Artist References

Yoshikatsu Fujii

Born and raised in Hiroshima City. Graduated from Tokyo Zokei University of Arts with a BA in Art Film. He began photography work in Tokyo in 2006. His photographic works often deal with historical themes and memory lingering on in contemporary events.

Fujii’s project “Red String,” was highly inspired by his parents’ divorce, produced a hand-made limited edition photobook. Nominated for several awards, including the Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation Photobook Awards. The book has been named as one of the best photobooks of 2014 by contributors to numerous publications including TIME magazine.

” This work may be a personalized narrative for myself, but “family” is something that everyone has – a universal theme. There is nothing happier for me than if viewers can insert their own families and freely appreciate the work.”

Yoshikatsu Fujii

I chose to study Yoshikatsu Fujii I felt his images resonated with my experience of parents divorce and he manages to express similar feelings. I thought I would easily be able to use his images as inspiration and effectively respond. I enjoyed the minimal editing and simple montages with the incorporation of aesthetic images just to set the tone. Like him, I want the image content to be centre focus rather than the looks. The mix of colour and black and white, as well as the incorporation of old family photos really spoke to me and it was definitely something I wanted to include into my project.

https://www.yoshikatsufujii.com/red-string

Similar to Yoshikatsu Fujii is….

Mateusz Sarello

Mateusz Sarello was born in 1978 in Warsaw. A Graduate from the Academy of Photography in Warsaw. He is the author of the book “Swell”

Swell is a story of a break-up and of unaccepted loneliness. About going back to the same places and memories that we can’t forget. At first, Sarello was doing a photographic documentary of the baltic sea, when he went through a break-up. His images (and the project itself) turned into a representation of the loneliness and sadness that follows.

“It is never easy to talk about love. There is banality and pretentiousness round every corner. There are, however, authors who can balance successfully on the border of beauty and kitsch. Mateusz Sarełło is certainly one of them.”

 Dariusz Bochenek

I wanted to study Mateusz Sarello as I find the way he laid out his book (the broken spine and the ‘happier’ images first with a gap and the ‘sadder’ images after) and the images using flash interesting and a great way of creating disturbing feeling in a viewer.

Personal Project: Archive images

My uncle recently gave me a pen drive full of old family photos and videos. As part of my project, I thought I would go through this pen drive and pick out some photos I thought would be effective in conveying the feeling I wanted from my project. Not only did I try to find as many photos of my parents together, but I thought I’d also include old ones of my whole family, as my sisters have moved out which also affects our family dynamic.

Statement of intent

I plan to explore what life is like living with separated parents, one of which does not live in jersey, and document it. I will be looking at Mateusz Sarello with his project ‘swell’ and Yoshikatsu Fujii and ‘red string’ and responding to their images and creating my own concepts as these projects both are based around the theme I wish to study. I plan to use minimal editing and make the subject in my photos take the main focus. I will also be using old family photos to interweave into my project and be using them to inspire some of the photos I will take.

ESSAY WRITING

DEADLINE: DRAFT ESSAY 31 JAN 2020. Week 16 – 17 – 18 – 19

WE ONLY HAVE 4 WEEKS LEFT TO COMPLETE A DRAFT of your ESSAY

PLANNER – Download and save in your folder. Make sure you monitor and track your progress
6 weeks remaining – including MOCK EXAM!

ESSAY: We will be spending 1 lesson a week every Wednesday on writing and developing your essay. However, you will need to be working on it independently outside of lesson time.

Objective: Criteria from the Syllabus

  • Be aware of some of the methods employed by critics and historians within the history of art and photography.
  • Demonstrate a sound understanding of your chosen area of study with appropriate use of critical vocabulary. – use for image analysis
  • Investigate a wide range of work and sources
  • Develop a personal and critical inquiry.

Academic Sources:

  • Research and identify 3-5 literary sources from a variety of media such as books, journal/magazines, internet, Youtube/video .
  • Begin to read essay, texts and interviews with your chosen artists as well as commentary from critics, historians and others.
  • It’s important that you show evidence of reading and draw upon different pints of view – not only your own.
  • Take notes when you’re reading…key words, concepts, passages
  • Write down page number, author, year, title, publisher, place of publication so you can list source in a bibliography

Quotation and Referencing:

  • Use quotes to support or disprove your argument
  • Use quotes to show evidence of reading
  • Use Harvard System of Referencing…see Powerpoint: harvard system of referencing for further details on how to use it.

