Photography Lesson - 'Sea Change' Michael Marten

http://www.listofphotographers.blogspot.co.uk/

Photography Lesson - Tide in tide out a la' Michael Marten.

Resources - easy access to a water way that is affected by the tide
Analogue or digital cameras
Projection/Display methods
AG magazine Winter 2008 issue No.50

This is a series of lessons designed to be introduced and worked on over a series of sessions producing outcomes that identify multiple learning outcomes, meeting multiple assessment criteria.

Session 1: Research - Image Analysis and deconstruction.

In this session the students are introduced to the use of Hard-copy journals, in this instance AG magazine Winter 2008 issue No.50. Again, I would use this to reiterate the points made here in the introduction. The work that they'll be looking at, is the work of Michael Marten, if you conduct on-line research there seems to be very little in the way of research that you would be able to use in an academic scenario other than this link here...  http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/sep/23/sea-change-michael-marten-review  Deemed suitable because it's a national newspaper and the article written by and or at least, edited by Sean O'Hagan. There is also this link here which again is a national newspaper but, if you check out the writers linkedin profile it's not of the same calibre as the Sean O'Hagan who is well respected critic and writer on the subject of photography. But the Daily Mail link does appear to have superior images which you might want to use within their work.

In the session, I would present at least two of the articles from the above - certainly the one that has come from the hard-copy source (AG Magazine) and distribute these in class.

The Task  would be for the students to look at the images and read through the articles and start to make sense of the work. They would be expected to record what is in the images and then start to analyse the images and the article in more depth, deconstructing the images and making observations with regards to how visual language is used within the images. By the end of the session the students should have written the basics of a research piece, using quotes from the articles that establish what the images are about and who the target audience might be. Look here for the prompts that can be used in the deconstruction/analysis of the text and images.

The Students in their *own time should then go on to search out a selection of Martens images and add them to the written material. It may also be a good idea to supply at least one example within the lesson if your resources allow for it just to get the project under-way.

*This may be possible in lesson if your college/school/university has ready access to PC's or Mac's linked to colour printers.

My own approach -

I would have pre-printed high quality laminated images printed to A3 size in class. I would issue these to the students and break them up into small groups of 3 or 4. I would set each group a separate task relating to making sense of the images...

Group 1 - Looks at... Image aspects; colour; light; composition;
Group 2 - Looks at... Content, subject, meaning, metaphors, what is the work about?
Group 3 - Looks at... Equipment, format, camera, quality
Group 4 - Looks at... Target audience, usage
Group 5 - Looks at... What can be taken from the work to use in your work
Group 6 - Looks at... Genre, influenced by, in the tradition of

They would have 20 minutes to discuss the images and write on a large piece of paper their findings and one of the group would be designated the role of presenting their findings to the rest of their class. Others within the group would be given roles such as scribe and time - keeper.

As the presentations are made I and the students would make notes about what points are being picked up on and observed. I would transfer my notes to a white board.

The students would then take that shared info and then use the image analysis/deconstruction prompts here to write up their response and that would be the basis of their research.

I would then encourage them to improve or bolster the work further in their own time adding images and maybe look at similar work (Eye on the Thames by Jonathan Bayer) or Jason Orton's work and compare.

Session 2 -

• Reflect on the research and image analysis
• Plan the shoot

The follow-up session would be to reflect on the session above and the work done since. They would reflect on the useful-ness of the different methods of research, primarily looking at whether they thought the Hard-Copy resources were superior to the internet information?

The students would reflect on the work using the Gibbs Reflective Practice model looking to write somewhere between 300 - 450 words. At the end of the cycle there is the 'Action Plan' section. Use this to write up and discuss how they will approach the practical aspect which would be in the next session.

I allow 10 minutes for each of the sections within the Gibbs cycle approximately, but I would extend the 'Action Plan' section and discuss this as a group, writing up on the white board what it is they feel they need to consider when shooting the images in the next session. We would discuss how their cameras need to be set up, light in consideration with the possible light scenarios and white balance, files sizes and type, field of view and lens focal lengths, shutter speeds, ISO, metering issues etc.

