Tuesday 30 November 2010

image/object analysis

Simon Norfolk’s work is all about “attempting to understand how war and the need to fight war, has formed our world: how so many of the spaces we occupy; the technologies we use; and the ways we understand ourselves, are created by military conflict.” His book “for most of it I have no words” is the basis of my analysis. I was really taken in by this artist not just by the beautiful landscape work but the reasons behind the imagery.
This is the image I have chosen to analyse. At first glance I see a snowy landscape, some dead grass coming through in the foreground and this big red pool running its way through the centre of the image. To me it’s quite an interesting image to look at and I would think even before reading up about the image that something bad had happened here, as the pool looks like blood. The composition of this image is well thought out, showing just a little bit of sky.  I also like the way he had used the trees in the background to break up the image, otherwise, with it being snow it would all blend into one white mass.   You can see how the hills form which adds depth to the image.
To me this image really stood out from the rest. Maybe it was because of the snow and the striking red stream which runs upon it. I looked more in-depth into the image and my feeling about the image changed. “Aluminium waste pond at Petkovici, part of an aluminium factory complex. In the afternoon and evening of 14th July 1995, hundreds of Bosnian men and boys were taken to the embankment of the dam that holds back the massive waste pond of the aluminium plant and were executed. Some of their bodies are believed to have been thrown into the lake, others piled into mass graves.”  I don’t know whether it was the fact that people had died there, or just the coldness I get from the image any way.
It’s so interesting but it seems like a place I wouldn’t really like to go, maybe that’s why Simon Norfolk has photographed this scene.  It’s such a striking image and to be honest rather beautiful, it seems photographers have a way of making a truly beautiful landscape photograph to try and say something through it; the beauty and the beast.

 From this I can understand why he may have shot this in snow; Snow is cold and it’s a cold history this place has lurking underneath, snow has a way of covering over the real detail underneath but some still shows through, just like the dead grass. It has a similar meaning to the story of what happened in this photography.
The sky also adds that little bit of mood as it isn’t a sunny blue sky like we normally would see, it darkens the image re-enforcing my thoughts about the image.

The first time I saw Simon Norfolk’s work of this series I was drawn in by the look of mystery in his images. To think that these certain things happened and you can see traces of it in his photographs amazed me. As humans we seem to have a certain weakness when it comes to looking into something that has been kept under wraps and then exposed. His work suggests that theory.

 Here is some of his other work which still applies the same concept. The reason I like these photographs is there is a sense of presence. E.g. from the bowed star case, we know someone has been there to make that sort of grove but the way it has been taken we just see the after math of the wearing stair case. I also think Simon Norfolk has chosen to shoot this photograph in black and white as it sets of the mood and the pure reality of what has happened in this photograph.
This image pretty much says it all just from looking at it, I would say it’s the most blunt one out of the series as you can see the body underneath the water. I love how the image has been taken, with a slow shutter speed so the water moving on top gives the water some texture and how that drives u to the body itself.

Overall Simon Norfolk’s work has inspired me for a long time and the type of work he does stands out for me.
And the image I chose to analyse is a true representation of him as a photographer.

Thursday 18 November 2010

Where will i be in 5 years time?




I ave been asked to create a photograph or a drawing of where i think i will be in 5 years time. To be honest i really dont know where i will end up as my career goal keeps changing. All i know is that I wish to be in a comfortable business and enjoying everything I do what ever that may be.

Friday 12 November 2010

hmm research

I think i will start off with the things that interest me. such as the beauty side of photography. But first I have looked into medical photography as to me it sounded interesting but once I found out what I would actually be doin and how hard it is to get into.
I dont think its the right path for me, so I guess ill just keep searching.
I have recently started some learning skills sessions and my helper is a photographer herself and she specialises in wedding photography and portrature.
Here is her wed site address -

http://www.frecklephotography.co.uk/

Why i chose photography


Why have I chosen photography? Well I feel the reason I chose this subject is because it was completely new and exciting for me.
From the first time I stepped inside the college my first thought was to pursue fashion, as it was something I was interested in at the time.
I was wondering round and found myself listening in on a talk about photography and what it entailed.
From then on I wanted to do photography.
From an early age I have always been creative, I always enjoyed art class and anything really for me to show off what I can do with my hands.
Photography for me is great as you always have an end result and I love that feeling of creating something and people enjoying what they see.

After completing the national diploma in photography my career ambitions have changed so many times as I feel I haven’t found myself as a photographer yet; I’m still exploring. But for now my interests are mainly portrait photography and fashion, I like the beauty side of photography instead of the very processed and fake type of photography. But as the years go by I can imagine this will change.

I have done some of my own work experience as I feel the more work you do the better you get at it. So I have been a wedding photographer for a family friend and it sure was a learning curve. Just in that one day I learned more about that type of photography then I did just reading about it.

I have also taken portraits of family and their children. This is the type of photography I feel most comfortable in, but every now and then I also love to do my own ideas which pop into my head.

As I look at different photographers I find more and more inspiration for my own work and projects.
I have two jobs at the moment and for each one I feel they help me with the skills I need for photography, I’m not a very loud person and with that interaction with different types of people really helps me with my own progression in photography.

Over all photography as a very big business and I never thought I would take this rout, so for me it’s a subject that I can learn something new every day and expand on things and get the chance to express my creativity and not get told off for doing the wrong thing.

I don’t think I would change my choice of photography over fashion as I love what I have achieved and I’m looking forward to what I could do in the future, there is so much to chose from and all different directions I can go but I will never know which way I am going to go, just to look forward of what comes my way.

But I will never know everything and to me know one can say they know everything in photography as it is constantly changing and updating.

Thursday 28 October 2010

St mellion Photoshoot.

Today I got up extra early to go to a well known golf course called st mellion. I took my medium format camera and my nikon D60.
I had looked at other images of this place and was really interested in the surroundings.
I arrived there at 7:20 just as the sun was coming up and got straight to it, I was using ilford FP4 film as I have been told it is a rather nice film for landscape work.

I had spare film with me just incase I needed it but it semt like the weather wasnt on my side.
It was cloudy and from time to time it rained, i wanted to capture the winter morning look in my images and it seemed to be abit of a challenge. I just cant wait to process the film to see how it turned out.
It is my first time taking medium format out on location so it is abit or trail and error. but if it doesnt work i can always pop back and retake.
I really enjoyed the experiance 

Tuesday 19 October 2010

5x4

Recently attended a induction on the large format camera.
I found the camera to be quite complicated to look a, as it had so many things you could move.
I had seen these types of cameras before and the results are outstanding.
We learnt how to assemble the camera and hold to focus, i personally feel i will need to book the camera out and experiment with it myself  to get a better understanding of everything.

Thursday 14 October 2010

well, here goes....

this is my new blog, as a professional photographer.
heres a link to some of my work:

my work.