Presentation 3:Cultural imaginaries & landscape photography

'Cultural imaginaries&landscape photography' is generally employed to make people construct narrative by themselves, using their brains not eyes. As well, that is important to feel background, to see it not just like decoration but like an actor who can play and mean something without humans and their activities. Landscape as usual is applied to tell story about environment and its mysteries and complications. Due to such people's connotation, i am planning to apply it in the final project.

Short history of photography

Without no doubt, photography as a media is developed extremely fast and unpredictable. For me, it was surprising to know some facts about its history. The first thing is that previously photography was considered by individuals as science rather than art. The probable explanation, which i see, is that the word itself suggests drawing with the light or creation shape of the light. To put is differently, awareness of the camera's settings, lighting and geometric rules are crucial if a person want to be a photographer. But simultaneously, each image should contain social, political or cultural message to transmit. Because of this photography was reconsidered as art. During this term, i tried to apply my theoretical knowledge of photography and its history to develop practical and aesthetic skills with generating meaning that i would like to bring through specific style.

WhaleFest (2015) in Brighton

To start with, i was lucky enough to participate as photographer in WhaleFest, the biggest event of its kind, that gives dolphins and whales more powerful voice. The first thing that will be discussed is that occasion took place inside building hence at first i experienced problems with camera settings as images were too dark. As a result,  i was changing ISO from 2400 to 3200 to get enough light. Then, i figured out that to produce photographs on such popular and big event can be complicated because many people in shots were moving all the time. Consequently, some pictures were blurred at first but then i get used to work in fast-paced environment and did not have complications anymore. To conclude, it was useful experience, which was one of the way to inculcate photography in my life. 

Imaginary Landscape in Photoshop

In order to get this image i used some tools in Photoshop. I thought that photograph can be more eye-catching if i create contrast by adding more warm tints to sky as ground is an example of cold shades. Naturally, i found how to modify certain parts of digital-capture on University Website. Although there were more tutorials about combinations of some objects from different pictures in generation of new one when i tried, it did not work well as one imaginary landscape. So i stopped at image shown below where i selected sky and modified its color. 

Reference:

https://studydirect.sussex.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=21542&topic=7 (Accessed: 3 April 2015)

Project Development: Mind Map/ Research on the theme and Conceptual Exploration

 Mind Map

Research on the theme and Conceptual Exploration

‘I attempt, through much of my work, to animate all things - even so-called 'inanimate' objects - with the spirit of man. I have come, by degrees, to realize that this extremely animistic projection rises, ultimately, from my profound fear and disquiet over the accelerating mechanization of man's life. The creative photographer imparts humanity to the inhuman world around him’ (Clarence John Laughlin, cited in Tudge, 1999, p. 162). 

I like this citation because it totally reflects on what i attempt to achieve in my project. I want nature, particularly trees, will be seen as something alive that has its strong power to resist destruction, which is so common in our world. 

As a matter of fact, photographers seek out landscapes in which human activities are devoted to technological development and Industrial Capitalism (Deriu et all, 2014). Because of this, as a part of my research i intend to go to the building work to observe how things are going on there and what i can depict for the project.

Reference:

Deriu, D., Kamvasinou, K. and Shinkle, E. (2014). Emerging Landscapes. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.

Tudge, C. (1999) 'Planet (Photography, ecology, world culture)', Index on Censorship, 28 (6), pp. 162-181. [online] Available at: http://ioc.sagepub.com/content/28/6/162

Presentation 4: Circulation and Authorship of the photo-image/ Analog to digital: The Indexical Function of Photographic Images

Well, today i presented on the topic of image circulation. The main difficulty which i found in generation this presentation was that all discussed photographers have absolutely different style and were hardly connected with each other, despite the fact overall it was all about pop culture. Then, the biggest concern the class had and asked was if it is right to take somebody's work and by adding new elements presented as own production. Naturally, my opinion is that it is important to mention and reference artists that aspire you and whose masterpieces you take as a basis.  

Project Development: Experimental exploration and Test shoots

Currently i start researching for my final project. The topic that was selected by me touches the environmental problems. In particular, how nature can resist to modern development of the city. For example, many roads require repair for many times per year. When i was in Brighton i could find constructions where a great variety of builders work. Specifically, there was a road that was extremely destroyed. And the cause for that is the strength of nature, its eternity, which cannot be compared with objects of contemporary world that are not everlasting and demand regular maintenance.