Session 3 - Briefing and Shoot

For us, the location is only 10 minutes away, so we meet, quickly assess the light discuss the impact of the light and then we'll walk down to the beach targeting 4 points primarily. Each view will be slightly different and we're likely to focus on having jetties in the foreground of the images. Each student will shoot a minimum of 4 scenes, making notes of where the shots were taken and the focal lengths used. Additional notes will be made as to helping re-establish the compositions on the 2nd visit.

Post session 3 -

In their own time students will print off contact sheets and produce at least 4 images or more. Additional annotations might be made and the images will be presented in their folders ready for the next session.

Session 4 - Reflection using the Gibbs method

By now this is coming together as a mini-project with many of the components that the students will be assessed against. The final touch would be in session 4 where the students would be required to reflect on the recent activities and learning using the Gibbs reflective practice method again.

I generally do this over a period of an hour or so, setting 10 minutes to respond to each of the prompts using a clock. Some of the prompts over-lap when they write it up and some demand more writing than others, so having done this a few times they adapt to the hour long period and spend longer on some sections knowing that they can make up the time elsewhere.

Session 5 - Second shoot (Tide in opposite state)

Again in their own time the images would be printed and presented in their workbooks along with contact sheets and annotations if deemed necessary.

Session 6 - Final Gibbs reflection

The final Gibbs reflection would be in more depth looking at what they have learned from the experience, has it given them ideas, do they agree with Marten's own rationale for his images, where might they take this basic idea and develop it further. More discussion could happen around the rationale for Martens images?

Approaches to producing images - Typology

http://www.listofphotographers.blogspot.co.uk/

Typology (Work in Progress)

This is one of the approaches we cover and teach you about.

Typology is an approach where you focus on 'Types' and produce a series of images in sets, often presented as a composite on one single piece of paper, e.g. an A3 print with 9, 12 or 15 images or more. Alternatively the images can be produced singularly and then displayed as a set at the end of a project.

 

Within your longer projects, whereby you have to explore and experiment with different approaches in producing your images, this is one of the approaches that you can evidence in your work that has excellent opportunities to link with high quality research that evidences key points in Photography history. Typology also allows you to discuss several other elements in conjunction with the images/approach. If you look at Bernd & Hiller Becher, this will allow you to explore and discuss Objectivity Vs Subjectivity maybe linking with Deadpan and other artists such as Thomas Ruff and looking at the links his work has with Photobooth images and the imposition of a set of rules that takes the subjective elements out of the image taking process.

 

Other artists that you should look at directly linked to Typology are James Mollison and two of my Favourites Jeffrey Milstein and Alejandro Cartagena.

 

Jeffrey Milstein (Planes).

 

 Jame Mollison (James and Other Apes)

 

The images here all use relatively simple approaches with the exception of the Bechers, the Bechers would have used 10x8 view cameras, film and darkroom approaches. Similarly you have to make decisions as to whether you want to keep things simple and produce the work at the experimental phase using your digital cameras, but once you've produce your work in a number of different ways you might consider shooting your work using the Typology conventions and perhaps explore producing it with another experimental approach, or use film and Darkroom/analogue techniques.

 

Pinhole camera (As a Typology)

Mixed Media (As a Typology)

Liquid emulsion (As a Typology)

Images & Text (As a Typology)

 

All of the artists mentioned here have either been featured in recent Journals or have Youtube videos where their work is discussed and explained by either the artists or someone qualified to do so.

 

In terms of difficulty, this is a relatively easy approach with the potential to produce visually interesting outcomes that meet a great number of your learning outcomes required to attain the higher grades. Needless to say at the end of any work that you produce around the theme of Typology you should then reflect on the work that you've produced and consider it as a possible method of producing your final body of work. Because of the potential of Typology and the fact that it can be easily mixed with a range of different approaches, this could also be the main thing your project could hinge around and explore and could easily serve as your starting point for any independently led project?

