Animation is a technique during which pictures are manipulated to look as moving pictures. In ancient animation, pictures were drawn or hand-painted on clear celluloid sheets to be photographed and shown on film. Today, most animations are created with Computer-generated images (CGI).
Fewocious
Fewocious is an NFT artists. He specialises in drawing his own story and life experiences. He states that this new era has opened a lot of doors for young people to be able to be creative in their own way and get recognition.
His new series series of NFT woks, paintings and ephemera have gone on sale in June to witch he says he feels like his in a “dream or something”
Known as one amongst the world’ greatest digital artists, the 18-year-old has staged many winning solo releases, additionally as 2 ground-breaking collaborations within the NFT area – with digital fashion whole RTFKT Studios and its collaborators Odius, Parrot_ism and Jonathan Wolfe – resulting in sales in the millions. His latest project, Hello, i’m Victor (FEWOCiOUS) and this is My Life, offers 5 distinctive works that detail his adolescent journey so far, growing up as a transgender man in an abusive family. on sale at Christie’ from June 25.
In order to create my photobook I went to Adobe Lightroom and went to my catalogue and pressed the book feature:
In there I was able to see and further develop my images as well as figure out a narrative for the book:
As we can see above, once you press the Book method in Lightroom it takes you to this screen where you can drag and drop the photos from the bottom in to the book.
While figuring out a narrative which talks about my personal life, relationship experiences as well as addiction and religion, I did find it quite difficult as I thought, “How will I mix all these 4 themes in to one photobook without it looking disorganised?” However, as I started experimententing I started to figure out the narrative as we can see below:
Here we can clearly see how the book starts with what appears to be a happy couple; portrays them as really happy and having fun, then there’s a break where I’m thinking of adding my first essay.
The book then goes to show the couple on dates with messages from a gay dating application called Grindr. The messages reveal a kind of example of the type of messages I get daily. I have ordered them along with the couple on dates images in an attempt to show how people always get in the way of some relationships which is clearly shown from the oxymoron of the two images. This can be clearly seen in the following:
Here we can powerfully see a happy couple on one side and the other side a text message from a Grindr guy trying to make me feel or look bad. This oxymoron may make the viewer feel like there are some issues in the relationship which indeed is true.
However, I soon found out that the Grindr texts were a bit too colourful and ruined the aesthetic of the photobook.
So, to combat this issue, I followed Broomberg & Chanarin’s inspiration with the Holy Bible and created something similar; overlayed the text messages over the bible texts. For example:
We can clearly see the correlation between Broomberg & Chanarin’s Holy Bible project since they overlapped photos over Bible texts and I over lapped text messages over the passages which creates a sort of controversy since the passages talk against homosexuality and the messages reveal a few of my same sex experiences.
Contact sheets and experimentations
During my experimentation with these images I attempted to not only show a same sex couple having fun with each other while attempting to portray this relationship as some sort of dream. This was powerfully achieved through the use of blur and gloss on some images. This is clearly shown in the following:
My idea with the blur and gloss was to get the reader to feel or see a sort of fantasy or dream; something that is not quite real. This idea originated from the song lyrics, “painted a picture, I thought I knew you well. I got a habit, of seeing what isn’t there. Caught in the moment, tangled up in your sheets. When you broke my heart I said you only wanted half of me. My imagination is too creative, they see Cain and I see Abel…” (In my head, Ariana Grande). What these song lyrics mean to me is basically, for me it talks about having a habit of seeing, creating and falling “in love with the version of a person that you’ve created in your head, that you are trying to but cannot fix…” Therefore, this is what I attempted to achieve with the glossy/blurry images.
On the other hand, with the hi-res images I attempted to portray a feeling of reality because the experiences were real and true. This creates an oxymoron which successfully shows how relationships can be beautiful but negative events happen all the time meaning this “love” becomes nothing but a memory.
Sequencing
I have chosen these to be my back and front cover. The Front cover image has my model looking straight at the reader which could be interpreted as the reader diving into this same sex relationship since there’s a saying that “the eyes are the window to the soul.”
The back cover portrays the couple cuddling / comforting one another which makes sense after the reader has been through the whole book.
The book then goes to show the couple having cute intimate moments which makes the reader feel like they are diving into their story which is exactly the aim.
The black and white images with high contrast are there to show how there are negative moments even during intimate moments.
The colourful images however mimic the happiness in relationships.
Similarly, I attempted to create the same effects as shown above but included extracts from both the bible and text messages/experiences I’ve had with guys to attempt and tell my own story.
I went onto Artsteps to design my final gallery display of my images. I wanted to do a walk in gallery.
I selected my template and began to import my images and displaying them onto the walls.
Once I placed the images I wanted on the walls I could walk around the gallery and see all my photos.
I did a walk in gallery instead of just placing them all on on wall as I wanted it to seem more real and included my top picks.
