shopwood102 - Tumblr blog

[shopwood102]

Small Worlds and City Limits

PHOT102

[shopwood102]

[shopwood102]

Initial Response

After reading and reflecting upon the newly set brief I am looking forward to seeing what the coming weeks will bring. It seems that the brief we have been giving is a relatively open one and will enable me to pursue my interest in developing my 35mm and medium format film photography. Over the next couple of days I will be deciphering the conceptual route of which I am wishing to follow. At this point in the project I feel as if I am more interested in documenting people as opposed place of architecture as I feel developing my portraiture would be more of a benefit to me at this point in my photographic career. This doesn't eliminate the possibilities of looking into the other themes but make a final decision on which theme is more suitable in the coming days.

Ideas Relating:

Religion - Focusing on the variation of religions and places of worship present in Plymouth. As I was raised in a household of which held no specific religious orientation I have a lot of unanswered questions regarding religions in the UK. I last came into contact with religion part way through secondary school however as I chose to go down a different GCSE route that is where my study ended. I feel at some point in my study here I would like to look into this area with an explorative sense. For this project I could document the small worlds within religious groups and how they feel it is affected by the majority of the youth of today’s stance on religion.

Travelling communities - Seeking out those who are part of or who have been the many travelling communities of the UK and documenting their lives. As these communities are considered somewhat a mystery to the majority of population or aren’t seen in their true light I feel it would be interesting to attempt to break what stigmas exist around these communities and showing them in a realistic way.

Diverse / Multicultural communities - Plymouth currently accommodates a high number for citizens from a wide range of backgrounds and since attending the talk given by Suki Dhanda on her piece titled Race, Place and Diversity by the Seaside

Belonging - Moving on from my previous project response to module of 101 and time spent with the participants, I am considering revisiting the group for this module. During the past weeks I have built relationships within a local music community and have examined the sense of family and belonging that have been produced by their shared interest in music. This project would allow me to present the importance music / music based communities hold to those involved and the senses of belonging it supplies to those part of an uncertain society.

[shopwood102]

City Streets Task

Following this morning’s introductory lecture we were encouraged to embark of this task with the aim to photograph aspects of our city both digitally and on medium format. For my digital shots I decided to focus on street portraiture taken around the city centre, with hope of capturing the diversity that is present in Plymouth. As well as this I will be taking images on the Mamiya645Pro based around the city’s links to the ocean.

Digital Response:

This image was taken using a Nikon D7200, a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens and the ambient lighting present in the area. I chose to photograph this subject after speaking to him very briefly and discovering he had migrated from Bulgaria a handful of years ago and has worked in the market since arriving in Plymouth. To me, he presents the diversity of the city well as he is happy to tell others of his story and of how Plymouth has benefitted him since he has lived here. For the shot I decided to photograph him on his clothing stall in the market, positioned in the central space so that the clothes hanging from the roof and places on the rack surrounded him and created a natural frame. Using both the natural light from the windows in the ceiling and the fluorescent lights I ensured all aspects of the image were correctly exposed to ensure the location was visible. Personally, I draw a comparison between this image and those of Muhammed Muheisen’s work with refugees in regards of the composition and post production style.

In regards of composition, I chose to keep that image as shot (with no cropping) as I believe the information present in the top third of the image benefited the piece by framing the rest of the image naturally. As the subject’s eyes are usually located in the top third of the image to create a sense of intimacy I experimented with the crop to decipher whether the was more suited to the piece. The image to the left shows this crop and as predicted does give the image an empathetic tone it didn’t have before however I still do believe the original crop worked better for the piece.

Analogue Response:

Shooting with the Mamiya645ProTL, I set out on the second leg of the task. This was to photograph with a medium format camera and black and white film. For this stretch of the task I decided to focus Plymouth’s connection with the ocean and the major part it has played throughout history. I shot these images around the Barbican and Plymouth Hoe as these are the locations closest to the sea and hold a lot of history such as the Mayflower voyage and military presence at the Citadel. On the roll of film I took 4 frames with the one featured below being my favourite. As I don’t have a lot of experience with the use of medium format cameras so this exercise navigate the camera and learn how to use it for my own future reference.

