To begin my personal study project I decided to experiment with different ideas. I knew I wanted to use childhood images within my photobook so I experimented with different ideas based around childhood and memories. I tried different things like using different tools in photography, photographing landscapes and exploring different ideas and concepts until I found an idea I felt interested me and thoroughly represented my ideas.

First I imported all my chosen childhood images into Lightroom and into a folder within my photobook folder so I could organise all my images for this project in one place.

Photoshop experimenting

I then began experiment with different tools within photoshop. I started with a basic tool within photoshop by overlapping 2 images and changing the opacity. I liked the final outcome of this image showing what I was and the growth.

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I then began experimenting with the polygonal tool and began created different shapes ontop of the image.

I continued to experiment with the polygonal tool on different images, using different colours shapes and sizes. I liked this experimentation as I felt it added something to the image and gave me freedom to add a different meaning and feel to the image by splitting up the image.

I also experimented with the drawing tool and experimented with cutting people or objects from an image. I didn’t like this option as I felt it looked messy and didn’t represent my intentions well.

I also decided used the blur tool on a few images. I tried blurring the whole image and just blurring the background of the main subject of the image. I liked this as it created a focus on the subject of the image.

I got an image of a Jersey map and then decided the images I wanted to place on the maps. I then placed these images on the maps and adjusted the scale of the images to the size I wanted by going to Edit > Transform > Scale. I left some images bigger than others as I wanted some images to stand out more than other images.
I then used the brush tool to draw lines between all the images and create a path. I chose to use the colour red for the lines to make the path stand out.
Next I added on some ‘tape’ to make the images look stuck down. I used the ‘Polygonal’ tool to cut out the tape and then pressed Ctrl C to copy the selected part onto the map. I then adjusted the scale doing the same process as I did with the images.

I then took inspiration from an image in Jim Goldbergs book ‘Raised by Wolves’ where he placed images and drew on a map of where he was photographing. I wanted to do this to pin point key images to places around where I live and grew up. I put on images from where I was born to where I first went to school or even core memories.

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Image selection

I went through all my images I collected and went through and flagged the images I liked and wanted to start editing and experimenting with. The second image shows all my flagged images.

I then went through all my flagged images and began editing them. A lot of my images were very dark so I brightened them up and changed the colours, exposure and contrast on all of the images.

I then decided to colour code my images into different categories, e.g = colours, family members, ages, to make it easier to piece together my final photobook.

Editing

I wanted the images of the objects to have a plain white background so they blended in with the background of the paper in the photobook. To do this I started my using the Polygonal tool and selecting the majority of the background and right clicking on my mouse, it then brings up the option to fill the selected shape. I filled the selection with white to create the white background.
I then used the ‘Clone stamp tool’ to get the finer parts around the object in the image. I help the mouse over the white parts, pressed alt and then with a thin brush went around the object.

I put lots of my images into a polaroid template as I wanted to create a page in my book full of polaroid’s. To do this I downloaded a polaroid template and opened it within Photoshop. I then placed the image I wanted to use over the top of the template. Then I had to use the distort option in Edit > Transform > Distort and then move the edges to make the image fit into the template.

Inspiration

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My main inspiration for my book was from Jim Goldberg’s book ‘Raised by Wolves’. His book was all about the homeless children fending for themselves in Los Angeles and San Francisco. For 10 years Jim Goldberg took to the streets to meet and photograph homeless runaways and then a gather collection of photographs, snippets of conversation, handwritten notes, drawings, snapshots which then created the book ‘Raised by wolves’. Although my book has a very different aspect and meaning behind it I liked the realistic and real view Goldberg took on his book. I also liked the presentation of Goldberg’s book and how he used text to add context and bring the book to life.

Designing photobook

Here I am experimenting with my images to see how I want my final outcome to look and to experiment with different layout options. I experimented with full bleed, images on one side of the page , multiple images on one page. This helped me to gain more of an idea of how I wanted to present my final photobook as I got to see how different images work together and experiment with different juxtaposition’s.

