Since prehistoric to modern time the sea has been Jersey’s connection to the outside world. As an island we are surrounded by water and it is through maritime routes that people travel to and from Jersey to set up families and form new connections. For Jersey, it’s ports and piers hold symbolic and obvious practical significance. They facilitate trade and communication, and as an islands economy grows beyond the means by which it can support itself, they come to symbolise survival and possibility.

Stories of the sea, such as voyages, encounters and even shipwrecks holds mythological and romantic notions in the imagination of humans. Artists, writers, poets and filmmakers have for centuries been inspired by the sea and it’s many secrets.

The Channel Islands are a group of islands off the coast of France. The largest island is Jersey, followed by Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and a number of smaller islands, islets and rocky outcrops. The islands were separated from mainland Europe with rising sea levels in the Neolithic period; thereafter maritime activity commenced. As Jersey is extremely close to France and England this is why Jersey’s origin language is Jèrriais (the Island’s old Norman-French language). There are many Viking words to do with farming (especially ploughing and harvesting) and fishing, ships and the sea. For example:

• bete, bait, beita
• dranet, draw-net, dragnet
• flie, a limpet, flie
• greer, to rig, greidi
• haler, to haul, hala
• crabe, a crab, krabbi
• mauve, a seagull, mar

Needing to trade, the islanders were innovative. Over time they built up skills, earning money and investing capital in maritime businesses.

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

In the 1700’s many fishermen from the Channel islands would voyage from Jersey all the way to Canada and they had set up lucrative trade routes between Canada, Europe and America, establishing bases on the Gaspe Coast where they could salt and prepare the cod. These fisherman would travel all this way to the Gaspe, because the American and Canadian coast were swarming with fish, which meant that these fisherman could catch a very large number of fish all year round, which they could then sell all over the world.

Many channel island fishermen made this voyage and set up business here and sold fish all over the world. Many of these fishermen saw Canada as a move to prosperity and business success and an escape from problems back home to a new land of opportunity. The Jersey communities fitted in well in Gaspe, and despite the fact they were a minority, speaking Jersey-French in their communities and businesses, they were the economic giants of the area. It was financial problems back home, as well as the disappearance of the cod trade, that eventually led to the dwindling of the Jersey fishing community in Quebec. 

Which ports did Jersey ships sail to and trade with?

Building harbours did not take place until the late 17th century, when work began on building a pier on the islet on which St Aubin’s fort stands. St Aubin’s harbour proper was constructed during the 18th century and work began on developing St Helier as a port.

Stone piers were built during the 19th century at La Rocque, Bouley Bay, Rozel and Gorey, to accommodate the oyster boats. The harbour at Gorey also took passenger traffic from Normandy.

The primary purpose of these harbours was the movement of cargoes and not people. If someone wanted the leave the island they had to strike up deals with the master of the vessel or hire a boat to take you to wherever you wanted to go, but this was very expensive.

Jersey ships traded their cod fish all over the globe, mainly with the Caribbean, West Indies and other British colonies. They traded with different countries for the different goods that they had lots of or grew/ made there. Jersey’s maritime economy dominated island life and many merchants were engaged in the Atlantic trade, referred to as the ‘merchant triangle’ with commodities of manufactured goods and agricultural products exchanged in different outposts in the British Empire and other European colonies in the Caribbean, South America and Mediterranean. 

Merchant Triangle- Triangular trade or triangle trade is trade between three ports or regions. 

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

Jersey merchants exchanged cod-fish for many types of goods. For example:

• Rum
• Tobacco
• Sugar
• Plantation goods
• Coffee
• Cotton
• Malasses

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)?

The beginnings of Jerseys finance industry, which is the islands main source of employment and income, was rooted in plantations and enslavement. The wealth generated from the use of enslaved people is what the foundations are built on.

Josué Mauger’s great nephew inherited his wealth and built No 9 Pier Road (Jersey Museum). The Jersey Museum shows deep ties to our history and great generational wealth built off the back of slavery which has continued to benefit the island since. In 1968 the building was stated as being ‘the finest possible example of a prosperous merchant’s town house’ while simultaneously being the ‘most pretentious family mansions in St Helier.’