[shopwood102]

Proposal

In response to the brief, of which correlates to the title of “Small Worlds and City Limits”, I have chosen to more specifically focus the aspect of the Small World. Having deciphered this, I ran through a number of conceptual ideas to then narrow down my prospects to one I feel I will be able to produce an interesting and relevant body of work with. For this project I will be documenting the small worlds created those who do not fit within the parameters of the social mainstream. Following on from work I have previously produced in-line with other modules, I will be continuing my investigation into a specific group of people who associate with each other due to the shared interested in music and how this interest has evoked a tangible sense of belonging within the group who would usually not feel this.

In regards of the production of this project, I feel that I am mostly interested in photographing using 35mm and medium format colour film. This is due to my desire to gain more experience in the medium on more of a professional level as I have only used then briefly in my personal work. Personally, I am looking forward to experimenting with a range of medium format cameras such as the Mamiya645/645Pro and Hassleblad500 due to the challenges they will present me and the development they will bring to my practical work. I plan to shoot primarily on 35mm for my preliminary shoots and then medium format once I have perfected my desired aesthetic to keep the overall expenditure of this project relatively low.

I have been inspired to embark on this oncoming body of work by a number of personal observations and the want to further my previous work of my own, paintings, photographs, illustrations and written pieces of which I will compose a wide range of research into with the goal of benefitting my own conceptual and photographic response.

With the aid of the tutor feedback from previous modules I believe that I have a clear path of development that I am looking forward to navigating throughout the coming weeks.

[shopwood102]

Birte Kaufmann

Birte Kaufmann is photojournalistic documentary photographer living and working in Berlin (Germany). Kaufmann has exhibited photographs of various bodies of work world wide and has earnt multiple awards and grants since she began her practice as a photographer.  Specialising in photojournalism documentary photography, BK focuses heavily on social observations and issues of which are relevant to all walks of life. In previous interviews regarding Kaufmann’s personal work she has spoken of her main points of inspiration being the first era of Magnum photographers, current and ongoing world affairs and different cultures. For her self initiated project titled “The Travellers” she had supposedly take inspiration from the ways of an exchange student who had spent time at her school, the student’s way of life and knowledge of the travelling community in Ireland.

Kaufmann’s project “The Traveller” focuses purely on Ireland’s biggest and most prominent minority. Whilst Traveller numbers in the United Kingdom are on the fall those in Ireland are ever growing, currently with a population of 20,000 - 30,000 citizens. Traveller communities stem from migrant worker communities who have overtime adopted a nomadic lifestyle. Coming from very traditional roots the communities are now being faced with more prejudice than ever and being pressured by the constructs of the 21st century to change their ways. Despite the many similarities between the mainstream and traveller communities, many people spotlight the differences and perhaps unknowingly enforce the stigma surrounding them. For example many travellers marry young, start families early on and only marry within the travelling community; gender roles are still heavily backed in the basic structure of their lives meaning men and women rarely mix outside of marriage and many are active hunters due to the fact they use it as a source of food rather than a sport. It is known the travelling community are very closed and not overly accepting of outsiders, this meant that Kaufmann had to spend time gaining the trust of the families involved in the project. Throughout the years of photographing this project Kaufmann spent weeks at a time within the communities and eventually lived with them for a period of time, in hand meaning she had gained unprecedented access to their everyday lives.

[shopwood102]

Cathal Abberton

Cathala Abberton’s self initiated project titled “Solo in Calabria’” spotlights the personalities and lifestyles lead by refugees and immigrants in this region on Southern Italy. Calabria is location on the peninsula on the “toe” of Italy and is surrounded by idyllic coastlines, mountain ranges and small villages. The total population of the region at the time of this project was around 2200 which was at an approximate 1:1 ratio split between the migrant population and the Italian citizens. Due to Calabria’s positioning on the edge of the Mediterranean they receive refugees/migrants from multiple background and walks of life, leading the area to host a very diverse community. In response to this the local governments has issues allowances to those in need however the money given is only able to be spent in the region. This has had a positive effect on Calabria’s economy is has created a sense of limitation to those who receive it as it means if they chose to leave the region it would be as if they were starting their lives in Italy all over again. Abberton photographed this work on Kodak Portra 160, using a Bronica 645.

