Objectives of this Assignment
The objectives of this assignment are outlined in the course materials as follows:To plan and execute a set of approximately 10 images of people in some form of meaningful activity.
The brief allowed choosing between depicting the same person or a small group at different kinds of activity, or different people at the same single activity or event.
Reflections on challenges of the selected activity
However, when I received my tutor’s feedback on the Assignment One I realised that I would not be able to fully use the existing material for my second assignment. Unfortunately, I did not pay enough attention to the importance of narrating a story which is an important part of the second assignment. As a result, my photos from the Winter Fair event were more focussed on depicting the individual scenes that took place on the day then ‘telling the story.’
So after reading my tutor’s feedback, I decided that there was a real need for me to find another opportunity to practice creating a photo narrative. This became my own personal objective for this assignment.
To practice creating a story using photo images I decided to use a local community art event. I approached an organiser of a local bi-annual art exhibition Grantchester Artists 2014. I wanted to give something back to the people who organised the event so I offered to create a photo slide show and a short video film about it. The exhibition organiser, a local resident and artist, accepted my offer and invited me to come along on the day before the exhibition was opened to see it being set up as well as pop along during the two days it was open to the public.
I spent some time observing and taking photos of the exhibition being set up. I then spend a bit of time at the exhibition hall on both days whilst it was open to the public.
The nature of the event presented certain challenges to fulfilling my assignment brief:
Visitors’ expectations: In comparison to the Winter Fair Carnival where people generally expect to see people with cameras, it was much more challenging to take photos in the exhibition hall.
Space: The event took place in the small village hall where it was simply not possible to conceal my camera. I had to be quite creative in using the available space at the same time paying respect to the visitors’ needs and respecting their private space.
Light: The available light was not great considering that at least some of the time I had to use my telephoto lens to get right close to my subjects. I had to increase my ISO setting to get sufficient light which resulted in some noise.
I decided to include a selection of the images taken at the Winter Fair Carnival in Cambridge in my learning blog to compare them with this selection. I hope this might in some way be a helpful comparison.
Assessment of the image collection
The collection of photos resulting from my visits to the art exhibition hall in Grantchester consists of 11 images.
My main objective for this assignment was creating a narrative of the event and to fulfil this objective I used the following methods:
- Putting the images in a particular sequence: the sequence opens with Image 1 which introduces the Grantchester Artists group; it closes with a series of close up images of the visitors of the exhibition.
- Making use of vertical and horizontal space: there are vertical and horizontal layouts included in the collection.
- A mixture of angles, overall and close up shots: the overall shots help to tell the story by including a lot of contextual background features; the close up images brings us in touch with the emotions of the visitors.
- Using colour and black & white images to create a stronger narrative: some images deliver a clearer, more focussed message when presented as black and white.
- Using various focal lengths from 16 mm to 200 mm.
- Inviting the viewer to look up, down and around by varying the subject and the angles.
- Using soft focus and sharp focus to ‘lead the viewer’s eye.’
Technical information: the hall was lacking natural light and 400 ISO setting was used for the entire photo shoot. This allowed me to respond relatively quickly to the events whilst at the same time keep the noise to manageable levels.
I used Canon 5 D Mark II and Mark III for the photo shoot, plus a number of dedicated Canon zoom lenses covering the focal length range from 15 mm to 200 mm.
Only natural light has been used in creating these images.
I used Lightroom 5 to edit the images.
1. Setting Up: Art in the background
Technical: exposure, focal length
I used ISO setting of 400. I set my camera to 1/90 sec exposure and opened up the aperture to f/4.0 to ensure that the background is slightly blurred. I used a 50 mm Canon lens to take this image.
Narrative: People and activity
This image opens up the collection and serves as an introduction to the art event. The framed notice on the right hand side is sharp in focus and so ‘catches the eye’ first. It tells the story of the ‘Grantchester Artists’ group and the exhibition.
Following this introduction, the viewer’s eyes naturally continue along the lines of the frame towards the background where a woman is hanging a picture on a wall. This sets the context of the exhibition in relation to its timeline: it is clear that we are witnessing the beginning of the event – the exhibition is currently being set up.
