Assignment Two Feedback

Again, my tutor is very prompt with his response.  My work arrived with him Friday afternoon and by early evening I'd received my feedback on both assignments.  It saves hours of angst and anticipation yet on the other hand, you barely catch your breath.  I'm not complaining though - it's a pretty top service. I have included some direct quotes from his feedback here as they are informative and helpful for me and perhaps others.

Well, this has been a long time in coming this assignment. But length of gestation does not necessarily equate to quality of work. The feedback was generous and fair. Not quite at the standard of my previous work but given this is the first piece of work I completed with the large format camera the work was still considered to be very good and I was satisfied with his response.

There was a belter of a comment that amused my other half no end.  Unbeknown to my tutor, (or perhaps he did - very perceptive either way!), there was a self-portrait in there with my youngest daughter.  Our youngest, how can I put it, is strong-willed at best, stubborn and difficult to manage at worst.  She is a wonderful mix of boundless enthusiasm, dogged determination and independence. His comment was:

I guess the first thing one notices with parents and children is the similarities.  This could be a photo of a woman with her child-self.  Her grasp is very possessive looking, but the child’s body language speaks of the same independence that is written in the woman’s face. 

Well what can I say? There is no defence!!  My husband smiles from ear to ear with an irritating 'I-told-you-so,-she-takes-after-you' smugness.  Vindication at last. Hmmm. He's won, thanks to an innocuous comment from my tutor. How can he possibly have hit the nail so firmly on my head. Very funny!

Without photos to demonstrate, it will be a fairly dry post I'm afraid. So I'll probably come back to this when I work out why my scanner refuses to scan. My tutor wasn't sure about the long exposures with portrait work and wondered whether I should have used fill-in flash. From my point of view, this was an issue of preference and desired aesthetic and I intentionally wanted to minimise my influence in each image. Nevertheless, I would like to know how to use flash with the large format camera for portrait work in future as its damn hard getting clarity with 1 or 2 second exposures.

He was generally very positive, but one suspects he wrote this feedback before seeing assignment four, ha,ha. He's probably changed his mind now. As I'm coming to the final assignment on this course and looking ahead he suggests its time to look at 'getting my work out there, where it can be useful'. He included a lovely quote by Joseph Beuys,

Artists have the responsibility to show what they make

Which I have not done at all for some time. He suggests I need to start looking at 'promoting my work professionally', he cites Getty Images as an example and enquiring with local arts coordinators and galleries about how to exhibit my work.   It is something my husband has wanted me to investigate for some time.  His view is that by getting your work seen, purchased and commissions won, will give me the confidence to further my personal projects.  I will probably cover this in more detail in another post, but for now I admit I have been fairly reticent.

About eighteen months ago I did sign up and gain approval to submit at two or three online image libraries.  However, I quickly came to the conclusion, this avenue was not for me.  In addition after completing several commissions through friends and colleagues I found it took the pleasure right out of it.  My photography work was relegated to the status of daily chores that I had to do rather than an aspirational and enjoyable time guzzler that is right up there in terms of pleasure and personal development. Commercial photography isn't my motivator at the moment.

Exhibiting in galleries is of greater interest however. But as my tutor puts it, my work is 'an interesting collection of experiments and achievements'. What would I exhibit, as a combined mass it is eclectic to say the least.  And as individual projects, I'm not sure which to be the strongest or least flawed!!  So I will ultimately delay a little longer...but something tells me I cannot continue in this child-like 'bubble' forever...

Assignment Two

Assignment Two: Interactions

Occupation ‘Mum’

(As per submission)

Pictures will be included at a later date - scanner currently out of action!!

I have written this introduction prior to completing the project to state clearly my intentions from this assignment, in the eventuality the execution fails to achieve this.

Equipment

It is not ordinarily important for me to emphasise the technical aspects of my photography.  However, I wish to make an exception with this assignment, as this is the first project I have used a 5x4 large format camera. For me, this is an achievement in itself. To reach the point of having a set of images in a presentable format has required an inordinate amount of time, energy and cost.  I clearly have my doubts as to whether using this camera over a digital is evident or has resulted in a superior finished product.

