Supporting statement

PJD224 mark

Adrian

D46

The basis of your response is fine to explore and expand upon. Yet there is
no consistency or depth to your analysis and methodology noted in your
research book, you have evidenced very brief research notes. There needs to
be much more engagement with your response and activity. We feel that you
have a seedling of an idea at this stage, but it should really be more. The
ideas seem to be contained within your mind without much development shown in
other ways. There is a need for more documentation and photography; it seems
you are sticking on an idea without developing it to its full potential
through activity and supporting research. Despite the ease of access
regarding your family, there hasn't been much trying out of photography and
methods for production. However, it was a good class presentation with some
good quotes, clearly there is potential, yet it needs working on with much
greater exploration, experimentation and research support.


Best regards

Anthony Lam

Senior Lecturer in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography

 

'Personal View' PJD224 - Supporting Statement

Title- Rolling Family Stone

To reveal the truth - such is the job of the documentary photographer, such is my aim for 'personal view'. After thoughtful consideration I aim to communicate a honest and open view of myself as both a photographer and a person. This will be by producing a series of engaging family portraits. With a sense of truth I want my final set of images to say "This is Me, Here I am"; as the project is more of a personal exploration than just a straight "there's a face, have a look" portrait series.

Such photographers as Zed Nelson and Gino Sprio are of a vital influence in my approach to photographing my family. Zed Nelson’s "Love Me" series documents the vanity and almost insane dedication of societies "prettiest". Such brilliant and truthful ugly portrayals of beauty contestants, body builders and coming of age fashion models suffering; both physically and mentally, to meet the expectations of others helps to question the judgemental, vein society in which we live. Yet the same series depicts the more over-weight ("fat nation") in an almost idyllic, family-orientated fashion under blue skies and swimming carelessly in outdoor swiming pools. With such large contrasts to popular expectations under media based ideas of health and 'individuality' we, the audience, inevitably start to question and re-act to what it is we are seeing.

With regards to photographer Gino Sprio his portraiture of crying women is simple and effective. When we see our friends or family crying there is a natural inclination to comfort them and make them feel better. However, when there is an image of someone crying we can only help to sympathize with the subject while feeling helpless with comforting them. Not that it is my intention to make my subjects cry, I feel the best portraits are those of the truest form; something with which can be percieved as the ugliest even if it is not but a representation of the real.

In regards to equipment, I propose to use a 4x5 Large Format Camera with Fuji Colour Slide Film. Such highly defined colour slide negatives will help for me to produce highly detailed portraits of family which would not be as effective with use of smaller film camera’s of Dslr’s.

In regards to what I hope the final outcome to achieve, I hope to achieve true aesthetic beauty in the most honest form of people who, like someone passing in the street, I have yet to truly know. Throughout every single country in every single part of the world new and old members of family; be it literal or metaphorical, seem to always come and go hence the title 'Rollling Family Stone'. With new aunties, sisters, step-dads etcetura I hope to achieve a right kind of current documentary work which truly reflects my own seemingly continous 'Rolling Family Stone'.

What exactly constitutes a personal view?

 so i'm trying to decide exactly what I want to portray as something personal to me? or something with which I want other people to see which defines my own characteristics or perceptions on life?

Googleing; as per usual, some definitions of the word 'personal' & 'view' or even both words together I found the definitions below:

Definitions of 'personal view' on the Web:

An approach taken by mathematicians and philosophers to calculate probability, the personal view is an individual's belief about the chances that an event will occur. People who define probabilities use their knowledge about the world to make the best possible guess. ...
www.umich.edu/~numbers/glossary.html

view  (vy)

n.

1.

a. An examination or inspection: used binoculars to get a better view.

b. A sight; a look.

2. A systematic survey; coverage: a view of Romantic poetry.

3. An individual and personal perception, judgment, or interpretation; an opinion: In his view, aid to the rebels should be suspended. See Synonyms at opinion.

4. Field of vision: The aircraft has disappeared from view.

5. A scene or vista: the view from the tower.

6. A picture of a landscape: a view of Paris, done in oils.

7. A way of showing or seeing something, as from a particular position or angle: a side view of the house.

8. Something kept in sight as an aim or intention: "The pitch of the roof had been calculated with a view to the heavy seasonal rains" (Caroline Alexander).

9. Expectation; chance: The measure has no view of success.

tr.v. viewed, view·ing, views

1. To look at; watch: view an exhibit of etchings.

2.

a. To examine or inspect: viewed the house they were thinking of buying.

b. To survey or study mentally; consider.

3. To think of in a particular way; regard: doesn't view herself as a success; viewed their efforts



Definitions don't particularly matter as long I feel it the right thing to do.

