Not Our Time

My assignment one, 'A day in the life...' book entitled 'Not Our Time', that was submitted as part of my assessment for the Social Documentary course, has been featured on the weareoca blog.  Many thanks OCA, and thanks Maggy and Clive too for the kind words.

I've embedded it below.


I've embedded the book too, hopefully successfully this time.

Untitled | Make Your Own Book

Assignment Five: Gurning

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Egremont Crab Fair last month and gained permission to photograph the World Gurning Championships. As mentioned in this post, I wanted to use this series of images for assignment five, a photo-essay.  Egremont Crab Fair is one of the World's oldest fairs, dating back to 1267. The fair is still characterised by its 800 year old traditions and heritage, with ancient events such as the Parade of the Crab Apple Cart, Climbing the Greasy Pole, Pig's Bladder Football and the famous World Gurning Championship. This exceptional fair attracts visitors from all over the world. 

'Gurning' is the art of contorting your facial expression. Framed by a horse's collar, contestants are judged on their relative transformation before and after pulling a face. The late champion Peter Jackman described it; 

Say you're oogly in the first place, and ya pull a gurn, an you don't look much different, well, just because you're oogly doesn't mean to say that ya win it. Because gurnin' means the Art of Pullin' Faces, not oogliness.

My intention was to make a collection of black and white portraits of each contestant, gurning and also, not gurning. I could then record the transformations taking place. This turned out to be impossible in all but the three placed males which I photographed backstage after the event.

I wanted to focus on the 'texture' of the gurn; contorted facial features, ungainly expressions and protruding lines which I felt wasn’t coming through in images I’d seen.  To address this, I decided a mono, low-key aesthetic would ‘bring-out’ this aspect of their faces and provide a framework for a consistent format. I found the work of Jane Bown and John Angerson's 'Last Man Smoking' an exemplar for the aesthetic I wished to adopt. However, I was aware that to be too prescriptive I was in danger of not allowing the event to show its' own magic. In addition, low-light conditions and the unpredictable nature of the event would demand my flexibility. I had been warned to 'expect the unexpected' and justifiably so, it was one of the most extraordinary evenings I have ever attended!  

The images are neither manipulated nor orchestrated. In this sense they could be considered as newsworthy as any other. Arguably less objective was how I executed it.  I had considered the aesthetic and technical aspects well in advance. I knew how I wanted the images to look but did not know if this was practicable. I experimented with settings at home and ultimately used manual settings; direct flash to ‘counteract’ the stage lighting, light the face and recede the background; and underexposed it a touch to avoid glare.  I used the same settings for all the gurning portraits.  I have chosen to present a typological series, with thumbnails of each gurner to enhance the humourous and peculiarity of the event. The purpose of this assignment I have produced a mock-up which follows at the bottom of this post.

Tommy Mattinson (below) won for the 13th time. Anne Woods, sadly retired after winning 28 times. The new champ is Claire Moffat.  I'm happy with how the images turned out.

The 2011 World Gurning Champion

Women's Champion: Claire Moffat

Previous winner Anne Woods

Publication Mock-up

Planning for Assignment Five

You may already have heard of the Egremont Crab Fair or if not, I'm sure you'll have heard about or seen pictures of the gurners.  Well, I am intrigued, this seems to be no ordinary country fair. The first one was held in 1267...it is one of the World's oldest fairs and has a number of very ancient events too such as the 'greasy pole' climb and the parade of the crab apple cart. But probably its most famous event is the World Gurning Championships. The fair and its unusual events sound beautifully eccentric to me, in a very quirky British way. So I have asked permission to photograph the gurners.

I'm hoping not to tempt providence here, but the plan is this, I would like to take a black and white portrait of each gurner, gurning and another of each gurner, not gurning, preferably head-on with eye-contact, although I'm not sure how feasible this will be. I have seen images by Jane Bown and this image by John Angerson that I particularly like. The event goes on well in to the night so light conditions will be extremely challenging and I know my camera is deficient in such conditions.  However, I do have a couple of relatively fast lenses and I do have an excellent speedlight flash which I have complete confidence in.  So there you have it....it takes place in just under a month...so in the meantime I've time to practice shooting in low-light conditions. My attention will turn to finalising the assessment stuff such as tweaking my critical review which I should have done months ago, fine tuning my images for assessment and forging forward with the portfolio. I will write a separate post on the portfolio soon. An essential element of assignment five (which incidently is to create a photo-essay) is the planning. The idea is this:

PLANNING DETAILS

Location: Egremont Crab Fair
Date: 17 September 2011

Event: World Gurning Championship

Permissions: no unauthorised photography. Have written and been given authorisation 

Concept: a series of straight faced competitors and a series of gurning competitors

Aesthetic: to be black and white, and ideally I would like to go for low key, wanting to avoid distractions behind or different colour lights. See my practice shot below (my husband will not thank me for this!!). I think mono will draw out the lines, tensions and features of the faces when gurning. This was taken with flash -2/3, shutter speed 1/2000 and F3.  I really do not want these images to be blurred.

