Category Archives: Assignments

Christian Stoll

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Christian Stoll, is a German photographer, working in Dussledorf and New York.

Multiple Exposure Street Scene – Christian Stoll

I particularly liked this image from his series “New York Split Second’.I love the concept of lots of ‘decisive moments’.  I know how to create double exposure images in my camera using the overlay function, but I think this level of multi-exposure will need to be worked up in post processing.

source: http://www.christian-stoll.com/website/photos_detail.php?gallerieID=1102&gallery=new-york_split_second (accessed 26.01.19)

Martin Dietrich

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Martin Dietrich is a German photographer living and working in Frankfurt

He says of himself:

My work is mostly of a certain abstract, minimalistic and geometrical nature including strong leading lines and shapes. To a large part my work incorporates urban themes such as architecture and street photography. Nevertheless you’ll also find some other things I feel like at the moment. 

source: http://www.martindietrichphotography.de/about-me/ (accessed 26.01.19)

I came across Martin’s work whilst doing research for Assignment 3 – The decisive moment. I have an idea for doing double exposure images for this assignment and was looking up other photographers who have done this.  

This image came up in a page: 10-photographers-creating-enigmatic-works-with-double-exposure.  i particularly liked the monochrome forms and the matt look of the image.

Double Exposure done in Camera (Fuji X-Pro 1) by Martin Dietrich

I particularly connected with Martin’s Street Photography work, which has other examples of this type of image.  Many of his images are very minimalist, and looking down from above at this subjects.  They are mostly high contrast and always have great light.  Many of the images also make use of shadows, which makes me think that he must research his locations in terms of time and light.

Looking at these images, brought back the comment by Henri- Cartier-Bresson in the video, that he always looked for form first, to him Light was just the ‘purfume’.  I am inclined to think, however, that getting the light right, really makes the difference and this is definitely the case in Martin’s work.

 

 

 

 

http://www.martindietrichphotography.de/

 

Assignment 3 – The Decisive Moment – Research

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Research into the concept of ‘the decisive moment’

How to Master “The Decisive Moment”

Eric Kim says that H C-B believed that:

  • “The Decisive Moment” was that split second of genius and inspiration that a photographer had to capture a certain moment
  • You can never recreate the same circumstances in terms of location and people.
  • You must constantly be looking for moments to capture,
  • Once that moment is gone, it is gone forever

7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography

  1. What is a “decisive moment” for you
  2. Follow your intuition
  3. Set it and forgetit
  4. Photograph what you’re afraid of
  5. Look for emotion and gestures
  6. What is personally-meaningful to you
  7. Work the scene

The Decisive Moment and the Brain

this is an interesting article from Petapixel, which explores the interactions between conscious (i.e., knowing) and unconscious (i.e., intuiting) awareness and how the brain works to link the two. 

 

Extract from conversation on on student forum about a3 decisive moment.

https://discuss.oca-student.com/t/eyv-a3-decisive-moment-feedback-needed/6483

Comment by Clive White – OCA tutor:

I didn’t want them to be just an extension of cliché esthetics’

The decisive moment isn’t an outdated Modernist conceit, it’s an ever present appropriate strategy concerned with when you decided to press the shutter button. It’s the second most important decision the photographer makes after framing.

Some students seem to get the idea that they’re supposed to critique it in some way as an outmoded idea by redefining it or that they’re supposed to be critiquing the work of H. C-B.; as tutors we don’t really understand why the section has been read like this but the assignment, along with the rest of EYV is being revised and I’m contributing a case study from one of my students to help explain the concept and this assignment more effectively.

You are encouraged to critique it in the sense that one can consciously produce indecisive or non-decisive moments but in order to do that one needs to understand what a decisive moment is, some people are jumping straight to the critique position with out properly understanding the concept of the decisive moment and a spurious motivation.

The minimum requirement of this assignment is that the images should visually demonstrate the understanding of the concept without requiring any explanation or captioning when viewed by those familiar with the concept. It is not enough to say this is a decisive moment because I say it is. The image at the moment of capture should have a significance which is not extant at the moment before or the moment after.

Once that’s achieved the aspiration should be to make images which are not only decisive moments but to make them part of the natural progressive flow of one’s work.

Review the images you’ve made and decide if they meet the base criteria, was the moment you’ve chosen different in its resonance in any significant way from a moment before or after.

