What do I think?
Well, this is certainly the biggest step I have taken in terms of my development - personal and photographic. Whilst I am still undoubtedly a grounded and logical engineer, I am becoming an enlightened artist and beginning to develop my own voice.
About halfway through the course my tutor commented upon the change in my language. I hadn't noticed this at the time; looking at some of my recent posts my language has moved even further - I know it's me but at the same time I'm struggling to believe it's me.
At the beginning of the course, I found the philosophy very disturbing, now I am happy to enter into and capable of holding my own in philosophical debate. I even have a string of quotes...
[Aside: I still have a fundamental issue with Kendal L Walton!]
I have read and enjoyed reading Sontag, Barthes, Berger and Bazin. I never thought I'd be able to say that. I also have no doubt that the barrage of philosophy enabled everything to fall into place.
This is the hardest module I have completed so far, the additional workload was also significant. I was warned about this in my first conversation with my tutor and I am thankful that I listened. In my first blog post I stated that my aim was to post on a weekly basis - mostly this has been the case. This structured approach to the course has been invaluable, especially because some of my assignments were not completed within the anticipated time line. This delay (a draft assignment 3 was submitted on time, the final assignment 3 was submitted with assignment 5) was concerning at the time, but showed a clear and positive development between the earlier and later photographs. This development was also noticeable in the final formatting of the book.
Naturally my view of documentary had become more rounded, more open and more challenging; I have become less accepting of available information. This is nothing new, each of the courses has had a similar influence on my thought processes.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and I would like to thank my tutor for her support and her challenge.
Sunday, 22 February 2015
Assignment 5 - the images
I'm still not sure of the best format for this assignment - this is the link to the pdf as required by the brief.
My intention is that the description and the image lie side-by-side when viewed, this cannot be done when viewing the pdf. However, it would be achievable as an ebook.
Feedback from my tutor "Although
slightly off tangent from the assignment brief and focus of documentary I feel
that the final project is working." I absolutely agree with comment even though as we have progressed through the course we have come to accept that any 'record' is a document; albeit without the necessary provenance, the document may lack credibility.
One of the reasons I selected Piper in the first place, was his very subjective view of the scene, especially as he was employed as a war office painter to record bomb damaged cities. Regardless, I accept that my take on the emotional journey of the rebuilding of the church is a work of pure fiction and hence questionable when submitted as an assignment for a documentary course. However, there are countless accounts of the emotional stories from survivors of this type of 'cathartic journey', the Yesterday channel broadcasts the like almost 24/7.
In terms of this particular 'journey' I have included all the key stages, so is my take likely to be that far out?
I wonder what Piper would have made of digital photography? I wonder how much more 'radical' his work would have become?
Assignment 4 - critical review
Uploaded is the final version of my critical review - additions in blue and removals in red.
Objectivity, ethics and
understanding…
Introduction
Lyrics from Lilly
Allen’s song ‘The Fear[1]’
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
I'll look at The Sun and I'll look in The Mirror
I'm on the right track; yeah, I'm on to a winner
Allen’s song went straight to number 1 in January 2009 and whilst
it was doubtless written ‘tongue-in-cheek’, it nonetheless, packs a weighty
punch directly at the culture we have created. Allen’s keen observational
skills enable her to poke fun at everybody, including herself, at the same time
as abdicating any responsibility for the situation – “And it's not my fault;
it's how I'm programmed to function.”
In our celebrity-obsessed, media-focused culture, it’s hardly surprising
the Allen’s words “I don't know what's right and what's real anymore” ring with
an ironic truth. As photographers, are we not at least partially complicit in
creating this kind of confusion between what’s right and what’s real?
Photography has never been, is not and will never be ‘objective’.
Is it not time we stopped talking about photographic objectivity and started
talking about the subjective truth of photographs?
Objectivity
“For the first time, an
image of the world is formed automatically, without the creative intervention
of man… [requiring only] …the instrumentality of a non-living agent.[2]” “The status of photography, at its birth,
hinged on what was thought to be its capacity for objective transcription …
[and for decades subsequent literature about photography repeated this] … litany
of photographic truth[3]”
until it became a universal myth. “The photograph may distort; but there is
always a presumption that something exists, or did exist, which is like the
photograph[4]”
and this is fundamentally why the photograph has been unable to shake off this myth.
Objectivity is by definition
“activities (including behaviours) not
influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing
facts”. For the purposes of this discussion, let us ignore that the
audience believe they can view an image with objectivity forgetting the
influence of gatekeepers (those who decide what gets published/distributed and
where) and also that they are immune to the fact that their beliefs become part
of the interpretation. So, let us temporarily limit objectivity relating to
photography to two categories:
Category
1. The scene – the objective recording, by the camera
and the photographer, of what was actually in front of the camera.
Category
2. The photograph – the duty of the photographic
team – photographer, developer, editor – the objective presentation of what was
captured in camera.
Category 1 – the scene
“The human
eye takes its visible world with it as it walks[5]”,
in other words we are able to see everything but not all at once - our eye
flits form one part of a scene to the other; the camera on the other hand, sees
every detail all at once but only within its specific frame of reference – the
boundary of the photograph. Thus the camera has not only changed the way we
see, it has given us more to see and because of this new level of detail changed
the way in which we perceived things.