I then started to think about how I would like my final prints to look like once I frame them so I decided to go on photoshop and create a small design for them. I used my favourite images from my photobook.
I want my images to be presented on a black canvas or paper and here is the layout I would like to have them in;
Overall, I think I presented my ideas and topic very well through using many editing processes to achieve my final outcome and showing mental health through photographs.
Here are some images of how my final photobook design turned out to look like;
I used about 2-3 different template designs and tried to keep them consistent throughout my book and change the order of them around to create a good contrast of layouts going in my book. I mostly stuck with using full bleed spreads, photo being in the centre or photo being slightly to the right of the double page. As well as changing the layouts I also changed the page colour to black on some images that I thought the image would contrast well with if being placed onto a black page. I did this to show how some days can be better or worse with using coloured pages and the colour black is there to represent sadness and a dark atmosphere.
I kept changing my images around to avoid having the same ones on the same pages or on the next spread. I used photos I thought either went really well together or images that contrast with each other to create juxtaposition in my book. However I did repeat some of my images to create the illusion of how everyday can feel the same when struggling with your mental state as you do the same things everyday just experience different emotions
Comparing my work to my chosen photographers;
Overall, I achieved my first photo shoot by taking inspiration from Edward. It gave me ideas on how to edit my images and edit them in a way that presents my topic – mental health. It allowed me to use the blur tool as well as the wrap tool and select certain features such as the face to crop it out or blur it out. I was inspired by the photos of looking at yourself into the mirror as I think it shows how you’re looking at your own reflection and you dont even know who you are anymore as well as there being two sides of you- one looking into the mirror and the blurry reflection of yourself.
Here are some examples of my images that I took being inspired by Edward.
I tried to keep the overall images simple and natural as I wanted to create an everyday life effect apart from the studio photos. I got my model to face a mirror and then lay on her bed and face a mirror as well. I though that these images would be perfect for my topic as I can work with them and edit with them. I also got my model to sit on chairs and stairs to create everyday natural settings. I also edited most of these images in black and white to create a sad atmosphere and show the mood of the images.
The other photographer that inspired me with my photo shoot and editing process was Isaak. I was very intrigued by his editing style and when you read more about his work you realise how his story matches his images and how he presents his experience with mental health through photography. This helped me to understand how you can show mental health in a visual way and inspired me for my second and third photoshoot. He created individual silhouettes and shadows to represent himself and his mental state through loneliness and using cold colours such as blue which creates a sad atmosphere. This helped me to use many photoshop tools and transform my images and creating a different meaning which presented my topic very clearly.
my photos;
I also decided that I wanted to add my essay onto the end of my photobook as I think my essay links really closely into my photobook and explains a lot about the topic I chose to portray- mental health.
I then realised that it would be better to have my essay in columns instead of a big text as it looked more clear and was easier to read , I also included the images that I used in my essay to give some examples of the work I was looking at and my photographers work examples.
The last thing I did was adding a front and back cover, I wanted it to be all black like I have planned from the beginning as my topic is quite dark and serious I wanted my book to look the theme. I then thought of a title and named it “mind.” as mental issues happen inside someone’s mind and its about what goes inside everyone’s head.
Evaluation- overall, I think I presented my topic very clearly in my photobook and achieved the final outcome that I wanted. I used a mix of simple portrait photos as well as many editing processes such as blurring, selection tool, cutting out images and filling them in as well as the quick selection tool. All of this helped me to present mental health visually which I took inspiration from my two chosen photographers. As Edward focuses on simple , black&white ,self portraits and blurring out his face, whereas Isaak uses editing software’s and creates an abstract representation of mental health.
For my first photoshoot in my photobook project, I took photographs of old baby and childhood images of myself from my family albums. I also took photographs of some childhood objects, including my hospital and Christening bracelets, and my first stuffed animal. Additionally, I chose some objects from later on in my life, such as an 18th birthday card I received from a friend, and an 18th birthday badge. I decided to include these images and objects as a way to show my transition from baby, to child, to adult, and to add another interesting layer to my photobook by combining old images with new ones, which I think will be more engaging for the reader.
PROCESS
To start my shoot, I set up a tripod attached with two lights on either side on a table so that the lighting would be clear and even. I then placed a plain piece of white paper underneath where the camera would sit so that the background of my images would be clean and bright. I then attached my camera to the tripod with the lens facing downwards, and placed each of my physical photographs onto the paper and captured them accordingly. I made sure that the photographs were positioned as straight as possible to save myself further editing later in the process. I also took care to ensure that the two lights on either side of my camera did not reflect on the glossy surface of the photographs, as this would ruin the effect. Additionally, I also tried to eliminate any shadows that the photographs made on the paper. I then imported all my images onto my computer and into Lightroom, where I began to edit and adjust them as needed.