To help my viewer focus on the main elements of the image, I darkened the corners and made sure that the background is sufficiently blurred.
Although the person in the background is out of focus, their presence is crucial to the narrative of the image. We don’t see their face but we know from their pose that they are in the process of setting up (or taking down) the exhibition that we have just read about. The woman’s slightly bent knees and the hands position indicate some degree of care – and although it’s very subtle, it is still evident. This also gives my viewer a clue that they might need to look for subtle details to interpret the images and the collection as a whole.
The main subjects of the collection are people and the art, and the relationship between the art and people. Starting from the first image, the art and the people within each frame move closer towards the viewer: right now they are in the background.
Spontaneous vs planned
I had this image in mind from the onset and it worked out just the way I planned it, whilst some other initial ideas did not quite materialised in the planned way.
2. Setting Up: transforming the hall
Technical: exposure, focal length
My exposure settings for this image were: 1/8 sec at f/9.5. I used a 16 mm lens to take in as much of the foreground and the hall in as possible.
Narrative: People and activity
This image expands our view further by showing us the bigger picture: here we see the entire village hall being transformed into the art gallery. We see some framed pictures being arranged on the exhibition screens. There is a clear sense of motion in the air (the image of the woman on the right is slightly blurred) but also enough stillness and calm created by the frames and objects on the foreground. The image gives us a sense of work in progress and sparks some curiosity at what to expect next. The colours are no longer distracting us from reading into the motion and stillness, and the sense of purposefulness of this image.
In post-production, I darkened the corners slightly to help the viewer focus on the main details.
In contrast to the first image, we see the people clearly and in focus in this image. They are still at a distance but we can comfortably observe them preparing the exhibition. The art now appears much closer to the viewer with a big framed portrait positioned right on the foreground.
Spontaneous vs planned
It took a while to get this image right as I tried various positions and angles. It did not help that people kept moving around, sometimes disappearing from my field of view completely. I felt that it was important to have people present in this image and I was looking to have a number of figures distributed across the frame to increase the sense of balance.
3. Setting Up: Facing art
Technical: exposure, focal length
My exposure settings for this image were: 1/30 sec at f/2.8. I opened up the aperture to throw the background out of focus as I wanted to concentrate on the woman’s face. I used a 35 mm lens - unfortunately it was the only lens at hand when I came across this scene.
Narrative: People and activity
With this image we move one step closer to the art and the people of art, as if we are zooming into the previous photo.
There is a lot of detail for the viewer to consider: the face expression, the eyes, the care with which the woman is handling the frame, the complementary colours and calm tones, the action on the background and the reflection on the glass.
This image gives us a different angle on what we’ve seen before and it puts the viewer in the shot, right next to the woman hanging the picture.
The face of the woman is in focus although I soften it slightly to bring it in line with the atmosphere and the narrative.
The woman’s face is shot in profile which sets it out against the out of focus background.
There is another person visible in the background which helps to set the context to this image.
I tried to position my camera in the way that catches the reflection of the woman’s face on the glass surface but that resulted in too much compromise in other important areas so I abandoned the idea.
Spontaneous vs planned
This was a spontaneous shot which was slightly difficult to achieve. When I came across this scene I only had my wide-angle lens on me so I had to get really close to my subject. This lady was evidently very camera shy so I had to act quickly. I made a few shots but each time pretended not to look at her or point my camera in a different direction and then quickly reposition and shoot.
4. Setting Up: Art at their feet
Technical: exposure, focal length
My exposure settings for this image were: 1/10 sec at f/4.5. I used a zoom lens set at 23 mm.
Narrative: People and activity
With this photo, we still find ourselves at close quarters to our main subjects - the art and the people – though now we are looking down at their feet!
The image tells us that we are still observing the exhibition at the setting up stage. There is a clear sense of action or motion from the slightly blurred picture frames in the individuals’ hands. This is indeed another work in progress image.
Despite the fact that we don’t see the individuals (apart from their feet and boots) we get the sense of an interaction or a conversation taking place behind the exhibition screen. We get a sense of these people possibly working together and cooperating although our inability to see their faces leaves enough mystery to remain intrigued by the scene and wanting to know more.
