On Tuesday half the class went to Tavistock place’s darkroom so we could print off the film which was developed by us earlier in the year. I found it really enjoyable not ever having the experience of printing in a darkroom before and would like to spend as much time possible there.

We first had to learn health & safety whilst working there due to the many hazards such as.

• No, expectant mothers at any stage of pregnancy.
• Using the appropriate (PPE) personal protective equipment apron, gloves, goggles or tray, and tongs.
• Take regular breaks from the chemical environment (once an hour)
• Making sure to wash hands on a continuous amount after using any chemistry, even when using gloves.
• No eating or drinking in the darkroom, to avoid accidental ingestion of chemicals.
• Tidy away all personal belongings under the benching so that trip hazards are avoided.
• Dispose of all chemistry safety and appropriately if unsure, consult a technician.

 

Then we were told the dish processing times chemicals had to be fresh for each printing session.

1. Developer- In less than 15 seconds you will start to see the image appear on paper. Leave the paper in the developer for 1 an half to 2 minutes; making sure it gets fully developed.
2. Stop- 30 seconds
3. Fix- 5 minutes
4. Wash- 10 minutes

 

Darkroom chemicals are arranged in large sinks in constructive order, here’s what exactly they do.

1. Developer: Changes the chemical structure of the emulsion on the paper to create the dark areas on the photos.
2. Stop bath: Stops the developer from working so the image doesn’t get any darker.
3. Fixer: Fixes image onto paper, making photo light safe after 30 seconds
4. Wash: A continuous flowing bath of room temperature water to rinse off excess chemicals.

 

Composing & Focusing The Image

1. Open the lens: There’s an aperture ring on the lens, just like a 35mm camera. Turn the ring all the way to the left slowly to not break it. You’ll feel clicks at each setting, usually at 4 (largest opening), 5, 6, 8, 11, 16, etc. Once unable to turn it anymore, the aperture is all the way open. This brings most of the light through, making it easier to focus your image.

2. Compose: Adjust the height of the enlarger by turning the crank on the right side. This determines the size of your photo and how you are going to crop it. Frame the image in the easel because this is where your paper will go when you print.

3. Focus: Focus the image by turning the knob on the right. Place the grain focuser on the easel to magnify a specific area and to check focus around the whole image. I like to check the focus of defined edges and high detail areas.

4. Evaluate: Scan the image and decide where to place the first test strip. Pick an area that has important detail and equal lighting on the length of my strip. We needed to make multiple test strips in many areas to get some accurate results with some difficult negatives.

5. Stop down lens: Once focusing the image and everything been set the way you like it, it is time to “stop down” the lens. We do this by adjusting the aperture to a smaller opening. Usually, print at “2 clicks down”, which is at F 8.0. This allows 1/4 of the light allowed at all the way open (F 4.0). Adjusting the aperture to a smaller opening lets you have more precise timing, making it easier to get an exact exposure.

Turn the aperture ring as you did before, but this time 2 clicks to the right to get the desired effect. You will notice the light getting dimmer.

Making a test strip

prepare the paper:

1. Turn off the light and pull out a piece of paper. safety light only.
2. If you haven’t already, cut the paper into 1-1 1/2 inch strips the short way (this produces more test strips). Your test strip should be around 1 1/2″ x 8″ if you are using 8″ x 10″ paper.
3. Place the strip on the easel (in your predetermined area) with the shiny side up.

 

Exposing the paper:

1. Take your black card (or cardboard) and cover the entire test strip expect for roughly 1 1/2″. DO NOT TOUCH THE PAPER.
2. Turn on the light, count 5 seconds, and move the black card so another equal section is exposed to the light.
3. Do this until the whole strip is exposed.
4. Turn off the light after the last section is exposed. Be sure to keep track the number of intervals used.

If you are using a timer, set the timer for 5 seconds and move the card 1 1/2″ each time you press the timer. After the test strip has been in the fixer for 30 seconds, look at it in the light.

Half the class spent the morning having a tutorial on certain options whilst editing and adjusting Black & White images, first all of us doing it with an image selected by the teacher so he could give step by step directions then after a break choosing an image from our own collections.

