Week 4 - Progress?

Week ending 22nd October 2010

Tuesday
Contextual Studies with Mike De Vere

This week we discussed CV's as part of our Unit 8 project. I already have a CV which I am pleased with so at least that's one part of the project done. I need to organise a folder to keep all my research and writing for this project. Also, I still haven't chosen a photographer to use for my presentation (which is on 2nd November!). Reading Week will have to be Catch Up Week for me!

Wednesday
Large Format with Lee Garland

This week Lee brought in a darkroom tent for us to practice developing our own large format images. I have never developed film myself before and found this session to be very valuable.

Each of us loaded film in the darkroom and took portraits of the others in the class. Repeating the process of using the large format camera has definitely got me used to using this equipment and will be great experience for when we go out shooting for our mini project.

Lee took us through the process of developing the negatives with chemicals. Again, this is something I have never done before and it was a great learning experience.


Thursday
P&DI with Max Bamber and Dan Morgan

In Max's session this week we went outside shooting portraits using natural light, reflected light, flash and studio lighting. I feel that I needed this refresher session to increase my confidence in using photographic equipment. Although I didn't get to shoot myself this week I feel I have learnt a lot about camera, flash and lighting settings and who to create different effect with flash.

I want to use flash with my Unit 7 project on the 'Lost Generation' and these practical sessions will be of great benefit to me. I made notes as each shot was composed to help me understand the technical aspects of shooting portraits outside. I need to understand each piece of equipment and how they relate to each other in order to build my confidence and my ability to create quality images.

Reading Week will be doing further research and idea development, as well as updating my sketchbook and practicing with my camera and flash.

In Dan's session we looked at how magazines/newspapers etc are constructed with text and images. I actually found this quite interested and will use my new found knowledge and incorporate it into my website design.

My website interface is developing steadily after researching other photographers websites to gather ideas. I would my interface to to simple and straight forward with only a few selected images. I have also been experimenting with different typefaces to see which would work best with my layout.



In other news...

Len Grant contacted me and came into college this week to drop off the Didsbury 100 posters that have been printed. I am very pleased with the outcome of the project and proud to have been a part of it.

Len has also commissioned me to assist him on a new project he is shooting in November. From what he's told me it will be similar to the Didsbury 100, i.e. portraits with coloured backgrounds, but it will be around 200 students from an East Manchester college. I think it will be a part of the extensive work Len is doing on the regeneration of East Manchester. I will be assisting and shooting over 3 days in November and I can't wait! I'm so happy that Len has chosen me to work with him again. It will be such valuable experience for me to go out working with a professional photographer again and hopefully it will give me more confidence to assist with future projects.

Week 3 - Engage Brain

Week ending 15th October 2010

Tuesday
Contextual Studies with Mike De Vere

The week again started with Mike's class and this week we discussed modern design. Mike is doing a few more lectures on this subject as we didn't cover it in the first year. I've always enjoyed Mike's lectures and find them to be a valuable insight into modern art. Again, we discussed post-modernism and my grasp of this subject is becoming more clear. Postmodernism is something I will need to touch on for my upcoming assignment so it's always good to have a refresher.

I have not yet decided which photographer I will focus on for my presentation in a few weeks time. All I know is they have to be alive and practicing within my chosen field. I will have to do some research to narrow down my choice.

Also, I gained a little more clarity on what I need to research and write about for my 750 essay... which is relief!

Wednesday
Photographic Theory with Sian Gouldstone

Lee was unable to attend class this week due to other commitments so we had a full day with Sian.

In this week's session the class analysed images of particular photographers, including Jeff Wall, Sarah Pickering, Tom Hunter, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Ann Hardy and Richard Kalver. Many of these photographers use constructed or staged imagery and we discussed ways of understanding their work. These included,

- playing a role on a real stage
- intentionally questioning fact and fiction
- cultural analysis
- use our imaginary power to complete the story
- post-modernist reaction

I found Sarah Pickering's work quite intriguing. Some of my favourite images are below,

All these images were taken at a police training centre. There is something very familiar with about each image but the scene is not real, it is a constructed reality. Our cultural understanding help us to complete the picture. These images question our association with the familiar.

We also looked at John Szarkowski - The Photographer's Eye. He says there are 5 parts of why photographs looked the way they do

- the thing itself
- the detail
- the frame
- time
- vantage point

REPRESENTATION OF THE WORLD = UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD.

