Day: 20 September 2017

Anna Gaskall

This photograph is interesting to me because of it’s mysterious, abnormal nature that is constructed in which it allows us to delve deeper into the deeper meaning of the photograph, in other words: what is the purpose of the photograph and what is it trying to tell us? Clearly, this appears to be a direct reference to a childhood memory, reconstructed to tell us how this photographer looks back in the past. Interestingly, the loss of saturation in the photograph appears to us as quite an old and distant memory because there is a lack of detail on the features of the memory and therefore because of this age of this memory suggests this is quite personnel. The trees through the use of increased contrast almost show an intricate and diverse environment or world within a world. This in a sense suggests that this is the girls natural environment in which she should feel comfortable. However the fact that through the darkening shades of green and the shadows, the woodland appears quite ghost like and that there is some sort of a creepy and quite scary presence surrounding the girl. This is interesting because of the girls clothes/ She is initially wearing white which suggests innocence and vulnerability however the slow tint towards more of a cream color suggests a sense of worn use and how the environment has started to have an effect on the girl. The photograph has been taken from a face on angle and this has helped the viewer to distinguish clearly the effects the hostile environment has had on the girl, for example: she is in the air with her arms and legs stretched out. This uncomfortable position reminds me that she doesn’t appear to actually want to be there, however she doesn’t have a choice in the matter due to the fact that by her ghostly presence she appears to be of under some sort of influence, reminding me of the dangerous nature of the environment. This use of tableaux photography is interesting because it allows us to essentially interpret the story in which the photograph is trying to tell us in our own way but still in saying that somehow really understand and connect with the photographer’s emotions that she is expressing.

Image result for anna gaskell

Hannah Starkey

This photograph is strikingly the opposite of the previous photograph in terms of the environment surrounding the subjects but similarly however, both girls appear to be young, impressionable and vulnerable while being presented under some sort of influence. I find it particularly interesting how Hannah Starkey has chosen to use Tableaux photography to tell a story of the feelings and emotions of the young girl, however I like how the style of documentary photography is incorporated to extradite the very dangers, pressures and struggles that are experienced in young people’s day to day lives in a modern day interpretation. The elements of Tableaux photography that prevail in this image are the strong features of how the girl’s body language in response to presumably her mother but the fact there doesn’t appear to be much motherly contact or affection being expressed towards her daughter shows how the relationship appears particularly strained or damaged. This allows us to pose questions that make us naturally curious to find out what these root causes were in this strained relationship. I particularly like how we can interpret what these causes could be, and through Tableaux we can appreciate the feelings of the subject more easily. Clearly through the dark surroundings, suggests to me that the girl is perhaps going through some of her own difficulties that is part of growing up as she although appears confident and comfortable, it doesn’t look like her natural self. For example by the fact it looks the parent has had to speak to her and put her in her place even though she appears comfortable in her own environment. This shows by the fact that this environment isn’t actually her environment as there is her parent putting her in her place despite the parent clearly doesn’t belong there. This therefore explains and tells the story of growing up through teenage years that many experience differing phases and how the parent is a model or guide for a growing up teenager.

Image result for hannah starkey

For my family Environmental portraits I chose to shoot two very different people doing two very different things of what they like to do within my family. My first shoot consisted of looking at exploring what my brother does mostly when at home. He is quite secluded, often not leaving his room very much at all, and I wanted to show very much how he really is on the inside on is own turf. When not on his own turf, he is particularly uncomfortable and shy. However when he is in his own environment he is much more comfortable and is somewhat protective of this. I chose to document how through his appearance such as his style, body language and clothes and also the environment in which inhabits, he is very messy and so to us the room appears quite a hostile and unwelcome place to be in quite. However the fact he looks comfortable and is clearly showing ownership in this environment through his facial expression, it suggests the mess despite appearing messy and unorganized, is organised in a way that satisfies him. There is a strong sense of arrogance depicted in these photographs of my brother, almost appearing that the attitude is somewhat dis-respectful and an exaggeration of over importance to my Brother’s beliefs.

On the other hand I shot my sister who is very much more open and less reclusive than my brother. She feels comfortable in not so much her own environment, but an environment which is shared by so many other people which is why she is being shot in an open grassy/sandy area. In a sense, it’s not directly her environment, but its everyone’s environment in which that makes her feel comfortable and happy doing so therefore everyone’s environment is her environment. I believe this reflects the very sociable and excitable character in who she is. The particular environment however isn’t necessarily the location in this particular instance, but can arguably be what my sister is doing and engaging in. For example, she is playing and in doing so engaging ith the environment, something that has been impacted by man for generations and this shows how from a young age, humans are constantly changing and impacting the environment. However where some people’s impact on the environment is negative and to hurt it, I wanted to show my sister engaging with it and sort of show her personal relationship with the Environment. In saying this, the environment is essentially like a friend to my sister who brings her as much fun as a human friend might.