First, open image in RAW so all basic edits can be done with sliders like which works well when selecting B&W.

After that in photoshop create a duplicate layer do this by (menu – layer – duplicate layer) name layer 2nd layer B&W.

Then going to the menu bar click edit – fill and a window will pop up.

In contents press, 50% grey option and in the layer palette make the bleeding mode color. Your image will then appear black & white, without changing the original RAW file (non-destructive)

 

When leaving this level 3 extended diploma there are many outcomes to choose from as I’ve had explained to me this morning, here is a list of different possible paths.

• Employment – A suitable stainable job is good alongside other options as well as full-time work.
• Self Employment – After creating a business declaring your self employed you soon realize you will pay income tax on your profits not on your total income.
• Apptentship – Educational with awarding factors like payment and getting more use it a work environment.
• University – Taking out a loan when not being able to afford to pay tuition isn’t as bad as most people think. Majority of people pay it back later in life by earning a large amount in work due to them getting a high paying job because of going to uni in the first place. If you can’t pay it back then the loan gets wiped 30 years later and you only have to pay 9% a mouth which is hardly a big payment unless you begin earning a higher amount then the % increases.
• Traveling – Doing a gap year is great for gathering thoughts together to be prepared for what might be next on your journey.
• Internship – Working as a student or trainee for an organization, sometimes without pay in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification.

 

4 undergraduate courses

1. Course: BA (Hons) film

Based: Plymouth College of Art, Tavistock Place

Entry requirements: Portfolio, a minimum of 96 UCAS points earned by A levels

2. Course: BA (Hons) music

Based: Plymouth Marjon University

Entry requirements: Portfolio, Three A levels at grades CCC or above and GCSE English language at grade 4 or grade C or above, 96 UCAS points

3. Course: BA (Hons) commercial photography for fashion, advertising and editorial

Based: Plymouth College of Art

Entry Requirements: Portfolio, Three A levels at grades CCC or above

4. Course: BA (Hons) Illustration

Based: Plymouth College of Art, Tavistock Place

Entry Requirements: Portfolio, 96 UCAS points from A levels

5-year plan

The next five years after this photography pre-degree I plan to do 2 courses first in film and then music taking up presumably four years, plus an additional course in literacy whilst doing the film course at the same time so my writing improves greatly. Extended literature skills will help me a lot in times of criteria when doing both courses.

Within the time that I have started the film course, I would have had a job for about a year working at The Tavi Frair that I intend to keep till I am able to find more of a creative job which involves some or all of the subjects what I’ve studied including, photography, film, literature, or music.

One dream ambition of mine is becoming accomplish screenplay writer as my main interest lies in the storytelling within films, books, and songs or even other aspects of work instead which would include the development of filmmaking many different stories and themes such as director, cameraman, soundman just to work on an expense set would be incredible.

It is important to reference when writing. Referencing is used when you either write a quote from someone’s work or your own interpretation from what they have written. This is because it has come from their own professional perspective. When using imagery such as photographs, pictures, paintings, etc it is also important to reference the person who has created these images as it is there own work.

When you research and include this within your work and do not reference where this came from this would be called plagiarism.  ‘Plagiarism is the act of taking credit for someone else’s words or ideas. It’s an act of intellectual dishonesty.’   (Valdes 2018)

Valdes, O. (2018) What Is Plagiarism?. [Online] Available from: https://www.thoughtco.com/plagiarism-definition-1691631 [accessed 23 April 2019].

 

 

I figured why not study towards more than one or two influence’s for the end of year project by researching into the multiple stories behind who took the photographs for each album. I’ve chosen to re-create a few other famous albums as well. There are lots of covers to choose from which have been created with amazing visionary concepts through the means of astonishing composition, thus capturing an excellent image. Furthermore,  adding photo editorial skills, but there are plenty of different methods for making an album cover. However, I find most will have an overall message with similarly between title, image, and the actual music content.

