Friday 26 February 2010
'Photographic Portrait Prize 2006'- National Portrait Gallery
Seeing as this book is for the winners and running up during 2006 i guess this is a little out dated (?) but nevertheless interesting to see where portraiture has been, and where it's going from the past few recent years. Here's what i found worth mentioning.
Portraiture
So like i said in the prev. blog i need a concept/idea/genre/thing to start from, something i can take to as many different possibilities..as possible- so for me portraiture.
I haven't got any ideas for anything yet, and if im honest i don't particularly like portraiture (viewing or making) so im kind of taking a risk by doing this. I see it as a kind of 'easy' type of photography (am i going to regret saying that?) So it'd be fun to challenge my own opinion of the subject, im going against myself then i guess. Well in all fairness, I haven't ever done any type of portraiture before so that probably makes my opinion void. I'll see in due time.
Seeing as i don't know a great deal about portraiture i'm going to scout through a few books to see what i can find and pick up..
I haven't got any ideas for anything yet, and if im honest i don't particularly like portraiture (viewing or making) so im kind of taking a risk by doing this. I see it as a kind of 'easy' type of photography (am i going to regret saying that?) So it'd be fun to challenge my own opinion of the subject, im going against myself then i guess. Well in all fairness, I haven't ever done any type of portraiture before so that probably makes my opinion void. I'll see in due time.
Seeing as i don't know a great deal about portraiture i'm going to scout through a few books to see what i can find and pick up..
Books (forget the internet)
So I've spent quite a while in the library for a change and I've found that just a few hours in there has been one of the most productive days I've had this term (even though no physical work was produced!).
I got as many books- varying in genre, from the portraiture section as I could in one session and went through them all. I'm already bursting with ideas and concepts I already want to start, which is strange really as I've never been that interested in the genre as a whole- appreciated it but not that in to it. And I'm even more convinced that I need to do a project on portraiture
The books I looked at are as follows;
'Photographic Portrait Prize 2006'- National Portrait Gallery
'The Acceptable Face'- Nick Sinclair
'Movie-star Portraits of the Forties'- John Kobal
'On the Human Being. International Photographer 1950-2000'
'Love is a stranger'- Melanie Manchot
'Portraits'- Angus McBean
'Portraits'- Gary Schneider
I got as many books- varying in genre, from the portraiture section as I could in one session and went through them all. I'm already bursting with ideas and concepts I already want to start, which is strange really as I've never been that interested in the genre as a whole- appreciated it but not that in to it. And I'm even more convinced that I need to do a project on portraiture
The books I looked at are as follows;
'Photographic Portrait Prize 2006'- National Portrait Gallery
'The Acceptable Face'- Nick Sinclair
'Movie-star Portraits of the Forties'- John Kobal
'On the Human Being. International Photographer 1950-2000'
'Love is a stranger'- Melanie Manchot
'Portraits'- Angus McBean
'Portraits'- Gary Schneider
Ideasideasideasideas
I sat down and thought for a while of a 'good' starting point, something that i could take anywhere and do anything with. I was thinking along the lines of a really vague and open concept, an idea that i could build a whole big body of research and different ideas and concepts of.
I started to think of the portrait, the thousands of ideas that have been done and the biggest and most obvious names in photography (Annie Leibovitz, David Bailey, Mario Testino, Diane Arbus etc etc...) and what i could do, as like i mentioned could branch of into so many different possibilities.
I also thought of other genres that have such a huge range of possibilities and angles.
Street photography- although i find it interesting and (not to sound like a snob) but formative? maybe the word, i dunno. But you learn a lot from this kind of photography. I'd love to makw this kind of photography but i dont think its really my style, im not into involving people i dont really know and getting them involved in my work and that kinda thing... Plus we went over street photography in 1st year.
Still life- just bores me thinking about it.
Conceptual photography- i lurrrrrve, im so into this kind of photography, making and viewing. I love being more creative just because its creative and also having a more personal meaning and touch to works.
I started to think of the portrait, the thousands of ideas that have been done and the biggest and most obvious names in photography (Annie Leibovitz, David Bailey, Mario Testino, Diane Arbus etc etc...) and what i could do, as like i mentioned could branch of into so many different possibilities.
I also thought of other genres that have such a huge range of possibilities and angles.
Street photography- although i find it interesting and (not to sound like a snob) but formative? maybe the word, i dunno. But you learn a lot from this kind of photography. I'd love to makw this kind of photography but i dont think its really my style, im not into involving people i dont really know and getting them involved in my work and that kinda thing... Plus we went over street photography in 1st year.
Still life- just bores me thinking about it.
Conceptual photography- i lurrrrrve, im so into this kind of photography, making and viewing. I love being more creative just because its creative and also having a more personal meaning and touch to works.
Saturday 20 February 2010
Why I need to change my idea
As much as I'd love to make the hypnotic therapy piece i think I've just left it too late to start it. Last term our end piece didn't have to be a finished polished piece at the end, but this term it does have to be. I think that with a complicated piece like what this would turn out to be, there would have to be a lot of research and experimentation; something I unfortunately just don't have time to do for it to be finished and perfected. Why do I always leave things till so late! I always say I'll start sooner, and this is why.
Seeing as this and the documentary ideas where all I could pluck out of my previous OCD counting work I think I'm just going to have to start again, start a new idea, work and concept. Sad face.
This also means I've got a lot lot lot lot lot more work to do cos I'll need to catch up because of my change of idea (as well as slacking).
Seeing as this and the documentary ideas where all I could pluck out of my previous OCD counting work I think I'm just going to have to start again, start a new idea, work and concept. Sad face.
