What is the windows and mirrors theory?

“Most of my likeness [daguerreotypes] do look
unamiable; but the very sufficient reason, I fancy,
is because the originals are so. There is a wonderful
insight in heaven’s broad and simple sunshine. While
we give it credit only for depicting the merest surface,
it actually brings out the secret character with a
truth that no painter would ever venture upon, even
if he could detect it.”
(Holgrave in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House o f the Seven Gables, 1851)

we approach the photographs in the show either as mirrors, reflecting the photographer’s consciousness and concerned primarily with self- expression, or windows, openings onto the external world concerned primarily with exploration.

The idea of photographs functioning like windows makes total sense. Like a camera, windows frame our view of the world. We see through them and light enters the window so that we can see beyond. Photographs present us with a view of something. However, it might also be possible to think of photographs as mirrors, reflecting our individual view of the world, one we have shaped with our personalities, our subconscious motivations, so that it represents how our minds work as well as our eyes. The photograph’s surface reflects as much as it frames. Of course, some photographs might be both mirrors and windows.

Windows

a window in photography is an objective view of the world around this could include documentary, realism, candid, optical photography.

With window photography it is difficult to infer much about the photo and requires little to no creativity to create.

this would be considered a window photography because it is an honest, unedited, unfiltered view of the world around.

Mirrors

A Mirror is a reflection of the photographers subconscious and conscious self expression.
“Mirrors” were images meant to mirror the photographer’s own sensibility.

this image is very subjective and clearly the photographer is trying to communicate a deeper message than is objectively presented in the image

Cross-Over

of course in some photos there is cross over between the two contrasting approaches to photography where the photo at first seems objective and could be considered a Window to the outside world but upon deeper inspection the could also be considered Mirror because of the subtle inference and and underlying themes.

when first approaching this image i believe it to be an objective photo taken of perhaps and football pitch, with the chalk lines framing the photo but upon further research i discovered this is a image by Richard Long and is named– A line made by walking, England 1967, this image was created through longs performance after of walking in a line over and over and and killing/treading down the grass bellow his path and then documented through photography. so in fact despite its appearance this image is quite subjective.
I believe it to be a combination of both approaches.

Mood Board

Focus Of Experimentation

I want to experiment with they key elements of a photo form, colour, shape and texture and work with combining those elements in order to create and interesting and stimulating photo zine.

I also what to experiment with mirroring and flipping images to create optical illusions throughout.

Selected Images

Rejected Images

Physical Experimentation

Digital Edits

Additional Archive Material

Edited Archive Photos

for my first image i wanted to create a combination of both colour and black and white using harsh lines and shapes to truly demonstrate what i intend illustrate throughout the zine

My focus for this zine was not to tell a story with word but in fact let the images speak for themselves using vivid colours, sharp lines and complex editing to create interesting images.
i intended to create symmetry with in the layout and images in order to create optical illusions and a sense of da-ja-vu when viewing.

experimenting with vivid colours and 'dream like' aesthetic

black and white images

colour popping

photoshoot 1

photoshoot 2

photoshoot 3

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

It has been more than 400 years since the first Islanders crossed the Atlantic in search of work. They went to raid the cod-rich seas of the American and Canadian coast.

When the first Europeans reached Canada is unknown, but it is thought to be Italian explorer John Cabot’s descriptions of ‘new found lands’ and a sea swarming with fish in 1497 that attracted fishermen to the north of the continent.

By the beginning of the 16th-century Basque fishermen were travelling to the region to fish and, by 1580, around 10,000 European fishermen were making the transatlantic voyage to the area each year to fish for cod.

Channel Island fishermen were among these and by the 1750s they had set up lucrative trade routes between Canada, Europe and America, establishing bases on the Gaspé Coast where they could salt and prepare the cod for selling (merchants).

Which ports did Jersey ships sail to and trade with

A Collective effort to build harbours did not begin until the late 17th century, when work began on building a pier on the islet where St Aubin’s fort stands. During the 18th century St Aubin’s harbour proper was constructed and work began on developing St Helier as a port, although the capital had to wait until the 19th century before it really began to develop as a port.