I think the image below can be more strong if there are no transports, in particular bus and car, because they distract attention and do not give viewers to continue invisible line in the form of road.

As for these 3 photographs, they in depth reflect on the theme i would like to develop but they are too static and more likely to give background of the place rather than attract spectators and make them question resistance of the nature.

Contact sheet of all images:

Presentation 5: Ubiquitous photography and WEB 2.0 platform/ Dijck: The Culture of Connectivity (Annotation)

Without no doubt, digital age has changed and transformed the way how individuals use media. Due to such social networks as Flickr, Instagram and so on, perspectives of diverse people can be easily accessed by everyone. So the world is seen differently and many-sided. The point which was underlined by Dijck in the 'Culture of Connectivity' is that digital age has made possible and desirable construction of memories, which break boundaries between past and present as well as between members of various societies. Besides, digital gadgets/platforms help to express creativity and develop own aesthetics by using found materials on the Internet as a basis. 'Suns from flickr' which was produced By Umbrico in fact combines the points that i discussed as she used around 6,ooo photographs of sunsets, which were taken by random humans and published in Flickr. The author combined the images of similar natural scenes to make them look like pixels (her way of seeing is generated despite the fact other digital-captures were chosen for-granted) and show 1 picture (look like painting). Such method of works let ordinary person to show its personality by being special and creative.Moreover, connection with others is built as search in Flick was applied.

Penelope Umbrico, Suns from Flickr, 2009

Reference:

Dijck, J. (2010). Flickr and the culture of connectivity: SHARING views, experiences, memories. Memory Studies, 4(4), pp.401-415.

Experiments with Detabending and glitches

In today's class we practiced a little with digital application. These examples that were created in different programs. In fact, it was complicated to understand how to deal with effects and with which formats to work and how upload the photograph. But due to class, i got some awareness in which way programs function and next time it will be easily to modify if it is necessary. Indeed, i found that images can be changed in a more creative way and meaning, which i would like to emphasize, can be brought without difficulties to spectators. 

Presentations 2 :Gender, Gaze, Otherness

To start with, on this week such topics as 'otherness' and 'cultural imaginaries&landscape photography' were discussed. Indeed, both these themes are highly crucial in terms of tendencies of today's world. Like, the issue of otherness is important to consider and represent since there are people, who feel that they are like freaks and hardly can be a part of community. As a matter of fact, society must care about each member (not push individuals off if they have special peculiarities). There are great number of photographers, who would like to touch the problem. I found really inspirational images that were produced by Diana Arbus since social meaning of her digital-captures to depict marginalized people as normal. And i think if there are more artists who want to portray individuals, who are different like they are ordinary, the problem will being gradually solved.

Experiments with flash

In today's class i was practicing with use of flash. The one thing, which i found right away, is that flash equipment makes camera extremely heavy and without tripod it is complicated to focus on object especially while produce vertical images(portraits).So if i decide to create set of pictures with flash i should bring additional outfit as well. In fact, what i noticed definitely useful, is that even in a dark room without any light photos look clear. Therefore as a photographer i can benefit from using supplementary illumination in case of shooting at night, for example.

There are some digital-captures, which were generated with flash and selected as the best because of the quality, lighting,composition and contact with photographer.

Contact sheet of all images: 

Basics Photography : Light & Burgin: Thinking Photography (Annotation)

This week key reading(Basics Photography : Light & Thinking Photography, Photography, Phantasy, Function ) touches a range of important issues related to photography, precisely point of view, lighting and ,certainly, how images can create narrative and representation.

'In photography there are old points-of-view, the point of view of a person who stands on the earth and looks straight ahead ,or, as I call it, the 'navel photo', with the camera resting on the stomach. I am fighting against this point-of-view and will carry on fighting for photography from all positions other than the 'navel position', so long as they remain unrecognized. The most interesting angles at present are those from 'top to bottom' and 'from bottom to top' and there is much work to be done in this field.' (Rodchenko, 1928, cited in Burgin, 1982, p. 177) This quotation directs me on thought to produce some images for project with low-angle perspective to show predominance of nature.

