In my opinion the final outcome of the photobook was successful. There are aspects within it that went very well, how I imagined and some that did the opposite of that. overall I am happy there is a fluent message that flows throughout the book with the arrangement of the images, text within the book, cover etc. there are certain areas where I could have improved, the main one being: Including a wider range of photographs which were collected by me, I think this because overall I had successful outcomes from a variety of photoshoots, but in the final book there seems to be a a bigger portion of archival images and the manipulation of them. But I am happy with the proportion of them as it also fits to the narrative, and since it is a project mainly about my mum then it is essential to include archival images.

First starting with the cover of the photobook, the cover is an opening as well as a brief what the book is going to be about. I settled down for having red as a background colour to represent love, passion as well as being as symbolising both mine and my mothers descent, being Polish. I decided to call it “echo” is I think of myself as a mirrored version of my mum, and I think she too thinks of a child her echoing in a woman she is. I like to think she echo’s in me, that I mimic her. the back cover photo is edited in a way to match the colours of the first image, but also to show that I create a responses to photographs of her. the font is carefully chose to add a welcoming feel to the book as well as a nostalgic one. Overall the cover incited the reader, what’s great is how much the colour of it makes the book stand out. what I regret not doing is using white on the spine of the cover to show these accents that are with the book, the white with red will furthermore represent national polish colours, like the ones seen in the flag. I think without it the cover seems a little bit empty, therefore adding these details would make it more interesting.

When it comes to the photographs themselves in the book, I think they are successful with showing the story behind them, making the story flow throughout the book. this is the area I’m most proud of as the narrative is clear to see, with images of my mum from a young age, then a teenager, and an adult. there is also a shift f focus to the similarities between us but most importantly showing me as a part of her. This shift of focus is also very visible with the black background and darker images, contrasting with the soft feel of the book so far.

I think because behind every image there is a hint of symbolism to the narrative, this makes the book successful. when it comes to the variety of the outcomes I like how there is at lest one digital image alteration as it shows what I’m interested in as well as being able to show I am capable of achieving similar outcomes using complete different methods.

I love how I was able to study inspirational artists that guided the plan and look of the project. this mainly being Jessa Fairbrother, where I took the symbolism and manipulation of photographs from her. To me behind every image within the book there is symbolism being represented, although not all the photographs are manipulated and altered in the same way, most are, and the theme of photograph altering carries through the book, without overly being done.

Overall I enjoyed this project due to the freedom I had when it came to image altering, I like how through a variety of experimentation I was able to create interesting-looking images. I enjoyed burning, stitching, staining and cutting the photographs as it made more of a connection between me and the work, through this process it made it more personal to me. This project was fun as I could plan ahead the different photoshoots, which were all different from each other, like still life, portraits and studio portraits. However I would improve adding these in more, the fact that the images are so similar to each other on technical level makes it hard to display this variety of different themed photographs so on the other hand I am uncertain is I love or hate this aspect. I do also think the book would benefit in more little detail when it came to the design, like frames around some images, or more writing. Alternatively what makes this book and project successful is how the images all have a symbolic value to the message, and this storyline flows through the book.

I have created a virtual gallery to show my final outcomes. I did this to present my final photographs in a different format than a book.

When designing the gallery I needed to carefully think of the placement of the photographs, these followed a similar pattern to the book, however the book follows a story line where a specific order of the images responds to the narrative. When displaying them in a virtual gallery I mainly focused on aligning them next to each other based of the similarities between them.

For example the photographs from the same photoshoot fitted well together due to the most similar colour and technical aspects.

I think this virtual gallery turned out successful due to the similarities between the photographs, so it gives an impression that when you walk along the gallery the photographs slowly change with the gradient of the colour. One of the things I would improve is that I should have selected a different room where all the photographs can be displayed in, as 4 of the images didn’t fit into one room.

