2nd November 2020
Joined the ‘Rest of the World’ forum which for once was an all female turn out consisting of Lynda, Angela (from Hungry but based in Liverpool), Elina (Africa) and Linda (from New Zealand).
Angela has travelled the global and finally settled in Liverpool and undertaking the Creative Arts degree. She showed us some of her drawings and then the final art work – this was via the camera but now she has the link to the shared drive she will scan and up load so we can have a more detailed look.
Linda and I have exchanged emails in the past but never spoken so it was nice to have another person from NZ on the call. She is just waiting for feedback for A4 on the Digital Imagining course and working towards A5. She wants to move onto Level 2 Landscape next.
Elina up-loaded some more of her drawings. She has an amazing eye for detail, especially when you are told that she is to complete the drawing in an hour and to produce 30.
Lynda is worried that she wont be able to get out to photograph soon as they have already had their first snow. She told us about her photoshoot with one of her subjects that was in a really dark caravan and how she was not happy with them. I told her about these really useful LED lights, just the size of a mobile phone that Mark and I were introduced to on our lighting workshop in September. Following the call, I sent her the details.
I provided a summary of my situation, my frustrations with Contextual Studies and A3. Think talking about it with other students really helps as whilst I was listening to the others I managed to drop down some notes and maybe the start of an argument to discuss with my tutor, so left the meeting on a more positive note than when it started – which has to be a good thing!
5th November 2020
If you have read any of my previous posts then you will understand that I have been having a real mental block where Contextual Studies is concerned. I’m not sure what it is but I just don’t seem to be getting it right. My tutor returned comments on my Assignment 3, and once again I seem to be missing the mark. My idea of a plan is probably based on my very technical education – a list of activities, or in this case research subjects against which I would flesh out my ideas and drop into my main document against agreed dates. So as my tutor commented this was a ‘plan of a plan’. What he wanted to see was a more of the fleshed-out detail. So I submitted a draft of my initial thoughts and the request for a five minute catch up if he could kindly spare me the time. He kindly agreed and we reviewed my submission and how I should proceed, so my plan is to spend Sunday 8th adding more detail and then go on holiday and come back and start drafting for Assignment 4.
I also logged into the first of the on-line panel discussions for the Belfast Photo Festival. This years theme is all based around the female photographer and the inclusion of all. The note the fact that 80% of photography courses are attended by women but on 15% are represented in industry, commercial and the art field. I have provided a full write up in my Exhibition section to this blog.
8th November 2020
The day started with the second panel discussion from the Belfast Photo Festival, this time ‘Challenging Convention: Landscapes’, where the panel turned the discussion on to the difference between the male and female gaze, the risks of being a female photographer and the challenges they face. I have provided a full write up in my Exhibitions section to the blog.
The rest of the day was used to add to my Assignment 3 rework following my discussion with my tutor on Thursday morning. The rework will be posted to my blog. It is understood that as I draft and rework Assignment 4 this plan may change and I will add changes to my Contextual Studies blog
12th November 2020
Three things on today. The first a panel discussion from the Photo Israel Festival. Following the major technical issues of the key note opening talk by Martin Parr I was expecting much. The discuss was based around how images transform the world and the move for social change through photography which I hoped would be useful for my Contextual Studies essay. I have provided a full write up in the Exhibition section of this blog.
The second session was with the Belfast Photo Festival – ‘Depicting the female figure’. The talks have been based around the female photographer and differences this makes to the images, impact and narrative. Those that I have managed to attend have offered an interesting perspective and introduced me to a number of new photographers that I would like to research more following my studies.
I joined the Level 3 Support Group for a short period of time – as this should be my work day (joys of living in New Zealand and the time difference) I had to leave early. Lynda gave an up-date and we discussed the differences around the Lit review and the Plan, doesn’t help that we are all on different versions of the course. Sarah gave a quick up-date on her progress for her SYP, her current printing work and new camera and then Anna showed us her ‘ground zero camera’. Looks so much fun I can understand why she doesn’t want to give it back. The results she is getting are amazing. I don’t think
13th November 2020
A busy day before I go on holiday. I attended the last VII Interactive Aftermath Project lecture with Sarah Terry and Andrew Lichtenstein. His project ‘American Memory’ relocated sites of past conflict and photographed them today. He highlighted the importance of research, reading widely around the subject and linking images with text to get the message across. Full write up can be found in the Exhibitions section of this blog.