It was during the early 19th century that stone piers were built 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.

jersey fishermen voyaged to coasts such as Gaspé, here was where they salted and prepare the cod for trade and travel. All year round Fishermen could travel and fish, seas held large amounts of fish, nearer the coast proved itself hard for most fisherman who were unfamiliar with shallow waters, changing tided and rocky shores however Channel Islanders had plenty experience with coastal fishing and made use of their skills. Other ports included that on the Newfoundland, South America and others. Main ports which ships travelled to during their trades consisted of Bristol, London, Liverpool.

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

To what extend, 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)?

• No 9 Pier road, is known as the ‘Merchant house’ and is a Victorian townhouse which was built by Philippe Nicolle in 1818 using money he inherited from his great uncles involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.
  The building is now part of the Jersey museum.

• John Frederick Gibaut was a Jersey man who owned one of the largest sugar plantations, ran by slaves, in El Salvador during the mid 1800s. It ended up going bankrupt around the time slavery was abolished.

• TW: Peter Pierre, Thomas Mallet and Parry were jersey men who sailed with the captain John Kimber, in 1797 from Gold Coast to Barbados with 409 Slaves. Sadly one of the Slaves passed away on the boat and the captain was accused of killing her because she refused to dance naked.

In conclusion Jersey benefited economically from the slave trade due Jersey men who had businesses involving the trade and ship masters whose boats were used to capture slaves.

mood board/inspiration for up and coming harbour photoshoot

DEFINITION

Artificial intelligence is the science of making machines that can think like humans. It can do things that are considered “smart.” AI technology can process large amounts of data in ways, unlike humans. The goal for AI is to be able to do things such as recognize patterns, make decisions, and judge like humans. AI-powered tools can analyse photographs and calculate optimal exposure, correct colours, and adjust shadows, among other enhancements. These tools aim to streamline the photo culling and editing process, offering faster and more customized processing and adjustments.

How do you use it?

Ai has recently been introduced to adobe photoshop in the form of generative fill, this not only allows photographers to add elements to their images that elsewise would have been difficult or impractical to accomplish, this makes a photographer much more able to accomplish what they envision

but it also allows photographers to remove unwanted aspects of an image to create for example a better composition for your already taken images

cropping an image can drastically change an images impact. it allows the photographer to entirely effect the composition or an image in order to frame elements more effectively.

Examples Of Picture Stories:

What Is A Picture Story?

Photo stories are a means of visual storytelling. Photojournalists use photo stories to narrate a series of images so that they give better insight into an event or topic. These stories range from photos of an event that describe what happened, to long term or long-form stories following things like wars and elections.

Types Of Photos Typically Used In Photo Stories

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

These images are typically used in picture stories, this is because they help display the whole story with enough detail and show a selection of emotive intentions and contextual situations.

Establishing Shot

An establishing shot in photography is a wide or extreme wide shot that sets up the context of a scene and shows the location where the action/events occur. It can include buildings, landscapes, or other obvious signals of place and time. Establishing shots help convince the viewer of the images background and validity.

Person At Work

A person at work shot is helpful when establishing a person.
This is an image of an individual at their job/occupation
It demonstrates them in their everyday ordinary life allowing the viewer to relate to the individual.

a person at work shot must include a
+Who – the image should show who is working
+What – it should be clear in the image what the individual is doing
+How – the viewer should be able to infer how the individual is completing their job/task
+Context – the contextual clues should allude too the individuals occupation

Relationship Shot

there are relationships of many kinds, familiar, platonic, romantic and the relationship between and individual and there pet, these shots can even illustrate the relationship between strangers or mild acquaintance’s

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 type of portrait photography that:

• Includes more than just the subject, capturing them within a broader context.
• Is executed in the subject’s usual environment, such as their home or workplace.
• Showcases the subject’s personality and connection to their surroundings.
• Combines a meaningful setting with basic portrait photography skills

Formal Portrait

Photographers who take traditional portraits aim to capture the essence of the person they are shooting. That’s most iconic figures in popular culture, politics, and history have traditional portraits taken of them. 
formal portraits tend to focus entirely on a persons face in a posed position with a controlled environment and specified lighting.

Observed Portraits

observed portraits are candid images aiming to capture the individual with out their knowing.

Image Analysis And Deconstruction