#Picbod Digital Artefact

Not only did we have to make a physical artefact ready for exhibition, but also an appropriate digital version. The digital version should not be just a scan of the artefact as the magic would be lost. As I made a photobook and spent quite a lot of time designing and making it, I decided to document the production of it- this is something the physical artefact does not explain on its own. Therefore, it is a different experience for an online viewer.

I asked Alex Mason and Joseph Kesisoglou to informally interview me on camera so that they could ask questions that they would like to know as viewers. Some of my answers were satisfactory, but I felt that some needed rerecording. After starting with this interview style, I moved onto more of a monologue about the design aspect of the book. Although I talk to people about my work on an informal level, speaking more academically about my work is a little more challenging, as I’m a novice as it (to say the least) therefore, I appreciate that maybe in a years time or so I could improve the voice recordings as my public speaking (as well) is more improved. I feel that my voice is a little flat, but with practice this would be better.

That aside, I feel that my digital artefact allows the viewer to hear more about the work than a viewer at the exhibition; yet, they would not get the satisfaction of experiencing the book. I did not want to include many of the pictures in it as I would like to encourage the viewers to read more about it and contact me to see the book over just copying the images online.

 

Chattanooga: The Green Factory (Pierre Bessard)

Chattanooga- The Green Factory.

The Green Factory is a self publication by French photographer Pierre Bessard. He travelled to Chattanooga in America to explore more of the neighbourhood the residence has created. The photobook comprises of family portraits within their homes, personal stories and architectural photography. The Green Factory is a neighbourhood which challenges the stereotype of Americans being the carbon giants, as this community lives by eco-friendly means.

Bessard regards himself as lucky to have been so welcomed by the community, trusting him to enter into their homes and photograph them. Interestingly, as I looked through the book and unfolded the portraits, the subjects seldom look into the lens, but hold a mid distant gaze as though ‘to a better future’. Having the sitters not look into the camera highlights a sense of unease for the viewer; a photographer has come into their home and arranged them in a formal manner, yet their gaze completely disregards him there. It is neither ‘natural documentary’ nor formal.

When emailing Bessard he spoke of continuity: “About your work, each storie you must have a concept and a style, it’s necessary to adapt a photographic style according to your project, for exemple, If You work on available light ( you dont take some pictures without flash and some with flash… it’s not good ).It’s my point of view, if you decide to do a book, use the same size, all in vertical or all in horizontal, just few exception for the book design, think about the design book before to start a project […] respect the distance between your subject, it’s not good if you take your picture at 1 meter and the second portrait you are at 5 meters”. Although this is poignant in the book with the uniform approach to its design, the presence of the photographer does appear to change somewhat with regards to the subject’s gaze.

For me the portraits are the poignant factor, yet, I believe that the design of the photobook having them hidden, folded within the architecture echoes how this neighbourhood is buried in America. I also believe that the portraits would not be as strong without their accompaniment of the text; this gives a sense of an individual story of the aspirations of the residents and how they define the American Dream.

The architecture, although aesthetically pleasing does not hugely indicate much more than what the place looks like, just from striking angles: there aren’t any full buildings. Although I don’t think that this takes away the impact at all, as this lies with the strength of the portraiture, I think maybe for the viewer it may be nice to see a map or some more geographical context with the image.

#picbod Digital before the film

Although I have been shooting on 120mm film, I have made backups with digital, just in case.

So not only have I been thinking about my subjects, but also artefacts within rooms of their homes. I have selected my favourite images from what I took on digital. I feel that these images could be used as fillers or to pair with portraits as some portraits will not fit together suitably. Like in the way Bessard uses architecture, text and portraiture, I feel that having more visual context may add to the idea of intrusion; but at the same time, it could add to other readings. So what I would like to do is print them off and pair together in a scrap book, wait a few days and look at what a fresh reading says. I would like to offer a rough version for others to see what they think too.

Last weekend I worked with my Grandad and my parents. The ones of my dad are solely on film. However, here are some of the results. On reflection, I feel that the ‘look’ is prominent throughout the portraits, but aesthetically some work far better than others. I prefer one of my mother stood up in the living room; yet, it’s a hard choice. I feel that when it comes to the edit, another one may work better. At the same time, I am gutted to find that one of the ‘one off’ photographs of my mum sat down but from a distance is completely out of focus- I think I took it by accident. But I love it. I think something to learn is to not always stick to the same framing and take it out a bit more. However, I will wait for my film to see if I can save that image.

