Assignment One - Workflow - reflections

Assignment One turned out to be a significant leap forward for me.  This is the first conceptual piece of work I have done and was a distinct departure from my usual approach to landscape photography.  For that in itself I feel that it was successful although the quality of the photography would be improved with a greater understanding of processing and making light work in monochrome.  I also struggled with making the sky dark enough but not making the foreground too dark, so this is something I need to focus on in my learning of processing.  In general I would have preferred these images to be lighter, but the darkness adds to the atmosphere of imprisonment.

Looking at the Assessment criteria points:

Demonstration of Technical and Visual Skills

I think my observational skills were developed during this assignment.  As stated above, this was my first conceptual piece of work, and although at the start of the day I had originally set out to achieve landscapes that were aesthetically pleasing, I actually did the opposite and shot landscapes that turned out to be quite chilling.  The technical skills of the photography were standard; I think these would be improved by more advanced processing skills and learning how to alter the tones in black and white photography.  I think many of the pictures though showed quite graphic design and composition; there are a lot of prominent and horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines.

Quality of Outcome

I think this final piece of work showed a coherent approach to workflow and the presentation of my work in a coherent manner.  I have previously made subjective choices in my submission of assignments, so in this assignment I tried hard to be objective.  This was however made easier as I was photographing a subject that I was not at the time emotionally attached too, although I do now have very fond memories of my visit.

Demonstration of Creativity

I hope I have achieved this criteria point; this is an original piece of work for me.  While I was taking the images, I was very motivated by the discovery of the prison on the outside in a place that was accessible to me, but not accessible beyond.  The idea of the perimeters and boundaries created a mental juxtaposition for me, after the enlightening experience of the open cafe run by prisoners.  A while ago, I would have just taken an image of the fabulous view of Chesil Beach, so I feel that my photography has matured considerably since then.  I tried while I was shooting to find creative angles and symmetry in the images.  These I have described further in the breakdown of each image below.

Context


The context for me in this piece of work is very important.  Since starting the Art of Photography, and now Digital Photographic Practice, I have been trying to evolve away from making postcard shots.  While I was taking this set of images, I remembered the sequence I saw at the Light from the Middle East exhibition of the Israeli Watchtowers and the feeling of oppression and enclosure they conveyed.  Of course HMP The Verne on Portland is not that extreme, and it is about punishment and rehabilitation, rather than occupation and brutality.  Also my own experience in executing the photography was not risky or perilous, but nevertheless, the scenes I saw at Portland reminded me of this captivating collection of watchtowers that I documented in my Scrapbook earlier this year.

Critical evaluation:

1

Image one is one of my favourite scenes from this piece of work.  I like the contrast between the graphic lines of the  radar structure and the fluffy cloud.  Somehow in processing, I've created a halo effect, which usually I would not allow, and will correct if advised to, but it creates a surreal effect and almost looks extra terrestrial.  I would have liked to have darkened the sky without darkening the structure, which is something I need to learn.

2

I had many shots of barbed wire to choose from, some of them quite abstract, but I chose this one because I liked the fence in front with the structure sitting behind; this added to my theme if inaccessibility.  I also liked the sky in the distance.  The fence provides a strong diagonal line leading into sky and contrast between the barbed wire, which conjures up ideas of oppression and imprisonment and a sky which is often used to depict "free-thinking'.

3

When shooting image three, at the time I saw clean horizontal and straight lines, and I really liked the asymmetrical composition, with the bush and chimney pots and off-centre bay window.  The framing of the building with no edges gives a sense of perpetuity.  Afterwards I noticed the bird on the chimney stack, which I thought heightened the sense of solitude.  The boarded up windows and lack of doorway makes the building completely out of bounds.

4

This image is about the fence leading to the closed off structures behind.  In this one too, the sky would have benefited from being darker.  In this image there are many different shapes.

5

I think image five is one of the stronger images in this panel.  Strong verticals in the foreground with a diagonal leading contrasting background horizontals.  I also like the composition on the thirds in the verticals and around the centre with the horizontals.  The concept of an opening in the fence leading essentially leading to nowhere: another fenced off area - is confusing - and contributes to the theme of perimeters and boundaries.

6

Image six represents dilapidation and neglect, and again boarded off windows showing closed-off access.  Another image with strong vertical lines composed on the thirds.

7

The seventh image continues the theme of access to somewhere that is boarded off, essentially going nowhere.  Graphically, this image depicts many squares in different sizes and perspectives.

8

Jumbled composition in image eight, with again more fencing and restricted access.  Contrast of square and round shapes and the prominence of the radar communication tower.

9

Image nine shows another access point, this time quite wide in the image, but fenced off at the end.  The surrounding buildings are boarded up and look distinctly uninviting.

10

This image is quite hard to see at first.  The fence forms an immediate barrier to the structures behind, within which there are more barriers.  This is probably the weakest shot of the panel in execution, but I like the concept behind it. 

11

I think this is one of the stronger images of the panel: a closed off entrance way that is underground.  The central composition draws you straight into the doorway, but you cannot go any further. 

12

For image twelve, I was lucky.  I sudden burst of sunlight provided the perfect shadows and contrast.  This is probably the strongest shot of them all and again shows a passageway that is inaccessible.