Over the last 2 years, through component one, I've developed my understanding of photography in terms of the process as well as its impact socially. One thing I've learned is about the ideas under-pinning photography, the threshold concepts. In particular, I've developed a deeper understanding of photography based on Threshold #5, 'Photographs are abstractions shaped by photography' which expanded my definition of what makes something abstract. I began to question how a camera flattens its subjects and whether that makes a photograph abstract. This helped me with my abstractions project as it helped me to broaden the types of photos I was taking, leading to me playing around with other ways to abstract photos such as double printing, layering, collage etc.
Another threshold concept that had a big impact on my understanding of photography was #10, 'Photographs warp our sense of time; They remind us of things lost'. I explored this when looking at old photographs and the messages they can convey. I started to think more about photography as a form of communication rather than just an art form. I thought deeper about the culture of photography and how photography can be used to address social issues and bring attention to them. Alongside Threshold Concept #7, 'Photographs are not fixed in meaning; context is everything', this encouraged me to think about how the ideas I portray have an impact and how I can alter their message through the choice of subjects, the way the photos are exhibited and how a photograph or idea fits into the history of photography. For example the choice to work In black and white when colour is so typical now, goes back to old ideas of photography as a monochrome art form and colour being solely for advertising.
These big ideas in photography also inspired me to think about addressing issues of importance to me. For example, in Component Two I'm beginning to explore the issue of homelessness and hopefully evoke awareness of the subject within school. I also thought about the impact of photography and photography as a tool when I thought about the environment and mass consumption and how photography can be used to raise awareness or create beauty from a conventionally 'ugly' topic. However, By addressing deeper meanings behind photography I was also forced to think about ethical considerations. A constant battle I've been having which limits the quantity of photographs I make is the fear that sometimes kick in, when I see a shot I want to photograph, which is that taking that photograph is unethical. For example, There's much more of an issue surrounding photographing people without consent, making street photography a battle between a great photo and my sense of morality. The biggest dilemma I've faced corncerning ethics and photography is the homelessness project I'm doing. This has a lot of issues surrounding it, concerning invasion of privacy. It's also a raw topic making it difficult to portray the right message. To try to avoid this, I researched into the ethics of photography as well as the way these issues have changed with the introduction of social media etc.
During the duartion of my photography course, I have experimented with a range of different techniques, materials, types of photography and ways of presenting images, both digitally, in the dark room and by hand. In the dark room I experimented with camera-less photography, I made cyanotypes, photograms and experiments using old sides which i enlarged and combined with scraps from magazines or cut up and re arranged. These processes of photographing without a camera link to threshold concept #2, which brings photography back to it's simplist form, the capturing of light. In the dark room I also experimented with solarisation, inspired by Man Ray. This process consisted of developing photos then exposing photos whilst in the developer. This created an eery, uncanny mood in the photos. Digital skills I learnt for adapting my photos include Photoshop and Picsart skills to enhance images as well as to overlay them, create different types of layouts and played around with effects such as noise and inverted colours. I used these techniques particularly for my abstraction outcome, in which I combined a range of methods to create abstracted images. By hand, I have been experimenting with overlaying drawings or writing on images. I looked into this idea for my Rituals final outcome and for my abstraction project. I discovered Jim Goldburg's photographs and was amazed by the impact of simple pen doodles, words and images on photographs and how they can change the message presented entirely. Jim Goldburg's work also helped to develop my understanding of the social impact a photo can have, and the feelings that can be evoked. His images tell heart breaking stories and the pictures accompanying the text capture every drop of that emotion. Finally, Jim Goldburg's project 'Raised by Wolves', which also uses this hand written overlays, introduced me to the beauty and power that can be captured in subjects of poverty and homelessness.