After I had imported all of my new images into Lightroom, I made a new collection called ‘Photobook’, with another collection set inside which I called ‘Shoot 1’, which I imported all of my images into. Usually after this I would go through a selection process, however since I only had a few images and I was happy with them all, I decided to keep them all.
When editing my photographs, I mainly adjusted the exposure and contrast in order to make my images appear older than they actually are, as a way to further emphasise my transition through the different stages of life. By increasing the contrast, I could also add more colour and life to the more worn images, so that the detail within them could still be seen. Additionally, the old look of these photographs would juxtapose the new images, which would be bright and full of bold colours, adding another interesting visual layer to my photobook
SHOOT 2
For my second photoshoot in my photobook, I aimed to capture as many candid and staged photographs of me and my friends when we were all together. I found that the best times to do this was on special occasions, such as friend’s birthdays or parties, or when we were all on nights out together. I tried to incorporate as much colour and life as possible, which would later juxtapose the old, much more muted feel of my baby pictures. I also aimed to keep the images as unfiltered as possible, as a way of allowing my audience to gain a real and raw insight into our lives.
I imported all of my images into Lightroom into a folder I titled ‘Photobook’. I then began the selection process, whereby I filtered out any repetitive images, images of poor quality, or images which I thought didn’t fit in with the rest. By the end of the selection process, I was left with around 60 of my best photographs.
When editing my photographs, I aimed to emphasise all the bright colours already present, so as to make the images full of fun and life, in order to reflect how we were feeling. Additionally, I wanted to create a contrast to my baby photos, which I edited to appear older and more worn out. To do this, I mainly adjusted the vibrance, saturation, and contrast. For the most part I left the contrast the same way it was, as the images were already bright to begin with. I continued to adjust the different settings and features until I had a result that I was happy with for all of my images.
PHOTOBOOK
In order to begin the process of creating my photobook, the first thing I had to do was to decide to do either a portrait book or a landscape one. I decided to work with a standard portrait orientation, as most of the images I chose to include were portraits, and with the landscape photographs I could easily place them in the centre of the page without the book looking too messy or too disorganised.
I then experimented with different types of layouts for my photobook, such as full bleed pages and double page spreads. I wanted to incorporate a range of different photograph sizes and layouts in order to keep my photobook interesting and engaging for the reader.
For the cover of my photobook, I decided to use two juxtaposing images; one of me when I was younger on the front cover, and then another of me when I was older for the back cover. I then had to decide on a title for my photobook. I wanted to use a title that would tell the readers what the book is about, but at the same time without being too explicit. I eventually settled on ‘growing pains‘. I chose to keep the title in all lower case letters as I think that it looks more aesthetically pleasing and it also references the younger versions of myself present in the book. In addition, most people my age now prefer to type this way on their phones and laptops, which again references another version of me in the book. I experimented with different text sizes and fonts until I found one that I was happy with; I chose to use the font ‘Javanese Text‘ throughout my photobook.
Towards the end of my design process, I also decided to add small captions underneath each of my images in order to help the reader understand more clearly what is happening in each photograph. I think that it adds another interesting layer to my photobook, making it appear more like a personal album rather than a photobook.
On the side of out Identity and Community project, we have been given the opportunity to submit our work to be printed and presented in the JEP. In preparation for this, we have been asked to gather our strongest pieces from year 13 and present them in different ways: a full bleed, a collage/montage, a sequence and a juxtaposition spread.
Collage
For my collage piece, I have decided to input my collage that i made during the NFT project, this was made by hand using printed images and a canvas sheet displaying same sex models , however due to the paper material, I don’t think that the quality of the print will be suitable for the newspaper.
Sequence
These photos surrounding the middle image consists of close up images of the same models arms. This is my sequence spread as all the images have a common theme. I feel like this spread is the only one out of my project that can work as a sequence due to all the tattoos being so diverse and personalised to each individual.
Full bleed
I chose this image as a potential full bleed as this is my favourite photo aesthetics wise, this image shows a symmetric full chest and neck tattoo. This photo is what I used for my front and back covers as the image wrap will be perfectly symmetrical with the eye in the middle, on the spine of the book.
My next full bleed is a coloured image showing a variety of tattoos, with the main piece being the roman philosopher, Marcus Aurelius. I found the same broken statue as the tattoo and decided to line it up, showing the tattoo and statue together.
Juxtaposition
Here we can we can see two photos both displaying hands, however bring different essences to the photobook. the photo on the left shows an open hand with a tattoo of a day of the dead skull, this give the image a powerful and imitating demeanour. This is strange to see that an open hand gives this feel when you see more intimidating images, they include closed hand. However, the closed hand on the right has a sense of delicacy and remembrance, supported by the background writing.
In what way have Robert Darch and Josef Sudek used their photography as a form of therapy?