C.A’s work features refugees/immigrants sitting in exterior spaces close to their homes. She has given very little direction to the subjects and has included minimal details about their lives. From the images we can clearly see the resonance of the plastic deck chair and freedom given to those who have sat in the chair. Having looked into the current affairs I feel the images act as a statement regarding the current refugee/immigration situation in the region. In my opinion the chair acts as a metaphor for the region and how the allowances given to those in need by the local government are restricting them Calabria only in the same way that Abberton has refined the subjects to the chain. In the chair the subjects are free to do/sit however they like, as shown by the variation of poses evident above, but they do need to stay in the chair. This mirrors the fact that the refugees/immigrants are free to do as they please as long as they stay within the region of Calabria. Those who are involved represent themselves and their lives within the region as well as the vast amount of other refugees/immigrants who are living in the same circumstances.

[shopwood102]

Composition

The Rule of Thirds

Use of the rule of thirds can make images appear more interesting than they potentially would be if they were composed with no influence having been taken from this rule. Positioning subjects along these guidelines and intersections enables the viewer's eye to explore the image with ease and creates a greater sense of balance within the piece.

The Rule of Thirds includes applying imaginary horizontal and vertical lines to the framing of an image. During the compositional stages of an image, working to coincide with this rule would involve placing the major planes or focus areas on these lines. For example horizons would fall onto the horizontal lines and building/trees would fall onto the vertical lines.

The crossover sections of these lines are suggestive of where the centre of interest would compositionally benefit from the placement. The placement selected by the artist is dependant on the subject and how they desire the subject to be presented to the viewers.

Line

Line can be used within visual art to direct the viewer’s eye through the piece. The use of line enables the ability to communicate what we see. Compositionally line can be used horizontally or vertically in either straight or curved format. When used straight in an image it creates a very direct and closed direction, giving little opportunity for lead exploration. To oppose this, a curved line opens up the image as the curvature diminishes any abrupt edges and creates a larger open area.

Line can also be caused by shape, form and contrast and despite this being dependant on other factors of image it is still controllable.

Perspective

Linear Perspective:

With the use of linear perspective distant objects appears proportionately smaller than those of which are in the foreground

Atmospheric / Aerial Perspective:

This term describes the effect on the appearance of an object caused by the atmosphere separating it from the viewer.

Overlapping

The overlapping of objects within a frame can be suggestive of space and atmosphere. Through the use of this compositional technique the artist can rid the image of flatness, in hand allowing the viewer to visually travel through the image. This application of layers within a piece creates a sense of dimension and depth which I believe had the ability to enhance imagery greatly.

Filling Frame

I don’t feel that filling the frame is an important factor to consider when deciding on the composition of an image as I believe it depends on what you’re trying to achieve with the piece. Filling the frame allows you focus in on one or multiple areas of an image that may go unnoticed in the frame was wider. It works well if you are wanting the audience to view a specific detail of the piece.

[shopwood102]

Enda Bowe

Bowe’s work is focused around storytelling and the ongoing exploration of the beauty in ordinary, everyday life. Primarily he shows his work in exhibitions and through the use of photographic books. Stated in the artist’s biography, he is influenced by a number of writers, poets and cinematic directors. I feel that this influence is apparent through the use of mystery and narrative in Bowe’s work.

Some of my favourite bodies of work created by this photographer are those in which are titled Glimmer, Kilburn Cherry and Songs From Boni. Glimmer acting as a window into the artist’s everyday life as he documents his surroundings and the people in his life. More conceptually based, Kilburn Cherry, was inspired by the year of creation’s cherry blossom that was found around Kilburn and how Bowe finds connections between the blossom, Japanese belief surrounding the flower and its association with mortality (new beginnings and endings, life and death) and finally the history of the town and the part it played in the immigration of vast amounts of Irish people. The photographs produced during this body of work were predominantly taken in urban settings, these locations are symbolic for the immigrants’ lives. Finally, Songs From Boni is what I feel to be one of Bowe’s strongest projects in both photographic and conceptual terms. The body of work focuses on the communities in Belfast that have prospered through the relentless segregation and division regarding the Unionists and Nationalists of the city. For this project Bowe created a contrast within the people of youth culture he photographed as he worked amongst the communities situated on opposing sides of the wall. Inspired by the iconic bonfires that take place yearly on the 12th of July and the 8th of August Enda Bowe created a body of work that exceed the expected politically themed imagery and continued his personal theme of capturing the everyday. The imagery in the series flows well when presented as a set due to the ongoing use of muted tones, nameless locations of each photograph and the subtle use of symbolism within the work.

