I wanted to experiment with ways on how to represent nostalgia, and how fragments of my brother remain in certain areas from my childhood where I have formed core memories with him or just areas near my house that he frequently enjoys going to. In this instance, I focused on La Mare beach which is a 5 minute walk from my house as my brother usually takes my dog for long walks here. I thought this would be an effective location too as this meant I could utilise the motion of the waves, rippling in and out, to add elements of fluidity to represent emotion.

For example, the tide swells in and out, and I feel that this is relative to the way that my brothers mental health fluctuates between the distinct line of ‘well’ and unwell. I like this metaphor because it subtly hints at the unpredictable nature of my brothers illness which I feel will be very powerful when I begin sequencing for my photo-book. As well as this, I used the sunset to create different reflections off the water to add vibrancy to my images.

I have began to think about my sequencing, and have collected archived images that link extremely well.

Final Images:

For this image I created my own fake footprints in the sand in order to make it appear as if someone is walking away from the teddy bear that I placed against the rock. The teddy bear is representative of my brother as he gave it to me when I was younger so I wanted to incorporate that sentimental value in the image. I wanted the image to appear as if someone is leaving the teddy bear behind because I feel that this is a good representation of how, this area specifically, is nostalgic for me due to the memories that me and my brother share. However, my intention is to convey the message that reminiscing over a person who does not exist anymore is a difficult thing, and sometimes the easiest thing to do is to walk away. The tide did swell in when I was taking this image, however I found this to be really effective because it is as if the tide is coming in to take the memories away, symbolising how my brothers illness may distort once pleasant memories or erase them. The sea looks as if its over-exposed in comparison to the rest of the image, however I do like this aspect because it makes the image have a higher contrast. As the tide is in the background of the composition, this could connote ideas of ‘the light at the end of the tunnel’, this being due to the section of the teddy being darker to represent how a once pleasant memory is now concerned with heavier issues. The footprints could also be associated with moving on from the childhood memories and coming to terms with reality and the harsh truth that things may not be the same again, however this is a time to make new memories in these locations and leave behind those that may not be as easily recalled by my brother anymore.

I chose to use this as my second object because my brother habitually plays pool with my dad and he has done since he was a child. I simply dropped the key ring from standing height and let it fall into a natural position, however I did this 3 times because I wanted to ensure that the viewer would know what it is. I used a very low angle, with the side of the camera touching the sand and pointing slightly up to the sky. I had to experiment with this as I obviously couldn’t see what the image would look like in the viewfinder, so I had many attempts. I used a short depth of field so that it would just be the keyring focused on as this is the main focal point of the image. I like the way that the keyring looks as if it’s just been discarded in a careless way because this shows how these memories are getting lost in the midst of his illness. I feel that the dramatic positioning of the keyring paired with the low angle is really effective here as it looks as if its been left behind and forgotten about. Also, the small lumps and bumps on the sand have created a lot of texture within the image due to the sand being so close to the lens of the camera which I think works really well when paired with the blurred and smoothed background as it is out of focus.

I wasn’t sure which one of these images I preferred as they were taken in the same multi-shot, however I liked how they both looked next to each other as it reinforces the concept of the sea swelling in and out just how mental health can fluctuate quickly between coping and struggling. I liked these images because the keyring is out of focus which contradicts my last image, however I liked this idea of almost ‘hiding in plain sight’ as if it is waiting to be revealed to the viewer. This is relative to nostalgia because it resonates with the idea that the memories of an area build up into a persons perception of that location. I like this idea of ‘seeking’ out different sections of memory as this could also be interpreted into how my brother may not be able to recall all of the memories that I do, therefore he has to pick apart the environment around him in order to remember. I feel that the muted pastel colours of the sunset connote feelings of reflection and hope as they stand out against the more negative blue tones in the foreground of the images. In the image of the tide surrounding the key ring, I feel that this could represent how these childhood memories may become ‘washed away’ due to my brothers illness and how he may not recognise himself anymore through things such as his hobbies.

The next 3:

In each of the three images below I experimented with hiding the objects within the frame to show how small fragments of my brothers memory are hidden in this area and spread out to bring nostalgia at any time. I got this idea from the images before as I feel that this is a good way to represent how little sections of the memories we share can build up certain locations.

I added a blue tint to the image so that the blue on the teddy bear is reflected and echoed into the rest of the image to create a more depressing tone. I like the composition of this image as there is a lot of line and shape in the foreground that can act as leading lines up to the bear as many of the curves and grooves in the rocks are pointing towards it. I was happy with this result as I did want to incorporate some of the landscape however I wanted to do this using the formal elements in a more ambiguous tone which I think is successful here. I also increased the highlights in the image to brighten the teddy as I didn’t want it to be lost within the composition as it is quite busy, which also removed the orange tones from the background which could’ve confused the concept of the image as warmer colours are commonly associated with emotions of happiness and joy.

This image did not require much editing at all. Once again, I kept the key ring out of focus as I wanted to play on this idea on showing the memories in a subtle way. I am really pleased with this composition as the dark red of the keyring is repeated throughout by the rocks as the majority of these are a range of dark reds and burgundy. The seaweed also contributes to this as it not only amplifies the dark nature of the image, but also adds texture against the rocks. I feel that the two main sections of seaweed look at equal size which is aesthetically pleasing as it balances the foreground and background. Once again, I used a low angle so that I could make the key ring look enlarged so that the viewer doesn’t miss it. The focal point is the dark brown rock in the centre of my image so that the viewer has a middle point to them explore the image from in further detail. The angle that I have used has enabled me to inhabit a type of optical illusion where the objects in the foreground appear larger than they actually are, giving it a forced perspective.

