lorenzavignalhncphotography

[lorenzavignalhncphotography]

Action Plan

For this project I plan on shooting a series of portraits in the South of France in a documentary street photography style. I hope to capture decisive moments and tell people’s stories through my images. My main plan is to walk around the city of Montpellier and take photos of people, or things I find intriguing, and share emotions.

Equipment and Resources

My film Camera – Leica M6 35mm

My 2 Lenses -> 50mm and 35mm

X3 or x4 Films 36poses, Ilford HP5 ISO400

Tripod and shutter release cable -> in case of night shooting

Reflectors

Spare batteries

A little notebook -> daily notes for my workbook

Location

• Montpellier, France

Location Ideas : - Place de la Comédie, Esplanade, Les jardins du Peyrou, le vieux Montpellier, Place de la prefecture.

Possible Market

A self-published book -> could be a local success, people living in Montpellier would be more likely to buy the book. I want people to look at this book and make them feel special.

An Exhibition -> A series of black and white portraits on film in a little exhibition space in Montpellier for Citizens but also tourists. A simple portrait gallery.

Time Table

April

May

Techniques and Approaches

This is going to be very challenging for me as I will have to go up to people, present myself and my project in a few sentences and make sure they are comfortable with their photograph being taken. It is going to be a personal social experience too.

I want to print 10 final images in the darkroom on Ilford Glossy multigrade IV RC de luxe paper. I think it will be good to have physical photos to present as its part of the whole film photography process, processing the film and printing in the darkroom.

I’ve been taking darkroom evening classes so I’m confident with printing in the darkroom and, if needed, use various techniques as dodge and burn.

Presentation

I will send away 5 photos for Final big prints. In my post production class we are going to send one of our photos to print as a test so I will be able to look at costs, paper types and format. I want a simple layout, my photographs against a white wall. I like the idea of black frames and white contours around the photos. I think it really makes the photos stand out.

Some inspirations:

Risk Assessment

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Research & Inspiration (part 3)

Rinzi Ruiz

Rinzi Ruiz is a photographer based in Los Angeles, California. He is a freelance photographer and Fujifilm X- photographer and Global ambassador. He originally studied graphic design and computer animation at the Art Institute of Los Angeles but after 12 years in the design industry found a passion for photography. He is now known for his street photography and urban photography with his focus on light and shadow and the human condition.

His work was featured in the LA Times Framework and in the LA Times SoCal Moments. You can find some of his photography in many magazines such as ‘Light It Magazine’, ‘The Candid Frame Podcast’, ‘Art Photo Feature’, ‘Fotoflock’ by Epson and Backyard Opera. His work has been exhibited at the Hatakeyama Gallery and The Think Tank Gallery. He was also published in ‘Arte Fotográfica Magazine’ and ‘Eloquence International Creators Magazine’.

‘Captured souls’ Rinzi Ruiz

The name of the project ‘capture souls’ really represents what is happening in this photo. The smile on the women’s face is pure and natural.

This photograph looks natural and shares the emotions of the man looking up to the sky. The sharpness and texture also make this image stronger.

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Research and inspiration (part 2)

Anil Mistry

Anil Mistry is a British Indian director (and has been for the past 20 years) and photographer. He worked in many areas – TV, films, fashion, comedy, art, design, advertising and photography. He shoots with digital as well as with his collection of film cameras. He writes about photography. He, for example, wrote a piece for 35mms, emulsive.org and Ilford. Guested in multiple podcasts where he shared tips and thoughts on various aspects of film photography.

He is a fan of street portraits and documentary style photography. People say you can find him, during his free time, wondering the streets of Brighton with a bunch of cameras.

He has been running Photowalks in Brighton. He mentioned in an interview for Lomography that people from all over the country have come along to join in and thathe met many interesting people of all ages with serious knowledge and enthusiasm and made great friends. He shot with a LC-A 120 film camera for some Photo walks in Brighton and London and said in that same interview that it is by far the easiest, most compact and most “instant” 120 camera he’s used, and he loves the square format of the shots.

He was asked in that same interview ‘What is the appeal of film photography for you?’

to which he replied :

‘The unique look of shots...I enjoy the whole tactile journey that film provides and the fact that it forces you to slow down more and think.’

Des the Barber, Anil Mistry

This shot is a more complex but interesting in terms of composition.

You can easily tell the man photographed through the mirror is the barber thanks to the timing. you can see him in action. The viewer knows this is a barber shop by looking at the picture because we can see all the products visible in the frame too. This photograph has a real atmosphere to it. By looking at this picture I see a man who is passionate about what he is doing.

Portfolio, Anil Mistry

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Research & Inspiration (part 1)

Jean Pierre Ortuno (1947 – 20002) 

Jean Pierre Ortuno was a French, self-taught photographer, passionate about black and white film photography and printing. He liked to capture the moment as it passed. Reporter photographer at the newspaper of Montpellier in 1979, then in 1987, at the ‘Gazette de Montpellier’. A local newspaper that published every Thursday since October 21, 1987, and distributed in its metropolis. 

He also held exhibitions: ‘Les monstres de la politique’ (‘political monsters’) in 1983. ‘Montpellier sensible’ in 1984. ‘Les photographes a la plage’ (‘photographers at the beach’), a collective exhibition in 1988. 

His main work was the photography book mentioned before ‘Ma Comedie a Moi, Portrait de Montpellier’. He shot all his photographs with a Leica M6, 35mm, film camera. After he passed away, I inherited of this camera. 

‘Request the program’ Jean Pierre Ortuno, 1988, Montpellier. 

The cinema in Montpellier. I would say that this photo is a street photo documentary type of style. It Is also amusing. It’s all about Capturing a funny moment at the right time. 

Hairdressing School in Montpellier , Jean Pierre Ortuno, 1997. 

A simple image but really ‘captures the moment’. The woman is looking at the camera in that very moment, maybe just for a split second. She was probably looking away the second after. He managed to capture a natural looking photo, without having the girl posing and getting bored. The movement and action of the man putting spray in her hair really emphasis that sense of decisive moment. 

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My Project

‘The decisive moment’ is the reason I started photography. But what does it really mean? For me, a photography can capture a certain moment in time that will make people remember how they felt in that specific short period of time. It represents the atmosphere, the feeling and emotions. It is all about pressing the shutter at the time. You can only capture this picture once because it’s only happening for a split second, and you will never get the same emotions twice. 

My uncle, Jean Pierre Ortuno (the first photographer I will talk about in this essay) is my main inspiration for this project. In 1975, he published a photography book called ‘Ma Comedie a Moi, Portrait de Montpellier’. A book that represents the city of Montpellier, France, and its community. The people who bring it to life. 

For this project I decided to pay homage to my uncle. I want to take a series of portraits in Montpellier and show the similarities and differences between now, 2023 and then, 1975. I will be photographing the people who represents this city whether they are, elderly or young, students or merchant, dancing or playing an instrument in the streets... I want to capture the soul of the city.