Other techniques I have explored include using a projector to overlay photographs and using the photocopier to print images on top of one another, and over-copying in single colours. This process strongly relies on chance, relating to Threshold Concept #6. One major skill I've learnt over the course is to take risks with my photography and to combine and develop photos with various techniques, like those above. My final project for abstraction really highlights the over-coming of these fears and involved the widest range of techniques. I experimented with projection, by making slides with ink, string and other odd bits as well as projecting collages of my photographs and rephotographing the projections, with people or pieces of different coloured paper etc. I combined these photos with normal images, photograms etc and made a book with different sized pages so that pictures would be visible under others. I then continued to cut away to reveal more layers. From here, I scanned the pages and then over printed them with single colours o create more variations and layers and made a new book with these images. Lastly, I tried to experiment with different ways of exhibiting my work, for example I covered a old post box with my photos to experiment with guerrilla quarating.
For the theme ‘Rituals’ I started off by exploring many different types of rituals. My first mini project being based on the public ritual of voting, I photographed people outside of the polling station after voting in the general election. In the end I decided to take an approach combing 3 main sub themes of rituals; my personal identity, sub cultures in society and under that graffiti tags. The main artists I took inspiration from for this were Larry Sultan with his book of ‘Pictures from Home’ and Sophie Callie with her ‘Bronx Project’. From studying their work I got inspiration for ways of photographing, ideas and mixed media. Larry Sultan gave me inspiration for a way of photographing. He described his way of photographing as “act[ing] like an anthropologist or a cop - photographing shoes, papers, the surfaces of dressers. Evidence.” This brought my attention to scenes which would other wise go unnoticed and giving weight to possessions, and surroundings as a way of capturing someone’s Identity. I also was inspired to create my own series of work based in my home. Sophie Callie’s inspiration for my own work is more complex. Her actual project was about making portraits of the local community in the Bronx. However a group of graffiti artists broke into the gallery where the portraits were displayed and covered her work with tags and that’s what inspired me. I liked how the tags overlaid the photos, the combination of the sleek black and white photography with the rough and rawness of the graffiti creates an interesting contrast. I used this approach in my Rituals book where I drew graffiti tags from my local area over my photos.
Another approach I looked at in this project was typologies. For this I took inspiration from Hans Eijkelboom and Steve Tyler; both these artists use typologies to create art that focuses on the collective impact of individual components and the relationship of one image to another. I made two responses to Eijkelboom as well as two typologies of journeys, which is another sub theme I looked into. From looking at these artists I learnt about composition and feel more confident in how I curate my images.
Looking Forward, I feel like I've learnt many skills other this cause, and over come some difficulties. I hope I can apply these to component two as well explore many things I haven't yet, such as scale, sculpture and film.
Another threshold concept that had a big impact on my understanding of photography was #10, 'Photographs warp our sense of time; They remind us of things lost'. I explored this when looking at old photographs and the messages they can convey. I started to think more about photography as a form of communication rather than just an art form. I thought deeper about the culture of photography and how photography can be used to address social issues and bring attention to them. Alongside Threshold Concept #7, 'Photographs are not fixed in meaning; context is everything', this encouraged me to think about how the ideas I portray have an impact and how I can alter their message through the choice of subjects, the way the photos are exhibited and how a photograph or idea fits into the history of photography. For example the choice to work In black and white when colour is so typical now, goes back to old ideas of photography as a monochrome art form and colour being solely for advertising.
These big ideas in photography also inspired me to think about addressing issues of importance to me. For example, in Component Two I'm beginning to explore the issue of homelessness and hopefully evoke awareness of the subject within school. I also thought about the impact of photography and photography as a tool when I thought about the environment and mass consumption and how photography can be used to raise awareness or create beauty from a conventionally 'ugly' topic. However, By addressing deeper meanings behind photography I was also forced to think about ethical considerations. A constant battle I've been having which limits the quantity of photographs I make is the fear that sometimes kick in, when I see a shot I want to photograph, which is that taking that photograph is unethical. For example, There's much more of an issue surrounding photographing people without consent, making street photography a battle between a great photo and my sense of morality. The biggest dilemma I've faced corncerning ethics and photography is the homelessness project I'm doing. This has a lot of issues surrounding it, concerning invasion of privacy. It's also a raw topic making it difficult to portray the right message. To try to avoid this, I researched into the ethics of photography as well as the way these issues have changed with the introduction of social media etc.