In the late 18th century and early 19th century it marks one of the richest periods in Jersey where many local families made substantial fortunes through cod fishing on the Newfoundland banks. Due to the large amount of incoming cash, Jersey established its first banks. These banks differed slightly to English ones and with unique benefits allowed the Finance Industry to thrive.

Jersey were given the freedom to decide their own laws from Britain, so they do not have to follow Britain’s laws, and tax laws. This benefitted Jersey and the Finance Industry, because they now have a lot lower tax than Britain.

Jersey has also benefitted from its constitutional relationship with Britain, because it allowed Jersey to trade with British colonies and territory, which was the biggest in the world at this point. Jersey could travel to British ports, so they could trade and they would not have to pay taxes, whereas every other country would.

Hundreds of thousands of terrified Rohingya refugees fled their home country due to brutality and violence against them, because of their Muslim beliefs. It was predominantly Buddhist who caused them to flee, because they did not agree with their Muslim beliefs. Rohingya refugees began flooding onto the beaches and paddy fields of southern Bangladesh in August 2017, it was the children who caught many people’s attention. As 60% of the refugees were children, who poured across the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh and brought with them accounts of the unspeakable violence and brutality that had forced them to flee.

Those fleeing attacks and violence in the 2017 exodus joined around 300,000 people already in Bangladesh from previous waves of displacement, effectively forming the world’s largest refugee camp. Six years later, about half a million Rohingya refugee children are living in exile from their home country. Many of them have been born into this limbo. 

The Rohingya rely entirely on humanitarian assistance for protection, food, water, shelter and health, and they are living in temporary shelters in highly congested camp settings. 

While basic services have been provided, children still face disease outbreaks, malnutrition, inadequate educational opportunities and the risks related to neglect, exploitation and violence including gender-based violence risks, child marriage and child labour. Meanwhile, annual cycles of heavy monsoon and cyclones pose substantial risks to both Rohingya refugees and host communities.

Older children and adolescents who are deprived of opportunities to learn or make a living are at real risk of becoming a “lost generation,” ready prey to traffickers and those who would exploit them for political or other ends. Girls and women are at particular risk of sexual and other gender-based violence in this situation, including being forced into early marriage and being left out of school as parents keep them at home.

Exhibition

There is an exhibition in Jersey, in the locations on the map below. The exhibition is there to spread awareness for the Rohingya refugees, so they can try and gather more help for them.

The exhibition presents images of these refugee camps and the Rohingya refugees. Many photographers have travelled to Bangladesh to capture the crisis there. Some images were also taken by Rohingya refugees themselves.

St Helier Cenopath

Broad Street

King Street

Queen Street

Bath Street

West’s Centre

Liberation Square

Statistics

Comparing the island of Jersey and the Rohingya refugee camps.

These statistics show that in Jersey it has a much older population, which may be because of the much harsher conditions in the refugee camps. These statistics show that most people do not live above 60 in these camps, and that there are many more children/ young adults.

The refugee camps are also much smaller than the island of Jersey being only 13km squared, compared to Jersey’s island of 120km squared. This means that they all must live in tight living conditions.

There are also much more people per km squared, proving that the living conditions must be extremely tight. In the camps there are 750,000 people per km squared compared to in Jersey there is only 859 people per km squared.

Another statistic that presents how tight these living conditions really must be is that n the camps there are 6 people per house compared to an average of only 2.2 in Jersey.

There is also no diversity in these camps, they are all Rohingya from Myanmar, compared to a range of ethnicities in Jersey.

They also do not receive a high income (£590 a year, below $2/day (no GDP data). In Jersey the average annual salary is £45,320 (GDP £4.9 billion). This must not be enough to live off for them.

They also have almost 4 times the number of children in a class in school. 70 compared to 20 students.

