Dana Popa: Not Natasha

As part of my feedback for Assignment Two, my tutor recommended I look at Dana Popa's "Not Natasha" series as an example of getting deeper into one subject.

My first reactions looking through the images were about shock, horror, how appalling that situation is (beyond appalling), but also how sensitive the images are.  Not Natasha is a series about sex trafficking in Eastern Europe and the impact it has on the victim's lives and their families.  More information about the series is available from lens culture.

Looking through the images you see evidence of how young the girls are, how unhappy they are, the damage they are suffering (scars from self-harming), how cheap their lives are, how they have been objectified, abused, tortured, how their families are ripped apart, their lives devastated by the kidnappings, some are even betrayed by their families (one girl was sold by her fiance) and to be frank, it's sickening.  Sickening that human beings can be so depraved and vile to other human beings.  In some images you see the victims, in others you see their environment, and evidence of their existence (traces) or their situations.  And although these images have been sympathetically shot, there is no doubt that Popa is engaged and on some level also feeling their pain, I find them chilling.  It is a horror story equal to that of conflict photography. 

In terms of photographer's engagement - it's clear that she had researched her subject, and spent a lot of time with the girls getting to know them and their story, traveling to do so.  She must have also taken many risks with her own safety to do so.  She spoke with seventeen different women to gain an insight into their lives and in doing so must have had been able to show a protective, sympathetic and supportive approach.  To get people to open up on a subject like this must be very challenging emotionally, for both subject and photographer.  I wonder if Popa needed emotional support herself to be able to produce a body of work that is subjective, but also stands up as a solid documentary.

One thing I noticed, which contradicts the advice I have been given about putting a series together is the format of the photographs.  I have been told repeatedly that a series should be visually consistent, which this is in tone/colour/subject/emotion - but not in format.  She has mixed horizontal/vertical rectangles with squares, some with a white border, some with no border, some with text, some without text.  What does this mean?  It's obviously deliberate.  Is it a commentary on complexity?

How does this relate to my work?  Why was this recommended to me?  The recommendation came as a result of my work for Assignment Two which was street/travel photography in theme.  My approach to street photography is not a documentary/reportage approach like this, but a spontaneous and impulsive exploration of random events looking for twists and irony in every day life.  I like to combine it with the travel element as this gives me a fresh and curious perspective; I notice more when I'm abroad than I do at home.  It's new, different and exciting, and to be honest, I get an adrenaline surge from doing it.  Even planning the trips gives me a rush.

So at the moment, I can only relate to this work coming from a position of both deep sympathy and appreciation of the amazing photographic skill and engagement.  I have thought a lot about where my photography is going over the past couple of years, and I'm happy with the direction it's heading at the moment.  I'm having a lot of fun with it, and for me, right now, that's what I want.  After a 50 hour working week, 15 hours of commuting, squeezing in friends, family and degree work (see Assignment Three for that context!) - all nice problems to have, but I do need to let off steam (not make more steam).  I realise that as this degree progresses, I may need to dig a lot deeper than I am at present, but I don't think I could take on something as committed and engaging as this right now.  BUT as time goes on, I'm sure I will, particularly once I have retired or maybe even once I've found something that I desperately want to document.  I can see myself in the future, once I have more time, making documentaries/reportage articles about animal conservation and protection issues.  That's why I'm dabbling in Wildlife Photography as well! 

I have also been thinking about documenting journeys along barriers, e.g. Israel/West Bank and making comparisons between people's lives.

Websites:

• not Natasha by Dana Popa available from http://www.danapopa.com/gallery.php?ProjectID=218/photos/gallery/not_natasha_for_the_website_32-2.jpg [accessed 25 January 2015]
• not Natasha in lensculture magazine available from https://www.lensculture.com/articles/dana-popa-not-natasha [accessed 25 January 2015]

Practising Street Photography

I recently spent two weeks in Japan (over Christmas and New Year) which gave me a fantastic opportunity to practice my Street Photography - and what an amazing location to do so!  This was the first real opportunity I'd had since returning from my Varanasi trip on a Maciej Dakowicz Street Photography Workshop.  I didn't have an agenda for my Street Photography in Japan (apart from shooting Assignment Three if I could); I just took it as it happened - which is how I like to practice anyway.  And I think that subconsciously I was trying to practice the approaches I had learnt in Varanasi:

Exposing for highlights

Tokyo

Capturing a "moment"