Sian gave each of us who bothered to stay behind for the afternoon session a photographer to research and do a 5 minute presentation on. My photographer was Sarah Jones.

I found this exercise quite beneficial and I was surprised how much information you can discover when you really concentrate on one subject. Reading has always been a bit of a sore point for me since I was young but this is something I will have to get to grips with and do more of.

I decided to do my presentation on Sarah Jones's 'Dining Room' series which sees 3 teenage girls photographed in their home environment. The 3 girls are known to Sarah Jones and she photographs them in several parts of the house and garden.

Each image is carefully staged, furniture has been rearranged and the girls directed to pose in a certain way. Studio lighting has also been used to enhance the staged atmosphere. Each image is constructed and artificial
but at the same time, the 3 girls are known to Sarah Jones and each other. These relationships must affect the nature of the photograph. Jones explore the relationships between a staged pose or gesture, a gaze or an individuals character.

The girls are from affluent backgrounds with the dining room displaying wealth and status but the girls do not appear comfortable in their own environment. They appear bored, mentally absent and awkward. The images appear honest and open but something seems to be out of place.


Thursday
P&DI with Max Bamber and Dan Morgan

In Max's session this week we discussed to progress of our Unit 10 projects.

I have decided to focus on the 'Lost Generation'. This subject matter was initially suggested by Alex a few weeks earlier and it is a subject I am drawn to more than any other I have looked at. I think this is because it is an issue that will affect me and is affecting many of the people who I know who have degrees.

My idea is to explore the how people with such talent, intelligence and ambition have had their lives suddenly grind to a holt after university because they are unable to fulfil their dreams. The idea of being at a standstill, frozen and unable to move forward with life has cripple a whole generation of young people. My initial idea is to take portraits of these individuals but in what context I am unclear at the moment. Max suggested that I look at the work of Brian Griffin and his recent project for the Olympic Games 2012.

Week 2 - The Weight

Week ending Friday 8th October 2010

Tuesday
Contextual Studies with Mike De Vere

Mike's session this week concentrated on the new brief. We were provided with a new handout with covers in detail the new unit and timetable. I am confident I can complete this brief to a high standard and will begin work on this at the weekend.

The first thing to tackle will be my presentation to the class. We must present the work of a photographer who we are particularly interested in or inspired by. Doing a presentation such as this is nothing new to me as we covered this in the first year. I still feel this will beneficial in building my confidence and talking in front of a group of people. I will use Powerpoint to present my findings.

Another section I will look at is the Introductory Writing. This will involve writing around 750 words on the history of my chosen field, i.e. Photojournalism. I think it will be a good for me to get a head start and begin writing a draft this week. Also, there is a section on building a CV. This is something I already have established from my previous work experience and an easier section to complete.


Wednesday
Large format photography with Lee Garland

Lee took us out around the ground of the college to take our first photographers using a large format camera. Each student was given the opportunity to compose their own image using the camera. I found this session very useful in building my knowledge and confidence in using large format. Lee talked us through each stage to ensure we didn't make any rookie mistakes (we only had one exposure each!).

I am very much enjoying exploring large format. It's a media that I have never used before and I'm discovering that it is making me consider what images I've taking. It takes a lot longer to set up large format rather than the throw away medium of digital photography.

Lee then set us a brief which we will complete in small groups to take photographs of our own subject matter.

Photographic Theory with Sian Gouldstone

In this week's session with Sian we discussed semiotics and semiology. This is a subject which I am familiar with from Contextual Studies last year. We discussed as a group several photographer's work and applied semiotics to attempt to deconstruct the images and help us understanding the meaning behind the photographs.



Thursday
P&DI with Max Bamber and Dan Morgan

In this weeks session with Max we presented our mini briefs which were set last week. For my project my subject was crime with the word 'home' as a PO. Using this lateral thinking technique I came up with the idea of 'what is considered to be a crime at home?'. We all experience irritations and annoyances in our home lives. For example, when someone else eats the last biscuit/piece of cheese/packet of crisps etc. I researched in scenes of crime to gain inspiration for my own image and came across the idea of doing a police lineup with 5 different 'crimes' These were, leaving the plug switched on, a missing battery in the TV controller, an empty biscuit packet, empty toilet roll and leaving the top off the toothpaste.

