Over the recent weeks I have begun to consider without much intuition the idea of introducing analogue techniques in order to further my project. Throughout my research I have ascertained that many of the photographers I admire shoot their images mostly using film cameras. Admittidlay, lots of those artists such as Stephen Shore, William Eggleston and William Christneberry didn’t have the option to shoot digital. However the work of photographers such as Stuart Roy Clarke still choose to shoot film. 

In furthering my understanding of the motivations to shot film Zylinska (2010) discusses the ethics of shooting digital and highlights a range of issues which may be relevant to my project. As my project is about engaging with football in at the less commercialised end of the game and as argued by myself. I always felt that the project was a form of acitvism against the modern game that is disseminated on digital platforms for mass audiences to watch, listen and play interactively. All of which are binary opposites from spectatorship, participation and community. My project was always going to be about documenting the people places and objects which compose the game at a material level, the act of attending, collecting and creating historical artefacts in the form of photographs in different places within the same theme. A form of archiving, Zylinska (2010) provides some substance to my ideas…

‘archiving is an effort undertaken by an individual or institution – an artist, an amateur historian, a museum – not only to preserve the past but also construct a certain version of this past and a memory of it, by including certain objects and traces while excluding others.’

Of course I accept that when firing the shutter I am choosing to construct representations by choosing what to include and this idea isn’t new. However what I find interesting is the idea that by shooting in a digital format. I have the power to look, review and edit my work by reviewing images and deleting them almost instantly. Reflecting on this process leads to the conclusion that by doing this I am conforming to the idea of digital consumption and an instant culture that negates the idea of contemplation and reflection. In engaging with education at this level I feel that reflection and contemplation are central elements to improving my gaze and informing the creative choices I make. I want to see my mistakes and think about them before trying to identify solutions. 

Zylinska (2010) suggests that in using analogue techniques and collecting such work is important ‘preservers of value and the past, as keepers, against all odds, of a certain world that (allegedly) once was.’ 

This idea is hugely relevant to my project and it alligns well with my intent as I visit locations which encompass various structures and objects that have not yet been replaced by things that have been designed with maximum efficiency in mind. They are not new or innovative. In the future lots of these things will dissapear and no longer be functional. They will be replaced with user friendly structures designed with maximum occupancy in mind. As opposed to the places that I visit which are smaller, made from different materials and often bear no relationship to each other. 

Joanna Zylinska (2010) On Bad Archives, Unruly Snappers and Liquid Photographs, photographies, 3:2, 139-153, DOI: 10.1080/17540763.2010.499608

My current practice is based around the theme of non commercialised football/soccer in the UK. To date I have produced work of a documentary nature, driven by human presence although I have engaged with some work which focuses on objects associated with the game at grassroots level. 

Within the week 1 tasks set in the Surfaces and Strategies module I revisited the area of Edgeley in Stockport which has been a significant destination for my work. I rephotographed some of the places outside of the football ground Edgeley Park. Opportunities were somewhat limited due to the current lockdown measures however the task was both relevant and rewarding. I then visited for a second time this week with the intention of producing a number of images in order to produce work which encompasses a wider context. This had varying success but I have begun to understand how such processes work and might be relevant to my work. 

At this stage, the methodologies have taken a type of trial and error  approach. I have struggled with vantage points, and shooting at a range of focal lengths to experiment with different effects. I will definitely be experimenting further as more opportunities arise as locations become more accessible as lockdown begins to ease. 

Going forward, my approach will explore the themes of environments and objects. The often tired and dated nature of non league football stadiums in addition to a developing gaze I hope will lead to furthering my own voice as a photographer. 

The week’s theme of re-photography has been somewhat enlightening in considering the range of approaches in addition to how new and emerging technologies are utilised to record the passing of time and understand the implications of this. 

When looking at my own engagement with rephotography, I was able to consider my work in a much quieter sense, standing back and contemplating before shooting. This has been a relevant experience personally as my work is driven by people and chasing moments that audiences will identify with. 

Being able to then compare images was useful and provided an opportunity to see my work in a different way and shifting the relationship I have with the photographs I take. I found that matching vantage points was very difficult and contemplating the impact of this was useful. 

The last module I explored portrait photography and the idea of the deadpan face and its ability to raise further questions. My recent work has been challenging in that it has required looking deeper, contemplating the whole frame and composition.  

My research of late has been in the area of focusing on objects and environments as opposed to people and human activity at football matches. My research is currently in the direction of the work of William Egglesdon, Stephen Shore and William Christenberry. All of which provide a powerful blueprint for the future direction of my work in the short term. Coupled with recent emphasis on vantage point and light, I have been able to reflect on the choices I make and consider how my personal voice is emerging and could be improved throughout this module. 