Essay Plan:

Make a plan that lists what you are going to write about in each paragraph – essay structure.

  • Essay question:
  • Opening quote
  • Introduction (250-500 words): What is your area study? Which artists will you be analysing and why? How will you be responding to their work and essay question?
  • Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography and visual culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian. Link to powerpoints about isms andmovements M:\Departments\Photography\Students\Resources\Personal Study
  • Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
  • Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
  • Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
  • Bibliography: List all relevant sources used

Essay questionHypothesis

Think of a hypothesis and list possible essay questions

Here is a list of  possible questions to investigate that may help you.

Opening quote: Choose a quote from either one of your photographers or critics. It has to be something that relates to your investigation

ESSAY STRUCTURE

See below for a possible essay structure. Further help can be found here essay structure or see link here The Royal Literay Fund

Introduction (250-500 words). Think about an opening that will draw your reader in e.g. you can use an opening quote that sets the scene. You should include in your introduction an outline of your intention of your study e.g. what and who are you going to investigate. How does this area/ work interest you? What are you trying to prove/challenge, argument/ counter-argument? What historical or theoretical context is the work situated within. Include 1 or 2 quotes for or against. What links are there with your previous studies? What have you explored so far in your Coursework or what are you going to photograph? How did or will your work develop. What camera skills, techniques or digital processes in Photoshop have or are you going to experiment with?

Paragraph 1 Structure (500 words) Use subheadingThis paragraph covers the first thing you said in your introduction that you would address. The first sentence introduces the main idea of the paragraphOther sentences develop the subject of the paragraph.

Content: you could look at the followingexemplify your hypothesis within a historical and theoretical context.  Write about how your area of study and own work is linked to a specific art movement/ ism. Research and read key text and articles from critics, historians and artists associated with the movement/ism. Use quotes from sources to make a point, back it up with evidence or an example (a photograph), explain how the image supports the point made or how your interpretation of the work may disapprove. How does the photograph compare or contrast with others made by the same photographer, or to other images made in the same period or of the same genre by other artists. How does the photograph relate to visual representation in general, and in particularly to the history and theory of photography, arts and culture.

Include relevant examples, illustrations, details, quotations, and references showing evidence of reading, knowledge and understanding of history, theory and context!

See link to powerpoints: Pictorialism vs Realism and Modernism vs Postmodernism here: M:\Departments\Photography\Students\Occupation vs Liberation\Presentations

Paragraph 2 Structure (500 words) Use subheading. In the first sentence or opening sentences, link the paragraph to the previous paragraph, then introduce the main idea of the new paragraph. Other sentences develop the paragraphs subject (use relevant examples, quotations, visuals to illustrate your analysis, thoughts etc)

Content: you could look at the following...Introduce your first photographer. Select key images, ideas or concepts and analyse in-depth using specific model of analysis (describe, interpret and evaluate) – refer to your hypothesis. Contextualise…what was going on in the world at the time; artistically, politically, socially, culturally. Other influences…artists, teachers, mentors etc. Personal situations or circumstances…describe key events in the artist’s life that may have influenced the work. Include examples of your own photographs, experiments or early responses and analyse, relate and link to the above. Set the scene for next paragraph.

Include relevant examples, illustrations, details, quotations, and references showing evidence of reading, knowledge and understanding of history, theory and context!

Paragraph 3 Structure (500 words) Use subheading. In the first sentence or opening sentences, link the paragraph to the previous paragraph, then introduce the main idea of the new paragraph. Other sentences develop the paragraphs subject (use relevant examples, quotations, visuals to illustrate your analysis, thoughts etc)

Content: you could look at the following…Introduce key works, ideas or concepts from your second photographer and analyse in-depth – refer to your hypothesis…Use questions in Pg 2 or add…What information has been selected by the photographer and what do you find interesting in the photograph? What do we know about the photograph’s subject? Does the photograph have an emotional or physical impact? What did the photographer intend? How has the image been used? What are the links or connections to the other photographer in Pg 2? Include examples of your own photographs and experiments as your work develop in response to the above and analyse, compare, contrast etc. Set the scene for next paragraph.

