All posts by Jazmin G

Filters

PHOTO-ASSIGNMENT 1: Home Sweet Home

October 1, 2019 Jazmin G Leave a comment

ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT:

An environmental portrait is a portrait captured in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and usually highlights the subject’s life and surroundings. By photographing a person in their natural surroundings, the photographer will be able to illuminate their character better and therefore portray their personality rather than their physical features. It is also thought that by photographing a person in their natural surroundings , the subject will be more at ease, as opposed to in a studio which portrays an artificial experience.

CANDID PORTRAIT:

A candid portrait is where the subject is unaware that a photo has been taken. The idea of a candid portrait is to capture people acting naturally. They should be unaware they are being photographed, as their behaviour often changes once they become aware of the camera.

ALEC SOTH

I Know How Furiously Your Heart Is Beating is a slim book including 35 photographs. The domestic interiors captured in his photographs illuminate the subjects who lives in them. When capturing portraits he looks for interesting people and interesting spaces: “They can be male or female, young or old, rich or poor. The main thing is to have an intimate encounter that is visually strong”.

The reporter Sean O’Hagan, who wrote an article about Alec Soth for the Guardian, watched him work up close as he photographed people who lived in “interesting spaces”. Apparently Soth uses a large glass plate camera on a tripod. The process is difficult and requires patience from the sitter, who has to remain still while Soth sets up the shot, disappearing for a long amount of time under a large blanket. He works in a Victorian way which is more suited for outdoor photography. Under the blanket Soth tries to get things in focus. It’s a camera built to photograph landscapes and Soth is using it in constricted interior spaces. It’s hard work for Alec Soth to take a photograph but nothing else comes close when it comes to capturing light and texture.

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/mar/09/alec-soth-photographer-i-know-your-heart-is-beating-furious-interview

MY RESPONSE

AO2 Explore Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas

Joan Tapley – Experimenting

September 30, 2019 Jazmin G Leave a comment

To experiment with my portrait images of Joan Tapley, I decided to explore different ways I could change one image in order to create various final outcomes. For each outcome to have a unique effect, I manipulated the filter and adjustments using Lightroom as well as adding a frame on Photoshop where I had to use the blending modes. I chose to edit one particular image from the Joan Tapley photoshoot since I thought the photo was the best outcome when responding to the photographer Ernest Baudoux. It captures Joan in a formal position, arms folded and sitting on a stool. These are all aspects that can be seen through his photography style when he captured studio portraits.

EDIT 1:

For my first edit, I produced a black and white image to represent Joan Tapley’s experience during the German Occupation in Jersey. To create a dramatic effect to this image, I decided to use the filter “B&W soft” to help emphasise the historical yet cold atmosphere during the Occupation. The filter represents the time period during World War 2 since only black and white film was available. The contrast between the shadows and highlights helps to emphasise the subjects features.

EDIT 2:

For my second edit, I decided to keep the image in colour and use the filter “High contrast” to create a sharp image. After applying the filter I decided to alter the temperature to blue to yet again bring that cold yet historical effect to my image like I did for my first edit. Her features are more prominent in this photo because of the increased adjustments for black, highlight, contrast and clarity. I decided to use the frame “Grunge overlay” due to the bold splatters and expressive marks that catch the viewers attention. Due to excessive amounts of splatters around the edges I had to use photoshop to remove some areas so Joan’s main features wouldn’t be overlapped with dots.

EDIT 3:

For my final edit, I used the filter “Aged photo” because of the warm undertones depicted in the image. The filter creates a vintage effect which helps to represent the time period during the German Occupation in Jersey. There is minimal contrast to create a soft look for the subject. The image appears distressed which has been created through the use of the frame with scratches. Like the previous edit I had to use photoshop to get rid of unwanted scratches in areas which were overlapping Joan’s face.

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas

Joan Tapley

September 18, 2019 Jazmin G 1 Comment

NOTES:

Joan Tapley was 6 years old when the German Occupation began. She lived in the north coast of Jersey, therefore she could hear the bombings in France.