To
understand how photographs work subjectively we must accept the “photographic
paradox[6]”,
that in addition to photographic composition (the denotation), the photographic
sub-text (the connotation) of the image plays an integral part and must also be
considered. These two different but important messages do not work in
‘collusion’; rather, they form a structural paradox, wherein the connotation is
developed from information from the denotation. This ‘development’ in turn
creates an ethical paradox; theoretically the denoted information is ‘neutral
and objective and copies reality meticulously’, only to be ‘challenged’ by the
coded message (the connotation) that requires interpretation by the viewer resulting
in a potentially dramatically skewed reading because of their knowledge,
understanding and cultural biases.
Connotation
is further skewed when the photographer elects to stage the physical objects
within the frame. Isobel Hilton (The Guardian) echoes this view, in her article
entitled ‘The Camera Never Lies[7]”
(2008) on the run up to the Robert Capa-retrospective at the Barbican in 2008,
re-reviewing the controversy surrounding Capa’s photograph of Federico Borrell García (1936) and commented on war photography that “Ever since cameras first went to war, photographers have staged scenes,
rearranged bodies and had events re-enacted for the camera and we look at them
in two states of mind - open to their impact as authentic images, and aware
that to perceive the camera as a neutral observer is naive.”
Ethics
Category 2 – the photograph
William
Mitchell, accepted the existence of fake images and commented that “extreme manipulation … [was] … technically difficult, time-consuming and
outside the mainstream of photographic practice.[8]” However,
by the early 1900’s photographers were ‘normally’ reworking their negatives to
create the ‘perfect’ image. Ansel Adams (who died in 1984) revisited favourite sites and reworked his negatives
(from that site) until he was happy with the results, of ‘Moonrise’ (Hernandez,
New Mexico, 1941) he stated that “the
negative was always difficult to print” – requiring significant dodging and
burning to create an acceptable print – he continued “it is safe to say, that no two prints are precisely the same.[9]”
Reuter’s[10]
stance on manipulation is “that anything
that could have been done in a dark room is acceptable, but we can't tolerate
anything that changes the editorial context”. To put this into context “Reuters, is one of the world’s largest international
multimedia news providers, reaching more than one billion people every day.[11]”
Thus, clearly the manipulation carried by Adams was acceptable;
unfortunately when Paul Hanson carried out the same techniques on his winning
World Press Photo (in 2012) of Muhammad and Suhaib Hijazi, the very emotional
debate that followed conceded that it ‘did
not change editorial context’ but left world opinion divided regarding the
need for that ‘type’ on manipulation.
Approve or otherwise, the situation remains that
photographers regularly used dark room tools to perfect the look of their
images. Historically, the tonal look of an image started with the film the
photographer preferred, this was further enhanced by the chemical ‘reworking’ and
lead to the development of individual styles; similarly today many documentary
photographers have developed very unique and recognisable styles enabling them
to stand out in the crowd, for example, Edward Burtynski (CA, b 1955),
Sabastiao Salgado (BR, b 1944), Yuri Kozyrev (RU, b 1963), Marcus Bleasdale
(UK, b 1968). The ‘style’ may be specific to the photographer (e.g. Salgado) or
specific to a digital imaging laboratory (e.g. 10B[12]);
irrespective ‘style’ is a form of personal expression and as such directly
contravenes the definition of objectivity. But does ‘style’ not change the
editorial context? It could very well add gravitas to the article because of
the professional standing of the photographer.
Deliberate fakery aside, the transportable nature of
photographs means that we should always question their integrity. For example,
a party, regardless of whether it genuinely contained any memorable moments,
becomes memorable as soon as somebody takes a photograph at that party – “the
event is only an event because the narrator/observer created the event; The
French Revolution was not the French Revolution from day one, it only became
the French Revolution after the event, the event is not what happened but that
which can be narrated.[13]”
Since the relative importance of any given situation can only be determined
after the event rather than before (and often during) the event, the decision
to take the photograph can only have be arbitrary, therefore, subjective rather
than objective.
Understanding
A photograph is created by isolating a fragment of reality
from its specific place and period in time; the danger, once isolated the
fragment immediately loses its original context and we are free to create it a
new one. “The camera multiplies possible meanings at the same time as
destroying original meaning.[14]”
The same image will be treated differently by different people: - thrown in the
bin – considered worthless; stored in a draw – suitable for reminiscing;
printed and put in a frame on the mantelpiece - a proud moment to be shared
with everyone; printed and put in a wallet – a treasured moment to be relived
as required. In each of these situations, the same image has been given a new
context and has thus acquired new meaning. The status given to a photograph is,
personal, subjective and dependent upon the emotional relationship between the
viewer and the subject. In addition, this relationship can and does change over
time as the feelings/emotions of the viewer change towards the subject. Consider
‘the wedding photograph’ and a couples thoughts towards it as they approach
their fiftieth wedding anniversary as opposed to their decree absolute.
