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Over all Context/Concept:

Like Francesca Woodman, I took all my images as self-portraits. This was partly out of convenience, but also to give my images a more personal feel to them. Mental illness is a very individual thing in the sense that everyone experiences it slightly differently. I felt that self- portraits would be a good way to show this. I wanted my images to show a certain ‘madness,’ while also showing the severity of a mental illness such as depression. I want people to see how unpredictable mental illness can make you, which is why the images show a clear darkness, but some also show me having ‘fun.’

Similarly to Woodman, I wanted to show the lack of identity that is often felt by those who suffer from depression, myself included. I remember feeling like I just blended in with everyone else and while people heard me they never really listened. This led to my decision to imitate Woodman by using long exposure times to blur any movements I made whilst in front of the camera. This often gave me a ghostly look that frequently blurred my features, such as my face, resulting in the somewhat removal of my true identity.

Technical:

To capture the images I used a long exposure time of 2 seconds. I set my camera to capture 9 images with 2 seconds between each one.

During editing, I wanted to give my images a ghost-like look. To do this I adjusted to exposure to as high as I could and adjusted the blacks and shadows to make them stand out more and look more harsh. Finally, I made the images black and white. This was again to mimic Woodman’s work, but to also add to the darker tone of the images.

Image One:

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Context/Concept:

This image represents the ‘madness’ and lack of control often felt during a depressive episode. This image shows that mental illness can make you want to do things that in the right mind you would never give a second thought to, including self harming.

Visual:

This image shows me staring at a flame produced by a lighter. The lack of emotion on my face shows the seriousness behind my near decision to use the lighter.

Image Two:

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Context/Concept:

The idea I had behind this image was to demonstrate the flip side of depression. While mental illness is an ongoing condition, it is possible to have good days or even a few hours in which everything seems alright again. This is what I wanted this image to represent. It was common for me to find a sense of freedom in music. I listened to it when I was sad, angry or happy. It was a way to block out everything else and when I was alone, I would blast my favourite songs through the house and dance in the living room. The joy music brought never lasted very long, but I knew I needed it to make it to the end of the day.

Visual:

In this image I can been seen letting loose. I took this image while listening to The Vaccines and doing the air guitar and I can been seen wearing headphones whilst going so. I choose to wear headphones for the image as it best represents how I usually listen to music. I spent a lot of time in my room, on my own and I was afraid that if anyone else heard the music, they would realise what was wrong with me.

Like most of my images inspired by Francesca Woodman, my face is blurred. This mimics the lack of identity in Woodman’s images, but it also represents the persistent nature of depression. This image shows me having a bit of fun, however the burred nature of my features shows that I’m still ill; that my mental illness will rear it’s feared head at any moment. This is something that I sometimes still feel today. It’s gone for now.

Image Three:

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Context/Concept:

This image was supposed to be a recreation of one of Francesca Woodman’s images. Woodman’s image gives the impression that she is trying to almost defy gravity. Perhaps, she feels tied down and is looking for an escape. At the time of the shoot, Woodman was staying in Rome. This could suggest that the images represents a new freedom from her family and the freedom of becoming an adult. However, while I like Woodman’s possible idea behind the image, I wasn’t sure that it was right for what I wanted to show. Instead I wanted my image to give the impression that I’m not really here.

Visual:

In my image you can see almost three of me holding up my hair as if pinned to the wall. I used long exposure to create the ghostly break from reality seen by the two other outlines of myself.

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HOW DOES GJON MILI REFLECT DANCE MOVEMENT AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EMOTIONS BEING PORTRAYED THROUGH HIS PHOTOGRAPHY?