In post-production, it made sense to de-saturate the photo to help focus on the main subjects and the patterns (frames/ feet/vertical and horizontal lines) within the image.
Spontaneous vs planned
This was a spontaneous scene and I had to react very fast. I did spent a few seconds to get the best alignment between the two frames on the exhibition screen and the feet. I had an instant mental image of this scene in black and white and decided that it would work well.
I would have liked to have a less busy background but it was not possible – I simply had to snatch the moment.
5 Setting up: Final touches
Technical: exposure, focal length
My exposure settings for this image were: 1/20 sec at f/2.8. I used an 18 mm lens to include as much of the foreground as possible whilst also trying to keep the main character sharp in focus.
Narrative: People and activity
So far we have been observing some people who were busy setting up an art exhibition in the village hall. We had a chance to observe their emotions and face expressions at the moments when they were interacting with the art but we did not know (or we were not told) if any of them were artists.
This is the first image in the collection that puts the viewer very close to an artist. We see a lady artist putting some finishing touches to her piece of work. We see the same village hall with some of the art exhibition visible in the background – as if we walked all the way around the hall and came back to the point where we started. We are also observing the way the hall is changing and how the exhibition slowly comes together. I tried to get a lower angle to get very close to the lady artist and also to her piece of work (at the same time conscious of trying not to disturb her) so my viewer feels that if they stretch their hand they can almost touch her work.
I decided to use this photo as a colour image to balance the collection but also for variety (the previous image of the hall was black and white).
It’s interesting to note that this lady artist (as most of other people pictured so far) is entirely focussed on her activity so there is no eye contact with the viewer. Although this can be seen as a drawback, I think that it actually creates a sense of real-life situation (as opposed to a posed photo shoot): we are simply witnessing an artist at work – shhh, be quiet and don’t disturb them!
Spontaneous vs planned
Again, this scene was spontaneous and I had to act quickly. The light was lacking so I had to open the aperture. I used my wide-angle fast lens which helped me to get the best results and keep the background and the foreground within the frame.
I was quite satisfied with the result though some of the better framed images turned out slightly blurred so I could not use them.
6. Exhibition: open to public
Technical: exposure, focal length
My exposure settings for this image were: 1/20 sec at f/2.8. I used an 18 mm lens to include as much of the foreground as possible. I used ISO 200 setting.
I found it quite challenging to keep the image straight and proportionate whilst including the Shower of Cranes in the foreground and the sufficient level of detail and coverage in the background. I wondered whether it would have been possible to crop this image differently to achieve a better final result.
Narrative: People and activity
This image introduces a new chapter in the exhibition’s life: it’s now open to public! We see the exhibition hall transformed, lit up and colourful – and it’s looking quite different to what we have seen before. We also see people in the hall but now they are observers and viewers, just like us. They also don’t seem to pay attention to us so there is no eye contact with the camera (or the viewer). Some of them are with their backs to us and aren’t looking in our direction. They are absorbed by what they looking at but it seems that they are a little too far away from us to be able to read their emotional responses.
Do you wish we could get a little closer to them? To understand how they feel?
My intention was to encourage the viewer to wish they could have a closer look at some of the people who visited the exhibition – to study their emotional responses.
Spontaneous vs planned
I struggled with the idea of including this image in the final selection: it seemed in some way a bit of a waste. My favourite images are of people interacting with the art forms or with each other and this image does not help with either of these. I included this image because I felt I had to, because of the need to narrate the next step of the story: to show that the exhibition was now open.
Could there be a better way to achieve that?
7. Exhibition: Reflections (1)
Technical: exposure, focal length
My exposure settings for this image were: 1/30 sec at f/4. I used a zoom lens set at 200 mm. This helped to keep the background out of focus and to flatten the image so the main attention is on the two ladies.
Narrative: People and activity
Following from the previous image, we are now getting closer to the people interacting with the art and with each other.
The images 7 to 12 were selected because of the different emotional context that each one of them seems to manifest (thoughtful, engaged, disengaged, inspired, reflective or curious). With these images I aimed to capture different emotions that art might bring up in people. I did not feel the need to name these emotions and simply numbered the images under the overall title ‘Reflections.’
