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AO1 Develop Ideas, Externally Set Assignment AS, Knowledge and Understanding

ethics of photography within documentary,journalism and surrealism

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There are many codes and conventions within the boundaries of documentary photography and photojournalism,they are in place in order to accurately represent the areas and the people and not culturally mimic and mis-inform an audience due to editing or framing causing mediation and unreliability to the images themselves.

1)representation; is showing the truth and reality and not portraying a misrepresentation of a scenario, this has such great importance in order to  promote the reality of a situation and not a tabloid setting, This in turn looses the impact and relevance of the image,and the trust and  believable aspect within the audience receiving the image from the photographer. Throughout my new stage of work I am going to be focusing upon photo journalism and surrealism.I have chosen this due to the interesting effects in which surrealism carries, how it possess underwired methods to portray my themes of secrets codes and conventions and how I am able to be much more expressive and carry many more unique character traits throughout my work.I am able to symbolize dynamic shapes and an interesting concept of human behavior in order to symbolize the combination of surrealistic and highly conceptual images to symbolize a feeling of secrecy and search for identity between people.However within photojournalism I could also capture a development of everyday people and a feeling their own story and within their family,I can  focus on how a group of people work together and how their behavior effects each other and the way in which they act as a whole community,so sharing the themes I am using in my surrealism shoots also carried throughout photojournalism.

AO1 Develop Ideas, Externally Set Assignment AS

secrets initial ideas

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conventions -
noun
a way in which something is usually done

codes - 
noun
a system of words, letters, figures, or symbols used to represent others, especially for the purposes of secrecy
verb
- convert (the words of a message) into a code so as to convey a secret meaning

secrets - 
noun
- not known or seen or meant to be known by others
- something that is not properly understood; a mystery
 
confidential/classified
horror
mystery
reality/surrealism 
restricted
unrevealed
uncommunicated/unknown
off the record
not for publication/circulation
diverted
hidden/veiled
lies/propaganda

what's hidden/diverted from the public/society?
issues that are avoided and dismissed;

climate change 
the meat industry
war
social divides between classes, gender and race
depleting water, food and fuel resources
AO1 Develop Ideas, Externally Set Assignment AS

Mindmaps Of Themes

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Exploration Of Secrets

Adjective/Noun
1.Something not known, seen or not meant to be known by others.
The word ‘secret’ evokes many thoughts in the viewer’s head, secrets may be verbal or physical; good or bad and in most cases, it is up to the person to decide on how they’re handled. Secrets could link to hidden identities – photographs can be taken of the same person in many different roles and such. Secrets could also explore landscapes – things such as a secret hideout.
When I initially searched for ‘secrets’ on google images this is the sort of thing that showed up; the images are predominately black and white – creating an atmosphere of suspicion and mystery. Most of the images are also rather plain and the focus is on one subject in each. A common theme is also the simplicity of the photographs; a lot is left the viewer to imagine and interpret.

Mindmap

Exploration Of Codes

Noun/Verb
1.A system of words, letters, figures, or symbols used to represent others, especially for the purposes of secrecy.
The word ‘code’ nowadays is mostly used for programming and computing situations, codes could evoke imagery of long complicated chains of letters and numbers; codes could also mean lines or simple patterns that translate into a message.  Photographs under the theme ‘codes’ could consist of long chains of characters being projected onto people or different subjects.
 These are the photographs that come up when I search for ‘codes’, unlike the ‘secret’ search results, these differ majorly from each other – some seem to be just general photographs of computer codes while others are focusing on making a bold statement about our lives and society overall.