Needless to say, I do have one more family I would like to look at as well as a couple of friends as a backup. When I spoke to Michele Sank, she said that she preferred the framing with extra space around the subject such as with this one:

At the same time, she doesn’t feel that the pictures with the couples work as well. However, for me, I like having the balance between singles and doubles with the additional reading of ‘sharing’ of these intruded spaces.

#Picbod Guest: Anthony Luvera

Lecture Notes.

“Not just about the aesthetic- there should be something more that the visual. Exempla of aesthetic beauty and investigation with photography as research.”

Artist, writer, educator.

Anthony Luvera asked these questions:

What is collaboration?

Who is it for?? (agency, organisation, funders, photographers, sitters)

Are we using or seducing the subject?

What is the idea of artist, context, what doe the atist put forward?

Empowering individuals through transformative power of art.

Before, during and after – how the sitter changes with their experience with the artist, but who is empowered and shown. How does the artist product? How can it be measured?

Doesn’t want a therapeutic effect on the people Luvera works with- primary interest is presenting the viewpoints of himself and the people…

What does the artist do with the photograph?!

Dialogue, exchange, trust.

Practice of representation that is framed or contained.

Authorship can only be filtered by artist or organisation

Unachievable idea that we can put power in the hands of the powerless because we have the power to allow them to start.

 

More about Anthony

2001- came to London from Australia as fashion photographer. Worked with ‘Crisis over Christmas’. Facilities made for a week around xmas for homeless. Felt uneasy about taking photographs of the event. Year after, after getting thousands of pounds worth of disposable cameras, and gave them to the homeless so they could do as they wished. 96 homeless people came- asked questions of his intentions…

Preconceptions of the homeless was constantly challenged the more he worked with them.

Work he created with the homeless was eventually exhibition in the London Underground, Zones 1 and 2 in 12 stations, 2006. A suitable setting for the context of the subject matter, as opposed to being in an exclusive gallery.

With Belfast Exposed, Luvera worked in Ireland

The sitters wanted to dicate their representation; interested more about their position now and the future, over why they are homeless from the past.

 

Critique and feedback

In the group critique, Anthony Luvera firstly told me that I do not shoot enough of the same situation. Although I can agree that the more the merrier when it comes down to a final edit with less chance of disappointment, I would like to think that I previsualise my ideas before shooting. He said that the least we can do as photographers is to get a great photograph especially from a stranger. Yet, at the same time, we don’t want to be holding up these people from their daily lives. When I told him about my project he thought that my subjects did not seem that uncomfortable; he told me to look at other photographers, such as Bettina Von Swehl’s ‘Alina’ where she sat her subjects in a dark room with a piece of music, then she uses flash photography to capture their true emotions.

I has made me think about how to make people look uncomfortable, or do I even want them to look uncomfortable?!

In a one to one tutorial, Luvera said that he likes my work so far, but what he suggested, I already knew- I should seriously consider having a perfect-visioned assistant to make sure that I am completely in focus (because my eyes fail me). But, I think for him he would like to see a lot more before coming to a better conclusion about my work.

#Picbod: task four response

 

So here is my submission for task four. I decided that I was not ready to invade people’s spaces, so I sat in a barbers shop and watched this guy have his hair cut. I don’t know his name, but he was saying that he has a job interview for a shop in town and wanted a clean cut. When he was finished, literally, I jumped in and asked to photograph him with my 35mm camera. I told him about the #picbod exhibition in March.

I feel that this is a good stepping stone for my final series of images, but I am not sure whether it would have a place when it comes to the final edit.

#picbod 35mm tests

So before jumping in with the medium format 120mm film, I have spent time with the Pentax Asahi s1a and some (terribly cheap) 200ISO colour film. I do regret getting such horrendous film because I feel that I could have received much higher quality images. But still, for tests, they serve good purpose.

To date now I have had one decline in the people I have asked take part in the project so far, which is unfortunate. But still, having some practices has meant that I can look at what I’ve got to improve on for my final images. With medium format, I can’t afford to make any mistakes.

 

These three images has someone I know well, two people I’m starting to become friends with and a complete stranger. The stranger was difficult, but it’s something I can still work on. I would like to photograph my neighbours in their homes, if they are willing.

 

#picbod Responding to Lisa Potts

On Thursday we listened to an intense audio conversation between Jonathan Worth and Lisa Potts. Lisa was a stab victim in the face of protecting the school children she worked with at a school in 1996.

She shared her eye-witness story of how the attacker lept the fences, drew a machete to attack the children and anyone who got in his way. In her desperate effort to save the children, Lisa put her own life on the edge, a true heroin. She spoke in detail about where he cut her and the children; then she spoke of the aftermath of the media attention surrounding the story as well as the jury court case.