“Photographs, which cannot themselves explain anything, are inexhaustible invitations to deduction, speculation, and fantasy.” – Susan Sontag, On Photography, 1977.
The concept of escapism; the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, running away to a world where sorrows are only distant memories. Photographers Robert Darch and Josef Sudek explore this idea within their work, questioning how they can use photography as a form of therapy to convey their mental/physical illness through still-lives and landscapes. The use of photo therapy has grown substantially in recent years, pioneers of the style Rosy Martin and Jo Spence have worked together since 1984 exploring its concepts and benefits. In ‘The Photography Reader; Liz Wells’, a collection of essays from Martin and Spence describe how “out of the myriad fragments thus mirrored to us, first unconsciously as babies, then as we are growing into language and culture, aspects of our identities are constructed.” They use photo therapy as a method of coming to terms with and accepting themselves, in their essay ‘Psychic Realism as a Healing Art?’ it is stated that “what photo therapy engages with is primarily the ‘needy child’ within all of us that still needs to be seen and heard. The therapist has to become the advocate of this ‘child’ and to encourage her to recreate and witness her own history, to feel safe enough to protest, and then learn to become her own inner nurturer.”
In my personal investigation I aim to use photography as a medium to explore how I have coped with anxiety throughout my life, focusing on the idea of finding safety and comfort in certain places around my home, family member’s homes and areas around the island that have always made me feel calm. The whole concept of anxiety has been quite normalised in today’s society, having both positive and negative effects, as some feel less alone while others feel less seen. Highlighting this topic, by studying the positive areas of life where I have felt most safe, is very important to me; what matters to me most is creating a truthful display on a personal topic. Analysing the work of Robert Darch and Josef Sudek reveals the methods of photo therapy that I wish to reflect, juxtaposing images of flowers cut down from their mother plant (adapting to their environment in vases), with pictorialism inspired natural landscapes. These photographers have the ability to convey deeper meanings, ambiguous stories and ideas in their work; locations and places that tell the stories of their lives, Darch especially revealing his pain and want for an escape. One must consider the subject’s relationship with themself, for instance the links between past and present, and how locations shape a person’s true self, exploring photography as a means of healing.
How can a Pictorialist style demonstrate an atmosphere of nostalgia and comfort? Aspects of the Pictorialism movement have been reflected in several photographic works long after the movement ‘ended’, nevertheless have morphed and adapted to fit our changing times. During the 1880’s, when Pictorialism first begun, it was a reaction against mechanization and industrialization, dismayed at increasing industrial exploitation of photography through commercialisation. Writer and lecturer Stephen Bull describes Pictorialism as “the imitation of painting in an attempt to raise photography up to the same status as art that characterises the Pictorialist movement”. Photographs resembled paintings, being manipulated in the dark room by scratching and marking their prints to imitate the texture of a canvas – photographers used a soft focus to capture landscapes and portraits by smearing Vaseline onto their camera lens. This method allowed for the creation of dream-like artwork on spiritual subject matters, taking inspiration from Allegorical paintings which personified envy, love and glory. It was a means of exploring the unreal, the weird and the mystical – though photo therapy was not a concept during the time, there are links to its ability of escaping the banal of everyday life into another world. In her 1977 collection of essays ‘On Photography’, Susan Sontag describes how “photographs are a way of imprisoning reality…One can’t possess reality; one can possess images–one can’t possess the present, but one can possess the past.” I believe this can relate strongly to the values of Pictorialism, reality is presented in a fanciful style, ‘imprisoning reality’ that has been manipulated into fantasy which results in possession of an altered reality. One may question whether Pictorialism can even be considered as reality at all?
A.L. Coburn, Fifth Avenue from the St Regis | Morning 1908 by Clarence H White | Mary Warner à contre-jour, 1908 – Heinrich Kuhn
Photography can be a freeing medium, much like painting in the way it can cleanse the soul of creative ideas that need to be reflected on paper. The extent of the freedom of the camera all depends on what the photographer wishes to reveal; they have the ability to hide certain truths, or in contrast have complete unfiltered honesty. British photographer Robert Darch explores how to reveal the truths of his past through landscape photography. Darch’s website states “his practice is motivated by the experience of place, in which the physical geography and material cultures of places merge with impressions from contemporary culture that equally influence perception. From these varied sources, both real and imagined, he constructs narratives that help contextualise a personal response to place.” When Darch was just 22 years old he suffered from a minor stroke which has had an impact on his life ever since. Completing his Photographic Arts degree at the time, he had to continue his studies from home when his health did not improve – his home was as much a prison as a safe space. Darch viewed his illness as a space, a location he could not escape physically; so, he had to do so mentally. In 2020, Robert Darch published his second photobook which he titled ‘Vale’ – a name with many meanings such as letting go, or even a hidden valley tucked away in the mountains. Ambiguity is something that first drew me to Darch’s work, his ability to capture the most idyllic ethereal landscapes but make them appear almost eerie in their solitude makes observers question whether this world is real. Are these areas from Darch’s childhood that we are getting a glimpse of all they seem to be? Do these locations hold more hurt than hope, always being there for Darch through such a low point in his life? An extract from ‘The Vale of Despond’, by Curator Dan Cox, reads “The fictional worlds into which Darch escaped, exhibited characteristics which were at once benign and threatening…Vale is a result of this percolation and loss. It is the fictional space where Darch can relive and re-imagine a lost period in his life, journeys with friends both through physical spaces and through time.” What Darch is able to encapsulate is a feeling of dream-like nostalgia, his work in ‘Vale’ is persuasive and welcoming but as the book goes on, the flickers of discomfort creep in.
