Read the article ‘Seeing and Believing’, written by Max Houghton for Foto8. Core resources: Foto8#4.3_SeeingBelieving.pdf
Select two bodies of work from Eight Ways to Change the World that show different conceptual and visual styles and write a short reflective commentary in your learning log. Both bodies of work should be in colour. Discuss aspects like information, aesthetics and expression. Core resources: Panos8ways.pdf(Open College of the Arts, 2014:64)
Ami Vitale
Her work shows us various types of maternity care for tribal women. The work highlights the increasing but still lack of medical birthing help for tribal women; the decreasing but still high percentage of maternal deaths and the reliance on traditional birth attendants. The images are centred around the mothers and new-borns which are represented in a variety of ways from the romantic “Madonna” style to the more hard hitting factual. I am particularly drawn to the image of the new-born baby and mother by paraffin lamp with the umbilical cord still attached also the image of the mother birthing a breech birth. Both these images are full of emotion but are contrasting. In the image of the birthing woman the hands around and on her indicate the care and concern around her; in contrast the image of the mother who has given birth at home emits serenity.
(Houghton, 2005)
(Houghton, 2005)
The work of Dieter Telemans is completely different. His subject matter is the collection of water from wells, either for domestic use or for sale by the 20-litre barrel. He highlights the danger and hard work in this work mostly done by women and children, hauling water from deep wells and carrying it distances to home.
What struck me initially was the varied perspective he uses in this work; it does seem to be used to emphasise the message in each image, in this first one the difficulty in carrying the water and water lost along the way, and the second the precariousness when hauling water out of the deep wells.
(Houghton, 2005)
(Houghton, 2005)
Of these two works Ami Vitale’s offer more of a view of people transitioning from traditional methods to safer medicalised pathways; whilst Teleman’s seems to focus more on their current hardships. Both works do show how work can have a gravitas whilst not being in the traditional black and white documentary style and that in fact colour enhances their message.
I don’t normally post my documentary journal in this thread, however as it has been a while since I finished assignment 2 and am now going to post Part 3 and assignment 3 and I thought it would be good to show the context I have been working in over this time:
28.10.20
I have been finishing the coursework intensely the past couple of weeks, between funeral planning and beginning probate work, and grief.
Today I’ve had an e mail from OCA telling me that my tutor will need to be replaced; this sent me into a spin as I’ve not heard from the course director who I ws advised to write to to explain my circumstances and request some breathing space. I hope to have a dialogue with student support today. My intention is to press on now to meet my end of this course deadline, but with all I’ve been through the past few months and now probate, selling and clearing my mother’s house and facing a final house move from Hampshire to Pembrokeshire in December myself, I think if I don’t have a lifeline of some extra time I may self combust!
I would like to continue from Part 3 and Assignment 3 in a manner in which I can enjoy what I’m doing.
20.10.20
Back at last. Its been a very difficult few months. Subsequent to submitting my assignment moved house to Wales and my Husband has also been in and out of hospital. Just when I thought things were settling down my Mother (in England) was taken ill, so I rushed back and was there for a few weeks; she subsequently died.
I am now back in Pembrokeshire and hope to get going again. I did contact the OCA to see whether I could take time out if needed but have not had a response. I would rather try to get back on track so I’ll try to carry on and catch up. Throughout this period I have been working on assignment 3, joining in with forums and study days and sharing work and ideas. I have attended many virtual events, it is just that its been rather stop/start and that my coursework came to a halt towards the end.
Onwards and upwards!
10.8.20
I submitted my assignment on 6th July and I’ve had my feedback (24th July) which is useful and incisive. In the last month I’ve moved house and studying and photography has had to stop, but I hoping to be able to start again this week.
Single image narratives: Produce eight images that, individually, have a narrative and convey a specific idea. Rather than focusing on a theme or activity, work on a concept. The more abstract the concept the better.Delivery: For this assignment you need to publish a blog page. Thumbnails should link to high resolution images.Aims: This assignment aims to help you develop your ability to conceptualise your thoughts and communicate your ideas visually. The emphasis is on effectively translating concepts into visual products.Provide a short commentary explaining your ethos and rationale along with your images.(Open College of the Arts, 2014: 53)
Nicola South Student number: 514516
ECONOMIC SCARRING
COMMENTARY
This work is about scarring, the damage that is left behind after trauma; not wounds on body tissue but the long-lasting damage caused by the current recession on our economy.
