HOUSING CRISIS: A topic which I am highly interested in and am willing to explore is the housing crisis which affects a large population of Jersey. Not only the immigrants but young people and the elderly all face institutional discrimination which makes it extremely difficult to get on the property ladder or be able to find housing in Jersey. There is an extreme lack of affordable housing for low income families and young people alike, who start out on the bottom earning minimum wage at the start of their careers.
NOSTALGIA: with the use of film, an older method of photography, I am hoping to capture images that capture a nostalgic and reminiscing feel. The fuzziness and grain which can be captured using this flash provokes ideas of the old and outdated, much like the housing in Jersey, lacking houses and slats which are safe and regulated for people to live in.
CONTROL: the lack of control within the Jersey housing market means that landlords are able to set prices ad regulate the market as they please, often providing overpriced and unsuitable living conditions for the families which will be moving there. A large part of this study is to highlight an area of Jersey life which impacts the lower and working class which suffer as a consequence of politicians and the rich.
OCCUPATION/IMMIGRATION: tying in with the key word of the project occupation, a topic which is relevant to me and for a majority of first generation Jersey born people is immigration. Facing hardships due to their parents status which prevents them from accessing many aspects of service in Jersey.
HOUSING: exploring the different living conditions of the working class people in Jersey and how their status influences the type of property that they can access. Unqualified is a word which I am interested to explore as it taints immigrants as uneducated and unskilled through the simple use of this label.
NOSTALGIA/FILM: in terms of the visual presentation of my images, I will be exploring the use of film and how the visual aspects of it influence the way we view the images and the feelings which they evoke.
DISCRIMINATION/SHAME: the living conditions of some immigrants in Jersey is very clearly below the standard of what it should be therefore bringing shame to the people who have no other choice and have to endure conditions like these.
POSSIBLE ESSAY QUESTIONS:
In what way does Nick Hedges portray a sense of state discrimination and hopelessness through his monochromatic imagery?
To what extent does Michelle Sank use realism in order to portray the reality of working class life?
To what extent is documentary photography effective in capturing the shame witch comes with the immigrant population of Jersey?
How do photographers Maciej Dakowicz, Theo Gosselin and Mike Brodie represent different communities in their work?
When looking at the subject which I am focusing on, I will be relating it to
the subject of realism as I will be capturing documentary style images. In
order to the tackle the topic of the Jersey housing crisis I will first be
visiting various sites in St.Helier and in its outskirts in order to show what
the true state of affordable housing is like and what young people like myself
can afford in the current housing market. It is a topic which I am fully
invested in as it will be a subject which will impact my own life in the
future. It also relates to the topic of occupation and immigration very closely
as the migrant population of Jersey has extremely limited housing options due
to the socioeconomic status of these people. The biggest hurdle facing these
people are housing qualifications, meaning that migrant workers are left to
rent, expensive and subpar property which is rare and highly sought after. Again
it is a topic which relates closely to myself as my own family, who are
migrants, have had to go through the struggle of finding suitable housing for
us.
Due to the documentary style photography which I will be capturing, it will
closely relate to realism. Photo realism is a genre of art that encompasses
painting, drawing and other graphic media, in which an artist studies
a photograph and then attempts to reproduce the image as realistically
as possible in another medium. Not only will I be capturing images of the
exterior nature of low cost housing, but also attempting to see the inside
through visiting family and friends who fall into this category. I will mostly
be focusing on the housing itself, the interior, exterior nature of these
instead of capturing subjects as I think this is quite a taboo topic which
brings a lot of shame with it. People don’t want to reveal the true state they’re
living in, yet alone be the posterchild of what unsuitable housing looks like. I
will be using both a digital camera and a disposable camera in order to play
around with the style of photography which can be produced from this topic. I
am very interested in using film as it gives a nostalgic style feel to the
images, further alluding to the raw and realistic theme of the images. If a
film style approach of photography will be unsuitable, I will revert back to
using a digital camera which is a lot more convenient and easier to use in the
overall project, saving time and resources. As a person who is wanting to get
onto the property ladder in the future, I think it is extremely important to
capture the true nature of what housing is like for the lower class citizens,
the builders the waitresses who serve and work for Jersey. Without sustainable
and affordable housing, the very society in which we live in would collapse and
force the majority of migrants and even native people out of Jersey.