It took me several hours to build a small set in the corner of my living room in order to get the shot that I wanted. I chose to light the set using flash directed from behind to create the effect of very bright police lineup lighting.

This is the image I produced from the shoot

I explained to the class the idea behind the image and how the little, petty things can sometimes lead to a bigger crime, i.e. ending up in a police lineup.

The feedback was generally positive and the class found the image quite amusing as they can relate to these situations in their own lives. I think my idea of linking these little 'crimes' with something more serious did not resinate through the image. The image would have worked better simply as an amusing take on household irritations. Max didn't like the lighting I had used in the image but I explained that I wanted to create the very bright lighting used in real police lineups.

This experience of using PO and lateral thinking techniques has helped me to explore ideas that I would never had come up with before. I think if I am ever struggling with coming up with ideas I will use this technique to explore different possibilities.

In Dan's class in the afternoon we talked about the importance of having our own website and ways of getting a higher Google ranking. I have started to produce strips of photographs as content for my new website and will be working on more strips next week. I already have my domain name but I will need to purchase webspace soon to get my work online. 

Week 1 - Reality

The first full week back. Year 2 FdD Photography & Digital Imaging.

Week ending Friday 1st Ocober 2010
Tuesday
Contextual Studies with Mike De Vere

Mike began this session explaining what we will be studying this year for Contextual Studies. The first unit is titled 'Diagnostic Writing' which is based on ourselves and our chosen career path. I feel this brief will help me narrow down which style or genre of photography I want to concentrate on this year and help me explore the possibilities of employment when I leave college.

Mike and I had a brief one to one session to discuss my attendance and grades from the first year. I'm happy to report my grades were 74% and 77% respectively, with 95% attendance overall. Mike was pleased with my marks and attendance but we both agreed there is always room for improvement. We also discussed which aspect of photography I was particularly interested in - I said photojournalism. I made this choice because I am very interested in current affairs and news and after completing the documentary photography unit last year I feel this is what I am drawn to most.

This new unit will involves researching the current industry, building a CV and understanding my own strengths and weaknesses as a photographer. I feel this unit will be beneficial in helping me focus on life after my degree.


Wednesday
Large format photography with Lee Garland

We had briefly worked with Lee in the first year with an introduction to studio lighting. I'm very much looking forward to working with Lee again this year as he's very approachable, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

For my Wednesday morning sessions I will be studying large format photography. Large format is something I have never had the opportunity to work with before and it's always very exciting to learn something new.

Lee talked through how to set up the camera, use the various components and how to load film. The process itself takes a lot longer than simply pressing a button on a digital camera! I think this will definitely make me consider and really think about the images that I will be producing in large format.

Photographic Theory with Sian Gouldstone

Sian is new to the college and this was our first opportunity to meet her. She led the first session by introducing us to a brief history of photography. It's something I have touched upon before but it's always good to have a refresher on these things. We looked mostly at the work of Eadweard Muybridge and his studies on movement and watched a few clips from the BBC Genius of Photography series.

I enjoy Sian's relaxed appraoch to teaching. I feel this will help the class open up more when it comes to discussion and critique of photographs.

Sian also showed us some of her own work on her website. What I most enjoyed about her work was that she finds beauty in the things most people simply ignore.



Thursday
P&DI with Max Bamber

The session began with discussing 'ways of working' in class. Max was right to recap on setting some ground rules to help maintain a happy and productive environment at college. It's all very straight forward and common sense stuff but some people still require a gentle reminder haha.
We received our Unit 7 brief last week to read over and start to think about what is required. This week we all brought in a social issue to discuss with the class to help generated ideas for the brief. The theme of the project 'a call to action' is something I'm struggling to grasp and fully understand.

Using the social issues we had discussed, Max introduced us to a lateral thinking exercise and using PO's (Provocative Operation) to help us 'think outside the box'. In groups we discussed ideas generated using this technique to produce a photograph based on one of these ideas. Max also set us some work narrow down 3 subjects of interest and to produce a proposal on one of these subjects.


Friday
The technical gubbins with Dave Gee

Again, Dave Gee, is another new tutor we have for this year. Dan has told us he will be teaching us Lightroom, Aperture and other computer software packages to help us with certain aspects of post-production.

I feel these session will be beneifical to me because I have never been particularly good at the technical side of things. I'm hoping working with Dave will increase my confidence and improve my editing skills.