I feel that this image, taken from Songs From Boni, is the best capture of Bowe’s concept amongst the other photographs. It presents Belfast history through the use of colour, tone and the body language and facial expression of a single subject.  Songs From Boni solely focuses on the Peace Walls, built to separate the Unionist and Nationalist communities, present in Belfast and those living on either side. More specifically it shines a light to the iconic bonfires that take place twice a year.

The colours of this image may not have been intentionally composed in reference to the history surround Belfast but that is how I have interpreted them. The blush tones of red presented in the foreground of the piece are suggestive of the passion and intense emotions present in both current day and in those involved in both opposing sides during ‘The Troubles’. The blue’s portray a sense of healing of which the communities of Belfast have been experiencing following the events that have happened throughout the years. I feel that they are also indicative of the knowledge gained throughout the previous century regarding the unfortunate events that have happened and the history of which has been created by them. The white in the two lights far in the background are suggestive of purity, an almost re-birth, which I feel the bonfires being lit and then faded out are also symbolic of.

The subject’s body language and facial expression give us, the audience, an insight into the youth of Belfast as I feel she is intended to represent the younger generation as a whole. As presented by her tight shoulders and saddened, reflect expression I am made to believe that the youth are very timid which may be because of their segregated up bringing giving them an alternate view on life.

[shopwood102]

Gregory Crewdson

Born in 1962 in a suburban neighbourhood of Brooklyn (NY), Gregory Crewsdon has become well known from his surreal and cinematic photographs that rarely fail to portray an in depth narrative. Throughout Crewdson’s career he has been heavily inspired by iconic films of the years 1950 through to the 1990’s, dreams and memories of his early childhood and his own emotive responses to visual art. It is clear to see this influence in the many photographs he has produced in his active career as a photographer due to the dramatic tone and the sense of narrative of which surrounds each image. Some may regard Crewdson as a director rather than a photographer due to the large scale production of each piece and the vast teams he recruits to aid the creation of his vision, despite this being seen as a negative by many in the photographic world I do believe the teams are used beneficially and do improve the final image captured. G.C predominantly uses existent locations and those who live in/close to them to give his imagery a sense of reality and actual emotion that may not be evident in the pieces were completely synthetic. On location he does make alterations to the natural status of the chosen area such a the addition of subtraction of lighting, props, decoration, smoke, snow and others. In regards of technology hie repeatedly uses and 8x10 large format due its ability to capture clarity and astounding amounts of details and multiple light sources on each shoot to produce the precise vision he has for the image. Crewdson uses up to as many as 50 light source in the production of one image ranging from the small lights found in the interiors of cars to grand lighting equipment mounted on cranes. G.C uses light as his main element of creating his cinematic tone and prompt emotive responses from the audience in order for them to identity with his own vision. Another tool G.C uses within his work to prompt the audiences involvement is leaving the imagery untitled as it allow them to create their own narrative from the information available in the imagery.  

[shopwood102]

Josef Sudek

With the means of finding alternative ways to portray my conceptual response to this project brief I have chosen to look into the workings of Josef Sudek and more specifically his sequence of photographs titled “The Window of My Studio”. I feel that this body of work signifies the sense of safety and sanctity felt when amongst his belongings and surrounded by familiar views. From this I could take the ideas of the importance of objects and environment and combine those with my aims of photographic portraits to show the sense of belonging an individual feels due to a specific music orientated community.

Sudek originally served in the armed forces prior to getting discharged due to injury, following his discharge he had taken up bookbinding and his interest in becoming a photographer grew from there. Based solely in Prague, Sudek produced imagery of which depicted neo-romantic cityscapes, still life and pristinely composed “point of view” images - all almost always void of any persons. The production of the series titled “The Window of My Studio” spanned over the majority of his career. He embarked on this project due his admiration of how his widow refracted and distorted the light of which came through it. Due to the time of which Sudek was actively contributing to this project i believe it to be an ode to the safety he felt in his space and it provided solitude amongst the uncertain and war-torn world that laid outside.

