For this project on identity and community I want to explore mental health and how it is a part of my identity. It matters to me because mental health has brought me together with my friends and family but has also been the reason to lose family and friends. With my project I want to explore anxiety, depression, bulimia and borderline personality disorder. I want to explore Francesca Woodman’s and Edward Honaker’s work as their work focuses on mental health which I Found would be a good fit for my project. With past projects I used a slow shutter speed which I found very interesting to explore which can be seen in both Francesca Woodman’s and Edward Honaker’s work.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a disorder which effects how the persons mood and interaction with others. Symptoms of this are: emotional instability, disturbed patterns of thinking or perception, impulsive behaviour and intense but unstable relationships with others. Most conditions of BPD result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Bulimia is an eating disorder with episodes of binge eating and self-induced vomiting. Anxiety is a feeling of unease such as worry or fear these can range from mild to severe. Lastly depression is low mood which can last for weeks or months which can effect daily life.
With these mental health disorders I want to show in my work as I find they have become part of my life with myself, family and friends experiencing these. I want to use that for my photobook showing the progress of these mental health disorders showing how they can get better but suddenly drop back to struggling again. In the book I want to start with a bold photo stating the mental health disorders as these thing can suddenly happen after a traumatic situation which can lead to years of struggle.
Formalism (Paper Project) – The first project we started was based on formalism. We scrunched up a piece of paper and took photos experimenting with colour, shadows and perspective. I learnt how you can’t just take a few images and them all be good, but you have to take hundreds in different lighting, shapes, angles and colours which in the end gives you a handful of good images.
Expressionism (The World is Beautiful) – The next project we did was about Albert Renger-Patzsch and the World Is Beautiful. For this I went out and took photos around town in black and white. I learnt how black and white creates drama and how different tones can be used to make an image exciting. This project really inspired me and interested me to use black and white in further projects.
Photomontage – Another project I enjoyed doing was the photomontage project. I enjoyed it because it increased my understanding and ability in photoshop. I took many photos of my friend in different lightings and cut out the facial features from myself and my friends. I then put them on top of a background image of a face which then altered the appearance of the original image. I first made one out of celebrities but then out of my friends.
Multi-Exposure – I also enjoyed the multi-exposure project for the same reason as photomontage. I used photoshop to get a few images of the same person in different lighting, position or facial expression and put them on top of each other. I changed the colour of two of the images so they represented old 3d glasses with one side blue and the other side red.
Landscape (Rural and Romanticism) – I enjoyed the landscape project because it introduced me to a different way of taking photos. I went out to take photos to beauport bay with my friend Matthew Brown. We took photos of the waves, the cliffs and the view of St Brelades bay. I took inspiration from Ansel Adams and took my images in colour but made them black and white. I believe black and white is a better medium for photos as it simplifies the image but makes it more exciting with tones.
New Topographic – The new topographic project was my favourite project I completed during my time studying photography. The project allowed me to combine my favourite parts of photography including, landscape in an urban environment, as well as black and white photography and using photoshop to edit my images. I studied a photographer called Lewis Baltz who used lines and high contrasts in tonal values. My outcome from the project was one of the best outcomes I have had from a project.
Anthropocene – The Anthropocene project also helped me with developing my photography skills. I studied two photographers one called Gerry Johansson who focused on photography including high contrast in tonal ranges. The other photographer is called Andy Hughes who focused on photographing plastic waste in relation to pollution. I got to take black and white photos with a good contrast in tones and colourful images with high contrast of plastic waste on beaches.
Following the success of Artists Rifles, Paul re-joined the discourse with the masculine identity in Make My Night. Ostensibly a record of a very laddish night out, Paul used a similar technical method to that of the previous series combined with the use of multiple self-portraits. As before, he becomes the anonymous everyman but this time is more overtly the narrator as well as the protagonist of a frequently observed ritual – here
Governed by group approval and time honoured rites, a world of bravado and sexual tension vies with drunken frivolity and a certain vulnerability to occlude any notion of a new masculinity. From the preamble of high jinks and drinking games, to bar fights and stand offs through to its nauseous conclusion, each scene has been painstakingly researched and detailed – here
This style of photography caught my eye because of the ‘in the moment’ feel of them. They appear to be ‘professionally un-professional’ in the sense that some aspects are blurry, out of focus or over/under exposed. But these ‘un-professional’ aspects add a character to the photograph that makes it unique and captures the ‘vibe’ of the room at the time, hectic and busy.
