Wednesday 25 April 2012

Identity

Well its been a couple of weeks since I've had opportunity to post, but I've not been idle... University has been eating my time, I'm too old for this. Anyway, last hand in and presentation on Tuesday then that's it for this year. So glad now that i did my final year split over 2... means I have more time for my stuff... honest.


I thought I would share these three images which are being exhibited at the moment in Eccles Community Art Gallery. Its part of a group exhibition called 'Identity' and is part of the work produced by the Shroom Collective. 


Shroom started out as a group of friends from Mid-Cheshire college, we all share a vision and willingness to improve our photography as well as promoting community involvement. The brief we set ourselves was to photography something about identity which breaks the prejudice and pre-conceptions of how someone looks physically and other stero-typical assumptions. Rather than working together we all went away and worked independently... it was a risk but has ended up with a lot of very different work that ties together really well. 


I think for me the most interesting part was how we all look at different subject matter and took completely different approaches. Which brings us to my own work.


For this I decided to look at objects which we cherish and hold dear, those personal things that we would take to a desert island with us if we could only take a couple of things. But for me these items tell a story about their owner that isn't necessarily apparent if you just met them. Some have intermit stories, others state facts... here's the images:








I think for me what was really interesting is that I am primarily a portraitist, but with these images I've focused on the object, so I suppose they are still life's. I haven't completely broken the mould as there is a person in the background of each, but they are of lesser importance.


Anyway, enjoy! The exhibition is running and open over the next three saturdays so if your in Eccles pop in and meet the Shroom Collect, or even better... me!

Thursday 5 April 2012

Emanations:

Well its been a few weeks since my last blog, between family life, Uni and commissions things have been a bit busy. But during the maelstrom of activity I have managed to take some time and do a shoot using my favourite camera, my wista 5x4 field camera.

The shoot was basically an alternative approach to 'From The Shadows' digital images from my last blog. I think sometimes you have to try lots of things before you find exactly the look you want and even what you are trying to say. So shooting 5x4 on B&W film was quite a step away from shooting on my 5D mkII.

I think also that the aim of the project is starting the develop more as well. The aim is to capture that time we've all gone through during adolescents in which we change probably more than we ever will again, from a child to eventually emerging as an adult... our character fully developed (my wife may disagree were I'm concerned ha ha). I think I'm interested in the neuro-plasticity, the way as a teen we create new pathways, new character traits only to brush them away and try something new until in our early 20's we finally settle on who we are.

Anyway here's two examples of the 5x4 images, its been nice to do some personal projects... feels like forever since I did, happy days:


The images were shots on Ilford Delta 100 B&W film with one light using a snoot. I then added texture as well as hand colour tinting the images. The aim as the new name of the project is to symbolise the moments when you see hints of the person the teen will become.

I'm thinking that I will narrow the age from 10-21 to 15 to 21 for the project. The next step will be to take the shoot out into different environments... 

I really can't decide on whether or not to go with the 5x4 film look or the digital look from the previous post.... any help or suggestions are welcome!