Use your camera as a measuring device. This doesn’t refer to the distance scale on the focus ring(!). Rather, find a subject that you have an empathy with and take a sequence of shots to ‘explore the distance between you’. Add the sequence to your learning log, indicating which is your ‘select’ – your best shot.

When you review the set to decide upon a ‘select’, don’t evaluate the shots just according to the idea you had when you took the photographs; instead evaluate it by what you discover within the frame (you’ve already done this in Exercise 1.4). In other words, be open to the unexpected.

I found this exercise challenging, even the simple request of shooting a subject you have empathy with the first stumbling block. Creative juices we were not working to help look at this from a different angle.

I was procrastinating for far too long and decided while on a short visit back to the UK to take some very snapshot style shots of my parents while we were visiting the Martin Parr Exhibition at The Hepworth. Although, I do think they may kill me when they find out I used them as a subject.

The shots are “snapshot” in style,  showing my parents in different situations as the patiently wandered around with me. I wasn’t sure how they would turn out as genuinely did not have a specific trait that I wanted to show. The shots have other elements wandering into them, down to pure composition caused by me trying not to the noticed.

However, I find in they show 100% of what why parents are like, when together, to people who while they inseparable and have been for 52 years, they have their personalities

The final selection of an image was hard e.g. Image 2, is almost how I always think of them; my dad doing something we are not quite sure what or why and my Mum looking on in wonderment. Image 10 doesn’t contain them and I was shot because I was showing my dad something about my camera, but there is significant symbolism in the hat. My dad would never have worn a hat when he was younger, but both his father and my mum’s father wore flat caps. How it sits between 2 coffee cups, which could represent mum and dad, shows how over the year my father has become a combination of both my grandfathers.

But I want to choose image 5:

This is perfectly how mum and dad interact and discuss. What is adding to this picture, even more, is that unintentional captured them in front of a picture of an older couple in a fish & chip restaurant from Martin Parr’s Last Resort; this couple have the mannerism of my mum’s aunt and uncle. And while they are not, as mum did not recognise the resemblance, it looks as if they are discussion a long past family member.

Discovering this in the shot on review two weeks later has made this an emotional shot.

Here are three images where I was playing tribute to the photographers of National Geographic

Taken in Kathmandu, by a temple I just wanted to capture the average Nepali Man, smiling and happy no matter what is is position in life.

Again shot in Kathmandu, Hindi Sadu’s are everywhere.Some genuine some less so. Here I wanted he capture the power and life in his face.

Hmong tribal woman with her baby. This girl and baby walk as a guide with us for two today’s in the North Vietnamese winter as our guide. While, not the best background for an environmental portrait I do feel it shows the warm and friendly nature of the Hmong

Having a consistent theme has been something that I have very much taken away from this course and its assignments. And on that note, I have tried to keep a loose theme of Hong Kong across my assignments so far and thought it more than appropriate for this exercise to respond to the world of the legendary Bresson on the east Ho Fan.

Response to:

Afternoon Chat (1959) Ho Fan

In this work by Ho Fan, I am drawn to 2 things the long shadows and the subtle lighting – his work show real context and sense of place. Just by looking at the image, you are transported into the bygone era of Hong Kong and China.

Looking back at the Terry Barrets essay, photographs & context, the main elements that provide the context for the picture are the information within the image and the information around the picture making. That is, I know that it was shot in Hong Kong in the 50’s or 60’s as art or reportage (documenting life), and the it is the ethereal quality of the light that quality of the light that transports the viewer to the bygone age I mentioned above. I view this as straightforward art.

In response to the Ho Fan original image I wanted to replicate the long shadows and shot around the walkways around the HK cultural centre which can give interesting shadow formation due to the diagonal nature.

However, with the resulting image, I look at it much different. Whilst my intention was to only produce a piece of art, no intention for reportage, how the man in the shot is reacting the meaning could be viewed very differently depending on how it is presented and the mindset of the viewer.

On reviewing the image, I can see a statement on intrusions into personal and private space due to the prevalence of cameras on the street and f placed in a newspaper in an article about criminal gangs this man could be assumed to be a kingpin. And very limited notice would be taken of the high contrast shadows I was trying to achieve.

The course notes point us to a very interesting essay “Photographs & Context”, by the American art critic and professor Terry Barrett., which I gives a enlightening introduction to the value of context in the interpretation of photographs.

By referencing a photograph by Robert Doisneau of a romantic couple in a café that Doisneau (taken with permission) as part of a project of cafés in Paris, shows just by in placement in other publications it underlying meaning was changed to illustrate a romantic liason, the perils of alcohol and prevalence of prosititution in Paris.

It is this placement or context that Barrett says is just as important to the photograph as the natartive contained within it. Barrett’s essay explains this very painly illustrating that is is the situation in which we see a image that effect how we are to intrepret he information it is providing no matter what the photographers was intending at the time. On this note my mind is drawn to the Afgan Girl by Steve McCurry – this is portrait of a if remember correctly 13 or 14 year old refugee – shot for National Geographic to help is llustrate the plight of the refugees after the Soviet invation of Afganistan. Howevert, we all now remember it one of the world most iconic portraits up the against Hollywood stars, mainly because of how we have seen this image since is original publication.

Basically photographs do not have inherient meaning – nor does any visual art, they require personal interpretation, Barrett suggests:

“In interpreting [photographs]….. there three sources of information are available for examination: information evident in the picture, information surrounding the picture in its presentation, and information about the pictures making”

Whilst these pieces of information are availble in all photographs, they are not always perfectly presented and as all require inpretation by the viewer it possible for a photograph to be interpret far away from the photographer original meaning or intention.

Bibliography

B PhotAndCont 97 (2010) Available at: http://www.terrybarrettosu.com/pdfs/B_PhotAndCont_97.pdf (Accessed: 17 February 2016).

Response to:

Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare – Henri Cartier-Bresson

Writing a critical analysis of a photograph is a weak-spot my mine and to the fact that is one of the most famous and viewed photographs in the world adds another layer to the challenge.

First of all this is really he quintessential street photographers photography. The photographer found an interesting scene and laid in wait for something to happen. And whilst the leaping businessman is quite clearly what makes the image stunning, this isn’t necessarily the most pivotal thing about the shot – it seems a rather shady environment for a businessman!!

As we have been discussing context is a vital part of a photograph, more so that the technical merits and here I feel whilst the is the wonderful symmetry to the photography and it is a treat for the eyes I feel more like I am looking on to a scene that I am part of.

My eye is draw the shadowy figure in the background, I imagine I am that person; all the reflection sin the image combine in my mind that the whole image is a reflection of what I can see. There are contradiction in the scene the water is calm, however there is a nonchalant urgency to the leaping man. I often image is trying walk away quiet from a situation with being noticed, but the second he land in the water there will be an explosion of frenetic activity and will observe quietly from the safety of the railing I stand behind.

Bresson’s picture is more that just a great piece street photography, it is graphical art and a springboard for our imagination.

References

Museum of Modern Art [website]. Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare – Henri Cartier-Bresson. Available
from: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/98333 [acsessed 2/2/16]