So I have two scenarios- 

1. New york ('american me')


2. Family portraits ('rolling family stone') 




1. so why do I want to photograph New York?
Quote from sketchbook 

The personal view is to see how people/students/the youth/fellow photographers live their lives at the other side of the pond; so to speak. Do they have the same style of living to us? Is the education system the same? How is it to be a student/photographer living in NYC? Compare being a student in BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, to being a student in CHELTENHAM, ENGLAND. - hence the title 'american me'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aphotoguy/sets/72157614761311095/

http://www.booooooom.com/2009/08/19/simon-nunn-photographer/

So this goes back to the New york trip two years back with my college and old classmate who I'm going again with in February Simon Nunn (picture+link above)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosarioleotta/sets/72157622213160443/

(above) flick contact with some interesting portrait photography in NYC.

http://www.antoniobolfo.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=0

http://www.antoniobolfo.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=1&p=1

(above links) portraiture by American photographer Antonio Bolfo photographing new york's NYPD and their struggle to recruit and keep law in Nyc.

http://www.zednelson.com/?NewYork911Spectators:thumbnails

(above) photography on spectators of 9/11 nyc

2. but why also family portraits?

Quote from sketchbook:

the personal view isn't just me taking photographs of family but also recording in high detail my family's features through a large format camera onto colour slide film. This is a photographic record of my family as they are now- something I can always look back on.

As the brief says:

The documentary image is capable of involving viewers in an emotional engagement that has made it more than a means of factual record. The ability to communicate a particular viewpoint through images that display the style of the photographer.

My style of photography; which is mostly close up portraiture, could definitely communicate my own viewpoint of the old and new members of my family hence the title 'Rolling Family Stone' as family always changes and mine does also not with just people but also with nationality....................

I want to produce a series of work which honestly portrays those closest to me plus gives me a chance to re-connect with the people who should be most importrant to me personally. So the aim of photographing family isn't entirely for the project- if anything that's a great excuse for me to go back and spend some more time with them.

http://www.zednelson.com/?FatNation:thumbnails

london based photographer Zed Nelson photographing america's over weight, something against the generic portraiture of stick thin supermodels.

Another such person which photographs the real is Gino Sprio

http://ginosprio.com/index.php?i=Rachael&m=10&f=1

a girl crying; showing true emotion, is surely real documentary photography? portrays the real you get me!?

 

 

Personal View: Large Format (5x4) colour test shots + Family Portraits so far.

Large Format 

test shots plus family portraits so far on 4x5 fuji colour slide film

 

 

A bit stiff but just a test shot in the pittville studio (above)

This guy seems not to mind me always saying "hey, i'm gonna photograph you today! you dig?"

Test shot of Thorley (above) and other shot for past project (right)

4X5 Family portraits.. so far (below)

I like all of the shots below of my family but, as events unfolded, there were points which just made the shots get better throughout the evening. For example, the first shot below is of my 10 year old sister Danniella. Its simple and effective to the sense the viewer can see her features well with good exposure on the large format film. Yet after a few hours when an argument had started my sister starting crying and; just like all the cruel photographers who get great shots but don't do anything to help the situation, I asked her to sit in front of the camera which was already set up.

I did try to make her feel better afterwards though.

Most of all I like the detail in the eyes. Such detail of the eyebrows and eyes makes me feel like I'm actually looking at my sister and mum- i feel like i can have a convo with em!

Danny (Sister)



"I like to see the reflections in the eyes- which irritates some directors, but is true to life. Capturing these reflections helps to give the impression of a human being thinking. It's very important to me to light so that you can sense what lies behind that character's eyes. I always aim to catch the light in the eyes, because I feel they are the mirror of the soul. Truth is in the actor's eyes and very small changes in expression can reveal more than a thousand words"



(pg.41 'Cinematography, Screencraft') Cinematographer discussing the crucial use of close-ups within films such as his work with Ingmar Bergman's 'Persona'

Talking about cinematography (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRwAOwowdQk) Great use of colour and brilliant close ups of eyes and face. Gets really atmospheric 1.40 min/onwards. 

Reminds me gino sprios portrait work of crying women.

 Mum

Mum shots- I think I used a fairly short lens for this (150mm) as the proportions are a bit off; with the nose, but I kind of liked it when I saw it.