Concerns: I have no control or idea what the lighting will be like.  It is indoors and I suspect relatively dark. But I am anxious about this. To get a low key image may therefore be impossible. However I would like ideally to make an A2 poster with all the gurners, a bit like the one below. Again, sorry hubby!!

  

And then a similar poster with the faces straight. Again, whilst I have been given permission, I'm not sure whether it will be feasible getting the straight faced photos. I suspect I'll be photographing what happens rather than staged portraits. So will have to play this one by year.

Assignment Five: The Plan

Well, for November assessment, I need to have everything tied up by the beginning of October ideally, to ensure this assignment, plus the portfolio have been viewed by my tutor and then his comments incorporated in time.  I want to put this course to bed so, funds allowing, I can start a new module in January...that's the plan!!

I have, in this blog, hinted at all sorts of different ideas and projects in the past...and for a variety of reasons...they haven't all come to fruition...like me failing to continue with the spn project in a phase of despondency and how an interview I was hoping to have with an artist from Skipsea for my portfolio failed to materialise... I worry about stating my future plans just in case they come to nothing. But then, that is sort of the purpose of this blog...

To bring you up to speed, for this assignment I can think of the landscape/personality idea, the holga idea and more recently and not posted on here are the market, beach, holiday/nature themed projects I tried whilst away. Well, I haven't worked out how to photograph the landscape/personality idea yet, the holga idea is quite an undertaking and won't be ready to submit for October and didn't really fit the brief anyway, then the market and beach ideas I tried and abandoned. Finally the holiday/nature project was based on the concept of va.ca.tion - the desire to vacate our home and our need to control and manage our 'vacated-to' home and the battle thereof between man and nature. I have a set I could submit for assignment five which I kind of like but probably won't submit now.  I explain why further down this post.

What do you do with the sets you don't submit?  I'm not sure...do they just sit on your hard drive until you forget about them?...mine tend to! Anyway, I've posted below the unrefined va.ca.tion set. Entitled va.ca.tion as firstly a derivative of vacation is used in many languages and to have the phonic version emphasises the definition of the word too. I quite liked the postcard idea, like Martin Parr, as a way of emphasising the disparity between the idyllic postcard scenes we're accustomed to seeing, and the reality.

I do like this set, however, I suspect this will probably become my back up set as there is something else I really wish to do and have just gained permission to do, yay! I was going to allude to it here, but have hesitated, just in case for whatever reason it doesn't come off.  It is a simple idea that will entail making a series of black and white portraits at an event, much closer to home. Assignment five requires an objective approach without 'an angle' which I suspect will fit this idea better than the more 'subjective' va.ca.tion idea. Apologies for my caution but I really want it to work and don't want to tempt providence. By late September I'll hopefully be able to share the results...

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:

Feedback Assignment 4

Well, I suppose I couldn't have expected a glowing report back on this assignment.  My street photography has improved, but my starting point with this genre was very low, my progress slow due to limited opportunities and looking retrospectively, perhaps lacking a natural flair for it. So unfortunately, the images are pretty woeful!!!

There was an interesting comment my tutor made:

Unlike your other photos, which are often professional in approach, execution and result, this work doesn’t have the finished polish.  It’s a rougher and more raw look at things.

I'm taking this as a backhanded compliment about my other assignment work but it does indicate his disappointment with this current assignment. I don't disagree with his comments but I do think his expectations were very different to my own. As per brief, he was anticipating a set of images that were taken in the style of Helen Levitt and as he puts it:

Her pictures make amusing connections between people and people, people and things, people and environment...It’s the unstoppable energy of people’s personalities, their life force which comes out of her work. 

And unfortunately not so of mine.  I think and it pains me to say it (I'll give my pride a good talking to later), my street photography skills fall way short to emulate Levitt or in fact any other street photographer to any sort of satisfaction.

My approach this past six months has been to practice the general art of street photography.  I think my error has been that I submitted what I felt were my strongest street photographs and not those that most closely resembled the style of Levitt.  Until I started this street photography project I had no idea how difficult it actually is.  And even with practice I'm not sure I may ever be able to achieve what is required.

In addition, I do feel slightly uncomfortable with this 'in the style of' (see this post). However, having not displayed a style of my own, to compensate for the lack of Levitt's style, doesn't help. And sadly what I thought was quirky and humourous was in several cases missed.  I didn't explain my images hoping that, as street photographs, they shouldn't need it.  However, I suspect it might have helped to give my bemused tutor at least a fighting chance!!  Reflecting generally on my street photography, I do wonder whether what I'm trying to communicate is too subtle and doesn't resonate with others. Are they too obscure or just plain boring?  Here is an example:

Now, I can see why he didn't see how this fits the series. He suggests this is more in the style of Walker Evans, which is being kind.  However this is one of my earlier shots that I am still really fond of.  Silly I know, as it is pretty dull.  But bear with me for a second more so I can try and redeem myself somewhat. I see several things in this: its a funeral parlour, there is a blue transit van (not a hearse), the number plate (ARM) and two filled black bin liners (as if body parts are being thrown out with the rubbish). I thought it had some humour but I think I may be in an exclusive club of one!  Here is another example:

Again, not at first sight in the style of Levitt, however Levitt was interested in the chalk drawings of children.  I consider tattoos a popular form of self expression today.  What I saw here was the art on his arm and the carved engravings on the antique wood that kind of mirrored each other.  Too weird huh?!  