While the Germans were in France they wanted to invade the Channel Islands. The citizens in Jersey had to put up white flags or sheets as a symbol for the Germans to enter.

Joan Tapley would watch the planes fly over ahead and was fascinated by the white vapour trails. It was dangerous for her to admire them on the fields so she had to hide in the bushes to be protected from the bombings.

Les Platon, located in the centre of Jersey, is the highest point in the island and was used by the Germans for their artillery to aim and shoot towards France.

Even though Jersey traded with France, there was still a lack of food so people were served rations. The servings were small and the islanders were competing for food. Many citizens started growing their own food in their gardens.

The Jersey citizens had substitute food. For example they substituted tea by using parsnips and sugar by boiling sugar beets.

There were several military zones all around the island where citizens were prohibited to enter; These zones included beaches & cliffs. The Germans even introduced a curfew so people had to return back to their homes by 9pm in winter and 10pm in summer. The people in Jersey definitely felt restricted from movement.

Jersey also had blackouts where the islanders had to turn off their lights and cover their windows. The only advantage of the blackouts was being able to see several stars at night since there was no light pollution.

TECHNICAL:

After listening to Joan Tapley’s stories about her experiences during the German Occupation in Jersey, we were given the opportunity to photograph her in the studio. In the studio I used the manual mode to capture portraits of Joan. I set my IOS to 100 since the image was captured in a bright scene and had my aperture at F16 for a large depth of field. My shutter speed was at 1/125. These adjustments made my settings appropriate for studio photography.

LIGHTING:

In order to capture images of Joan, we used a two point lighting setup. One light faced towards Joan and one was illuminating the white backdrop. This allows the photographer to manipulate the lighting of the image so the subject can be illuminated in various ways and to either emphasise or eliminate shadows. The Key light is the most important light a photographer will use in a lighting setup. the purpose of the key light is to highlight the form and dimension of the subject. We also used a flash trigger which is a method of achieving flash sync without the need for a wired connection between the camera and the flash units illuminating the scene.

EVALUATION:

I wanted my images to conceptually represent Joan as a Jersey citizen who has experienced a lot during the German Occupation. To create a dramatic yet historical effect to my images, I decided to convert my photos into black and white. The filter represents the time period during World War 2 since only black and white film was available.

Hearing Joan’s stories of what life was like during the German Occupation has allowed me to gain a better perspective of what life must have been like during World War 2. I believe my images manage to contextually showcase Joan’s stories. Overall it was a nice and informative experience since she explained her stories in detail and cooperated well during the photoshoot.

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas

Jersey War Tunnels

September 16, 2019 Jazmin G Leave a comment

The Jersey War Tunnels are a reminder of the occupation of the island during World War 2. The War Tunnels are one of many fortifications that the Germans built on Jersey. The tunnels were blasted out with gunpowder and handtools, and then covered with concrete. The hospital was dug into a slope, so that it would drain naturally. Its location within the hill also ensured that the temperature remained constant throughout the year. The tunnels were originally constructed as an ammunition store and artillery barracks but the Germans converted them to a casualty clearing station as D-Day drew nearer. Today The Jersey War Tunnels are an exhibition dedicated to how the occupation affected the islanders and the island. Areas have been restored to show how the hospital looked during the occupation.

Final Outcomes

Food shortages on Jersey were relieved by the arrival of the Red Cross ship SS Vega, bringing food parcels to Jersey. Before then, substitutes had been used to replace everyday foods for instance seawater had to be replaced with salt.

Everyone in Britain was given a gas mask to protect them from gas bombs, which could have been dropped during air raids.

During World War 2, you had two choices when writing a letter: handwritten or typewriter.

In order to build the Jersey War Tunnels, a huge workforce was needed and this was supplied by the Organisation Toft. More than 5,000 slave labourers were brought over to Jersey. The men were treated harshly and known to have died from disease, malnutrition, accidents and exhaustion.

