Overall, I believe that this project was successful. I enjoyed the process of staging and taking my photos and have learnt a lot along the way. I have found that I have become even more confident behind the camera and have a greater understanding of the selection process of making a book, and the amount of time it needs to design the layout of each page. One stage I particularly enjoyed was creating a narrative with all of my images and placing them near or next to correlating images which allows them to flow more easily. I think I have stuck to my artist references well and kept within the theme of nostalgia. Nostalgia is a very personal theme which can be interpreted in many different ways in which I decided to focus on femininity and youth culture and it is shown throughout the book.
I did struggle in light room slightly as my images were in folders instead of collections which didn’t allow me to produce my book in light room. However I managed to overcome this issue when designing my book by re-editing a selection of images within collections and moving some folders around.
1. Research a photo-book and describe the story it is communicating with reference to subject-matter, genre and approach to image-making.
The book I am deconstructing is ‘Girl Pictures’ by Justine Kurland which explores the subject of teenage run away delinquents. Throughout the book it captures moments of girls supporting other girls through times of difficulties, but also while enjoying some of the best moments of their life’s. The genre of this book is staged however has elements of documentary, this is due to Justine Kurland using real people from the surrounding areas of where the shoots are taken place however, due to the composition and set up of each image it makes this photo book be perceived more staged than documentary.
2. Who is the photographer? Why did he/she make it? (intentions/ reasons) Who is it for? (audience) How was it received? (any press, reviews, awards, legacy etc.)
Justine Kurland’s main inspiration was from her, at the time partners daughter which used to skip school creating a stronger bond with one and another due to the vast amount of time spent together and a TV show, which she then decided to focus on the ‘tales of teenage delinquency’ and glamorize it to go against a ‘male protagonist’
3. Deconstruct the narrative, concept and design of the book and apply theory above when considering:
In Lightroom, I went through each image and flagged the ones which I liked and want to edit, which filters them down and helps separate these images from the rest.
photo shoots one:
Contact sheet:
My first photo shoot is based on Justine Kurland’s image ‘Bathroom, 1977’, I took photos of girls getting ready for a night out. I positioned my model in front of mirrors to try and create an idea of not knowing that the camera is there and so its almost from the models perspective and point of view. This was taken place in the evening, therefore I had to use artificial lighting.
Photoshoot two:
Contact sheet:
Photoshoot two is inspired by Michelle Sank, I took my model to Red House Precinct, and staged her in basic positions similar to Michelle Sank’s images. This was taken on a quite dull day which made the natural lighting perfect as the sun was not reflecting off of anything.
Editing process:
Photoshoot three, four & five:
The next photoshoots had no particular inspiration. This took place at a small house party and captures youth in a fun and creative light. These were all taken in the evening, therefore, there was no natural lighting so they were taken with artificial lighting. They were taken after a night out and wanted to make the images as authentic as possible so I tried to capture moments in which the subjects were not paying attention to the camera.
Contact sheet:
Editing Process:
Contact Sheet:
Editing Process:
Contact Sheet:
Editing Process:
Photoshoot six:
Contact Sheet:
Editing Process:
Selection Process:
After editing all of my flagged images, I then proceeded to colour code my best images from each photo shoot to keep everything together and make it easier when picking my final images.
In what way does Justine Kurland & Michelle Sank explore youth and femininity through their work?
For my personal study, my interpretation of nostalgia will be based around femininity and youth. I am going to take inspiration from a previous project that I have done based on femininity which was originally inspired from ‘Girl Pictures’ by Justine Kurland. Girl Pictures is a photo book based on teenage runaways who become empowered the deeper you investigate the book. When looking at different photographer’s work, I came across a certain photo named ‘Fashion’ by Paul Kookier which caught my eye and has given me inspiration as I believe it captures femininity in a particular way which is not immensely popular. Another photographer which I discovered was Michelle Sank and her photo book ‘becoming’. Becoming is a series of projects made by Michelle Sank put into one book and explores the background of young children who have struggled throughout their childhood. I believe that both photographers capture femininity very well as they have a female’s perspective and outlook.
I am pleased to be doing my personal project based on the nostalgia of femininity and youth as they are all important topics. Femininity is empowering as it can show the amount of power someone can hold through feelings and emotions. I will be taking photos primarily of females as they are getting ready for nights out and while they are out, however, there will be features of males. I aim to capture aspects of youth through teenagers partying and having fun. some of my photos will be staged like Justine Kurland’s images and others will not be, similar to Michelle Sank’s work.