Time period: Postmodernism is best understood by defining the modernist ethos it replaced – that of the ‘avant-garde’ who were active from 1860s to the 1950s. Postmodernism overturned the idea that there was one inherent meaning to a work of art or that this meaning was determined by the artist at the time of creation. Instead, the viewer became an important determiner of meaning, even allowed by some artists to participate in the work as in the case of some performance pieces.
Key characteristics/ conventions : Common targets of postmodernism and critical theory include universalist notions of objective reality, morality, truth, human nature, reason, language, and social progress. The ideas rejected by postmodernists include the idea of artistic development as goal-oriented, the notion that only men are artistic geniuses, and the outdated assumption that non-white races are inferior. Feminist art and minority art that challenged canonical ways of thinking are often included under the umbrella of postmodernism or seen as representations of it.
Artists associated: William Eggleston and Robert Rauschenberg.
Dadaism: Dada or Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century. Dadasim had an influence on postmodernism in its questioning of authenticity and originality. ‘Combined with the notion of appropriation, postmodernism often took the undermining of originality to the point of copyright infringement, even in the use of photographs with little or no alteration to the original.’ -The Art Story.
Key characteristics/ conventions :
It is the movement away from modernism.
It involves the mixture of different art medium that reference political, cultural and historical issues.
The concept itself lacks rules, it’s up to the photographer to decide what messages they encode and how these messages are represented in an image.
In a way it’s initial motive was to challenge the idea of modernism.
Methods/ techniques/ processes:
Tableaux- staged photography which displays a pictorial narrative.
Intertextuality – when you include others work.
Eclecticism – the mixture of styles.
Refiguration – re-structuring an original image.
Collaboration-working alongside other artists.
Pastiche – copying an original.
Re-cycling- using materials more than once.
STYLISTIC AND CONTEXTUAL IDEAS:
The snapshot type imagery which Eggleston created throughout his career, created anecdotal meaning about everyday aspects of life. The accessible and simplistic method of his photography, such as using the Kodak’s Brownie camera, meant that his work had a personal touch to subjects he had no direct personal link with. Color also represented a multitude of themes in his work such as the contrast between the new and the old, the ordinary and extraordinary, the man-made and the natural. In many senses he was a non-conformist, associating him as a prominent figure in the postmodernist art scene. He also explored a contemporary commercial printing process of dye transfer to see the ways in which this could contribute to the representation of color and how this could become the focal point instead of the selling of lifestyle, concepts or ideas. During his career there were a few occasions where Eggleston encountered the work of Andy Worhol, exposing him to other popular forms of mediums, contributing to his experimental photography style. Eggleston’s use of the anecdotal and everyday is set apart by his focus on details such as facial expression which can be seen in the image above. Throughout his career he pushed the boundaries of documentary photography associated with the works of Robert Frank and Walker Evans. His photography effectively captured the shift of life in the South from rural to cosmopolitan societies.
In the work above we can see an example of the extreme focus which Eggleston pays to the facial expressions and body language of the subjects. There is a clear contrast in character from the youthful appearance of the woman on the right and the sickly, pale and tired lady on the right hand side of the image. There is also an overall contrast of color from the left and right with the radiant blonde hair, African print dress and the dark, flat hair and blue toned dress. There is a distinct lack of facial expression with with the woman on the left as she lays on the sofa, in a lifeless and melancholy fashion, observed by the Goddess like presence of the light haired woman. The image provokes overall feelings of conflict and change. Opposed to the typical conventions of postmodernism, this image in particular follows close conventions of Tableau and Renaissance art with the stylized body language and dramatic lighting. This image very effectively showcases the postmodernist features which Eggleston focused on within his work.