Going back to the image 7 (1), we are observing two ladies sharing views with each other. One of them is looking at the art form that they seem to be discussing. Her gaze is slightly unfocussed as happens when people are deep in thought. It isn’t obvious if they agree or disagree with each other and it does not seem to matter – it seems sufficiently meaningful to observe and reflect on the emotions generated by the art form and their discussion.
I tried to catch an interesting moment of the interaction and this was the best shot out of a number of attempts. There is no eye contact with the viewer and it’s interesting to note that this image seemed to work better that a similar image with the eye contact.
Spontaneous vs planned
I planned to include a few images of people’s emotional responses in the final collection but could not possibly plan the individual shots in advance – it’s just not possible to tell who you are going to meet and the events like this one.
When I arrived at the exhibition, I quickly realised that I needed to be discreet about my presence. I found that most people would behave and react differently as soon as they notice a camera pointed at them.
With image 7, I tracked the ladies’ movements from a distance pretending not to even look in their direction. From time to time they would stop for a chat or to exchange views - I really enjoyed catching these special moments but at times it was also quite a frustrating process as other people or objects at times got on my way.
8. Exhibition: Reflections (2)
Technical: exposure, focal length
I set my camera to 1/60 sec at f/5.6 for this image. I used a 40 mm lens with a view to include some of the contextual background. I did not have a choice of lenses or any time to change the lenses for this image. I think I would have liked to try a telephoto lens for this image.
In post-production, I spent a long time trying to make the girl and the picture the central point of the photo. The background was very busy and there were too many distracting colours so I cropped the image to reduce the cluttered background and de-saturated it to draw the focus to the girl and the picture. I think that these adjustments helped to make this photo work.
Narrative: People and activity
This is my favourite image in this image collection. Children’s reactions are often special and could make great images.
So what makes this particular image work for me?
It is a combination of many things that makes it work: the girl’s age and the framed art piece she is looking at (themes of becoming a woman, growing up and grown up, puberty and adolescence, innocence and virtue); her curiosity; her undivided attention to the picture and the twigs in her hand indicating that a minute ago she was outside playing; the ice-cream in the girl’s hand and the emotions passing over the woman’s face in the art piece she is examining (themes of pleasure and innocence).
Most importantly it makes me think about the relationship between people and the art and how the art teaches us, helps us to grow and influences our lives.
Spontaneous vs planned
I followed the girl around the exhibition hall in the hope of an interesting image and I was totally over the moon when I saw her stopping in front of this picture. This happened just before she ran for the exit and the whole scene only lasted a moment so I was pleased that I waited around – it was definitely the best reward for my efforts during that day!
The lesson I learnt was to watch people as they enter the hall, taking note of the most interesting subjects or characters and keep an eye on them as they progress along trying to anticipate their movements and being ready to capture the moment – at all times!
9. Exhibition: Reflections (3)
Technical: exposure, focal length
My exposure settings for this image were: 1/45 sec at f/4. I used a 100 mm focal length as I wanted to set the couple against the slightly out of focus background. I think this approach worked well in this image.
In post-production, I cropped the image to place my main subjects in the right quarters of the frame and darkened the corners to draw the attention in.
Narrative: People and activity
One of the gifts that art brings to people is inspiration and enrichment. With this image I tried to capture the sense of quiet inspiration on visitors’ faces, the feeling of being moved by the art and their experience. I like that these feelings are quite subtle and tuned down which makes the scene look natural. It is interesting that there is no eye contact between the man and the woman but the image suggests that their experience is joint and shared.
The couple looks up across the frame so I felt I needed to create enough ‘head’ and ‘gaze space’ around them.
Spontaneous vs planned
As most images of the visitors this shot was unplanned.
Although I had some idea in my mind of the type of image I was after, I had no control over the circumstances and when and how this might be happening.
I spotted this couple some time before this picture was taken. I noted that the man’s face looked somewhat inspired and moved by the exhibition and I wanted to try and capture the emotion on his face – I think this image conveys the feeling relatively well.
