I took a gamble again with Assignment Three shooting it overseas, but on this occasion, I know I can re shoot in the UK if I have to. The themes will be the same, but different images. Hopefully it won't come to that! I'm just pleased that I had another opportunity to use street/travel photography themes for an assignment.
I decided on this occasion to submit five images. Using a tightly edited and visually consistent approach worked well for Assignment Two, so I applied the same methodology. Adding more than five images would not have added extra information to the story; it already said what I wanted to say, and adding more (as I found out) risked introducing images that were not visually consistent.
Overall, my criticism of this presentation is whether the narrative is actually about the speed of the passage of time, or the volume of work I have to do. Hopefully, the relationship between the two elements and the fact that they have an adverse impact on each other comes through.
It was hard for me to try to shoot deliberately blurred scenes; I usually aim for absolute precision. Although actually, apart from Image 1, which was deliberate, and 2 where I tried to be a bit sharper, the others are a bit fuzzy by happy accident.
The images I like the most are 1, 3 and 5. I really like image 1 from Tokyo: it conveys the concept of a flood of stuff (represented by the people on the crossing) coming towards me (the daily tidal wave) and the street photography elements of the matching jumpers on the girls is an added bonus. This was shot handheld at the slowest shutter speed I dared without blurring the background - 1/15s. I think I managed to get sufficient softness without losing outlines. The inclusion of the "stop hand" in the top left corner, works well as the "voice of reason" telling me to slow down, even though it's impossible. And of course Starbucks in the background: coffee to start the day! Image 3 from Osaka is a street photography "moment" shot through the back of the machine, creating the illusion of multiplying tasks (represented by the reflection of the bears) and the added twist of the man grabbing a toy instead of the claw. Image 5 from the snow monkey park in Jigokudani Yaen-Koen on Christmas Day was an accident. I didn't know I'd taken it until that evening when I was editing my 1000 shots from that day and I found it. It was taken with a shutter speed of 1/160s so that tells you how fast they shake their heads! I was trying at the time to create a cute monkey bathing picture, and didn't mean to take a demonic head-shaking "Exorcist" monkey. I'm glad I didn't realise it was there on the day, as I would probably have deleted it, thinking it was too blurred.
The image I don't like is Image 4. This was taken in Miyaji (an island near Hiroshima) on New Year's Eve at the Chinkasai Fire Festival. It was very crowded, raining and moving very fast. I took a lot of shots trying to get the fire action with faces coming towards me (rather than backs) - they all failed - the framing was hard with everything moving so quickly. This image is in fact a crop (hence it is a bit grainier than the others).
Image 2 is ok; it was an easy shot being indoors and not moving (although I had had a few drinks when I took it). This is in fact the toilet door of the bar I was in and it immediately looked like the boxes on my Outlook calendar at work on week view when I saw it. Later I noticed the two toilet symbols, which made me laugh, as that is also a problem (as in finding time)... the gap giving me time for one lunch break during the week was an added bonus.
In terms of the Assessment Criteria, here are my thoughts:
Demonstration of technical and visual skills
If I'm honest, I don't think technically I pushed myself or tried anything new really. I was operating within my street photography comfort zone (much easier in Asia than in UK), and didn't attempt anything tricky. Technically the hardest shot was Image 4 because of the movement, weather and light, and having to keep up with the festival participants. I had an opportunity to try something more creative with Image 1 (i.e. use a tripod and try to get people ghosting or maybe use a zoom burst on one person), but because I already had an image I liked, which had sufficient (very slight) blur I decided to stick with that one. I was also under time pressure by then.
Quality of outcome
Having made the claim that I was inspired recently by two contemporary images that made the most of a monochrome, blurred technique, I don't like very much what I made. The pictures are very dark and my interpretation of the subject matter is very dark; this is quite a contrast from my what is (now) usual colourful and comical images. I'm pleased though that I managed to put together something that said what I wanted it to say, but I don't feel that this is representative of my own style. I'm not sure I have a style yet, but I don't think it's going to be this. In terms of whether it hangs together as a series, the images are connected by theme and visual consistency, but not in terms of a linkage effect between each one, as I had achieved with Assignment Two. This series needs the text to make it hang together.
Demonstration of creativity
I never know how to answer this part; yes I've made something - I've created something from nothing and I've tried a different way of presentation. It's unlikely to be very original - I'm sure the Shibuya Crossing has been photographed a million times already. I suppose from the point of view that I have presented images in a different way to normal, they could be considered creative, but on retrospect, I do prefer colour street photography. I think all the images work better individually in colour, but they sit better together as a series in black and white. And of course I wanted to make them seem sinister, which I think the black and white helps with. I chose the black background and white writing to the presentation format to enhance the concept of this mysterious force that controls my life. All in all, the interpretation (metaphorical) is probably more creative than the photography itself.
Context
My research for this assignment continued with my general and on-going street photography work (see other posts under the "Street Photography" tag) and the two photographers I mentioned. I am looking more and more now at contemporary photographers who have made the leap that I am trying to make, i.e. to find my own style. By looking at contemporary photographers who were recently at my stage of the journey (rather than some of the older classics e.g. Bresson), and who perhaps a few years ago were where I am now, makes the end goal seem more attainable. I did however follow my tutor's advice, which was to try to get deeper into one subject.
Overall
Overall I am pleased to have done this work, but I don't think introspection is the way forward for me. I am more interested in observing the world around me than looking within.
No comments:
Post a Comment