For the cover I wanted to show what the book is going to be about. Therefore I needed to take into consideration the colour of the book, what images I wanted to add, the title and font. I settled down for having red as a background colour to represent love, passion as well as being as symbolising both mine and my mothers descent, being Polish. I included a photograph I have not done any manipulations to, to not give away what the book is about, however I wanted to include a picture of her as a younger child to show the purity behind her, the innocent girl that later shaped into who she is today. I decided to call it “echo” is I think of myself as a mirrored version of my mum, and I think she too thinks of a child her echoing in a woman she is. I like to think she echo’s in me, that I mimic her. the back cover photo is edited in a way to match the colours of the first image, but also to show that I create a responses to photographs of her.

The book opens to show the beginning of her story, a photograph of her that is showing the youngest version of herself ever taken. It represents a beginning of her story, to show that it is about her.

From then it follows a theme showing her life from youngest to oldest, therefore I included an image where she’s in her early teens, showing the camera that the photograph was taken with next to it.

Then there’s another photograph from her mid teens which I have tampered with. How I achieved this is by peeling the ink from the other print, which was a portrait of my mum that i took recently. this shows a faint link from the past to the future, giving an impression she is looking at herself in the past, or looing into her future self from the past.

This image is one of my favourites as I wasn’t expecting the images to work out so well together. what this represents is a tie of 2 places and a link between 2 timelines. The below image is of Poland and my mum and her parents, then the landscape on top is an image of jersey which matches so well with the mountains in the background of 1stimage. As well as the burnt hole, it shifts the focus onto the most important subjects. Them walking also represents this time change, from past to future. I used red string to tie them together and to highlight this fact. to make the viewers understand what this image represents I included a text that talks about the importance of time, past and future.

Next I included images where she was in her late teens and a photograph where she was pregnant with me, from the first image I have cut her out and stuck onto the first ultrasound of me, to show the very first link that I carried a part of her in me. the cut out shows that she lost herself for me, that she had to give a part of herself to shape me. contrasting to that there’s an image of her younger self to symbolise that she never truly lost that girl.

The next pair of image link together to show the beginnings of me, this is a shift in a book where I was born, however I am only a part of her, I didn’t want to make the story about me,, therefore I carried on showing both her and me for thee rest of the book, to make the viewers understand that the photographs are showing a connection between us.

The text is in polish and it is of a song I was born to, following a quote on the next page “every new beginging comes from onother begininsgs end” in this case it wwas my mum, representing how her life metaphorically ended for me.

I wanted to show thee hardships she had to go through for me, in this case I added an image of her eye, which represents her looking back at her past. How hard it must of been for her to leave that behind and that till this day it will never leave her. the shells shape fits the eye as its round shape is similar to the eye. Throughout the book there are a couple shells that not only are significant to my mum, but also represent home, what one was a home.

This is another alteration I did to show my mothers past through her, that it is still stuck with er, and it shaped her to who she is, it is of her present self contrasting with an image of her younger self.

These images go very well together when it comes to the same tones and colours, with soft blues and purples. it is another photograph of her eye where my hands are coming out of it to show that as much as she is a part of me I am a part of her.

Then there is a contrast between her and me between 2 pages, where 1st image is showing her hand and the 2nd is of mine. i have burnt the first one to show that her hands and herself had to go through much more than me, and go through so much for me, this is implied through the hand gesture she does, opening her hands as if she is giving something, to me it is her love, then to that my hands are completely different, clean and elegant, especially the position of my hands shows me receiving this love she gave me as my hands are folded as if I was gently grabbing her love.

There is another photograph showing the connection between me and her, where the fist image is of my mum my age, then secondly in the background is a portrait of me, both are sowed into each other to show this strength.

The book then shift focus as the theme completely changes, from soft and calm tones to more vibrant and dark ones . this is to match the photographs where I represent the background from where my mum and I have been raided. the first image is of a place where both her and I lived, her longer than me, then the rest a photographs from her and mine hometown which I have presented on my body using a projector. These are not only showing how significant they are to me but also to her, them being on my body implies they area part of me, where I come from.

For these images I also made sure the tones matched each other, as one being of my mums hand and the other a portrait of me. This is the only full portrait of me in the book, which is of a similar theme as the one of my mum on a few pages back. The design and layout of the images is quite repetitive as the one colour page also follows a previous layout.