The Rolling Stones No.2 Photographed by David Bailey (1965)

This is The Rolling Stones second nameless album shot by David Bailey, who I’ve researched for an artist evaluation and shoots in the style of him in a previous project. I have chosen this cover to elaborate, due to a recent admiration of the photographer, also the mix of shadow, light and composition effects on each band members caught my eye. The use of light/shadows going down the middle point of their faces is a great studio skill that Bailey delivered. He makes them look as equals by placing the light down the right side of their faces in a dark exterior everywhere else. It gives me the impression as if they are a strong family struggling like any other when really there are a group of close friends in a band, possibly either description isn’t far off from one another.

David Bowie Aladdin Sane Photographed by Brain Duffy (1973)

Brain Duffy shares the exact same talent of fashion and portraits photography as David Bailey.  According to Huxley-Parlour 2019, both have created absolute iconic masterpieces out of various other album art. The image was taken in Duffy’s secluded studio at Primrose Hill, London a teardrop was added on Bowie’s clavicle by Duffy after shooting many say it makes David seem mysterious and tender at the same time (uDiscover 2018). His persona shows Aladdin Zane is an extension of Ziggy Stardust, representation of the cracked actor Bowie felt he had become during the sudden rise of superstardom; this was expressed as a bolt of lighting down his face.

Fleetwood Mac Rumours Photographed by Herbert W. Worthington the 3rd

I found this to be an amazing display of theatrics that depicts the true inner self of gypsy magic the band loved revealing, Herbie continued working with Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks and was actually best well known as the photographer for them. A few years later after capturing the shot for Fleetwoods best selling album Rumours, he made his way to creating Stevies first two albums, Bella Dona and The Wild Heart.

Surrealist Photographers

It has come to my full attention that surrealism and abstract plays a big role in themes for all three projects: Recreated Album, Self Interpreted Cover and especially Lyric Transformation. Here, this particularly relates to them by challenging unexpected representations from a daydream type perspective, showing a personal view of how the scenes are described in a song. I will provide different examples of surrealist and abstract photographers such as Dora Maar, Salvador Dali and Philippe Halsman.  

Salvador Dali and Philippe Halsman

Spanish art surrealist Dali and mid-century portrait photographer Halsman collaborated to invent surreally eye-opening images, more importantly, some of Salvador in surrealist surroundings so his real essence was captured. This being a hard task revealing his innermost but one that inspired Halsman immensely “A true photographer wants to try to capture the real essence of a human being,” he famously said (Palumbo 2018). The most iconic black & white portraits of the well-known surrealist went on four decades for many occasions.

Dali Atomicus (1948)

Love this picture due to the preparation, such as certain parts shown in composition, use of timing. A huge amount of emotions are presented within aspects, such as the blissful happiness derived from Dali’s face even through an unbalanced disorganized atmosphere because everything is either flying or floating. Dali Atomicus was an early example of a later Halsman project named “Jumpology”. The objective was to capture the true spirit of his subjects “when you ask a person to jump, his attention is mostly directed toward the act of jumping and the mask falls so that the real person appears,” Halsman once clarified (Plumbo 2018).

Book Dali’s Moustache (1954)

After the first portrait of Salvador took by Halsman 1941 at a new york roof connected their friendship even more leading to 36 astonishing photographs in the book collection titled Dali’s Moustache. I’ve Chose this one for an explanation due to more interest effecting me than the rest, seems highest in an uncanny questionable dreamlike reflection of the artist which is the whole concept of surrealism trying to show the un-peculiar in numerous approaches at art. 

Dora Maar

The French Photographer, Painter, and Poet Dora Maar had been underrated in Picasso’s shadow known as his dark-haired model for years being remembered as the muse who inspired Picasso’s series of “weeping women”. Comments were made saying their relationship marked the end of her artistic career. Being a rising star in Surrealist circles with surreal imagery like “Pere Ubu” when beginning the relationship, Dora had already invented a generous compilation to intriguing mysterious picture-taking of the topic surrealism. In later life, she eventually gave up photography for painting, under Picasso’s influence until she withdrew from the public’s eye in (1946) after her breakup with Picasso happen and at the time of her passing Maar had been largely forgotten (Cain 2017). 