 

Additional photographers that work using the Typology approach can be found here - http://www.listofphotographers.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

 





Typology in photography (How to Ace your A-Level)

How to Ace you A-Level in Photography (And other courses)

TYPOLOGY IN PHOTOGRAPHY

Across the course you need to produce images that use contemporary approaches to making and producing images. These approaches can be construed as experimental in many cases and this identifies one of the key assessment criteria that you need to meet. In addition they take your photography over and above the norm and introduce you to new concepts and ideas and broaden your photographic knowledge.

Again, I'm going to mention that your starting point should be the Journals and magazines in the LRC (Learning resources Centre) and the Forum. You should be looking at the British Journal of Photography, Hotshoe and many more on weekly basis to give you ideas and inspire you. Here's the reason why.



One of your assignments is based around the concept of presenting images as a typologies. The Daddy (And the Mummy) of typology are the Bechers - Bernd and Hiller.

As with all of the projects you need to produce the work over a series of shoots, developing and improving them as you go. At stages (After each shoot perhaps) you should review the work using a method such as the Gibbs reflective practice model to drive the work on and forwards to better results.

You should choose a subject that you like and will be happy to shoot, you need to consider all the other approaches that you've been taught about and tried and look at fusing those ideas with these. Remember the work you produce needs to be experimental in a number of ways and as you produce this work, this experimental aspect could be brought in at each of the developmental stages.

Through research, looking at Journals such as the BJP, Hotshoe etc in the LRC and The Forum you might be in a position whereby you can link the work you're doing to a theme with a deeper meaning to it rather than just a series of images that are relatively meaningless. This is one of the more difficult aspects of any project when completed to tight deadlines and you massively improved the chances of being able to work with a theme of some substance if you're researching work that is made and produced in this way,

Alinka Echevirria – Typology + catholic + catholocism + personal + objects + charms + jewellery + 

Ari Versluis – exactitudes + typology + montage + fashion + skinheads
Candida Hofer – Typology + Public Buildings – Interiors - Categorization
Chris Coekin – Hitch hikers + portraits + roads + location + daylight + types + typology
Danielle Lilley – Cadets + soldiers + typology + portraits + war + stereotype + guns + uniform
David Maisel + decay + landscape + corrosion + environmental + issues + typology + topography + water + colour + xray + horses + skulls
Donavan Wiley – Typology + Northern Ireland + conflict + war + military + deadpan + aerial
Ed Ruscha – Typology + Petrol station + Parking Lots + Streets (Hollywood Bvld) + Aerial
Frank Gohlke – New Topographic + Landscape + Typology + Deadpan + Environment + Passing of Time + Monochrome
James Mollison – typology + monkey + apes + deadpan

The Bechers Youtube link (sub titles). No.1
The Bechers Youtube link  No.2

Jasper White
The Bechers
Jeffrey Milstein
Ed Ruscha
James Mollison

http://typology.ca/typologies-within-typologies-100-abandoned-houses-and-the-heidelberg-project-today/

http://blog.redbubble.com/2012/04/photographic-typologies-the-study-of-types/

35mm SLR camera The Pentax K1000

On the course you'll be introduced and encouraged to use manual SLR's, specifically the Pentax K1000 which known throughout the world as the classic teaching camera along with the Nikon FM2. 

Without regular use and access to these cameras, they can be problematic when loading and if you need guidance have a look at the link here for a quick over-view on how to load the camera. 

Within your work you'll be expected to describe in detail the features of the camera and how you use it. Click here for a link to part 1 of the manual. Part 2 can be found here. Use the information here to support your descriptions of your own use and experiences with the camera. The main things you need to describe and write about are some of the trickier aspects of loading the camera, the setting of the ISO, the metering system and the focus.

Those of your on the 60009 course need to discuss the camera in terms of how it differs from using your DSLR along with discussing any similarities that you recognise.

Deadpan aesthetics - Thomas Ruff - Subjective v Objective

http://www.listofphotographers.blogspot.co.uk/

One of the main photographers and photographic perspectives we look at on the course is Thomas Ruff and the Deadpan Aesthetic. You're advised to look into this and engage with it as it can potentially accelerate your learning and it encourages you to produce images in a way that you've probably not beforehand. With a little reading and practice you will normally start to produce images that people will look at and take notice of and it also gives you a new perspective with which you can work with. 