Finally I wanted to include photographs from past projects, however ones that suit the theme of the book. I went back to still life images produced in year 12, where I found a necklace that was really meaningful to me, and shells which fit well to the previous one . The photograph of me fits with the previous image of my mum in the woods, at the beginning of the book.

on the last page I added a phrase which shows how much respect and love I have for my mum , it is a thank you for her giving me this life.

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In what ways do alterations in Jessa Fairbrother’s work make the visible what is invisible?

‘This is my story of severance’- an opening quote by Jessa Fairbrother for her book “Conversations with My Mother.”

The essence of photography lies in its ability to capture precise details and faithfully represent the reality perceived by humans, setting it apart from traditional methods such as drawing and painting. Yet, it is crucial to acknowledge the profound impact of art within the realm of photography. Throughout history, various forms of art, including poetry, acting, music, and photography, have consistently moved people. This exploration seeks to delve into the reasons behind the compelling nature of art, its capacity to inspire extraordinary outcomes, and the inherent meaning and thought embedded in creative expressions.

While photographs are often considered as objective records of reality, this investigation recognizes the transformative power of art. It sheds light on seemingly ordinary works that possess a subtle element capable of elevating them to a level of profound significance. The focus here is on understanding how alterations to images can significantly influence the overall message conveyed by a photograph.

The exploration further aims to evaluate the success of Jessa Fairbrother’s photographic outcomes, particularly in her project “Conversations with My Mother.” By employing unconventional methods such as thread, ink, burning, and other “destructive” techniques, Fairbrother manages to enhance the depth and meaning of her photographs. This study delves into the experimental nature of her work, questioning why and how these unconventional methods contribute to the success of her artistic expressions. “Conversations with My Mother” becomes a focal point, aligning with the genre of the researcher’s personal study. The project encompasses qualities that resonate with the exploration, such as the profound exploration of her mother’s life intertwined with her own, the visual representation of the connection between them, and the physical engagement with the art through alterations, mirroring the essence of the broader investigation.

Pictorialism, Surrealism and Symbolism

Early examples of pictorialism:

Pictorialism emerged as a significant photography movement in the late 19th century, peaking in the early 20th century. The technical process of photography, involving film development and darkroom printing, originated in the early 19th century, gaining popularity for traditional photographic prints around 1838-1840. As photography evolved, debates arose among photographers, painters, and others about the scientific and artistic aspects of the medium. English painter William John Newton suggested in 1853 that artistic results could be achieved by keeping images slightly out of focus, while others saw photography as a visual record of a chemistry experiment. Photography historian Naomi Rosenblum noted the dual character of the medium, capable of producing both art and documentation.

Amidst these debates, the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the rise of Pictorialism, a movement characterized by its aim to elevate photography to fine art. Pictorialists manipulated photographs through techniques like soft focus, light and shadow manipulation, and alternative printing processes to create images resembling paintings or etchings. This movement blurred the boundaries between photography and traditional art forms, fostering a more inclusive approach to visual art. While Pictorialism waned in popularity, its emphasis on subjective interpretation and creative expression paved the way for subsequent photographic movements, including Modernism. Pictorialist photographs often lacked sharp focus, featuring visible brush strokes or surface manipulations to project emotional intent.

 “I could play with light and shadow, creating a new reality with the same elements of the visible world.” said Ray, in this quote he unfolds the process of his techniques as well as encourages us to think more creatively when it comes to ordinary objects, as even the simplest of elements can be turned into something extraordinary through the use of light, in a darkroom.

Surrealism, on the other hand, emerged as an artistic movement characterized by an interest in the irrational, dreamlike, and subconscious. Led by André Breton, Surrealism aimed to reconcile the contradictory conditions of dream and reality into an absolute reality or surrealist. This movement significantly impacted various artistic disciplines, including photography. Key figures in Surrealist photography, such as Man Ray, Claude Cahun, and Salvador Dalí, contributed to the exploration and expression of the mind beyond conscious reality. Man Ray, associated with Surrealism, experimented with solarization and photograms, creating dreamlike and abstract images. Surrealism encompassed literature, visual arts, film, and photography, spreading globally from the 1920s onwards. They embraced techniques such as multiple exposures, photomontage, and distortion to create visually and psychologically charged images. Surrealism’s impact on photography helped widen the possibilities of the medium, encouraging photographers to explore the subjective, and the imaginative. The movement’s legacy is still seen in the ongoing exploration of unconventional and dream-inspired visual narratives in contemporary photography. 

