ASSIGNMENT 2: SINGLE IMAGE NARRATIVES
LEARNING LOG
In preparation I revisited Chapters 4 and 5 in Creative Photography: Context and Narrative (Short 2011) as directed; I will return to this later.
Initial thoughts:
I began thinking abut abstract concepts such as confusion. However, I had not long done an assignment, though in the Landscape module, where I made abstract equivalents from a concrete concept; I really enjoyed this but knew that I didn’t want to emulate it.
Whilst running every day I had taken to listening to podcasts, particularly on the economics and politics of the effects of Covid19. I had a “Eureka moment” when I heard the term “Economic scarring” and began to think about this as a concept that I could present visually. This is a new term, but not a new phenomenon; it is currently being used to describe the economic impact of Covid19. I thought that this could be the abstract concept that I could represent in a concrete way.
I remember Anna Fox (16.5.20) talked about the work of Sophie-Ristelhueber “Everyone” (1994) where she used images of real body scars to denote the scars of war; in fact these scars were not the product of war but those made accessible to her by a surgeon. It was constructed work. I was set in the early stages of this work on using scars as well as images of commercial subjects showing economics scaring. I thought also of using the organic scars on the landscape instead of body scars.
Initial Thoughts Mind map:
Development:
This assignment coincided with the end of “Lockdown” so I knew I would be able to go out and photograph, however I’d not been out for a couple of months except to run in the countryside. Before I went out exploring, I planned: Where would I go? What was I looking for? Would I be safe? Should I have preconceived ideas, or should I just go with the flow?
I went out in my car scouting, as well as on foot to see what the nearby urban and industrial landscape looked like now – I’d not seen it for a couple of months. I visited places that prior to lockdown were busy thriving business and retail areas. I was shocked, it looked like there’d been an apocalypse.
I found empty neglected streets and industrial estates, and lots of signs of hibernation, business interruption as well as plenty of indications of stagnation, decay, and financial problems: Economic scarring.
Development mind map:
Shooting
It had been announced that non -retail would be opening in 10 days, so I realised to capture what I had seen when scouting I would have to shoot a lot in the next week. I took advantage of all cloudy days and shot early and late in the days.
I considered what style I should shoot in.
I researched much different photography and photographers in the past 2 months, and collected a lot of advice, probably too much. I had been keen on the idea of friction and trying construction, but clearly none was needed here.
I set out with the idea that I would adopt a surrealist style of photography:
- Sense of something not quite right, disturbing- with Punctum
- Frame forcefully
- Reflections
- Shadows
- Geometric patterns
- Ambiguous images
- Juxtaposition
- Use of negative space
- Unusual angles
- Frame abruptly
- Break traditional photographic rules of composition
- See things differently and show us things differently
- Disrupt our perceptions
- Reveal the uncanny
Working with a concept and influenced by my research I was also keen to incorporate semantics visually, symbols, signs, and signifiers, which I knew I could use photographic techniques to bring into the frame:
- Aperture
- Shutter speed
- Lighting
- juxtapositions
I initially went out looking for black and white material but quickly realised that this project needed to be shot in colour; often a little colour against depressing neutrals was telling and jarring, and colour against grey subjects spoke to me of fading and deterioration. .
I made many visits and revisits to photograph:
- Top of town away from the shopping centre: Hairdressers, nail bars, tattoo bars, Travel agents, cafes.
- Industrial parks, and out of town gyms
- Restaurants
- Leisure park, Aqua drome, Cinema, Bowl plex
- Funfair, piers, amusements
- Local shops in a different locality
I returned to improve shots, which paid off. Shooting at the Leisure park was a good example of this; I first shot early evening and found lots of potential except there were cars parked with people eating takeaway food – they were in my way. I did like that there was lots of takeaway litter and overflowing bins. I made an effort to return very early the next morning before the rubbish was cleared, and to my delight found the car park not only empty but now cordoned off with hazard tape – this was now perfect for shooting; I was so glad I’d returned.
It was uncomfortable photographing, there was often police or security presence and I was frequently challenged or a least watched. This I think added some emotion to my photographs.
I began with a surrealist style in mind but ultimately went with my own instinct on stylistic devices and used my own developing voice.
Shooting mind map
Editing:
I kept in mind my concept, Economic scaring, and intention to present a sense of something not quite right.
I revisited my notes and thoughts from Short (2011) chapters 4 and 5 particularly those that apply to single image narratives:
- Narrative is drawn from all aspects of an image
- Aim of narrative technique is to anchor meaning and coherence for the audience
- Have a thread to follow
- Presentation is a visual clue
I revisited my notes on semantics: I was particularly aware of signs and symbols, their function, how I’d framed their context.
Viewing the images, I realised early on that I had a subset of images that were of windows, which I put to one side as I’d photographed looking through windows for assignment 1.
I narrowed my images down to:
- show clear closure and decay – not just evening or weekend closure
- Semantics but not Covid19 signage
- Visually arresting
- Geometrical elements
- Avoid a tick list of typologies of commerce
These were my last eliminations:
I shared this work with peers twice:
Documentary hangout (18.6.20):
General consensus was that the images were strong, the “Hollywood bowl”. Of my rejects the Aqua drome picture was thought to be strong, and the barriers lack of people and cars are enough to show that it is stagnating.
We discussed how I might incorporate scarring into my work, should I construct or collect scars? Should I transpose scars onto my work? Should I intersperse my images as scars as punctuation? Overlaying scars on the images? I decided afterwards I would use real body scars, if anything, to emphasis the actual economic scaring I was shooting.
I decided to be very brutal on editing the images and to test out how things look if I incorporate scars into the set. I cut the closed shop and pub images:
And interspersed my 6 images with 2 scar images as punctuation:
Thames valley regional OCA student group (20.6.20):
I asked for comments on the choice of images, including my rejects as well as thoughts about the inclusion of scars.
The “Hollywood bowl” image was again their favourite and they suggested that I include the Aqua drome and the Fairground. This I have done; I also think it enhances the already dominant vertical and horizontal lines in the set.
There were further suggestions on how I could use the scars; I thought I would experiment punctuating the 8 images with smaller images of scars, these possibly in black and white or use the scars in black and white as hash tags for the images – I’ll have to see what I can achieve technically withing the confines of wordpress.
Forming a series:
So, I had my eight images and it just remained to order them, I revisited Short’s (2011) suggestions:
Q: Will the audience see all the images at once? No in sequence on a blog
Q: Do you want them to follow an identifiable sequence? Not necessarily
Q: Will some pictures take more prominence than others? No but some are more powerful
Q: Do you need a lead picture that sums up the intention? No just clarity in the first and last
Q: Do you want to use visual punctuation? Possibly
I have ordered them as I think gives the best visual flow but have deliberately put the most arresting image near the middle of the series.
Editing mind map:
Presentation:
I would prefer to present this work as a book with body scars as punctuation between the images in smaller scale. I thought seriously about saving this work to present for assignment 3 as the brief calls for a book, however the material won’t fit the brief and I want to work on this material now while I am immersed in it.
I may simulate the book, to show case this as an alternative presentation for submission.
Photography 2: Documentary 