The first two photographs of my mum are a little blotchy and her nose is bit red (englands a cold place so obviously) but I prefer the first two to the last. Yes, she looks better in the third and the framing is better, but why would I want make pretty pictures of my family? documentary photography portrays reality so there you go. much better than the average vogue fashion portraits anyway =) 

Such real and personal documentary photography reminds me of the Benetton Campaign for Aids (image below). Even though Benetton is a clothing company they unconventionally use and advertise images which regard important global issues. Some question the Ethics and Morals of using such mind blowing documentary photography in the editorial/advertisment industry but I agree with it fully.

Like I mentioned earlier "documentary photography portrays reality" instead of the made up "perfected" image with which we all see in glossy magazines. I don't plan on photographing my family dying; obviously!, but I do plan on photographing realistic and true documentary portraits.  

4x5 Portraits continued....

 

Grandad (or Keith)

Steve (Official step-dad No3)

 

Rosie (grandad's wife)

Clowe (Aunt)

 

Athena (youngest sister)

& Millie (the family dog)

When bearing in mind the sheer definition of the images; the detail of the photographs is just beyond compare to any other form of photographic format.

Such examples above clearly show this but below some cropping has been done to emphasize this.

So far the portrait series; "Personal View" has been successful.

The use of high definition with large format; as mentioned earlier, has put great emphasis on the realism of my very own Rolling Family Stone.

Unlike; but similar in idea; the use of natural lighting in Richard Billingham's "Ray's a Laugh" I have decidedly used flash. This is to simply accentuate my subject. Such an example of this is with the cropped images above. Even up close there are no pixels; as with digital, and no grain; as with 35mm film, but pure sharpness and therefore a pure, more true representation of the subjects.

But do I feel that I could/can portray the subjects in still a more truer sense?

no.

In regards to personal relations with family; both old and new, the viewpoint of the camera- being close but still at a slightly professional distance, is momentarily how close I am personally with them myself.

Therefore the viewpoint of the camera; the view with which the audience can see the subjects, is not only the view behind a lens but also a view with which I see them.

I realize that as the project has progressed the series has become more intriguing not only from a photographic sense but also personally. 

Some personal realizations as to where I am, who I am, what I'm doing in life (right or wrong!?) have arised when I went back to my roots and shot the new, old and just damn odd members of family.

Photographing my 6 yr old auntie and 27 yr old step-grandma for example made me feel a bit uncomfortable; as just the idea before this personal venture of mine always has done. 

However, at the same time, this new personal experience has helped for me to come to terms with the situation. Some could just keep asking questions but I've kind of accepted the situation. 

The same applies with my new step-dad Steve; Paratrooper and recent Afghan soldier in the British Army. Going back for Photoshoots and spending time at their new house just a few miles from by birth town Bury St. Edmunds and inevitably spending time with Steve has helped for me to just get to know the guy. And as far as the blokes go he's alright.

But these realizations and family tribulations have helped for me to even put a title to this project, 'Rolling Family Stone'. No matter whether its death or age; or even the marriage with foreign blood, the stature of such a personal thing as Family can change suddenly and dramatically. From having a strong, large family unit or having no relations whatsoever, simple events- such as the above- can change the lives, perceptions, opinions and; without over-exaggerating too much, the course of some of our western civilised, ordered and perhaps even mundane lives.

And how do I Plan to carry on the project from here?????

Well lets make a list shall we?

1. sELF-pORTRAIT

2. Find old turkish step-dad No 2 Murat Urhan

3. Shoot Danny's Dad Abe who was a prominent father figure in my younger childhood/teenage years (god i feel old already)

& 4.....? update sketchbook and post every thing going on from now on until the deadline on 23rd March, 2011.........

note - now hoping to shoot Pictures of Pictures of such people as Abe, Murat and maybe even my own father with whom I have no current contact and therefore with whom I can represent in a less formal way with 4x5 large format film. For example I can shoot on digital with this as not only are they no longer a part of my Rolling Family Stone but also I have next to no slides left and am running low on money- perhaps New york wasn't a great idea after all =)

Diary log:

11th march, Friday -13:58

Now that I'm evaluating my approach with the family portraits I've realized how my use  of large format and now digital format are representing my current family status.

For example, I've used older format (4x5) with photographing current family and am now using the newer digital format to photograph photo's of older family- out with the OLD through digital representations and in with the NEW through much more dated larger format representations.

NEW YORK 2011

As a part of the progression throughout the module here are some pictures from my trip to New York; part of my original idea for this project.
The images are just an example of an outsiders point of view. I didn't want to demonstrate a tourist viewpoint so the select few below are New York from the most realistic point of view I could achieve possible. Some edited, some not.


  6x7 Film

 (digital)

 4x5 portraits continued...
 self portraits...

  

Self Portraits taken outside.

A true representation?

Yes.

Reflects character well along with the project.