Exam Project Inside, Outside, In-between

Initial Artist Inspiration

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Sarah Dunn Sarah Dunn is a working photographer I briefly looked at for inspiration. Some of her photographic work offers an insight into ‘behind the scenes’ and gives a sense of how the photographs has been set up and the time it has taken to create.  

Meryl Streep Sarah Dunn

Idea One After exploring and deciding I wanted my overall theme for this project to be the ‘insides, outsides and in-betweens of time’, within my first idea I wanted to explore the idea of representing/capturing passing time within a singular photograph.

Alexey Titarenko’s collection Time Standing Still was taken through the years of 1998 – 2000. However at first look of the photograph it may not be apparent that the collection was taken rather recently. The collection has a historical feel due to the sepia black and white tone and intentional image blur. Alexey Titarenko tends to explore, specifically in this collection, crowds and documentary photography; this collection and other focusing on the public in Russia. Using a long exposure Titarenko creates these ghostly images depicting multiple, sometimes merged and blurred people. His work appears to explore the idea of passing time captured, perhaps indicating this captured time has been wasted judging by a review of his work stating Titarenko “paints a bitter picture of a Russia (seen through the lens of St. Petersburg), where people live in a world of unrealized hopes and where time seems to have stopped.” The photograph can raise many questions, personal and within the context Titerenko created the images. The questions ‘Is time wasted?’ and ‘Are hopes and dreams left unrealized?’ perhaps more personal questions a viewer may envisage when looking on Titarenko’s work. Put into context however, at the time Titarenko created the photographs in St. Petersburg, Russia was in financial crisis; this reinforces the photographs depiction of unrealized hopes. Also gives reason for the ghostly melancholic look the photograph presents. The image is also rather frightening in appearance, with the overlapping and merging of different people only a few with defined outlines the photographs perhaps intended to scare their audience.

Alexey Titarenko (Time Standing Still, Collection)

Naoya Hatakeyama

(Slow Glass Collection)  

Naoya Hatakeyama’s collection Slow Glass, was taken in 2001. Interesting in that in comparison to Titarenko’s

work, taken at a similar time with a similar technique, Hatakeyama’s photographs fit the time they were taken a lot better than Titarenko’s. Titarenko’s photographs possessing a somewhat older faded quality whereas Hatakeyama’s bright coloured photographs are more modern and fitting to the time they were taken. Hatakeyama’s work appears to similarly to Titarenko’s explore the capturing of passing time. Hatakeyama’s

photographs however explore a different subject matter; his photographs in this collection focusing on

urban lights. It appears Hatakeyama captures these images using a long exposure through rain-covered glass; the through ‘glass’ look and urban setting

allow you to assume the photographs were taken through a car window after rain, adding another element of

meaning to the collection. The through glass photograph depicting an idea of being trapped/captured

as well as time passing; this meaning could further link the photographs of Titarenko and Hatakeyama as both possess a rather scary symbolism. When taking

about this collection Hatakeyama explained  

“Our age is illuminated by all kinds of light from the past which shines into the darkest corners. It is like an interior architectural space completely glazed in

slow Glass. There is no shade; everything is cruelly bright.”

  A similar idea of extended cruelty captured in a

photograph to Titarenko’s photographic collection Time Standing Still. Perhaps raising questions from a

viewer about how we do not realize how we are now constantly light and as Hatakeyama puts its how

everything is ‘cruelly bright’.

Development Of Idea One

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Evaluation Of Idea One   My initial intention in taking these photographs was to attempt to capture within them a depiction of passing time; my overall idea within the project being the ‘ins outs and in-betweens’ of time. I believe I have manage to capture what I intended to quite successfully using different exposure and developmental techniques to illustrate passing time within my photographs.   I used a long exposure technique on a tripod to achieve my initial photographs. On the whole I believe I managed to execute this technique well as my photographs depict multiple images of passing people; what should be achieved when using this method. Some of my photographs however better display this technique, photograph 6 being particularly well captured depicting multiple images and trails of moving subjects. A couple of my photographs like my last photograph in this set do not contain as many multiple images and the scene it has been taken in is not as striking therefore having a lesser visual impact on a viewer; however still displaying the basic idea of the technique. My composition and lighting after minor editing also appear to be executed rather well; some photographs are slightly different in how they are composed photograph my first photograph for example however I am happy with these photographs as I believe the odd split in composition and negative space provide more of an interest and further highlight multiple exposures in the photograph. The technique I have used to develop my initial photographs, sped up films of my initial photographs held at the scene they were first captured, could have perhaps been executed better with improved aspects but does still provide the desired effect. There are small changes I think could have bettered these developments; the model holding the photographs could have been stiller, the photographs perhaps presented with neater edges however these improvements would be more for visual neatness and continuity, the effect of passing time appears to be still enforced.  

