Now Here

This week we did a collaborative workshop. I normally hate group work, but I was pleasantly surprised. Mostly because I had an amazing group: Alycia, Kat,  Amy and Laura, 3 of whom I was friends with already.  We had a bit of slow start, but eventually managed to settle on the theme of "images where the subject isn't clear". I created an InDesign document and started putting the publication together while sharing my screen so everyone could have input. The others also edited the photos while I was doing this. We then split off into groups. I made the publication while the others created a digital component. 

I have taken all the photographs needed for my project. I had a few unexpected problems.  The first was that when people are aware they are being photographed, they act differently. They smile or look at you or look uncomfortable. This does not create good candid photographs. I found the solution to this was to get my subject really, really drunk. Is this moral? Given that they needed very little encouragement, I think it is ok. The second problem was that my subjects only wanted to be photographed when they looked "nice". This meant I could not get any photos of them in their pjs with greasy hair looking miserable, which is a shame. However, it meant the general tone of my images was positive, which I liked.  I don't have as many images as I had hoped, but I have enough that I can just select the best ones and still create a book of a reasonable length .

Today I worked on the "travel in your mind brief". My initial impulse was to "travel" to a destination I have read about in a book, over lockdown, as that is my usual method of experiencing other places I cannot usually visit.  I then read the article about it. This confused me. The article seemed to assume we all have a desire to travel and visit new places and were upset by having to stay at home because of covid. This could not be further from my experiences. I have never felt much of a need to go places. I spend a great deal of time exploring the area where I am living and getting to know every little interesting detail. But I never have a desire to go even to the next town, let alone further afield. I also really like being alone with my thoughts. Not to "travel" within them partially. And I absolutely loved lockdown. I consider it a huge improvement to everyday life and am genuinely very upset that it is coming to a close. So my initial reaction to t...

Today I watched "Me, My Selfie and I". I really enjoyed it.  Literally just this morning I had decided I was happier when I didn't have a smartphone or social media. I had blocked my access to all non-essential apps.  I partially liked the girl who had been burnt in a fire breathing accident and had been happier once she had been honest with her followers about that flaw. I love the idea of "warts and all photography" The thing that always bothered me about people taking selfies was the desire for perfection. I am completely on board with the idea of people taking a photo of themselves somewhere or with people to remember the moment. But the idea that you have to take many until you find one where you all look gorgeous bugs me. I have spent many occasion with friends getting bored while they take the same picture over and over again, to make sure they look beautiful enough. Some of my favourite selfies are imperfect, but I love them because I love them the momen...

 I have done all the activity tasks now, except for the second photograph for activity task 4. I really really enjoyed activity task 3. it was so different from the kind of photography we did at A level, where we would come up with a concept we wanted to show and stage a shoot based on it. I much preferred the street photography way of working, where everything is left to chance.  My favourite photograph was this one. It looks like all the people have suddenly disappeared. 

 I am really looking forward to this module. I did photography at A level and I really enjoyed it. I also like getting out and about so that should be fun.  Today I watched the visiting lecturer videos. I was surprised to find I knew almost all of the stuff he was talking about it in the technical help video. And I enjoyed looking at his references. They are very different to the people I idolised whilst doing A level photography. I was a Francheska Woodman Obsessive. I liked staged things that explored emotion. The photographers he was talking about where exploring society, place, relationships and time.