Tokyo

Layering your subjects with no overlaps

Tokyo

Getting close to take portraits

Hiroshima

Finding humour

Tokyo

Putting the subject inside frames

Osaka

Creating a mystery

Hiroshima

Spotting an illusion

Osaka

Using backgrounds

Tokyo

Putting the focus point in the correct place (subject of story)

Jigokudani

Using colours effectively

Tokyo

And two additional approaches:

Echo

Tokyo

Abstract

Tokyo

The overriding observation is that the results of these outings are very similar in style to my photos from Varanasi, however this is not surprising given that this was the first chance I'd had to practice.  And I am really pleased with the results!  But they are of course also quite similar to the style of other people's who have just done their first workshop with Dakowicz.  In March I am going to Myanmar for my second workshop; aside from getting better at these basic styles, my objective for my next trip is to find a more original style plus also to improve my framing (still relying on cropping but don't tell Dakowicz!).

The full set can be found on my flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alisonadcock/sets/72157649453566929/

p.s. I also got some nice wildlife from Jigokudani on this trip!

Feedback and response to Assignment Two: Photographing the unseen - Wonder

Fantastic and encouraging feedback to Assignment Two from my tutor :)

I had fulfilled the brief and produced a tightly edited set that illustrated various conflicting interpretations of the concept of "wonder" in street photography style, with a recommendation for future work to explore the idea of focusing on one aspect of an idea and pushing deeper within the same idea, rather than laterally around the idea (I will try to do this for Assignment Three).  My tutor recommended I research Dana Popa's "Not Natasha" series for a deep and personal insight into trafficking to get an idea of researching deeper into a theme, which I will in preparation for Assignment Three.  She mentioned the risks of choosing a travel theme for an assignment but this had been a consistent approach.  I will however be attempting this again in Japan for Assignment Three?

From a technical perspective, the feedback I received was that the images are strong, with colour and depth of saturation making them stand out.   The focus is good and detail unusual for this stage of my development in street photography, with compelling compositions and the impression of being close to the communities I photographed.  The tight editing had worked well and something to remember and keep up for future assignments.

To be honest, this is better feedback than I could have hoped for!

The only picture my tutor did query was Picture 6 - the dog and the shadow:

With this photo, I was trying to achieve a sense of mystery.  While I was shooting it I had held the position for about 15mins over the real dog - I was practicing exposing for highlights against shadows, and was waiting for something interesting to happen while watching the shadows change.  Finally a second dog came into view, but of course all you can see of the second dog is its shadow, which at first is confusing as it looks like the real dog has its shadow in the wrong place.  But, at the time, when this great dog-shape came into view through the view finder, it actually felt quite sinister - it completely changed the light for one thing, but it also felt like the shadow dog was creeping past the sleeping dog.  When I then put together my series and paired it backwards with the policeman looking alarmed and forwards with the child hiding behind bars, I was trying to get a sense of a frightening aspect of wonder across.  I do have some other mystery shots I could substitute - but I felt that this one worked the best in terms of the peeling onions and transition from positive to negative concept of wonder.

Finally, to explore street photography further, she recommended researching further:

• Joel Sternfeld
• Stephen Shore
• Saul Leiter
• William Eggleston
• Helen Levitt.

I'm already familiar with Saul Leiter, although I haven't previously mentioned him in my blog, but the others are new.  I will certainly research these photographers!

Part Three - Putting yourself in the picture: Project Two - Masquerades: Exercise 2 - Childhood memory

This exercise asks us to recreate a childhood memory in a photograph.  I explored this topic quite deeply in the Digital Photographic Practice module, which I did not complete and therefore have not submitted for assessment.  Rather than repeat the exercise, I will refer to this one instead, the work for which can be found via this link: http://jointheaadpp.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html and then following the various links under Assignment Three: Monochrome.  The photography was executed in May 2014, so still relatively recently and consisted of trying to rediscover my childhood memories of Felixstowe, where I spent my childhood holidays with my grandparents, parents and sister.

Here are my further thoughts about this exercise:

• The memory involved me directly and was all about my own fondness and attachment to the place that houses the memories of my grandparents.
• I did not include my adult self in the photographs; this about what I had seen with my eyes as a child and wanted to see again as an adult.
• I neither recreated the memory literally, as I was prepared for a) time moving on and b) not recreating scenes. I was just revisiting locations that I associated with those memories, nor did I recreate it metaphorically.  I think the end result is actually like a retrospective documentary.
• I did accompany the images with text; I put together a presentation which I have uploaded below.
• The photographs mostly resembled my memories; I was surprised at how little had changed and also that the scenes I visited where in such a good state of repair.  Felixstowe had obviously taken care of itself!  But, one noticeable difference, which is predictable, is that the buildings were a lot smaller.
• If I went back now to repeat the exercise, with the same focus on location, the subject matter would be the same, photography might be better compositionly (think I've improved!) but would I have got the same amazing sky?  Actually, I intend to go back to Felixstowe in 2015, but to carry out some seaside street photography, rather than recreation of memories.  