Pere Ubu (1936)

Placing the pale scaly baby armadillo in a dark background removes it from a natural setting gives more observation to the texture of its skin and claws making monstrous speculation about the creature when in reality an average part of nature (Carey 2008). The composition she has pulled off on the animal resembles too me a character Nosferatu from an old vampire movie (1922) which supports that vibe Dora intended for. Titled after the absurd antihero of Alfred Jarry’s play Ubu Rio (1896) and has been said to be one of the most compelling and repellent of surrealist photographs (Waddell 2005).

Untitled

Part of Maar’s earliest photomontages has an eerie yet mesmeric image of a women’s hand inside a shell. Though it may represent at first glimpse an odd hermit crab with light illuminating over giving the impression that it’s coming from violently breaks in the background sky there is a deeper meaning in the overall concept. Lauren Greenwald has said about the image “[Untitled] seems almost prescient, as the artist would eventually retreat into her own self-contained world,”(THE ART STORY FOUNDATION).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today is the first day of the last term and the grade criteria is a chart which describes how our final year project will be graded in a pass, merit or distinction level. This will greatly improve my work as I will continuously check the list and my FMP to help upgrade it to a distinction.

Pass 

Context – Basic

Research – Sufficient

Problem Solving – Sufficient

Planning – Effective Satisfactory

Practical – Adequate

Evaluation – Evaluation used to inform ideas

Merit

Context – Good

Research – Thorough & Sustained (ongoing)

Problem Solving – Initiative Adapt

Planning – Engagement, Commitment, Meeting Deadlines

Practical – Consistent Appropriate

Evaluation – Independent Decision Making Effective Analysis/Evaluation

Distinction 

Context – Comprehensive Complex Concept

Research – Independent

Problem Solving – In-depth Autonomy – Independence

Planning – Detailed Evidence

Practical – In-depth understanding of Extensive Enquiry

Evaluation – Sophistication Professionalism

 

visual mood-board of final selected albums 

Rationale

The main reason behind why I’ve chosen this topic is because of the personal emotional impact and effect music has given me starting very fast throughout my childhood and continuing to surprise me even now. Basically listening to certain songs at the right moment in time is the only source of therapy I use, how well the contrast of art and music are put together in album covers sparked my interest really early at the beginning of the course or just before joining it either way knowing that one day I’d pursue attempting the idea at least as one of the final ends of year projects. I’m hoping to achieve more confidence in different methods of photography by experimenting with techniques I haven’t used in photoshop also it’ll take a lot of major directory skills too create very similar pieces of the album covers I shall choose.

Project concept

The concept of this final project is based around on how art and music have co-existed through the history of album covers. According to Martin Chilton, 2018, Since the beginning of music album covers, it was designed to attract more consumers to buy the music due to the art influence. Thus, showing a connection that has revolutionized throughout generations to what it is today. Without the art concept connected with the music industry, music would not have such a huge impact on the public’s eye. Furthermore, the art portrayed in the album cover gives a finer definition to what the album’s overall message from the artists perspective. It is almost that the artist is trying to influence you to think more into the topic and emotional response that he is trying to portray within the music and the way he perceives the message and the impact he personally feels.

The narrative and theme of my story are to recreate popular different album covers from my personal preference. Through these recreations, I plan to include parts of my personality as the settings and props will be centered around my beliefs, passions and my general day to day life. This will lead to my final image which will convey a new artistic creation with a message but no real music content, produced in the style of an album cover.

The album covers I have chosen to recreative are:

1. Tom Waits – Closing time
2. Bob Dylan – Nashville Skyline
3. David Bowie – Low
4. Smiths – The Queen is dead
5. Thundercat – Drunk
6. Jamie T – PANIC PREVENTION
7. Ten years after – A SPACE IN TIME
8. Placebo – Placebo
9.  Childish Gambino – Because Of The Internet
10. Shed Seven – Let It Ride

Lyric Transformation – Second Idea

This began as an alternative option, being suggested by a teacher in case my original ideas failed in difficulty but I have decided to do Lyric Transformation alongside the outcomes of the main project concept due to the simplicity of the practical work. The overall goal for the idea is taking lyrics from a song and interpret them into a scene I’ll create also I have already completed The Smith’s one. I’ve researched surrealism because of this idea and later took notice of how it relates to all three ideas.

