Negotiated Study One:
Photography
I will produce two high quality photographic collections
centred on the theme of abandoned places, both of which will be presented in
book form, together with a supplementary collection of landscape photographs captured at different seasons.
Rationale/Working Statement:
The choice of subject matter reflects my on-going fascination with the theme of transition. I am interested by the way in which redundant man-made objects lose both their context and cultural connotations as they are reclaimed by nature, becoming found art in the process.
Aims:
My aim in undertaking this project is to stretch my abilities as a photographer by producing high quality images that explore my subject from an original viewpoint and convey an accessible and arresting narrative to the viewer. To this end I will be striving to make design choices that combine an awareness of both aesthetic and cultural values whilst endeavouring to take photographs that are of a professional standard.
In addition to comprising part of my portfolio of work, it is my intention to submit some of the resulting images to Stock photography sites and to place others on websites such as 500Pixels or Photo4Me.com where they may be purchased by individual customers.
Details/Content:
Abandoned places figure prominently in the work of PaulWhite who photographs Welsh ruins and ruined mansions and Urbex photographers such as Niki Feijen who uses HDR to record the interiors of abandoned European houses. Inspired by this work, my intention is to produce a portfolio of images that provoke both an aesthetic and an emotional response in the viewer.
Colour photography will be used to explore the altered emotional meaning of dwelling places that are no longer in use in the first of the two books to be produced, whilst black and white photography will be employed to investigate the aesthetic form and surface detail available in derelict industrial sites in the second.
I will also use colour photography to document my local landscape in Snowdonia.
In order to broaden my ideas and increase my knowledgebase of photographic techniques relevant to this project, research will be undertaken into these well-established photographic genres to examine how others have approached these subject areas.
A work plan will then be arrived at listing equipment, locations and approximate shooting dates (which will be largely weather-dependant) to assist me to keep track of my schedule and meet my deadlines.
Specific Skills:
For this project it will be necessary to deepen my understanding of the ways in which control over depth of field, composition and ambient light can affect the atmosphere of a shot and thereby the manner in which the resulting image will be ‘read’ by the viewer.
It will also be necessary to broaden my skills in post-production image editing software.
Negotiated Study Two:
Film
I will create a 5 – 6 minute music video.
Rationale/Working Statement:
Even within an urban setting, the human is still subconsciously influenced by the wild, natural world of which they are a part. In this project I will create an original video that delivers this powerful message whilst conveying the atmosphere, mood and rhythm of the track with which I am working.
Aims:
Exploiting the tension created by narratives that are visually contrasting, yet thematically connected represents a challenge that will be productively exlored through the medium of this high quality, entertaining and thought-provoking music video.
The music for this film will be provided by Leeds-based techno and house producer Ashley Hewitt who composes electronic dance music under the name of 'Innerscape'. The completed film will be the official music video accompanying the commercial release of this track and comprise part of my graduation showreel.
Details/Content:
This will be a predominantly non-narrative music video incorporating live footage, still images and animation that explores the unseen connection between human activity within a city environment and the rhythms and appearances of nature, mainly through the juxtaposition of urban and rural scenes. The point of this is not to draw a direct comparison between the relative merits of either lifestyle, but more to demonstrate an underlying sympathy between the ostensibly different aspects of both.
The research for this project will take two forms: firstly by examining contemporary music videos in the appropriate musical genre in order to broaden my original concept and to provide me with a clear set of production values to aim for and secondly in consultation with the artist himself, to ensure that the film meets the stylistic requirements of his work and reflects his personal aesthetic.
A work plan, a client-related moodsheet and portfolio, a list of locations and key shots and a working storyboard will then be arrived at, together with a list of equipment and approximate (weather-related) shooting dates. This will allow me to keep track of my schedule and meet my deadlines.
Specific Skills:
To successfully complete this project I will need to liase closely with the artist whose work I will be representing in the video during the initial consultation period. This will require good communication skills on my part and the establishment of an effective feedback system with the client.
In order to deliver a high quality product it will be necessary for me to broaden my film-making skills with regard to capturing compelling shots in both environments and to deepen my knowledge within the spheres of video editing and post production Adobe software.
References
500px.com. 2013. 500px / About Us. [online]
Available at: http://500px.com/about
[Accessed: 12 Oct 2013].
Photo4me. 2013. Canvas Prints, Photo Art, Wall Art, Photographic Prints. [online]
Available at: http://www.photo4me.com/
[Accessed: 05 Oct 2013].
SmugMug. 2013. artofurbex. [online]
Available at: http://artofurbex.smugmug.com/
[Accessed: 05 Oct 2013].
SoundCloud. 2013. SoundCloud - Hear the world’s sounds. [online]
Available at: https://soundcloud.com/innerscape
[Accessed: 10 Oct 2013].
Welshruins.co.uk. 2013. ruined abandoned ruins derelict wales lost houses mansions. [online] Available at: http://www.welshruins.co.uk/about.html
[Accessed: 03 Oct 2013].
Available at: http://www.photo4me.com/
[Accessed: 05 Oct 2013].
SmugMug. 2013. artofurbex. [online]
Available at: http://artofurbex.smugmug.com/
[Accessed: 05 Oct 2013].
SoundCloud. 2013. SoundCloud - Hear the world’s sounds. [online]
Available at: https://soundcloud.com/innerscape
[Accessed: 10 Oct 2013].
Welshruins.co.uk. 2013. ruined abandoned ruins derelict wales lost houses mansions. [online] Available at: http://www.welshruins.co.uk/about.html
[Accessed: 03 Oct 2013].
