Exploration Shots

I have probably done about 20 different shoots over not as many days, sometimes going out twice in one day due to the weather and lighting, examining ideas in conjunction with the short Art Photography course I did and looking at other photographers work. So far the major influences I have picked up on are Stephen Shore with telegraph poles etc, Paul Graham with his 'Shimmer' set (almost stalking a man carrying a pot plant like Graham staked the man carry a case of coke) also his Troubled Land set, looking for signs and juxtaposition/contrasts. Sometimes the elements I was hoping to include didn't come along at the same time so it was interesting to examine the constructed images of the Essop twins, Halaal Art and Fast Food,  then Nick Wapplington's Bethnal Green Road 2004. His book Double Dactyl contains images which are "manipulated and don't always seem to have a flow" or connection as one reviewer commented "perhaps mimics a complex life of jumping from one random thought on to another" and the introduction by Andrea Tarsia states

The photographs collected n Double Dactyl demonstrate that Waplington’s dualities continue. Some of these images convey a sense of barren desolation, a bleakness made up of washed out colours, forlorn exteriors and empty landscape mostly taken from the middle distance…..And yet, other images in Double Dactyl show an intense engagement in the lives of people and in personal, social and geographical communities.

I wouldn't go so far as to say Nick Waplington was a huge influence on my portfolio, but more that I found certain echos after I had shot various scenes and looking at his work gave me a little more confidence in what I was producing and putting together as a final portfolio.

A small sample of the many exploratory images can be found on my flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12544345@N08/sets/72157627105643304/


Stockdale, D. (2009) Nick Waplington double dactly review. [online] The Photobook available from: http://thephotobook.wordpress.com/2009/04/25/nick-waplington-double-dactyl/ [Accessed 9 July 2011]



Examining Stephen Shore and his influences on my images, in Learning Log

Below is a cross section of the images taken, each panel is a different day. The month started out with good weather which gradually deteriorated. Looking at these images you can see that I was working constantly with the same focal length, although I did vary the viewpoint, occasionally getting down very low. I was using my 18-55mm lens at 18mm because I wanted a wide field of view. I also kept it at 18mm to force myself to think about how I was framing each subject. I was thinking along the lines of "if this was prime I wouldn't be able to zoom. I would have to walk towards or away from the subject"

One of the advantages of using the wide end of a zoom lens is that can emphasize the foreground and provide more drama than a lens with a longer focal length. The images below were taken at 18mm and 55mm from the same spot. This show that you can "fit more in the frame" with a wider angle. Wide-angle also has the advantage of  emphasizing perspective, it doesn't actually alter it but gives this impression. Possibly perspective isn't the right word to use tho.....I found this webpage which explains it well.

Common photography myths

55mm

18mm

A few days in and the weather deteriorated and we had brief glimpses of the sun, I dashed out when I could
but the majority of my shoots were done in the rain or on dull days.

Brief time line of thought processes....

First exploration was looking at the extraordinary amount or recycling bins we have, quite unique to our area, and could I make it looking interesting. Getting up very early at about 6am, before the bin men came, I thought I'd also experiment with lens flare. I took a series of shots but was having difficulty controlling the exposure due to the angle of the sun. I altered direction but wasn't happy with the overall scene in that direction.


Still thinking along the lines of the recycling bin theme I took some more the next day, my neighbour has an old jaguar car which is waiting to be restored, so randomly snapped that too, as well as the bins in her garden to get a different view. The gentleman in the maisonette has just moved in and doing a lot of renovation. I started to think about the idea of metamorphosis, gardens to drives, old car to new, houses refurbished....

Along the lines of metamorphosis I thought of the memorial on the heath and that led me to the local cemetery

The weather turned but I still went along to the community hospice fun day, but it was a washout :o( Took some but it got very dark and threw it down and I didn't have an umbrella.

Walking round the local street and noting places and events of interest, thinking what makes a neighbourhood and things unique I went to the local stables. Also wondering how I could tie in research on photographers into my work. Not coming across many other situations that I could use within the metamorphosis theme I re-evaluated my ideas. On reviewing the images  taken so far I noted the signs in the cemetery, the noticeboard in the park, the manure sign at the stables. Paul Graham's Troubled Lands was signs and juxtaposition, from then on I started looking out for signs, but also kept my mind open in case I spotted anything else which would work. Stephen Shore cut his frames with street furniture, whilst sheltering under a bus shelter I did the same....

I returned to the cemetery, looking for different signs or symbols, different angles on the sign I had already seen...also took some more scenic shots, working on a different project but also wondering if what I was taking would help....

What else makes the neighbourhood? Green spaces and buildings and the people, could I incorporate contrast and juxtaposition in single frames or by placing images together, I kept reviewing shots already taken and placing them in different folders to see if they 'gelled'. The local ruins date back to the abolition of the monastries, there are signs advising what the rooms used to be, there are advisory warnings to keep off the walls. Also snapped the walk way that leads to the council blocks that featured in A Clockwork Orange and more recently Misfits, took some which showed them in the distance, a contrast to the green space. Local sign for the community hospice supporting carers week....and it rained.....lots.......a heavy thunder storm....I stood under the arches in the ruins for a long time, trying to capture the rain falling, but I wasn't having much success and kept getting rain spots on my lens.

When the sun came out I played with capturing the cars going through the puddles making a big splash, freezing the water...on the journey home snapped school signs and builders signs....school sign started another chain of thought re the generations which live in the area making up the community and the feel of the area.

People have pets....traces of people, clear up after your dog signs.....one where someone obviously hadn't....neighbourhood watch community notice board......non league football team.....missing cat sign....small shopping parade....half closed down....



I gave up staring out of the window waiting for the sun to shine and went out even if it was grey. Taking more shots with Stephen Shore in mind I still was looking for visual link of signs....hadn't been out long when it started to spit and then my son rang, he had forgotten his key and I had to go home to let him in. Times to go out were restricted to working hours and home life.....

Keeping my eyes open for signs I noticed roadworks on the way to work one day, made a note and later on in the day popped out, I had totally given up on the idea of getting up earky or waiting for dusk to give the 'golden hour' or for the light to create texture and detail as per Edward Weston......it turned into a case of its not raining quick.....before the clouds come back.........

Took images of the local church hall, very central to community events, had signs and contrast of buildings and trees.....over the road back to the stables........fence/field combination........field buildings in the background contrast..............another city city farm. Her parents owning the farm Kate bush recorded here..........Welcome to Welling sign...........

 

Thinking local shops, people who use them...down to the high street....still incorporating signs and street furniture and contrasts of green space versus urban.....back to rain but this time I took an umbrella.....

Looking for contrasts and unique, thought of the local inner city farm...spotted the signs for the Green Chain Walk, snapped at that but wasn't impressed, the pathway didn't have an interesting bend, or view at the bottom of it....walking back to my car I notice a lollipop lady but I was a bit too late to catch her in action, by this stage the children had crossed the road and were waiting at the bus stop, took a series of shots as I liked the colour contrast and the way East Wickham Open Space is in the background, the clouds and the light providing a contrast too.

 

On a day trip out  took shots of the railway station, thinking a possible linking theme could be transport, I had cars, bikes and buses....nah.....dismissed that before even looking at them.........

Reshooting some shots.....taking others of buses...not sure if anything else would spark an idea.......