In this essay, I will be conducting how photos can not only be ‘experiences captured ‘, but also so much more. Sontag implies to readers of her book that “the camera is the ideal arm of consciousness in its acquisitive mood.” (Add in Harvard reference Susan Sontag) The use of the phrase ‘acquisitive mood’ suggests that photographs can be catalysts in the pursuit of hoarding memories and experiences creating an overall sense of nostalgia.
Historically, the concept of photography stemmed from art and paintings. Portrait paintings were used by high-net-worth families, for family portraits which were highly staged, and could be manipulated into concealing the truth. However, as photography became more popular and more accessible in the 1800’s, the style of portraits also gained popularity due to the convenience of the process becoming less time consuming and tedious. Photographers like Julia Margaret Cameron, who was known for her ‘soft-focus’ images of men and women during the 19th century is “considered one of the most important portraitists” (add in Harvard Reference Wikipedia) and took inspiration from paintings and believed in the Pre-Raphaelites beliefs. The Pre-Raphaelite’s were a secret society of young male artists which believed that art should represent the real world and should be painted how you see it without manipulation. In which, while researching Justine Kurland, it became known that she not only gained inspiration from Julia Margaret Cameron she also believed in the Pre-Raphaelite’s beliefs.
Paul and Virginia, 1864, Julia Margaret CameronJohn William Waterhouse’s The Lady of Shalott (1888).
Justine Kurland was born in Warsaw, New York 1969. And is best known for her nineteenth century English picturesque, styles landscape images. I have been most captivated by Kurland’s book ‘Girl Pictures’ as it shows a juxtaposition of the ideal American dream. Throughout the book, Kurland experiments with a staged genre to explore the subjects of femininity and youth through the eyes of teenage runaways, in which she uses to dive into the tales of “tales of teenage delinquency” (add in Harvard reference from the book) she did this by “trolling the streets around various high schools, cruising for teenage collaborators.” (add in Harvard reference from the book) By getting real ‘runaways’ to model, Kurland introduces a sense of documentary into this book making it all seem more real. Justine Kurland was a runaway herself, which enables her to relate to the images she has taken and portray it through her own subjective experiences which are nostalgic to herself. Furthermore, Kurland gains inspiration through art as she states, “I’m always thinking about painting:” “English landscapes and the utopian ideaand photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. (add in Harvard Reference system Wikipedia)
Justine Kurland’s ‘Girl Pictures’ were often staged in desolated areas which could be argued that they are almost disconnected from reality which conveys a sense of escapism. The story of the book evolves the further you investigate it. Towards the beginning of the book, it is staged in quite well populated areas with a scarce number of models. However, as the location settings become more rural, more runaways would “multiply through the force of togetherness.” (add in Harvard reference from the book).
Another artist whose work attracted my attention was Michelle Sank, and her photo book Becoming. Michelle Sank is a South African photographer however, moved to England in 1978, and has called it her forever home from the moment she got there. Becoming is a collection of Sank’s previous projects which include ‘Bye-Bye Baby’ and ‘Celestial Echoes’. I was most riveted by Justine Kurland’s intention of capturing the raw experiences of childhood and growing up. ‘Bye-Bye Baby’ is one of the photo series used within Becoming and “explores the way young boys and girls interpret their understanding of masculinity and femininity.” She mainly produced all of her images in Ireland in which she was able to capture children that are confronted with the issue of interface- the areas within Ireland that are segregated into working class residential zones, who are also challenged with struggles for example, teenage mothers, young offenders and young carers who are faced with looking after sick family members, “Celestial Echoes continues with this theme looking at this phenomenon within older adolescent girls”.