Mindmap

Conventions

Noun
1. A rule, method, or practice established by usage; a way in which something is usually done.
Conventions in photography could apply to the rules and guidance used to take ‘successful’ photographs, an idea for exploring this theme could be attempting to break away from these standards and take wonderful photographs that don’t follow these rules; in order to prove that the success of a photograph is not always determined by the basic rules. Conventions could also apply to social standards such as manners or perception/views on people based on things such as appearance or behaviour.
AO1 Develop Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas, Externally Set Assignment AS

Photoshoot-2

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Starting point: taking inspiration from Mari Mahr i decided to interpret her work creating similar concepts. Her work is deeply personal and autobiographical so my plan was to take personal objects from my life and photograph them. This idea links into the theme of secrets and conventions:  secrets as they are objects from my life and show history and conventions as some of the objects are domestic objects used around the house. I first gathered the objects which i have displayed below which i took in a studio setup with artificial lighting. I also wanted to take inspiration from the artist Giorgio Morandi in this photoshoot, incorporating object with simple backgrounds and to experiment using artificial lighting an natural lighting,

For this first part of the photoshoot I used artificial lighting with a plain black background for most of the photos. I used this to emphasise the tones and colours of the objects i was using. In some images I used single objects and focused emphasising that one objects, and for others I used multiple objects in a image (e.g silver cutlery,  silver candle sticks, jewellery boxes, pocket watch).

I like this image from the photoshoot as the reflection on the jewellery box from the lights creates gold and brown undertones making the objects look old and antique. The black background I created draw the attention to the objects centered in the middle of the image and creates negative space around it. To improve this image I would add a more interesting back drop to create a different aspect to my image. The reason i didn’t do this in this photoshoot is because Giorgio Morandi’s paintings all have simple block colour backgrounds and waned to incorporate that element in my photography. The difference being that I used a dark colour whereas Giorgio Morandi used lighter colours, but I think the black brings more emphasis the the gold tones than a white background would.

For the second part of this photoshoot i decided to interpret Giorgio Morandi using simple black colour backgrounds with multiple objects in the foreground. Everything in the image being neutral.I wanted to develop from the first part of my photoshoot by being in more neural colours to the background, rather than solid black. I used yellow, orange and white backdrops to see the comparison. I prefer the lighter backdrop as it gives the images a more natural look and makes the images seem less manipulated. I also used natural lighting in this part of the photoshoot to compare to the artificial lighting and found I prefer the natural as it looks less intense and more like Giorgio Morandi’ paintings.

I prefer my second part of this photoshoot as it looks at a more abstract approach, using bold colours. I used to different coloured card for each image creating a division in the middle of the image like Giorgio Morandi did in his painting. For this image i decided to use a orange and yellow background as i thought it contrasted with the red vase in the center of the image in an aesthetically pleasing way. The lighting used in this image is artificial so the whole of the image is lit up, rather than a certain section where the natural light in coming from. Using artificial lighting helped me emphasise the bright colours within the image. I think i successfully recreated Giorgio Morandi’s painting style in a photograph, which is influential for its close study of unremarkable elements of daily life, imbuing them with implications of deeper significance by emphasizing their painterly beauty and simplicity. He normally displays multiple domestic objects on a table or surface, normally having a horizontal line through the middle creating a division.

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, Externally Set Assignment AS

Secrets, Codes and Conventions – First Shoot

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Planning

Task – Take 150-200 photos exploring the theme of tunnels/caves under the key work ‘secrets’

Props – I will mainly be using only the tunnel/cave and its contents as the subjects but there may be people that feature in the photographs.

Camera Settings – Due to the extremely dark nature of the tunnel I will have to use flash in most of my photographs in order to illuminate the subjects enough. I will be using this with an ISO of 100 and a shutter speed of 1/40.

Lighting – I will be using strong torches, flash from the camera or natural daylight in order to capture my photographs.

Location – Jersey War Tunnels

Context – I am looking at the theme of exploration which includes caves and tunnels for my AS level externally set assignment.

Concept – I hope to take photographs of secrets within these tunnels that would not usually be seen whilst taking inspiration from both Robbie Shone and Gregory Berg.