10. Exhibition: Reflections (4)
My exposure settings for this image were: 1/45 sec at f/4. I used a 185 mm focal length to get a close up shot with a flat and blurred background. I opened up the aperture as I did not want any harsh lines present in this portrait – my intention was to create a soft and gentle head shot.
Narrative: People and activity
This lady’s face was lit up by her quiet concentration, gentleness and reflection and I wanted to capture these.
I thought that a softer portrait would help to convey the general feel of this portrait. The colours of the lady’s jacket, her hair, face and accessories are soft and unobtrusive; they complement the mood and the emotions of the scene. I think the colours help to read this image and it would not work in the same way as a black and white portrait.
I tried to frame her face to make sure that her gaze extends across the image and goes beyond it. Her eyes are unfocussed as if she is very deep in thought. At the same time there is a sense of concentration and attention in her face and her posture that makes us feel that she is looking at something meaningful, interesting or important.
Spontaneous vs planned
It can be challenging to catch such subtle emotions on people’s faces but I was lucky with this image: the lady was facing me at the time and did not notice my camera.
I found it hard to decide if this portrait looks better in a vertical or horizontal layout. I tried both and finally decided to use the horizontal framing. It felt right not to restrict her movements in her shoulders too much – I think that her slightly forward attentive posture adds to the emotional context of the image and it helps to have some extra space around to emphasise this.
11. Exhibition: Reflections (5)
Technical: exposure, focal length
I set my camera to 1/90 sec at f/4 and used a 150 mm focal length to set the group of people against the slightly blurred background. The shallow depth of filed allows me to blur the foreground adding an extra dimension to the image.
Narrative: People and activity
I wanted to have a group shot in the final selection and this is the only image of this kind.
People may interact differently when in a group and I was hoping to capture some of the different dynamics that a group might present.
In this image we see a group of three individuals, possibly a family, with two of them facing the camera. There is a slight sense of disconnectedness partly due to the lack of eye contact with the viewer but also enhanced by the man’s withdrawn face expression. We don’t see the whole picture as one of the ladies in the group is with her back to the camera but there are some obvious signs of an interaction taking place within the group. Examining the man’s face, it is possible to assume that there might be some other internal interactions taking place: between the people and the art forms around them.
I like the way the hands and the faces are so expressive and quite well positioned in this image allowing us to examine them and make our own conclusions.
I decided to keep the blurred foreground on the right of the picture to add the sense of real-life scene, the feeling of being there, right next to the group of people.
In some ways it also works as a closing image for the whole visitors’ sequence which started with Image 7 (also featuring a blurred foreground but on the left).
The background is also slightly blurred and I think that the combination of dark and light blotches behind the group helps to set them out of their surroundings and focus on their emotional responses.
I think that this image works well as a black and white portrait, especially for the people’s faces and their facial expressions.
Spontaneous vs planned
I took a number of photos of this group at the exhibition but it was a challenge to capture them still and in focus as they were moving around quite swiftly. I did not have a specific plan in mind but tried to use any opportunity to take photos of them as I thought they looked interesting and expressive.
12. Exhibition: Reflections (6)
Technical: exposure, focal length
My exposure settings for this image were 1/45 sec at f/4 and I used a 180 mm focal length to flatten the background and bring forward the girl’s face.
Narrative: People and activity
In my view, this image draws the collection together and brings it to the close in a positive way. It works well as the final image for this collection.
The girl’s face is thoughtful, inspired, even dreamy but focussed. She is facing to the right, as if projecting her thoughts forward, thinking about her future.
Has she got moved by the exhibition? Is she inspired to try her hand at crafts? Would she become an artist?
I think that this image gives a sense of continuation of the exhibition and the artists’ efforts, adding value, meaning and a different sense of purpose.
In post-production, I cropped the image (using the three quarters rule) and darken the corners to focus more on the girl’s face.
Spontaneous vs planned
I had to act quickly to take this photo as it only lasted a moment. The interaction between the girl and her dad felt like their private moment so I withdrew my camera and went away as soon as I was satisfied that I had the picture that I wanted.