Under the occupying forces, one of the greatest hardships was the lack of news from the mainland after the Germans had outlawed the use of radio sets. A number of individuals risked imprisonment by making their own sets and spreading news.

At 3:00pm Winston Churchill gave the most famous speech of his career. The Prime Minister announced the end of the war in Europe and the “unconditional surrender of all German land, sea and air forces in Europe”. While the islanders cheered, he uttered the words, “our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed today”. Flags and decorations sprang up.

Evaluation

This series of images show a narrative of the typical objects that could have been found in a household during World War 2. Most of the images are still life because of the inanimate subject matter depicted. The sequence of the images tell a story of what it must have been like to be a citizen in Jersey from the beginning of World War 2 until Liberation Day.

The first five images are in the filter B&W punch to represent the German Occupation in Jersey. The images have high contrast between black and white making the photo very sharp. The B&W filter represents life in Jersey during the German Occupation where the people were oppressed and suffering without sufficient resources. I decided to edit the majority of my images in black and white to emphasise the historical yet cold atmosphere during the Occupation. The filter also helps to showcase the negative impact war had on the citizens of Jersey.

For my colour edits I produced two final outcomes. The last two images are in colour to represent Liberation Day in Jersey which took place on the 9th of May. The UK flag is depicted in both images to represent the freedom of the Jersey citizens.

AO1 Develop Ideas

German Registration Cards

September 11, 2019 Jazmin G Leave a comment

The entire civil population of Jersey was required by the German authorities to register under the Registration and Identification of Persons (Jersey) Order, 1940. The archive has over 31,000 registration cards of those individuals who lived in Jersey during the German Occupation. Each registration card has personal details such as name, address, date and place of birth, maiden name and occupation. The cards also include a passport sized photograph. Any children under the age of 14 were recorded on the back of their father’s card.

People in story: Maurice Edwarde Green

Location of story: Jersey Channel Islands

Background to story: Civilian

Maurice Edwarde Green was only 12 years old when the German planes flew over. He was a diabetic on insulin from early at birth. Everyone in Jersey thought the war would be over in six to twelve months. Maurice had just over one year’s supply of insulin. Up until D day the diabetics survived on insulin imported by the Jersey States Department of Health. After that day insulin was a life saver. Diabetics were put into hospital. He ended up being the only diabetic to survive in the Channel Islands. Life was hard since there was no insulin at all. Later they were informed that the Red Cross ship ‘Vega’ would be arriving with food parcels and medicines. The ‘Vega’ arrived and his doctor took him to the docks but sadly he returned with the bad news of there being no insulin amongst the medical supplies on board. The second visit of the ‘Vega’ was different. His doctor took him down to the ship again and came back to inform him that there was insulin on board.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/10/a4148110.shtml

AO1 Develop Ideas

Jersey Archive

September 11, 2019 Jazmin G Leave a comment

Jersey Archive was established as part of Jersey Heritage in 1993. The Archive has archival material from public institutions as well as private businesses and individuals. Jersey Archive’s purpose is to preserve the written cultural heritage of the Island so that future generations can access the material in order to learn more about Jersey’s past. Since 1993 Jersey Archive has collected over 300,000 archival records and are now stored in monitored strongrooms.

Family History is one of the most popular subjects for researchers at the Jersey Archive. Archive records allow members of the public to go on a journey through their past and meet the ancestors.

https://www.jerseyheritage.org/collections/archive

AO1 Develop Ideas

Becque à Barbe / Face to face – Martin Toft

September 10, 2019 Jazmin G Leave a comment

Contemporary portrait photographer from the Archisle Contemporary Programme

In the 2001 Jersey survey people were asked questions about their use and understanding of Jèrriais. The islanders were also asked which language they spoke. Out of a total of 87,186 residents of Jersey only 113 people described Jèrriais as their main language.

In 2016 the local photographer Martin Toft made it his mission to capture the island’s last remaining native Jèrriais speakers to hopefully give visibility and recognition to the people of a unique but sadly fading language. The project is called ‘Becque à Barbe’ and was hosted by the Société Jersiaise Photographic archive.