My Response

Contact Sheet

My Edits/Top 5

My Favourite Photograph

In this photograph I used flash lighting in order to illuminate the dark tunnel. The use of flash helped to bring out the highlights in the photograph but also create contrasting shadows within the photograph. A deep depth of field was used to capture this photograph as the whole of the photograph is in focus even the subjects in the far background. A shutter speed of 1/40 was used along with an ISO of 100 which allowed the photograph to best the best quality that it possibly could be.

I used a black and white filter for this photograph as I felt that it brought out the shadows and contrast within the photograph more. It is also more suitable for the theme of mystery and exploration. There is a very wide tonal range within this photograph which creates a more dramatic and interesting image. The texture of the dirt and rust on the subjects can be seen which makes the photograph seem more contextual and shows how forgotten the subjects are. It is quite a 3D photograph and there is a clear distinction between subjects in the foreground and the background.

This photograph was taken inside one of the tunnels that was made by the Nazi’s during the occupation of Jersey. This particular tunnel was intended to be used as a munitions storage and never reached the finished stage. This photograph shows the ruined state that the tunnel was left in and the railway system that they would use to transport materials.

From this set of photographs I am trying to look at the unexplored areas of Jersey that people would not usually see. This photograph contains old secrets of Jersey that have remained untouched and it shows that there are many of these secrets around the island that people are not aware of.

Analysis, AO1 Develop Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, Externally Set Assignment AS

Photoshoot-1

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For my first photoshoot I decided to go to the Jersey War Tunnels to look into the history side of photography and to see if any conventional objects where displayed from the past. Many of the displays were settings e.g. dining rooms and kitchens, linking into the theme of conventions and secrets.

In 2001, a permanent exhibit called “Captive Island” was unveiled in the tunnel complex, detailing everyday life for civilians in Jersey before, during and after the occupation of Jersey.

As restrictions and shortages increased, daily life for islanders became more difficult. The image below show the recreation of a Jersey home during the occupation gives an insight into the make do and mend mentality that kept residents going throughout these dark years.

I decided to display these images as a set of three as they present the recreation of a Jersey home from different angles. My favourite image out of the three is the third one as its the most natural looking one and doesn’t look like a artificial set. I also prefer this composition to the others as it has a main focus (the chair) and still represents the atmosphere of the room from a closer perspective. It focuses on the details of the objects in the corner rather than the room as a whole, like the details of the chair and the patterns within the image (the wallpaper etc) showing the historic side. The warm colours of the chair and fireplace contrast with the cold colours in the wallpaper creating an interesting juxtaposition, the blue colours emphasising the main focus of the image which is the furniture. The lighting in this image is artificial and is too harsh on the right side of the wallpaper, to fix this I will edit the image further to creating an aesthetically pleasing image that looks natural. The overall concept of the image is to represent daily life for islanders during the occupation and the idea that history and memories can be represented though conventional objects.

Picture below taken from https://www.jerseywartunnels.com/history-stories/spreading-the-news/

For those who listened to their hidden wireless sets in secret, repeating any thing they had heard was dangerous.  Words could be whispered in open spaces where there was no risk of being overheard, but some people went a step further in their efforts to spread the latest news, putting themselves at great risk of imprisonment and probable deportation.

A local schoolmaster was able to note down BBC news bulletins and type out a summary, making copies on an old duplicating machine. If the news concerned Allied positions overseas, he would trace a map from a school atlas and make copies of that too, ready for distribution to a favoured, trusted few.

Below I have displayed some conventional objects that would be found around a home in the occupation.

In the final months of Liberation, Islanders became desperate. Food shortages were acute and with no knowledge of when the war would end, the Island entered its darkest times.

A farmer's widow

One day during the Occupation, a farmer’s widow living in the country went to her shed to collect potatoes for a family meal, but was startled by an intruder. A thin, dirty man appeared out of the gloom, and looked at her imploringly, miming the act of eating - for he was starving. One of the many enslaved workers, he was clad in ragged clothes, topped with an old army overcoat.