Approach

I have purposefully kept things simple for this assignment given my inexperience with a large format camera. I used this assignment as an incentive to familiarise myself with it.  I also considered the idea I had for this assignment would suit this more meditative style of photography.

However, this project is not a collection of unpredictable or spontaneous photographs.  I have not chosen to photograph a common interaction as seen on my whereabouts.  Street photography features strongly in my practice, in assignment four, so I have not felt obligated to demonstrate this in assignment two as well.  Additionally, to use the 5x4 in such a way would be nonsensical.

For this assignment, I have tried to retain more objectivity with my photography than in the past, although on a continuum I can only claim that it is less subjective than previous work. 

I have set up a social experiment of sorts. I set the parameters within which each subject has responded and in which interactions occurred.  So as a series of images, there is likely to be much commonality with subtle differences to explore. I am unclear what the images will glean, if anything.

•           each image is taken within conventional working hours
• -       each image is taken within the home of the subject
• -       each subject helped choose the location within their home
• -       each adult subject was requested not to smile
• -       each adult subject was asked to look at the camera
• -       each adult was asked to keep still

This sounds prohibitive but in reality they were there as a guide for the subjects and to create structure to the series.  The children on the other hand had no instructions other than to be in the frame.  They could ‘be themselves’ – if they moved or wriggled that was fine. Clearly this has affected the result with motion evident on some, given the one or two second exposures. Personally I believe this is a true reflection of their freedom, movement and indeed energy and to stifle it would have felt unnecessary.  It was however important to me that the adult was clearly in focus.

All images were taken using a 150mm lens and depth of field was set relatively wide to f5.6 or f8 due to low light conditions. I would have preferred slightly greater depth of field, but I was reluctant to increase exposure times beyond 2 seconds or manipulate the image by adding artificial lighting.

The interaction between parent and child in each of the photographs is what I have chosen to explore.  All the subjects were known to me as either friends or acquaintances. 

Concept

The concept has been a seed of an idea for several years, probably because it remains prevalent in my life and those around me. My envisaged approach in executing it however has evolved over this time as I have developed my photographic study.  From perhaps a more orchestrated and overtly visual concept initially, the final execution assumes a more modest and uncontrived approach with a subtle aesthetic influenced by photographers such as Thomas Struth, Alec Soth and Tina Barney.  Whether this enhances the viewer’s experience or if it in fact remains ‘underwhelming’ and overambitious as I fear it might, does continue to trouble me. However, I am hoping that when viewed as a series and with the accompanying image titles there is some encouragement to delve deeper in to why I am showing these images, cautious not to offer too much. I am interested to ascertain whether I have indeed found the right balance in this respect and whether the viewer is left wanting to know more or if the image lacks the immediate draw to make it adequately compelling.

By describing or drawing conclusions from the project too explicitly I am concerned I may devalue it and as such I would like to present a brief ‘artist’s statement’ to contextualize the images. By doing this I am hoping the work can be assessed in the manner I would wish it to be viewed, mindful of any of my own prejudices.  

Artist Statement

‘Occupation Mum’ is a study to explore the intricate stereotypes, challenges and ambitions concealed by the overarching definition of a ‘mum’. Each subject has been photographed in their home environment with their pre-school child or children with them. The project heading overlaid with image titles that reflect previous or current job titles entice the viewer to contextualise the subject and make subjective assumptions. This series of images intends to reinforce or challenge perceptions and prejudices about societal stereotypes and the inherent dangers of doing so, as well as question our own views in relation to what we think we see and believe.


Post Edit: 6 September 2011
Images have now been professionally scanned and included here:

two four one

My tutor I'm sure will feel exceptionally lucky tomorrow when he opens his parcel and finds not one, but two assignments from me.  Well, lucky or more likely gobsmacked having not had a sniff of an assignment since September. Like buses eh...

So he has assignments two and four from me.  Three was done in September, that was the critical essay.  So I haven't submitted any photos since about July...hmmm, doesn't look good does it?!?  Yes, but, no but, guvnor I can explain.....here comes the ramblings of not very-believable excuses.