I deliberately chose for both my initial and developmental photographs to be black and white. As the long exposure and filming techniques I used already made the photographs/video clips look rather hectic as they depict either multiple images or fast moving subjects, the addition of colour in the photographs was only a distraction. I believe in making my photographs/video clips black and white I have given them a stronger visual impact as the viewer can only focus on what the image depicts and not the busy colours of the image.   I believe my initial and developmental sets in this collection of photographs both generate a strong visual impact as they are an altered representation of normal passing time; my developmental videos emphasizing the original impact achieved with my photographs. Looking on my photographs myself I believe they symbolize passing time, although I also think this symbolism could be interpreted by a viewer, as the trails of people, multiple images and sped up film depict an almost obvious sense of passing. This symbolism I believe I have created could also be open to interpretation; although I believe the concept of passing time is obvious numerous questions from viewers could arise from the symbolic topic. Does time pass to quickly? The photographs posses a rather droll hectic look, this could represent passed time wasted?   I therefore believe I have achieved a fine level of symbolism within my photographs

Idea Two Within my second idea I wanted to explore a contrasting idea to my first, but still under my overall theme. So I decided I wanted to explore capturing time standing still within a photograph.

Alberto Seveso Alberto Seveso was born in Milan on 30th of May 1976, and approached, the world art at the beginning of 1990s. He works more often with graphic art but in combination with photographic work.   This photograph taken from a set entitled Disastro Ecologico or ‘Ecological Disaster’ is described by Seveso as ‘high speed photographs of a chemical disaster’. The collection depicts clouds of iridescent colour suspended and captured mid fall. These photographs offer a visually striking and graphic subject matter, featuring vividly saturated colour and highly contrasted lights and darks.   The title of the collection, ecological disaster, promotes and insight into Sevesos intentions in creating the photographs. It appears to me that in creating this collection he has captured a fragment moment of a large-scale controversial issue. This ‘issue’ symbolized within the photograph judging by the collections title could be interpreted as an issue such as global warming, the bright unnatural colours illustrated within the photograph representative of the chemicals being flooded into the earth at an alarming rate. Considering this, this photographic collection holds a controversial meaning important for a viewer to consider and perhaps act upon.   I am personally inspired by this collection of photographs as they depict perfectly what I intend to with my second idea: a captured moment of usually unseen time.

Disastro Ecologico Alberto Seveso

Development Of Idea Two

Evaluation Of Idea Two My original intention in taking these photographs was to attempt to capture a set of photographs that represented time standing still, a captured second, a contrasting intention to my first idea where I wanted to capture time passing. I believe I have succeeded in capturing what I initially intended to and my initial and development photographs do indeed capture a short burst of time, unseen by the human eye.   I took my initial photographs by experimenting with a technique I had not used before. Using a high shutter speed setting and drips of coloured milk I managed to capture images depicting frozen clouds of liquid. This was very pleasing as these suspended clouds were exactly what I intended to capture in taking these photographs. I believe I composed all my photographs rather well maintaining the central positioning of each cloud of colour, if this was not perfect when the photographs was taken I altered this post production. I also believe I maintained a good saturation of colours and an interesting side lighting effect within my photographs. Lighting was something that I found was difficult to get correct and then maintain however some of my photographs, such as the third in this collection, are a particularly good representation of the best lighting and contrast I was able to achieve. Clarity was also difficult to achieve in these photographs because the colours where only suspended for a split second. However I believe I have managed to capture all of my images in mostly in focus adding greatly to their visual impact. In my opinion the symbolism in these photographs is not immediately obvious but it I believe my initial photographs would be decipherable. The images I have captured look similar to explosions in appearance and the vibrancy of the colours added to this appearance could be seen as representative as a burst of time not normally seen in great detail captured.  