Economic scarring though not a new phenomenon, is a new term. This recession has led to “scarring”, long term damage to individuals’ economic situations and the economy. Covid 19 is the cause of this recession, but this work is not about Covid 19. My images are a response to my current fear for our futures, particularly livelihoods, and the damage that is already apparent.
In this work I have run with a concept that is meaningful to me now. In my own hibernation I have had much time to learn and reflect. I have; been offered, mainly by zoom, considerable photographic advice and stimulus, this has seeped into me. My initial thought was to photograph in a surrealist style, there are some of those elements in my images, but from that beginning I worked in an intuitive way and found my own style.
My intention was to go out and look with heightened awareness. Photographers such as Brassai have inspired me to train my eye so that I can reveal my world. I was struck by Stephen Shore’s comment that there should be no difference between shooting and seeing; this is what I aim to present to my viewers. Integrity is also important in this work, there is no construction here; though I have used my eyes and framing, to show you what I want you to see – a sense of something not quite right.
Every image has its own narrative, but together visually they anchor my concept. Each is accompanied by a flesh wound as a hashtag, to reinforce the human pain caused by the economic scarring. The stitching represents a holding together and hope of recovery. There are other signs and symbols within the work that are meaningful to me, however viewers will make their own meaning from what they see here.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The world has stood still, my world has stood still. I am concerned for our futures, our economic futures. When I emerged from my hibernation, I went looking to see how businesses were faring. Here is the damage I observed, scarring…economic scarring which will wound all of us.
ECONOMIC SCARRING
REFERENCES:
Short, M. (2011) Creative Photography: Context and Narrative. Lausanne: AVA Publishing
Open College of the Arts (2014) Photography 2: Documentary-Fact and Fiction (Course Manual). Barnsley: Open College of the Arts.
I’m glad that my tutor believes the work has provoked a lot of thought about the term “Economic scarring and visual culture. Economic scarring was my starting point, a new term that emerged at the beginning of the pandemic, not a new phenomenon but a new term. He also suggests that I should explain more fully the way I’ve combined small closeup shots of wounds with each image.
The scarring is not only present in the fabric of places affected by a pandemic but is felt by the people affect by and witnessing this. The term makes me wince almost in pain and it is for this reason that I decided to add a small raw wound under each image, as a hashtag to emphasis the hurt that has been caused. I chose stitched wounds to represent a holding together and the hope of recovery. I have placed them there to emphasis to viewers the damage that has been caused by the interruption to the economy and these businesses.
My Tutor also directs me to the work of John Davies, whose images of the eighties industrialised landscapes have an interesting visual approach. He also directs me to look at the work of Hannah Blackmore Vacant whose images of abandoned shop fronts are shot closeup like one of my images and do show both sadness and beauty. Looking at Blackmore’s work helps me to realise that one of my images fits less well in my set, whilst it might fit into her series!
In view of this and other reflections I have taken out the shop front image and the Aquadrome images from my series and replaced them with others; two images that were in my draft, but I eventually excluded. I can see these images are more subtle than the images I am replacing and importantly to me show more obvious signs of abandonment, neglect and potential longterm damage.
My Tutor was correct to point out that I have linked my learning less than I would usually to the development of my assignment work; This was because I started work on the photography early on, as the deadline for business closures was coming to an end and I knew what I wanted to capture. So this is to be avoided in future!
I’ve also changed the background colour on my blog as suggested.
I will particularly take forward his encouragement to use still images to open thoughtfulness in my viewers, to also leave room for their interpretations.
I went out looking and ready to shoot. with great curiosity, it was like looking with new eyes with a heightened awareness. It is possible that having been in hibernation my viewing was naturally enhanced.
Observation was everything to me in this project. I searched to find examples of economic scarring, that were accessible to me, and with time constraints with businesses able to open in 10 days, I made the most of every opportunity, looking carefully and at details.
I wanted to present images that a viewer would feel they’re looking themself rather than viewing a photograph; so once I found a subject I moved around a lot experimenting used framing, perspective, and depth of field to construct an image that showed only what had caught my attention.