But as a photographer working for say, the Guardian or the Independent, how would I go about photographing her? For me, I think I would photograph her infront of the school doors, representative of her protective persona getting the children to safety. But without a cliche strong pose, I would let her relax in front of the camera, like she can now relax with the ordeal not only over, but the culprit serving his sentence. Although I can’t dictate the weather, having a big light source (clouds) would give a nice soft light. Preferably as well, she spoke of how she wore a red cardigan and how she didn’t want the paramedics to cut it (because it was from Next!). But, I think it is a symbol of her courage. The cuts and the pain didn’t phase her heroic efforts in saving all the children. She even said that the red cardigan meant that the children weren’t unsettled by the blood with its cardigan mask.

It’s hard to say though! Until meeting her myself, it is difficult to dictate what would be best, exactly.

 

Beat Streuli in Conversation @Ikon

So last Wednesday, Beat Streuli came back to Ikon Gallery in Birmingham for a conversation with Jonathan Watkins about his recent exhibition ‘New Street’. In this there was the discussion about the work in itself and how Streuli has changed his vision over the years with the digital paradigm shift. For me, an important point he mentioned was that he stays clear of what has been done over and over, because how can he better it. Some themes have been over done.

As part of my Internship, I was asked to photograph this event for Ikon’s archive and newsletters. I have added some of the images here. Photographing events is not something new to me; however, it is all good experience. I asked Simon Taylor exactly what he was looking for. He said to photograph individuals as portrait and more open shots as landscape.

#picbod plan

So, I have been thinking about a diverse range of people to include in my project, but where best to start than home, right? I have decided to head back to the flats of Lincolnshire next weekend to see my immediate family. However, the idea of intrusion differs between photographer and viewer; for me, intruding on my parents would be a lot more extreme than a stranger letting themselves into their home.

Therefore, I have had to re-evaluate how to shoot. I have made Mind-Note diagrams of their likes and found what together I can pull them in for. Funnily enough, although they are still married, they very much keep to their own devices. But they love films: my Dad manages an independent cinema while mum hoards a large DVD collection. On weekends my Dad spends time in the garage restoring cars and mum usually sits and reads the paper. But at three o’clock they always come together for a cup of tea. I feel that I would like to photograph a formal portrait in the living room. Although this is not an intimate space as this is where guests congregate, I think it’s the middle ground for them both.

 

At the same time, keeping in mind having different groups of people, I would like to photograph my Grandad. I have photographed him for many years, through some pretty difficult times in fact, however, he’s always been a little unsure as to why I do. He now lives alone, without my Nana, but her presence is still around his bungalow. I feel that my Nana’s pride in her family has been passed onto my Grandad who is always keen to see his family and friends. I would like to photograph him in front of many of these photographs which are on the wall in the room he relaxes in. That, or in his bedroom, on his bedside table is in fact a (very old) picture of myself. I would like to shoot both ideas when I am there.

As a family member I naturally have a lot more access anyway, so I feel that this planning is needed, trying to detach myself a little more. By all means it won’t be an easy task.

I have asked people I know: Hareena (with her husband and children); John (mid 20s, with his mum) and various friends of my own age. Yet, I still have to find a stranger for this week’s task. I have thought either to go into a hairdressers: it’s a time you can talk to a complete stranger. We trust them with our hair, we chat, we pay and we leave. It is an odd dynamic. But maybe this will be a good way of starting a photographic relationship.

#picbod Shooting through ideas

 

So working with the idea of intrusion I decided to knock on the door of the girl’s across the road this morning as they were just making some tea. They were not wonderfully comfortable with me being there, especially armed with a tripod and a couple of cameras. Like Ornowska, I wanted to have the whole body in the picture. I didn’t ask them to pose, just to look straight into the camera.

Th room was very dark and I didn’t want to use the tungsten light; with ISO 200 film I know that the slow shutter will mean that the images won’t come out just how I like them. But in terms of getting experience with photographing in this way, it was a good experiment. I took the photo on the left here on Canon 450d just to get an idea of what it would look like. However, once my 120mm film comes, with an ISO of 800, I feel that this room will be better to shoot in.

For this week’s task, we have been asked to photograph a stranger and find out a story about them. With my theme of intrusion, this is going to be a big ask if I wanted to have this theme within them as well. I have decided to start close, and then work out to friends of friends before moving onto strangers.

I paired these together to see whether there is a connection between them, for now I’m not too sure. Comments would be appreciated. However, I know that these are only really prototypes.