This tutorial was good as there were only threeof us; Stephen Javis,Raul Stef and myself.
For once there was enough time to talk about our work, chat a little and for job to make more informed comments and critique at least two projects and one of my edited images.
It was hard to detract myself from the way i shoot on the street to match the brief and as John said; make my images more dramatic.
They are mostly dreamy type,sureall adventures into different places, but this happened and looked this way becasue i shot on film. proceesed myself and scanned myself (why tjhey were two dark)
also for some of the images i used an old zeiss Ikon..which has no focus just distance marks, but the lens is sharp and the shutter so quiet. Unfortunatly their often ,focus and exposure mistakes.
In all John said he liked the work,would like to see more and others in colour,more dram-dynamics,maybe get closer..try to get the wasted aspects like; processing,camera,scanning probelems out of the way.
In all a good tutorial..not sure how it helps asi already know my problems (technical and editing myown work) just need help getting over this...but it good for morale/confidence to have positive view of youre work by repected teachers and real anayalis of the weaker points to know and possibly improve...i hope we get John again for other crits.
I have to give a workshop on 'Introduction to Documentary Photography' at the Arts Center where i had an exhibition recently..will be my fist and i doubt i know enough and am not succesful enough to teach..but will be a good experince!..at least its not at a college...
any advice appreciated.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Tutorials
Had my 2nd round of tutorials with Homer..it helped i think but i wish i'd done an edit of the best work like other people had..that way i think i would of kept Homer more interested and he miht of talked more about ceartain images?
But in the ned its not praise we need for our good images but constructive critascism of our weak points which i got.
Only dissapointing bit was that i was prepared for some sound critic about my previosue work and portfolio..which i dint get!...instead Homer concentrated on the good portfolios.(which are already published and 'Jesus of Siberia' is amazing..if not a subject done to death now, but the images are great and positive (if thats the truth? as i didnt see much negative images about their lifestyle).....but the students who arnt comerccialy succesful should maybe take some advice form her as well as the Course Tutors?
sorry i dont want to be pecieved as a moaner!..im enjoying the course..i just hope as the course progressses we get longer tutorials and the same exposure and oppertunities as the the full time srtudents.
But in the ned its not praise we need for our good images but constructive critascism of our weak points which i got.
Only dissapointing bit was that i was prepared for some sound critic about my previosue work and portfolio..which i dint get!...instead Homer concentrated on the good portfolios.(which are already published and 'Jesus of Siberia' is amazing..if not a subject done to death now, but the images are great and positive (if thats the truth? as i didnt see much negative images about their lifestyle).....but the students who arnt comerccialy succesful should maybe take some advice form her as well as the Course Tutors?
sorry i dont want to be pecieved as a moaner!..im enjoying the course..i just hope as the course progressses we get longer tutorials and the same exposure and oppertunities as the the full time srtudents.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Street Photography
my tips from my experince:
1) for me it looks better to use an old camera and look seriouse not like a loud tourist?...if youre confident people seem less worried and an old camera sometimes creates this aura of a professional at work, an Nikon F1 is perfect because its 35mm and you can remove the top and use it like a rolleiflex for candid images
2) Yes looking at the buildings etc is good...i always look beyond the person im photographing..if they notice me and never directly at them after ive taken the picture..this has allowed me to get quite close sometimes..because most people dont belive youre photographing them or why you would?Also it depnds on the country youre in as well, i think..i found Prague easy because people are not really confrontational and it has a history of street photgraphy and great poetic photographers..Japan i guess should be easier becasue of all the cameras?....UK i think is a bit harder becasue people ask you what are you photographing and why? their aware of image and its use subversive use now more in our society
3) Choose a busy part of the day..early morning when people start work or early evening when people return from work...their often too busy to worry or too preoccupied to notice you..also the same for Bus and train stations and plenty of human interaction there
4) Dont look smart,dont look timid and dont look approchable......it helps that i already look like a tramp with a broken nose!....
its hard anyway to expect magicial moments when you have quick assignment, 2 rolls f film min etc mostly yo u could roam the streets for three months, get to know the place and still only have three good images..but sometimes thats enough or you get lucky in one day!Its a different approach...you have to float around the street and when youre in the zone it feels good....take basic quiet camera with 28mm / 35mm lens and enjoy for this the best tools are youre eye and soul and of course luck
(sorry if it all sounds cliche or pompouse..my street work isnt amazing but ive had some lucky moments..i'll post some old stuff on my blog and on my page)
1) for me it looks better to use an old camera and look seriouse not like a loud tourist?...if youre confident people seem less worried and an old camera sometimes creates this aura of a professional at work, an Nikon F1 is perfect because its 35mm and you can remove the top and use it like a rolleiflex for candid images
2) Yes looking at the buildings etc is good...i always look beyond the person im photographing..if they notice me and never directly at them after ive taken the picture..this has allowed me to get quite close sometimes..because most people dont belive youre photographing them or why you would?Also it depnds on the country youre in as well, i think..i found Prague easy because people are not really confrontational and it has a history of street photgraphy and great poetic photographers..Japan i guess should be easier becasue of all the cameras?....UK i think is a bit harder becasue people ask you what are you photographing and why? their aware of image and its use subversive use now more in our society
3) Choose a busy part of the day..early morning when people start work or early evening when people return from work...their often too busy to worry or too preoccupied to notice you..also the same for Bus and train stations and plenty of human interaction there
4) Dont look smart,dont look timid and dont look approchable......it helps that i already look like a tramp with a broken nose!....
