Critical Study Ideas

As I am hoping to go into the area of documentary photography and photojournalism, I would like to base my Critical Study on these specialisms. After in-depth research into photojournalism, I have decided to discuss the decline of the photo essay in photography and this effect on photojournalists.

Artist research:
W. Eugene Smith - undertook a photojournalism project called 'Country Doctor'. This project established Smith as a master of the unique young art form of the photo essay and solidified his stature as one of the most dedicated and influential photojournalists of the 20th Century.

 

 

Grace Robertson - A Day in the Life project called 'Mother's Day Off' depicts a group of woman from South London enjoying a day-trip to the coast. It was one of a series of articles in which 'Picture Post' looked at the ways in which working-class people spent their free time during the summer months. On a rare day off the women are enjoying a drink at a local bar before departing for Margate. This has clearly sparked off the curiosity of the children playing outside.

Martin Parr - 'No Worries' project for FotoFreo, Parr photographed three major port cities in Western Australia; Fremantle, Broome and Port Hedland. Each town was a unique setting for a photographer famed for his photographs of British seaside culture and his style of photography, using intimate shots, saturated colours and flash photography, helped to create an invaluable collection of images.

Points to consider:

·      The history of photo essays and the arise of photojournalism

·      Current technology and it’s effects on photo essays; people are desensitized to poignant images, people may not value this type of photography, anyone can upload their own images to the internet

·      How many photo magazines are in circulation nowadays compared to in the past

·      Fashion magazines such as Marie Claire and Elle use photo essays to sell clothing and accessories – this is a different way that photo essays are used and is less meaningful

·      Why has there been a decline, what has contributed to this?

·      Do people care less about current issues in society?

FMP: Three Concepts

From the selection of initial ideas I generated, I have chose three ideas which I feel are most suitable for my practice and that I would ideally like to pursue.

1. A Day in the Life: As a documentary photographer, I feel that this project would suit my style of photography best as it would record and document a day in an individual's life. I would like to combine this idea with another, mentioned in my initial ideas, which explores mental health. This would involve photographing someone suffering from mental health issues going about their day as they usually would - this would work to highlight the struggles that the sufferer is faced with on a day to day basis which would then in turn promote awareness and understanding of mental well-being.

 

2. From Where I Stand: Inspired by the I Am Here project I found online, this concept focuses on documenting my feet and the environment around them. I feel that this idea would explore my interpretation of the world from my point of view and hopefully convey this to an audience. For this project to work effectively I would be required to travel to different areas of the country to gain a wide variety of environments to photograph myself in - this could be developed further by photographing in locations that are significant to me and that have a personal meaning. I would also like to shoot using film as this is my favourite format and feel I have not utilised it much throughout this year. It also hope to create some interesting effects, such as negative scratches, high grain and double exposures.

 

 

3. People at Work: Inspiration for this concept was drawn from my travels to Istanbul as I saw many people working on the street markets and selling various items on the roads which I then proceeded to photograph. As I am interested in social documentary, I enjoy photographing people and their stories - generally jobs that people have represent them and their personality, which I am hoping to capture in a candid way. The most effective subjects would be those who require props for their jobs such as chefs and farmers. I could also explore the idea of using long exposures to capture the movement and energy of the activities that certain jobs involve.

D&AD Submission: 'Nokia' Brief

For my concept, I wanted to incorporate HCB's theory regarding the ‘decisive moment’ to create an image that explores cultural life and popular experiences as a form of self-expression that is relevant to the consumer.
I chose to photograph a couple sharing an intimate moment in the middle of a busy high street and I wanted the image to convey their moment in time. I feel that consumers of all ages would be able to relate to this idea as it is human nature to desire the feeling of love.

Below is my final submission...

Final Major Project and Critical Study

I am currently working on my Final Major Project (FMP) and Critical Study assignments. They allow me the opportunity to develop my skills in decision-making, problem solving and communication, integrating the skills and knowledge that I have developed in the past two years on the HND course.

For the I am required to select, plan, implement and evaluate a project of my choice - that is within my chosen specialism of social documentary photography - and present the outcomes in the end of year exhibition. I must also evaluate my own practice through a critical analysis as well as writing a 3000-word essay focusing on an area of contemporary photography that interests me.

So far I have been exploring initial ideas for the concept of my FMP and these include;  

• A day in the life
• Exploring mental health issues
• Social/cultural/economic aspects of society
• Analogue photography
• Travel and shoot different areas of the UK
• Double exposure
• Mobile photography
• People at work
• Significant memories
• Change
• Public displays of affection
• Nightlife
• 'From where I stand'
• On the road 

Below shows a range of images I have found online that interest me and inspire ideas for this project...

 

D&AD New Blood Awards 2014

As part of my Advertising Assignment I am required to take part in the New Blood Awards, held by D&AD. From a range of different briefs, I chose Nokia's 'Decisive Moment' brief which focuses upon revisiting the idea of Henri Cartier Bresson's 'decisive moment'. 

The brief states the following; Use your intuition to capture an image that is not disposable but speaks of, or represents, a particular moment in time. Revisit the concept and evolution of the ‘decisive moment,’ whilst considering the access and immediacy that photographic technology has now enabled. The challenge is to understand your own world-view, knowing that a picture can say as much about the photographer as the subject in front of the lens. Through a single image create a distinctive piece of cultural reportage.

I undertook in-depth research into the principles of Nokia's brand, their history of advertising and legislation within the advertising industry before creating digital mock-ups, sketches and visual mind-maps to explore initial ideas and concepts. I formulated four main concepts for this brief including;

1. The 'Decisive Moment': for this concept, I wanted to incorporate Henri Cartier Bresson’s theory about the ‘decisive moment’ to create an image explores cultural life and popular experiences as a form of self-expression that is relevant to the consumer.

2. Incidental Photography: focusing on accidental photography and capturing incidental elements within an image as well as the main focal points. This can include reflections, movement, energy, background details, signs, hidden meanings as well as lighting and shadows.

3. Mobile Photography: this genre has changed the way people use mobile phone cameras, it allows anyone to pick up their smartphone and create images whilst providing professional photographers with another creative opportunity. This concept would appeal to Nokia's target audience - the social, connected, in-the-know types. I was also interested in how popular their new Nokia 1020 smartphone has become – used by David Bailey and other professional photographers who enjoy the high quality images that can be achieved with the phone’s 41-megapixel camera.

4. Differences/Contrast: this concept focuses on representing the different ways in which the public own and use mobile phones. It emphasises how far digital technology has come since the first mobile phone was produced and how each year new smartphones, with more features than the ones before, are being developed.
Below are a few of my digital mock-ups, created using images found on stock websites or via other photographers. (Permission to use images has been attained).

 

The 'Decisive Moment' Mock-up #1 - © Danny Santos 2013; © Rob Cartwright 2012; © Rawhead 2014

 

 

Mobile Photography Mock-Up #1

 

 

Incidental Photography Mock-up #1 - © Ceyda Hall 2012; © Bhautik Joshi 2013

 

 

Differences/Contrast Mock-up #1

After producing 20+ mock-ups, I have decided to submit mock-up #1 from the 'decisive moment' and will shoot during the next week.

Some Cities

'Stories from Birmingham made by the people who live and work there'

Some Cities is an exciting and ambitious project by photographers Andrew Jackson and Dan Burwood to build an interactive online archive of photographs and stories of life in Birmingham.
One of my photographs posted on the Some Cities website after submission:

some-cities.org.uk