In Surrealist Manifesto, Breton defined surrealism as: “pure psychic automatism, by which one proposes to express, either verbally, in writing, or by any other manner, the real functioning of thought.”

However, the Surrealist movement was not officially proven until after October 1924, when the Surrealist Manifesto released by French poet and critic André Breton, became successful in claiming the term for his group over a rival group led by Yvan Goll, who had published his own surrealist manifesto two weeks prior. The most important centre of the movement was in Paris, France. From the 1920s onward, the movement spread around the globe, affecting the visual arts, literature, film, and music of many countries and languages. 

Symbolism in photography entails utilizing visual elements to convey metaphorical or symbolic meanings that extend beyond the explicit representation. Photographers employ symbols to elicit emotions, communicate ideas, or narrate stories that transcend the superficial aspects of the image. This approach fosters a deeper and more subjective interpretation of the photograph by the viewer. A great example, one of the most iconic symbolic photographs is the Migrant Mother, photographed by Dorthea Lange.
Naomi Rosenblum comments ” The images were transformed into photographic works of art when they were exhibited under auspices of the Museum of Modern Art”.

The origins of photographic symbolism can be traced back to the broader Symbolist movement that emerged in the late 19th century. Symbolism, as an encompassing artistic and literary movement, sought to communicate abstract and emotional ideas through symbolic imagery. Within the realm of photography, Symbolism evolved into a potent tool for photographers to move beyond mere representation and delve into more profound and subjective themes. Early photographers, including Julia Margaret Cameron, incorporated symbolic elements in their work, drawing inspiration from literary and mythological themes. During the same period, photographers active in the Pictorialism movement also embraced Symbolism as a means of elevating photography to the status of an art form. Despite fluctuations in popularity, Symbolism continued to manifest in the works of individual photographers and experienced a resurgence in the latter half of the 20th century and beyond.

One of her particularly intriguing projects is “Conversations with my mother.” In discussing this project, Fairbrother revealed that it not only explores her relationship with her mother but also addresses her inability to conceive, thereby altering the anticipated maternal role she had hoped to shape — rendering her “Neither daughter nor mother.” The project commenced with a joint photographic endeavour with her mother, involving the exchange of a disposable camera through the mail, documenting their lives from their respective viewpoints. However, Jessa’s discovery of her infertility, followed by her mother’s diagnosis of cancer, dramatically shifted the narrative. Becoming her mother’s caregiver, Fairbrother left her existing life to be with her during her final moments. The resulting photographs include portraits of her mother, as well as self-portraits adorned with her mother’s wig after her passing. Some images within the project are deliberately destroyed, symbolizing the internal destruction she experienced.

 This destruction is not only seen through the photographs themselves but through her own words: “I cried in sorrow at the abrupt suspension of future narratives: for the mother I would not hold again and for the child who would never hold me.”. This loss effected her and this book is a representation of that.

Shifting back to ideas of Pictorialism, and Symbolism as well as Surrealism, these are the main genres her body of work revolves around, each photograph has aspects related to the subject, like the subject of infertility or subject of her losing her mother. These sometimes little sometimes big elements of Symbolism give the photograph more depth and emotional connection between the viewer and the photograph. Regarding the technical aspects behind her photographs, they are quite pictorial, they are positions, or stages in a way to create a visually pleasing photograph, which is then tampered with. The experimentation and physical alterations to the images especially labels her work as all the above, it is visually pleasing, it is taken for artistic purposes, it has symbolism through the alterations, and it is surreal through the literal yet sometimes harder to find metaphors. “I burned, buried and embellished photographs of us. I performed my grief and began to stitch.”, the metaphors behind the alterations are explained though that quote, that each photograph carries grief that is imbedded through the processes.