I really liked this idea due to the high contrast that it inhabits through the randomised pattern of seaweed paired with the dramatic lines of the rocks because this adds texture to my images which in turn will make it look more 3D instead of becoming flat and lifeless. I took this image from a higher angle so that my photobook will incorporate different styles as this will make the images more interesting so that they don’t all look the same. I took this image facing the sunset instead to contrast my other images too as this allows me to gain different perspectives of the same location to tell a stronger visual story. Once again, I hid the teddy bear between a cluster of rocks so that the images still have a comparative and consistent aspect, placing it directly in the middle this time from a further distance. My favourite factor of this image is that I have caught the edge of the sunset on the side of the camera. I feel that this contributes to my research on vernacular photography as it gives the image a retro effect from vintage cameras.

For example:

I feel that this will link nicely with my archived pictures as I am keeping this element of ‘old images’ in the new images that I produce.

I choose the book “F E M A L E” by Jitka Hanzlova. This book has 115 pages with different women with different culture, background and everyone is unique in their own way including the background. It tells a story that everyone has there own little bubble and are just other people in peoples lives. Photography captures’ peoples lives and moments forever. I like this photobook because it tells a story from so many different perspectives and lives. There are younger kids, older women and overall a range of ages which shows the growing up and how people growing up in different generations can affect you as a person. Most people are pulling a straight or sad/mad face which you could say shows the rage and anger some women have to go through because of misogamy an what some men are like. Some women may be scared to leave the house and I think this book represents a lot of women in todays society. I have made some images similar revolving around girlhood and misogyny to try and raise awareness and show people that life can be tough and isn’t perfect. I think that Hanzlova tried to make elements of this in her photobook too.

The book “F E M A L E” by Jitka Hanzlova. Hanzlová grew up in Rokytník, a village in eastern Bohemia. She was initially interested in painting and drawing before discovering photography as an artistic medium in 1983. Inspired by the works of Diane Arbus^[2] and the anonymous portraits of Walker Evans, she undertook her first trip to America in 1986. In 1987 she began studying visual communication at the University of Essen with a focus on photography, which she completed in 1994. In 1989, Stern published her first group of works under the title “Man Calls It School” about a school for asylum seekers.^[3] After the fall of the Wall and the end of the communist regime, she travelled back to her Czech homeland for the first time. I think that she made the female book to raise awareness for women and show people how different we all are, we al need to stick together and be kind to each other. This book is for everyone to view and can change peoples perspectives on life. This book drew me in because it shows people how everyone’s life is so different and we all live in each others life like characters. It sends a message that says you should be kind and look out for everyone because you never know what people are going through at the end of the day, we are all beautiful and perfect in our own special ways.

The book female, its thick and heavy. It smells like an old book and there is a range of different colours. The book has 121 A4 pages that are white with the image in the middle on the right page, they feel smooth and soft with a hard cover on the front and back with a printed image on the front, a white female wearing all black with a coffee in her hand looing blankly at the camera which gives some insight on what the book may be about. The title is red and spaced out with normal font and her name is above the picture which is relevant when it comes to all the images in the book. I think that it tells a story of history, its not just images of loads of different women. its about culture and background. The realisation we all grew up differently and this plays a huge part in our life as women. We are all unique. It has this repeating idea of strength and culutre and this is why I think its about awareness and strength. She’s repeated pretty much everything in the mood and it has the same layout for the whole book which again repents the idea of repation.

The photobook I have decided to research is A Mini Story. This book is about the photographers life with grandad who died when he was 7 but the story is about the life his grandad lived and the influence he had in his life, like his interest in cars and how his grandad was in a mini club. The genre of this book would be about family, grief and inspiration. This is because of the images of his grandparents, then losing his grandad to cancer, and then finally taking inspiration from him and also getting a mini like his grandads and restoring it. The approach to image making is taking pictures of different areas in his life, like his grandparents house and garage, then older pictures of when he was younger with his grandad and then pictures of his dad, his mini and garage, then finally a picture of his grandads mini and his mini that he bought.

The photographer was a former student called M De Gruchy. He made it to show the life that his grandad lived and how it inspired him to have the same passion of Minis. He dedicated the book to his nan.

The book is hard cover made of cardboard, it uses the same paper throughout and all the pictures are in colour apart from three, his grandparents wedding picture, and two of his grandads old mini. This can symbolise the age of the images, where his grandparents got married in 1969 which was 56 years ago and then also showing the age of the old mini. The images are different sizes, some are single page, some are double page spread and there are multiple small images on one page. There is also text throughout the book linked to the images that give a description of the image and clarifies what the images are or what is happening in the image. it is a portrait book but the images vary between portrait and landscape on the double page spreads. The editing looks natural, some images have been edited to look old and vintage but the images look like they have not been edited much. The binding is saddle stitch the cover is cardboard and a printed image. The title is literal and relevant within the book. The story is about his grandad and his passion for Minis. It is told like a story of his grandad and growing up with him, then later losing him and following after his passion for minis. The structure is told as a consecutive story happening in order of what happened with his grandad and then after he died.