1. Tom Waits – Tango Till They’re Sore Song Lyric: Let me fall out of the window with confetti in my hair.

2. The Smiths – Cemetry Gates Song Lyric: All those people, all those lives, Where are they now?

 Evaluation

During the time I have been planning and creating my ideas for this final project I have consistently gained advice in methods and academic skills from different people. I constantly discuss my ideas with family, friends, peers in my course and other courses and staff teachers. For example during conversations with one of the lead tutors we discussed that I should make an additional blog on the history of album covers. I found this really useful for understanding the attraction to art and the music correlation of albums and

Action plan/Time plan

The first week back the teachers had been discussing how we as the students should begin practical work on our projects so I’ve decided to start shooting some of the ideas and recreations including, both lyric transformations, shed seven, Bob Dylans and the smith’s album covers also maybe a few more as I’m wanting to get all images done for editing.

On Friday I’m going to do two of the recreations as I am meeting a friend Finlay he will be the subject in The Smith’s album which I’ll do in my home. After that, I shall get in touch with three others for Shed Seven. This album shoot has changed in planning for Wednesday 15th tomorrow I’ve organized four people for the recreation and will be done sometime between 1:30 to 5 when I get back from college. I will do it by placing the models in the right composition facing the interior of a car continuing by me taking the photos from inside the car.

Saturday I’ll meet Finn again with his girlfriend Hannah two do Cemetery Gates and Tango Till They’re Sore lyric pictures. I will do this 2/3 pm when meeting them at a local cemetery to begin shooting all around the gate, graves also I shall listen to both songs majority of the day over and put my headphones on so I get more of an insight to how the scene should feel. Models will also listen to each song before acting out personas they think fits best into the artist’s storytelling.

Few of my original plans have changed as it has been harder to get hold of people for suitable times so I’ve made some new dates which I have checked with most subjects in question but will check with the rest taking the next day or two. On 6th May I going to attempt ten years after album A Space In Time with two female models holly and my mother, I’ll be in the picture also as I have long hair and one more person with long hair or I’m getting a wig just in case.

Shed Seven album cover will either be done 6th of may I’ve set up 9 male models that are easy to get in contact with or it’ll be done when I visit my dad in Ireland before returning on the 6th with two of my brothers, my father, and will find another person as models.

Bob Dylan will be on the 6th or whilst being Ireland again with my dad as B.D. or a friend called Benji when I get back to Tavistock after doing the ten years after one same day,  I need a clear blue sky for this image so best bets are doing it in Ireland according to the weather app. I’ve organized to do this album cover either Thursday 9th or Friday 10th with the same subject as the model because of being too tired after returning from Ireland to do it on the 6th.

When traveling to Ireland I’ll check with people back in my local area too see if they are definitely free for the different recreations I’ve previously explained earlier and others once I am certain of ways to going about doing them.

Jamie T Panic Prevention is organized after I’ve returned from Ireland the location is the smallest room in my house to match the small environment of the original, I’ll move everything out of the room to then replace with musical instruments and materials to get a similar atmosphere also taking all my posters down from my bedroom to then put up in smaller room.

I have recently recognized thanks to discussions surrounding many aspects towards the final project with my stepdad that all albums are cropped 4.724 inches also must be perfectly square.

Bibliography of references

Websites

Berman, R. (2008) Alex Sweinweiss: CREATOR OF THE ALBUM COVER. [Online] Available from: http://www.alexsteinweiss.com/as_index.html [accessed 08 April 2019].

Chilton, M. (2018) Cover Story: A History Of Album Artwork. [Online] Available from: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/in-depth-features/history-album-artwork/ [accessed 08 April 2019].

Shah, D. (2016) The Importance of Album Artwork Considering the relationship between art and music in a digital age. [Online] Available from: https://humanhuman.com/articles/the-importance-of-album-artwork [accessed 12 April 2019].