There mortality rates are also much higher than our mortality rates, which we can assume is because of the harsh living conditions they have to endure.

They also do not have as diverse religions as us, as a massive 94% of them are Muslims.

Personal Response

I think this exhibition trail has a very powerful message, as it showcases the lives of the Rohingya people and their day to day struggles. I also think that the statistics that were shown also helped people understand the reality of their situation. It really did showcase there struggles. The photographs also presented many differing people who are living in these camps and showed differing day to day struggles, such as broken bones and no health care.

Publics Response

I think the public’s response to this exhibition trail was good, because many people stopped to read and look at the images that were being presented and they took into mind the struggles of these people in the camps. I also heard people saying things such as:

‘They must struggle so much.’

‘Poor child.’

This really showcases that the public showed empathy towards their situation and it really effected them on a deeper level.

Firstly, I selected my page spread size and layout, I could have an A3 spread. I used the measurements and layouts below.

Experimentation

Next, I selected the area of where I wanted my image and went to file and place and selected which images I wanted to use. Once they are on my page spread I right clicked selected fitting and selected fill frame proportionately.

Next, I added a title, captions and some placeholder text for now.

Next, I experimented with different images and coloured images and repeated the same steps. I also experimented with creating a drop shadow for my title.

I also wanted to experiment with the colours of the French flag (red, white and blue) for one of my page spreads. I selected an area and then filled the area with a colour. Then, I went to file, arrange and then send to back, so that the colour was behind my writing and images, instead of on top. Finally, I adjusted the size and angle of my coloured blocks.

Next, I experimented with making the writing white, so I could see if it would be more visible than the black.

Finally, I started to replace to placeholder text with my own text.

Images I have used

Establishing shots:

I used these images in my book, so that I could present St Malo, so it is clear in my book where these images have been taken and where all the other images have been set.

Relationship shot:

I used these relationship shots in my book to display the different relationships (lovers, friendship, colleges etc.) all through St Malo that I witnessed.

Person at work:

I took these images of people at work, so I could explore the different shops and places in town, so I could display the uniqueness of all the small businesses in St Malo.

My Book

Once, I had finished experimenting, I decided that the front page of my book would be through the window of St Malo, and that would be my title.

For my double page spread, I decided to use the colours of the France flag on both pages, because I liked the look of the colours, so I wanted both pages to match and work well together.

Evaluation:

In conclusion, I like my book, because I enjoy the exploration in it and in my images. I like how I explored with the colours of the French flag on my double page spread. I also like the concept of my book of ‘looking through the window of St Malo,’ but I would of liked to explore this concept more with my images. I should of used images of more shops and used my images experimenting with window reflections more, but I felt like they were not my stronger images, and the ones I did use were. I also like how I have explored with coloured and black and white images, but next time I think I will keep the images either all coloured or all black and white, as I think they go together better. I also like how I have used different types of images (establishing shot, relationship shot, person at work, etc.) because I feel like it displays St Malo as a whole very well.

Types of Images Typically used in Picture Stories

• Establishing shot
• Person at work
• Relationship shot
• Detail shot
• Environmental Portrait
• Formal Portrait
• Observed portrait

These types of images are typically used in picture stories, because they help display the whole story with enough detail and show lots of different elements to the story.

Establishing Shot

An establishing shot is a photo that provides an overview of the setting, like where the image is taken and what the weather is like etc.

Person at Work

A person at work image shows a person at work doing their job. A person at work photo should include 4 things:

Who?– The image must show who the person is that is working.

What?– The image must show what the person is doing for their job.

How?– The image must show how they are doing their job.

Context?– The image must show the environment, so it can be seen what they do for work.

Relationship Shot

A relationship shot shows the relationship between two or more people. It can show many different relationships, such as friends, family, lovers etc.

Detail Shot

A detail shot is a close-up photograph or artwork that focuses on a specific part or element of the subject, highlighting its intricate details and textures.

Environmental Portrait

An environmental portrait is a photo of an individual in their usually or natural environment, such as their home or work place etc. It typically gives us some insight into the individuals life.

