Statement of Intent

For my project, I would like to explore personal identity and the visual elements of abstraction and imperfection within a photograph which is taken spontaneously; as a response to things around me, a collection of portraits, landscapes, and objects as a way of documentary and observational ‘snapshot aesthetic’ photography. I would like to present my images taken of my friends, myself, my family, and various locations and objects with a photobook. In this book, I could possibly present these photos alongside accompanying text or a notebook page, and manipulation or change of my photographs, either by applying paint, ripping/tearing/burning them, cutting a subject or something out, or re-joining the same or a different photograph with thread. Another way I could possibly change the photographs is merging or overlaying these photos digitally to create a blurry effect in certain areas.

To develop my project, I have looked closely at the photographs and books of Nan Goldin, Ed van der Elsken, Cindy Sherman, Francesca Woodman, and Josh Kern, to inspire the way I take and present my own photos. Goldin’s intention especially behind taking her photographs resonates with how I feel about capturing photographs for this project, where for a part of it, not entirely planning who I will photograph and where – instead the people I am with at a certain time and observe where I see a photograph opportunity, or not, and making it appear somewhat randomised, focusing on the disjunctions and juxtapositions of the individual photographs.

These types of candid, documentary photographs can only be genuinely captured through carrying a camera around with me in order to capture unexpected moments, in a variety of different locations, both inside and outside. Because of this, some photographs will be captured on my small digital camera, for times I don’t have my digital film camera. Although, I will have some photographs which are staged, I would like them to still have an almost spontaneous appearance, and these ‘photoshoots’ of a subject in an environment may not initially be planned beforehand. This take of impetuosity on these photographs links back to the ‘abstract’ part of my mind map – for example, a use of abstraction of portraits with parts of the body blurred, obstruction between the subject and the camera, imperfections in the photo, camera movement/slower shutter speed, or flash photography.

I may also sequence frames from videos taken on my small digital camera and present them as a small component of my book, an idea I have is through a film strip layout. By aligning the photographs in this way, I’ll be displaying both the clear and blurry frames side by side as a juxtaposition, along with presenting an object (e.g. film strip, receipts, or any ‘rubbish’ I have collected from when I am out taking these photos) through possibly photocopying them or editing them in digitally to the layout. The layout of my other photographs will be presented differently from image to image, as some might be a double page spread, or one photo on its own, two beside each other, or in a grid sequence showing ‘unused’ photographs (crossed out with pen, depicted as a physical contact sheet), etc. This decision to include multi-media and text into the project I believe will make it more personal to me, as I can directly express more through how my images are presented.

Once that was done because this photoshoot was done in a studio the set up was quite simple all I used was both a black and white backdrop. I also used a ring light for more of a dramatic spotlight.

From this photoshoot I think I’m only going to use one or two of the successful images and put it at the end of my photobook as the skin is a lot more dramatic than I was expecting. Which is fine however in order for it to work well within the “story” and sequencing wise it doesn’t make sense for it to go at the beginning like I had originally planned as I am hoping to be able to show the further into the book you get the more destroyed she becomes.

Photoshoot 1 -Studio

For my first photoshoot I am planning on using the studio so I have the clean background and the artificial lighting. I am hoping to do more of an editorial photoshoot of just a close up of my model in order to create more of this empty looking picture to help show and extenuate the emptiness within the model and how she’s losing her identity and personality. This photoshoot I will also be using the Aztec face mask on the model so I can get the cracked I’m able to do this because it starts off as this thick paste which it painted onto the skin and then as it dries it starts to crack so then with any big facial expressions the cracks start becoming more dramatic.

Photoshoot 2- Beach (rocks)

For my 3rd photoshoot I am planning on finding a beach with big rocks similar to these images. I think it would make for some interest photos to try and get the model to climb the rocks. I think I might use this photoshoot as the second set within the book as I feel like the setting/locations feels more free and open compared to the locations for my other photoshoots. In order for this photobook to work and really tell a story i need things like the location to be perfect as im wanting to show her being free at the begging so you are able to see a visible shift not just with the makeup getting more cracked but within the background i want it to become more chaotic as it goes on until she breaks completely.

Photoshoot 3- St Catherine’s Woods

For my third photoshoot I want to go to St Catherine’s wood specifically for the little rivers there and the stepping stones over the water like in the image below. I think this location will be the perfect spot as I think this will be the second set of images in the photobook so I want to be able to show that the model is feeling kind of trapped and surrounded so if I can find the specific location of the first image below that would be perfect as you can see the trees and plants creating this spiral and it would give the illusion of the plants surrounding the model.

