the work by Andreas Gursky for your next assignment, this work gives another scale and measured observation, which is fascinating to see.

Duane Michals, Arnold Newman, Matta Clarke, Hannah Starkey also have challenging images on people and place.

Read theory text by Liz Wells to explore some of the ideas you presented, ie memory/ space/ function/ buildings.

Pointers for the next assignment

You have included some relevant and useful observations and historical research about the places you visited and questioned some of the functionality of these. This is good practice. Continue to look at how other photographers and artists have looked at spaces and their messages of the use.