I am happy with my results for this terms project, however, I’ve recently decided to extend it further into my FMP due to the concept of not taking it to its full potential this time around (didn’t interact with strangers).
Research
Genre: documentary – Exploring parts in peoples’ lives that give a story portraying how I perceive the culture in Devon, England. I took the idea from Russian photographer Dmitry Markov who I’ve been enthusiastic about for nearly a year now. All the research that I undertook helped my ideas develop. Although I kept Dimitry’s techniques, such as having the exact angle view he uses for his imagery as my main inspiration, other photographers I researched throughout the term, have also influenced the concept.
I wanted a grungy, almost sad social/street style to be told in my photos, I feel I’ll improve on that significantly for my FMP.
During the editing process, I relooked through Dimitry’s photographs at the same time to get a closer understanding of how he edited. The first thing was to de-saturate the photos. The lowest I could decrease was up to -40, whilst some I started adding +5 to +15 clarity as I noticed there was a sharpness within most of his images. The contrast would differ up or down the slider when deciding whether it would fit well with Markov’s style of edits. I ensured that I avoided cropping the imagery apart from one, as it appeared Markov did not crop his. Except for desaturating all pictures, edits would go one of two ways which depended on the shadows, brightness and angle of how I captured the initial shot.
Concept
Achieving the concept meant my intentions were forced on myself approaching/meeting strangers in the street and local places. Tavistock market was the only place I set for greeting people. However, as a safety precaution, I planned a list of 6 ideas where I’d use models I know in invented scenes which seemed from a stranger’s perspective.
I was meant to engage with strangers to capture a chapter in my life as well as documenting theirs hoping to define the culture they live in. As Dimitry states when documenting that his pictures are not portraying just social situations but marking a chapter in his life. Having said that, I did not do so. I felt this was because I was struggling with interacting with people at this time of the year and I sensed that other people were not in the right frame of mind. I am encouraged to develop the idea in my FMP as I believe this will improve my photography and social skills.
Each shoot is its own decisive story told in the order I shot them. Two of these I created and made using the surrounding materials within my home and placed models performing activities that reveal their unique personalities.
Technique Shoot 1
The first shoot represents people that go hand in hand with poker, bringing strangers together potentially allowing friendships to grow. Firstly, I concentrated on the hands, moving further away due to not zooming in or out, using the angle of view technique that was inspired by Dimitry’s hand image. This was a comforting start to the beginning of the first of three shoots.
I used the table as the focal point as its where the game took place. Adding different things that showed the progression of the story and defined games.
Looking at the images, I did not realise before, that the main subject seems to be left waiting. I like the angle of the image on the left and how its followed by a close up of the shuffling hands.
In this image, there is a major difference from the rest as seen in the main subjects body language. He seems more alive and motivated, communicating, relaxing and participating as he is not alone anymore. Finally in the game with another.
Technique Shoot 2
This is Finlay, he spends some of his afternoons practising how to use a firestick on the fire duct above his house in Tavistock. As you can see “Talk To Us” samaritans and “Danger Do Not Climb On This Wall” signs. These have been put up about a year and a half ago, due to suicides happening before in the exact place. I believed this to be an intriguing story taking place, in an equally thought-provoking area that matched exceptionally with the whole concept.
The model let me know that there had been enough fuel for one maybe two go’s with firestick and he wasn’t certain how long each go would last. I kept in mind that I should use the time wisely and in preparation, we did test composition poses before lighting the stick. Both images show Finn soaking either end of the stick sponge’s in petrol, I focused on how I framed the left image a lot using the nine squares on my camera.
Firstly the left image shows him lighting one end as the flame is ignited it flickers in front of the samaritans sign with the words”talk to us” untouched. This was a minor mistake that turned out to be in my favour but one tiny thing I’d changed is to move my footing and attempt getting the rest of the yellow danger sign whilst having the flame flickering effect. The right image shows the concerned reaction of not getting burned after he’s lit both ends. Although this was taken by mistake, I can’t see anything I’d want to change.
In this picture I aranged the model in this position before starting the shoot. Although I like the arrangement, I feel I could have taken more time with this one. For instance, if waited awhile longer capturing more frames, the highest flame might have shaped different more interesting forms perhaps, pointing upward. Another thing is I could of ask him to look directly at the lens with a blank, staring expression.
I remember asking my subject to look directly at the signs to give the impression as if he was thinking on the symbolisation. I Realize that this now to be a great technique, as it defines the seriousness of the story I want the viewers of the pictures to unfold.