Creating a narrative and storytelling are perfectly natural human reactions that can be tracked back to the ancient times. As Crites pointed out, ‘a self without a story contracts into the thinness of its personal pronoun.’
Broyard pointed out that ‘always in emergencies we invent narratives. We describe what is happening as if to confine the catastrophe. When people heard that I was ill, they inundated me with stories of their own illnesses, as well as the cases of friends. Storytelling seems to be a natural reaction to illness. People bleed stories and I’ve become a bloodbank of them’.
Narrative is important in photography, especially where our camera is pointed at a fellow human being. Documentary photography and photojournalism are in a way the photographic equivalent of storytelling.
In people, event and street photography there are many methods that can be used to give a sense of a narrative and add to a storyline through images: e.g., using colour and tones; or building a sequence of images.
David Campbell in his lecture references many different ways of structuring a narrative.
Following the classical narrative structure, I used my Images 1 and 2 of this submission to introduce the event and the location. Images 3 and 5 gave my story a ‘face.’ Images 7 to 12 let people tell their own art exhibition experience. When narrating the story of the Grantchester Barrel Race, I used the key stages of exposition (setting out the scene), competition (conflict), climax (race) and resolution (victory and celebration). Whichever structure is used, it is important to contextualise the stories and give them a ‘face’ or personalise them.
I have not had a chance yet to try creating a non-linear photo narrative (for example, using flashbacks and memories) and I would very much like to do it. I wondered if there are any good examples of artistic work that used these approaches.
When thinking about a narrative and developing a story it is important to understand the context. As David Campbell said, ‘In photography, narrative is related to the idea of context. No matter how complete or comprehensive a narrative appears it will always be the product of including some elements and excluding others. Inclusion/exclusion is part of what construction is all about, but knowing what is best included or excluded requires an understanding of context. And an understanding of context requires visual storytellers to be highly proficient researchers. As Stuart Freedman recently declared, we need “a return to a storytelling in photography as rigorous in thought and research as it is beautiful in construction and execution.”
This emphasises the importance of research and care put into any photo narrative. Photographers are responsible for the work they create.
Setting up a hall (which mostly involves some repeated activities such as hanging some pictures on walls) and
Visitors looking at the exhibition displays.
Both of these activities seem quite unexciting and could be quite hard to photograph due to a number of challenges already mentioned in this report (such as the limited ways to compose the shots, dealing with people who do not expect to be photographed).
I am pleased that I have managed to complete the task despite these challenges.
Perhaps, I would have got much more exciting photos capturing the visitors of a big art show in London or recording craftsmen at work but I am generally satisfied with the achieved result.
People react differently when their pictures are being taken in public places and some are simply not comfortable about it – there are no hard and fast rules and many different opinions exist regarding this but I think that each and every photographer would need to follow their own code of conduct within the laws and their comfort zone.
I think that it is important to be sensitive to other people’s privacy and their sense of private space.
There might be some restrictions for taking photos in certain public areas, such as railway stations or shopping malls. It’s always worth checking beforehand and carry your student card with you as officials do not generally mind student taking photos.
A wide-angle lens would bring the photographer very close to their subject, whilst a telephoto lens would allow to stay away and unnoticed.
I’ve learnt that it is important to choose the right equipment and to use it well and with respect to get the best results.
The previous two points add up to an important lesson which I’d like to take on board: respect for my subject and for my image-creating tools.
In Garry Winogrand’s words, ‘I like to think of photographing as a two way act of respect. Respect for the medium, by letting it do what it does best, describe. And respect for the subject, by describing it as it is. A photograph must be responsible to both’.
My lesson is to stay relaxed, open-minded and try not to worry about controlling something that I cannot influence that much. Staying at the moment and being alert but relaxed (similar to a meditative state of mind) helps me to anticipate events and actions more than worrying about being in control.
Every moment deserves respect and is beautiful.
This simple and powerful conclusion is not new: it echoes Geoff Dyer’s ‘The ongoing moment’ book which I am currently reading.
A quote by Garry Winograd comes to mind: ‘No one moment is most important. Any moment can be something.’