Interestingly I have since done hardly any cropping, maybe just a bit of straightening on one or two images. I used the framing as I shot to control what I show the viewer.
I believe that each image has enough elements to communicate its own individual narrative.
Quality of outcome
One thing I picked up between assignment 1 and 2 is that when you’re feeling stuck or constrained it’s important to do work that’s meaningful for you.
Though “Economic scarring” is a concept, I was concerned whether it was abstract enough for the brief. However I felt strongly that this was something that needed recording, I could feel the scarring on this landscape myself when shooting and needed to share it; so I may have taken some licence form the brief but hope to anchor it by the way it’s presented.
I think there is also some discernment in the work because I stayed away from obvious Covid19 signs and clichés, though this introduces ambiguity and may mean that overtime there is some discontinuity,
Intention is important; I feel a huge concern for the future, especially the next generation and this brought an urgency to capture what I was seeing, and yet I had to combine this with patience to get it right.
I hope that these images will give the audience something to reflect on; I believe that they each show a sense of something not quite right, and I feel that this gives most some punctum.
When editing and forming the series I hope that the signs and symbols in the images along with the way I’ve presented them anchors my concept.
Demonstration of creativity
I was firm in my concept from the outset but kept my options on the style of the outcome fluid.
This was useful as I had taken on board so much photographic stimulus whilst in lockdown (mainly via zoom) that it gave it time to seep through me as I photographed.
Though I went out for my first shoot with the idea of using a surrealist style, I went with the flow and followed my instincts and my work developed its own style.
I have committed to my intuition this assignment, where normally I question myself and am not so confident in using my own style.
I had been keen following photographer talks such as Anna Fox to try some “FRICTION” (fact and fiction) but the only construction I needed here was in shaping the audiences view.
This was fortunate as something else I heard from photographers and the coursework across these weeks was the importance of integrity, and I’d managed to keep my photography honest.
I feel I have exercised my creative muscle.
Context
This was a very reflective period in my life, with so much changing all around me and this naturally carried into my work.
I engaged many times with students as usual but with wider networks as well, curtesy of zoom; in fact too much came to me via my laptop portal and in the end I had to call a stop to extra research and learning, so that I could post it and my work and my assignment.
I have digested and reflected on much extra research as well as the directed and my knowledge base has broadened considerably.
Hence the context for the concept here is current and topical but my thought processes behind the work has been broad.
Single image narratives: Produce eight images that, individually, have a narrative and convey a specific idea. Rather than focusing on a theme or activity, work on a concept. The more abstract the concept the better.Delivery: For this assignment you need to publish a blog page. Thumbnails should link to high resolution images.Aims: This assignment aims to help you develop your ability to conceptualise your thoughts and communicate your ideas visually. The emphasis is on effectively translating concepts into visual products.Provide a short commentary explaining your ethos and rationale along with your images.(Open College of the Arts, 2014: 53)
Nicola South Student number: 514516
ECONOMIC SCARRING
COMMENTARY
This work is about scarring, the damage that is left behind after trauma; not wounds on body tissue but the long-lasting damage caused by the current recession on our economy.
Economic scarring though not a new phenomenon, is a new term. This recession has led to “scarring”, long term damage to individuals’ economic situations and the economy. Covid 19 is the cause of this recession, but this work is not about Covid 19. My images are a response to my current preoccupation with our futures, people’s livelihoods, particularly for the next generation.
In this work I have run with a concept that is meaningful to me now. In my own hibernation I have had much time to learn and reflect. I have; been offered, mainly by zoom, considerable photographic advice and stimulus, this has seeped into me. My initial thought was to photograph in a surrealist style, there are some of those elements in my images, but from that beginning I worked in an intuitive way and found my own style.
My intention was to go out and look with heightened awareness. Photographers such as Brassai have inspired me to train my eye so that I can reveal my world. I was struck by Stephen Shore’s comment that there should be no difference between shooting and seeing; this is what I aim to present to my viewers. Integrity is also important in this work, there is no construction here; though I have used my ey,e and framing, to show you what I want you to see – a sense of something not quite right.
Each of these images have their own narrative but together visually they anchor my concept. There are signs and symbols within the work that are meaningful to me, however viewers will make their own meaning from what they see here.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The world has stood still, my world has stood still. I am concerned for our futures, our economic futures. When I emerged from my hibernation, I went looking to see how the commercial sector had fared. This is the damage I observed, scarring…economic scarring.