I then had to come up with a title for my book which I took from a card within the photobook. I then changed the the style of the writing to suit my photobook more. I decided to use the font ‘Ink Free’. I also added my name onto the back of my book and changed the colour of my background to a light grey colour.

IDENTITY & COMMUNITY Newspaper

The images seen on the pages of this newspaper supplement are extracted from a variety of projects and final outcomes produced over a two-year academic programme of study by a group of A-Level photography students at Hautlieu School. In their final year the themes of Identity and Community offered a specific focus and through a series of creative challenges students developed a body of work that were inspired, partly from visiting heritage institutions to learn about aspects of Jersey’s unique history of immigration and exploring migrant communities and neighbourhoods in St Helier in a series of photo-walks. In the classroom additional inspiration was provided from workshops on NFTs (non-fungible token) and digital art, embroidery and textile art, animation and film-making, zine and photobook design led by professional artists, designers and teachers.

As part of the research and contextual studies students were asked to engage with some of the key questions raised by the Government of Jersey’s Island Identity project and explore through their own photographic studies how they interpret and identify distinctive qualities of island life. What can we learn from looking at a set of photographs produced by young islanders? At first sight they show us a seemingly random set of images of places, people and objects – some familiar, others surprising. On closer inspection each image is a visual sign and also a conundrum. For example, a fish stuffed in a plastic bottle may ask us to consider more closely our marine environment, commercial fishing or food consumption. As a combined sequence of images they represent different views that in many ways comment on a wider discussion on some of the primary objectives explored in the Island Identity project, such as ‘how we see ourselves’ and ‘how others see us.’

The newspaper was kindly sponsored by Deputy Carolyn Labey, Minister for International Development and Assistant Chief Minister who in her foreword shares her personal thoughts on what makes Jersey special to her in context of the Island Identity project led by her department. She says, ‘identity involves searching our soul, engaging with difficult issues, and asking not only who we are, but how others see us and what a vision for the future might look like. The perspective of students and young people in this debate is critical. Identity is a broad and far-reaching concept, one unique to all of us. This collection of images recognises both our differences and our commonalties. These times may be uncertain, but in my view the topic – ‘what Jersey means to you’ – is a fundamentally optimistic and forward-looking one.’

The Identity and Community newspaper is the fourth supplement produced in collaboration between Hautlieu School Photography Department and Jersey Evening Post. In 2018 the first issue was The Future of St Helier and last year the themes of Love & Rebellion explored experiences of isolation and lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. Photographer and teacher Martin Toft, comments: ‘The question of ‘what makes Jersey special’ matters a great deal to every islander and as visual signs, the images printed on these pages are an attempt – not so much to provide answers – but rather asking questions about the essence of this island we call home, and how it actively will overcome current challenges in shaping a prosperous future for all.’

The image on the left is my image in the newspaper.

Evaluation

All the images above are extracted from 2 years of work from various different projects and students within our A level photography course.
I enjoyed creating the newspaper as I feel it was a good way for me to reflect on all my work from all my projects since the beginning of Year 12. It was a completely new form of presentation compared to how I normally present my work. I felt the newspaper allowed us as a class to show the public all the different topics we have worked on and create a newspaper on all different topics and tie it all together under the topic of ‘Identity and Community’. Creating the newspaper allowed all the photography students to represent their strengths within photography. I used my images from Year 12 as I felt they best fit into the ‘Identity and community’ theme of the newspaper. I chose an image from my zine project when we explored the different cultures within Jersey and photographing different heavily cultured areas to show all the identities lying within Jersey. I liked my image as in the windows where flags representing different cultures with a clothing shop underneath. I am very happy with the final outcome of the newspaper and feel it represents all of our projects well.