1. I enjoy working with people and I am usually confident photographing people in public places. I think I am able to communicate to and persuade people reasonably well and explain to them why I am taking photos in a non-threatening way.
2. I found other people’s life stories fascinating and it feels natural to give them my full attention when they speak. This helps to contact and connect with them, which in turn makes it easier to suggest photographing them.
3. I tend to take more equipment that I need with me on a location which sometime is helpful and some other time isn’t.
My usual preference had been to work with a tripod though I noticed that since the time I have enrolled on this course I have also started venturing out regularly with a small shoulder bag, only taking one camera and one or two lenses with me.
4. One of my biggest challenges is to make a selection of final images/ prints. I seem to struggle with choosing and deciding between my images and usually end up with a bigger final selection then required.
I understand that less is more and wondered whether there is a helpful process or a workflow that could be followed to make a good image selection.
Sometimes laying out my prints on the floor and having time to look at them and re-arrange them helps to make my final selection. This also brings me to the next point on time management and planning.
5. I still need to improve on time management and planning my assignment work and this is something I am going to focus in the coming months. I found that the quality of my work suffers greatly from the lack of time.
6. Sometime the narrative develops and changes as I start working on my project and I need to find the ways of quickly adjusting to the changing needs of my project as I go along. This takes practice and I need to get used to paying attention, keep checking back and make a note of any changes.
Lessons and reflections
Importance of a narrative story
This assignment taught me the importance of a narrative.Creating a narrative and storytelling are perfectly natural human reactions that can be tracked back to the ancient times. As Crites pointed out, ‘a self without a story contracts into the thinness of its personal pronoun.’
Broyard pointed out that ‘always in emergencies we invent narratives. We describe what is happening as if to confine the catastrophe. When people heard that I was ill, they inundated me with stories of their own illnesses, as well as the cases of friends. Storytelling seems to be a natural reaction to illness. People bleed stories and I’ve become a bloodbank of them’.
Narrative is important in photography, especially where our camera is pointed at a fellow human being. Documentary photography and photojournalism are in a way the photographic equivalent of storytelling.
In people, event and street photography there are many methods that can be used to give a sense of a narrative and add to a storyline through images: e.g., using colour and tones; or building a sequence of images.
Structure of a narrative
Sarbin said that ‘the story has a beginning, middle, and an ending…The story is held together by recognisable patterns of events called plots.’ This is also relevant in photography. It is possible to tell a story using images but the planning of the beginning, the middle and the ending would need to be carried out in advance.David Campbell in his lecture references many different ways of structuring a narrative.
Following the classical narrative structure, I used my Images 1 and 2 of this submission to introduce the event and the location. Images 3 and 5 gave my story a ‘face.’ Images 7 to 12 let people tell their own art exhibition experience. When narrating the story of the Grantchester Barrel Race, I used the key stages of exposition (setting out the scene), competition (conflict), climax (race) and resolution (victory and celebration). Whichever structure is used, it is important to contextualise the stories and give them a ‘face’ or personalise them.
I have not had a chance yet to try creating a non-linear photo narrative (for example, using flashbacks and memories) and I would very much like to do it. I wondered if there are any good examples of artistic work that used these approaches.
When thinking about a narrative and developing a story it is important to understand the context. As David Campbell said, ‘In photography, narrative is related to the idea of context. No matter how complete or comprehensive a narrative appears it will always be the product of including some elements and excluding others. Inclusion/exclusion is part of what construction is all about, but knowing what is best included or excluded requires an understanding of context. And an understanding of context requires visual storytellers to be highly proficient researchers. As Stuart Freedman recently declared, we need “a return to a storytelling in photography as rigorous in thought and research as it is beautiful in construction and execution.”
This emphasises the importance of research and care put into any photo narrative. Photographers are responsible for the work they create.
The collection and the individual images
When using images to narrate a story, it’s important to pay attention to the whole collection (how many images, colour vs B&W, how balanced the entire collection is, how well it fits together, how well it tells the story, does it follow a structure) as well as the individual images. It is like conducting an orchestra or directing a choir where each instrument and each voice help to create a beautiful song.Limitations of a small village art exhibition
A small art exhibition throws certain challenges when it comes to photographing people. Thinking about a small village art exhibition, there is very little going on apart from:Setting up a hall (which mostly involves some repeated activities such as hanging some pictures on walls) and
Visitors looking at the exhibition displays.