In regard to photo therapy, Darch’s use of photography to escape from the harsh reality of his past allows him to heal from it, seeing it in a different perspective to truly understand his feelings and emotions. I want to use this idea of ‘photographic healing’ to reflect on my experience of anxiety, documenting the locations where I feel safe and secure within myself to understand how they’ve shaped my personality and life. Darch’s use of light in his ‘Vale’ work conveys a sense of optimism, like the sun beams are rays of joy or hope; artificial light can only be seen in the last few images in his photobook, perhaps hinting towards closing this fake reality. Natural landscapes are dream-like in Darch’s photographic eyes, soft focus and light tones compliment the misty woodlands and sunlight reflects off ponds and lakes to create a world of picturesque fantasy. Pain and suffering are escaped from; the warm hues that cover each image fill the landscapes with comfort and peace, Darch’s use of colour (bold oranges, yellows and greens) reveals his desire for security and safety within this rural atmosphere. A quote from Darch, in an interview with FotoRoom, reads “the warmth of the summer is tempered by an internal melancholy of loss, and the poetic narrative is in direct response to the emotions, feelings and thoughts cultivated during the period of isolation I experienced.” The confessional tone and atmosphere created in ‘Vale’ was therapeutic to Darch, he was able to physically show other people this world of fantasy that he would escape to – what once was his secret, could now be seen by the rest of the world; honesty and truth revealed. As I responded to Darch’s work, I wanted to convey the same sense of intimacy and imagination. Taking inspiration from Pictorialism, my aim was to create similar sepia blurred landscapes using Vaseline to create the iconic dream-like mood – however, I had the idea to steam up my camera lens with my breath, as if physically breathing life into my personal story. Using this technique allowed me to form deeper connections with my work, it was remedial to physically create this escapism that my youthful anxiety craved.
Robert Darch, Vale (2020)
Why do some photographers focus their energy and photographic art on one specific location? Perhaps it holds a happy memory, or maybe it is the only place they can get inspired, whatever the reason; it’s therapeutic. Concentrating on one singular place, similar to Josef Sudek’s work ‘The Window of my Studio’, allows the photographer to experiment with changing what they can see, healing can come from changing your perspective on the truth. Czech photographer Josef Sudek is well-known for his still-life photography, he captures orchestrated scenes of flowers, vases and abstract objects on the windowsill of his studio in Prague. Sudek’s images are mysterious and eerie, they hold an atmosphere of loss, but at the same time show hint towards hope for a brighter future. Looking into Sudek’s past it is clear that this photographic style was healing, he served in the Austro-Hungarian Army during the First World War, when he was wounded and subsequently lost his right arm to amputation. After this sudden change to how he lived his life every day, Sudek turned to Photography and became a member of the Prague Club for Amateur Photographers from 1920-24, nevertheless he struggled with feeling isolated form the rest of the world. Russell Lord, from the New Orleans Museaum of Art, described Sudek as follows; “for Sudek, who grew increasingly reclusive over the decades, his studio, the window, and the small garden beyond became an important sanctuary, and a way to express his own tentative relationship with the external world. Sometimes perfectly transparent, sometimes coated with frost or water droplets, the glass window both frames the outside world and serves as a barrier from it.” Seclusion: Sudek struggled with this most, ‘The Window of my Studio’ served as a retreat from the judgement and staring eyes of 20th century society, he created a series of images from the only place he felt safe and at one with himself. Though at the time Sudek may not have intended on creating imagery holding themes of anxiety, I can recognise similarities to the feeling of loneliness and uncertainty as if his window is his foggy, misconstrued version of the outside world.