'Society is ordered on the basis of what it holds to be true; truth does not stand outside discourse, waiting to be 'expressed' by it; truth is produced by material forms of discourse inscribed in concrete practices.’ (Burgin, 1982, p.214). So the point is that representational practices, including photography, form an integrated specular regime. It influences on how people behave. Therefore, the aim of photographer to make people think about concerns and things that they have a little thought before. In other words,image has to tell a story if it works as art. 

Lastly,  as it was mentioned in first posts photography means play with light. The reading (Basics Photography : Light) was focused on work with flash. 'The most natural light, free of harsh shadows and unpleasant hotspots or highlights, is flash that is both bounced and diffused' (p.96). However, i think i should be extremely careful with exposure as it works correctly just for certain distance. Anyway, i am going to experiment a lot with with flash lighting to find suitable balance.

Reference:

Burgin, V. (1982). Thinking photography. London: Macmillan.

Prakel, D. (2007). Lighting. Lausanne: AVA Academia.

Shop task

For this task with my group mate i was supposed to produce photographs inside shop and choose 5 of them that i consider successful. The first thing, which i would like to mention, is that this exercise was quite complicated to do as it was necessary to communicate with strangers and ask their permission to make images. More than that, i need try to make these people relax and just enjoy the moment in order to reach wanted result. In the end of the shooting, i was so proud of myself that i could overcome all fears and find a contact with the models. This task helped me to develop my camera skills and confidence in interaction with others.

The most amazing thing about these pictures is that a woman smiles and looks directly in the camera. So eye connection with photographer is found and it makes spectator feel joy and calmness of the model. Then, i edited lighting a little (add some warm colors) in both digital captures to emphasize cosiness and uniqueness of the cafe.

As for these images, they were made in Bramber House. If take 3 of them together, they create narrative of a place and representation of relationship between people. On the first one, different kinds of containers with food were shown (like establishing shot). On second one, interaction of customers can be seen (both of them want to help consumer). And on the last one, there is a girl who has just performed her job successfully. She smiles and looks really natural. There is a feeling that she enjoys her life and is ready to treat positively and politely all customers.Indeed, i need to use such strategy in my project. To put it differently, there should be connection between all photos so as to viewers can get desired meaning. Also, 2 last photos have clear focus of interest (customers) and blurred environment. That was applied in Photoshop to underline what is really important in the image and what is not.

Stanmer Park + contact sheet

To start with, several weeks ago with group i went to take images of landscapes in Stanmer Park. The task was seemed to be quite important for me as the theme of the project i am going to do is related to environmental issues. Few images that can be used for realization of my future ideas and demonstration of my improved camera skills were selected.

The pictures below show the beauty, strength and freedom of nature. Although it is not strongly visible but in the composition some buildings (sport complex on first one and church on the second one) were framed. The meaning is that even in a quite rural areas full of pictorial panoramas there are constructions that destroyed environment, thereby impair ecological conditions.

As for this digital capture, i really enjoy composition that locate clock proportionally in the middle. As well, i found light colors are really nice.

The reason why i chose these 2 photos is that such green colors of grass seem really saturated. That attracts  attention of audiece and make them explore image in details. Moreover, on first picture meandering branches draw a road for spectators and influence on their imagination. As for second one, i like blurred background and clear focus of interest. 

Contact sheet of all images

Photographs of random people + Contact sheet

Today i was required to produce series of images of random people's close ups and medium shots. Hence i made a decision to walk around on campus to search for models. These are some photographs, which i can call successful for several reasons.

 What i like about given shot is that the girl is in the process. Because she is smoking and smiling it creates natural atmosphere and makes viewers believe that she is not acting for camera. However, she is alone and not looking directly. So there is a sense, which suggests her discomfort and unwillingness to work with photographer. What i need to practice more is how to communicate with models closely to make them relax.

 As regards this photo, i enjoy chosen composition. The rules of thirds is fulfilled here. However, despite the fact she chatted with man, i didn't include him in frame therefore again there is just one person who preferred not to look directly in camera. This is not right decision as spectators can avoid reading the narrative, as they can feel model's constraint.

This image below is distinguished by movements and energy. Although girls avoid eye contact as well, photograph works quite well here because they are relaxed and happy. They are interacting with each other and enjoy this short moment of their life. The one things that can be improved is ratio between depth of field and shutter speed as sitters are a little blurred and there is selective focus on background. 

Contact sheet of all images: