You’ve absolutely thrown yourself into Context and Narrative, making work that is striking, engaging and thought-provoking. This assignment ends everything on a really good note, even though it would have benefited from further time and consideration. But to attempt something audacious and complex is testament to what you are bringing to everything.
I feel these comment sum up the work brilliantly. I set myself a challenge of making it to the November assessment prior to the lockdown restrictions and in doing so didn’t allow for the impact on my output. This meant that whilst I had considered the project for a several weeks, the actually final planning and execution where to a tight deadline, something which I feel has resulted in images that don’t fit my initial visualisation. I do however feel that it has been an excellent learning endeavour, both in developing a consistent theme to the unit as a whole but also in highlighting areas of development to focus on and plan for in the future.
Feedback on Assignment
The ideas here are great as is the willingness to so much into the you are making.
The labour and ideas stand out more than the final work. Rather than a definitive expression it feels more like your initial experiments. The images are good in their own right, but they don’t have as much impact as the work perhaps demands. The experience gained will mean that any future ‘interventions’ will be that bit more attuned to the -vital- smaller details
Calm the post processing down, your treatment in post has been a bit heavy-handed and rather takes away from the impact of what is actually going on in the images.
What it lacks in finesse and impact it makes up in chutzpah, ambition, audacity and vitality. It’s not as accomplished as other work but that’s not always important. Ending the unit with work that shows fearlessness stands as an important piece for your development and that you are moving in the right direction.
I agree on all the critical points of this assignment. I will be updating the final images to reflect the points on the post processing as I do feel that I was trying to make up for the lack of finesse and impact with an overbearing B&W conversion. On our video call my tutor suggested that sometimes it is better to accept the output for what it is rather than trying to ‘fix’ any perceived issues in post. We discussed how this concept could be reproduced in various locales with differing results both in the images but also in the public reaction and how that could be enhanced and supported by the use of like minded participants to help curate a better final outcome. I feel my anxiety around producing the piece caused a focus more on just getting it out there and done and distracted from constructing a scene which would allow for the desired visual refinement. Going forward I feel that now I have completed the act once I will have the experience to not fear the process and allow myself more time to effectively plan the production, especially in regards to scouting areas and equipment setups.
Research
Your engagement with academics ideas is improving and you are being much more obviously lead by intellectual curiosity.
I feel that the shift in focus from photographic research to more socially concious reading has definitely help me further my thinking on how to approach and assignment. Whilst for this assignment I had definite influences in execution and approach, the foundation was based in the reading suggested by my tutor. I look forward to continuing this approach to studying as I find the process enlightening, informative and inspirational. I do however believe that I still need to step up my researching ability and commitment, especially in areas which will expand me ideas and also the final execution to support the final outcome.
Suggested Reading/viewing
Artists who make books, Andrew Roth, Philip Aarons and Claire Lehmann
Believing is seeing: observations on the mysteries of photography, Errol Morris
Reflection
Overall I have felt that my tutor has always provided useful and supportive feedback. With this assignment I think this comes through in my attempt to further my conceptualisation of themes and desire to have a more proactive integration with an audience and participants as part of that theme. My tutors points on the final output of the images are honest and echo my own evaluation but it is reassuring the see that whilst they aren’t to the standard I envisioned, the overall progress of my academic and conceptual abilities is recognised as improving. Going forward I plan to allow myself more time in planning the execution and reviewing the output to maximise the potential of the concept. I also plan to increase my contextual studies as recommended to ensure I continue to work on ideas of value. I look forward to moving onto the next unit and taking what I have learned and hopefully more successfully utilising my visual skills to further improve my overall work.
The original draft is presented in entirety below with the final revisions and reflections added to the end of this post.
Brief
Construct a stand-alone image of your choice. Alternatively, 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.
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.
Reflection
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.
Final Draft Revisions
After today’s feedback session I have decided to follow the advice of my tutor and go with my original edits for the final images of this assignment.
The points raised in the feedback regarding the ‘over-processing’ of the images in an attempt to push the initially desired dramatic affect are valid. I feel I had set myself a task that whilst possible to do, I wasn’t quite ready to execute the the desired standard and due to the dissonance between what I imagined and what I finally saw there was a desire to achieve the ‘look’ in post.
I feel that my tutors advice on accepting what the work has created and allowing that to speak for its self is an approach I have usually preferred, as with assignment 1, but I have also felt myself pushing to build on the technical successes of assignment 2.
However, in this case I have reverted to the images back to original camera profile with only very minor tweaks to balance the overbearing reds and blues. Whilst I do feel that these lack a certain something in regards to immediate visual impact, I do feel that the understated nature of the images now lends itself more to the concept of challenging the every day.
The final images are presented below.
Final Reflection
I do feel that the decision to revert the images back to bing in colour is the right choice. There is the sense of currentness that colour indicates and whilst I am sure that with more planning prior to executing the final images would have resulted in images with more impact, I also feel that there is something about the nonchalance of what was captured. I am grateful for the recognition by my tutor for the conceptualisation of the assignment and feel that this has been a great learning experience for me. I finish off Context and Narrative with a clearer, and broader, knowledge both photography and socially aware art in general. For me the has been the biggest reward and I look forward to taking that learning forward to hopefully resolve my visual skills with my conceptual skills to produce both interesting and visual impactful images in the future.
Following on from the tutor feedback session I have decided to make several amendments to my assignment 4 submission. This is to reflect the comments made on loosening up on the tone of writing whilst also looking to make some of the sections flow easier.
Unfortunately due to tight deadlines, I have been unable to follow the more substantial advice of supplementing the argument presented with further research and more refined argument but nonetheless the advice is very sound and going forward something I will endeavour to develop.
The updated essay is presented below.
What can a photograph tell us?
“illiteracy of the future will be ignorance of photography”(Moholy-Nagy:90)
Moholy-Nagy, in his quote, echoed the sentiments of Vachel Lindsay’s “the acres of photographs in the Sunday newspapers make us into a hieroglyphic civilisation” (1916), and in these quotes the purpose of this essay is outlined.
I intend, with the support of classical critical tools, to present an interpretation, reading, of Wim Wenders’ Wall in Paris,Texas. In keeping with the theme of literacy and hieroglyphics, this will be my interpretation of the intention of the artist and his creation. An intention I believe to be of social commentary through photographic history.
Several tools of photographic interpretation were theorised by Roland Barthes, particularly the concepts of ‘Denotation’ and ‘Connotation’ in his essay The Photographic Message (1961) and ‘Stadium’ and ‘Punctum’ in Camera Lucida (1980). These concepts along with the work of Charles Sanders Pierce and Ferdinand de Saussure on Semiotics, specifically the ideas of ‘Signifier’ and ‘Signified’, will be my avenues of discussion.
A chance encounter in Charlotte Cotton’s The Photograph as Contemporary Art 3rd ed. (2014) lead to the selection of Wall in Paris,Texas, partially through the impact of the images aesthetic quality and equally through the desire to select a previously un-encountered image which, theoretically, I have no prior interpretation of, or attachment to.
What we see in this image, the studium, is; a wall, cracked and exposing a painted brick surface beneath white rendering which is obviously aged with weathering and dirt; a road, again aged with weathering cracking the asphalt surface; a pavement or walkway aged with use and marked yellow; a window, small and covered by a blind ; cables crossing the frame and finally, a shadow on the road at an angle to the cables and walkway. These elements present us with familiar information with which we can make the conclusion that what we see, is a street, a simple idea but that is what denotation, the association of objects with literal places and experiences, can tell us. It is with connotation, the association with a feeling or preconceived perception, that ‘seeing’ becomes ‘reading’. The whole area is showing signs of ill repair, connoting an area of low income with little to spare for repair. An area of low interest, left behind by the movement of people away from the area and the sense of past, an image from history and a place with history. It is here that the knowledge of photography expands on those connotations.
The style of image evokes several conceptual art movements. Abstraction, seen in the incompleteness and dislocation of the scene from its locale. Separated from its neighbours and even obfuscating the building as a whole. Its neutrality and straight on framing reminiscent of the New Topographic photographs of urban industrial subjects sharing association with The New Vision, which Moholy-Nagy was heavily associated with, a form of abstract documentary of the industrial 1920’s and 1930’s. The image rejects Pictorial fuzziness and Modernist idealism. All these choices contribute to the sense of difficulty in placing the scene at one location or time period.
With this knowledge one can re-evaluate the image, this time as an exercise in semiotics. I would argue that the ‘Signs’ in this image are also what Barthes called the ‘Punctum’ or the juxtaposition of conflicting, interesting or exciting information. This, for me, is the broken patch on the wall’s facade combined with the crossing cables and shadows. Whilst the connotation of a run down town is valid, they remind me of the aftermath images of war, especially the painted advertisements on walls of 1940’s France, which in turn leads the cables and shadows to be reminiscent of the structure, shape and shadow of the Eiffel Tower, connotations drawn from the knowledge of photographic and world history. These connotations do not appear from the void but are hinted at in the title ‘Wall in Paris, Texas’. For those with the knowledge of photographic history, there is the added association with, oft argued, creator of photography Louis Daguerre and his presentation of the new medium in Paris 1839.
Ansel Adams said, whilst speaking on the blending of art and documentary,“What you’ve got are not photographers. They’re a bunch of sociologists with cameras” (1973:8). One could argue that Wenders, traditionally known as a film director, was merely researching his next locations and this image was never intended to be read, I believe that any image can be read. As a result of the seemingly endless barrage of images and information we are presented with in everyday life, it would naive to think that any photograph has not been realised through the photographers preconceptions and intentions. When Moholy-Nagy and Lindsay spoke of the literacy of photographs and the hieroglyphical nature of visual language it was in opposition to the neutrality of the photograph, warning us of the power to deceive us and the importance of recognising those deceptions.
Therefore I believe Wall in Paris, Texas is best summed up by a quote from Gustav Flaubert, a critic of photography and French mass culture in the mid 19th century, describing France as “a whorish country” filled with “fake materials, fake luxury and fake pride”.
Wenders’ image ‘signifies’ the crumbling of the facade of American culture and prosperity, much in the vein of Flaubert’s opinion of France and the oncoming industrial revolution. Wenders masks this intent in a banal photograph of a wall, aesthetically an interesting image, alluding to photography’s Parisian history and evocative of Robert Frank’s The Americans (1955). But here we see an America that has slowed to a halt as opposed to Frank’s transient, fast paced progression. Where Frank showed the issues of continuous development, Wenders shows the results of that high speed journey on the freeway.
A decent first stab at critical writing, a number of very agreeable points but definitely an area to work on as much as photographic practice. You will get better as a thinker and practitioner with further commitment to research and writing. Useful and worthwhile material but a conspicuous lack of academic material. This requires more patience and diligence and comes over time, make sure to make better use of UCA’s library and academic journals.
As always very fair comments from my tutor, paraphrased for brevity, both clear on direction of development whilst recognising the positives of what I have completed. Academic reading and writing is a completely new experience for me at this level and I am finding it a challenge to both develop my knowledge of the medium whilst identifying relevant material. I feel a little like I am starting from scratch with this having never studied at this prior to starting this degree and I am both cautious in what I read, mainly sticking to the reading list, as relevancy of work is still something I find hard to decipher. I suppose as my confidence goes the reading of material outside the list will become easier as I will be able to to determine relevancy myself and even benefit from reading non-relevant works as counter or contextual pieces.
Feedback on Assignment
Whilst critical writing may be challenging and intimidating right now, they will allow you to really get into something you care about and will sit alongside your major project.
This is a nice read that’s got plenty going for it so the key is to use these written assignments to hone your approach. Be more mindful of developing your skills bit-by-bit, whilst there is no major concern, hunker down and immersive yourself in literature appropriate to this level of study. Academic research requires a slower and more patient approach, but one that is far more nutritious and rewarding over time.
Tips
Loosen up a little. There is a stiffness which appears a little like straining to sound academic, Clarity and expression are what we are looking for, formality shouldn’t mean awkward.
Make lots of notes. At all stages check your development, What are the core ideas? How do they link? Do they add? Have you provided evidence? Are you reasoning or asserting?
All consider the intention of the artist but not overwhelmed by them. Richard Salkeid’s Reading Photograph’s will help with the understanding of denotation and connotation as well as other ideas. The makers of images can never fully control how viewers read them.
Your ability to tune into stuffs very promising and ultimately the main thing. All other skills can most definitely be learned.
Prose in some passages can be a little hard going. Clarity is what you should strive for. Keep it simple.
While it’s a little uneven here and there the core reading of the image is really good. The trick will be to arrive at this point in a more joined up, clear and critically robust manner, this is where the quality of research is absolutely pivotal.
Again paraphrased for brevity, the comments and directions are useful and reassuring. I do strive to write with a coherent and academic style as I find it doesn’t come naturally and will often find myself wandering in thought if not keep firmly in check. However, I do also feel that in the process of proofing, restructuring and refining that I lose some of my personal touch, I rejected a paragraph on the grounds that it was a tongue in cheek poke at the idea of interpreting images. I do feel it was the right decision due to wanting to communicate a coherent theme but in doing so I feel I lost some of the humour I would normally try to write with.
As with the overall comments, I find the views very balanced and agree that my lack of academic knowledge is holding me back both in creating something which brings an individual view but also my confidence in putting that view forward.
Research
The essay is filled with useful stuff, but lacks the scholarly literaturethat’s appropriate at this level of study. But that is something that will come with time if you make the commitment to it.
I do have a love hate relationship with the research at this time, I find it difficult to juggle the academic requirements alongside keeping reading fresh in my mind and often get bogged down over notarising texts. I do however feel that as the reading was mainly from the recommended reading list that I also struggled for what to read beyond that. Thankfully my tutor has recommended several titles and publications which are outside the realm of pure photographic reading which have helped with my development and practice of critical writing.
Reflection
Assignment 4 was for me my most challenging. The idea of putting personal opinion in writing seems to much more real that when blogging about a practical assignment where the focus appears to be more of the output rather than the text. I have no problems with putting out images but I feel that after several decades of working in public facing roles I have become so aware of potentially voicing opinions which conflict with the ‘image’ of the organisations I have worked for that I have essentially censored myself. the writing has definitely helped in refining that practice and given me the push to think and write more critically. I have enjoyed the process and the reading has sparked several ideas for future projects so I look forward to continuing the practice in further assignments and units. I do however feel I have been my own worst enemy in that my desire to push on through the unit has possibly not accounted for the additional work I need to do in areas such as this and with that push I haven’t fully embraced the more time consuming aspects of learning.
Construct a stand-alone image of your choice. Alternatively, 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.
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.
“illiteracy of the future will be ignorance of photography”(Moholy-Nagy,:90)
Moholy-Nagy, in his quote, echoed the sentiments of Vachel Lindsay’s “the acres of photographs in the Sunday newspapers make us into a hieroglyphic civilisation” (1916), and in these quotes the purpose of this essay is outlined.
I intend, with the support of classical critical tools, to present an interpretation, reading, of a singular photographic image. In keeping with the theme of literacy and hieroglyphics, this will be my interpretation of the intention of the artist and his creation. An intention I believe to be of social commentary through photographic history.
Critical tools of photographic interpretation were theorised by philosopher Roland Barthes, particularly the concepts of ‘Denotation’ and ‘Connotation’ in his essay The Photographic Message (1961) and ‘Stadium’ and ‘Punctum’ from Camera Lucida (1980). These concepts along with the work of Charles Sanders Pierce and Ferdinand de Saussure on Semiotics and their ‘Signifier’ and ‘Signified’, will be the avenues of discussion.
A chance encounter in Charlotte Cotton’s The Photograph as Contemporary Art 3rd ed. (2014) lead to the selection of Wall in Paris,Texas, partially through the impact of the aesthetic and equally through the desire to select a previously un-encountered image which, theoretically, I have no prior interpretation of or attachment to.
What we see in this image, the studium, is; a wall, cracked and exposing a painted brick surface beneath the white rendering which is obviously aged with weathering and dirt; a road, again aged with weathering cracking the asphalt surface; a pavement or walkway aged with use and marked yellow; a window, small and covered by a blind ; cables crossing the frame and finally a shadow on the road at an angle to the cables and walkway. These elements present us with familiar information with which we can make the conclusion that what we see is a street, a simple idea but that is what denotation, the association of objects with places and experiences, can tell us. It is with connotation, the association with a feeling or preconceived perception, that ‘seeing’ becomes ‘reading’. The whole area is showing signs of ill repair, connoting an area of low income with little to spare for repair. An area of low interest, left behind by the movement of people away from the area and the sense of past, an image from history and a place with history. It is here that the knowledge of photography expands on those connotations.
The style of image is reminiscent of historic art movements. The dislocation of the scene from indicators of nationality and neighbouring buildings or even the building as a whole, evokes a sense of Abstraction, in its incompleteness. Its neutrality and straight on framing reminiscent of the New Topographic photographs of urban industrial subjects sharing association with The New Vision, which Moholy-Nagy was heavily associated with, a form of abstract documentary of the industrial 1920’s and 1930’s. It lacks the fuzziness of Pictorialism with its clarity and rejects the idealism of Modernism. All influences which contribute to the sense of difficulty in placing the scene at one location or time period.
With this knowledge one can re-evaluate the image, this time as an exercise in semiotics. I would argue that the ‘Signs’ in this image are also what Barthes called the ‘Punctum’ or the juxtaposition of conflicting, interesting or exciting information. This, for me, is the broken patch on the wall’s facade combined with the crossing cables and shadows. Whilst the connotation of a run down town is valid, they remind me of the aftermath images of war, especially the painted walls of 1940’s France, which in turn leads the cables and shadows to be reminiscent of the structure, shape and shadow of the Eiffel Tower, connotations drawn from the knowledge of photographic and world history. These connotations do not appear from the void but are hinted at in the title ‘Wall in Paris, Texas’. For those with the knowledge of photographic history, the connotations lead to, the oft argued, photography’s creator Louis Daguerre and his presentation of the new medium in Paris 1839.
Ansel Adams said, whilst speaking on the blending of art and documentary,“What you’ve got are not photographers. They’re a bunch of sociologists with cameras”(1973:8). One could argue that Wenders, traditionally known as a film director, was merely researching his next locations and this image was never intended to be read, I believe that any image can be read. As a result of the seemingly endless barrage of images and information we are presented with in everyday life, it would naive to think that any photograph has not been realised through the photographers preconceptions and intentions. When Moholy-Nagy and Lindsay spoke of the literacy of photographs and the hieroglyphical nature of visual language it was in opposition to the neutrality of the photograph, warning us of the power to deceive us and the importance of recognising those deceptions.
Therefore I believe Wall in Paris, Texas is best summed up by a quote from Gustav Flaubert, a critic of photography and French mass culture in the mid 19th century, describing France as “a whorish country” filled with “fake materials, fake luxury and fake pride”.
Wenders’ image ‘signifies’ the crumbling of the facade of American culture and prosperity much in the vein of Flaubert’s opinion of France and the oncoming industrial revolution. Wenders masks this intent in a banal photography of a wall, aesthetically an interesting image, evocative of Robert Frank’s The Americans (1955), but here we see an America that has slowed to a halt as opposed to Frank’s transient, fast paced progression. Where Frank showed the issues of continuous development, Wenders shows the results of that high speed journey on the freeway.
Adams addressing Roy Stryker head of the Asa ‘in this proud land: America 1935-43 as seen in the FSA photographs (greenwich, ct : New York graphic Society, 1973 p.8 (11/09/2020)
The assignment sits well with assignment 2, again with a ‘fascinating’ introduction showing ambition. Despite the positives there is a sense of the series not coming together and ‘sitting’ as well as Assignment 2, also there is a sense of disconnect between the introductory text and the final images.
I feel this is very fair feedback and actually better than I was expecting. As mentioned I also believe I have the foundation for promising piece of work with the concept and statement but I also feel that the final images don’t write capture what I was going for and as rightly pointed out don’t feel as coherent as the previous assignment.
Feedback On Assignment
‘Thoughtful, eloquent an bold’ and a challenge to reflect oneself as seen in the last two assignments
‘Likeable’ but not as deft as assignment 2. Homage can come across as parody if not executed well losing the ‘signature’
Overall likeable but feels a l’little throwaway’ in comparison to Assignment 2, Pastiche/homage can become a focus on the reference and not the subject and is a fine line to walk. Works well as a stylistic exercise.
Again I feel the comments are very fair and summarise my own thoughts well. Again I feel that the written work is the strongest aspect of this assignment and any comments referring to thoughtfulness come from that. The final images whilst close to what my intent was are little more than technical exercises, ones which revealed the limitations of my space, equipment and skill, so in that case it was an interested learning moment but ultimately even when shooting the images I did feel a sense of focusing on inserting reference rather than understanding and communicating the point of the reference.
Research
The research shown is appropriate but not necessarily critical of the source and rather cited and noted. the times of identity could be much deeper investigated and further refining the core idea would benefit.
Initially I wasn’t in a agreement with this feedback as I felt I has stepped up my game in reading more around the overall subject of self-portraiture but on reflection I understand that the issue is more about contextual studies of themes I approach rather the work of others in the ‘sub-genre’. critical writing is something I will be working on for the next assignment, as my studying progresses I understand that it will be much more prevalent and I want to be prepared for that.
Suggested Reading/Viewing
Media, Gender and Identity: an introduction by David Gauntlett (especially the ‘some background debates’ section).
National Identity, Popular Culture and Everyday Life, Tim Edensor.
Tina Patel’s Race and Society
Pointers for Next Assignment / Assessment
‘Keep going’ but make sure research and reflections are up to date and relevant as well as being critically engaging. Start working on assessment and how it will be presented. Tight schedule for the submission so ensure to keep working on developing.
Reflection
Overall I feel glad that I completed this assignment the way I did, mainly for the opportunity to refine my working ahead of the final two assignments but also because as an idea I was struggling to move past it without attempting it. Although the images were generally good, the fact they are coming through as a parody is understandable, as previously mentioned I did feel myself that I was focused more on the re-creation and reference than on the actual emotional connection to the concept and outcome. The feedback on critical writing is helping to further refine the written work I create and I feel that the next assignment is the perfect way for me to concentrate on developing that skill ahead of assessment. Although assessment is only 6 weeks away, the feedback has been good for building my confidence and focusing in moon what I need to achieve so I feel that it is achievable to meet that deadline. Whilst normally I would focus on revamping this set of images I feel that to achieve what I set out would be a large undertaking at this point, with the feedback being generally good with only drawbacks in comparison to previous work I feel that I would be better spending my limited time focusing on the writing with the opportunity towards the deadline to further develop this if time allows.
I do feel that this may be an idea I completely revisit at a point in time where I am more able to visually understand the story I am trying to tell.
For this assignment my Tutor pointed out the ‘fundamental stylistic difference’ presented in this assignment in comparison to assignment 1 and that the text setup the work in an engaging way. That the work was ‘imaginative, timely, thoughtful, visually striking, rich and socially engaged’.
Reading these comments was both extremely satisfying and terrifying in fairly equal measure. Creating the work I felt I had a strong concept and some strong images but as usual my personal reservations ensured that, whilst I felt fairly confident in my own appreciation of the work, I wasn’t convinced that I had achieved the goals I had set out in my writing.
Feedback on Assignment
The essence of the main points of feedback were:
The contact sheets show the work and prep in executing the work
Some slight over doing of post production in places, a lean towards under-doing ensures control
The images are imaginative and capture the sense desired whilst the naked wasteland image is a good break from the others and uses ‘space’ well
Toning on the breakfast could be toned down and the suited images seems to miss ‘something’
Captions are not really suitable, potentially not even needed
This assignment should feature heavily in assessment
I can honestly say I agree with every point on the feedback. Post-processing is always a fine balance and I prefer the lighter touch with images, initially when reading this feedback I didn’t fully appreciate the nuance of the post processing but, upon reviewing the work several weeks later I can see how there is still a sense of forcing the tones and I will amend. The captions are normally something I do tend to use, in this case I agree that they don’t really add anything to the series and that ambiguity would be the better approach with this set so I will remove them, I do intend to keep persevering with refining additional text though as I think that is something that will, when perfected, add to my work. For the suited image, I agree that ‘something’ is missing, I’m not sure what it is but I feel it needs a point of additional juxtaposition. The image of the suited top and pyjama bottoms is a common one in the time of Skype meetings so when I included this it was mainly as a continuation of that them, the fact it lacks that ‘something’ is what puts it in with other versions of the same. I was drawn to my dog looking towards me was enough but potentially this is over looked due to depth of field or lighting balance. There is also potential for something on the screen on the computer.
Research
The feedback on research was positive in that it recognised the reading I was doing but also suggested that I focus more on turning that reading into critical writing and organising the blog posts into a specific research section for each assignment. My Tutor recommended this would help develop my critical thinking and writing, show more ‘depth and substance’ to my analysis and more clearly show assessors my understanding of the work completed.
Again all points that I agree with and have put into action. Each assignment now has a dedicated research section which I can share with my Tutor separating out my general learning and the more specific reference to the assignment I am completing. At first I felt I was doing enough writing on the reading I was competing but I have begun to supplement this ‘review’ style of blogging with paragraphs on my thoughts on each piece, be this supportive or critical. Hopefully this will show, with the backing of the cross referencing, that I am not simply accepting what I see but also counterbalancing it against other views and reference material.
Learning Log
My Tutor wrote of my willingness to speak openly about my personal connection to the brief and the themes I choose to work within that brief. Also, how this strike a balance of intelligent use of emotion which isn’t simply sentimental.
I find that I write my concepts and themes after considering the brief for several weeks sometimes. I feel this helps me refine my ideas but also dismiss any initial jumps to obvious conclusions, and therefore archetypical emotional responses. The actual sense of objectiveness is not necessarily something I purposefully attempt to achieve but more a result of manifesting the idea as an exercise of investigating the ‘subject’. This distancing is what I feel helps and I feel that is what comes through in the writing. As for my ability to write academically, that is something I feel I really need to drill down into as so far I wouldn’t know if I have done a good job or not until assessment and feedback.
Suggested Reading/Viewing
Philip Lorca DiCorcia
Stephen Gill’s ‘A Series of Disappointments’
Pointers for Next Assignment
Whilst the online submission is still in place, ensure I still work with printing to ensure that I continue to refine those skills and prepare for future need to submit physically also provide PDF version of blog post along with all images at high resolution.
Reflection
Looking back at this assignment several weeks after completion and submission, I do notice minor things about the images that I would like to amend. As mentioned previously in this feedback review the post processing on one or two images could be toned down a little to bring them inline with the rest of the set and also to support the impact of arguably the two strongest images. I feel my tutor has given some very good support and direction in the feedback, more along the lines of refining the work and the supportive research which are both areas I recognise as potential for improvement. Having had another meeting with my Tutor since this feedback session I spoke of feeling that, in a way, I feel this was a high point for my work so far but also immediately followed by a sense of uncertainty about being able to capture that quality again. I think one of things that helped define this assignment so well was the fact that whilst I was the ‘model’ in the work, it was not necessarily a collection of ‘self-portraits’ more a collections of portraits of an everyman representing a universal sense of isolation. This distancing meet I wasn’t so caught up in every single detail trying to perfectly achieve a preset goal, something I struggled with in assignment 3. This distancing also allowed the images to ‘breathe’ more and feel ‘looser’ for interpretation, a point again supported by my Tutors feedback on captions.
Finally the points raised on research and critical writing have also been helpful, I already feel more confident in writing critically after only two blog entries, I feel a fear of being wrong in interpretation and execution of referencing works has held me back from getting truly involved in the process but, another point raised by my Tutor during a recent meeting is that this is only unit 2 and this is the time to be learning and making those mistakes.
I will amend these notes to the end of my assignment submission for continuity along with changes I make to the final work.
Drawing upon the examples in Part Three and your own research, you can approach your self-portraits however you see fit. You may choose to explore your identity or masquerade as someone else, or use empty locations or objects to speak of your experiences. However you choose to approach it, use yourself – directly or indirectly – as subject matter.
Foreward
Having completed Assignment 2: The Unseen and inadvertently creating a series of self-portraits very much capturing the contents of my day to day life during the diary process, I decided to approach this project from a different angle.
Part of the brief outline mentions the use of a model as a stand in to recreate and capture moments from your diary as ‘film-stills’. This idea combined with my own thoughts on self quite well and along with the research I had completed in preparation for completing this assignment resulted in this finalised concept of representing self.
One past-time that has managed to keep me occupied during the past few months has been the watching and re-watching of new and old favourite films. This reminded me of my early teen years were film was a huge passion of mine, something I now recognise as being a large influence on my creative side and also the only like to an world outside of my small, local, council estate village upbringing.