Fairbrother employed various techniques in this project, with each contributing to the visual and emotional impact of the images. For instance, using tissue and carefully burning each layer adds an intriguing dimension to the photographs, enhancing their visual appeal and conveying deeper meaning. Another captivating series involves stitched portraits of her mother and herself, each featuring a similar swirly pattern but with distinct colour variations. The stitching raises questions about the symbolic significance of colour, pattern placement, and the overall representation of the images. The layout of the project within the book is diverse, but it takes a distinctive turn with the montaged page. This spread across two pages features a collage of 14 images, predominantly focusing on nature — her mother’s garden. However, interspersed are images that appear older, potentially from her or her mother’s childhood, culminating in the central image of a pregnancy test. The combination of these pictures weaves a narrative, with each element holding importance. The pregnancy test, for instance, may symbolize her infertility, while the other images capture moments from both her life and her mother’s. Jessa Fairbrother’s project “Conversations with my mother” stands as a poignant exploration of personal struggles, mother-daughter relationships, and the intricate layers of human experience, showcased through the lens of photography and artistic expression.

When I discuss her work, I can’t help but envision a photograph that my mind comes back to, these ones being the two portraits, one being of her mother and the other of Jessica herself. When displayed next to each other they hold more meaning than separate, this is due to the link between them as well as the photographs. What differentiates them from any other portraits, is Jessica’s signature style of embroidering into them. She contrasts the portrait with stitched abstract shapes, changing the colours of the thread according to each portrait. These raise questions for the viewer, but especially, why? Why this patter, thread, colour? To me I like to think that the colour choice is not so random but symbolises something greater. I think it shows how she felt about her mother a lot, by stitching more colours together but for her only sticking to grey. To me it represents her as a person, showing her mother in a spotlight, showing she meant to her more than herself, or displaying her mother through connotations of how her soul felt, vibrant, kind, lively. This stitching itself uncovers the meaning embraided with it, although we can’t see her mother like she does, we can see her through her eyes, and that’s why it holds such poignant significance.  It is the symbolism behind the images is what I want to imbed into my own work I want to be able to display the emotions behind each photograph through manual and digital alterations. 

Overall, any photograph is produced due to an emotional experience, change or affect a subject has on the photographer. Photographs are a work of art, which needs to be celebrated, however the most successful ones are the ones that question us, and to me that is one of the most important qualities, because to question is to be intrigued, to be curious and confused. But, also to want to know the truth hidden behind a photograph, in another words “To photograph is to appropriate the thing photographed.” – said Susan Sontag in the book On Photography. It means to have a relation with the subject, for the subject to have an impact on a photographer. Photographs revoke feelings in us, so any successful photograph should do so. Without feelings created the photograph will not hold less significance to the viewer. Now it is important how the photographer displays these feelings through their work, in Jessica’s Fairbrother’s case, it’s through her manipulations and alterations, specific stitching, burning, collaging and physical changes she can do on a printed photograph she displays emotions. In another words she makes the visible what is invisible.  

Bibliography

Introduction to Early Photography

How to Understand and Use Symbolism in Photography

https://www.britannica.com/technology/Pictorialism

https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/surrealism-photography

Home

Home

Conversations with my mother

https://jessafairbrother.com/projects/conversations-with-my-mother/embed/#?secret=h7iFQwzFC9#?secret=SXKRnYziFt

https://www.lensculture.com/articles/jessa-fairbrother-conversations-with-my-mother

https://www.tate.org.uk/research/tate-papers/33/severance-jessa-fairbrother-conversations-my-mother

• Research and identify 3-5 literary sources from a variety of media such as books, journal/magazines, internet, YouTube/video that relates to your personal study and artists references .
• Begin to read essay, texts and interviews with your chosen artists as well as commentary from critics, historians and others.
• It’s important that you show evidence of reading and draw upon different points of view – not only your own.
• Take notes when you’re reading…key words, concepts, passages
• Write down page number, author, year, title, publisher, place of publication so you can list source in a bibliography

Essay Plan
Make a plan that lists what you are going to write about in each paragraph – essay structure

• Essay question: How does photography act as an important form of communication of both true and untrue subjects? 
• Opening quote ‘A photograph passes for incontrovertible proof that a given thing happened. The picture may distort; but there is always a presumption that something exists, or did exist, which is like what’s in the picture.’ (On Photography by Susan Sontag, p3)

• Introduction (250-500 words): What is your area of study? Which artists will you be analysing and why? How will you be responding to their work and essay question?

