Family research

As I wanted my photo book to be based on my personal life and my family, I looked more in depth to my family history. I asked my dad about Fletcher Christian, who was a mutineer on the HMS Bounty and a relative on my grandmother’s side. Christian and other mutineers rebelled against the captain’s orders and arrested him. The crew mates who were loyal to the captain and the captain himself were forced to board the Bounty’s 7 metre launch whilst the other crew mates on the side of Christian remained aboard and sailed to the volcanic Island of Tofua, around 2700 kilometres from Tahiti, where Fletcher, along with 8 others and some Tahitian men and women sailed off and were never heard of again. The exact date or way in which Fletcher died is still rumoured.

I also researched Lillie Langtry (maiden name Le Breton). Lillie was a famous actress and producer in the late 1800’s, but later was seen in the eye of the media as the ‘Royal Mistress’. Langtry was heard to have an affair with the Prince of Wales at the time, Albert Edward, despite them both being married. Langtry had a successful acting career throughout this affair whilst acting in plays in both The United Kingdom and The United States, such as ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ and ‘As You Like It’ and eventually began running her own production company.

I think incorporating these famous figures in my photo book could be an interesting and unique way of developing my photo book, although I am not too sure on how I can introduce these ideas. I may create a mind map on how to further develop these ideas and how I can make them relevant to my personal identity.