Formal Portrait

A formal portrait is a photo of an individual’s face, that is not candid, but is posed in effective lighting conditions.

Observed Portrait

An observed portrait is a candid image of a person, who is does not know they are being photographed, so they are not posed.

Mood Board

Analysis and Deconstruction

Experimenting with AI

I wanted to use AI to make the streets of St Malo more busy, so I selected where I wanted my people and used different prompts to achieve what I wanted.

Experimenting with cropping

For cropping I chose images that I wanted to zoom in on, or images which I wanted to crop something out of the image.

These are the different cropping formats I tried.

• Portrait Format
• Landscape format
• square crop
• circle crop
• multi circle / porthole crop
•  polygon crop
• panoramic crop

Portrait Format

I chose to use a portrait crop for this image, because I wanted to zoom in on the girl in this image more, so that I could remove some of the negative space all around her, so that she was more visible and the main viewpoint.

For this image I also wanted to close in on the man in this image more, by removing some of the negative space around him.

Landscape Format

For this image I wanted to remove some of the negative space on the right hand side of this family, so that I could close in on the family more, and so they would be more centre in the image.

For this image, I wanted to remove the people on the right hand side and zoom in on the man looking into the window more, so that he is the main focus of the image.

Panoramic crop

I didn’t take any panorama for this photoshoot, but I experimented with the panoramic crop in my Anthropocene work.

Square Crop

I have chosen to square crop this image, so that I could zoom in on the fruit, to create more of a detailed shot.

I removed all the negative space around the fruit and zoomed in on them quite a lot, to create this nice detail shot, that an be displayed nicely with a few of my other images.

Circle Crop

I decided to circle crop this lady in this image, and crop out all the negative space around her.

First, I selected the elliptical marker tool and made a circle around her. Then, I went to inverse and deleted my background. Finally, I dragged her onto a white background.

Multi Circle Crop

I chose these three images to create a multi circle crop.

Polygon Crop

I c hose this image to create my polygon crop.

First, I selected the polygon tool and created my triangle shape. Next, I went to select and inverse and deleted the background. Finally, I dragged my polygon onto a white background.

Experimenting with Colour Theory

Finally, I wanted to look at the colour wheel/ colour theory for when I am cropping, so that I can try and include complimentary colours in my images instead of cropping them out.

This image contained both red and green, which are complimentary colours, so they compliment each other and look good together in this image, so I wanted to make the green stand out a bit more, so I tinted the image slightly green.

This image contains both blue and orange, which compliment each other well, so they make this image look better.

Complimentary colours create a harmony in the image, so they look good next to each other in the viewers eyes, so the image is more visually pleasing.

Experimenting with colour selection

I tried two different methods when creating my colour selection images.

Method 1-

1. Open my chosen image in photoshop
2. Duplicate my background
3. Go on original background and make it black and white

4. Next I went onto my background copy and selected what I wanted to be coloured

5. Next, I went to select and then clicked inverse, so I am selecting what I do not want to be colour.

6. Finally, I deleted the background.

Method 2-

1. Open my chosen image in Lightroom develop.
2. Go to HSL/ colour and put the colours you do not want in the image down to 0 on the saturation.

3. Then, go to the adjustment brush and lower the saturation and exposure to 0.

4. Finally, brush over all the colours on the image, which are not wanted.

Final Colour Selecting Images

With this image I experimented with which parts I wanted coloured and which parts I didn’t.

Then, I decided to experiment with making multiple different things and colours pop against the black and white.

Experimenting with Motion Blur

I wanted to play around with this image, because it is a busy image with lots of people, so I felt like I could do a lot with it.

• Firstly, I duplicated the background and selected the man and his baby. Then, I selected inverse and deleted the background.

• Next, I selected filter and motion blur and blurred the background.

• Finally, I duplicated the background again and played around with the hue and saturation.

Next, I wanted the experiment with a single person image, and wanted to blur the person, rather than the background. I wanted wanted to experiment with different levels of blur.