A topic which I personally extremely interested in is the housing crisis in Jersey and the lack of affordable housing for the middle class population living here. As a young person who is wanting to live and stay in Jersey, I am keen to explore the difficulties sand extreme challenges faced by my generation to get onto the property ladder. According to a report from Statistics Jersey, shortages are now predicted for every size of flat and house, with the exception of a small surplus (70) in the number of large homes of four or more bedrooms. And the situation has worsened considerably since the last Future Housing Needs report was issued, covering 2015-2018, with almost twice as many more homes now needed. The gap between the number of people looking for homes and the number of homes available widened by 90%. The news comes as a former assistant minister said the States were drastically failing to meet its commitments to provide affordable homes. The dearth of properties will be worst in the owner-occupier sector, where there is predicted to be 1,830 fewer homes available than households wishing to buy or move, with the biggest shortfall being in the three-bedroom category. The report makes a number of predictions based on different inward migration figures, but every scenario between now and 2021 forecasts more demand for homes that the Island can supply. These projections are based on numbers before various building projects intended to increase supply are completed, Statistics Jersey noted.
In the registered accommodation sector, there is expected to be a shortfall of 600 units, with two-bedroom homes in most demand.In the previous report covering 2015-2018, there was a projected surplus in registered accommodation, but ‘the latest potential shortfall has been largely driven by recent levels of migration’, Statistics Jersey said. Qualified accommodation numbers are expected to be less affected by migration trends and no shortfall is predicted in the supply of larger homes of four or more bedrooms, where a small surplus is predicted. According to the report, there will be 70 more homes in this category than needed. However, there could be a shortage of over 1,000 three-bedroom units and 900 two-bedroom homes. The private rental market is also predicted to fall short of demand by nearly 500 houses of all sizes – except those over four bedrooms. However, a surplus of flats of two bedrooms or less is predicted. And while there may be a surplus of flats for social housing, there will be a shortfall of 160 houses in that category.
Migration is expected to fuel most of this burgeoning demand in the next three years, with almost a third coming from newcomers to the Island. Of that demand, 70% will be looking for registered accommodation and most will be seeking one-bedroom housing, according to the report.
SHARON O’NEILL:
Ringing all the doorbells on her estate one by one, Sharon O’Neill was glad to find almost everyone welcomed her into their flats to take a snapshot into their lives. ‘Flats’, a touching artistic project looking at the diverse population of the Fitzhugh Estate in Wandsworth, south London – where O’Neill has lived for 12 years – proved to be a great way to get to know people around her.
NICK HEDGES:
Photographer Nick Hedges spent three years visiting areas of deprivation throughout the UK to create this seminal body of work for the housing charity Shelter. Launched in December 1966 (the same month as Ken Loach’s influential television drama ‘Cathy Come Home’) the charity’s campaign put paid to the myth that only people living on the streets were homeless. Hedges’ photographs were central to its message. He photographed slum housing in major cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford and London, documenting the distressing conditions faced by more than three million people.
To gain inspiration for a from cover I used a previous idea from my bunkers zine. The front cover consists of a base image and a square which has been inverses in order to contrast the original image. Then on top of this I have written the word occupation in order to symbol the theme of the newspaper. I think this s a very effective layout in general as the contrast between the inverse and normal image is symbolic of the topic at hand, opposing sides, which fight against each other with opposing ideas. The image came from a photo shoot I did of the bunkers located ear Coronation park, which now sit dormant on the edge of the sea wall.
DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD 1:
Coming from the same photo shoot as the image from the front cover, I employed a similar concept, using inverse imagery to represent the fight of two opposing powers. Instead of using black and white imagery, here I used the inverse of the original image. This spread is slightly different as I used two images which have been slightly spread out over the page in order to give some varying features to my newspaper spreads, this was an effective method of doing so without losing the value of the images.
DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD 2:
The second double page spread of my newspaper uses the images which I took during the making of the still life series. These were a good fit overall for the spread as they use items and objects specific to the time period of WW2, perfectly fitting with the theme of occupation vs liberation. I also retained the writing on the top left hand side of the image, just like in my zine, as I thought this added one interesting aspects to the image which otherwise would have not been there, adding a point of contrast and a second focal point. The bright red backdrop and tins of bandages in a way merge together in terms of there colour palette so therefore it was essential for the writing to act as a point of interest. The second page of my spread is also not full bleed as again it adds difference and variation to the overall design of the spreads.
DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD 3:
For my final layout, I employed the use of my previously made photo montage. I felt as though this was a suitable image to use for my spreads as it again fits with the theme of occupation vs liberation era well. The base image came from the photo shoot using war memorabilia to create still life images. I then went onto the editing process of the images, using another archival image of the soldier leaning on the side of the bike light and creating the geometric square laying on top. This is a nice contrast to the other spreads as it is in many ways both archival in nature but also modern with the inclusion of the geometric square, having a contemporary take on the topic as a whole.
In terms of the visual layout of my final zine, I feel as though the outcome is very successful. I tried to go for a continuous theme in my work with the colorful backdrop which can be seen in all the images. All of the photos except from one, which is an image of my grandmothers wedding, I used photo shop in order to add the bright yellow backdrop in order to retain continuity in my work. I also attempted to keep my work in an order which would show an extent of repetition, spacing the reds and blues in a continuous fashion. The subjects and objects within the images also are very closely linked to the subject at hand, being a variety of war memorabilia and archival images which have been turned into montages. Another point of continuity is the fact that almost all the images have been produced in a studio setting, this allowed for high quality imagery and consistent results throughout the shoot. In order to add another point of interest I decided to add a quote from Winston Churchill onto the right hand corner of the image. I matched the color of the words to tones which are overwhelmingly seen in the images and contrast well within the image. Overall I think that my final zine layout was very successful as it follows a continuous narrative throughout and is visually very harmonious and cohesive.
In terms of the narrative of my zine, I will be focusing on the various aspects and ways in which war is captured through 3 main ways. Firstly using the photographic archives of Societe Jersaise and using the photos which I personally selected, making them into montages. This gives the images a modern and contemporary twist with the use of geometric patterns and shapes, representing the relevancy of war in today’s society. Within the narrative, I will also be representing the still life images which I took within the studio. The objects which can be seen in the images are all war memorabilia, important as they represent a physical object which dates back to that time, showing us that the occupation will forever be remembered through the items which remain in archives and society. Lastly I will be including photos from my own personal family archive which will be modified in order to fir the colorful narrative of the rest of the images, especially the still life which will be featuring colorful backgrounds. I think this is very important as my family did not have a direct link with the Jersey occupation yet faced the war in ways which was very similar, making the zine personal to my own experience.
SEQUENCING:
The overall sequencing and layout of my zine will be fairly simplistic in terms of layout. I will keep my images full bleed, expanding to the very edges of the zine, therefore making each image a double spread. I think this is extremely important as the viewer is able to focus in on details of each image which may be missed if a multitude of photos are displayed on a spread.For example, within my second montage there are small details such as the soldier in the right hand corner saluting to the air, if this image were to be made smaller and and used in conjunction with other images, it is likely to be missed therefore making small details like that irrelevant and a waste of time when creating them. I will also be including a quote on the right hand side of the image in order to add more meaning to the zine and another point of interest.
MOOD BOARD:
In order to give me inspiration and a deeper understanding about the various different layouts which can be used within a zine, I have looked at other examples of zines which display a variety of different layouts.
We started of the OCCUPATION vs LIBERATION with a visit to the Societe Jersiase learning about the historical importance of photo-graphical archives and they role they play within preserving memories and evidence of the Jersey occupation. We were able to do our own research too by looking through the abundance of photo albums which are kept in the archives. The overall experience at the archives was very informative yet interesting at the same time, we started of with a small introduction to the archives and what they were all about, giving a brief history and the intended purpose of them. We then proceeded to do various activities relating to the occupation and the archives, we were able to choose a variety of images for out own personal use which can be seen down below. The sheer size of the archives is huge and is a very useful resource for students and the public alike who want to explore more about the occupation and want to see a photographic resources.
