Assignment 5: Making it up

Brief

Construct a stand-alone image of your choice. A​lternatively, you may choose to make a series, elaborating on the same theme.

The aim of this assignment is to use props, costumes, models, location, lighting, etc. to contribute to the overall meaning of the image. (Use flash/lights if required but available light is fine as long as it is considered.)

Concept and Execution

The idea for this assignment came about as a commitment to continuing the theme of exploring the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Where previously I contrasted the the divide between the group solidarity of the Clap for NHS movement with the increases in littering of PPE and the unseen effects of living alone in a lockdown situation, this time I wanted to explore the long term effect of the ever changing rules and guidance on public behaviours.

Initially I intended on capturing the mixed response to wearing masks in public places but felt if using a documentary or street style approach it would become too much of a pointed attack on specific individuals with little validity on the personal circumstances of those who choose not to adhere to the guidelines. I found the idea of constructing an image around this concept would lose the impact and relevancy of the reality of the potential threat.

Instead I found a purpose in the reports of large increases in public gatherings which fell outside of the government guidance and typical controllable areas such as bars and clubs. The Manchester Evening News being the predominant newspaper of the Greater Manchester Area claimed that over 1,100 separate incidents had been reported to the police and that 10 arrests and 11 fines had been issued. For me the lack of enforcement shown in these cases, some 6 months into the management of the pandemic, are representative of the systemic failure of containing and curtailing the spread of Covid-19. The sheer volume of cases shows the disregard for the potential harm to the attendees and their immediate families but also the continued breach of restrictions over a sustained period of time is the result of a lack of effective enforcement of the guidelines.

My thoughts on the methods of enforcement were of a police service, scared of public backlash to previous attempts to enforce restrictions, which had fallen back to an approach of PR management resulting in seeking public approval in the restrictions.

For this assignment I both wanted to challenge this approach but also challenge the general public to think about their own responsibility in the management of the pandemic. To achieve this I wanted to engage the public in an image or series of images which both highlighted the issues we face but without specifically identifying individuals as instigators.

Taking inspiration both from my own work on assignment 3 with the construction of an image but also from the work of Philip-Lorca diCorcia, in which many of his images feature a scene which has been staged and an element of the unknown introduced with the unprepared or even unknowingly involved subject. Further to this I was intrigued by the writing of Tim Edensor and his concept of national identity, specifically his the ideas around the absorption, dilution and redistribution of ideas within a network of individuals. And finally the influence of various graffiti and performance artists who seek out unplanned and unsanctioned avenues of displaying their work in public spaces.

The final idea then became creating a scene in which the general public could interact with or react to, which has a topical agenda but without being to ‘on-the-nose’

I chose a location which would both, guarantee visibility and footfall, and relate to the overall purpose of the image. That location was the main entrance to the Manchester Arndale shopping mall. I selected it for the context of the issues of not wearing masks being especially prevalent within retail and hospitality businesses and also for the fact that the main metro and train stations are opposite and adjacent.For the timing I had previously decided on a Saturday again in keeping with the purpose of reaching as many people as possible, I also chose early morning to allow for the setting up of equipment and props with minimal disruption.

• 

• 

• 

For the props I started with the idea of involving the police, this lead to discovering the various laws around impersonating a police office and eventually t the idea of utilising one of the, more recently introduced, cardboard cutouts. It seemed fitting both avoiding issues but also in the way it reflects back on the necessity of invoking the visual deterrent of a police officer in retail establishments, as response to the reduction in police budgets effectively decriminalising shop lifting and other petty crimes. The use of latex gloves had been the original spark of interest in the project, as an indicator of the need to wear PPE, a recognisable symbol of the purpose and, originally, as a floating balloon to entice people into co-operation, unfortunately helium doesn’t interact with latex very nicely. The final prop was the inclusion of a poster, red with white lettering, reading ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’, again intended as a satirical reference not only to the national identity but the method and medium of instruction on lockdown guidance.

As outlined previously, my goal would be to record the reactions and interactions of the public when presented with the final piece. The props and location were selected to be just ‘normal’ enough to fit within the expected and hopefully just different enough to create a sense of surrealism, a minor disruption to the normal routines of life whilst not creating a distinct negative reaction which would immediately end the ‘experiment’.

In post processing these images I wanted to keep the edit to the minimum. Choosing to adjust the perspectives to correct vertices and minor crops to remove distractions and some cohesion of framing. The main stylistic choice was to present the images in black and white. I felt it suited the final selection more, as the visual look is reminiscent of aftermath photography and connotations of ‘real’, whilst also removing the challenge of balancing a vast array of conflicting colours in a non distracting way. The addition of grain adds to the overall visceral experience.

I selected the title ‘This is not a photograph of a Policeman’ in reference to the inclusion of a cardboard policeman, as challenge to the concept of photography as document and as reference to ‘Cece n’est pas une pipe’ Margritte’s surrealist challenge to representation.