[shopwood102]

Mamiya 645 TL Pro

Introduction to the Mamiya 645 Pro TL:

Introduced by Mamiya in the June of 1997, the Mamiya 645 Pro TL holds many of the same features as the 645 Pro however allows “through the lens, off the film” flash metering when used with a specific range of flash equipment. This is one of the very few differences between the models but does give the user that advantage as it wouldn’t be available on previous models.

The 645 Pro TL features a shutter speed range of 1/1000 up to the exposure time of 4 second, meaning that this camera has been ability to be used in a versatile array of situations. As well as this the camera hosts the aperture range of f/2.8 - f/22 and has an ASA scales starting at 25 and venturing up to 6400.

Loading the camera:

Simultaneously push the back cover release button downwards and press the back cover opening button. This will cause the back cover to fall open.

Once the back cover is open ensure that it lies at a flat 90 degrees angle to the main body of the camera. Pinch either side of the release latch, identifiable by the “120” release label. In one motion, remove the cartridge after you have felt it become loose.

Gently pull down the clip on the top left hand side of the cartridge and remove the empty spool. Pull down the clip on the bottom left side and insert the empty spool that has previously been removed, this will become the take up spool for your to-be-shot roll of 120 film. Ensure the indents on the spool and clip are aligned and proceed to close the clip (bottom clip only).

Remove the tape from your 120/220 roll of film and place into the upper compartment, ensuring that the film leader tab is pointing upwards and pressed against the pressure plate.

With caution, pull the leader tab around the back of the pressure pad, exposing the black side of the film. Once you have covered the pressure pad and have enough excess film to begin feeder onto the take up spool by entering the tapered tab into the gap in the center of the spool.

Using the edges of the take up spool, slowly rotate the spool to lead film forward. Whist doing this, continuously monitor the higher compartment to eventually align the start marker on the film with the pointer on the side of the clip.

After the previous step has been completed ensure the dark slide is in place and insert the cartridge into the back in to the camera body by gently pushing it back into place. You will know it is secure once you have heard a click, following this click go ahead and close the back cover.

Set the multiple exposure setting to to normal mode, signified by a white square. Rotate the film advance handle clockwise until it is unable to move any futher and the number 1 is visible in the film counter window, this shows that you are on your first frame and you are ready to shoot.

[shopwood102]

United Kingdom Hardcore (UKHC)

As most of this project portrays the characters present within UKHC I felt that researching into the genre and subculture would allow me to develop an in depth understand of the roots of this community of which I am photographing.

UKHC is a descendant of punk, crust punk and thrash metal. First making appearances in alternative scenes across the United Kingdom in the early 1980’s. Hardcore has never experienced mainstream attention however in the current day it is become more popular and accessible to a wider range of people that it was before due to the diminishing stigma that has surrounded the genre in previous years yet it has remained an underground genre and community for the duration for its existence. Recognised for it’s fast, heavy, abrasive and intense music the genre has spread throughout the nation and has become host to one of the UK most infamous underground reputations due to the style of moshing and expression that takes place at events of this kind.

Some early Hardcore bands have mustered mass appreciation overtime for example Black Flag’s Damaged, Minutemen’s Double Nickels On The Dime and Hüsker Dü’s Rising were all featured in Rolling Stone’s “Top 500 Greatest Albums of All Time’ whilst the Dead Kennedy’s have reached gold status with one of their early albums. UKHC took major influence from the American Hardcore scene and more specifically the New York Hardcore derivative, one of the biggest and longest lasting HC communities present in the United States. American Hardcore emerged close to a decade prior to initial start of UKHC, with popularity peaking in Washington DC, San Francisco and Southern California. The term and label of the genre “Hardcore” came to light with Canadian band D.O.A’s release of “Hardcore ‘81”, this was the first notable time that the genre had a widely known reference.