ECONOMIC SCARRING
REFERENCES:
Short, M. (2011) Creative Photography: Context and Narrative. Lausanne: AVA Publishing
Open College of the Arts (2014) Photography 2: Documentary-Fact and Fiction (Course Manual). Barnsley: Open College of the Arts.
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
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.
This was an amazingly interesting and thought provoking interview. I think it will help to give me some extra purpose going forward and especially working towards and possibly when choosing my level 3 project:
Documentary photography can connect art and social documentary practices.
Tension between the moment/chance and construction can be very effective in documentary images.
It can be effective to mix several visual and practical styles within one body of work (e.g. staged, sly on the wall, fashion or classical painting in style).
Consider many different types of references for your own work, design, painting, fashion, newspaper….
Try using fill flash from the top side when taking portraits on the go (I could do this with a strobe and small soft box – maybe I need to get a stick to attach it to).
Can use lightening to align your work with your references for images.
Documentary photography may be about getting a good depth of field as documentary photography is about revealing detail.
A huge variety of material can be contained with a photographic project: images, texts, essays, letters, eye-witness accounts and so forth.
Think about the local role of any project – if it is about reality should it seek to change or just highlight something? Ask yourself should the photographs to service the community they are shot in?
There are many ways to exhibit work other than in a gallery.
It reminded of something I have discovered myself, that photographic work can be therapeutic to yourself.
Make sure you are really interested and believe in a project that will take a lot of time and energy before you start it.
Don’t worry if I change my mind where I’m going with a project once I immerse myself in it.
Anton Kusters Artist talk 30.4.20
Consider alternative ways of seeing
Give the opportunity for activating memory
Consider ways of exploring the limits of understanding and things that ae difficult to represent
Not to expect answers
Maximize the importance of a physical aspect of work and the possibility this changes
The importance of the presentation and the possibility of change in this to reactivate responses
Photography general student led virtual hangout 3.5.20
On personal voice:
Your voice is the how you’re recognized by others
It speaks to your values and the perspective and skill that you bring to the work
Often forged by following the inspiration on your influences and commit to your intuition
Stages to finding your voice might be:
Discovery phase– seeds are planted, often disappointed with your work, you so ask yourself:
What new ideas or skills are obsessing me right now?
Who are the practitioners that I can learn from here?
Emulation phase: Think about other’s work to immerse yourself in and how to practice the skills I want to improve/learn
Divergence phase – Once you’ve achieved enough mastery then you move on from emulation:
take intuitive steps and bend or break the rules you’ve learned.
Push yourself out of your comfort zone
Crisis phase –
Push yourself out of your comfort zone even if it exposes vulnerabilities
refuse to settle for good enough- hone your skills
We were reminded by Clive that you can have mastery of techniques and/or mastery of voice.
The Photographers gallery Slow Looking Mohamed Bourouissa 16.5.20:
It can be difficult to tell whether a photograph is staged or not
A reminder to look carefully and at details
Examples of ways to act out your concepts including historical emulation
A reminder to be creative about how to show exhibit your work and possibilities to do it in relevant local ways
Interesting following the artist talk with Anna Fox and our discussions on whether it’s appropriate to stage images – in these cases it was integral to the concepts
Can photographs by connecting to your own habits
Your own locality can be a useful starting point and you can do something useful
Note to self to make a personal index of research done on photographers across all courses
Checkout Evernote for storing you tube links?
Be curious – don’t let the course work stifle my curiosity; don’t feel guilty about taking time now to access all the virtual material available even if it slows me down
Thames Valley OCA meeting 16.5.20 – Anna Fox Photographer:
I learnt a lot about the possibilities for “FRICTION” the fusion of fiction and documentary photography. I also picked up many other ideas:
Consider using fiction to support ideas for my photography When using text and images integrate as one body of work.
Consider carefully, sentence breaks, font and emphasis.
Be aware of the variety of types of staging possibilities.
Think about all possibilities of book design, suit the design to the project.
Keep project proposals fluid, so that you can change it as it develops and then evaluate to justify your changes.
Remember that even for experienced photographers it can take a long time to get an effective shot.
Don’t forget to fully articulate your research.
