51 YEARS
Photography Journal Abbie Franks
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Contents
05
Bri e f
07
In i ti al i d e as
08
In i ti al i ns p i r at ion
12
F i nal i d ea
13
Pl an n i ng
14
Pho to g rap h er : Dinu Li
20
Pho to g rap h er : P et er Mit chell
21
Pho to g rap h er : Sir kka- Liisa Kont t inen
24
Mo o d b o ard
28
S e ri e s De v elopment : C ont act Sheet s
36
S e ri e s De v elopment : Edit ing
70
S e ri e s De v elopment : Final 10
82
R ef e ren c es
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Brief “You must then produce a series of ten images based on these two words. So you might produce a series on ‘Lust and Gender’ or ‘Pain and Pride’ and so on. You may pick any two words provided that there is one from each list. You must research your chosen topic both its meaning and its visual interpretation in past images (photographic and otherwise) and this research must be documented. This research will be recorded and presented in your journal. Each of the images should be capable of being effective when viewed singly but must also be part of a series; that is there must be a link or a connection between all the images either in subject matter or treatment. You should avoid clichéd treatments and techniques. Or you may choose to address a visual cliché in a new and challenging manner. You must consider all the things we have looked at (and will look at) in this module, such as composition, lighting, colour, viewpoint and so on in order to produce images that are eye-catching, interesting and perhaps even challenging. You must consider the manipulation of each image to present it at its best. So consider the colour balance, colour saturation, brightness and contrast of your images and particularly the cropping. Look at the work of other photographers and how that can inform your work in order to produce a series of ten striking images. One of these may well be the subject of your essay. You are required to produce a journal of approximately 600 words documenting your research and the decision making process when making your images. You will describe what made you decide which images to make and how you went about making them. You will also make clear any manipulation undertaken on computer. You will also give a brief critical analysis of your images.”
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Initial Ideas
Gender & Pride Studio photo shoot of female and male body parts, or fruits which represent those body parts Gender & Envy Studio photos hoot of female and male wearing the same minimalistic outfits, constrainted to the way they can dress Pride & Happiness Location phot oshoot at my Nan and Grandad’s house, showing their home and household items that they are proud of Happiness & Sloth Rundown areas of Blackpool or a rundown park showing where the happiness once was Juxtaposing series: 5 images of Blackpool pier on a sunny day, full of children and happiness. 5 images of the pier on a cold, early morning Pain & Wrath Location photo shoot of an abandoned warehouse/asylum, showing the pain and destruction caused
Initial Inspiration
One of my interests is film photography, as I particularly like the aesthetic, and grainy filter a 35mm camera gives. I began to search for more inspiration, with film-style photography.
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Fig 1
Fig 2
What appealed to me with these photographs is the natural, almost unedited composition. This is something I was eager to follow with my work
Fig 3
Fig 4
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Fig 5
The overall use of colour in these images, along with the white balance, is particularly appealing. Both images work well together even though they are completely unrelated.
Final Idea The final idea for my series is to focus on the key words happiness and pride. My Nan and Grandad have lived in the same house in Blackpool for past 51 years; and I hope to capture the beauty in their everyday lives. The unscripted photographs will focus on items within their household that they are proud of, or that make them happy. These could be simple items, such as my Grandad’s garden, or more thoughtful items, such as my great Grandad’s MBE. My grandparents will act as the subjects, but will not feature in the series.
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Planning Firstly, I need to contact my Nan and Grandad to confirm that I will be allowed to take photographs in their home - we then need to decide on a date which works for us all. Once this has been confirmed I need to book and pay for trains home, and check the weather forecast. My plan is for the shoot to take place on a sunny day, to reflect that “happiness”. The next stage of this journal pinpoints some key photographers which I will take inspiration from for my own series, ‘51 Years’.
Dinu Li
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“secret shadows”
Fig 7
Fig 8
“secret shadows”
Fig 9
Fig 10
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“secret shadows”
Fig 11
Fig 12
“secret shadows”
Fig 13
Fig 14
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“secret shadows”
Fig 15
Fig 16
Dinu Li’s ‘Secret Shadows’ series is the core inspiration for my own series. His work takes the viewer on a journey around a home, giving clues of who the subject is, without revealing the answer. The photographs also carry a raw and untouched feel, which is what I am to create. I will take images of my Nan’s house without moving any objects, and instead working with how the items are already positioned.
“secret shadows”
Peter Mitchell
Fig 17
Fig 18
Peter Mitchell was a key photographer in the colour documentary scene in the 1970s and ‘80s (Strangelyfamiliar.co.uk, 2017); these two photographs give me inspiration for my own series, as I would like to photograph not only the inside, but also the outside of my Nan and Grandad’s house. The reason for this is because it will give a clue as to where the house is geographically situated.
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Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen Fig 19
Fig 20
“interiors”
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Fig 22
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“interiors”
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A series of Family portraits and home interiors from North Shields, photographed on various housing estates in 1979/80 (Amber, 2017). Unlike Dinu Li this series does not work in a cropped square format; I too will not work with squares.
“interiors�
Shoot Mood Board
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Fig 24
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Series Development
“51 years”
Contact Sheets
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original
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edited
This photograph has been chosen as one of the final 10 because it starts the journey around the housea and sets the scene.
