In my previous film works I have primarily photographed objects, textures and landscape. A year ago I acquired a remote timer for my camera for the purposes of creating a rough and ready time-lapse film of an installation of some work. But I quickly realised that the timer was also useful to enable me to photograph myself.
I like to work with what is at hand. I’m in control of it. I can do it at any time. There are few arrangements to be made. I can just grab my camera and start. Procrastination is always lurking but that is the only barrier to making a start and is within my control too.
Having tried the camera timer, I discovered I liked working with my body. I have never particularly liked drawing, but I did really enjoy the life drawing classes I did a few years back.
My goal this year is to make, or at least significant steps toward, a new body of work. A big part of this has become to challenge myself to make a film piece whereby the original images are collectively generated. In other words, I want to be photographing other people. Lots of other people. And in my work I will typically need around 1000 original images.
This is going to be a logistical challenge. Finding the groups of people and working with them is going to take a lot of planning (which I can cope with) and a lot of confidence in workshop settings (which I have less of).
The outcome is going to be unpredictable. This feels very scary, but at the same time it is exciting. I do want the outcomes of the photography to be led by the participants and their feelings and exploration of the idea of gesture.
How I introduce the aims of the photography sessions, how I frame the project and how I inspire the groups is going to be crucial. I need to decide how much or how little prompting I need to give. I am not directing my subjects but I do need to lead them towards thinking about the project in sympathy with my aims and steer them away from being at a total tangent from myself. How to get this balance right is going to be tricky but hopefully if I keep working at the preparation I can find a way.