Concept
The idea of ‘self’ not only as the images we put forward to represent ourselves but the societal expectation of ‘who we are’ through the connotations of those stereotypes. The multifaceted concept of ‘self’ is both a result of our known and unknown influences throughout our lives. The masks we wear for certain roles, expectations and interactions along with the in-grained opinions and knowledge we learn or adopt from a vast array of sources.
This short series titled ‘Flow My Tears…’ is an attempt to capture the duality of perception, what we literally see in the image and what we ‘read’ in the image.
‘Flow My Tears…’ is a reference to the novel ‘Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said’ by Philip K. Dick. The subject of which is the dystopia experience of waking up one day to realise that you entire existence has been erased from history raising the question of sanity and state control much in the vein of George Orwell’s ‘1984’ but very much the work of Dick in that recreational drug use is now a state sanctioned past time designed to appease the masses and mask the loss of autonomy.
Taking influence from Cindy Shermans ongoing photo series ‘Untitled Film Stills’ I have chosen to explore what I feel is the largest influence on my own personal development, both as a source of knowledge, behaviours and artistic vision, cinema.
The images presented in this collection are recreations of scenes from some of my most loved films, selected both for their theme of questioning the human condition and also their impact on my personal beliefs, positive and negative.
Each image is intended to be both pleasing aesthetically, communicating a surface level message about myself, whilst, for those with cinematic knowledge, presenting the themes of these films through the association and recognition of their story. Supplemental to these two attempts at narrative there are further references within each frame to several other influential films, both adding to the depth of narrative but also reflecting how, unbeknownst to me, I had even adopted the ‘taste’ from some of those films art direction.
Execution
For this assignment I chose to shoot all my images with ‘natural’ light, a technique often used by Stanley Kubrick, the only addition to the existing room lighting was the use of a reflector to help bounce and fill some shadows were needed. I used a remote shutter with 2 sec delay so I could adopt the final pose and maintain the camera’s steadiness in low shutter speeds.
For the final edit I chose a 16:9 ratio which was convenient in that it is recognisable as a cinema format but also as my camera has a matting mode to allow for easy blocking of the image. I also used the colour balance tool to give the images a tint towards cyan to more align the images with film stock of the 1970’s and 80’s along with adding a pass of film grain and avoiding any sharpening tools to maintain a minor softness to each image. For the 3rd image I used the warping tools for the effect of the being sucked to the screen.
Research
For this assignment I conducted research both into the film making process and into photographers recognised for their self-portraiture work.
I found that Cindy Sherman’s ‘Untitled Film Stills’ was the key to my choice to pursue this concept. Her use of herself as a stand in for the portrayal of female roles across the noir, thriller and b-movie genres of film really caught my attention as a piece of work that questions stereotypes, perceptions and the meaning of self. Her dedication to the effective realism of her film stills really captured my imagination as they are so effective in alluding to memories of non existent films.
Further to the thematic inspiration found in Sherman’s work, I was very inspired by the book ‘Photography – The Key Concepts’ in which Author David Bate present an overview of photographic theory across the past 150 years. In his writing the ideas of localisation and semiotics was a repeated theme, one which I still have to re-read to truly grasp. The discussion of an image losing and gaining meaning across different time periods and regions is an interesting one, in the time of globalisation we see this more and more as studios and writers adapted and outright change consumable media to suit the region of release.
For the research into film making I watched several documentaries on the making of the selected films and/or their directors. Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Luc Besson, David Cronenberg, Sophia Coppola and Michel Gondry all being favourites of mine and all being featured in this series. Through these ‘making ofs’ I was able to learn about the different aspect ratios, focal lengths, lighting techniques and camera movements that they have adopted as their approach, how they have utilised the traits to communicate different ideas and how they have adapted them to suit different stories or challenges.
Artist Statement
Being an only child growing up with only two or three similarly aged friends, on a street of only 30 houses, stuck 6 miles from the nearest town and coming from a family background of alternative music and lifestyle (in comparison to anyone at school) film played a big part in my understanding of the wider world. With positive and negative outcomes. It inspired me to learn about photography, music, performance and to travel. All positives traits which helped drive me to explore and learn as much as possible about the world. I learnt about communication both directness and humour both skills that helped mean my careers and relationships. But, on the negative side I learnt an idealism only possible in fiction. Whilst the experience was fantastic for developing ambition it wasn’t great at teaching responsibility, acceptance or actualisation. In a way living vicariously through the eyes of a protagonist or director supplanted my own consciousness into that of an observer, constantly looking for the plot and compartmentalising life into different stories each with its own temporal existence.
Contact Sheets
Final Images
Reflection
Demonstration of Technical and Visual Skills
Having reviewed each image individually I feel that they represent possible 85% of the intended outcome.
The positives within the images are;
The framing, aspects of the use of existing light, the balance of colour and light and dark and also the placement of props in non-intrusive but significant locations within the frame.