Intention and integrity in your work is important
Ensure your work gives people something to speak about.
Consider photography as a part of an installation in the future
Consider multi-media approaches
Let unexpected events like Covid release new creative journeys
AOP Breakfast Club – 23.6.20 Carol Allen-Storey in Conversation with Gideon Mendel, Simon Roberts, Jillian Edelstein, Liz Hingley- impact of Covid on work:
The benefits of having long term commitments photographic commitments
The benefits of collaboration
I am not so different to these photographers; the Covid situation stopped my creativity and productivity for a while, it has made me reflect on the importance and meaning of photography going forward.
Even professional photographers do not find it easy to engage people collaboratively on the street
AOP Breakfast Club – 23.6.20The impact of Covid on work
The benefits of having long term commitments photographic commitments
The benefits of collaboration
• I am not so different to these photographers; the Covid situation stopped my creativity and productivity for a while, it has made me reflect on the importance and meaning of photography going forward.
RESEARCH
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE PHOTOGRAPHERS
RESEARCH POINT Surrealist photographers -key visual & conceptual characteristics:
Ambiguous images
Juxtapositions
Use of negative space
Use of shadows
Use of geometric patterns
Shot from unusual angles
Framed abruptly
Accidental compositions, use of chance.
Break traditional photographic rules of composition
See things differently and show us things differently
Disrupt our perceptions
Reveal the uncanny
Some dream like imagery
Fusion between the real and the imaginary
Capture surreal moments
Independent research into contemporary street photography:
Try to be aware of an emotional sense of the people
Consider using available street lighting, neon signage and smog to create atmosphere around subjects.
Don’t force things,
Follow your own instincts and leave thinking behind.
Crop lightly
Use ambiguity and surprise the viewer
Research to put you in the right frame of mind
COURSE EXERCISES:
PROJECT LEGACY FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
Exercise 2.2 Survival programmes
Although times were different then they still must have worked hard to build relationships and trust with the communities that they photographed to get so close to them
Reminds me again of the responsibility of the photographer to shoot with Integrity, the images are intimate but respectful.
The benefits of working as a team and having a shared ethos
The impact that sharing the truth can have when laid bare
Exercise 2.3 Bill Brandt
Remember the ability of a photograph to be presented for different purposes
Research Surrealist photographers further
Exercise 2.4 Mirror of visual culture
I should consider carefully visual literacy and how much the viewer has.
It was really useful to have these suggested stages/categories of documentary set out, it helps to clarify things for me.
I may use this as a starting point to develop some ideas for assignment 2, in particular to research further, documentary as art and manipulation and documentary for questioning images.
Exercise 2.5 Bleasdale
Consider taking inspiration from writers and fiction
Be aware of the power there can be in a single image when it comes from a part of a longer project
I come back again that respect for those you work with and them for you is paramount for the success of an image
PROJECT NARRATIVE
Exercise 2.6 Martin Shields
A reminder of the power of text to anchor an image or also the power of an image to be used perhaps out of context and have its meaning misappropriated.
Research point Semiotics – Short in summary suggests considering when presenting images:
Will the audience see all the images at once?
Do you want them to follow an identifiable sequence?
Will some pictures take more prominence than others?
Do you need a lead picture that sums up the intention?
Do you want to use visual punctuation? (size or shape)
“Ultimately the aim of narrative technique is to provide or anchor meaning and coherence for the image and its audience” (Short, 2011:109).
Short suggests these points should be considered with signs and symbols:
What is their function?
Are you introducing a new twist on an existing sign or symbol?
How do you introduce the meaning of the symbol?
Is it a reoccurring motif or symbolShould the audience have prior knowledge of the meaning of the sign or symbol? How are you framing their context?
Using any dynamics such as juxtaposition?
The pace and flow of narrative can be orchestrated by signs and symbols either significant in an image or a looser link in the overall visual language between images
Exercise 2.7/8 Robert Frank:
Really just a reminder about the possible use of symbols and how they can function within images.
Exercise 2.9 Mexican photographers:
Salgado represents his community picturesquely, though also showed alienation & estrangement.
Salgado is and Lopez focused on death in common with other Mexican photographers.
Salgado shows the landscape as distressed.
Alvarez Bravo treats the landscape with humour.