I think this really helps clarify what is needed from this assignment.

  • it it NOT a critique of HC-B, but needs to demonstrate and understanding of the concept
  • it should capture a moment in time that is different from the moment before and the moment after.
  • the images should have aesthetic balance

I also had a look at a couple of blogs suggested by the tutors which were held up as demonstrating the required response to the brief

Kate Aston  and David Fletcher 

two very different responses and very interesting.

 

Collecting – Contact Sheets

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My first test shots for this assignment has thrown up some things I like, and some I don’t.

My initial thoughts were to see the person behind the glass, but I really liked the images where you can only see part of the person.  I also quite like the idea of viewing a corner where perhaps there may be something different happening on each side of the corner.

Contacts-1_MarkedContacts-2_markedcontacts-3.jpg

contacts-4.jpg

I realised this ‘through a window’ is a recurring theme in my photography so I looked through my archive to see if there were any photos that would compliment this assignment.  After all I think a ‘collection’ probably takes a long time to collate.

However, what I found was, that the photos I found didn’t really ‘fit’ with the theme and I also thought about the thinking that has gone into developing this idea and that the consciousness I am using to take these images means I am actually going out to take these images and I don’t want to just make earlier photos ‘fit’ when they weren’t taken with this purpose.

The themes I like in the images:

  • through the window
  • obscured view of person / blurred
  • reflection
  • warm light inside
  • asymmetrical lines from window frames
  • old frames

The themes I didn’t like:

  • modern frames
  • people to prominent

I was originally thought I would choose a portrait format, but have now decided to go for a square format, because I am thinking of presenting the photos as pains in a window, below is my first attempt at this idea.

my thoughts are that I might take a photo of a real window and add photos to that panes even if they are uneven. I think as the photos are largely of old windows, I need to match that in the presentation.

Contracts from second trip out:

selection of chosen images:

Collecting – Initial thoughts

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executing the idea!

So I’m worrying! or is that panicking!!  I have my idea and I’ve taken a couple of test shots.  I like my idea, but my struggle now is how to execute it within the time scale I have?

I don’t want to be forced to do something else or not feel I’ve achieved my plan to the best of my ability because of the fact that I am at work pretty much all of the time there is daylight at the moment. aaaaaargh!!!

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test shot

Although this photo isn’t exactly very artistic, I was testing my idea of watching people, comfortable in their own spaces, coupled with the reflection of what’s on the outside. Inspired by Mona Kuhn’s work, which I really connected with.

When I took this one, I was also struck by the fact that you can’t actually see his face.  This gave me the idea of ‘seen but not seen’, you know that he’s there, but you can’t really see him, it reminded me of the glimpse of people you get in their homes as you pass by.  They are comfortable and feeling secure in their private spaces but in actual fact they are still partly visible to the outside world.

So my challenge is to execute this idea and make the images interesting!

The time of year isn’t helping with this! so do I consider night time images? or street photography, or do I put this thinking on hold and consider something more manageable in the time frame. I could simplify it to the reflections, but I do like the human element;   hmmm . . . . off to ruminate . . . . .

 

Collecting – research

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I really like the theme of heads, and I like the idea of reflections and through windows, so if I put all of this together, my theme would be:

people looking through windows, with the reflection of the outside – some images, I’ve found that I like

 

Processed with VSCOcam with m3 preset

 

I ‘ve bought Mona Kuhn’s book ‘Evidence’ which I really like and want to use as inspiration.

Square Mile – more research

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more research:

When you look at the buildings and spaces that surround your neighborhood, do you ever feel compelled to photograph and immortalize the scene, or do you see just another mundane landscape? For British photographer Tom Westbury, anything and everything has the potential to become a valid, interesting photograph.

What Places Tell Us About People

33629176035_70d0f92489_mReally like this photographers work, he is using film, after constantly trying to make digital files look like film. Something I do quite a lot!

This particular photo called untitled, City of London, 2017 caught my eye for it’s composition and framing. However, whilst they are great shots, I’m not sure they show connection between the him and the environment.