Unfortunately, there were few successes, infact the three men/Burton's image is perhaps it. Even the ones I thought were relatiavely strong came in for criticism technically and artistically. For example, these two.

With some of the others, I think I have applied some of the characterisitics found in contemporary street photography that have fallen short of the brief.  So unfortunately, I think my tutor was genuinely struggling to glean anything positive in this set.  Strangely with hindsight, there is little I could do differently.  Street photography cannot be forced and I can think of no way I could have rushed this along or improved it really. I think more hours of practice...and then some more hours...

I was also surprised that he has suggested I use photoshop more to improve the aesthetic of the images, some of which he considered murky. And may be consider converting to black and white. I tried to keep the image as authentic as possible with little cropping or manipulation perhaps at the detriment of how the images looked. I think he's right and a little tinkering in photoshop is little to worry about.

Hey, some you win and some you lose...it was an 'away' game and I took a pummelling. But despite this, I am really glad I tried it. I think the success of this assignment, or indeed the lack of, indicates where my strengths lie and probably allows me to adjust the balance of where I invest my time going forward with justification (see this post). But, yes I am hugely relieved to put it behind me...and whilst I will continue with the SPN project and continue to explore the rural street photography idea I think accepting defeat to a certain extent is the gracious thing to do.

I'll pick myself up, move on...and have another go when I get the inspiration!! 

Assignment Four

In the style of…my response
(as per submission)

After submitting assignment three last September I knew Helen Levitt was to be the photographer I would ‘emulate’ for this assignment. It was therefore extremely fortuitous that the Street Photography Now project commenced at the same time.  Every week an established street photographer issues an instruction to an online community. Street photography was an unfamiliar genre to me prior to this so to learn from more experienced street togs and participate has really helped. I have come to realise how inordinately difficult it is to create a good street photograph.  In many ways I think the skills required are greater than with many other more contemplative genres.  You have to be able to ‘see’ the unusual and then have the aptitude, speed and bravery to capture it in a split second before the moment has evaporated.  After spending six months practicing, I have decided you really would need to spend decades at it!

My street photography portfolio I would consider to be ‘bijou’ and a ‘work in progress’. I will not stop practicing and am looking forward to the next few months when the Lakes fill with tourists, and events start to hit the calendar.  Opportunity and serendipity colliding, hopefully!

I have used several locations in putting together this series.  Several mini-breaks in Bridlington have been very fruitful.  Closer to home I have ventured to local towns, villages and tourist hotspots, but with limited success. I have reached a point where I have a rolling set of twelve images whereby I substitute the weakest as I develop and improve.  I understand this will continue indefinitely so must draw the line somewhere.

The following set includes no ‘replicas’ of Levitt’s work. They would indeed be poor imitations and we live in very different times. I have also studied the genre of street photography in depth and have been inspired by other photographers too.  However, I have tried to adopt Levitt’s ability to ‘see’ the world without cynicism or harshness. She was neither intrusive nor imposing. Her subjects appear unnerved by her presence and this is reflected in such natural, un-staged images. There is also a light humour that runs through her images which I think really captures the essence of street life.

Other aspects I have considered:

·      Levitt photographed children. I have tried to capture the youth although given our ‘paranoid’ society, children have felt somewhat ‘out of bounds’.

·      In the spirit of street photography, I have also limited any post-processing, editing or cropping.  I have tried to retain the authenticity of the image by doing this.

·      Levitt’s most famous images are in black and white although she was one of the first pioneers to use colour when it became available. I have been inspired by the colour work of photographers such as Nick Turpin, Martin Parr, Matt Roberts, Nils Jorgensen amongst others. So I have chosen the colour aesthetic for this set. I have also been reluctant to adopt the highly stylised, high contrast, black and white aesthetic that is so often seen within street photography photo-streams.

Being new to the genre I have experimented with different approaches although I have been particularly drawn to humour or slight eccentricities of human nature.  I have also toyed with juxtapositions and the flattening effect of 2d perspectives.

Assignment Four long list

Below are some images that didn't cut it for assignment four. I have not included those images already posted as part of the SPN project.  I don't know what to do with them so I'm posting them here for posterity I guess...I know you're not supposed to show the 'ditches' but what else do I do with them??  As always, best seen big...or maybe not!!