Michelle Sank’s images have a documentary style about them as they are not staged, everyone who features within the photobook has been “invited to present themselves to the camera as they deem appropriate.” which creates a “quiet conflict” aesthetic. “The young people confidently embrace the opportunity to be photographed with attitude and grace. At the same time, they appear vulnerable and doubtful, questioning the complex process and changing realities of becoming an adult.”
plate 35, Bye-Bye Baby, 2001-06
Plate 18, Teenagers Belfast, 2006
Plate 10, Celestial Echoes, 2001-03
Overall, Justine Kurland & Michelle Sank explore youth and femininity through their work from both an inside and outside perspective they both shared elements of trust with their models and had a responsibility to portray characters with sensitivity and respect. Justine Kurland almost relives her childhood of being a teenage runaway through out her book while exaggerating the stereotypes of femininity. She does this by staging her photos with an all-female society. While doing this, she wanted the models to play a caring supportive role to one another, however they started to form their own community and pact on their own terms as they bonded and started to create their own friendships through togetherness, further exaggerating the stereotypes of female friendships as they play with each other’s hair and walk arm in arm together. Due to Justine Kurland’s previous experiences, she would have been able to create more of a bond and a relationship with her subjects over time unlike Michelle sank, as she could be viewed as an outsider looking in. Furthermore, Michelle Sank explores femininity and youth through capturing the vulnerability of children which again, come from tricky backgrounds, however, this time in their own community which they live in. Michelle Sank takes on a documentary role as she looks deeper into the backgrounds of everyone she is photographing and how social structures can affect and make people who they are as individuals, and how someone people can be born at a disadvantage.
My main inspiration for this photoshoot is Justine Kurland’s ‘Girl Pictures’ book. I believe that this book defines feminism very well due to every photo being very unique and capturing different types of people.
Justine Kurland’s main inspiration for this book was from a young girl in which Justine used to date her father. The girl was sent to live with her father after her mother kicked her out for skipping school and doing drugs. Justine then formed the idea of a photoshoot based on ‘alyssum as a teenage runaway’. In which she scouted for models outside various high schools. She also gained inspiration from a TV show about the tales of teenage delinquency.
Justine Kurland’s Girl pictures bring a sense or nostalgia. Every girl in each photo have their own story however come together to live a similar lifestyle. They live without a care in the world, and are truly living their teenage years. Therefore, many of the images in Girl Pictures were taken outside in locations that feel desolate or easy to overlook. They were often staged under bridges or beyond fences or on the sides of highways; places that feel synonymous with warnings.
Image Analysis:
Bathroom, 1997, Justine Kurland
In Justine Kurland’s image, Femininity is shown throughout by a topless girl standing in front of the mirror. This is a defining aspect of the image as it is the anatomy in which all girls have, however, many people view this as being provocative and vulnerable in front of a camera. However, Kurland has composed this image so that you are unable to see the camera and is
Whereas Justine Kurland portrays this image as empowering, as the subject has confidence within her own body to show it off . Another aspect within this image is the bright pink hand soap on the top of the sink counter top which is accompanied by a girl sat near it with a glossy pink magazine which she is reading. Femininity is shown further through the girl sat on the bathroom floor next to a bag which is spewing out with clothes, who looks like she is having trouble picking out her outfit. the image seems to have been taken at dusk due to the orange light shining through the window of the bathroom. However, the bathroom is light up very bright from the lights in the ceiling and above the mirror.
Celestial Echoes- Bye-Bye Baby- By Michelle Sank
Another artist that I have taken inspiration from is Michelle Sank , with her photo series ‘bye-bye baby’ and ‘Celestial Echoes’. These images deal with the notion of developing adulthood within the British society today. Bye-Bye Baby is exploring the way young boys and girls interpret their understanding of masculinity and femininity. Having left the purity of their childhood worlds, they seem to take on the trappings of the grown ups they mimic and the status set out in popular culture and the media. Celestial Echoes continues with this theme looking at this phenomenon within older adolescent girls.
Image Analysis:
The image above by Celestial Echoes is untitled, however, I think this is a very effective image which captures youth and femininity very well. In the foreground of the image, there is a young girl looking down at the camera which creates a sense of power. The lighting in the picture seems to be natural, but there is more light coming in from the left shown through the highlighting of the outer corner of her eye and the shadow which is created from her nose on her right eye. Celestial Echoes has also added bokeh (blurring) to the background which was most likely done by changing her aperture of her camera. Femininity is also shown through the young boys in the background of the image. By placing the girl in the foreground of the picture she can be viewed as more powerful, whereas the boys are perceived as smaller and less important.
For my personal study, my interpretation of nostalgia will be based around femininity and youth. I am going to take inspiration from a previous project that I have done based on femininity which was originally inspired from ‘Girl Pictures’ by Justine Kurland. I have also gained inspiration from the school photography trip when we visited the ‘ParisPhoto’ exhibition. When looking at different photographers work, I came across a certain photo named ‘Fashion’ by Paul Kookier which I think is really cool and has given me inspiration. Another photographer which I discovered was Rene Groebili, and his series of images ‘Dag Augé Liebe. I am intrigued by this sequence of images because it shows a more mature side of femininity when compared to Girl pictures by Justine Kurland.