In terms of starting my OCCUPATION vs LIBERATION project I started by looking back at my own personal history and family archives which I squired during a trip back to my home country Latvia. This was extremely interesting to me as I was not only able to reflect back on my own family heritage but gain more general knowledge abut WW2 and the Jersey occupation. During this project I also learnt about an abundance of other photographers which correlate to the theme of occupation vs liberation very well. For example the first photographer which we looked at, Michelle Sank, in one of her photo series looks at the life of her teenage daughter, documenting the differences in lifestyle which she observes between the youth and adult population of the country. This allowed me to gain more insight about contextual information about Sank and allowed me to explore other photography styles in the ‘Home Sweet Home’ unit as she has a very particular and consistent manner in which she shoots her models and photographs, making very direct and obvious eye contact with the camera.
We also invested a considerable time into hearing the story of Bob Le Sueur. A 99 year old an who lived through the occupation in his teen years. We we were able to hear about the real life stories of a regular man living through some of the toughest times of the last millennia. The hardships. the struggle and adversity which he faced. During Bob’s time at Hautlieu, we were able to capture images of him in the studio using a professional set up. Using an infinity screen, fixed camera lens, flash trigger and soft box lights. All of these elements coming together to create refined and professional imagery which showcased the aging process of Bob beautifully. With his textured skin, abundant wrinkles and age spots. I was able to learn more about professional studio set ups and the correct manual set ups for the camera when using a flash trigger to illuminate the image.
We then went on to looking more closely at still life imagery. researching a variety of artists and learning about the classical art style. I was able to get a gain a deeper understanding about the variety of symbolism which are portrayed through still life, and how it all ties together to encompass traditional and modem techniques of photography. Overall this was my favorite section of work as this was a topic I have been interested personally for quite a while as I am very interested in other art mediums other than photography. Even though it is seems to be a purely aesthetic art from, the symbolism which is conveyed through each object within the paintings has it’s own unique meaning. For example the depiction of a skull could represent several things,perhaps the most obvious option and universal is death. This positioning of the skull can alter how the painting is read; for example if the skull is displayed in the foreground of the painting it could be read as warning. Also musical instruments, these items were considered to be extremely luxurious, therefore if an instrument in excellent condition (such as a flute) was depicted, it would be read a symbol of wealth – this would certainly be more prevalent in more historical 18th century still life art. On the other hand, a damaged or old musical instrument could represent loss of wealth or be representative of a family heirloom. Through the inspiration of the classical still life which we looked at, I was able to create my very own photography using the techniques and symbolism which I learned.
In conclusion, I was able to learn a variety of skills through this focused topic. Learning about the importance of photographic archives which later inspired me to go out and conduct my own research in my family archives. Talking to my mum about these and finding out insightful information which I never even knew myself. I carried this curiosity about my family forward when exploring my current family and the dynamics of their daily lives through candid photography. Later carrying forward the theme of war, looking at the life story of Bob and the various interesting stories he had made me learn about why it is importance to remember war and cherish the people who still live on to tell the tale. Lastly looking at still life and learning about very important technical skills which we were able to use when photographing in the studio and use items which carried deep symbolic meaning.
WHERE: In order to take these images in a professional setting we utilized the studio and various other equipment in order to take the images. We used a three point lighting system in order to illuminate the still life table. Much like the previous still life photography, this time we used various different coloured backdrops. These allowed us to play with different compositions and set ups.
WHAT: We used a variety of war items and memorabilia and set them up as still life n order to capture them and continue our occupation vs liberation topic.
WHY: In order to be more technically skilled in terms of lighting set ups and using the camera. We were able to learn a variety of things such as how to set up a horizontal tripod, the use of a flash transmitter and how to illuminate a professional still life table.