Here is the presentation I created:

Part Two - Narrative: Reflections

Wow - my feet haven't touched the ground!  But instead of feeling tired, as I did at the end of Part One, I feel inspired, energised and ready for Part Three.  I did have a bit of a blip though during Part Two, maybe a part of the come down from my trip to India, but I went through a bit of block with my course work, as in not wanting to do it.  I kept asking myself why I'd chosen this academic route, when basically all I want to do is get out and take photos!  I've resolved that now (yesterday actually), the bigger picture is that one day, I'd like to make a living from photography, and that will include teaching, so I need the broader understanding and skill set and have to be careful not to lose sight of that.  I do however need to revise my timetable a bit, as I'm not getting out as much as I'd like, and at the end of the day, I need to practice to progress my personal ambitions.  I currently allow 2-3 weekends a month to complete my course work, and then I read/research/surf on my daily commute.  I think I need to try, as hard as it is, to "work after work", to put in one evening a week for course work.  That means also putting it on my office calendar to avoid staying late at work.  I will start doing this in the New Year, and this will free up a bit more time at weekends for practicing my street photography :)

So, during Part Two I have (in no particular order):

• Taken part in a week-long Street Photography workshop in Varanasi, India with Maciej Dakowicz 
• Learnt a lot about different ways of supplementing images with text and what that achieves
• Learnt about loss of authorial control
• Learnt about the difference between relay and anchor text
• Understood how images can be ambiguous if not supported by text
• Learnt about photographing the unseen
• Met Dougie Wallace again at his Shoreditch Wildlife launch event
• Reviewed 2 exhibitions
• Read 0 photography books!!  (ooops.....)
• Won a photography competition at work!  Yay!
• Had one of my photographs used by Maciej Dakowicz on his website :o)

But, most importantly, a while ago, I wasn't sure where my photography was heading.  I was flitting between street, travel, wildlife, landscape, conceptual, art, documentary, trying out photojournalism....I had no idea where I was going.  Following my experience in Varanasi, I now known for certain exactly where I'm going.  I found this blend of street/travel photography very exciting and challenging - and this is what I want to do - every day that I can!

Finally, I need to do something about the tag list for this blog -it's getting a bit long....not quite sure what to do about it, but I'll give it some thought.

Fotoura - Street Awards 2014 Exhibition

I stopped by the Fotoura Street Awards 2014 Exhibition on Friday:

I had offered to take a photography for Larry Hallegua, who was one of the finalists.  Hallegua was previously a participant on a Maciej Dakowicz workshop, so this gives me great hope!!

Here is Hallegua's series as exhibited:

I really like the way the series is constructed with the linkage in theme and composition between each photograph.  The "wish I'd seen that" shot for me is the third one, of the two airline pilots/stewards playing with their phones hiding behind their luggage and hats.  I love the confusing illusion Hallegua has created.

I also enjoyed looking at another finalist, Gareth Bragdon, who I've been following on Flickr for a while:

Bragdon creates a bizarre, mysterious, sinister almost ghoulish world in his photography and it's just wonderful to look at.  How he sees a situation and translates into these strange scenes is just amazing.

Congratulations to both of them!


Websites

• Fotoura Street Awards 2014 Exhibition available from http://fotoura.com/photography-exhibitions/street-awards-2014-exhibition/ [accessed 23 November 2014]
• Gareth Bragdon on Flickr available from https://www.flickr.com/photos/garethbragdon/ [accessed 23 November 2014]
• Larry Hallegua available from http://www.larryhallegua.com/ [accessed 23 November 2014]
• Maciej Dakowicz Photography Workshops available from http://www.maciejdakowicz.com/photography-workshops/ [accessed 23 November 2014]

Assignment Two - Reflections

I took a gamble with Assignment Two in shooting it overseas knowing that I would not be able to go back and reshoot in the same location.  My tutor warned me about this, however, as the direction I want my photography to progress with is exactly this blend of street/travel photography, I am going to have to learn to get it right on location.  In fact, this is the kind of pressure that many commercial photographers and photojournalists are under each time they shoot, so for me this is a reality I will also have to live with and should therefore practice.  And I will do it again and again, as this is what I want to improve on, and I have decided that I will try to shoot Assignment Three in Japan over Christmas in Street/Travel Photography style.