Both of these activities seem quite unexciting and could be quite hard to photograph due to a number of challenges already mentioned in this report (such as the limited ways to compose the shots, dealing with people who do not expect to be photographed).
I am pleased that I have managed to complete the task despite these challenges.
Perhaps, I would have got much more exciting photos capturing the visitors of a big art show in London or recording craftsmen at work but I am generally satisfied with the achieved result.
Sensitivities of taking photos in public places and at public events
It is worth remembering of the sensitivities involved when working with minors and vulnerable adults. I tend to carry some consent forms with me and in some cases stick to the shots from the back and overview shots. It is also possible to video record a consent given by parents, guardians or adults and store the video files on a hard drive for reference.People react differently when their pictures are being taken in public places and some are simply not comfortable about it – there are no hard and fast rules and many different opinions exist regarding this but I think that each and every photographer would need to follow their own code of conduct within the laws and their comfort zone.
I think that it is important to be sensitive to other people’s privacy and their sense of private space.
There might be some restrictions for taking photos in certain public areas, such as railway stations or shopping malls. It’s always worth checking beforehand and carry your student card with you as officials do not generally mind student taking photos.
Tools of the trade for street photography
The assignment was a good reminder of how my equipment (camera, lenses) would affect the approach, style and results of my photography.A wide-angle lens would bring the photographer very close to their subject, whilst a telephoto lens would allow to stay away and unnoticed.
I’ve learnt that it is important to choose the right equipment and to use it well and with respect to get the best results.
The previous two points add up to an important lesson which I’d like to take on board: respect for my subject and for my image-creating tools.
In Garry Winogrand’s words, ‘I like to think of photographing as a two way act of respect. Respect for the medium, by letting it do what it does best, describe. And respect for the subject, by describing it as it is. A photograph must be responsible to both’.
Control vs spontaneity
When I am out on the streets and in the process of capturing great shots of people, I have a very limited control over my subject and the environment, in comparison to a studio shot.My lesson is to stay relaxed, open-minded and try not to worry about controlling something that I cannot influence that much. Staying at the moment and being alert but relaxed (similar to a meditative state of mind) helps me to anticipate events and actions more than worrying about being in control.
The importance of each moment!
This is especially evident in street and people photography.Every moment deserves respect and is beautiful.
This simple and powerful conclusion is not new: it echoes Geoff Dyer’s ‘The ongoing moment’ book which I am currently reading.
A quote by Garry Winograd comes to mind: ‘No one moment is most important. Any moment can be something.’
My strengths and areas for improvement
1. I enjoy working with people and I am usually confident photographing people in public places. I think I am able to communicate to and persuade people reasonably well and explain to them why I am taking photos in a non-threatening way.
2. I found other people’s life stories fascinating and it feels natural to give them my full attention when they speak. This helps to contact and connect with them, which in turn makes it easier to suggest photographing them.
3. I tend to take more equipment that I need with me on a location which sometime is helpful and some other time isn’t.
My usual preference had been to work with a tripod though I noticed that since the time I have enrolled on this course I have also started venturing out regularly with a small shoulder bag, only taking one camera and one or two lenses with me.
4. One of my biggest challenges is to make a selection of final images/ prints. I seem to struggle with choosing and deciding between my images and usually end up with a bigger final selection then required.
I understand that less is more and wondered whether there is a helpful process or a workflow that could be followed to make a good image selection.
Sometimes laying out my prints on the floor and having time to look at them and re-arrange them helps to make my final selection. This also brings me to the next point on time management and planning.
5. I still need to improve on time management and planning my assignment work and this is something I am going to focus in the coming months. I found that the quality of my work suffers greatly from the lack of time.
6. Sometime the narrative develops and changes as I start working on my project and I need to find the ways of quickly adjusting to the changing needs of my project as I go along. This takes practice and I need to get used to paying attention, keep checking back and make a note of any changes.
