Olivia Arthur is a British Magnum photographer, in fact, one of the youngest Magnum photographers.

Here series Jeddah diaries were taken in 2009 as a part of larger project on the differences between women in the east and west. It shows a fascinating insight into the world that is rarely seen, which gained by here building trust with the subjects.

I think that this set if images, really does fit with the expectation and the brief for Expressing Your Vision assignment five extremely well indeed. In that, she is showing the many facets’ to the life of women in Saudi Arabia, and while the images are similar and overarching in context, there are enough variety and diversity to keep the viewer fascinated.

There is a context to the pictures too in that, Miss Arthur is not trying to show repression, but the Title the project Jeddah Diaries gives a clear indication as to what and where we are looking at. So we can make up our minds, she has captioned the photo’s concise to add further depth to the context.

Overall, I like how this set of images is presented; they fall not into my style, but more in the form of pictures, that interest me.

“Everyone can take great pictures. What’s hard is taking a collection of great pictures and making them work together. It’s like language: everyone can speak but putting the words together is the real challenge.” (Alex Soth)

Alex Soth is widely regarded as one of the leading contemporary American photographers, and my tutor suggested a look at his work in the lead up to assignment 5 of Expressing Your Vision.

“Gathered leaves” is a current retrospective of his work at the Science Museum in London, UK and while I have not been able to attend. I have researched online, as this seems an excellent source of his work and to show the progress through his projects.

Soths work is often a likened to that of Robert Frank and Walker Evens in that he tends to engage in large-scale projects of on a road trip. The focus on a particular element in American Life. For example 2006 “Broken Manual” a series about people who has chosen to live “off the grid”.

Soth’s work appears to have a cohesion between concept and the resulting images which if I am honest my images don’t have. Soth seems to have pre-visualized what he is looking to achieve delivered. In an interview with ASX on YouTube, there is an interesting quote in that no one disappears, and that is something that he has apparently thought about before the images for “Broken Manual” were shot.

Soth process is that a project is as much about him as it is about the subject matter. He takes the subject apart in his process and that gives great context to the work and the time of Broken Manual is was himself in very introspective state.

Soth is an exceptional photographer that will continue to study and my journey through my degree progress.

Bibliography

AMERICAN SUBURB X (2015) ASX interview with Alec Soth (2015). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w91iWM_57RU (Accessed: 6 March 2016).

Gathered leaves: Photographs by Alec Soth (2015) Available at: http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/Plan_your_visit/exhibitions/alec-soth (Accessed: 6 March 2016).

Kim, E. (2014) 14 lessons Alec Soth has taught me about street photography. Available at: http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2014/02/25/14-lessons-alec-soth-has-taught-me-about-street-photography/ (Accessed: 6 March 2016).

Soth, A. (2013) Alec Soth. Available at: http://alecsoth.com/photography/ (Accessed: 6 March 2016).

Written and James, D. (2015) ‘Photography is a language.’ Alec Soth on his first UK exhibition gathered leaves. Available at: http://www.bjp-online.com/2015/10/photography-is-a-language-alec-soth-on-his-first-uk-exhibition-gathered-leaves/ (Accessed: 6 March 2016).

The Hepworth Gallery Feb 2016

On a brief visit home to Leeds over the Chinese New Year period, I took the opportunity to visit the exhibition of Martin Parr’s latest project at the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield. The project is a study of the “The Rhubarb Triangle” which exists in this area of West Yorkshire.

It might be the fact that after living away from West Yorkshire for some 18 years, 8 in the Isle of Man and the past 7 in Hong Kong, but the sight of a project on something so close to home was quite an emotional feeling.

Rhubarb is such a British thing, a fruit that is a vegetable and I grew up (although not exactly in the Rhubarb Triangle) with stories that how when my mum was young that where I house was now situated, was then rhubarb fields as far as the eye could see. My grandparents always had a small rhubarb patch behind the shed (perhaps subconsciously in honor of this fact as it was rarely eaten).