The second talk of the day and also written up in my Exhibition section was by Polly Braden ‘Women in Photography’. My interest here was based around her project of working with single mothers in rural environments as this relates strongly with my Body of Work. She works hard to gain their trust and to provide a voice to those she photographs.
Final talk of the day was through TATE: ‘The ethics of the Image’. A panel discussion with a number of interesting photographers and related to both my Body of Work and contextual Studies essay. Each member discussed their current work from the photographer’s perspective through to the editor. Each highlighting the importance of diversity, locals telling the story, support and trust with their subjects.
14th November 2020
The start of a two week road trip around the South Island of New Zealand as we can’t travel overseas. Have booked two workshops – one with a local landscape photographer and one to learn how to do Platinum and Palladium Printing. Really looking forward to getting away and having a break from the course and work.
19th November 2020
Frist of the planned workshops but had also booked for the second series of lectures by the Royal Photographic Society ‘Looking to the Present, Looking to the Past’. Managed to log in to the first hour and then caught up when the recording was sent later in the day. Like series one I will provide pdf notes from the sessions on my blog but these will have to be password protected.
The workshop was not really what I expected. The photographer was more comfortable with using models in the landscape and teaching about lighting than landscape photography – lesson to myself to do a lot more research.
21st November 2020
Spending the next two days learning how to print with digital negative and use platinum and palladium. I have provided a full detailed write up in my Work in Progress section, but in summary it was a fabulous two days. I first came across Stuart Clook when I attended his exhibition in Wellington (see Exhibition write up). He has been experimenting with a range of different printing methods and has undertaken workshops around the country. By the end of the second day I had produced seven prints using a range of different concentrations of platinum and palladium.
27th November 2020
Back from leave and now playing catch up, which may take a few days as I need to write up a number of Exhibitions/presentations I attended prior to leave and the notes from the readings I completed whilst on the road. Anyway, today I logged into the Engagement series of talks by the RPS with British social documentary photographer Mik Critclow. His work has never really left his home area, which isn’t a bad thing as his images have such a strong narrative about life, social conditions and change. I have provided a full write up in my Exhibitions section to this blog.
Today was the second in the series of lectures by the RPS on ‘looking to the Present, Looking to the Past. Notes have been added to the Password protected section on my blog.
30th November 2020
Can’t believe that the first year of this part of my course is over and I less than ten months till assessment. I feel as if I still have so much to do and so little time. Yesterday I joined the last of the Belfast Photo Festival Panel talks, this one I hoped would help me in my next course SYP and how to promote your work, however I gain very little insight or value. There were a number of others on the event who felt the same.
I also logged into the ‘Rest of the World’ student forum. A good turn out (Lynda, Linda, Amano, Alan, Angela and Elina). I never really took advantage of these during level 1 and 2 but these are great places to gain insight into other areas, thoughts, support and gain feedback, plus have a few laughs along the way.
Lynda had up-loaded a number of her images for her BoW project, experimental working using archival images that people had given her following interviews. The work was a combination of post processing and leaving the images out in the elements – in this case snow.
Linda up dated us on her progress – currently finishing her final level 1 course and starting her first level 2. Amano has started a new BoW for his SYP and also started a side project, using archive images and trying to find their current location and re-photographing them. His original BoW was not sustainable for the SYP part and so he has agreed with his tutor to start something new.
Alan let us know that he has not been able to continue to be the Rest of the World representative due to the high workload he currently has which is a real shame as he would have been really good. Angela and Elina showed us their drawing and art work which we provided feedback on. Both really talented and should do really well I think.
Michele Usher 