This is the image I decided to edit.

• Firstly, I duplicated my background layer and selected my person. Then, I went to select and inverse and deleted the background.
• Then, I duplicated the background again and turned it black and white, so that the background was black and white, but my person was in colour.

• Finally, I went to filter and motion blur and selected the strength of the blur and the angle.
• First, I experimented with a weak blur.

• Next, I experimented with a stronger blur.

Finally, I wanted to experiment with making a Tryptic out of these three images.

Final Images with Motion Blur

Eye Level Camera

Analysis

I like these images, because they show the day to day lives of the local St Malo. I captured all different people in St Malo and they were all doing different things. I took candid shots of all these people. I also like the composition of these images, as well as the lighting and editing.

How these images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson

These images relate to Henri, because I observed people going through their day to day lives and waited for the decisive moment to take the shot. I took these candid images of people. I tried to take these photos in secret as well, which relates to Henri as he tried to do the same with his small discrete camera (Leica camera). Henri took candid images of people going about their day to day lives and also waited for the decisive moment, so he can take the shot.

I also tired to experiment with taking images that are similar to Henri Cartier-Bresson:

I also made my images black and white, so that they resembled Henri’s work even more.

Hip Shots

Analysis

I placed the camera down by my hip when taking these images, so that I was able to capture people living their day to day lives in a candid shot. I had the camera down by my hip, so that the people were unsuspected of my photos, so they did not pose or change their actions or what they were doing. I think this made my photos come out well, because I was able to secretly capture the decisive moment.

The composition was also good in some of these images, however, some of these images didn’t have the best composition, because of how low down the camera was. The editing on these images were also done quite well, and the lighting was good.

How do these images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson?

These images relate to Henri Cartier-Bresson, because he too observed people going about their every day lives and waiting for the decisive moment, so he could capture it. Henri also wanted to capture these images secretly, so that they were true candid shots and people didn’t change their actions when they saw the camera. However, he did this in a different way. He used a small quiet camera (Leica rangefinder). This camera was small and quiet, so he was able to secretly capture his candid shots.

I also tried to take images that are similar to Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work:

I also made my images black and white, so that they resembled Henri’s work even more.

Experimenting with Windows and Reflections

Analysis

These images capture people’s day to day lives while shopping. I also tried to experiment with windows and window reflections while taking these images. The composition of these images were also good, as well as the lighting and editing. If I were to do this again, I would try to experiment with window reflections more.

How do these images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson?

These images relate to Henri Cartier-Bresson, because he also observed and sought out the decisive moment, so he could capture it in his candid shots. He observed people’s day to day lives during his street photography, just like I did in St Malo, so I could capture the life of St Malo in my street photography.

Henri however didn’t photograph people shopping as such, but I wanted to include these images, so I could dive deeper into the life of St Malo.

Blurry Images

Analysis

Some of these blurry images came out well, as it captured the motion of life and of St Malo. I also experimented with different shutter speeds to get different levels of blurriness, but if I was to do it again I would experiment with this more. I would want to experiment with slightly faster shutter speeds as well, so the images are not so blurry, like Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work. I would also experiment with different compositions and try experiment with different moving objects, like more cars for example.

How do these images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson?

These images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson, because he also experimented with different shutter speeds, so he could capture the decisive moment, but with motion. However, he did not do this in a lot of his images and he usually used a faster shutter speed, so his images were less blurry.

As you can see in this image the children’s feet are slightly blurry, so the shutter speed was slightly too slow to capture the moment still.

In the future, I would want to speed up my shutter speed, so my images are not as blurry and they look more similar to Henri Cartier-Bresson’s. However, I did find one picture of Henri Cartier-Bresson, which is much more similar to my images, as he has used a really slow shutter speed here, just like I did, so the image was much more blurry.

Then, I wanted to experiment with making my image black and white, so it resembles Henri’s work even more.

These images also relate to Henri’s work, because I have observed the people of St Malo’s day to day lives and captured candid images of them, just like Henri did in his street photography.