Some portraits have darker tones to reflect the language hidden when English became the formal speech in Jersey. Jèrriais was suppressed publicly and prohibited to be spoken in schools.

Martin Toft has juxtaposed the portraits of speakers of the island’s native tongue with photographs of Jersey rock that are all designated as Sites of Special Interest (SSI). The SSI are important geological outcrops that are protected from development and preserved for the public and research. Toft has juxtaposed the portraits with the rocks because the Jèrriais speakers should also be equally protected from extinction through greater visibility and recognition as people of a unique language.

https://www.bailiwickexpress.com/jsy/news/watch-who-are-113-jerriais-speakers/

Image Analysis

The Becque à Barbe project depicts human faces that are juxtaposed with “portraits” of rock faces. Martin Toft has taken images of rocks that appear similar to the native speakers due to their posture, facial features and overall silhouette. I believe that the concept of juxtaposing a portrait of a native speaker with an image of a rock face is to look at how Jérriais is used, not only to describe characteristics of people but also how it is embedded in Jersey’s native tongue in describing a landscape. Some portraits are darker than others in tone which could reflect how the language was hidden when English became the formal speech in Jersey and Jèrriais was suppressed publicly and prohibited to be spoken in schools. Like Ernest Baudoux’s Victorian portraits, the portraits from the Becque à Barbe project also have a formal style by capturing the subjects with a head shot. These portraits appear to look like Passport Photos which may have been intentional in order to show the importance of the native speakers identity. The idea of using an inanimate object to create a comparison between a subject is a concept I would like to recreate in my own photography work.

AO1 Develop Ideas

Ernest Baudoux

September 7, 2019 Jazmin G Leave a comment

Portrait photographer from Societe Jersiaise Photo-Archive

Ernest Baudoux, born in France in 1828, worked in Jersey from 1869. There are 1385 photographs by Baudoux online from the Société’s archive. Most of the images are portraits, which was the photographer’s speciality. Baudoux’s was without a doubt the most prolific Jersey studio. He mainly had clients from the Jersey born and French speaking population.

The portraits Ernest Baudoux captured are great examples of the Victorian art of photographic portraiture. They show the fashion of the time in terms of clothing and hairstyles. The subjects would usually wear their best clothes for the portrait photoshoot. For women in the 1870s and 80s this meant that they would wear long black dresses. It was also common for children and occasionaly adults to be photographed wearing fancy costumes. Wearing a sailor’s outfit was popular for boys at the time. The subjects in the images always appear stern for a reason. They had to hold their pose for a long amount of time, which is why they often had their arms folded and were supported on the back of a chair. Holding a smile was impossible.

Most of Baudoux’s studio portraits were produced with a sliding plate mechanism designed to give two exposures on one glass negative. After he chose the best image he eliminated the rejected image by marking it with a cross. With the preferred image, Baudoux retouched the negative to enhance the complexion of the subject and hide facial blemishes. This shows that the practice of photographic manipulated originated before the digital age.

https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/Ernest_Baudoux

Image Analysis

This portrait depicts a full body shot of a young woman. She appears to be sitting down on a stool with her arms slightly crossed. Most Victorian portraits have their subjects sitting down on a chair because they had to hold their pose for a long time in order for the picture to be captured. Holding a smile was impossible for a portrait picture in those days, which explains why she has a blank stare and stern appearance. The woman appears to be affluent which is showcased by her fashionable Victorian clothing and hairstyle. The aspect that most captures the viewer’s attention is her long black dress which was popular for women in the 1870’s and 80’s. This dress would probably be her best iteam of clothing since subjects would usually wear their best clothes if they were going to have a portrait taken.