 UDiscover Team. (2015) The 100 Greatest Album Covers. [Online] Available from: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-100-greatest-album-covers/ [accessed 14 April 2019].

Surrealism Movement Overview and Analysis. (2019) The Art Story. [Online] Available from: https://www.theartstory.org/movement-surrealism.htm [accessed 11 May 2019].

Lebowitz, R. (2018) 8 Surrealist Photographers You Should Know, from Dora Maar to Man Ray. [Online] Available from: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-8-surrealist-photographers-dora-maar-man-ray [accessed 12 May 2019].

uDiscover Team. (2018) The 25 Most Iconic Album Covers Of All Time. [Online] Available from: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/25-iconic-album-covers/ [accessed 12 May 2019].

Huxley-Parlour, G. (2019) Brian Duffy. [Online] Available from: https://huxleyparlour.com/artists/brian-duffy/ [accessed 12 May 2019].

Archive, H. (2015) Image categories dali . [Online] Available from: http://philippehalsman.com/?image=dali [accessed 13 May 2019].

Palumbo, J. (2018) The Story behind the Surreal Photograph of Salvador Dalí and Three Flying Cats. [Online] Available from: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-story-surreal-photograph-salvador-dali-three-flying-cats [accessed 11 May 2019].

Walsh, J. (2016) Dali’s Moustache. [Online] Available from: https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/dalis-moustache-philippe-halsman/ [accessed 13 May 2019].

Cain, A. (2017) Surrealist Photographer Dora Maar Was More Than Picasso’s Muse. [Online] Available from: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-surrealist-photographer-picassos-muse [accessed 13 May 2019].

Carey, J. (2008) “Pere Ubu” by Dora Maar, 1936. [Online] Available from: https://germanmodernism.org/2008/07/03/pere-ubu-by-dora-maar-1936/ [accessed 14 May 2019].

Waddell, J. (2005) Père Ubu,1936. [Online] Available from: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/286239 [accessed 14 May 2019].

THE ART STORY FOUNDATION. (2019) IMPORTANT ART BY DORA MAAR. [Online] Available from: https://www.theartstory.org/artist-maar-dora.htm [accessed 14 May 2019].

Typography, P. (Date unknown) Fancy > Distorted. [Online] Available from: https://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=108 [accessed 28 May 2019].

Future ambitious

After completing this Extended diploma I am very keen on studying a film degree because of the interest and knowledge I have from watching and acknowledging the many different aspects of movies such as the storytelling, directing and behind the scenes.

I will definitely find a stable part-time job before or during the summer which I’ll intend to keep throughout my whole learning experience at PCA.

I have other interests apart from film and photograph I would like to immerse myself into: for example – music. I have enjoyed since I was very young learning and playing the guitar. This is a good step connected with my studies as music goes side by side with film and photography.

I would also like to improve my reading and writing skills by taking on an English course. In the early stages of secondary school, I found I enjoyed literacy, including poetry and story writing. I could picture myself with ambitions of becoming a storytelling/screenplay writer. 

This being the course’s end of first year’s project we have been given complete freedom to choose what subject to do as long as it’s personal too our character or way of life. I am overwhelmingly excited also nervous as I’ve been planning it since the start of the pre-degree and slightly worried if I can reach the deadline or if my images will hopefully turn out the way I expected. I feel it’ll push my technical, visionary and directory skill sets to a limit I have not been able to reach before.

The idea for my last project of the year shall consist of 3\5 recreated album covers leading up to 1 self-made up creation for one album with a pretend band and cover name. I have saved on photos in my iPhone 590 different albums that are all selected by the personal taste of many genres I listen to, then making a couple smaller collections in my phone which one has 48 album artworks so it is an easier process of narrowing down the final 3-5 covers for recreated versions and I plan to somehow add the multiple album collections to the project’s criteria. Feel that experimenting with some equipment I’m not fully used to might push my creative capabilities in the right path like a Nikon 50mm lens, a remote shutter button, tripods studio lights, stands, meters and reflectors.