Black and White Images

Analysis

I really like these black and white images, because not only do I think most images always look better in black and white, but I also think it makes these images much more dramatic and they resemble Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work more. I also like the editing of these images, because they have very high contrast between the whites and blacks and grey tones.

How do these images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson?

These images relate to Henri Cartier- Bresson, because they not only capture the decisive moment in these people’s day to day lives, but they are also in black and white, which all of Henri’s images were too.

Final Images

While in St Malo I wanted to experiment with taking photos of shops, items inside the shops and using the reflection in the shop window etc. I wanted to do this, because the shops in St Malo were very different to the shops that we have in Jersey, so this really interested me. St Malo was full of small own business shops and there was very little high end designer or branded shops. This intrigued me, because all of the shops were quite unique.

Items

Analysis

I think these images came out well, because they display how the shops offer different items and things to Jersey shops, as well as each other, as they all offer different things. These photos also display how even the food is different in St Malo compared to Jersey.

These images also have good composition and lighting and have been edited well in my opinion.

How do these images relate to Henri Cartier-Bresson?

These images don’t necessarily relate Henri, but they do show the lives of the people living in St Malo and how their lives differ from ours back at Jersey.

People

Analysis

These images display the lives of the locals in St Malo, as I have snapped images of them living their day to day lives (candid photos). These images also display all different types of people, eg: young, old, male, female. I have also tried to use shop windows to my advantage, by capturing people through the windows without them seeing me and using the window reflection to my advantage.

The composition of these photos are also good, even though they all have different compositions. The lighting and editing are also good in these images.

How do these images relate to Henri Cartier-Bresson?

These images relate to Henri Cartier-Bresson, because I was observing the peoples day to day lives in these images (mostly without them knowing) and waiting for the decisive moment, which is what Henri did. I took candid shots of these people, which is what Henri did, while he walked the streets observing the people.

Ferris-wheel

Analysis

I like these images, even though they are a different style. I like these photos, because they produce different angles of St Malo and the people from St Malo. I was able to achieve higher up angles for my photos and did capture a few landscape shots. I was also able to capture other people on the Ferris-wheel with us. I also had fun on the Ferris-wheel and I don’t think anyone else really went on it.

How do these images relate to Henri Cartier-Bresson?

These images don’t necessarily relate to Henri, but I had fun taking them. They also do show life in St Malo from other angles and the lives of people from other angles.

Bringing the People of St Malo to life

I wanted to experiment with bringing the people, who are still in these images to life. I wanted to do this by using motion blurring.

• First, I duplicated my background and selected my person. Then, I selected inverse and deleted the background.
• Next, I went to filter and motion blur and selected how blurry I wanted it and what angle I want the blur to be.
• If my person got too transparent I would also duplicate the layer with only my person, before I motion blur it, so there is always an opaque copy.

I wanted to also experiment creating different scenes in St Malo, so I used AI to do this. I also used AI to create more shop windows and reflections, so I could experiment with that even more.

• First, I selected an image I wanted to use and selected where I wanted the AI to go. Then, I selected generative fill and typed in the prompts that I wanted and finally selected which one I thought looked best.

St Malo

St Malo is mainly a tourist destination, so it was ‘normal’ for the locals to see us taking pictures with our cameras. We also saw many other tourists who were not with us taking photos with either their phones or cameras. There were many different shops and food stalls in St Malo, which attracted many tourists. There was also the Ferris-wheel.

Contact Sheet

The images that are highlighted green are my best images and the images I have decided to edit, because they show people’s every day lives the best, while have the best composition. They are also the different types of images I have experimented with.

Edits

These images are images I have taken with the camera at eye level, so people knew I was taking photos in these.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights, whites and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and so the background of the sea and boats would be more visible and eye capturing.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more eye capturing.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more vibrant.

I edited these images by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the images would be more vibrant and eye capturing.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have be brighter.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the person in this image would stand out more.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting.