Include relevant examples, illustrations, details, quotations, and references showing evidence of reading, knowledge and understanding of history, theory and context!

Conclusion (500 words) : Write a conclusion of your essay that also includes an evaluation of your final photographic responses and experiments.

List the key points from your investigation and analysis of the photographer(s) work – refer to your hypothesis. Can you prove or Disprove your theory – include final quote(s). Has anything been left unanswered?  Do not make it a tribute! Do not introduce new material! Summarise what you have learned. How have you been influenced? Show how you have selected your final outcomes including an evaluation and how your work changed and developed alongside your investigation.

Bibliography: List all the sources that you used and only those that you have cited in your text. Where there are two or more works by one author in the same year distinguish them as 1988a, 1988b etc. Arrange literature in alphabetical order by author, or where no author is named, by the name of the museum or other organisation which produced the text. Apart from listing literature you must also list all other sources in alphabetical order e.g. websites, exhibitions, Youtube/TV/ Videos / DVD/ Music etc.

UNDERSTANDING PHOTOBOOK DESIGN

PLANNER – Download and save in your folder. Make sure you monitor and track your progress
5 weeks remaining – including MOCK EXAM!

UNDERSTANDING PHOTO BOOK:
DESIGN, FORM, FUNCTION, SEQUENCING,  NARRATIVE, CONCEPT

READ these texts to better understand how to identify a narrative and understand the design process of photobook making.

Colin Pantall: Identifying the Story: Sequencing isn’t narrative

Francis Hodgson: On Photography and Storytelling

For the die-hards here are a serious blog post by Photobook critic, Joerg Colberg which consider the many aspects of photobook making:  Understanding Photobooks: The Forms an Functions of Photobooks

This article is the first in a series of five. You can find the other parts here: part 1part 2part 3part 4part 5

Here are  a few lists of Best Photobooks 2018

Photobookstore

Lensculture

Photographic Museum of Humanity

Week 17: 13 – 20 Jan
Deconstructing photobook

Blog: Produce a number of posts that show evidence of the following:

1. Research a photo-book (select one you have looked at previously in your project) and describe what story/ narrative the book is telling – its subject-matter, genre, style, approach etc.

2. Who is the photographer? Why did he/she make it? (intentions/ reasons) Who is it for? (audience) How was it received? (any press, awards, legacy etc.)

E.g Robert Frank’s “The Americans” was conceived with the help of a scholarship that allowed Frank to go on road trips across America during a two year period. He wanted to portray American society in the post-war period and his book has influenced (and still influence) many photographers since and also contributed to a new poetic style and subjective approach to documentary photography. Why?

Read an article in The Guardian by Sean O’Hagan, Photography Critic

3. Deconstruct the narrative, concept and design of the book such as:

  • Book in hand: how does it feel? Smell, sniff the paper.
  • Paper and ink: use of different paper/ textures/ colour or B&W or both.
  • Format, size and orientation: portraiture/ landscape/ square/ A5, A4, A3 / number of pages.
  • Binding, soft/hard cover. image wrap/dust jacket. saddle stitch/swiss binding/ Japanese stab-binding/ leperello
  • Cover: linen/ card. graphic/ printed image. embossed/ debossed. letterpress/ silkscreen/hot-stamping.
  • Title: literal or poetic / relevant or intriguing.
  • Narrative: what is the story/ subject-matter. How is it told?
  • Structure and architecture: how design/ repeating motifs/ or specific features develops a concept or construct a narrative.
  • Design and layout: image size on pages/ single page, double-spread/ images/ grid, fold- outs/ inserts.
  • Editing and sequencing: selection of images/ juxtaposition of photographs/ editing process.
  • Images and text: are they linked? Introduction/ essay/ statement by artists or others.  Use of captions (if any.)

Here a few examples from previous students

4. Look at BLURB online book making website, photo books from photographers or see previous books produced by Hautlieu students on the table in class.