This also means I've got a lot lot lot lot lot more work to do cos I'll need to catch up because of my change of idea (as well as slacking).
Research- documentary
If i were making a factual/documentary based piece then I'd like to draw upon other peoples experiences with having an OCD. I realise though that others would be a bit more intense than what mine is, so I wouldn't want to offend anyone or do something too upsetting or that would offend others as that's not my intention of the piece.
I'd like to have their 'interviews' compiled together, adding my own experience and piece from before christmas, and then make more smaller ones based on theirs.
im not overly keen on this idea to be fair, i prefer the conceptual hypnotherapy idea more.. it just feels more creative and more fun that this one.
Below is a bit of research ive found across the web about OCD's
http://www.ocduk.org
I'd like to have their 'interviews' compiled together, adding my own experience and piece from before christmas, and then make more smaller ones based on theirs.
im not overly keen on this idea to be fair, i prefer the conceptual hypnotherapy idea more.. it just feels more creative and more fun that this one.
Below is a bit of research ive found across the web about OCD's
http://www.ocduk.org
Research- Hypnotherapy
If i did a piece on hypnotherapy then I'd want it to be an abstract piece, a bit artsy. I had it in my mind like a sort of kaleidoscope with lots of colours, images, words and symbolism. (I'm not entirely sure how I'd make such a piece i.e. what programme would be best to use). The eclecticism of the colours, numbers and words would be emphasis on the sort of thoughts and feelings behind having an ocd.. so a symmetrical repeated piece would reflect that on the thoughts.
Here are some images ive found across the internet that ive found interesting because of the colours and connotations and the sort of images I'd perhaps shoot myself.
Here are some images ive found across the internet that ive found interesting because of the colours and connotations and the sort of images I'd perhaps shoot myself.
Wednesday 10 February 2010
Thoughts on prev. work
I felt like my work I've just completed was a little rushed towards the end and that I should have taken the time to really consider more aspects to my piece.
I was happy with the sound, although I really didn't like the sound of my voice.. felt a little cringe worthy, I feel a bit embarrassed to show it (my acting is not that great either). So I think I should have gotten someone else to record the voice over, and in the future will definitely consider this.
However saying this, I think the rhythm of my piece worked really well, the constant 12345678910 repeated in the background.
Visually as well I think everything fitted into place, I've never made images into a moving piece before and was fun to construct.. I'd definitely use this method in the future.
My only problem is that I can't see where I can go from here, I can't see how to develop it move it along. I suppose I could take a small aspect from this work to develop, i.e. the images (or use different ones), the rhythmical aspect, the over all concept and idea of an OCD or of the counting it self... I'm unsure at the minute of what it is I want to create next. To be honest I'm a bit fed up of this idea. I feel I've spent so much time and thought on it during such a small term, it all feels a bit too intense- especially cos the concept is so personal and is constant in my every day-to-day. I'm not really sure where to go or what to do with this now. Sad face.
I was happy with the sound, although I really didn't like the sound of my voice.. felt a little cringe worthy, I feel a bit embarrassed to show it (my acting is not that great either). So I think I should have gotten someone else to record the voice over, and in the future will definitely consider this.
However saying this, I think the rhythm of my piece worked really well, the constant 12345678910 repeated in the background.
Visually as well I think everything fitted into place, I've never made images into a moving piece before and was fun to construct.. I'd definitely use this method in the future.
My only problem is that I can't see where I can go from here, I can't see how to develop it move it along. I suppose I could take a small aspect from this work to develop, i.e. the images (or use different ones), the rhythmical aspect, the over all concept and idea of an OCD or of the counting it self... I'm unsure at the minute of what it is I want to create next. To be honest I'm a bit fed up of this idea. I feel I've spent so much time and thought on it during such a small term, it all feels a bit too intense- especially cos the concept is so personal and is constant in my every day-to-day. I'm not really sure where to go or what to do with this now. Sad face.
Documentary and hypnotherapy
After a very long (if not too long) think about what I want to do next and where to move on to with this work I've come up with a few ideas, both very different to each other.
The first one is to make a documentary piece about OCD's in general, or to maybe get some anecdotes together to make a conceptual piece, like my previous one but with a combination of other peoples experiences.
The other idea is to create an abstract piece, moving and still image on a sort of hypotherapy concept for an OCD. The idea is to have lotsa colours, lotsa shapes, a well thought out script for a sort of voice over laying on top all to create a sort of mind-fuck and intense piece.
The first one is to make a documentary piece about OCD's in general, or to maybe get some anecdotes together to make a conceptual piece, like my previous one but with a combination of other peoples experiences.
The other idea is to create an abstract piece, moving and still image on a sort of hypotherapy concept for an OCD. The idea is to have lotsa colours, lotsa shapes, a well thought out script for a sort of voice over laying on top all to create a sort of mind-fuck and intense piece.
Daniel Canogar
http://www.danielcanogar.com/daniel-canogar.php?l=en
A photographer and moving image maker, living and working in Madrid. Daniel Canogar works with processes ranging from the prehistory of the photograph to its future; he uses shadows and projective mechanisms through computer graphics&optical fibre.
His work depicts the human body in a repetitive structure, often making the viewer feeling vulnerable to its aggressive nature and tones.The way in which the hands overlap and intertwine with each other creates an intense state and atmosphere, which almost makes me feel a little claustrophobic and pressured.
It also feels directed at me, the open hands and pointing fingers are very direct and harsh to look at for a long period of time. This however is not his intention, his thesis is based on viewing through complicated technology and is solely based on the way it is exhibited. So viewing this on a large scale as it is indeed exhibited, usually wallpapered over several walls would be very powerful and piercing (see below)
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