This type of photography is called “New Topgraphics”,

New topographics was a term coined by William Jenkins in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz) whose pictures had a similar banal aesthetic, in that they were formal, mostly black and white prints of the urban landscape. Bernd Becher and Hilla Becher. Pitheads 1974.

www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/n/new-topographics
Tom’s photos are in colour, but most are very muted
don’t think this is useful for this brief, as I don’t want to create banal photos, I want to show connection and maybe the impact the environment has on an individuals identity.
. . . . .
searched for : want to find more about photography which links people with their surroundings
this made me chuckle:
https://www.boredpanda.com/people-look-like-surroundings-camouflage-clothing/
. . . . . .

I also wanted to research more about National Geographic.  Having watched a few on-line lectures from National Geographic photographers, I remember that many of them talk about the first photo in a series, being the ‘sense of place’ photo.  I wanted to see if this concept would be something that I should incorporate into this set of photos

NG even have a competition about ‘sense of place’ – Recognizing excellence in enhancing sense of place and authenticity, including support for the protection of historical monuments, archaeological sites, cultural events, indigenous heritage and artistic traditions.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/worldlegacyawards/winners.html#senseOfPlaceWinners
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/natgeotravel/sense-of-place/?autologin=true

Square Mile – Littlehampton Seafront

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Having thought about which ‘square mile‘ I would like to use, my first attempt at answering this is based on Littlehampton promenade.  I don’t have any connection with my own childhood, but it does with my children, step children and grandchildren and so I thought that maybe this is somewhere that we would all have memories of.

Littlehampton Seafront

This particular stretch of promenade has changed enormously over the years and especially in the past 5 years, when the whole river side defences have been rebuilt.  I am interested in how people use the space, i.e. for a Sunday stroll, walk the dog, a playground and as this assignment is about childhood interaction with surroundings, I thought I might focus particularly how children use this space.

This set of photos were taken on a surprisingly warm and bright October Sunday afternoon.  With me were three of step children ranging in age from 16 – 14 and my sister and her two year old.  So this gave me an opportunity to watch how the different ages interacted with different spaces and objects.  Arun District council have spent quite a lot of money over the last few years installing art objects and community spaces therefore this small stretch of prom has a lot of things packed into it tcontact sheeto do.

There is allegedly ‘the worlds longest bench’, an outdoor stage, a play park, and coffee shop designed by an award winning designer (affectionately known locally as ‘the rusty turd’!)

Having watched quite a few talks by National Geographic photographers, they always talk about the first shot being a ‘sense of place’ so I tried to take shots that might do that alongside the shots of the children interacting with objects they encountered.

I decided to use f/8 for all of the shots, as I felt I needed to keep both the foreground and background in focus because this is essentially about location and a connection with it. I kept the ISO at 200 as it was a fairly bright day but changed the focal length between 24 – 70 depending on the shot.

If I use these for the assignment, I think I will need to find a balance between showing ‘the place’ and how people interact with it.  I’m not sure if I should go back at different times of day or in different weather to show the changing nature of the area or if that’s too much bearing in mind I have to choose only 6 – 12 photos?

. . . . . . . . .

further reflection, I am pleased that these photos could convey connection with the environment, but not that they have an impact on a person’s identity

Square Mile: Research

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Brief

In our earliest years we know a patch of ground in a detail we will
never know anywhere again – site of discovery and putting names to
things – people and places – working with difference and similitude
– favourite places, places to avoid – neighbours and their habits,
gestures and stories – textures, smells – also of play, imagination,
experiment – finding the best location for doing things – creating
worlds under our own control, fantasy landscapes.
(Professor Mike Pearson)

The brief  is about Y Filltir Sgwar (The Square Mile) and the concept that people form an intimate connection between their childhood ‘home’ surroundings which is stronger than any other they’ll ever have.  I think the author is saying that these bonds can take on fantasy proportions.

I need to make a series of 6 – 12 photographs that examine my surroundings in a new and experimental way.  Y Filltir Sgwar is the starting point, but it asks you to consider where this concept might take you and there is no direction in terms of content.  Architecture, landscape or people could be the focus.  It should also try to communicate something about me, my interests and motivations, a kind on introduction.

initial thoughts:

  • I don’t live anywhere near where I was brought up, so can’t revisit places I knew as a kid.
  • I live in a pretty normal suburban housing estate, which I don’t have a great connection to.  I mostly drive in and out of the estate, I don’t really know it that well and am not really inspired to get to know it.
  • There are other local places I am more connected to, should I focus on one of those

