Back To My Major Project

I took a bit of time out from my blogging and theory side of my major project and just started to go out and enjoy taking my photos again.

I think things were getting a bit too much, trying too hard, putting pressure on myself – not just to get the right composition, but a perfect one. Trying to tick all the boxes. With work commitments, my shooting options are limited – coupled with the weather I’ve really felt up against it. There’s nothing worse than being sat at work in the office, or being on site, when the sun is shining and there isn’t a cloud in the sky and you can’t get your camera out and start taking pictures. Even worse when I’m in the office as the sun starts to rise and the light is amazing – inspirational.

But just getting out with my camera I could see that my images were becoming more relaxed and I started to enjoy it a lot more, to the point of getting my 35mm Leica back out, wiping the dust off and putting 3 to 4 rolls through. Taking my Bronica out with colour and black & white film, just shooting what I wanted – nothing to do with my project, just felt so good. Strange how it never crosses my mind to pick up my digital camera and just go out.

So back to my major it is, with a little more gusto and a positive direction.

After discussions with Mr Chambers and his humorous quirky way of telling you to take lots and lots of photographs of everything yet stick to your project, we came to the conclusion that my project may be coming a little boring, primarily due to me reading a book by Donovan Wylie called the Maze – the last I.R.A. prison in Ireland. A lot of images and a lot of repetition, 26 images from the same angle of a cell / bedroom with the only difference being the curtains, 20 to 30 images of the perimeter fence where the only difference was the number on the wall and number of pebbles and weeds on the path.

Taking this approach in to my industrial estate compositions did make the project a little stagnant, the compositions all the same, lighting very similar, with the only difference being the name on the outside of the building and the shrubs and parking spaces to the front aspect. Although this was the point being put across, almost like a fast food restaurant, an industrial estate made to order, I could understand how my major project submission may not be the appropriate time for such subject matter.

Comparing my minor project against the recent compositions there were a number of points I could take from each

• ·      The latest images used a better technique, slower and composed a little better considering all horizontal and vertical lines.
• ·      The actual compositions and colours from the minor project came through a lot better, although technique was a little sloppy and maybe rushed. 
• ·      Overall – the subject matter for the minor project was a lot more interesting for the viewer.

 This led me to look at all the images I have taken from the start of this academic year; comparing composition, technique and especially subject matter.

Collecting a broad selection of prints and discussing my ideas with Jamie, we agreed with Antony’s opinion that the latest images were a little boring, albeit the concept could be revisited at a later date, but for now I should concentrate on my industrial compositions, with my images taken on my Bronica of a site in Birmingham being my strongest compositions.