About Paul M Smith
Paul M Smith was born in 1969 in England and is a British photographer and educator.
He studied fine art at Coventry University from 1991 to 1995. After completing his degree he completed a masters degree in photography at the Royal College of Art. Whilst studying he explored the meaning and construction of masculinity, focusing on the creation of various ‘alpha male’ identities.
Read interview, make notes and identify 3 quotes (that are thought-provoking, revealing or contentious
“Even when revisiting Carnival Strippers I had to think back to the context at the time – the debates in feminism about such women, the idea of giving voice to the women from the inside, and so on” I think this quote is thought-provoking because Meiselas uses her work to provide an alternative perspective on a group of women who many would argue project many negative stereotypes about women. However Meiselas proves these stereotypes wrong.
“I don’t go in with a concept; the concept evolves and becomes self-evident at a certain moment in the process.” I think Susan Meiselas’ method of production is interesting because she doesn’t necessarily plan her shoots before she does them, and it is more of an ‘in the moment’ process.
“Many of my projects live in more than one community simultaneously and the challenge becomes slightly different.” I liked this quote from Meiselas because she states that her work is rather universal and can be seen as relatable by different communities, which I think is a difficult process as you have to have a strong idea of other cultures or communities to do this.
Select one image from the photographer and analyse in depth following this method: TECHNICAL, VISUAL, CONTEXTUAL, CONCEPTUAL – focus on the last two aspects of analysis to achieve highest marks
“Lulu, Tunbridge, Vermont” – Susan Meiselas (1974)
This image, titled “Lulu, Tunbridge, Vermont” was taken by Susan Meiselas in 1974 as part of her series; “Carnival Strippers”. This series became the spark of Meiselas’ photography career, and even became the reason that she fell in love with photography. She became intrigued by these women and wanted to know why they did what they did and how it affected their private life, so she began this series photographing the girls both on stage and off stage, including moments of their private lives.
The lighting in this image is harsh and intense. It creates dark, gloomy shadows compared to radiant highlights. The shadows can be seen in the sunken parts of the face, especially around the eyes and around the nose of the woman’s face. The lightest sections of the image can be seen in the highlights of the face, such as the cheekbones and tip of the nose, as well as the bright blonde hair. Despite the lighting producing harsh shadows and highlights, the lighting is natural daylight. Due to the lighting appearing predominantly on the high points of the face, the direction of the sunlight seems to be coming from above the model.
There is a sense of line within the photograph, with the thick, folded lines of the circus curtains behind the model. These lines create an upwards direction which influences the viewer to look at the model from bottom to top, these also create the leading lines for the photograph. There is also a sense of line with the direction and bending of the model’s arms, this bending sends the viewers eyes towards the direction the flower in the hands of the model, which then directs the viewers eyes to the face.
There is no real sense of repetition in this image, due to the organic and candid nature in which it has been taken in. The image is taken in black and white also, so it is impossible to tell whether there is a repetition of colour.
The shapes within this image are purely organic. Despite the image featuring artificial shapes, they are bent and folded in order to create curved and distorted lines rather than straight-edged, geometric lines.
There is a strong sense of depth within this image, as the model is in clear focus compared to the blurred background of the curtains. There is no negative space in this photograph, as all sections of the image contain a pattern or subject of some sort.
There is a range of tones from dark to light within this photograph. The darkest area of the image can be seen in the gaps of the curtains, as well as around the eyes of the model. The lightest areas of the image can be seen in the white segments of the curtain, the blonde hair of the model and the model’s fair skin. Overall, the image tends towards darkness, which creates a dark and almost sinister atmosphere.
There is a lack of colour in this image. Because of this, an intense juxtaposition has been created when comparing light and dark, and shadows and highlights.