Susan Sontag describes how “photographed images do not seem to be statements about the world so much as pieces of it, miniatures of reality that anyone can make or acquire” – to me, Sudek’s photography reveals his small corner of the world, his small corner of reality. It is clear that throughout Sudek’s work there has been a strong influence from Pictorialism, his work holds the same dream-like, soft atmospheres that many other Pictorialist photographers captured, for example the work of Alfred Stieglitz and his study of clouds in ‘Equivalents’. Sudek’s use of windows, documenting overcast murky days through frosted glass, additionally adds to his Pictorialist style – his use of light and aperture settings creates this soft blur around his flower subjects, almost replicating that of an oil painting. As Sudek was creating and photographing during the change of an art movement from Pictorialism to Modernism throughout the 1930’s and 1940’s, his work holds an almost vintage feel when compared to those being created during the same time period. Delicacy contrasted with harsh shadows is an element of Sudek’s work that beguiles the observer, is it an image of hope or a reminder of tragedy? Are we meant to focus on the survival of nature in an unnatural environment, or the looming enigma behind the glass? Twisted shadows of trees, the misty soft texture, repetitive streams of rain drops; it’s the creation of the fantasy world where Sudek wished to escape from. We can look through, but also look beyond his subject – the negative space that surrounds each flower could be symbolic of Sudek’s past woes and struggles – each element is subjective. My response to Sudek’s work has been very experimentational, I wanted to take a similar abstract approach using a large aperture setting to create a high depth of field however still breathing onto the lens to create a mystical Pictorialist quality. Furthermore, I wanted to take advantage of the natural light source which formed many golden highlights over my images, taking a colourful but gentle palette instead of monochromatic allowed me to explore how colour affected the mood of my images. The fanciful escapist themes that I wanted to present were emphasised by such pastel warm colours, Sudek’s work provided the concept of how one can explore serenity juxtaposed with confinement.
Josef Sudek, The Window of my Studio (1940’s)
We are led to believe that imagery can bear witness to reality, sometimes that reality is twisted and manipulated, forming what could be seen as an entirely different world; yet who’s to say this is a bad thing? Both photographers have gone through difficult points in their lives, with Darch suffering from a stroke at a young age and Sudek losing his arm during the war. Creating these fantasy realities has helped them to escape, to heal and to learn. In respect to my Personal Investigation, both artists have used photography as a method of escapism from an illness/disorder that had impaired them throughout their life – I have explored how elements of their images may have deeper meanings in regards to symbolism of weakness or hope. Although Sudek’s images are not known to have been made with his impairment in mind, I can still recognise themes of optimism in a time of isolation through his project; as if the flowers are symbols of life continuing, adapting in a new environment – they are still able to survive in a singular glass of water. Nevertheless, Darch’s work noticeably conveys a sense of escaping from reality through vibrant colours, dream-like compositions and golden hues that relay this idea of ‘the light at the end of the tunnel’. Though Darch reflects his sickness throughout his project, it is done subtly, with Darch himself stating “during the illness I no longer wanted to turn the camera inwards, to linger on the reality of my situation, preferring to lose myself in fictional constructs of the mind”. This fictionality in his work is honest and raw, giving the observer a glimpse into his own imaginative mind. In my own work I wanted to use locations from my past as a catalyst for a tribute to my childhood escapes, the worlds I would create to get away from anxious thoughts and feelings. Nevertheless, to interject moments of reflection and calmness, I wanted to use Sudek inspired imagery of flowers, some wilted, others blooming wilding – all to relay the concept of hope, of carrying on and taking a moment to revaluate my perspective. In her essay ‘Frames of Mind; Photography, Memory and Identity’, Patricia Marcella Anwandter questions “what do we choose to remember and how do we reinforce it? Who are we in relationship to who we were?” – I have mimicked the work of Darch and Sudek’s photo therapy to answer and heal from these questions.
My Response:
Bibliography:
Wells, L. (ed), Martin, R & Spence, J (2003), The Photography Reader. London.Routledge; Taylor & Francis Ltd
Martin, R & Spence J. (1988), Psychic Realism as a Healing Art. London. Ten8, No 30 Spellbound
Bull, S. (2009), Photography. London: Routledge; Taylor & Francis Ltd
Sontag, S. (1977), ‘In Plato’s cave’ in On Photography. London: Penguin Books
Darch, R. (2020), Vale. Devon. LIDO Books
Cox, D. (2020), The Vale of Despond. London. LIDO Books
Marcella Anwandter, P. (2006), Frames of Mind; Photography, Memory and Identity. CUREJ: College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal, University of Pennsylvania.
How can reality be presented and altered through the medium of photography?
How can the concept of escapism be represented through the medium of photography?
In what way have Robert Darch and Josef Sudek explored the concept of escapism in their work/ photography?
In what way have Robert Darch and Josef Sudek used their photography as a form of therapy?
In what way have Robert Darch and Josef Sudek explored the concept of ‘the real world’ in their photography?
Essay Structure Plan:
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?
Discuss the concept of escapism, what does it mean to me/to the world?
Area of study = anxiety shaping identity, celebrating the locations I would escape to/the worlds I would create to feel safe and calm in etc.