The exhibition was laid out logically clockwise around the room, with the different sections of the rhubarb production on separate walls, Farming (growing), Harvest, Public consumption, Products. All the prints were in the same aspect ratio, with a mix of A2 and some A0 prints – this was the first thing that I picked up on as it is something that was highlighted to me in my first assignment feedback. Keep collection in the same aspect for visual consistency.

What I found most interesting and perhaps reassuring was that Parr’s images are ordinary; they are a compilation of the type of image you would expect in a photo essay, environmental shots, portraits and details. They show the “warts and all” of the apparently hard dirty work of producing commercial rhubarb and here is a closeness to the subject.

I think it is entirely fortuitous that attended this exhibition at this point in the course because it has helped with my understanding of the “distance between us and the camera” and the context of the images.

While Parr is quite obviously a stranger in the rhubarb triangle as I have said above there is closeness to the subject, he has captured the essence of the back-breaking work, this either through his love of rhubarb or interaction with the protagonists.

Also, the context I find these images very common (not a criticism) just because it what I associate with my home in the west riding. If they were viewed by someone here in Hong Kong, for example, they will be full of mystery and unseen detail, in the same way as I see the street markets of Asia.

Bibliography

Bayley, S., Chisholm, K., Killen, M., Delingpole, J. and Wordsworth, D. (2016) ‘I enjoy the banal’: Stephen Bayley meets Martin Parr. Available at: http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/i-enjoy-the-banal-stephen-bayley-meets-martin-parr/ (Accessed: 6 March 2016).

Cumming, E. (2016) Mysteries of the Rhubarb triangle, revealed by Martin Parr. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/global/2016/jan/31/mysteries-of-the-rhubarb-triangle (Accessed: 6 March 2016).

Parr, M. and Magnum (no date) The Rhubarb triangle and other stories: Photographs by Martin Parr. Available at: http://www.hepworthwakefield.org/martin-parr/ (Accessed: 6 March 2016).

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]

At 270 pages the book does not pretend to be a one stop shop for the history of photography and photographers but a reference book to use as a jumping off point for your research.

The book gives a brief biographical note on the photographer in question, a brief summary of their career as well few example of their work. The book also points the reader toward the photographers in question most prominent and influential books or projects for further research.

I feel that while studying for my degree this will be a book that I return to over and over again to jog my memories for those influential artists.

Bibliography

I was little unsuccessful at find much of Davies work and whilst I applude the image below I feel that it is bland with no real depth – perhaps as part of larger body of work it would work but even with the great juxtaposition it feels flat.

Chris Steel – Perkins images on the other hand, have more drama and energy to them, the biggest thing that jumps out to me is that the images are not flat, there is texture to them perhaps in the post – production.

Both photographers have given me food for thought on the creativity side when shoot what has already been shot many times before – explore the surrounding.

Bibliography

Davies, J. (no date) John Davies photographer – home page. Available at: http://www.johndavies.uk.com/ (Accessed: 3 January 2016).

Chris Steele-Perkins | Prix Pictet | the global award in photography and sustainability (no date) Available at: http://www.prixpictet.com/portfolios/earth-shortlist/chris-steele-perkins/ (Accessed: 3 January 2016).

Recommended in the course notes, this is an exciting series that is close to my heart.

I can find that the light in Hong Kong is very uninteresting and at most times of the day flat (hence my tendency to shoot in black and white). However, once the light fades, it comes alive with the glow of neon.

Shinat has photographed ordinary things illuminated with artificial light;  had these subjects been photographed by day – we would bypass them.

I love the complex nature this type of artificial light gives, there are different temperatures in the same frame, I find that the light in a way, can emulate the light from the evening sun and wrap around the subjects.

I will be looking at this type of photography in upcoming exercise 4.3.

References

Sato Shintaro photo gallery (no date) Available at: http://sato-shintaro.com/work/night_lights/index.html (Accessed: 29 December 2015).