 

research

In starting to consider this concept I have looked at the photographers suggested by the course book: I have annotated my thoughts under each one:

  • Keith Arnatt: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/keith-arnatt-666
    • Self Burial:Arnatt was fascinated with works of art that are created in the natural landscape but leave no trace of their presence behind. ‘The continual reference to the disappearance of the art object suggested to me the eventual disappearance of the artist himself’, he wrote. This sequence of photographs was broadcast on German television in October 1969. One photo was shown each day, for about two seconds, sometimes interrupting whatever programme was being shown at peak viewing time. They were neither announced nor explained – viewers had to make what sense of them they could.                                 Gallery label, April 2009

      Self-Burial (Television Interference Project) 1969 by Keith Arnatt 1930-2008

      Self  Burial: Keith Arnatt

    • like a when you throw a stone into the water, there’s a ripple and then it’s gone leaving no trace, perhaphs? does art change the world can we really leave a legacy?
  • Gawain Barnard: http://gawainbarnard.com/
    • In boredom to burn, the authors photos, seem to be reminiscing about his desire to burn things as a child.  These seem very dark and ominous and which may be a reflection on his thoughts about his home town. Not really a style I’d like to emulate.
  • Tina Barney: www.artic.edu/aic/exhibitions/story/barney.html
    • These photos seem to more about social comment than a sense of place, they also seem to highlight relationships
  • Venetia Dearden: www.venetiadearden.com/en/somerset_stories_fivepenny_dreams.
    html

    • Really like the artistry of this photographer, she uses great light, quite a lot of back lit photos and lots of black and white.  Photos have a filmic quality.  Feel warm and nostalgic, focuses on good things happening in these places.  I like this kind of photography alot.
      Somerset Stories Fivepenny Dreams
      ‘My passion and curiosity for Somerset has been fuelled by my long-term connection with this area where I spent my childhood. I am compelled to return again and again to explore my relationship with the landscape and the people living here. It is reassuring to witness the pioneering spirit of those living on and within the resources of their surroundings, and I wanted simply to capture intimate moments in families striving to create a way of life they believe in. My journey takes me through seasons, rituals, gatherings and day-to-day life. I witness a sense of belonging and identity within these rich bonds of family and community.’ Somerset Stories, Fivepenny Dreams reflects on the sense of belonging and identity connected to Venetia’s childhood home. Exploring the haunts of her youth and the lives of the current inhabitants, the series intimately documents her surroundings and families who live there.This five year project was published in 2008 and was recently shown at the

       

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      photos by Venetia Dearden

  • JH Engström: www.jhengstrom.com/fbh1.html
  • Roni Horn: www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/roni-horn-aka-roni-
    horn/roni-horn-aka-roni-horn-explore-exhibitio-10

    • This is a photographer who has developed a connection to a place other than the one she was born and has been returning again and again to document it change, she sees the landscape as growing
  • Tom Hunter: www.purdyhicks.com/display.php?aID=10
  • Karen Knorr: http://karenknorr.com/photography/belgravia/
    • I didn’t really like these photos, the photographer wasn’t trying to present lovely portraits but social comment on the places these people inhabited both phyisically and mentally.  There was real sense of dis-ease, and a cold detachment within them, which I think is what she was trying to convey.  Perhaps it’s my lack of connection to that kind of life that sits uneasy with me?
  • Peter Mansell: www.weareoca.com/photography/peter-mansell/
  • Marc Rees: www.r-i-p-e.co.uk/
  • Jodi Taylor: www.weareoca.com/photography/photography-and-nostalgia/
    • Really liked this photographer’s work, it seemed to make sense. I understood how she might have got from this kind of brief to what she had produced.  In the video of her level 3 work, it showed how she had considered how to present the work to enhance the feeling of nostalgia that she felt from revisiting her childhood places.

 

my thoughts for reviewing these photographers’ work:

I really liked Venetia Dearden’s style and connection with the people in her photographs, as I prefer people, perhaps I should focus on the people in the place that I choose?

In my opinion many of the photographers were also portraying the sense of identity that they or the people in the photographs are getting from their connection to that place.  Do I need a personal connection with the place to do this subject justice?

Could I use places that my grandchildren go now? It would be interesting to consider that they are currently living their ‘Square Mile’ and would focusing on them bring memories for them later in life? could I create a legacy for them?

My mind is whirring right now, need sleep