Realising an assignment Tutor led by Andrea Norrington 19.8.20
On getting started: Be prepared not to have a firm idea, to explore & to play and for it not to turn out how you intended.
Consider colour versa B & W:
- look at photographers who shot or transitioned from both ie: Fay Godwin, Parr or Moriyama – how does the work vary in the different media?
- Paul Graham: beyond caring quote- Good quote “colour reduces to idea less readily than does black and white”
- B&W concentrates on other formal elements – line, time, shape, form, texture
- I agree don’t use B/W to make a colour image better!
- Understand how tonality works in b/w warm or cold, shadows and highlights
Consider mixing colour and black and white images:
- Be very clear about why you may do this.
- It often doesn’t work in a small series of work for an assignment.
- Research other artists that have done this.
- Why? What is the creative reasoning behind it
- How? are different aspects of project colour vs black and white
Presentation Options:
- Series of images, Book, Zine, Slideshow. Presentation with audio commentary
- Physical objects, Exhibition, Anything else …
- Printing – a series of tutorial videos by Russell Squires were recommended: which I will visit
Books: This will be useful to me for assignment 3
The Making of Books blog posts: https://www.oca.ac.uk/weareoca/creative-writing/the-making-of-bookspart-1/ and https://www.oca.ac.uk/weareoca/creative-writing/the-making-of-bookspart-2/
We were also treated to “Making Books” – Maurice Sendak, one of my all time favourite books (Age of the Image – Series 1: 3. Seductive Dreams, 2020)
Zines: Cheap, Quick to produce
- Welcome Trust Zine Club once a month –access via Instagram – they are saved on IGTV: https://www.instagram.com/wellcomecollection/?hl=en
- Austin Kleon – I follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinkleon/?hl=en
- Lewis Bush – How to Make a Zine guide – £5.00: https://shop.lewisbush.com/product/zine-bindingguide-
In summary – research, plan, sketch out/make miniature versions, play with sequencing, and proof read again and again.
Physical objects:
- Helen Chadwick – physical shapes with images on
- Martin Parr – range of objects – plates, watches, auto portraits.
- Anna Goodchild – https://annasyp.wordpress.com/publicity/
- Michael Colvin – https://www.oca.ac.uk/weareoca/photography/student-stories-michael-colvin-photography/
- Mock-ups of exhibition spaces, Ceramics, Fabrics, T-Shirts …. and other BUT must suit the message of the piece. Should not dilute the work.
Slideshow/Presentations:
- Research other’s, and share examples in chat or on Forum thread.
- How do they use titles, text, music/spoken word?
- What works? What doesn’t? How long?
- Be prepared to put in the time to edit BUT a worthwhile skill to learn.
Exhibition considerations:
- Physical or online?
- Think how to record digitally.
- Research with galleries large and small showing work online; what works, what doesn’t? Make notes and bookmark/take screen shots/recordings of good examples.
Pace the work:
- Get input into your work before you deem it ‘complete’.
- Leave time to work on an assignment – it needs to breathe between shoots/edits.
- Reflect on your work regularly and then action plan where next – use your learning log to record this.
My learning:
This was a really useful session, especially on book making which I need to do for assignment 3. I will also revisit the considerations on exhibitions when I need it.
References:
Age of the Image – Series 1: 3. Seductive Dreams (2020) In: BBC At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000gg2h/age-of-the-image-series-1-3-seductive-dreams (Accessed 20/8/20).
Norrington, A. (2020) Photography Zoom Talks 2019/2020. At: https://oca.padlet.org/andreanorrington/laq2kvhc5mpg (Accessed 20/8/20).
Photography 2: Documentary 