The area of study I want to explore is physical collaging and altering of the images, therefore I will look at Jessa Fairbrother’s work as she does all these manual image alterations, as well as has a similar subject and context to the images as me. her work, especially the project “conversations with my mother” where she produced images that relate to the relationship between her and her mother. This links to what I am doing as I too will be exploring the relationship with my mother.

• Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography and visual culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian. 

the main themes and genres that Jessa explores in her work are mainly: pictorialism, surrealism, and symbolism. on top of that all the above “isms” relate to what I want to explore myself, therefore researching them will help me understanding how they can be in cooperated into the photographs.

• Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.

• Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.

As I want to focus on just exploring Jessas’ work, due to how relevant it is to me I will write more about her and her work, and will be able to analyse it in more depth.

• Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
• Bibliography: List all relevant sources used

1. Write a book specification and describe in detail what your book will be about in terms of narrative, concept and design with reference to the same elements of bookmaking as above.

Narrative: What is your story?
Describe in:

• 3 words mum, connection, belonging
• A sentence Exploring the connection between me and my mother, focusing on belonging and nostalgia.
• A paragraph I want to show not only the connection between me and my mum, but also explore her life as well as mine. to make the similarities as well as differences visible. my mum gave birth to me when she was very young and did everything to give me a good life, to me she gave up a part of her life. this is why I want to show through me the life she could of have. as if I am living out hers the way she wanted to. The story has to have a beginning and end, therefore I want to start it when my mum was born, then when she was a child and a teenager, then a shift to when she had me and the same concept continues but with me, up until the present where I can show similarities and differences contrasting with each other between me and my mum.

Design: Consider the following

• How you want your book to look and feel

I want it to have a glossy finish and be smooth to touch, as well as having links to the images, there should be a theme that carries on, this being a nostalgic atmosphere.

• Paper and ink

The paper to be of not too shiny but not matt finisich and mainly colourful ink to be used as there are not many black and white photographs I will be using.

• Format, size and orientation

I don’t want to produce a large scale photobook as the images I have would look better in a smaller format, and I believe a smaller book holds a bigger personal value.

• Binding and cover

Not too sure about the binding but I know for the cover I would like to have an image which is a full bleed image so that for front and back cover the image stretches.

• Title 

the title needs to be relevant to the book, however I always liked simple titles therefore I wouldn’t want to name the book in more than 3 words.

• Design and layout

I don’t want follow a specific layout which repeats itself, however I want it to all link together so the images are not placed randomly.

• Editing and sequencing

the editing will have to be similar across all images, when it comes to layering them, the ones that look similar, so of the same colour values or shape should be next to or near each other.

• Images and text

I am not planning on adding a lot of text as I want the viewer to piece it together by themselves through the photographs. however I want to use text as an additional hint to what the story is about, therefor I might have short phrases on only a few pages.

Using photoshop I have used the magnetic lasso tool to outlie what I wanted to cut out, then inverted the image so that the are that was outlines was removed, then using the eraser tool I have taken of the imperfect edges. I have open another photograph to form as a background for the eye. This was to create an impression that the eyeball of the eye acted as a window to the past. Because it was an image of my mums eye and her past, its like you can see that that past never left her.

Another form of digital alterations that I did was layering a filter/pre-set on top of a portrait. As I wanted to include this portrait however I wasn’t happy with the original, and I knew there had to be some sort of alteration done to it. As I have previously in another project used these pre-sets, I have re-used them.

When it comes to still life, I wanted to include the most meaningful objects, however I didn’t like the background for some, therefore I opened 3 of the images in photoshop and wanted to trace around them.