EVALUATION-

Overall, I really enjoyed being part of the newspaper as I thought it was a great way to show all of our progress from year 12 up till now. It showed the variety of different outcomes we came up with throughout many of our different personal photoshoots. Putting all of our best images together was a good idea as everyone would be able to see the different topics and ideas we have worked on in the past 2 years. I used most of my images from year 12 as I had the most opportunities to go out in that year and take different photoshoots as well as some challenging ones as taking candid street photography and of people in their work environment. I think that displaying our work all together is a clever way and we were able to summarise our two years of taking photographs into one place.

IDENTITY & COMMUNITY Newspaper

The images seen on the pages of this newspaper supplement are extracted from a variety of projects and final outcomes produced over a two-year academic programme of study by a group of A-Level photography students at Hautlieu School. In their final year the themes of Identity and Community offered a specific focus and through a series of creative challenges students developed a body of work that were inspired, partly from visiting heritage institutions to learn about aspects of Jersey’s unique history of immigration and exploring migrant communities and neighbourhoods in St Helier in a series of photo-walks. In the classroom additional inspiration was provided from workshops on NFTs (non-fungible token) and digital art, embroidery and textile art, animation and film-making, zine and photobook design led by professional artists, designers and teachers.

As part of the research and contextual studies students were asked to engage with some of the key questions raised by the Government of Jersey’s Island Identity project and explore through their own photographic studies how they interpret and identify distinctive qualities of island life. What can we learn from looking at a set of photographs produced by young islanders? At first sight they show us a seemingly random set of images of places, people and objects – some familiar, others surprising. On closer inspection each image is a visual sign and also a conundrum. For example, a fish stuffed in a plastic bottle may ask us to consider more closely our marine environment, commercial fishing or food consumption. As a combined sequence of images they represent different views that in many ways comment on a wider discussion on some of the primary objectives explored in the Island Identity project, such as ‘how we see ourselves’ and ‘how others see us.’

The newspaper was kindly sponsored by Deputy Carolyn Labey, Minister for International Development and Assistant Chief Minister who in her foreword shares her personal thoughts on what makes Jersey special to her in context of the Island Identity project led by her department. She says, ‘identity involves searching our soul, engaging with difficult issues, and asking not only who we are, but how others see us and what a vision for the future might look like. The perspective of students and young people in this debate is critical. Identity is a broad and far-reaching concept, one unique to all of us. This collection of images recognises both our differences and our commonalties. These times may be uncertain, but in my view the topic – ‘what Jersey means to you’ – is a fundamentally optimistic and forward-looking one.’

The Identity and Community newspaper is the fourth supplement produced in collaboration between Hautlieu School Photography Department and Jersey Evening Post. In 2018 the first issue was The Future of St Helier and last year the themes of Love & Rebellion explored experiences of isolation and lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. Photographer and teacher Martin Toft, comments: ‘The question of ‘what makes Jersey special’ matters a great deal to every islander and as visual signs, the images printed on these pages are an attempt – not so much to provide answers – but rather asking questions about the essence of this island we call home, and how it actively will overcome current challenges in shaping a prosperous future for all.’

Once I had my final prints back I wanted to make sure I display them in a good and clear way. I started off with picking out my background and I wanted to display them on one big white backdrop foam. However as I had a few images I needed to glue two foams together to make one massive one

I started off with arranging my images in different ways and making sure I select the right images, this made me not use two of my small images as they didnt look presentable and didnt go together

I then decided to use 3 strips of background and glued them onto the back of my backdrop as i had to join two big pieces of foam together, doing it this way would secure them together.

I then started to play around with my images again and tried to find the correct order. I started off with using small images in the centre but I realised I didn’t like it that way and it left too many gaps on the outside. I then placed by largest images on the centre and immediately realised I preferred it that way as it drew your eye onto the large images and then the small a2 ones around the outside, this created a nice contrast between the colour and black and white images.

Once I was happy with my images I decided to spray glue them and stick them onto the foam. I was very happy with my final displayed outcome as I fit my images onto one massive foam and it showed all the different aspects of my work.