Photoshoot 4- Beach (water)

This photoshoot I’m planning on making it be the last in the photobook as this one is symbolising the model as her personality is being washed away. I’m using the idea of objectification and how the more it goes on the more she loses herself so by having her cracked skin be really dramatic and then this location will really help add to the idea of almost being an object.

For my first photoshoot, I went to St Malo where I was able to take my street photography. Henri Carter Bresson was my inspiration for this photoshoot so I tried to imitate his style so I focused on getting natural photos of people.

Henri Cartier Bresson inspired

People

Architecture

Although I was focusing on Henri Carter Bresson I also did want to take some photos where I focus on the architecture in St Malo.

I really liked this image above I found this interesting wall down one of the lanes where it had been heavily graffitied but on the side of it was a drain which worked well in my favor. When looking down from this angle the drain acts like a divide almost as if it is two images stuck together.

For this photo tried to use the pillars within the architecture to frame the picture as it was a beautiful building however the greenery within the middle open part really brightened up the image. The building itself is quite monitored with just the natural beiges of the brick which was used however having all the plants in the middle I found it added a lot more dimension to te image and it also made it more unique as it’s not something done very often or not to this degree.

What was the involvement of Jersey mariners in the Canadian cod-fisheries and the Transatlantic carrying trade?

Since the beginning of the construction of Jersey’s harbour in the early 1700s, it has been a vital part in creating many of the industries that Jersey thrives on today, including the large finance and agriculture industries. Being an island surrounded by miles of water, the harbour was unimaginably beneficial for creating wealth in the island.

Most of this wealth was originally created by merchants who had collectively formed networks of markets across both coasts of the Atlantic ocean, from European countries such as England or Russia, all the way to countries in the newly found Americas, such as Honduras or Canada.

Canada’s fishing industry had been thriving since the discovery of the Americas, especially in the aptly named ‘Newfoundland’ on the east coast. This is because of the large cod that was abundant in the region, which soon became a commodity for the Europeans after its discovery in the 1500s.

By 1530, there was evidence to suggest that Jerseymen had been to Newfoundland, and in 1582 there was a reference to people from Jersey opening fish markets and selling fish in Newfoundland. In the year 1600, Sir Walter Raleigh obtained a Grant of Application in Newfoundland for a colony, and persuaded seamen from Jersey to set up fisheries there, which would later trade deeper into the Americas, all the way down to the Caribbean Islands. A quote from official letters at the time state, “He certainly encouraged the trade nascent between Jersey and Newfoundland”. A few Jersey families from this trading group were later named ‘master traders’, which hints at Jersey becoming a significant trader during this time. These families supposedly brought back cod fish, skins, furs, sugar and tobacco (among other items) to Jersey, which would have provided these families with a large amount of wealth.

Which ports did Jersey ships sail to and trade with?

Over the next 100 years, the industry continued to grow and more Jersey merchant families and fishermen travelled to the American coast to fish and trade. Jersey began building ships in the late 18th century thanks to the completion of South Pier in 1765, with the requirement that the ships would be build larger than fishing boats. This was so that Jerseymen could travel across the Atlantic and join the Transatlantic trade. Below is a demonstration of the trade that Jersey merchants created soon after.

This diagram provides us with a lot of information, not just about what was traded and where, but how Jersey became a hub for trade along the European coast once it had a functioning harbour. A number of significant Jersey cod merchants began trading during this time, including Charles Robin, who founded the most successful trade firm on the Gaspé coast in 1766. The diagram above is roughly what this trade looked like at its height.

What type of goods did Jersey merchants exchange for cod-fish?

Essentially, how this ‘Merchant Triangle’ worked was: the fish caught in Canada were traded with the Europeans, as well as manufactured goods and other items that were from Canada also. Merchants would then trade wine and fruits with Portugal, Spain and Italy, and various grains with countries in central Europe, such as Denmark. With the wealth that this created, the desire for luxury furniture in the island grew also, and mahogany wood from Honduras was brought over to Jersey, which was then used to create household items such as wardrobes and stair railings.

To what extent, has the island of Jersey benefitted from its constitutional relationship with Britain and the legacies of colonialism based on a slave plantation economy during the first Industrial Revolution (1760-1840)?