This initial Assignment is in two parts and I can understand why as the majority of reviewers of portfolios are asking for payment and seem to only allocate thirty minutes so it’s important to ensure that you provide them with the correct set and information around the project and detail your aims for the final product.
I submitted part one of the Assignment for assessment on the 14th November and had a video catch up with my tutor on the 27th . Feedback was positive as she believed that the core work was there, that this was clearly a social documentary project and I shouldn’t try to introduce other techniques into the portfolio that would distract from that. I described that I was a little concerned that I wasn’t being very creative, but as she explained the creative aspect could be in the form of sound or text which had already been highlighted in one of my previous reviews. Both of these I had dismissed as I was aiming for the images to speak for themselves, but then maybe they don’t. An area I need to explore more and research but ensure neither over powers or dominates the images.
This was the first time my tutor had really seen my project as she hadn’t taken me for Body of Work and so I was really pleased that she could understand the idea of the combination of black and white images with colour. The black and white representing the male environment which these women are surrounded in, forming the shell (link to the cray industry) of the community. This project is very much about the gender narrative, but also the community, isolation and mental health. The hardships this community lives in, however my tutor has asked how I can bring this narrative out further. What am I trying to say? What do I want the audience to see and understand from this project? I think I need to take a step back and spend some time reflecting and researching how other social documentary photographers achieve this.
On the portfolio review my tutor recommended that I ask someone I don’t know and who works in the same genre as I’m trying to portray. So, my suggestion of Sybylla Smith was a good one to make. However, I need to be prepared with a clear list of questions. I had suggested some as part of my assignment but based on the feedback I will review and refine.
Although I have been moving forward with the exhibition and book/zine idea I also need to spend sometime thinking about my final goals for this project. How I would like it to be presented, viewed and understood. Who is my audience? This community could be anywhere and I think it needs to resonate with those at see it.
Michele Usher 