Feeling slightly nervous, she shouted at him and indicated with hand gestures that he should stay in the shed whilst she went to fetch a piece of bread - all that she could spare. When she returned, he uttered thanks in his own language, whilst stuffing the food hungrily in his mouth.

With compassion she watched him eat, then with words he did not understand, and gestures, made it clear that he should go, fearful the Germans would discover her helping him.

A few days later the man returned and knocked on her door. Again she gave him a little food, and he smiled at her. She was once again afraid - if discovered she would be in serious trouble. She indicated that he should leave, but he stood his ground, carefully removing a needle he had concealed in his coat collar. Grinning, he gave it to her - the only possession he had.

Although these images do not contain people it is easy to imagine families using these conventional objects and living in settings like the recreation of the living room. The fact their is no evidence of people in these photographs adds to the effect of the image like the objects have been abandoned.

9 May 1945. After five years of occupation, British forces arrived to free the Channel Islands. Scenes of happiness and relief characterised this most wonderful of days, which is still marked by a public holiday and celebrations today.

Doing a photoshoot at the War Tunnels has made me realised how the stories of those who lived around that time link a lot more into the themes secrets and conventions than i originally thought. For example, those who listened to secret wireless sets were in danger if they repeated what they heard and could only do so discretely, but some people went a step further in their efforts to spread the latest news, putting themselves at great risk of imprisonment and probable deportation. Linking to the theme of secrets as people were willing to risk their lives to spread information to others that they had discovered in secret. It also links to the theme conventions as I got to see many everyday objects that were used in homes and how  many have history and stories behind them that may not be obvious at first. Also how islanders became desperate as food shortages were acute and with no knowledge of when the war would end and how they were deprived of conventions they were normal to them before.

Analysis, AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, Externally Set Assignment AS

Secrets, Codes and Conventions – Emmanuel Tecles

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Image result for emmanuel tecles

Image result for emmanuel tecles

Emmanuel Tecles is a French self-taught photographer who has a taste for mysterious, enigmatic and dark atmospheres. Tecles looks at exploration and takes inspiration from the author Tim Burton. The exploration photography that Tecles does brings to the foreground aesthetic contrasts, shadows and their opposites. Tecles says that he has always been attracted by notions of traces, memories and it is by pushing doors of abandoned buildings that he discovered nostalgic atmospheres. The places that Tecles photographs link to history and architecture. The inspiration that I will take from Tecles work is the idea to look as exploration and the lost secrets that exploration can reveal, such as forgotten buildings/land.

My Favourite Photograph

Image result for emmanuel tecles

In this photograph it appears that Tecles used natural light from the derelict building in order to cast light upon the destroyed subject. This creates an unusual environment as there is plenty of light which has friendly connotations but it is shone upon a ruined building which has connotations with being unfriendly. A shutter speed of 1/30-1/60 will have been used to capture this photograph along with an ISO of 100-200, by using these settings it allowed Tecles to capture a high resolution image with minimum grain whilst allowing plenty of light to enter the lens.

There are lots of earthly tones being used in this photograph which reflects the idea that the building is slowly being reclaimed by nature and the land is being returned to its original state. There is quite a wide tonal range in this photograph which creates contrast between the lights and darks and nature and urban. There is a 3D effect to this photograph due to the positioning of the furniture and the use of light in the background.

This photograph is one of the many photographs in which Tecles looks at destruction of urban environments, exploration and architecture. Tecles will often look at creating nostalgic scenes from these abandoned buildings which creates an aesthetically pleasing but strange photograph as he attempts to bring the history that was once the architecture in the photograph into it. Tecles also hints at natural reclamation of land by nature as the photograph shows the building falling apart and the natural light eventually leaking into the room.