I created my developmental photographs by physically freezing my initial photographs in water and re-photographing my outcome. I photographed these frozen photographs on a plain background to eliminate distraction and ensure my frozen photographs were the central focus. My initial photographs were already well lit and composed and so I simply had to maintain the composition by ensuring my frozen photographs were central when re-photographed, which I believe I managed to do well. Photographing ice was problematic and I spent a long time considering whether to use a flash to deliberately show shine or not. I decided eventually to deliberately include this shine to enforce the appearance of the presence of ice. I froze my photographs in attempt to add the symbolism of my initial photographs. I had already captured the notion of frozen time with my clouds of colour and I believe by freezing these photographs I have exaggerated this notion and also arguably made it easier to interpret.   I believe my initial and developmental sets in this collection of photographs both generate a strong visual impact, as they do not contain an everyday subject matter and most definitely provoke discussion due to their obscurity.

Nicola Kelly ‘Nicola Kelly explores photography’s relationship with vernacular portraiture, death, and the memento mori. Her photographic images and installations are densely coded with both explicit and implicit references to the history of photography and photographic theories on indexicality and the uncanny.’ Kelly’s photographs feature old photographs contained within frames and glass domes. This notion of containment within her work suggests possible suggests symbolic meaning to the photographs. The ‘old’ re-photographed photographs appear to be a representative of time and the glass depict in the photographs captures this time. Considering Kelly’s photographs in this way it could be suggested that they portray a message of trapped/ captured moments of time. The basic idea I came up with for my exam piece is very different to many artists and particularly photographers work. However Nicola Kelly’s use of glass and the symbolism this glass generates within her photographs inspired me to utilize this idea within my exam.

Nicola Kelly Untitled (Detail 2), 2008

Exam

End of Project Evaluation   Brainstorming at the beginning of the project, I explored numerous ideas relating to the overall exam theme of Inside Outside and In-between. I then decided on the slightly more obscure sub theme of ‘Time’ as I believed this would be a good theme for diverse exploration and experimentation. I took my very first photographs as a short exploration idea of this theme before I took my actual initial photographs for my first idea, I took advantage of the fact that I had visited a fashion show at London Fashion Week to take photographs of models before, during and after the show to initiate my thoughts on my project. I believe these photographs successful, the only problems I encountered while taking these photographs were the angels I was able to take them at, as I had to compete for space with other photographers. However as these photographs were only taken to initiate my thought process for the exam project I believe they were still rather successfully taken.   I did change my theme slightly from the idea I originally explored and took it back to a more obscure overall theme of time represented in a photograph rather than time over an event. The initial photographs I then took for my first idea were my attempt at a depiction of the passing of time. Some of these photographs were very pleasing as they depicted perfectly what I initially wanted. However I was disappointed with some of these photographs as there is an element of surprise with the technique I was using. The photographs were taken on a long exposure shot meaning that depending on the people that walked past and were I had set up my shot the photographs differed in visually impact. However I believe the technical quality of all of these photographs was good.   My initial photographs for my second idea very pleasing, more so I believe than my initial photographs for my first idea. The visual impact produced by each individual initial photograph, I believe, is very strong as they are brightly coloured and highly contrasted depiction of something not normally seen by the human eye.

  Looking back. I believe that my choice of photographers was beneficial as their work was very influential to my own. Alexey Titarenko’s and Naoya Hatakeyama’s works were a great inspiration for what I intended to achieve within my first idea, as their work gave me a greater insight into how to symbolical represent time with a single photograph. Alberto Seveso’s work was similarly influential to my own idea but due to the subject matter of his work I was able to experiment with this and create my own individual photographs.   On the whole I believe I have pushed myself creatively within this exam project as I have tried new many new techniques and ways of development. Techniques I have not tried before such as long exposure and high shutter speed photographic techniques I experimented with and successful produce photographs. I also believe that my developmental photographs pushed my creative boundaries as I attempted unique methods of development making psychical pieces as well as photographic work.   I am extremely pleased with my final outcomes for this project. Within the 8-hour exam I produced a physical piece and then photographed this piece to produce my final photographs. I feel that these pieces are representative of my project and the theme of Inside, Outside and In-Between and my personal sub theme of Time.   If were to have the time to continue on from this project I believe my next step would be further experimentation with unique development. Stop motion, for example, may be a technique I may experiment with to add movement in my photographs; this would work well with my exam final outcome of hourglasses.