I think though, the gamble paid off.  I have a series of 7 images that I believe fulfill the brief.  The assignment specifically mentioned that the series must be visually consistent and tightly edited, and I think they are, or at least I tried to achieve that.  The colours/tones are very similar: mostly cool with the exception of the orange in the sunrise picture which punctuates the start of the series.  In addition, each photograph leads into the next: they are all visually connected with each other by colour/tone or also by an element within the frame:

• In photos 1 & 2, both men are covering their faces
• Photo 3 provides the head and upper torso that is hidden from view in photo 2
• In Photo 3, the man is peering into the room in photo 4
• Photos 4 and 5 both have an activity taking place inside a rectangle - similar compositions
• Photo 5 the man is looking out of the frame slightly alarmed at the dog in photo 6
• In photo 7, the child is looking back at the dog (also looking alarmed).

I could have used more than seven photographs, but the other three I had did not really add anything more to the story.  This was definitely a case of less is more! 

Presenting these images for an assignment though was also an emotive decision.  I had such an amazing time during that week with Maciej Dakowicz, that there was no way I was not going to use the images!  But, I hope it works out as a complete assignment - the emotional stakes are quite high, so I will be disappointed if it's not a success!

In terms of the Assessment Criteria, here are my thoughts:

Demonstration of technical and visual skills

During that week in India, I found that my technical and visual skills progressed way beyond my expectations.  I was so happy with the process that I booked another workshop in Myanmar in March again with Dakowicz as I wanted to take it further still.  I learnt so much about exposure, composition, story telling, observing, and so on, and I think it is reflected in these images.  I also became a lot braver about being closer to people when I took photographs.  I also learnt from Dakowicz how to put a portfolio together - how images need to connect with each other, and this has also been demonstrated in this assignment.

Quality of outcome

I'm happy with the quality of outcome - of course I am - I've never produced anything like this standard of work before (hope that doesn't sound too immodest but I'm still on a high from the whole experience)!  The images are all clear, correctly exposed, no noise etc.  My only concern is with the text - should I have captioned the images or included more text?  I think the approach I took is the right one, I do want the viewer to wonder what is going on and think about their own reaction of wonder, without too much guidance, but I'm not 100% certain that I should not have included more guidance text.

Demonstration of creativity

This is definitely my most creative piece of work yet and I believe that personal voice is now starting to show.  The best thing though is that I have "found myself".  I've realised that I can combine my two biggest passions in life: travel and photography, and that my photography now has some direction.  In my Reflections to Assignment One, I mentioned that I felt that various strands of photography were emerging.  That's all over now.  This experience was so exciting that I cannot bring myself to photograph anything else at the moment, and certainly not every day urban scenes.  I can't wait to be able to have another experience like this.  I get an adrenalin rush from Street Photography anyway, and I think it's time now to just focus on that, and combine it with travel where I can.

I am aware though, that, although the way in which I've used these photos is original, on account of the assignment directions, but, overall, my images from Varanasi look similar to other photographs I've seen taken by other people, and of course they are inspired by the style of Dakowicz.  They are original for me, but overall, I need to step up still in finding more a more unique perspective.  These broadly look like many people's travel photographs, so I feel like I'm just on the first step of the ladder now.  But, I am thrilled though that I've found my ladder!  I think it might have always been there, and I have spent the past six months intensely focusing on Street Photography, but until now, I wasn't really ready to rule out other avenues.  But I am now :)

Context 

Research for this assignment was limited to the work directed by the course materials.  I got a really good sense through the projects, exercises and research points of what photographing the unseen can mean, i.e. through gesture, traces, metaphoric illustration, so I hope that this has come through in this piece of work.

Overall

Overall I am extremely pleased (as you probably gathered....sorry....) with this work.  I think where I may get some learning points / constructive feedback will be in how I put the series together - were the photos in the right order - does the onion layers idea come through?  Have I really captured the concept of "wonder"?  Is this too illustrative and not sufficiently metaphorical?  And also whether I should have used more text/captions.  I will be interested to see my tutor's response and whether the ambiguity I tried to achieve came through.

Websites:

• Maciej Dakowicz available from http://www.maciejdakowicz.com/ [accessed 23 November 2014]