‘Questions of self and identity have long concerned artists and are intensified as digital lives become ubiquitous and an aspect of performance becomes the norm in terms of modes of behaviour’ (Bright and Van Evp, 2019; 150). In our lives we portray and represent ourselves among many others and highlight our passions and significant features that make us who we are, enabling to show our individualism. The world we live in is somewhat being taken over by the performing arts and takes up a huge amount of social and contextual importance, and is it portrayed to our society that these individuals who shine over others are one in a millions, that making to the top is a one in a billion chance, so why do people even bother trying? The dance industry is something I have always had a drive to be a part of and I believe that in myself its an area that helps me identify myself and show to others my deeper emotions and feelings that may not always be depicted through speech, therefore myself,  along with hundreds and thousands of people around the world use dance to do so. To use dance and movement to tell a story, to show a feeling, to show a concept, an idea. However, the idea that dance is just a ‘performance’ or a show rather than an expression, a place to hide away rather than flourish, a secret rather that a narrative is a consistent debate that continues to divide critics and our society. This therefore demonstrate that within a dancer there is a front, a side that they want to show the world, the side where they put themselves forward, contrasting with their hidden deeper meanings and insecurities that they hide away from the audience when they perform. Therefore ‘The question arises: if manipulation is the first thing someone thinks of in connection to photography, what does that say about the value of photography as a reflection of reality?’ (Bright and Van Evp, 2019; 17). This quotation is something I will keep in mind during my investigation; a reminder than I want the reality, the truth not a manipulation or a cover up to hide but the certainty of reality. For my personal study I will be investigating the idea of representing emotions that an individual feels through dance, however I want to diverge away from the norm and look at more uncomfortable subjects rather than the stereotypical face of dance. In my photography I want to show both sides of individuals in the dance community, I want to show the hard working, the blood, sweat and tears that goes into it, to show the love, the relief and the drive. I want my images to represent a narrative to its viewers, for them to see my images and ask more questions but most importantly I want to use my photography to highlight each emotion that someone feels when they dance and why they feel certain way, I want to exit the norm of dance photography and enter a new realm of ideas that reflect more than just a pointed toe, I want to show the vehemence of a dancers response to how they truly see themselves and the industry.  

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 pol erpoints 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

NOTES TO CONSIDER WHEN EDITING AND CONTINUE WRITING ON:

• Next paragraph introduce the artist and his work
• Explain why you decided to choose his work to look at
• How does Mili help improve your personal study and ideas that you have?
• What other artists do you want to look and why? For example: Chino Otsuka
• Why do I want my personal study to be about this

MY FAVOURITE PAGE SPREAD:

produce a new mind map and mood board based around how you interpret the theme of OCCUPATION Vs LIBERATION now

Liberation Ideas:

• Freedom
• Safety
• Started fighting for more rights – Woman.
• Grief of lost ones

Occupation:

• Trapped
• Forced
• Stereotypes reinforced:
• Woman housewife, but some went to work in aircraft warehouses.
• Men – went off to fight.
• rations

Mood Board:

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Question – How does fashion shape social identities?

-Opening quote-

-Introduction (250-500 words) Area study, what artists are you analysing, why, how will you respond to their work, how will you respond to essay question.

Explain what the essay is going to do.

• Explain how I interpret the question.
• Identify issues that I am going to explore
• Give a brief outline of how I will deal with each issue, and in which order.
• Use at least one quote

-Paragraph 1 (500 words) Art historical/theoretical context, photography and visual culture relating to area study. Make links to movements/isms + methods used by critics and historians.

• over the first thing I said in my Introduction that I would address.
• Consider using subheadings
• The first sentence of the paragraph introduces the main idea of the paragraph
• Other sentences develop the subject of the paragraph.
• Include relevant examples, details, evidence, quotations, and references showing understanding of relevant theory and reading
• Set the scene for the next paragraph.

-Paragraph 2 (500 words) Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.

• 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 paragraph’s subject.
• Set the scene for the next paragraph.

-Paragraph 3 (500 words) Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.

• 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 paragraph’s subject.
• Set the scene for the next paragraph.

-Conclusion (250-500 words) Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced.

• The conclusion contains no new material.
• Summarise my argument and the main themes.
• State my general conclusions and evaluate my findings.
• Make it clear why those conclusions are important or significant.
• In the last sentence, sum up my argument very briefly, linking it to the title.

-Bibliography – List all relevant sources used

My first Shoot was really successful. The only real problem I had was keeping the dolls upright. I had planned on using a tripod but decided not to because I wanted some real close up. I went into light room and made my selection.I went through them all and flagged the good ones and bad ones. I then color coded the ones I might edit, the ones I may edit and the ones I wont edit. I then adjusted a few of them on light room before editing them in Photoshop.