Ocean City Hardcore (OCHC)

Throughout the duration of this project I have been and continuously be working with those affiliated with the music community referred to as Ocean City Hardcore. This collective, previously known as South Devon Hardcore (SDHC) is predominantly a music orientated, “DIY” and non-profit organisation that work tirelessly to bring live music to small Plymouth venues, although the group are mainly focused on Hardcore they alway work with pop-punk, punk, acoustic and metalcore acts. Dan Hamlyn, Simon Thomas and Elliot Phillips, co-founders of OCHC, describe the community as “a group of close friends coming together to bring something we collective love to the forgotten venues of the South West” which I feel summaries the promotional side of the group perfectly. Over the years of OCHC’s running the promotional group’s name has become an umbrella term for all of those affiliated with the music and those who run it, people of other subcultures within Plymouth commonly refer to groups of individuals who are fans for Hardcore to be ‘OCHC’ as well as the individuals themselves proudly representing the name and using it when in reference to their friends and themselves. Over the years of the group’s activity, a strong community has flourished around the basis of music. This community has provided a safe space to many of those who find themselves in uncertain times, creating a family-like support structure.

[shopwood102]

Pablo Picasso

Spanish born Pablo Picasso was a painter, sculpture artist, illustrator, writer, printmaker, ceramic artist and stage design who became one of the most influential artists on the 20th century. Having co-founded the Cubist and Surrealist movements, co-invented the concept of collage and invented the constructed sculpture throughout his years as an active artist, I believe that Picasso’s contribution to the artistic world is one of an astounding degree and can be seen as inspirational across all mediums. Throughout his active years he also experimented with an array of theories, expressive mediums, techniques and ideologies which all in hand pushed his work to be some of the most diverse produced by a single artist. Picasso categorized his work into periods as each period had a very specific conceptual backing that benefited from the sense of separation between that and the others. These period were Pre 1900, The Blue Period (1901-04), The Rose Period (1904-06), African Art and Primitivism (1907-09), Analytic Cubism (1909-12), Synthetic Cubism (1912-19), Neoclassicism and Surrealism (1919-29), The Great Depression to MoMA exhibition (1930-39), World War II and later 1940s (1939-49) and the Late Works to final years (1949-73).

For my research I have chosen to look into Picasso’s period titled The Blue Period and The Rose Period as in review of his work I felt that these are the visually relevant to my work due to the emotive portraiture. Identifiable by the sombre atmosphere surrounding the work, continuous use of blue and green hues and very occasional, sporadic use of warmth. Spanning over 4 years in total I feel that this body of work acted as a depressive outlet for Picasso due the ongoing sense of sorrow evident in his choice of colour and subjects of his paintings. Picasso created this work as an artistic response to his experiences during his travels of Spain following the suicide of a close friend. It seems that this suicide influenced Picasso’s decision to focus on those going through hardships as opposed to more positive subjects. This period was followed directly by The Rose Period which played host to a range of much warmer hues, positive characters such a harlequins and acrobats and inspired greatly by interpretation rather than unambiguous observations. At this point in Picasso’s artistic career he was happy in a new relationship with a bohemian artist of the time which may have acted as influence for his change in tonal direction. In previous years (The Blue Period) it is implied that Picasso was experiencing an almost constant sadness as stated above, this suggests that the new relationship gave the artist a more positive outlook. Personally I take the two concepts of these bodies of work hand in hand as it is a great example finding positivity in negative circumstances which is the baseline of conceptual response to the project brief. Picasso’s choice of positioning and tones present in the portraiture of The Blue Period are those of which I may look to take inspiration from in my upcoming photographic work.

[shopwood102]

Rachel Emma

Rachel Emma (@rchwnst) is a Master’s student currently studying photography at Goldsmiths University in London. I believe her work is identifiable by the candid tone present in her portraits of youth series that has now been active for a number of years as a personal project. Originally from Southampton, this photographer has stated that the student and youth presence in her home town has influenced this project greatly. In my opinion I believe that this influence has resonated through her work, despite it having been refined from what may seem a relatively vague starting point. Her most recent work for the project (featured above) focuses on and highlights young adult who have spent their childhood and teen years being raised in a migrant family. It doesn’t focus on a nationality or heritage however it does look into the ways thei time spent in the United Kingdom has shaped them into who they are today and the differences between the older generations of their families and themselves. Throughout the project Emma has made use of a wide range of 35mm SLRs for different reasonings but I feel her decision to shoot in the same format has given her work a strong sense of continuity that it may have lacked in otherwise.  

