Photography - Induction

Today I had my photography induction in the dark room at the Clarendon Building. The lesson was with Ikuko Tsuchiya, a photographer who had an exhibition at the university last month. Her work focuses on using photography as a therapeutic agent in healthcare.

http://www.nugits.nhs.uk/page.asp?id=274040

Today we worked without a camera and were taught the basic principles of exposing photographic paper to light. The process involved placing an object on top of the photographic paper, exposing it to various strengths of light and then fixing that image in a chemical bath.

Above are some examples of the work I created today, the first was created with a long exposure to light which resulted in the dark black area. The image to the right was created by flicking the chemicals from the bath onto the paper.

Photography

I focused on Photography quite a bit in my last project as the final poster was image-led. Since the hand-in I remembered looking at the work of John Rankin and wished I'd mentioned him in my sketchbook.

http://rankin.co.uk/

His work is amazing and what I particularly find interesting is how he manages to capture the character of his subject.

Thom Yorke, Radiohead

Pete Doherty, The Libertines

His lighting allows him to create beautiful images and makes me want to learn more about his mothods and the photography process.

On Thursday I will be having my first photography induction at the University. I can't wait as its something I've been wanting to get into for a while now and that has been shown in my past projects.

Road to Nowhere - The Grid

Yesterday I went home to take some photos of my Granddad. He wasn't too pleased when I said I needed an old weathered face! I tried to replicate the stock image I used last week to explain my idea in the critique.

Again I've had to focus on the grid when positioning the type. The face forms a natural grid with the nose in the centre.

I have to work in the text so it becomes part of the image. It shouldn't obstruct the image but must also be clear and legible. The one on the left feels more 'edgy' and 'current', but we've been warned about having type on its side as we naturally read from left to right.

I've started to come up with my own grid, its a mixture of the two above. Using the natural grid of the face, and the lines in the face as contours/guidelines for the type.

Its a very hard task, working the type into the image. I think the concept is perfect so I need to work on placement of the type, because I want to get it right. I'm going to look into other black and white posters and see how they deal with type.

Weathered face

Today we had a studio session with our tutor in which we could talk through our ideas. One of the main aims of this project is to teach us the definition of a concept, a group of ideas based around a similar theme.

I realised that the idea of a chair on a road is a nice idea, but not necessarily a concept! An audience member going on a journey however could be one. I'd need to work on finding different ways of portraying that idea.

Concept 2 - Weathered Face

I put that idea to side for a bit and went back to one of my previous 'concepts', which was the idea of a weathered face symbolising a person who had been on a journey.

I think this would be a much better visual, it could be striking and provoke emotion with the audience. With this concept there are several areas I could investigate:

• lines on face representing roads/map
• face/contours could represent a landscape from above
• 'the star' of the film who has been on a journey - aged/tired

I think the idea of keeping it simple in black and white photography is in keeping with the film style of the project. It will create emotion rather like a film does.