Well, I can't really cite personal reasons or technical issues or time constraints or illness...so why then?? I'm normally very organised and adhere to deadlines pretty well.  I think I'm struggling to find the right balance between quality and time constraints.  There is a gaping hole between where I want to be and where I'm at...so I delay, try to improve, read a bit more or try a different approach...and so on. The problem with this approach is that there really is no end point.  You don't arrive at a destination, so you can keep on going indefinitely, well until yesterday.

Assignment Four first
Having admitted the above I do think street photography is not something you can rush, particularly around here, an area not particularly heavily populated. Since September I have learnt so much about the street photography genre and I am pleased with my progress on this.  Still a long way to go, but over the past six months I am starting to get what could resemble a bijou portfolio of street photography images that improves as I weed out the weakest on an ongoing basis. I will post up this assignment as well as the near-misses here shortly. However, closure on this assignment is not the terminus of my street photography journey.

Assignment Two now
Well, hands-up on this one.  I tried two or three different approaches that I just was not happy with, didn't excite me and my heart just wasn't in.  For heaven's sake the remit was broad enough - Interactions.  Shouldn't be too difficult, but it wasn't gripping me - don't ask me why. Well eventually, I did have an idea and my submission has sort of morphed the brief in to something of greater value for my own personal learning.  So out came the large format camera and a sort of social experiment within which interactions would occur. I've entitled the project 'occupation mum', which gives you a clue about the theme.  I'm full of self-doubt about the concept, the quality of the images and whether the approach is too simplistic. Again, I will go in to more detail on this in another post, but as the images are on film and my scanner doesn't seem to be talking to my mac I can't even upload low-res images at the moment.

So there we are...street photography that is impulsive, fast, quick-witted to the slow, methodical, pre-meditated, almost meditative photography that derives from using a large format camera...I would say two ends of the spectrum in many ways.  So my learning has been varied and by undertaking the two alongside each other, one has provided a very good antidote for the other.  I am expressing no preference for one over the other as yet as I could name all manner of difficulties derived from both types of photography.

Here again...we've all been there...I await, a little anxious for the comments of my tutor...

Larging it for Assignment two...

I skipped instruction 17 of SPN to focus on assignment two.  Again, just in case I want to recall instruction 17 in future, it was by Mirko Martin:

Take pictures where you're not comfortable, where you feel exposed, threatened, or morally on the wrong side 

It would have been a touch challenge for sure.


But back to the reason for my post.  To update you on my progress for assignment two, I am relieved to report that there is some, not a lot... however having left the keys for the digital at home and having cranked up the vintage model, I can confirm my speed has reduced to that of snail and energy consumption per picture has rocketed off the scale...


However, don't let that mislead you. My sense of humour has finally returned after several months of unauthorised leave of absence! I'm really starting to feel the magic of this large format camera. I'm fearing it less and whilst I'm certainly still in its awe, I've found myself indulging Ebony with anthropomorphic qualities. We go out on photo shoots together and her presence emanates a sort of authority that I lack!!


It is only a box at the end of the day, but its the nicest one I've ever owned!!


Anyway, I've meandered...I've finally got my first negs and proof sheets back last week. Even processing took me an age to get to grips with...what do I need to ask for so I can view them and what on earth is that on the order form. Well I got it wrong, but after speaking to an extremely helpful lady from Peak Imaging I eventually got a set of viewable proofs. 


My work pre-Christmas amounted to eight images...I know, I told you it was slow...and out of those eight, my success rate was comfortably less than 50%, which sounds abysmal. However, I was strangely pleased that there were some OK shots in there, given the number of potential errors one could make and I was likely to make.  It meant I had loaded and unloaded my film correctly, I had actually understood the settings on my light meter, I had focussed adequately and composed upside down and back to front reasonably well. There are loads of things that are still a mystery, in particular the tilt movement. I understand how it works on a horizon line with landscapes but not with portraits yet.  