I’ve written down a couple ideas for recreations in my notebook such as ten years after a space in time which is set in a green field with all four band members staring into the camera lens a way I plan to reinvent it is slightly challenging. The location I have picked will be in Horror bridge where there is a massive amount of spots perfect for the chosen cover surrounding, equipment involves a remote shutter button, 50mm lens, and a tripod in worm angle view. the models are three close friends but I have back up people if the originals aren’t available and this album is the one of the two ill include myself in as one band member the other will be an album cover also band name I shall make up from scratch entirety.

Another album I’ve picked is David Bowie’s low this takes quite a bit of preparation in the background, after finding an orange bed sheet where I’ll add white and black paint in the right places too create similar look then using lights and stands.

Third is Jamie T panic prevention the artist is surrounded in a small environment with a large scruffy atmosphere electric guitar rested in his lap room consists many different types of musical equipment record player, records, keyboard, a nylon string guitar, parts of a drum set, computer amongst objects considered as trashy beer cans and mugs. Film and music posters are scattered all across the walls making no visible trace there is one. It has a stylish hoarders vibe so my bedroom can be altered too have almost an identical look in the correct angle.

I’ve recently realized a large some of Bob Dylan portrait album covers are perfect for my project narrative as he has created 38 studio albums, 13 live albums, and 91 single plus winning the 2016 noble prize in literature. I found his album covers particularly useful due to the amount of them also the simplicity in many, only a few seemed complex in fashion, props or amount of people but I have a collection saved on my iPhone of just Bob Dylan’s album covers.

I’ll branch out into other ideas which were suggested by one of the teachers after hearing my overall plan, it was too explain what a song lyric means to me personally and transcend it into a scene I feel would be a perfect definition of what exactly it is meant to be from the artist perspective. A great example for this is “Tom waits” Tango till they’re sore, he uses incredible distinctive lyrics with many imaginary storytelling features of real or nonreal characters he continues to describe them as dancing or tangoing throughout the song is perhaps in a dive bar or some type music drinking session. The lyric I’d used is one that says throughout the chorus also my favourite part “let me fall out the window with confetti in my hair” I’d use two models for the photograph one male in a falling motion out of my kitchen or living room window with confetti in his hair and another female model laughing whilst watching him, both would have alcoholic drinks in hands because I’d make it seem as if the surrounding would be that of a party scene.

Moodboard

 

 

Last Thursday, I worked through with my idea of ‘the shoot’ that consisted of mixing two distinctive groups, which don’t normally get seen together in a public setting, highlighting the positive atmosphere throughout, captured through the images. I went along with this idea out of the many other topics which diversity and equality has to offer, because in recent years, as I’ve gotten older certain situations have made me recollect many times that it is a real issue for all of us, whether your considered old or young, both sides are equally affected and it all starts from an inner self-opinionated thought process of jealousy or lack of respect. Going through with the shoot enlighten my whole concept on ageism stereotype’s more by seeing the interactions each person showed from start to finish of the meeting.

My idea is meant to distract the viewers’ mind from the whole negative concept of ageism with simple kind acts between a younger generation and an older one. This is achieved by a young man showing an older woman how to do actives that he has interest in like skating and different circus skill. I took two photographers as influence’s for the project Chien Chi Chang and Richard Renaldi, I did additional inspiration due to a teacher suggesting it after telling him that I felt my main influence was good enough but didn’t fully relate to my project’s idea overall message as Chien Chi Chang focuses on alienation when my plan was to highlight the togetherness of two strangers who had just meant.

After seeing Renaldi’s work it made me more confident about my own shoot which later affected my final outcomes I just wish I had kept his methods in my work process during the shoot, looking back on my photo’s I realise I had more of a journalist collection as the models were naturally set when I could of ask the two individuals I’d used for the focal points too look into the camera whilst doing the actives or just them close together in a portrait as that’s the way Renaldi interacts with strangers he finds fascinating and then continues to take the photograph. I’ve just noticed I could have just copied his method similarly by finding strangers and friends combining the two then doing his style of portraits but then again I guess it wouldn’t have been my idea completely.

