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3.INFORMING CONTEXTS PHO702
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31/01/21

Informing Contexts PHO702
Week 1 Tutor Forum with Colin: Human Choices?

When I'm asked where my photographic practice is now, I find it a difficult question to respond to, because if I'm honest I've felt lost with my practice . I feel as if I am swimming amongst lots of ideas and it's taking me a lot longer than I hoped to process my thoughts.

I am continuing with my original idea which is an exploration of religion in the 21st century. The problem with this topic is that it is too broad and I have struggled to make a start.

In the first module my aim was to come up with a topic that interested me and I felt passionate about. I didn't want to do anything about race, as I felt that topic is too obvious and I didn't know what I could say about the subject matter that hasn't been said already. The topic is so saturated that it has almost become boring. In the first module I came up with an idea, knowing that the project would evolve; projects always do develop over time. I was experimenting and playing with thoughts and techniques. Even though travel is restricted I do believe that images can be made safely and in some ways Covid 19 gives a different spin on any work made. However, I don't and won't be focusing on Covid 19 in my project.

The second module was a non starter for me. I don't know whether I was having writers-block or I was unknowingly feeling the effects of lockdown. I am a reciellent person and I usually "crack on" but during this period I just couldn't put pen to paper.

I have recently been trying to read Sontag again. What I am enjoying this time round are her quotes from photographers. On page 116 of 'On Photography' she quotes Bresson: "Thinking should be done before and afterwards". Another borrowed quote in 'On Photography' is from Adam Ansel "A great photograph has to be a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety." These are great quotes that resonate with me, because they imply that photography is as much about the photographer as it is about what is in the image. I refer back to the 'Mirror or Window' concept in the first module.

I have many thoughts about how my project evolves during this module: I am going to make more images, I want my project to have two approaches: part fictional and part documentary. I am going to create images that assist in getting my opinion across in a creative and fun way, I hope. Thirdly, I am going to continue to explore different photography styles and techniques. I like a mismatched style. However, the challenge is to bring all the different styles together to make a cohesive collection of images.

28/01/21

Informing Contexts PHO702
Week 1 - 28/01/21

Nathan Jugenson ‘The Social Photo’

I am fortunate enough to be writing this after having an in depth discussion with my fellow students and watching Nathan Jurgersson in an interview online.

My first concern is the concept of the "Social Photo". My view is that every photo taken is a "Social Photo". I think that most photos are taken with an intention (conscious or unconscious) about how the image is going to be received by an audience. If a photographer is thinking about her audience, doesn't that make a photo social?

Jurgersson's definition of the "Social Photo" is an image which is taken with another agenda other than it just being a photo. But don't all images have an agenda? In her seminal book 'On Photography' Susan Sontag says: "Nobody exclaims, Isn't that Ugly! I must take a photograph of it." Her point being that what motivates people to take a photograph is that they have found something they think is beautiful. That thought process might be a little old fashioned, but what I take away from this is that something triggers all photographers and behind that trigger there is a conscious or subconscious agenda. Whether that is a mum at home taking an image of her baby, or a wandering street photographer, or a fine art photographer. There are always decisions made when creating any type of image and those decisions are motivated by a photographer's experiences and inclinations. I find it hard to agree that the thing that separates a social photo from an ordinary photo is that the social photo has another agenda other than just being a photo.

The point that Jurgersson raises about the "Selfie" is something that I would like to discuss further. My definition of the selfie is that it is another form of the self-portrait, however the control of this self-portrait is with the person whose portrait is being taken. When I think about the selfie like this, it makes me dislike this form of self-portrait far less. My definition of the selfie completely contradicts what a quote in Jurgersson's book says. To paraphrase Anirban Baishya who says that because of the perspective and the way that the selfie is taken it makes the image an "externalised inward look". I just don't agree with this. I think that all self portraits are an "externalised inward look". I believe if you are taking a photo of yourself it is a self portrait. The framing, aesthetic and the way

you take the image doesn't change the fact that you are taking a photo of yourself. Maybe I am simplifying it too much. Whether it is an official self portrait or selfie you are in control of the same things: lighting, framing and timing (when you decide to release the shutter).

A further discussion point of the selfie I find interesting is the concept of whether the selfie/self portrait is a true representation of the self. I would say it is to some degree; it's a version of the self that you want others to see. I think Richard Averdon put it nicely "All photographs are accurate, none of them is truth". Susan Sontag approaches this interestingly in 'On Photography' when she talks about how people feel when someone is taking a photo of them. She says "they feel rebuked when the camera doesn't return an image of themselves as more attractive than they really are". This fear is solved when the control of the photo being taken is given to the person, but the question for me is: do other people take more realistic photos of people than those people do of themselves?

References -

JURGENSON, Nathan. 2019. ‘The Social Photo’. London: Verso.

SONTAG, Nathan. 2008. ‘On Photography’. London: Penguin Modern Classics.

JURGENSON, Nathan. 2019. The Social Photo: Nathan Jurgenson and Annebella Pollen in conversation [online lecture]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOg4Ocptjyw [accessed 28 January 2021]

25/01/21

Informing Contexts PHO702
Week 1 - 25/01/21

New Year, new me :-).

The last module didn't go too well for me, so I am coming out of the Christmas break swinging.

[insert picture boxer swinging]

via GIPHY

We were asked to consider where my practice is now, the 'nature' and intent of my practice, what contexts your work could be consumed in and your practice in the context of other practices and critical idea?

Over the Christmas break I have been thinking about how I push my project and photography practice forward. I didn't shoot and experiment enough over the last module and that is something I am going to change in the next module. I am trying to find a space that incorporates the freedom of Moriyama, the wackiness and collages of the Dada movement, panoramic photography and the story telling of Chris Maker. The natural question is: why? But I don't have a divine reason why I'm inspired by these references, I just think it would be fun to create my own hybrid whilst paying homage to art that I like. For me art has to be about feelings and doing. I absolutely love Jim Goldberg as well. Also, I think it is great that Khalil Allah has been taken on by Magnum. I've known about him for a while and I am a hip-hop enthusiast and he has worked with Wu-Tang. Also, I missed out on meeting him at Sheffield Doc Festival. I was supposed to go for work, but I pulled out (although I'm not sure why). Anyway, my colleague met him or maybe she didn't, I cant remember. I emailed him because I wanted to try and sign him at the production company I work for, but he hasn't got back to me yet...[heart is broken].

[insert email]

This week I went to a place called 'Bradwell-on-Sea' to visit a church called St Peter's Chapel. I wanted to find a church that is near the sea. I don't know why, I just thought it will be visually interesting to take pictures of a church next to the water. It felt like it would be a spiritual experience. I had some good conversations with people who lived near the church and I took some images. I didn't get to go inside the church, but I will go back again after Covid, when services are back on. I really think this place is magical. It's a 6th century church that is still being used, I think that is incredible, so many people have practiced religious rituals in the church for a long time. Just think what the walls would say if they could talk.

I met a guy called Michael. He was in his mid 80's and in the early stages of Parkinson's. He was a legend and we became friends during our brief encounter. He bought me a sausage and egg sandwich. Michael did say that he enjoyed coming to the church and the space around it. I spoke to a few people who said the same thing, that the church and its surroundings is a magical and special place that gives them something. I felt something when I was there too.