Feeling a bit disillusioned.
I had made some definite style decisions for the journey part of the project and stuck by them on the shoot. I picked up the negs and have now scanned them, they have come out ok but I am just not feeling them as I would like. On the shoot I tried not to make them look too landscape-y by trying to project this following a route idea, but they are just rather dull.
I like the archive ones much more, they are very typical of the sort of thing I do. I 'm not sure whether to focus on them or what.
I had planned another on location shoot but then decided to do the scanning first to see how I felt about what I had already taken. That seems a good decision now, as I don't think I can just go on doing what I was doing , and not being happy with the results, its costing a fortune.
also , knowing that we will only be able to show a couple of images each at the final show, it feels more sensible to use the archive shots as that set doesn't need to be shown in its entirity to make sense. Just a couple of images from the journey project wouldn't really look like a journey just a couple of rather naff canal shots!
hope to get to talk to a tutor tomorrow, as someone's thoughts other than my own would be welcome.
Last weeks shoot at Tower Hamlets Archive went well, a few more visitors, who , happily were willing to appear in my photographs. Afterwards took the films for developing and have got them back today, they look fine but need to be scanned, so more about that when I have done it. (scanned now and a fewshown opposite)
So now the archive images are done I have to do the Limehouse journey ones. I have been avidly checking the weather forecast, and as the forecast for most of this week is rain, thought I had better get out there today (as it was due to be sunny). This is the first full outdoor shoot I have done with the WISTA, so was a bit concerned about the setting up and moving about with all the kit, especially as I was going to be on my own.
Actually that was the least of my worries… it was really cold and blowing a gale, at one point the wind nearly blew a dark slide out of my hand and into the Regents Canal, just managed to hang on to it. I struggled on until 1.15pm then decided I had had enough, especially of dodging the cyclists and runners. I had taken 10 shots. I have been concentrating upon the aesthetics of the images, trying to make them less like landscapes, and give more of a feeling of a journey using a strong sense of perspective of the paths that I / Jonas followed.
I had an interesting discussion last week about the depth of field I am using (shallow). A fellow student was saying that he didn't like it (which is fine) because he liked to see all the fine detail across the whole image. My answer to that is that for me the photograph isn't just about the detail, but about the feeling that the image gives, and that is always what I am looking for when composing a shot, and thats what the shallow depth of field gave me. I thought today for the outdoor shots I might change this, but when I tried it, I wasn't happy with the look, also I am trying to get a bit of continuity into this project rather than being totally random, so am sticking with my first thoughts. For once it might be good to have a coherent body of work, and it would be good to get that event in before the end of my degree!
I wonder if its a bit of a contradiction in terms, using large format but not being that concerned about the fine detail! Am I just mad? answers on a postcard please…
oh happy day !
I have scanned all the negs and have only spoilt a couple of the images!
One has my shadow in it , dammit, and one is ever so slightly out of focus. Have another shoot planned so can get these right next time.
As anticipated, I did like the abstract image created by the map cabinet shown.
In the other one I had expected to like, the composition wasn't quite right, but the idea is worth trying again. On the whole it was a pretty pleasing result, and I am confident to go back this week. I think I will go a bit later to try to get some more people.
After a sleepless night worrying, went today to do my first shoot at the Tower Hamlets Archive. I arrived early as the librarian had suggested and indeed, found it very quiet, and more spacious than I remembered. A distinct lack of researchers was a bit of a surprise and as I intended this part of the project to be about people, that was a bit of a problem!
but never mind, I took some deadpan shots of the archive, and got some of the librarians in too. the place lends itself well to deadpan…cabinets drawers rows of stuff etc. eventually a couple of 'punters' dropped in and they didn't need persuading to be in shot, although one said he wanted make up.
out of the 10 images I took, 2 stood out to me as they were taken, it will be fun to see if they are the most interesting, one is of an open map cabinet (don't ask!). it looked quite abstract and not really the style or subject I had planned, but anyway….. the other was of a high stretch of filing with Malcolm the librarian in the corner. Will see on monday how they pan out. Have planned for another visit anyway, the people at the archive are lovely, very helpful and fascinated by the WISTA. Its funny but its only when I use the WISTA that I feel like a proper photographer…
annoyingly managed to waste one of my last few polaroids when testing, I seem to have an average of "use one, spoil one" but soon I will have none left anyway, but at least I won't need to carry the polaroid holder with me everywhere!
Next shoot Friday 6th march
I'm feeling really nervous about using the large format camera again. It seems such a long time since I used it last , probably because it is.
I have just set up in the living room and used one of my precious remaining polaroids to prove to myself that I do know how to use everything properly.
I will be photographing at the Tower Hamlets archive tomorrow, have deceided to do this part first, as it is the least important , in that I may not use it in the end, to try to get my confidence up a bit.
Maybe I should have just used digital!