its hard anyway to expect magicial moments when you have quick assignment, 2 rolls f film min etc mostly yo u could roam the streets for three months, get to know the place and still only have three good images..but sometimes thats enough or you get lucky in one day!Its a different approach...you have to float around the street and when youre in the zone it feels good....take basic quiet camera with 28mm / 35mm lens and enjoy for this the best tools are youre eye and soul and of course luck
(sorry if it all sounds cliche or pompouse..my street work isnt amazing but ive had some lucky moments..i'll post some old stuff on my blog and on my page)
Monday, February 2, 2009
Snow and unsatisfied
My girlfriend went back to Poland for ten days today..so i was in the perfect meloncholy mood to take street photographs.
I waited in the snow in Oxfords ancient back alleys, for studenst workers and assorted tourists an toffs to slide into my viewfinder. I used an old Zeiss Ikon..so no fcus just distance gueswork!..but its lens is sharop and some beautiful mistakes, wells see.
I got aphonecall later from my girlfriend to say the flight was cancelled so my mood changed and i went home.
Next i'll try the poorer end of town and then i have the Poland trip to develop yet.
Unsatisfied
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I waited in the snow in Oxfords ancient back alleys, for studenst workers and assorted tourists an toffs to slide into my viewfinder. I used an old Zeiss Ikon..so no fcus just distance gueswork!..but its lens is sharop and some beautiful mistakes, wells see.
I got aphonecall later from my girlfriend to say the flight was cancelled so my mood changed and i went home.
Next i'll try the poorer end of town and then i have the Poland trip to develop yet.
Unsatisfied
Im a little unsatisfied on this course with the lack of interest im feeling from others students to leave feedback about out tutorials and work.I know everybodies busy and i should make first contact i guess if want to create a group. They skill level is varied and ive yet to prove my worth really, but some of the others seem to still view photgraphy as a hobby..but it consumes me every hour..its my life although this sounds pompous..ive put myself in a posistion where i must achive something more in photography because i cant find work doing anything else now (though ive tried and i need money to help me on this course)...asparartions to join VU or Magnum one day must rest with reality now.
The othet thing is going over most of the same things from Newport which can be good, and may give me another chance with the similar assignments? but likestreet photography?..i feel like ive produced some good work over the post in this field but its never helped my career? from thew work in Czech republic and the Balkans to Bolivia?....all te comments ive ever got from people like 'Kathy Ryan and Womble from the Hereford festival i: yes nice images..but it looks like a college project?..or weve seen similar? or their are already great and few photographers doing and being succesful wirth journeys and st photos now..you should concentarte on my intimate subjects and deper projects etc..(sometimes i agree)
so to shoot this assignment with 2 rollls of film?..maybe a day? could be only advantagouse to outr tutors in seeing what interests our eyes and minds and if we can see the beautiful in the mundance...the strange in the dark places?
But to make a tutorial and proper mark assesment from this assignment would be pointless? (maybe were not getting marked on this?...not sure hat Paul said; but i belived it was just the person at work 1 we wernt getting assesed on..?)
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People at Work / Round Two
Day 1) Piano renovators:
It went well no probems,i was alittle cramped space and not as photogenic as i thought it ould be, spent a few hours there and nice people..thought id got a few good shots.
I have two probelms at the moment, both of my own design really:
one is i think my eyes are getting worse as it seems hard to focus with MF sometimes with artificial lighting and with my nerve damge i cant get those long exposure without shaking...(it used to be easy for me to take 1sec shots b4)
Also i prefer using film, but the cost of develop and scan is high...well i cant afford a digitial again, since i sold my D40 in Brazil) so i think until i can get scans done at LCC i'll just get the filmn developed at tescos and scan them at home....
Only bad thing the whole company is quite religiouse and they tried to invite me to a church meal that night and convert me!....i polietly refused.
It went well no probems,i was alittle cramped space and not as photogenic as i thought it ould be, spent a few hours there and nice people..thought id got a few good shots.
I have two probelms at the moment, both of my own design really:
one is i think my eyes are getting worse as it seems hard to focus with MF sometimes with artificial lighting and with my nerve damge i cant get those long exposure without shaking...(it used to be easy for me to take 1sec shots b4)
Also i prefer using film, but the cost of develop and scan is high...well i cant afford a digitial again, since i sold my D40 in Brazil) so i think until i can get scans done at LCC i'll just get the filmn developed at tescos and scan them at home....
Only bad thing the whole company is quite religiouse and they tried to invite me to a church meal that night and convert me!....i polietly refused.
Day 6) The Household Cavalry ,Knightsbridge
It went well i think..i did turn up to the Whitehall barrcks first by mistake.
Really friendly troopers apart from being chaporoned by a young soilder all day and finding out that im acutely allerguic to Horses and hay!!
I took 6 rolls! instead of the asked for 2..not developed yet so well see if my enthuasim is premature.
It went well i think..i did turn up to the Whitehall barrcks first by mistake.
Really friendly troopers apart from being chaporoned by a young soilder all day and finding out that im acutely allerguic to Horses and hay!!
I took 6 rolls! instead of the asked for 2..not developed yet so well see if my enthuasim is premature.
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