I edited these images by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more eye capturing. Also so the people would stand out more.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would be brighter.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would be brighter.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have be more vibrant and all the colours on the caracal would pop more.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the lady’s bag and umbrella would pop more and be the main focus.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the coloured umbrella and backpack would pop more and be more eye capturing.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this, so that the image would have better lighting and be more vibrant.

Hip Shots

These are images I have taken with the camera at hip level, so it is less visible that I am taking photos, so that people will not change their expressions or actions when I am taking the photos.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so the image was more vibrant and had better lighting.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so the colours in the image would pop more and be more vibrant, such as the flags and coloured clothing.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so the coloured clothing and flags in this image would pop more, and so the image was slightly brighter.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so the image was more vibrant and had better lighting. Also, so the ladies coat was more vibrant and stood out more.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so the image was more vibrant and had better lighting.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so the image was more vibrant and had better lighting.

I edited these images by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so the images were brighter.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so the image was brighter and had better lighting.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so the image was brighter and had better lighting.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so the image was brighter and had better lighting, and so the green bench was slightly more vibrant.

I edited these images by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so red furniture would pop more and be more vibrant, so that it was eye capturing. I also wanted the lighting to be better.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so all the different colours in this image, such as the red furniture and her coloured umbrella would pop more and be more vibrant, so that the image was more eye capturing. I also wanted the image to be slightly brighter, so that the lighting was better.

Blurry Images

For these images I experimented with the shutter speed by slowing it down, so that anyone or thing that is moving will be slightly or very blurry, while I am stood still taking the images.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so the colours in this photo would be more vibrant and the lighting would be better.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so the different colours in this image would be much more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so the image was brighter and had better lighting.

I edited these images by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so the image had better lighting.

Shop windows/ Reflections

For these images I experimented with using shop windows/ reflections, so I took pictures of people inside the stores from outside the window. I also just took images of people shopping and browsing.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites and vibrancy, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so that the lighting would be better and their brightly coloured coats more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites and vibrancy, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so that the lighting would be better and all the brightly coloured clothing would be more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites and vibrancy, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so that the lighting would be better and the colours in the image would pop more.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, saturation and vibrancy, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so that the lighting was better.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites and vibrancy, while decreasing the highlights saturation and blacks. I did this so that the image was brighter and the people could be seen better.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites and vibrancy, while decreasing the highlights, saturation and blacks. I did this so that the lighting was better and all the colours were more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, saturation and vibrancy, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so that the image had better lighting.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, vibrancy, highlights and blacks. I did this so that the colours would pop more.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, saturation and vibrancy, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so that the lighting was better.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, saturation and vibrancy, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this so that the lighting was better and the person could be seen more clearly through the window.

I edited this image by increasing the exposure, contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the highlights and blacks. I did this, so the image is brighter and her neon coat more vibrant.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows, whites, vibrancy and saturation, while decreasing the exposure, highlights and blacks. I did this so the lighting was better in these images.

Experimenting with Black and White Images

I made all these images by making a virtual copy of the final edited images. Then, I edited them more so after they’ve been made black and white if need so.

I edited this image even more after turning it black and white, by increasing the contrast and whites more, while decreasing the highlights, shadows and blacks more. I did this so there was lots of contrast.

I edited this image even more, by increasing the contrast, shadows and whites more, while decreasing the highlights and blacks more. I did this so the image would have more contrast.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows and whites more and decreasing the blacks and highlights more. I did this so there was more contrast and the reflection in the window was more apparent.

I edited this image more by increasing the contrast, shadows, highlights and whites more, while decreasing the blacks more. I did this so there is more contrast.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows and whites, while decreasing the highlights and blacks more. I did this to create more contrast.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows and whites, while decreasing the highlights and blacks more. I did this to create more contrast.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows and whites, while decreasing the highlights and blacks more. I did this to create more contrast.

I edited this image by increasing the contrast, shadows and whites, while decreasing the highlights and blacks more. I did this to create more contrast.