Responding using still life and landscape photography.
Taking inspiration from Robert Darch and Josef Sudek – describe summary of their work.
Discuss Rosy Martin and Jo Spence ideas on Photo Therapy, use extracts from their essay ‘Psychic Realism as a Healing Art?’.
Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography, visual and popular culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian.
Add images from Pictorialism movement – A.L. Coburn, Fifth Avenue from the St Regis
Explore how Pictorialism has impacted my project, how I think it links to both Darch and Sudek’s work.
Historical facts and ideas on Pictorialism – what influenced it? What’s its main concepts/message? How are Pictorialist images created, discuss use of Vaseline/manipulation in dark room etc.
Themes of Pictorialism that I want to replicate, eg; dream-like atmosphere/fantasy, altering reality similar to how I would alter my reality to escape to different worlds, escaping anxious thoughts etc.
Bring in idea of Susan Sontag opinions of photography, use quotes from series of essays ‘On Photography’ .
Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
Add images from Robert Darch’s ‘Vale’ Photobook
Discuss freedom of photography, how photographers can show us what they want to show us.
Robert Darch information, who is he? What’s his backstory? Why did he inspire me?
Use quotes from his website/from essays written on his work, eg; Dan Cox.
Analyse why Darch takes the photos he takes, what do they mean to him? Explore how his work has deeper meanings to do with childhood and past memories.
Analyse Darch’s photography style, his compositions/tone/lighting/shadows etc – why do they matter?
What did I do to respond to Darch’s work, how did I use him as inspiration>
Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
Add images from Josef Sudek’s ‘The Window of my Studio’ series
Discuss use of location in photography, question the values of a place connecting to photographers memories or life story.
Introduce Josef Sudek, his series ‘The Window of my Studio’ – how does it relate to my project? What do I see when I analyse his work?
Give Sudek’s background, who is he/what did he do/what was he famous for?
Talk about how Sudek’s injury and amputation may have hindered his life both physically and mentally, perhaps photograph was his escape from the outside world.
Use quote from critics of Sudek eg; Russell Lord discussing how Sudek isolated himself from society and became completely interested in capturing scenes from his window.
Analyse what techniques he uses, his links to Pictorialism and use of soft focus.
How I respond with my project, what similar styles did I use etc?
Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
Display selection of both Darch and Sudek inspired images from myself
Conclude by comparing both photographers use of photography as a healing art, how do they do it? Why did they do it?
Draw points together by mentioning photographer’s pasts, and how this influenced their imagery.
Discuss how I have responded with my work, what techniques I used and what they all mean to me, use ideas from critics and photographers to discuss similarities between artists.
Historical factors and movements (Pictorialism) that have been inspirations throughout project.
Close with idea from Patricia Marcella Anwandter about how photography reflects memory, and is therefore healing to the photographer.
Bibliography: List all relevant sources used
List online websites
List essays I have read and quoted
Photobooks that inspired me throughout
Use Harvard System of Referencing to create bibliography
How to format references;
Photography book used = Zanele Muholi.
How to set out Bibliography –
Muholi, Z. (2020). Zanele Muholi, Tate. London: Tate Publishing.
In your text cite author’s surname, the year of publication and the page reference immediately after the quoted material e.g. Where a section of your main text directly quotes another source, or else uses ideas which have been drawn from another source, the end of that quote should have an entry like this …which is the point that Liz Wells’ makes when she says ‘one of the central principles of the documentary aesthetic was that a photograph should be untouched, so that its veracity, its genuineness, might be maintained’ (Wells 1998:40)
Themes and Ideas to Discuss:
Symbolism and metaphors
Windows = light, wellbeing, to grow, opening to another world
Mirrors = reflections of past, future etc
Comparison – Vale shows the idyllic escapism from anxiety, into different realities/worlds as one would in childhood imagination, whereas Sudek’s images, to me, represent the present hopes towards escaping – flowers and nature are cut down from their original source however they still thrive using a vase of water as a new way of living, its adapting to surroundings just like I have had to do when finding places to feel safe with anxiety.
Changes; possibly edit my Sudek inspired image in colour but softer vibrancy and clarity – inspiration from pictorialism – could mention in essay about the inspiration Sudek has taken from the pictorialism movement.
Quotes of Possible Use?
“It’s hyperreal and dreamlike,” Darch says. “I daydreamed a lot as a kid, I still do as an adult, and definitely in those years when I was isolated, I was inside, I was in my mind all the time.”