I want to incorporate Ernest Baudoux portrait photography style by capturing photos of the subject in a formal posture. Taking a direct picture of my subject will make him/her look like an important, powerful figure. This formal style will be interesting to capture when the people who experienced the German Occupation in Jersey come over to join our photography class for a studio photoshoot. I will capture upper body and full body shots with the subject sitting on a chair to reflect the Victorian portraiture style.

AO4 Present Ideas

Creating my own Zine

August 28, 2019 Jazmin G Leave a comment

From all my edited images in response to the German Occupation in Jersey topic, I narrowed them down to 11 photos to be included in my zine. I created my zine using InDesign in order to produce the final layout.

The title of my zine is “Glimpse of the past” because the images were taken during golden hour, the period just before sunset . The term “Glimpse” means a momentary or partial view which links in well with the time of day the images were taken. A glimpse of the past shows the viewer a brief moment of what life was like during the German Occupation in Jersey through the immense concrete structures and other fortifications around Battery Lothringen.

The theme of my zine is looking at structures and fortifications in a particular lighting during golden hour. I wanted the viewer to see the site in a positive perspective where everything looks magical and calm. I want the viewer to forget about negative connotations that come to mind that are associated with the German Occupation. Instead I want the viewer to think about the calm and serenity portrayed by the lighting of the landscape within the images.

For the front and back cover, I used images from the Battery Moltke photoshoot to show enclosed visuals. Both have been taken inside the German bunkers. The back image shows a staircase with bars which informs the viewer that there is something secretive inside the zine which is suggested by the lock. This sparks the viewer’s interest since they will want to see the images inside the zine. Both the images used for the cover have dull colours to show the interior of the bunker which juxtaposes the warmth of the external images shown within the zine.

The cover page has been inspired from the zine “concrete jungle” which I analysed before I made my own zine. I took inspiration from the layout of the front page which was simple yet effective. I also incorporated full bleed images onto double pages, which was apparent throughout the zine I analysed.

All the other images within my zine were taken from the Battery Lothringen photoshoot. This photoshoot shows a narrative of a journey around this site before sunset. All the images are in order of where I started my journey and where I ended up at. It’s a journey of me wondering around Battery Lothringen looking at the concrete structures and fortifications.

The sequence starts inside portelet tower which displays an entrance. This image is full bleed onto one page to show that this is the beginning of the zine.

On the second double page the left side shows a full bleed image of the view from Portelet tower looking towards Battery Lothringen where an MP3 tower is visible on the headland. The right side has an archive image that has been sent by Société Jersiaise in full resolution. I placed this archival image besides my own photo to show the relationship between the two which displays the same subject but has been captured in different time periods. The left image is zoomed out to show the landscape that surround the tower while the archival image is a close up of the tower.

The other double pages within the zine include either a full bleed image onto two pages or a single image on both pages. I wanted my zine to have a sequence so it could have a clear layout. All the rest of the images display concrete structures or coastal fortifications. As the zine progresses you can see that the lighting changes due to the position of the sun. The last two full bleed images are silhouettes against the sunset sky.

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas

Battery Lothringen

July 12, 2019 Jazmin G Leave a comment

Batterie Lothringen was a World War 2 coastal artillery battery in Saint Brélade and constructed by Organisation Todt for the Wehrmacht during the Occupation of the Channel Islands. The first installations were completed in 1941, around the same time as the completion of Battery Moltke.

The site is located at the end of Noirmont Point, a rock headland. It was a part of the Atlantic Wall system of coastal fortifications and most of the concrete structures remain today. The site is preserved by the Channel Islands Occupation Society and open to the public.

In 1950 the States of Jersey purchased the headland of Noirmont as a memorial to all those Jersey people who died during the Occupation. A memorial stone was unveiled at Noirmont on 9 May 1970 to mark the 25th anniversary of Liberation.

When visiting Batterie Lothringen, I took into account the time of day. I decided to have a photo shoot at the site during the evening around 7pm so I could capture images during the golden hour, the period just before sunset. In landscape photography, the warm colour of the low sun is often considered desirable to enhance the colours of the scene. It is the best time of day for any photography since the light is diffused and warm.