IDENTITY & COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

The images seen on the pages of this newspaper supplement are extracted from a variety of projects and final outcomes produced over a two-year academic programme of study by a group of A-Level photography students at Hautlieu School. In their final year the themes of Identity and Community offered a specific focus and through a series of creative challenges students developed a body of work that were inspired, partly from visiting heritage institutions to learn about aspects of Jersey’s unique history of immigration and exploring migrant communities and neighbourhoods in St Helier in a series of photo-walks. In the classroom additional inspiration was provided from workshops on NFTs (non-fungible token) and digital art, embroidery and textile art, animation and film-making, zine and photobook design led by professional artists, designers and teachers.

As part of the research and contextual studies students were asked to engage with some of the key questions raised by the Government of Jersey’s Island Identity project and explore through their own photographic studies how they interpret and identify distinctive qualities of island life. What can we learn from looking at a set of photographs produced by young islanders? At first sight they show us a seemingly random set of images of places, people and objects – some familiar, others surprising. On closer inspection each image is a visual sign and also a conundrum. For example, a fish stuffed in a plastic bottle may ask us to consider more closely our marine environment, commercial fishing or food consumption. As a combined sequence of images they represent different views that in many ways comment on a wider discussion on some of the primary objectives explored in the Island Identity project, such as ‘how we see ourselves’ and ‘how others see us.’

The newspaper was kindly sponsored by Deputy Carolyn Labey, Minister for International Development and Assistant Chief Minister who in her foreword shares her personal thoughts on what makes Jersey special to her in context of the Island Identity project led by her department. She says, ‘identity involves searching our soul, engaging with difficult issues, and asking not only who we are, but how others see us and what a vision for the future might look like. The perspective of students and young people in this debate is critical. Identity is a broad and far-reaching concept, one unique to all of us. This collection of images recognises both our differences and our commonalties. These times may be uncertain, but in my view the topic – ‘what Jersey means to you’ – is a fundamentally optimistic and forward-looking one.’

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The Identity and Community newspaper is the fourth supplement produced in collaboration between Hautlieu School Photography Department and Jersey Evening Post. In 2018 the first issue was The Future of St Helier and last year the themes of Love & Rebellion explored experiences of isolation and lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. Photographer and teacher Martin Toft, comments: ‘The question of ‘what makes Jersey special’ matters a great deal to every islander and as visual signs, the images printed on these pages are an attempt – not so much to provide answers – but rather asking questions about the essence of this island we call home, and how it actively will overcome current challenges in shaping a prosperous future for all.’

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NEWSPAPER EVALUATION

I enjoyed being part of a group when working on the Island Identity and Community project, because there was a variety of different ideas and perspectives, as well as creative processes. Additionally, all the members of the group shared the workload, which made the whole experience more enjoyable and less stressful. My contribution to this project was the portrait above. I captured this image in Year 12, during our studio portraits and headshots topic. I think that this portrait encapsulates the theme of identity more than community. This is because the image could be interpreted as a person hiding their identity (the shadows on the side of the person’s face) due to things such as fear or shame. Overall I am very happy that I was a part of this project, and how the final version turned out.

For our final project of the whole photography A – level all students put together a newspaper based on the theme of ‘Identity and community’. There was a mixture of old and new images from every project.

When creating and designing the newspaper I made multiple My aim was to experiment with different sizes, styles and themes. The task was to create different pages with various different layouts.

Process

To insert my images I had to create a box using the rectangle frame tool, I made the box the size I wanted my image to be.

Then I began editing my images to suit the themes and colours I was aiming for. I adjusted the brightness, contrast and exposure of all the images and cropped and rotated them when I needed to.

Sequence

I began experimenting with the different layouts.

Juxtapositions

Full bleed

Montage

Gallery view

I decided to have a gallery where it is split into two rooms because of the different images. In the first room there are landscape images which are more about the environment and includes images from the landscape and Anthropocene project. In the second room the images are more focused on the topic of people and these are from the identity project where I focused on the theme of family.

Individual Images