Salgado put universal and eternal symbols above specifics in an image
Pedro Meyer captures juxtapositions relying on the decisive moment more than immersion
Salgado says reality is full of depth of field
Salgado went beyond the stereotypes to show the struggles of communities
Salgado used minimal explanations and context to allow viewers to form their own opinions
Exercise 2.10 Daniel Meadows:
Use curiosity about the world as a driver
Engage with others and mediate other’s stories
People will talk about their lives
The effectiveness of “actuality recording”
Listen carefully as silence is as telling as the spoken word
Exercise 2.12 Avedon and Oestervang – Documentary practice is a question of:
Context
Control
Manipulation
stereotyping
Bias
Social responsibility
I guess the important thing is to be aware of these issues and to take the approach that you think is socially and morally appropriate.
“Worktown” research Learning:
The intention, ethics and methods of photographing affect the validity and reception to a project.
Exercise 2.14 Curtis provides a useful framework for assessing a documentary photograph:
Who is the audience? As images can be moulded to fit the expectations and prejudices of the audience.
Why was the photograph taken- Motives?
How was the photograph taken – Equipment, Lighting, other restrictions?
What can companion images tell us – more background information and additional clues?
How was the photograph presented – Captions and text can direct the viewer?
FSA & exploitation:
Curtis suggests that documentary photographers posed as “fact gatherers” but were consciously persuading others.
The FSA photographers manipulated images to achieve their ends.
Did raise awareness of the impact of the Great Depression and raised investments for improvement projects.
The question of exploitation depends on the way in which it was done; Generally photographed their subjects with dignity, I doubt they felt exploited.
Acknowledge the photographers didn’t have editorial control over their images.
More questions should be directed towards Stryker where integrity is being questioned
Research point surrealist photographers – key visual and conceptual characteristics:
Ambiguous images
Juxtaposition
Use of negative space
Use of shadows
Use of geometric patterns
Shot from unusual angles
Framed abruptly
Accidental compositions, use of chance.
Break traditional photographic rules of composition
See things differently and show us things differently
Disrupt our perceptions
Reveal the uncanny
Some dream like imagery
Fusion between the real and the imaginary
Research point -Vivian Maier:
Much of Maier’s street photography shows clear surrealist elements, such as ambiguity, use of shadows, reflection, geometric patterns, unusual angles, juxtapositions, abrupt framing; some of the images are dreamlike and they certainly disrupt our perception.
The importance of her decisiveness and confidence.
Research point – Street photography:
Try to be aware of an emotional sense of the people
Consider using available street lighting, neon signage and smog to create atmosphere around subjects.
Don’t force things,
Follow your own instincts and leave thinking behind.
Crop lightly
Use ambiguity and surprise the viewer
Research to put you in the right frame of mind
Exercise 2.16 – Moriyama, Petersen and Sobol
The style of photography and some of the subject matter of the three photographers has similarities:
AOP Breakfast Club – In Conversation with Carol Allen-Storey 23.6.20via Zoom
with Gideon Mendel, Simon Roberts, Jillian Edelstein, Liz Hingley
Q: HOW HAS COVID IMPACTED ON THEIR WORK?
Gideon Mendel
is recognized as one of the world’s leading contemporary photographers, he has an intimate style of image-making and long-term commitment to socially engaged projects. He has for instance made collaborative film with HIV patients’ film by themselves
He calls himself an interloper, between documentary, street photography and portrait photographer; he likes the different controls in each. He talked about his Ridley road project, where he saw yellow lines being painted on the road and then shot people with the lines and signage and masks; he still returns and has shot 260 portraits so far. Returning makes you notice things like the different weather. He takes the subject’s e mail and then sends the photographs and their stories they have told him:
a photographer, anthropologist and curator works on cross-disciplinary projects that explore systems of belief and belonging in cities. She collaborates with academics on long term basis, and was working on a project exploring privacy in a public space with cell phones and digital culture – this has stopped, as has her work with families that have been rehoused for the new high speed train route:
Instead she has been out locally, noticing how people were engaging with her local Hampstead heath in different ways during Covid. She is now interested in small rituals, their physicality and impact: like hand washing. She proposed and been accepted by local hospitals to give photography workshops to staff to engage with how it’s been for them during Covid; they’ll take the photos and curate them, afterwards they’ll be hung in the hospital.