5. Write a book specification and describe in detail what your book will be about in terms of narrative, concept and design.  Produce a mood-board of design ideas and consider the following:

Narrative: What is your story?
Describe in:

  • 3 words
  • A sentence
  • A paragraphs

Design: Consider the following

  • How you want your book to look and feel
  • Paper and ink
  • Format, size and orientation
  • Binding and cover
  • Title 
  • Structure and architecture
  • Design and layout
  • Editing and sequencing
  • Images and text

Create a BLURB account using your school email address. With Blurb you have different options on how you design your book:

a) Using Lightroom to design your book which is integrated with BLURB. Only for use on school computers, unless you have LR at home on your own laptop.

b) Download Bookwright via Blurb onto your own laptop and work offline at home and you can work indecently of school. Here you have full control of layout/ design features. Once completed, you upload photo book design to Blurb

c) Choose online option if you want to work directly online. Very limited layout/design options (not recommended!)

planner: photobook and essay

Welcome back!

SPRING TERM – DEADLINES

DEADLINE: DRAFT ESSAY 31 JAN 2020.

FINAL DEADLINE: Completion of photobook with final essay MOCK EXAM 15 HRS CONTROLLED CONDITIONS MON 10 – FRI 14 Feb.

EXAM (ESA): Exam Paper handed out on last day of Mock Exam. Preparation begins after H-TERM 24 FEB.

EXAM (ESA): Controlled Conditions
MON 27 April – FRI 1 MAY.

PLANNER – Download and save in your folder. Make sure you monitor and track your progress
6 weeks remaining – including MOCK EXAM!

Week 16: 6 – 13 Jan
Editing images and write Essay paragraph 1

PHOTOBOOK: Lesson time (Mon, Tue, Thurs & Fri)
Bring images from new photo-shoots to lessons and follow these instructions

  • Save shoots in folder and import into Lightroom
  • Organisation: Create a new Collection from each new shoot inside Collection Set: PHOTOBOOK
  • Editing: select 8-12 images from each shoot.
  • Experimenting: Adjust images in Develop, both as Colour and B&W images appropriate to your intentions
  • Export images as JPGS (1000 pixels) and save in a folder: BLOG
  • Create a Blogpost with edited images and an evaluation; explaining what you focused on in each shoot and how you intend to develop your next photoshoot.
  • Make references to artists references, previous work, experiments, inspiration etc.
  • Prep for photobook design: Make a rough selection of your 40-50 best pictures from all shoots. Make sure you have adjusted and standardised all the pictures in terms of exposure, colour balance.

Further experimentation:

  • Export same set of images from Lightroom as TIFF (4000 pixels)
  • Experimentation: demonstrate further creativity using Photoshop to make composite/ montage/ typology/ grids/ diptych/triptych, text/ typology etc appropriate to your intentions
  • Design: Begin to explore different layout options using Indesign and make a new zine/book. Set up new document as A5 page sizes. This is trying out ideas before you begin designing photobook.
  • Make sure you annotate process and techniques used and evaluate each experiment

Essay: Lesson time (Wed)

  • Complete Paragraph 1 and upload to the blog no later than WED 15 Jan.

Paragraph 1 Structure (500 words) Use subheadingThis paragraph covers the first thing you said in your introduction that you would address. The first sentence introduces the main idea of the paragraphOther sentences develop the subject of the paragraph.

Content: you could look at the followingexemplify your hypothesis within a historical and theoretical context.  Write about how your area of study and own work is linked to a specific art movement/ ism. Research and read key text and articles from critics, historians and artists associated with the movement/ism. Use quotes from sources to make a point, back it up with evidence or an example (a photograph), explain how the image supports the point made or how your interpretation of the work may disapprove. How does the photograph compare or contrast with others made by the same photographer, or to other images made in the same period or of the same genre by other artists. How does the photograph relate to visual representation in general, and in particularly to the history and theory of photography, arts and culture.

Include relevant examples, illustrations, details, quotations, and references showing evidence of reading, knowledge and understanding of history, theory and context!

See link to powerpoints: Pictorialism vs Realism and Modernism vs Postmodernism here: M:\Departments\Photography\Students\Occupation vs Liberation\Presentations

Link to Blogpost on Essay writing