‘So successful has been the camera’s role in beautifying the world that photographs, rather than the world, have become the standard of the beautiful.’ Susan Sontag
“To suffer is one thing; another thing is living with the photographed images of suffering, which does not necessarily strengthen conscience and the ability to be compassionate. It can also corrupt them. Once one has seen such images, one has started down the road of seeing more – and more. Images transfix. Images anesthetize.” ― Susan Sontag, On Photography
“In the real world, something is happening and no one knows what is going to happen. In the image-world, it has happened, and it will forever happen in that way.” ― Susan Sontag, On Photography
“Photographs, which cannot themselves explain anything, are inexhaustible invitations to deduction, speculation, and fantasy.” ― Susan Sontag, On Photography
The magazine is called “More Than Two” because there is always more than two people in a situationship apparently.
Using Adobe Lightroom, I uploaded all of my final images from my folder and gave them colours to show which ones I think are best and which images aren’t as good. For example:
As you can obviously see I experimented with the images on different pages seeing which images work best together. I also adjusted the size of the photograph and experimented with making some images full bleed and white borders. What I gathered was having the Bible texts as a full bleed gives a Bible book feel as well as having the front and back cover full bleed looks more aesthetically pleasing. Also, having a full bleed bible passage with a white-bordered image looks better on my layout and perfectly shows the juxtaposition between the two.
I also experimented with the order of the pages to test which order portrayed my story best and found that it was best to start off the book with the bible quote which was constantly being repeated in my mind when I was with my second ex; “For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end, she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.” – Proverbs 5:3-4. This quote, to me, at the time, was like a warning, or a reminder that this guy, may be sweet but will soon become toxic which was indeed the case, sort of… We broke up because I wasn’t ready to take things deeper with him.
The book then proceeds to show same-sex partners getting intimate together, right at the start. This was actually done on purpose for if you know anything about Grindr and hookups, you get quite intimate scarily quickly.
Moving forward, we then have a landscape image to try and show the reader that this couple has been going on dates, getting to know each other, and acting like a couple. Also shown through the upcoming images. Some images are blurry on purpose; to give a sense of memory since in many cases, these cute moments end really quickly and you’re left with nothing but memories.
My book then goes on through a new twist; a bible passage. Ironically every bible passage within my book is the passages that talk about homosexuality, and in red are some of the gay stories and experiences that I had to go through. These texts are joined by some images to help the viewer better imagine these scenarios.
My plan for my photoshoots is to set up a black back screen I have in a separate, untouched room so I can leave the set up there to keep going back to with my models, this will improve the efficiency of the photoshoots as I won’t have to keep taking down and moving the equipment place to place. My aim is to use around 10 people within my project, this will give me a wider range regarding the styles of body art and also a wider range of meanings and reasonings. This may deeper my project.
To start my photobook process, I uploaded all my images into Lightroom to start my editing. I transferred them all to their own collection I labelled photobook.
I started off the editing process by going through and ‘flagging’ the clearest and cleanest photos of from the shoot. I chose the ones that I felt extenuate and display the tattoos firmly, presenting them clearly. `This will benefit the clarity of showing the images in a book as I have experiences in the past, photos look different when not on the computer screen and sometimes unseen shadows or distortments can arise. This process took a lot of time due to taking care for how to avoid those possibilities.
Experimenting
Instead of adjusting the photos through shifting exposure, shadows etc. , I wanted to experiment on more abstract ways to present my added materials in with my photos, cooperated and intertwined with the images. Testing in both black/white and colour to see which version of the image if more powerful.
The process of this image started by tracing the few words off of the note given to me on photoshop, then pasting the phase and positioning them until they covered the whole of the black background. Next, I cut out the image of the hand using the lasso tool so then the hand and arm were isolated from the background. Then pasted it into the words. Once I was happy with the final image, I flattened it, ready to be saved.
I feel that this image is very successful and the writing in the background brings a captivating power to the image. Showing the importance of the tattoo with the repetition of ‘memory’.
For these images, I decided to experiment with archive images I collected from the models and hand written notes about the meaning of the tattoos, layering them on top of each other. This benefits reducing the amount of materials I have to include in the photobook, allowing more negative space around the images. Although this method makes the archive images quite busy as there is a lot of information the image holds, the space will become useful to break up the page.
This collection shows my original images with external materials imprinted onto them.
One of the images shows the models shoulder with a lavender plant tattooed, this led me to layer an image of the plant on top to bring some bold, bright and happy colour to the image as the model said that lavender bring joyful memories of her childhood with her brother.
The next image was created through me not knowing whether I preferred the image in colour or black and white, so I decided to see what it would look like half and half. This version happened to become my favourite as it seems to present the present and the past through the colours. I see this in this edit as the tattoo is of Marcus Aurelius, whose philosophies are still used current day.
The final image I decided to take the album cover that the tattoo was influenced by and paste pieces of it on top of the image, however I feel that the image alone is stronger than the edit.
After my selection and editing process, I moved all the images I will be using in the photobook into separate subfolder to section them away from any unwanted images. I then started the book, moving the images around to fit the narrative.