She talked about a new body of work on portraits of workers on ventilator production line and composite of their gestures when working on a part on the production line:
Projects – Liz Hingley (2020)
Her web site shows many interesting projects which I shall explore when I have more time:
is a British photographer known for creating wide-ranging surveys of our time, which examine contemporary economic, cultural, and political landscapes.
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Shoreham Air Show, West Sussex, 15 September 2007
He has previously done a lot of work about gatherings, working about how people interact with the space, but this has had to stop now, and has found it hard as cannot carry on with previous projects. He’s spent more time with his family and thinking about the new reality; how he will he make work in the future and how will we carry on as visual artists?
During the Covid crisis he took 56 seascapes through the 56 days of lockdown and sold them to raise money for the NHS.
works in both portrait and documentary photography. She is currently working on finishing her feature documentary about the Bipolar afflicted, Academy Award nominated American screenwriter, Norman Wexler.
Before Covid she was working on a “The Lonka Project” related to holocaust survivors, who became a vulnerable group because of their age, so had to pause it.
(HOME | jillian-edelstein, 2020)
This portrait of John Hadju MBE, a survivor of the ghetto and the Holocaust in Hungary; he is with his teddy bear, ‘Teddy’, who came out of Hungary journeying with him as a refugee to the UK. This image will be included in an international collaboration of thirty professional photographers of all faiths who, since 2019, have each volunteered to donate one photograph of a survivor of the Holocaust to share their stories.
During Covid she tried photographing in Kilburn high Road, a multi-cultural community at the beginning of lockdown, but found most refused to have their photograph taken and stopped.
She has continued her ongoing series Affinities as ”Behind The Colorama” looking at past collaborations again now during a time of social distancing and self-isolation; to think about the richness and value of our relationships, friendships and creative associations. The videos include film clips made during the most recent shoots for the project.
(HOME | jillian-edelstein, 2020)
Asked what kind of legacy as storytellers’ photographers are going to be leaving behind, Edelstein said:
Collaborative bodies of work
Curating on Instagram accounts
Feeling the experience through other people’s photographs
My learning:
The benefits of having long term commitments photographic commitments
The benefits of collaboration
I am not so different to these photographers; the Covid situation stopped my creativity and productivity for a while, and it has made me reflect on the importance and meaning of photography going forward.
Even professional photographers do not find it easy to engage people collaboratively on the street
This was a virtual meeting. There were 6 of us at this meeting and 5 of us shared our work and personal projects.
Digital image and culture: one member is working on Identity and layers of digital information; what people can see, what someone lets others know, and what is available about them that they are not aware of. We discussed various ways of representing the information that there is on us.
A personal project that may be used later for digital image and culture. This is analogue work as she is interested in negatives as she feels they are neglected. She has been experimenting with crafting the sprocket holes of negatives. I commented that I prefer her curled images of negatives to her folded negatives; we discussed the impact on our senses and the aesthetics of negatives that are whole, curled, flat, folded or cut. This led to a discussion on box brownies and available film which made me think about using the old cameras that I have at some stage and using analogue film.
Another is just starting assignment 2 documentary. Her concept is isolation/solitude. Whilst looking at her images I was most interested in the visual interpretations people were making of her images and the discussion that ensued about what this might say about her feelings about her concept.
One shared a book cover he had created, and we talked about text and layout.
I shared my developing work for assignment 2 Documentary which I have moved on quite a bit since my documentary hangout 2 days ago: I cut the 8 images to 6 and placed 2 scars as punctuation between the images:
I asked for comments on the choice of images, including my rejects as well as thoughts about the inclusion of scars.
Again the images were said to be strong, especially the “Hollywood bowl”, it was suggested that I include the Aquadrome and the fairground image if I moved back to 8 images – This met with my thoughts and conformed that I was right to drop the “closed”café and pub garden. There was an observation that the vertical and horizontal lines are especially dominant, and I think I should look to enhance this.
Following the discussions, I am going to continue with 8 images but experiment punctuating them with smaller images of scars either body scars or physical ones on the landscape) possibly these in black and white. Whatever I produce I will explain on my blog that I would present this as a book and possibly simulate it or present it as a slideshow to show case this. I also need to do some written research on economic scarring.
Photography 2: Documentary 