For a final position of the first go-around with the stick (planned ahead days maybe weeks beforehand) my model was lined up in between the signs. Using only my feet because zooming in or out was out of the question when maintaining the self tasked angle of view. I lined up Finlay between the danger symbol and “Talk To Us”, this is the only image slightly cropped to get it as horizontally level as I was able.
2nd Time
We both sat down for roughly 20 minutes and then he soaked both ends for one last time, although he’s offered for me to do this idea again so I could really flourish this in the future. The lens was changed to where it was pointing to unveil each side of the fire duct and also to give a new perspective of the surrounding. The image shows the subject relaxed-looking down at the soaking sponge after he’s lit it yet again.
I remember this was taken not long after both ends began properly flaring up I thought quick to capture him simply just looking at the fire or stick while moving it slowing hand to hand in a back and forth motion. The flickering of the flame above the models’ head is a pleasant touch I noticed after.
The left image of the model performing easy two-handed stick movements, I recall him saying that the motion is for cooling the stick down and to lower the flames. The right image follows the previous one after doing multiple two-handed moves he can achieve one-handed spinning tricks which allowed me to capture the stick in mid-motion as it was close to vertically straight. The jitter of the shutter speed made me question how vertical the stick was in that still moment, also I like how due to spinning, each flame points in the opposite direction.
I’m happy with capturing the lighting across the blank expression, also to me this was faintly hopeful or curious which I feel was derived from him wondering if he’d drop the stick but not being too bothered if he did. His body language is very chilled in this image possibly due to the hand trick-taking one armless effort.
Shoot 3 Final Shoot
Here is James a singer-songwriter who’s talented with many instruments, piano being his speciality. He is seen setting up the piano in my living room as he pops by now and then to record, make music or just jam with me, my stepdad martin and whoever might be round. The apple mac has an open song displayed which he adds adjustments to it as I am capturing him in his creative process.
There was not very much interacting within this shoot because I didn’t want to interrupt his musical process. He also suffers from poor mental wellbeing and was in a very sombre frame of mind at this time. If I were able to go back to this precise moment I’d modify the level of straightness whilst also altering the wooden line to fit diagonally in the corner.
I added a light source for an intense flare defining the inner music genius of my subject. There is a small variation between the two images than just the lighting, the left I pointed the lens further left as it includes the dog staring at me in the low left corner. The right picture embraces the technical half of the kitchen showing whats laying out on the table.
Core Skills
Throughout this project, I have tried to engage in using a time plan arranging dates and times for different shoots. This has kept my motivation in check and organizing my mind to actually achieve the goals I set. The notes I wrote for during the shoots were to ensure I stayed in tune with the concept I wanted to capture.
Technique
The whole project was shot with only the angle of view 30mm which was a challenge for me personally due to not being able to zoom in or out but I could use my footing. I believe this has developed my eye in photography as it made me need to move around more trying different angles.
I wanted my imagery to convey the story I experienced whilst capturing the events. To do this I revealed the images in the accurate order of how it was shot. There were many things I had planned to achieve. Some were invented scenarios that told a story and I planned others which involved greeting strangers to understand and tell their story through a picture. I feel that I achieved the invented ideas to the standards that I aimed for. However, although not achieving the social/street side, this has now encouraged my main focus for the FMP.
High points/Low points
The artist studies became a great inspiration and enjoyable research. It was fascinating to hear the originality of some photographers than others. My favourites, such as Dimitry, Vivian Maier, Richard, Billingham, Steve McCurry, and Deirdre O Callaghan, became useful to motivate me in creating my ideas.
I enjoyed doing all the shoots because I felt that it was helping my photography in framing. By not being able to zoom the lens and having to move my body instead made me capture angles differently.
Probably the lowest point was not having enough courage to take the whole idea of meeting strangers and discovering their stories to it’s potential. It is difficult finding a comfortable way of approach. In spite of that, as I mentioned before I now feel confident I can set this in motion for the next term.
Character Development
Curiosity
My main concept came from researching in-depth different documentary photographers. Through this research, the technique of how to shoot the images was inspired by Dimitry. The way I presented my images in an ordered fashion came from other photographers of the same genre. Doing the research I would not have been able to develop my ideas to the standard which are displayed.
Communication
Firstly, the lecturers gave me productive tips and beneficial advice which I took on board. One was about how Dimitry desaturates his pictures which I had not noticed and made me reflect on how to edit the work match his style as well as I could.
During the shoots, I wanted to portray a darkened, mundane vibe so I communicated this with my subjects. I made sure we still had a sense of humour going at times to enhance a sense of honesty as well. Within this project, my communication skills have definitely improved and felt more relaxed which I feel comes across in my images.
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