The Shore Project by Britanny Marcoux is an interesting use of rephotography and has its roots in fandom and the audience as producer as opposed to being an audience alone. Made possible by digital platforms such as instagram as a point of exhibition. More research into this type of fandom will be part of my personal roadmap in this case. 

Chatonsky and his project Vertigo@Home was a little more complex than the Shore Project in that the combination of the scientific recording of google street view with the musical score used in the Hitchcock film. This led to the consideration of how to separate discourses within my work. Using colour and thinking about the reason for this as opposed to shooting black and white. A factor I was criticised on when submitting my previous portfolio. 

Baudrillard, J ( 1994) Simulacra AND Simulation, Michigan, The University of Michigan.

Chatonsky, G (2015) Vertigo@Home, [online] Available at: http://chatonsky.net/vertigo/ (Accessed: 8th June 2020)

 

Comparing Images

At present, my understanding of this field of work is quite basic. However having engaged with making work of this nature I am developing an understanding of the challenges and motivations for making such work. In making work I am drawn to the intrigue and and change in the relationship an audience has.

My initial attempt to making repeat photography was both interesting and challenging. Figure 1 is a photograph I produced last year with the image on the right being my recent attempt. The first challenge I faced was concerning the vantage point. When I revisited the vantage point I was referring to a copy of the image taken last year which I had as a reference on my phone. This was useful in a very general sense however due to the vantage point being an elevated position, it was difficult to look at my phone, hold the camera whilst composing the shot. From this experience I quickly learned that considering the vantage point is pivotal in taking on a task of this nature. Klett (2011) suggests that a vantage point can never be exactly replicated and that unintended juxtapositions may be created as a result of this. In my own attempt, the approach was to use the black and white building as an anchor point whilst thinking that if I am accurate then the rest of the photography would fall into place. It is fair to say that this approach was unsuccessful in terms of vantage point however the result may still be interesting. The success within this experience is that an audience would be able to recognise where the photograph was taken and in looking at the image as a pair, the audience would be required to engage further to contemplate the differences within the images.

My second attempt was closer in terms of vantage point to figure 1 although still some way from being accurate. As in figure 1, this image dominated by the absence of people which leads to a much quieter experience for the audience. The colour temperature was also a dictating factor when composing. Shooting in hard light served to make the orange brick structure appear much darker as the vantage point dictated that the photographer was required to shoot into the light. Klett (2011 p120) reaffirms conclusions made by stating ‘Together, careful replication of vantage point and lighting duplication provide the best visual evidence for monitoring changes over time’. Further elements suggest the shift in time such as the growth of the trees in addition to the cyclist who appears to be riding for leisure due to lack of safety equipment suggest the photograph was taken in Spring/Summer.

I feel that figure 3 is the Mose successful of the combinations presented within this post. Again the vantage point is slightly different again in being a wider shot. In this case I feel the absence of human presence changes the not only the genre of the photograph but also the relationship a viewer has with the image. The tree to the left of the image points to a shift in time while the anchor point to the image rests in the centenaries of the frame supported by other layers of interest such as the junction in the road in addition to multiple entrances and such as windows, gates and doors.

I feel figure 3 represents personal development as current research in the direction of Alec Soth, William Eggleston and Steven Shore.

Working with Multiple Photographs

Figure 4 is the first engagement with working with multiple photographs and combining them to produce an image. I did have some knowledge of this technique through my commercial work within the wedding industry. The method is often used by Ryan Brenizer who utilises photoshop in order to produce dramatic portrait photographs. My first experimentation is an image of a food bank collection organised by my partner. When engaging with this technique I was unsure of what the outcome would be or if the attempt would be successful. In terms of the result, I am pleased that the technique appears to work in a technical sense in addition to being slightly amazed by the seamless result.

The intention of this technique allows the photographer to include more of the context within the image in order to invite the viewer to better understand how the subject has been depicted (Klett 2011). In anticipation of utilising this method further. I will research and experiment in further depth the presence of the context in addition to the lens distortion. Major questions at this time beyond experimentation are where, when and how I would use such a technique.

Technical considerations:

Vantage point, light and context.

Having experimented with compositing techniques I have furthered this approach and attempted to relate the work to my own project. The image below was taken at Edgeley Park in Stockport. I feel the image does have some interest and the effect is quite novel, however the photograph does appear stretched and distorted. This I suspect is because the focal length (24mm) is probably too wide for such a technique. Therefore the next stage of this trial and error project will be to shoot images using an 85mm lens which may offer further compression adding to the authenticity of the image.

Books

Klett et al (2011) The SAGE handbook of visual research methods (Repeat Photography in Landscape Research), New York, SAGE.

Websites

Brenizer. R. (2012) Fearless Photographers, [online] Available at: https://www.fearlessphotographers.com/photographer/953/ryan-brenizer (Accessed: 5th June 2020)