HOW: In order to create these images, we used various types of equipment and professional still life photography set ups. The most notable thing we used was the transmitter in order to set of the flash whilst photographing.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
TECHNICAL:
In terms of the technical aspects of the image, the was one of the most technically challenging shoots which I have done to date due to the various professional aspects which had to be taken into account. Firstly, in order to sufficiently illuminate the image, we used a 3 point lighting set up in order to do so, using a a primary, secondary and fill light in order to do so. Yet we often found that the fill light was making the image over exposed so for the majority of the time we did not even use this lighting set up. As we wanted very high quality images for the outcome, we used a fixed lens in order to shoot the photos, this meant that if we wanted to zoom into the composition, we physically needed to move the camera. Another piece of equipment which was essential for this shoot was a tripod which we used in order to get the most accurate and crisp images as possible as it prevented the occurrence of motion blur. Another precaution which we took in order to avoid this was the use of a trigger, this allowed us to take the image without actually physically touching the camera. The table with we set the composition up on was actually a professional still life table intended for this one purpose. The most notable aspect of it was the large curve which extended upwards, this makes the backdrop continuous and undisturbed, very similar to an infinity screen. One downside which I found whilst working with this was the fact that the surface was made out of a very reflective plastic which meant that the backdrop wasn’t even, as small reflections of light could be seen which have to be edited out later. This was also combated with the use of the colored backdrops which were matte in texture and could be fixed onto the still life table and act as a new backdrop.
VISUAL:
In terms of the visual aspects of the mage I find that it is very harmonious in nature and many aspects compliment one another very nicely. the most notable aspect of the image is the continuous use of the color red within the object and the backdrop, this was done deliberately in order to create harmony and cohesiveness between the backdrop and the object. Even though there are an extremely similar tone, the two colors do slightly vary so there is still a distinct difference between the backdrop and the object, this is further created by the cylindrical shape of the tins which curve and create a shadow whilst doing so. The focal point of the image is undoubtedly the opened tin on the right hand side of the image which is spilling out it’s contents, the bright white of the bandages nicely contrasts the bright red which encompasses the image. The shapes which can be seen in the image also complement each other very well as there is a set of two very cylindrical objects, the lid and bandage also following this same pattern. Due to the more powerful lighting which is hitting the right hand side of the image, a light shadow is cast, leaning onto the left hand side of the image, this not only creates slight contrast, it also creates depth and distinguishes the backdrop from the objects which are stationed in the foreground of the image.
CONCEPTUAL:
Still life has always been about more than fruit and flowers arranged on tables. The French word for the genre – nature morte – references mortality, a nod to the brevity of even the most luxurious of lives. Still life images at their best illicit a response on both a visual and an intellectual level – both examining the principles of arrangement and aesthetic taste, and asking questions about commodity-based status, the everyday, and life and death. They take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. Everyday objects morphed into high art.With any genre rooted in such tradition though, it takes special work to push it in new and interesting directions – for the work to feel fresh and exciting, rather than just referential and appropriated. An aesthetic document is one thing, but what does a modern still life communicate that we don’t already know, that photographers weren’t already exploring almost a century ago?
CONTEXTUAL:
The main thing which we tried to achieve with this photo shoot was to learn about the formalities of still life and extend our knowledge within the studio and different lighting set ups. It was critical that we learn about different artistic imagery, even if it is not formally related to modern day photography. Still life as a whole can be categorized within a classical genre which is essential if we are wanting to explore a variety of photography styles as a large chunk of history was spent perfecting the technique in which to visualize objects.
EDITING PROCESS:
In terms of the editing process, this was a slightly longer process than the previous still life set up with the addition of colored backdrops. To start of with, i completed the typical adjustments of exposure, brightness, contrast, vibrance and saturation in order to create more striking and impactful images. I then moved onto fixing the backdrops of the images, as when it came to the reviewing process, I found that an abundance of them displayed scuffs and marks, with uneven tones. It was essential that these were removed as this would ultimately just distract away from the main focal point of the image. I used the spot healing tool for the majority of the images as i found that this was very effective in removing small marks quickly. I increased the size of the brush head in order to target large areas where tone may have been off.
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