The composition of the image can be said to follow the rule of thirds, as the model has been placed in between the three vertical thirds. The image is balanced due to the lack of negative space, and with the subject being placed central of the image. The distinctive focal point of the image is the model holding the flower to her face.
4. Write a Statement of Intent that clearly contextualise; What you want to explore? Why it matters to you? How you wish to develop your project? When and where you intend to begin your study? Make sure you describe your chosen theme (IDENTITY & COMMUNITY), subject-matter (topic, issue), artists (inspirations, references) and final outcome (photobook, film).
What I want to explore:
For this project, I want to explore my own sexuality, the LGBTQ+ community, and personal experiences that I have gone through as a member of the community
The project will introduce the reader to a same-sex couple having dates, and having intimate moments while at the same time conveying the idea that those moments soon become nothing but memories (this is achieved through blurry images to give the sense of imagination).
The project will also include messages that I have been sent, some involving death threats, stories of cheating, being taken advantage of, and some messages which involve Grindr messages of guys who want nothing but use you.
Why it matters to me:
This project matters to me because it is a way of putting everything that I have been through into something tangible and for others to see; a way of letting others know that they are not alone, that others have and are going through the same experience.
It also serves as a way for me to let go of some events and put an end to it all and start a new chapter.
How I wish to develop my project:
Magazine – the magazine will serve as a physical way for the appreciators of art to see my project. The magazine will include all the final images and messages in a layout that will show a story of someone getting intimate with someone of the same sex as well as comments and messages that person gets sent. It serves as a way to enlighten others to the reality of the LGBTQ+ community since not everything is a sea of roses.
At this moment in time I aim to create a film in lieu of a photography book because, as a amateur film maker and considering film is what I want to study at university, it is the most obvious outcome for me to make. I plan to focus on the topic of Island Identity and zoom in on the subtopic of Community with a focus on cultural food. This is a subject I have explored in a past project but not with the detail I plan to have in this one. I intend to accomplish this in a documentary style, reminiscent of media channels such as insider, BuzzFeed and As/Is who often create similar content to educate people on what food looks like around the world. To stay within the brief of Island Identity I intend to only film people who live in Jersey. I plan to feature at least five different nationalities including Mexican, Polish and Portuguese to show the range of people from different cultures who now reside in Jersey. To ensure differing opinions and responses I endeavour to use different age groups when filming and ultimately plan to have a range between those in their teenage years to much older people, some being in their 70s and 80s. Instead of focusing completely on the end result of food I want to interview different people about how this particular dish has effected them personally and the importance of it to them. I think food is very significant in regards to socio-economic factors and can tell a lot about ones upbringing and social life, working as a bridge to preserve knowledge and connect older and younger generations.
Photo taken from a insider video showcasing different school lunch meals around the world
For this project, I want to focus on the theme of identity, and display my identity in a deeper sense. I want to show how my life has changed based on events that have happened in my life so far and how they have shaped me into who I am today. I also want to show how my family have influenced me throughout my life, and how different parts of my personality are shaped from them. This idea is important to me because it explains how events in my life have affected me and is more personal than other work I have made before. I think presenting my life through photos also leaves an aspect of ambiguity to anyone else, as the photos without context allow for alternate viewpoints of meaning. I want to develop this project into a photobook, as I didn’t find making films as interesting as making a physical piece. I feel like making a photobook would be more interesting because I can alter the images as well as the physical pages, which adds another level of personalisation. I may begin my study by looking through family albums to get more of a sense of my life when I was younger, and especially the times that I don’t remember. As I have lived in the same house surrounded by my family all my life, I could take my images in my house or my neighbourhood, as it is a big part of my life. I enjoyed making one of my final projects in year 12, influenced by the artist Carolle Benitah, so I may do something similar for this project. Since my family has a very interesting and extended heritage, I want to include aspects of this too. I may write about Lillie Langtry, who’s maiden name was Lillie Le Breton, or Fletcher Christian who was a mutineer on the HMS Bounty and a relative on my grandmothers side of the family. I want to do more research on these figures and maybe work out direct relations and asking older relatives in my family about these topics.