Originally I had over thought what the criteria were for the project and created six ideas thinking I’d have to take four different pictures surrounding the topic of diversity and equality, once taking notice of this I went with my first idea which I felt was most suitable.
The amount of writing involved with planning the shoot from recent blogs like the brief, research, planning, persuasive letter writing and the project proposal, help me extremely, making it even clearer for seeking the goals and aiming towards my main objective I also find the method does the same for writing notes.
A technique I used during times of shooting was very simple in the fact I took the images in many angles freehand with no equipment as (Mark) the young gentleman explained his exact definition and ways of skating also his circus skill hobbies to the elderly women. Mark teaches skateboarding and circus skill for a living in my local area Tavistock and other places, I’d consider him a professional in these particular set of hobbies, you can find him most of the time in U skate a skate club located in Tavistock.

I felt like I didn’t get all the control of directing the scene because Mark was describing how to do the active’s so I let him become the director/model as he knew the safest places and ways to achieve teaching the elder women whilst he did this I took the pictures, this altered the whole of my shoot but its unclear whether its a mistake or not as I did not fully immerse myself in the style of Richard Renaldi. Even though I was more co-directing alongside Mark, I did enjoy the parts where I’d ask them to move here or there plus the whole process was fun in its self, a sunny day amongst two close friends and two other strangers who later became helpful new acquaintances.

The positioning of both models can be recognized as if they are equals from the way they are happily facing each other with smiles. Furthermore, the lining of the two skateboards which are also the same, identically pointing towards the camera. The photograph also shows how the younger person is almost crouched down to the women’s height. When this is looked at closely and notice that this is actually the difference in how the youth holds a skateboard firmly with years of experience and how it is held with less experience by the elderly women.

As you see here Mark moved onto demonstrating how to ride a skateboard, kindly holding the older women by the arms and telling her what position her feet must be in. Unlike the previous photograph, the emotional response’s are different, Mark has a concerned look on his face as he makes sure no harm can happen. In contrast, as she is stood on the skateboard her facial expression is actually the complete opposite smiling, having a great time, learning when having proper stable support. This is a good picture out of the rest due to the physical human contact that is provided.

Here it shows more of a chilled, relaxed vibe as the other parties involved are being entertained by the teacher (Mark) who is performing a two Diablo trick. He would later encourage the older lady to give this a try.

Mark, having a very charismatic personality enabled the older lady to feel relaxed whilst discovering new talents. Even though this was there first meeting, fast, strong chemistry grew quickly, which allowed the older lady to be more confident and not feel awkward and out of her natural comfort zone. The position that he is in (a proposing stand) also adds on to this result.

This highlights the chemistry that the two quickly built up as the afternoon continued. The closest proves my whole concept of the project, distracting the mind of ageism. Because of the close connection, the age difference becomes insignificant and the mind concentrates on the new bonding relationship the photograph hints at.

As the session came near to a close, it is clear from this photograph that the older lady has taken on board all the teaching from the young individual and become independent in a few of the skills he has shown. Mark is looking over his shoulder admiring proudly his teaching that she has taken on successfully. You can see through her body language and expression the enjoyment from achieving using the Diablo and the time together they both shared.

The aim of this project was to show how we can live in a tolerant and understanding world. Breaking free from the diversity of an abstract idea of how people can be divided. In this case, concentrating on age, how often young and old don’t mix because of bias views and are scared of typical stereotypes that people label on each other. The older generation has been wary and afraid of the younger generation who can be seen as loud obnoxious and aggressive. Sometimes, jealousy, wishing they could re-live their younger years. The younger generation can show a lack of respect and the (false) belief that older people have no relevance in the world. My idea to distract the viewers’ mind from the whole concept of ageism with simple kind acts between a young and old is shown throughout. I believe my shoot has shown how generations can mix and enjoy each other’s company through viewing each other positively by engaging in activities together rather than fuelling negative stereotypes from a strangers point of view in certain social demise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

s I realise I had gotten more of a journalise collection of images when I could of ask the two individuals who were the focal point too look into the camera as thats the way Renaldi gets it done.