reflections

notes evaluating the 1st shoot

notes evaluating the 1st shoot

notes evaluating the 1st shoot

select contact sheets from the shoot

select contact sheets from the shoot

select contact sheets from the shoot

first shoot

Below are journal notes and Polaroid’s detailing the first shoot from this project. It is essential for the evolution of a project to detail events precisely and to criticise the approach in order to gain an understanding of process. This enables a critique of mistakes, aesthetics and technique in order to enhance and define a set style and practice. Within the notes are sketches of compositions, observations from the day and fears over image exposure.

 

Journal note detailing return home from first shoot and initial thoughts

Journal note showing sketches of compositions and thoughts beside them

Select Polaroids from shoot

Polaroid no. 1

Polaroid no. 2

 Polaroid no. 4

Polaroid no. 5

the night before

As is the style I have grown accustomed to, to prepare for the day ahead, I review key points of influence the night before a shoot. The process of research spans an entire project but it is always useful to review specific elements at any given point. The influence is engrained by drawing the images that I find inspiring, providing a stronger base of understanding and deconstruction, which sets a quick reference point that can be carried around on a shoot.

Martina Hoogland Ivanow : Far too close

Clare Richardson : Harelemville and Beyond the Forest 

Jason Fulford : Crushed

Stephen Shore : Uncommon Places

Preliminary

I’ve had the opportunity to visit a gentlemen’s house to view his taxidermy collection. He is willing to participate in the study by allowing me to photograph the pieces. I am extremely grateful. Below are journal notes detailing my first visit.

 

the society

I’ve discovered a local society whose members greet my study with great enthusiasm. Opportunities are presenting themselves allowing me the fortune of new specimens to study. I am keen for it. Below are notes detailing my first visit to the society, ideas for aesthetics, and thoughts on Nicolas Poillot's new zine Migration, which is published by kaugummi. The zine comes with a fold out poster, a design that I too will pursue as the brief requires me to create a poster.

Images below from Migration by Nicolas Poillot available from Kaugummi 

http://www.kaugummi.fr/

image from Migration by Nicolas Poillot

image from Migration by Nicolas Poillot

Poster design from Migration by Nicolas Poillot

blogs

I can understand why photographers like Alec Soth http://alecsothblog.wordpress.com/ and Alexander Binder http://alexanderbinder.blogspot.com/ hang up their blogs, as I have found this electronic device increasingly difficult to amuse. My project picks up speed and now outweighs my compulsion to upload my efforts. It becomes a chore to keep the blog current as it is so quickly outdated. As soon as I’ve posted my efforts my curiosity is caught on new vistas, leaving this blogs old hat exulting the mundane. In a culture obsessed with on demand knowledge this blog becomes irrelevant as its stale nature loses the transient audience it sets out to capture. I find this pit fall unfortunate as it shows a stagnant pose that I do not pursue.

In an effort to keep viewers of this blog up to date with my efforts I will post highlights from my journal detailing the last two weeks over the next few posts.

Gracing my ears whilst I write, Dance by Pink Noise Test.

the nature of the beast

The full versatility of this blog and its dashboard interface have yet to be fully utilised, and my lack of knowledge may mislead my observations. I am intent on understanding the device and will continue to post evidence of my thought process towards this goal.


Screen shot of Blogger Dashboard

Screen shot of Blogger Dashboard with Auto Save feature

Screen shot of Blogger Preview feature

The dashboard proves a smooth friendly interface. Writing a blog post is a simple process, with “Preview” and “Save Now” features providing a pivotal flexibility. A blogger does not have to rush writing a post, as there is an auto save feature that stores content so that it can be observed or edited at a later date, or worry over how their post will be presented, as the unforeseen is quickly dispelled with the “Preview” button. Further structures to save confusion can be found in the colours of the “Publish Post”, in orange, “Save Now” & “Preview” buttons, in blue, bellow the compose post window. The colours contrast nicely against each other but remain unthreatening with the orange implying a passive immediacy. Placing the “Publish Post” in its own colour also supports the individual nature of the post, a position of standing out from the crowd, a unique identity that then transfers to the publisher of the post. There is also a strong link between the orange in “Publish Post” and the colour of the Blogger logo, found at the top of the page, which enforces the Blogger brand and suggests a higher authority overshadowing the individual nature of the publisher, whilst retaining a strong and reassuring sense of community.  

I enjoy the minimalist design of the compose post window as it makes for easy navigation. Its use of picture icons to promote editing features also heightens this usability. So far I have found blogging to be a smooth and enjoyable experience.

one room into another

What I adore about this place is the ability to walk from one room into another, then another, until you become lost in wonderment. The influence becomes a subtle trace. The journey is so disorientating that you end up back where you began. Though this time the room looks different, the eye becomes caught on things not evident before. A new trace begins. You walk toward the next room. The journey starts again.  

This blog will be the same as all my other projects where the process of research continues throughout. It is an essential structure that allows my projects to evolve. Periodically within this space I will share with you the things that catch my eye.

Grant Willing, http://grantwilling.com/ .

from Svart Metall by Grant Willing

from Fils de la Liberte by Grant Willing

 

from Fils de la Liberte by Grant Willing

 

from Svart Metall by Grant Willing

 

from Fils de la Liberte by Grant Willing

Elo Vazquez, http://helloelo.net/helloelo/iceland1.html

 from Iceland by Elo Vazquez

 from Iceland by Elo Vazquez

 from Iceland by Elo Vazquez

Alana Celii, http://alanacelii.com/

 from untitled landscapes by Alana Celii

from Travels by Alana Celii 

from odd sympathy by Alana Celii

Questions

a leap into fresh air

My initial scepticism has subsided. This electronic entity harbours my thoughts. The fresh air becomes my muse.