During the duartion of my photography course, I have experimented with a range of different techniques, materials, types of photography and ways of presenting images, both digitally, in the dark room and by hand. In the dark room I experimented with camera-less photography, I made cyanotypes, photograms and experiments using old sides which i enlarged and combined with scraps from magazines or cut up and re arranged. These processes of photographing without a camera link to threshold concept #2, which brings photography back to it's simplist form, the capturing of light. In the dark room I also experimented with solarisation, inspired by Man Ray. This process consisted of developing photos then exposing photos whilst in the developer. This created an eery, uncanny mood in the photos. Digital skills I learnt for adapting my photos include Photoshop and Picsart skills to enhance images as well as to overlay them, create different types of layouts and played around with effects such as noise and inverted colours. I used these techniques particularly for my abstraction outcome, in which I combined a range of methods to create abstracted images. By hand, I have been experimenting with overlaying drawings or writing on images. I looked into this idea for my Rituals final outcome and for my abstraction project. I discovered Jim Goldburg's photographs and was amazed by the impact of simple pen doodles, words and images on photographs and how they can change the message presented entirely. Jim Goldburg's work also helped to develop my understanding of the social impact a photo can have, and the feelings that can be evoked. His images tell heart breaking stories and the pictures accompanying the text capture every drop of that emotion. Finally, Jim Goldburg's project 'Raised by Wolves', which also uses this hand written overlays, introduced me to the beauty and power that can be captured in subjects of poverty and homelessness.
Other techniques I have explored include using a projector to overlay photographs and using the photocopier to print images on top of one another, and over-copying in single colours. This process strongly relies on chance, relating to Threshold Concept #6. One major skill I've learnt over the course is to take risks with my photography and to combine and develop photos with various techniques, like those above. My final project for abstraction really highlights the over-coming of these fears and involved the widest range of techniques. I experimented with projection, by making slides with ink, string and other odd bits as well as projecting collages of my photographs and rephotographing the projections, with people or pieces of different coloured paper etc. I combined these photos with normal images, photograms etc and made a book with different sized pages so that pictures would be visible under others. I then continued to cut away to reveal more layers. From here, I scanned the pages and then over printed them with single colours o create more variations and layers and made a new book with these images. Lastly, I tried to experiment with different ways of exhibiting my work, for example I covered a old post box with my photos to experiment with guerrilla quarating.
For the theme ‘Rituals’ I started off by exploring many different types of rituals. My first mini project being based on the public ritual of voting, I photographed people outside of the polling station after voting in the general election. In the end I decided to take an approach combing 3 main sub themes of rituals; my personal identity, sub cultures in society and under that graffiti tags. The main artists I took inspiration from for this were Larry Sultan with his book of ‘Pictures from Home’ and Sophie Callie with her ‘Bronx Project’. From studying their work I got inspiration for ways of photographing, ideas and mixed media. Larry Sultan gave me inspiration for a way of photographing. He described his way of photographing as “act[ing] like an anthropologist or a cop - photographing shoes, papers, the surfaces of dressers. Evidence.” This brought my attention to scenes which would other wise go unnoticed and giving weight to possessions, and surroundings as a way of capturing someone’s Identity. I also was inspired to create my own series of work based in my home. Sophie Callie’s inspiration for my own work is more complex. Her actual project was about making portraits of the local community in the Bronx. However a group of graffiti artists broke into the gallery where the portraits were displayed and covered her work with tags and that’s what inspired me. I liked how the tags overlaid the photos, the combination of the sleek black and white photography with the rough and rawness of the graffiti creates an interesting contrast. I used this approach in my Rituals book where I drew graffiti tags from my local area over my photos.
Another approach I looked at in this project was typologies. For this I took inspiration from Hans Eijkelboom and Steve Tyler; both these artists use typologies to create art that focuses on the collective impact of individual components and the relationship of one image to another. I made two responses to Eijkelboom as well as two typologies of journeys, which is another sub theme I looked into. From looking at these artists I learnt about composition and feel more confident in how I curate my images.
Looking Forward, I feel like I've learnt many skills other this cause, and over come some difficulties. I hope I can apply these to component two as well explore many things I haven't yet, such as scale, sculpture and film.