I am wanting to do my project on Femininity and youth as I am very inspired by all the women around me and I believe that women have their own sense on nostalgia about them and its a very broad subject which can be interpreted in many different ways. I will be using some images from my previous shoot, however I intend to do a few more shoots in bathrooms and social settings with groups of girls. But base it on girl hood and how girls have close relationships with one and another.
I am wanting to present my study in a photo book form. Which means that I will a large amount of images taken to edit. And would roughly need a minimum of 30 final images. I intend to begin my study for this project as soon as possible to allow me the most amount of time possible to compete it. I don’t have any set specific locations in which I am wanting to shoot. However, a couple ideas are in bathrooms, in a garden and bedrooms.
Focus and Depth of Field: The focus is used to direct and prioritise elements in a shot and therefore prioritise certain information. For example, it will determine who the audience should look at (even if we are not listening to them). It may switch our focus (known technically as a pull focus / rack focus / follow focus) between one element and another. Remember that the elements may not be people, but could be objects, spaces, shapes or colours, which may represent an idea, theme, belief etc.
Tracking / Panning / Craning / Tilting / Hand held / Steadicam
Establishing Shot / Long Shot / Medium Shot / Close-up / Big Close-Up / Extreme Close Up (students often struggle with the first and the last again issues with SCALE, SIZE & SPACE, so practice is really important)
Insert Shot
Editing
Editing is the process of manipulating separate images into a continuous piece of moving image which develops characters, themes, spaces and ideas through a series of events, interactions and occurrences. As such, it is (usually) LINEAR and SEQUENTIAL, although, it must be remembered that moving image products often parachute the audience into a particular moment and usually leave them at an equally unresolved moment. As such BACK STORY, FORESHADOWING, REPETITION, ELLIPSIS, DEVELOPMENT, ENIGMA, DRAMATIC IRONY and other concepts are really important to always bear in mind. Again NARRATIVE THEORY is really important to an understanding of moving image products.
Moving from Camera to Edit, would be to look at the way camera can frame and position characters and thereby the audience by creating ‘subjectivity‘ and empathy in the way they are constructed. This can be used to deliberately ‘stitch‘ the audience into the text in a deliberate and particular way.
Shot Sequencing
Shot / Reverse Shot
The Shot / Reverse Shot a really good starting point for students to both think about and produce moving image products. The basic sequence runs from a wide angle master shot that is at a 90′ angle to (usually) two characters. This sets up the visual space and allows the film-maker to to then shoot separate close-ups, that if connected through an eye-line match are able to give the impression that they are opposite each other talking. The shots are usually over the shoulder. Firstly, they include both characters – which are called EXTERNAL REVERSES. As the drama increases, the framing of each shot then excludes the back of the head of the other character and moves in to a much closer over the shoulder shot – which are called INTERNAL REVERSES. Remember that these shots are not creating a direct look to camera. To look directly at the camera creates a very different relationship between the characters and the audience and is a technique that is only used for specific techniques / genres / film-makers.
Shot progression
Shot progression usually involves the following shots (although not always in the same order). The use of these shots allow the audience to understand SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS between locations, people, movements etc. The length of shot will determine the drama, empathy, theme etc. The choice of how to sequence each shot will determine the AESTHETIC QUALITY of the product. The next sequence will then follow a similar pattern, which again allows the audience to understand concepts such as SPACE, TIME, DISTANCE, MOVEMENT, MOTIVATION, PLOT, THEME etc.
This mood board consists of images by Justine Kurland and some photographers which I saw whilst at a photography exhibition on our Paris school trip, Rene Groebili, celestial Echoes and Paul Kookier.
These images relate back to the theme of nostalgia as it reflects back to ‘the best years’ of a female, your teenage years. Where we don’t have a lot to worry about.
Paul Kooiker (born 1964, Rotterdam) studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam (1990-1992). Kooiker was awarded the Prix-de-Rome Photography in 1996 and the A. Roland Holst Award for his oeuvre in 2009. Foam previously hosted a solo exhibition of his autonomous work in 2006, under the title Paradise Twenty-One. Kooiker’s works have been displayed in countless solo and group exhibitions in the Netherlands and abroad.