Research

https://harleybainbridgecontextnarrative.wordpress.com/2020/09/24/tutor-suggested-reading-national-identity-popular-culture-and-everyday-life-tim-edensor/

https://harleybainbridgecontextnarrative.wordpress.com/2020/09/17/police-response-to-covid-19-restrictions/

https://harleybainbridgecontextnarrative.wordpress.com/2020/09/15/philip-lorca-dicorcia/

https://harleybainbridgecontextnarrative.wordpress.com/2020/09/10/photography-a-cultural-history-4th-edition-mary-warner-marien/

Artist Statement

‘This is Not a Photograph of a Policeman’

Saturday 19th September 2020, four days prior to the introduction of stricter restrictions of the gathering of people and opening hours of hospital venues during the resurgence of Covid-19 infections.

How do people react when presented with information outside of their everyday routine?

Do they stop and examine, turn away and ignore, carry on unaware or destroy it?

At 10am Manchester interacted with a cardboard policeman carrying a bundle of deflated latex gloves and a message of ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’.

At 11.15am it was removed by Arndale Security assisted by a homeless man.

I don’t know whether I should be annoyed by its short life or worried it lasted so long.

Final Images

• 

• 

• 

• 

Contact Sheets

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Reflection

Development of Technical Skills

The outcome of this assignment hasn’t been one of technical prowess, more an exploration of conceptual ideas. I would say that the use of technique and final edit are representative of the desired outcome and approach and that as shown in my contact sheets, an execution which enabled the possibility to process the images in a variety of styles if needed. I would however be wrong in saying that the outcome is the best it possibly could be. In a previous brief review of the initial edit my tutor mentioned the possibility of producing video along side the photographs and also reframing in a more intimate way either through being physically closer or with a telephoto lens. In retrospect these are both valid points which I feel could have added to or even dramatically changed the engagement with the scene.

Demonstrate Conceptual engagement and Personal Expression

This is one area I feel the work is strongest. The additional reading provided by my tutor has helped develop my own ideas and thoughts more clearly resulting in a project that I would previously not undertaken. the creation of staged props and scenes is not a practice I had attempted in the previous unit and here it marks another first in both developing from nothing a scene and also positioning that scene out in the public. I do however feel that the addition of the props has not detracted from my own personal approach, as reflected in assignment 1 of this unit and in a previous assignment for EYV. Rather it has taken my natural inclination for documentary style images and added to that experience with a more personal statement.

Develop Contextual understanding of Historical and Contemporary Photography and Consider Theoretical Approaches to Photography.

For this assignment, and the majority of Context and Narrative, I have found myself more engaged with the reading aspect of the course, partly through feedback from my previous unit and also through the support of my tutor who has suggested several texts outside of the realm of photography. Whilst I still struggle to adequately record, reference and research topics in an academic way, I do find that I have begun to seek the boundaries of photography more. Here it is the result of sociological reading which prompts me to consider the human condition more combined with the increasingly familiarity of contemporary photographers such as DiCorcia as referenced here. the writing of Marien has been excellent resource in helping me understand more about the history of photography, specifically the reason why certain images fit to a time period and how that association can be reappropriated to develop meaning

Develop Your Skills of Critical Analysis and Self-Appraisal

This section is one which I continue to work towards with the support of my tutor feedback and suggested reading. My main struggles lie more in the sense of fearing being ‘incorrect’. I feel that assignment 4 helped the most with developing the skills and confidence to write more critical work, reflected in my blog post on Susan Sontag but I still need to develop a more consistent approach to critical work. In self- appraisal I feel that as my work becomes more conceptual I struggle to reflect effectively on the work in comparison to my previous unit. This is most likely due to the shift away from the technical reflection and more towards having an independent view on the quality and effectiveness of my work. With having early success in this unit with assignment 2 I also felt a sense of doubt in being able to sustain the standard I had set out. One cause for this may be my desire in accelerating my learning in comparison to my early assignment sand units, resulting in less time to ponder and revisit work before submission. I do however feel that this increased schedule has pushed faster adoption and implementation of ideas, I feel that whilst I may not have challenged myself as dramatically from a technical point of view since Unit 1, I do feel that my work is more reflective of my goals and more complex with themes.

Conclusion

Overall I feel this has been my most personally challenging assignment so far. I feel I have achieved what I set out to when conceiving the idea, the goal of creating an installation or scene with which I hope to capture the effects of the disruption to routine. The images I present are something I couldn’t have choreographed any other way and in this I find a satisfaction in the chaotic nature of the outcome.

I feel that the research suggested by my tutor has been very helpful in solidifying the concept and refining my understanding of the issues I sought to elicit and confront.

I do however believe that the final images, whilst good, could have been even more effective with more control and planning into the lighting and camera positions. The current selection has a suitable camera position but as I shot handheld from slight various position through the theme I was there it has resulted in a more disjointed series that I feel could possible have worked better if shot from a fixed tripod position. This would also have enabled me to shot with an intervalometer and introduce a more random nature to the shutter release. The lighting was unfortunately due to the location of the setting and the time of day but, much as I drew inspiration from diCorcia, I could have drawn technique from his lighting in similar locales.

Finally, I believe I may have uncovered ideas in the process of developing this concept that are still beyond my ability to either fully comprehend or communicate. I feel I have develop greatly over the last several months thanks to the increased reading outside of photography but I also feel I lack the tools to communicate and develop that new knowledge fully.