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, Case Study, Externally Set Assignment AS

Secrets, Codes and Conventions – Gregory Berg

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Gregory Berg

Image result for gregory berg

Image result for gregory berg photography

Gregory Berg is a New York-based photographer and urban explorer that photographs parts of the subway that most people never want to see. Throughout New York City there are dozens of closed stations and platforms, some of which are decaying very quickly. Berg says “I find abandoned subway stations of maps, jump into active platforms and walk the live tracks, avoiding the 3rd rail and moving trains” which shows just how dedicated his to his photography. Some of the photographs that Berg takes shows colours and textures that are almost of a dystopian underworld that no one ever sees.

I have chosen to look at Berg as I hope to take inspiration from his work when looking at exploration. I will show the urban exploration side of his work in my photographs and hope that my photographs convey the same secrets of explored areas as Berg’s work does.

My Favourite Photograph

Image result for gregory berg photography

This photograph is taken with the dim light leaking into the abandoned subway station, this creates an ominous environment and so creates mystery within the photograph. A shutter speed of 1/30 or less will have been used with an ISO of 200 or 400 as a low shutter speed would be needed to allow enough light to enter the lens from the dimly lit area. There is quite a cold tone to this photograph which emphasises the fact that the area is abandoned and ruined. There is a deep depth of field in this photograph which allows the whole of the photograph to be kept in focus so that the long pathway can be seen.

There is not much colour in this photograph – the only colour that really stands out is the blue light reflecting off of the walls. This pushes the ominous environment that the photograph portrays and at the same time creates contrast with the shadows. The photograph has quite a dark tone in it as there are not many light tones/highlights, this creates an uneasy feeling within the photograph. There is a 3D effect to this photograph as the pathway travels so far from the foreground to the background.

This photograph was taken as part of Berg’s exploration of underground exploration of Brooklyn in New York. To me, this photograph shows how wasteful humans are as they can have something as massive and intricate as this subway station and simply brush it to the side and then forget about it. Berg is trying to show that even if it is forgotten about and run down, it’s still an amazing place to visit.

AO1 Develop Ideas, Externally Set Assignment AS, Knowledge and Understanding

analysis of short film

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This slow movie was Made by Deren with her husband, cinematographer Alexander Hammid, Meshes of the Afternoon established the independent avant-garde movement in film in the United States, which is known as the New American Cinema. It directly inspired early works by Kenneth Anger, Stan Brakhage, and other major experimental filmmakers. Beautifully shot by Hammid, a leading documentary filmmaker and cameraman in Europe (where he used the surname Hackenschmied) before he moved to New York, the film makes new and startling use of such standard cinematic devices as montage editing and matte shots.

Technical visual conceptual:

This short film was a non narrative piece and an exmaple of ‘trance film’ towards the end of the film there were continuous jump cuts with a birds eye view presenting a power over the protagonist women herself,furthermore theses cuts created a repetition in order to from the narrative moving from the end and back to the beginning of the narrative.in which a protagonist appears in a dreamlike state, and where the camera conveys his or her subjective focus.This was done in order to connote a sense of death and fear within the women symbolized through the black figure.The figure itself has an  interesting concept to it as it had a strong resemblance to that of a symbolic figure of death or the grim reaper which is attuned to her unconscious mind and caught in a web of dream events that spill over into reality.Additionally the mirror portrays a loss of identity and also a reflection of the women’s biggest fear being seen within herself,this also successful combines secrets codes and conventions as it reflects an act of behavior and a conventional secret she is hiding from herself and perhaps.Furthermore you can see the womens struggle and an atmophere of danger when she was coming up the stairs due ot the cameras wuick turning and editing in order to express an abrupt movement .Historically this film was made in the early 1940’s so at the time was innovative and a ispired many film makers with the advancement of editing and special effects,

There are also continuous  themes of surrealism which is an avant grade movement in art and literature and was created from the potential of unconscious mind, for example by the irrational juxtaposition of images. surrealistic cinema is a modernist approach and criticism,

AO1 Develop Ideas, Externally Set Assignment AS

SECRETS, CODES and CONVENTIONS (Miss Hearn)

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AO1 Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding

You might also want to consider… 

Media codes and conventions are like the building blocks of all the media around us. Media codes generally have an agreed meaning, or connotation, to their audience. There are three types of media codes: symbolic codes, technical codes and written codes.