For a basic introduction you should look at Charlotte Cottons book The photograph as contemporary art as there is a really useful chapter within the book dedicated solely to the subject. You're advised to use this book as a rule on the course as it's wholly relevant to what we teach.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Photograph-Contemporary-Art-World/dp/0500204012

The key photographers that we look at and use is Thomas Ruff & The Bechers

The key point with regards these images is the implementation of a system (Mechanical approach) whereby the way you shoot the images is subject to a set of rigid rules in the same way as Ruffs predecessors 'The Bechers' do with their Typologies (See below). This method Ruff came about by applying the same sort of approach, asthat  forced on you when having your photograph taken when completing a passport...

From the Govt website (Link below) 

For passport photos:

• eyes must be open and clearly visible, with no flash reflections and no ‘red eye’
• facial expression must be neutral (neither frowning nor smiling), with the mouth closed
• photos must show both edges of the face clearly
• photos must show a full front view of face and shoulders, squared to the camera 
• the face and shoulder image must be centred in the photo; the subject must not be looking over one shoulder (portrait style), or tilting their head to one side or backwards or forwards
• there must be no hair across the eyes
• hats or head coverings are not permitted except when worn for religious reasons and only if the full facial features are clearly visible
• photos with shadows on the face are unacceptable
• photos must reflect/represent natural skin tone

Background

Photos must have a background which:

• has no shadows
• has uniform lighting, with no shadows or flash reflection on the face and head
• shows a plain, uniform, light grey or cream background (5% to 10% grey is recommended)

From https://www.gov.uk/passport-photos-guide-for-photographers

The Bechers (Bernd & Hiller) more or less came up with this concept as a way of photographing buildings applying a very similar approach to their subjects giving rise to the birth of the deadpan aesthetic in photography and New Topography.

This approach whereby the images are taken using a set of rules is an objective approach and it pushes aside any of your own subjective considerations and makes you take images that are very different. This approach will draw comment from people as it challenges their usual visual take on how photography is done and makes your images stand out. The fact that is creates discussion about the approach means that you'll have to ask questions about your own practice 'What constitutes a portrait' where have the rules for portraiture come from, what is their purpose and what are they trying to convey with a portrait and how is it done?

http://www.listofphotographers.blogspot.co.uk/

Section 21 - Your first shoot (Getting Started).

It is absolutely essential that you get your first set of images shot within a matter of days in some instances and certainly in the first week with the longer projects! Again we have to reiterate this becomes so much more manageable if you've been doing on-going research in your own time independently.

All art work is the product of a process of development of skills, techniques and the idea. Your project needs to show the development of these aspects over the period of the brief and this done by producing at least three shoots where the work improves and becomes more coherent as an idea and as a set of images. 

It therefore follows that your first shoot can be virtually anything as long as it is linked to your work. So in the example I've been using any images of shoes would do, as long as you're exploring some aspect of what you're going to do. The first shoot might just be exploring what angle you want to shoot the shoes from - a side view, the under-side, the top-side, whether you're going to have a single shoe or the pair. At the same time you could test the light that you might use and a range of lenses to see what works best. All of this is a part of the development process.

At this stage, digital works well just to get pictures in your books/folders and demonstrates that you've made a start and enables your lecturers to give you feedback and discuss what you're doing. More importantly though, it's through this process of doing 'Test shoots' that you'll get some sense of the challenges that you may face in getting the project to the next stage.

Once you've shot the images, these need to be put in your book. Ideally you would produce a contact sheet with all the images on and handful of images 4 or 6 perhaps - approx 5" x 7" in size. You will then have to annotate the images with observations you've made about the process so far.

At this point you will need to do your first reflective written piece using the Gibbs Reflective Practice model.

Section 4 - Research

http://www.listofphotographers.blogspot.co.uk/

Here's some ideas on the theme of your research...