The points I feel I could have improved are;
The lighting of the scene creating interest and emotion,I feel that due to the relatively low power of the lights there is quite a significant lack of impactful lighting of the subject, leaving the subject quite flat looking and not distinct from the background were needed. Also, the lack of dynamic range from shooting digital in comparison to film leaves the images lacking the ‘richness’ of the source material which was shot on film, some of this could be achieved with batter lighting as mentioned. Two other changes I feel that would benefit the images would be the use of a wider focal length, I only have a 28mm, and a more traditional unmatted aspect ratio, whilst film is often displayed at 16:9 it is most commonly ‘matted’ to this ratio from 1.33:1 or 1.85:1. Both of these changes would have given the image more of a cinematic feel, the wider focal length giving the content room to breathe and enabling more room to work with lighting etc whilst the aspect ratio would have heightened the ‘feel’ of cinema whilst also giving more usable work space for lighting etc.
Quality of Outcome
I would say that the quality of outcome is on par with the Visual skills outlined above, 85%. I feel that whilst everything is as intended, tilts and angles included, I also believe that if I had introduced higher powered and/or studio lighting to replace the existing ‘natural’ lighting it would have resulted in not only more engaging imagery but also the ability to use a faster shutter, higher f.stop and lower iso both resulting in lower digital noise and a greater depth of field were needed.
Demonstration of Creativity
This assignment is more of a progression on my previous assignment rather than a completely new endeavour. For this reason I believe the creativity could possibly have been demonstrated more with a new approach to the subject. However, I do feel that the development of the idea has added to the narrative of the image and the concept of three layers of understanding within the image is better than my previous work. Whether the concept works is another question as I have inherent knowledge of the septic information with the frame which many may not recognise.
Outcome
Overall I feel this assignment is so close to being good that the fact it seems to just miss the mark results in my feeling that it falls heavily. I feel that everything is there but it is missing an element that just pulls the images together. I thought the photography would be relatively easy idea to execute but it was in that process that I discovered the limits of my equipment and possibly current skills. If I was to re-shoot this series I would look to either invest in a wider lens or, in an ideal world, recreate the whole scenes in a studio where I would have the space to step back and let the image breathe, as well as be able to manage and manipulate the light in more satisfying ways.
Initially a collection of 70 black and white images, ‘Untitled Film Stills’ is a project from Cindy Sherman exploring identity through self portraiture. her approach has been to ‘cast’ herself in stereotypical female roles from film, mimicking every detail from the camera setup to the wardrobe.
These roles primarily come from the genres of Film Noir and B-Movies of the 1950’s.
fig.1 ‘Untitled Film Still #21’
Often these ‘Stills’ are in the style of promotional shots which are often used in film posters as a way of communicating the genre of the film as well as attract attention to the cast and characters. With the information we are given in these posters we generalise our narrative expectation and it is with this context that Sherman plays.
In (fig 1) ‘Untitled Film Still #21’, we see Sherman taking on the role of a Hitchcock style female protagonist, conservatively dressed with an extreme camera angle looking up and tilted towards her as she worryingly looks out of frame. This combination of points immediately bring to mind a sense of uncertainty and dread, the selling points of a thriller film.
Later in her career, Sherman expanded this series to include colour photographs and at a much larger scale, 24″ and above in comparison to the original 8″x11″. This progression not only reflects the shift in photography and cinema towards colour but also the increased ability to present images at much larger formats.
fig2. ‘Untitled Film Still #92
In ‘Untitled Film Still #92’ (fig.2) we see a very similar approach to the structure of the image, this time we see a titled downward camera with a dishevelled, wet Sherman on all fours still looking worryingly out of frame, but this time to the right. Another archetype of thriller genre films, harking back again to Hitchcock but also late century directors who drew upon his influence.
Overall, Sherman’s work very much challenges the female role in visual media. The majority of her work sees her as the provocateur, dismal in distress, victim or inhuman monster. This reflects the Hollywood female archetype which, with some exceptions to the rule, typically portrays women as those in need of male saviour and if not a helpless housewife then as the witch or possessed monster that needs exorcising or defeating.
This leads also into her work outside of the ‘Untitled Film Stills’ collection and into her representations of the glamour industry in the style of 1970’s pornography and exploitation.
In many ways I feel that Sherman is exploring her own relationship with this archetypes, no doubt an influence on her as she was discovering for herself what it means to be a woman growing up in the 1950’s & 60’s. I also feel that her draws attention to the limited representation of women in a male dominated world of art and cinema. Her aping of the styles so intertwined with the genres of Not, B-Movie and Thriller reflects back on the directors and cinematographers who were the proponents of this ‘typing’ of women, her glances of screen almost feeling like indignant stares towards those curating the picture.
Finally the use of Sherman in utilising the 8×10 as the stock, displaying the images cheaply and almost haphazardly was inline with the practice of the film promoters whose goals was not art but simply hitting the box office with affordable and disposable marketing. This medium of presentation also reflects the disposability of the female artists and characters, the male typically being the headline artist in these genres.
Context & Narrative 