  • Symbolic codes include setting, mise en scene and colour.
  • Technical codes include camerawork, editing, sound and lighting.
  • Written codes include printed language which is text you can see within the frame, and also spoken language.

Conventions are expected ways in which codes are organised and are closely connected to the audience expectations. Different types of conventions include form conventions, story conventions and genre conventions.

  • Form conventions are the certain ways we expect types of codes to be arranged. For instance an audience expects to have a title of the film at the beginning and then credits at the end.
  • Story conventions are common narrative structures and understandings that are common in story telling media products.
  • Genre conventions point to the common use of tropes, characters, settings or themes in a particular type of medium. Genre conventions are closely linked with audience expectations. Genre conventions can be formal or thematic.

 

Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) ANALYSIS

(Maya Deren & Alexander Hackenschmied)

The photographer Diane Arbus wrote ‘A picture is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know.’ This could equally refer to Maya Deren’s and Alexander Hackenschmied’s 1943 film Meshes of the Afternoon, which used innovative techniques such as slow motion, repetition and jump cuts to build a sense of a dream interacting with reality. In the film objects seem to have a mysterious and secret significance, known only to the dreamer. It has influenced other filmmakers such as David Lynch in Twin Peaks (1990 TV Series). Dreams and surreal imagery have also inspired other photographers and filmmakers such as Jerry Uelsmann, Madame Yevonde, Lara Zankoul, Wes Anderson and Matthew Barney. 

SURREALISM:

  • 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature which sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, for example by the irrational juxtaposition of images.
  • Surrealist cinema is a modernist approach to film theory, criticism, and production with origins in Paris in the 1920s. The movement used shocking, irrational, or absurd imagery and Freudian dream symbolism to challenge the traditional function of art to represent reality.
  • Surrealism allows us to see art in it’s purest form because it stems from imagination rather than rational thought. Because of this, artists are able to better express their emotions and thoughts through this art form.

TASK

  • How does this experimental Surrealist film fit the theme of secrets, codes or conventions?
  • Watch the following clip (6.57 – 8.45) and make notes on the four areas of analysis. Pick out key examples (camera, editing, narrative, etc.) to discuss in your analysis. You may want to collect still images using screen shots to focus in on specific details.
  • Research the film to develop your contextual and conceptual analysis. Write up as a blog post.

Technical & Visual 

Lighting,  Camera Settings, Camera Angles, Camera Movement, Distances, Framing, Editing (Montage, Jump Cuts, Slow Motion), Narrative (Structure, Linear, Non-Linear), Mise-En-Scene.

Contextual & Conceptual 

Historical/Cultural/Social/Political (when?), Personal (why?), Conceptual (what? Inspirations, art styles, etc.), MEANING.

 

Moving Image Analysis Aids

CAMERA ANGLES & MEANING

Straight / Eye Level - Shows the object or person straight on or looking directly at you, this shows that they have the same amount of power as the viewer. Often used in portraits / print media.

Low Angle - This angle looks up making the person or object look bigger than it really is. Used to give the impression of size and power. It is the opposite of a high angle.

High Angle - This angle looks down making the person or object seem small and inferior. Used to show vulnerability and lack of power.

Canted Angle - Shows an object or person from an unnatural point of view. Can feel disorientating. Very common in surrealist art and music videos.

Bird's Eye View / Ariel Shot - A view from above. It could be a place or a scene. Used to show everything that is happening at once. A crane shot is often used to achieve this type of shot.

Worm's Eye View - A view from below. It can be used to look up to something to make an object look tall, strong, and mighty while the viewer feels powerless.

Point of View (subjective/objective) -  Shows what a person is looking at, represented through the camera. Gives a perspective.

 

 

HITCHCOCK DEMONSTRATES MONTAGE / THE KULESHOV EFFECT