[shopwood102]

Revisiting Aperture, ASA/ISO and Shutter Speed

Aperture:

Aperture is measured in ‘f stops’ and is used to regulate the amount light that contacts the sensor. The higher the aperture the more light gets in, the lower the aperture the less light gets in - for example f/2.8 = large aperture (high level of light) and f/22 = small aperture (low level of  light).  Moving from one f-stop to the next either doubles or halves the size of the opening, therefore doubling or halving the amount of light that is able to reach the sensor.

Aperture is a very useful tool when it comes to controlling the depth of field present in an image. Depth of field refers to how much of a shot is in focus. A large depth of field ensures that majority of the subjects/objects in an image will be in focus whereas a shallow depth of field only allows a small percentage of the image to be in focus. To achieve the shallowest depth of field possible on you have to shoot in f/1.8 or an aperture setting similar. As a large depth of field is an direct opposite to a shallow depth of field as are the settings; to achieve a large depth of field you have to shoot in f/22 or another small aperture setting.

A small aperture is useful when shooting landscapes, architecture or macro photography whereas a large aperture is useful when shooting portraits.

Shutter Speed:

The shutter speed refers to the length of the period of time the shutter is left open for. Personally I think shutter speed is easier to understand than aperture due to the fact it is measured in fractions of a second. The use of fast shutter speeds enable you to freeze motion and capture sharp, focused imagery despite any unsteadiness or how fast the subject is moving. The slower the shutter speed is the greater the chance of motion blur, this may be a bad thing at times but can also be used for creative purposes.

Aperture and shutter speed work together to create an exposure. For example a small aperture requires a slower shutter speed to ensure the right amount of light is absorbed by the sensor so that the image isn’t over or underexposed. If you’re working in Aperture or Shutter Speed Priority the combination will be worked out for you, however if you are working in Manual it will not.

If in the circumstances where you chose to or are required to shoot without a tripod you will need to have a fast enough shutter speed to ensure that there is no camera shake or blur in the shots. A good rule to follow is to use a shutter speed that is faster than the focal length of your lens. For example if you were using a 200mm lens you would be working in 1/250 or similar.

ISO:

The term ISO is used in reference to the available light and the level of sensitivity present in your camera. Simply, the lower the ISO then the less sensitive the camera will be to light and in opposition the higher the ISO then the higher level of sensitivity. The specific piece of technology within your camera that is affected by this in the sensor, this component is responsible  for collecting light and translating it into a photograph.

A high ISO would be useful in the case of shooting in a circumstance with low levels of available light, unfortunately when using a high ISO it causes the image to become noisey and show visible gain which may not always benefit the image however if this is the aesthetic that you are striving for then it works well. At the opposite end of the ISO scale, at a low ISO, the imagery created would appear very clear and well depicted the higher image quality.

[shopwood102]

Sian Davey

Sian Davey is a photographer of whom focuses her work on her family, the people, environment and cultures surrounding her. I found her body of work title ‘Looking For Alice’ and her ongoing project titled “Martha’, both based upon and inspired by her children, to be intimate and nostalgic. Throughout ‘Looking For Alice’, Davey documents the unique experiences of her youngest daughter’s life as she grows up with Down Syndrome. Davey’s work is created with a strong sense of emotion and passion behind it and I feel that this is is strongly evidenced throughout the series. This body of work was shot using medium format camera and Kodak Portra film, in my opinion this adds deeper sentimental value and a set aesthetic of which is continuous in her work. To me, the use of medium format film enabled the work to gain a sense of calmness and serenity when twinned with the evident lighting, giving the subjects an angelic appearance. The majority of Davey’s images are of a medium format frame with the subject in the dead centre of the image or strategically placed on one of the compositional intersections.

This image of the photographer’s daughter is one of a very nostalgic, comfortable and intimate nature. The sense of nostalgia is sourced from the haze of the image and warm, inviting lighting. In this image the subject’s positioning plays a big part in the tone that surrounds the piece, her relaxed and slouched posture radiates out of the image and gives the artwork a sense of comfort and tranquility. The framing and background features give a realistic depiction of location and an insight to the subject’s lifestyle and personality, I plan to attempt to recreate this style of framing within my own work and use it to portray the same level of access to the subject’s private lives.