Without going in to detail about the actual project which I will save for another post, I carried out four photo-shoots (far too formal a word) before Christmas. Two sheets of film per sitting (can't afford more, the cost per sheet once processed is nearing £10 all said and done - nothing like the coin to focus the mind and camera!!). From the four sittings, I was unsuccessful with two, the other two I have a useable image from each. My errors were not due to exposure measurements, focus or shutter settings which surprised me.  My mistakes were actually due to too much fiddling with the tilt and shift which for this purpose was unnecessary.  Was I pleased with the results? Was it worth all the effort? The project I've taken on for this assignment is designed to be relatively simple given it is my first with the large format camera and may be the images are individually unremarkable however, the print quality of the image and the lighting is way better than anything I've taken with my digital. They have a sort of elegance that I like. I am hoping the images will work as a series where the subtleties will become more apparent.


Since Christmas I've not tinkered with 'tilt' which I think caused the main 'defects' in my earlier shots. I've relied on natural light with no supplementary light so exposures are necessarily long which results in some movement which I think is tolerable. I have redone the two unsuccessful sittings and have completed a further three.  The assignment asks for about a dozen images, which is quite a tall order given the approach I'm taking. And given Ebony doesn't have live view it is many weeks after taking the photos that I find out whether I made any howlers!! I am wanting to put this assignment to bed, so there will inevitably be compromises.


Going forward and taking an optimistic view I am hoping that I have been able to achieve a one in two success rate for each of the recent shoots. If so, it still leaves me five to do if I aim to take twelve. Never before has twelve seemed such a large number!! Looking at timescales and what I can achieve, I think ten is more realistic.  


When I finally get this next round of film sent off and have sight of the proofs only then will I know whether I need to redo any - I really hope not.  After this, I will need to make some decisions on printing. The project I'm working on is a series of images which I think would work best in a book format. However, the book format will result in reduced image quality. So I'm dithering a little. My main concern with mounting is you can't easily retain the order of the prints. In addition, annotating, topping and tailing seems clumsy and less professional. But I will need to come to a decision fairly soon as the costs to print and/or scan are considerable. 


In terms of timescale, I am hoping to complete the photography in the next two weeks.  The printing and presentation is a little unknown to me at the moment, but hopefully by the beginning of March I will have something concrete to submit.

Christmas looming large

I'm running out of steam with the street photography now project right now which I'm putting down predominantly to Christmas stress but also feeling pretty rubbish about it. 

I'm not photographing, because I'm shopping. Well, I should be, but I'm not doing a very good job of that either.  The roads are so bad, getting the kids to school and back is about as much as my nerves can cope with. So I started ordering online. But none of the deliveries have got through. Crap! So I'm suffering from cold photographic turkey and increasingly worrying about stuffingless stockings!! I was due a shopping trip to Carlisle tomorrow which I thought could double up with a bit of photography but there has been four tragic fatalities on said road in a week and there looks to be no let up in this cold snap until Thursday.  So I'm now having second thoughts!

I have also made a commitment to myself that I want to keep (thanks Gareth for the much-needed kick!) which is to put assignment two to bed by the end of the year.  I'm now wondering whether that was such a wise commitment *rolling eyes*!! I actually have an idea, but I won't get all twelve done before Christmas. 

I want to do something along the lines of Thomas Struth's family series.  And I want to do it with my large format camera which is a bit of a risk, or stupid!! I am concerned about my ability with regards this camera.  It is probably a tall-ask of myself, but I'm just gonna do it anyway! This large format camera, like assignment two has become an insurmountable challenge in my head that I just need to tackle head on.  I've decided unless I force myself - it ain't gonna happen!!

And as if I needed further encouragement, I have been following this discussion on the OCA forum and erring on the adventurous and riskier side is, it seems, something we should all be pursuing. So, here goes, hopefully I can achieve something but I guess the more risks you take, the more likely failure is. I guess this is part of the learning curve too - embracing failure - hmmm, don't like the sound of that and sssshhh, I'm not particularly great at it either - I don't suppose anyone is really!!

...on the other hand...I might wimp out and do something a bit more achievable...

I'm starting to annoy myself so I'll sign off...