Henri Cartier Bresson

Henry Cartier captures the movements of people through the world. He is a humanist photographer, who is considered a master of candid photography. He waits for the decisive moment, by looking with his heart, looking at things that connect to humanity and waiting and watching for the decisive moment. The decisive moment is a second when all elements of reality align perfectly and the goal is to notice and capture that moment. He often compared this waiting and watching to hunting, as it was similar to predator waiting and watching their prey, also trying to capture it. A good example of Henri Cartier capturing the decisive moment is this image:

This captures the decisive moment, as he captures a man, who is passing by leaping of the puddle and captures his action in this image.

About him?

Henri grew up in a wealthy family in France, and was introduced to the arts early. He was initially drawn to painting, but his passion was sparked when he discovered photography, which he saw as an extension of drawing and an extension of his eye. With a camera, Henri found a tool he could use to interact with the world. In his early years, he travelled extensively, from Europe to Africa, and absorbed varied cultures. These experiences helped to shape his outlook on life and hone his philosophy.

“Photography isn’t just about images; its about capturing the essence of existence.”

This philosophy matured into what we call “The decisive moment”.

Inspired in the 17th centaury Cardinal de Retz’s quote,

“There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment.”

Henri internalised this notion, making it the cornerstone of his work. It wasn’t just about pushing the shutter at the right moment. It was about intuition, anticipation, and connection with the subject and environment.

The Camera and Lens

Henri Cartier Bresson was known for using a Leica rangefinder with a 50mm lens. The Leica rangefinder were a revolutionary piece of equipment in the world of photography, especially during Henri Cartier Bresson’s time. These cameras were compact, reliable, and their design was more discreet than the large and conspicuous cameras of the era. This allowed him to use a quick and unobtrusive shooting style, which is essential for street photography.

Another main reason Cartier-Bresson favoured the Leica rangefinder was its stealthy nature. Its quiet shutter let him capture moments without drawing attention to himself, letting life unfold naturally before his lens. The silent operation was crucial for someone who believed in capturing authentic, unstaged moments.

Henri also preferred the 50mm lens, because it offers a field of view close to the human eye, ensuring he captured images that felt natural and immersive to the viewer.

Behind the Saint-Lazare

Henri Cartier-Bresson’s most famous and well known image was taken in Paris in 1930. The image was taken behind the Saint-Lazare train station, an ordinary scene was about to unfold. An unsuspecting man, perhaps in a rush, decided to leap over a puddle. Henri, always observant, saw this not just as a jump, but as a symphony of shapes, shadows ad reflections.

He captured it, turning a mundane act into a timeless masterpiece. I wasn’t just a photo; it was a testament of his philosophy. The leaping man, frozen in time, epitomized the essence of ‘The Decisive Moment.’ A split second earlier or later, the magic would have been lost.

Analysis

The composition of this image is a man jumping over a puddle at first glance, but the message this photo displays is that there is always thing waiting to be seen and captured.

This image has leading lines, which direct the viewers eyes to the heart of the action, which in this case is the man jumping over the puddle. These leading lines also help frame the subject, so the viewers eyes are drawn to the subject even more.

The reflection in this image also helps to create a balance in the image. There is also lots of negative space at the sky and the reflection. However, the reflection eats into that negative space, as well as the chimney, so both these create a balance in the image. They are almost symmetrical, as they are opposite end of the image, but they are different items.

The image also has outer and inner frames. The outer frames have negative space, so the inner frame is more apparent, so the eyes are drawn to the inner frames more, which is the man etc.

This image also contains the rules of thirds, as there is negative space at the top and the bottom of the image. The man also isn’t in the middle of the image, but it is in the middle right third, so the man is at the end of his leap, we have followed his journey in this image.

Definition

The aim for this theme is to observe people going about their every day life, while trying to capture the decisive moment.

Decisive Moment- Photographers must be able to anticipate an important moment within the constant flow of life, and capture it in a fraction of a second. This is the decisive moment.

Mood Board

Mind Map