To do this I have once again used the same techniques as the first image alteration, using magic lasso tool and eraser.

From every photoshoot I have completed in response to this project , I have manually burnt the photographs, covered them in bleach and other substances to change the colours of the images. Upon using all of these techniques I discovered and learnt more about the ink itself. I have discovered what the heat and the different amount of it can do to to the print itself. I have discovered that when gently applying the heat to the print it will slowly peel the ink from the paper. That how I was able to peel some of it off, however it was very fragile. For some of the photographs I have stuck the peeled off ink onto another photograph. For some I have left as just bleached, and for some I have scraped off the ink from the print. and sowed into the images. I mixed some of these methods to achieve different effects.

Once I was happy with the manipulation of the prints, I took photographs of them and then, cropped them. On top of cropping the images I have also edited them slightly when it comes to contrast, highlights and texture, and used the stop remove tool to remove the light bouncing of the images.

Final Images

I did this photoshoot in response to Jessas’ work, but also to show the connections between me and my mum in a more visual way.

For this photoshoot I have followed a similar style and what I was photographing as the previous one. This is because I wanted to show the link between my mum. I have set up the camera on a tripod and using a timer on the camera I was able to take photographs of my own hands as well as some portraits of myself.

Sub-selection

Editing

Final outcomes

Rita Puig- Serra Costa , Where Mimosa Bloom

NARRATIVE, EDITING, SEQUENCING, DESIGN, FORM,

The narrative of the story is following the front papers with a hue reminiscent of mimosa, there are miniature portraits portraying her maternal family lineage, creatively framed by cut-out windows. These snapshots encompass grandparents, an aunt, her parents, and Puig-Serra Costa herself. The visual narrative unfolds further with a collection of diverse images sourced from family albums, featuring snapshots from her childhood and collaborative works with Spanish photographer Dani Pujalte during the years 2012 and 2013. Additionally, the compilation includes reproductions from her exclusive inheritance as the sole child, ranging from an entry in her mother’s initial diary to doodles, cards, and even a recipe for chicken broth. This amalgamation of various media, formats, and genres not only hints at the protagonists’ identities but also serves as a compelling testament to their profound bond. She has images exploring this through portraits, landscapes, still-life. Following different genres within those too, where within portraiture she explores; self portraits, studio portraits, environmental portraits and many more.Within landscapes she explores different settings but which revolve around natural landscapes.

EDITING

why i love the images within this book is because of the variety of the outcomes. which are also achieved through the editing process, which also, with every image varies. However throughout the book there’s a theme reoccurring, where there are many light colours and cool tones withing the images. this gives a certain feel to the overall book, for this instance this is calm and relaxed due to the colour pallet. Some images are also edited to appear more older then they are to match the other archival images.

SEQUENCING & LAYOUT

The book follows a great storyline, where it starts of with the beginnings of her life, or, before it even started, by showing her family tree. She showed this though a specific layout, where each person is cut out separately, so with each page turned, a new family member appears. other then that interesting opening to the book, the rest of the pages are of pictures printed on them. the book itself is a little bit bigger than an A5 paper.

Questions to answer:

• Book in hand: how does it feel? the texture of the paper is slippy and shiny, the pages being smooth and sleek to touch.
• Paper and ink: The ink used for the photographs is colourful. nearly all of the pictures within this book are in colour, with B&W photographs only used for older images.
• Cover: The book has a hard cover with a printed image on the cover. And the only writing of the title and by who it is is written on the books stem.
• Title: the title is both literal and poetic, “Where Mimosa Bloom” is referring to where her family tree grew quite literally and figuratively. she associates this tree with her family, especially her mother, therefore she is showing where her mum grew as well as the family tree.
• Design and layout: the sizes of the images vary through the book, with one double page spread in the middle of the book, and most with one full bleed page and the other of just the item. the pattern and alignment of these images is irregular, however some do repeat.
• Editing and sequencing: The editing of the images seem to follow a certain theme, where the images are edited to fit the same aesthetic, which are soft and warm colours. The editing process is quite natural and calm with soft tones.