Temperature +22, Exposure -0.39, Highlights -20, Shadows +100, Whites -23, Lights -46, Darks -16, Sharpen +24
original
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edited
This photograph has been chosen as one of the final 10 because my Nan’s family lived in Canada, and she was going to migrate over until she met my grandad. These flags act as those clues, similar to that of Dinu Li.
Temperature +4, Exposure +0.05, Contrast +12, Highlights +28, Shadows +86, Whites -+7, Clarity +16, Sharpen +34
original
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edited
Temperature +8, Highlights -31, Lights -12, Sharpen +33, Crop, Straighten
original
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edited
Temperature +10, Exposure +0.40, Contrast +11, Highlights -40, Shadows -23, Clarity +3, Sharpen +14
original
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edited
Exposure +0.15, Contrast -70, Highlights +50, Shadows -15, Blacks -5, Vibrance +6, Sharpen +24
original
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edited
This photograph has been chosen as one of the final 10 because my Nan takes pride in decorating her living area with small ornaments like these shown in the image. The photograph needed little editing due to the complimenting colours of the wood cabinet and peach wall.
Temperature -11, Sharpen +39
original
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edited
Temperature +2, Exposure +0.20, Contrast +26, Clarity +35, Highlights +15, Sharpen +63, Crop, Straighten
original
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edited
This photograph has been chosen as one of the final 10 because it acts as the final image for downstairs. The sunflowers also symbolise happiness, and my Grandad’s garden is peaking through the curtains.
Exposure -0.20, Contrast -46, Shadows +38, Highlights -31, Sharpen +15, Crop, Straighten
original
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edited
This photograph has been chosen as one of the final 10 because it lets the viewer know that the journey around the house is now going upstairs. The carpet also shows some character for the home.
Exposure +0.50, Contrast +39, Highlights +12, Shadows +90, Whites -100, Sharpen +33, Crop, Straighten
original
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edited
This photograph has been chosen as one of the final 10 because it shows how my Nan tries to add some sort of beauty into every room with the flowers on the window sill.
Temperature +24, Tint +6, Exposure -0.10, Contrast -29, Highlights -7, Shadows +17, Whites -3, Blacks +47, Clarity +10, Saturation -4, Sharpen +28
original
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edited
This photograph has been chosen as one of the final 10 because it again acts as a transition between rooms.
Exposure +0.20, Contrast +7, Shadows -19, Blacks -21
original
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edited
This photograph has been chosen as one of the final 10 because as you walk into my Nan’s room this is what you first get a glimpse of. The flowers also symbolise happiness.
Temperature +20, Contrast +27, Highlights +25, Whites +20, Vibrance +15, Lights -24, Darks +34
original
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edited
Temperature +7, Highlights -48, Whites -70, Highlights -13, Sharpening +50
original
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edited
This photograph has been chosen as one of the final 10 because it again takes the viewer on a journey around my Nan’s bedroom.
Temperature +3, Exposure -0.25, Contrast +18, Shadows -45 , Vibrance -9
original
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edited
Temperature +11, Shadows -25, Highlights -26, Sharpening +35, Crop, Straighten
original
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edited
This photograph has been chosen as the final image of the series because the closed door symbolises the end of the journey. It also has my Nan’s dressing gown hung on it, which again reflects her everyday life.
Tint -22, Contrast +41, Highlights -10, Shadows -17, Whites -79, Blacks +15, Sharpening +9, Crop, Straighten
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Final 10
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Reference List Amber. (2017). Interiors - Amber. [online] Available at: http://www.amber-online.com/ collection/interiors/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Dinuli.com. (2017). Dinu Li - Contemporary Artist. [image] Available at: http://www.dinuli. com/info.html [Accessed 1 Apr. 2017]. Strangelyfamiliar.co.uk. (2016). ABOUT | Peter Mitchell. [online] Available at: http:// strangelyfamiliar.co.uk/about/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017].
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Figure List Cover:Dinu Li Slightly Less Than Four Times The Size of Texas Li, D. (2007). Dinu Li Slightly Less Than Four Times The Size of Texas. [image] Available at:http://www.dinuli.com/size_texas/index.html [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Figure 1: Girl in Bedroom Noorda, K. (2014). KIM NOORDA. [image] Available at: http://viktorvautier.blogspot. co.uk/2011/09/kim-noorda_28.html [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Figure 2: Green Bedroom Webb, A. (2011). Green Bedroom. [image] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/ artanddesign/gallery/2011/may/14/alex-webb-photo-gallery [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Figure 3: Girl Asleep Instagram. (2016). Girl Asleep. [image] Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/ BKBs2oLhmLi/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Figure 4: Chair Flikr. (2017). Chair. [image] Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sumeja1// [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Figure 5: Pink sofa Saysgah, L. (2015) Pink Sofa. [image] Available at: https://www.lisasaysgah.com/ blog/2015/9/26/cry-baby/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Figure 6-16: Dinu Li - Secret Shadows Li, D. (2007). Dinu Li - Secret Shadows. [image] Available at: http://www.dinuli.com/secret_ shadows/index.h tml [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Figure 17 & 18: Mitchell, P. (2016) Peter Mitchell Photography. [image] Avaialble at: http://strangelyfamiliar. co.uk/projects/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Figure 19-23: Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen Photograph Konttinen, S. (2017) Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen Photographs. [image] Available at: http://www. amber-online.com/collection/interiors/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Figure 24: Shoot Mood Board, All images found at: Pinterest, (2017). Shoot Mood Board. [image] Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/ abbiefranksx/film/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017].