Research (Also check out this newer link on research here)

Right from the very outset we will be advising you to look at contemporary and historical photographers primarily exploring their ideas and reasons for shooting their images in the manner that they do. We strongly advise that you do not use the Internet as your starting point, as this tends to produce superficial and weak research material. The advised approach that we'll introduce you to, is to use Photographic Journals such as the BJP, allocating a little time each week to look at the new issues of each of the magazines and getting ideas together and gradually building a knowledge bank of contemporary and historical photographers and their work.

Using this approach you would be introducing yourself to a very broad range of photographic approaches and establishing a far greater depth and understanding of photography's potential. You should make notes and photo-copy interesting images and articles and get to grips with the language used and the ideas and concepts that are explored through photography.

We cannot stress how important it is to use the resources in the library (Journals, magazines and books). By virtue of being published in hard copy, the information in the articles is written by professional editors, writers, reviewers, academics and other artists and therefore of a much higher calibre. The nature of the articles in the magazines, books and journals tends to be far more concise and to the point, addressing all of the necessary components of your own research.

Your research should be conducted in two forms... (1) Initial Research (2) On-going Research.

(1). The initial research under-pins the project and should be the element your work is based on and around. We suggest that you explore 3 artists that connect with your idea and as part of that process you would ideally make a decision about your idea quickly connected with one or more of the artists/photographers you research. This part of your research has to be done at the start of your project and this is the reason we advise you to be continually looking at contemporary art photography throughout the course and building up a knowledge bank of sources to which you can turn to and use in conjunction with your work.

Throughout the duration of the course you're expected to experiment with your images using experimental in camera and post production techniques to enhance the meaning behind your images. One of the more difficult aspects of this is, the fusing together of your concept and the experimental approach. In order to increase your chances of being able to unite the idea and the experimental approach is to have a very wide appreciation of photographers that use these approaches and their techniques and how they use them together. This knowledge will only be gained through studying and researching contemporary art photography (The journals in the library) and seeing how and why they do it.

When you're looking at artists associated with your theme/approach the key things you need to identify are...

• What is their work about (Its meaning)
• How is the meaning conveyed in their images
• If they use experimental techniques/approaches within their - work how does this enhance the images
• Who are they influenced by - show how/why
• Is their work a part of a continuing tradition
• Where and how are their images used
• What influences you are going to draw from their work

Use one A4 'Key' image in full colour, as high quality as you can source. Annotate this image identifying the Visual Language used in the image. For each artist aim to write in excess of 300 words describing the above bullet pointed aspects. Add additional images (In colour) to illustrate any points that are important and use quotes from books and journals in addition to the 300 words.

 

Then compare and contrast the work of at least 2 of the artists that you research again looking to write another 300 words,

 

·         What is the idea/concept behind the artist/photographers work?

·         Read the articles and look at the images – what is the work about, see the list below describe how it links in with one of these or another and say why the artist or you think it’s important or interesting.

o   Self

o   Space/places

o   Time

o   Religion

o   Sex/gender

o   Society

o   Conflict/War

o   Family/Kinship

o   The mind/mental illness

o   Violence/crime

o   Disease

o   Politics

o   History

o   Nature/environment

o   Confusion

o   Escapism

·         What materials, techniques and processes are used and why?

·         How big is the work – scale and size, how might this affect the way that it’s perceived?

·         Over what period was the work made – is this relevant?

·         Where are these images seen and used – how are they used – what’s their purpose?

·         Who or what is the work influenced by?

·         What’s been said about the work by art critics, curators, reviewers and other artists?

·         Is the meaning behind the work “Obvious”  or “Ambiguous”?

·         Have you been able to grasp the meaning behind the work – what do you think about it?

·         What have you taken from the research and applied to your own work (Idea/Concept or Practical/visual) elements?


 If you're struggling with ideas/concept based photography, have a look at this video as it may help... (Photography as contemporary art)

Once you've made a start on the research and you've looked at some contemporary photographers and their work that has some link with your initial idea. You need to now outline a plan - what you're going to do next...