The above
examines the personal relationship with the personal photograph, but do we
react any differently to ‘external’ images? “A photographic discourse is a system
within which the culture harnesses photographs to various representational
tasks.[15]”
Back to the two photographic messages and their importance – the
denotations readability and the connotations understandability – without these
the photograph has no intrinsic communicative value. A photograph communicates
via a set of signs and symbols that build into a visual language and the
combination within the composition dictate the strength (or not) of the
message. Religious iconography is an interesting
example, it is everywhere and normally universally recognized – the people
because of their attire and the places because of the style of the building –
nonetheless, this recognition has done nothing to develop an understanding or
tolerance towards other between
different religions. We are still killing in the name our own God’s and
have been doing so for thousands of years! So, whilst the denotation is
understood, the connotation is what? Not understood, misunderstood, ignored,
not important because it does not relate to me – our reaction to the image is
totally subjective. Unless we can bring some level of personal investment to
the photograph, it is merely another picture to be glanced before we move on to
the next.
Moving away from the objective(?) professionalism of
photojournalists and towards user-generated content (UGC) - mobile phone images
from the general public - the justification being to “get the picture of the
explosion as it happens … [rather than] … get the picture of the firemen hosing-down
afterwards[16]”.
This type of ‘heat-of-the-moment’ imagery is totally subjective and invariably
highly emotionally charged; designed to sensationalise the situation for the
sole purpose of selling newspapers and/or air-time. How can the fairness or the
balance of the image versus the actual situation be assessed without
journalistic experience? This surely adds another layer of re-contextualisation
to the story?
Simple and immediate access to digital technologies and
distribution platforms has created a springboard for our new culture of
‘Citizen Journalism’[17]
(also known as civic, participatory and street journalism). It makes it very
easy for anybody to communicate a factual message; but very hard for the viewer
to determine the authenticity of the information. Regardless, the wealth of
information stored on social networks is becoming a ‘go-to’ place for producers
“social networks are opening up whole new vistas for documentary
filmmakers," enthuses Chris Shaw, editorial director ITN Productions.[18]
Furthermore, individuals have been quick to
harness the combined power of the web and photographs to communicate. The
#HandsUpDontShoot hashtag has appeared in two demonstrations: the first in the
Ferguson uprising as a result of the shooting of Michael Brown and the second
in Hong Kong against the proposed extension of Beijing's ruling authority. In
both cases the tag went viral, in China the government shut down the
state-owned media but rather than end the demonstration the protesters adopted
a new symbol – the umbrella – and instead of using words (which could be
censored) they uploaded photographs of umbrellas. “The protest was defined by
its performative elements, a unique, intuitive understanding of how to
communicate with the virtual space.”[19]
In order to make sense of our world, Allen states “I’ll look at The Sun and I'll look in The
Mirror” in theory, not an unreasonable option to refer to a dairy newspaper to
understand what is happening in the world. But does objective
reporting exist or do captions and the relative position (on the page) of the photograph
further skew the original narrative? We are all now well aware that in
newspapers and magazine “photographs, which fiddle with the scale
of the world, themselves get reduced, blown up, cropped, retouched, doctored
and tricked out.[20]”
However, we still firmly hold to “our conviction that we are free to choose
what we make of a photograph … [rather than truly understanding that] … the
wholeness, coherence, identity which we attribute to the depicted scene is a
projection”[21] and as
such the vision (the subjective view) of the editor. But where and how do we begin to understand
the information presented in the web?
Conclusion
Whilst photography is part mechanical function and part human
endeavour, neither of the parts is completely objective. Mechanical function
aside, the physical ‘extraction’ of an event from reality creates a subjective view
of that reality. The choice of framing, inclusion and exclusion of elements;
the camera settings; the style of the final image are all specific to
photographer and therefore subjective rather than objective. To continue to
drive for something that cannot be achieved is a fool’s errand and illogical.
Moving forward, rather than focusing on objectivity, it would
be more practicable to challenge photographers to tell the truth and work with
integrity and more appropriate to encourage the development of style and
individuality.
Paraphrasing Christopher Anderson (Magnum Photos) “Facts do not exist, but truth does; authenticity and integrity are
things we understand intuitively. All photography is a lie; the question is not
whether or not it is factual, the question is whether or not it is true.[22]”
Adams stated that “a
great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest
sense!” whilst undoubtedly true, it’s hardly objective.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Articles
Bivins,
R. (2008) The Internet, Mobile Phones
and Blogging – How new media are transforming traditional journalism.
[Online] http://www.glasgowmediagroup.org/images/stories/pdf/bivens.pdf
Bulkley,
K (2012) The Rise if Citizen Journalism.
The Guardian. 11th June.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/jun/11/rise-of-citizen-journalism
Cozens, C.
(2004) Editors 'clean up' bomb photo. The Guardian. 12th March. http://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/mar/12/pressandpublishing.spainReuters
News Agency
Hilton, I. (2008) The camera never lies. But photographers can and do.
The Guardian. 27th September.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/sep/27/photography.pressandpublishing
Laurent,
O. (2013) World Press Photo controversy: Objectivity,
manipulation and the search for truth. British Journal of Photography.
22nd May.
http://www.bjp-online.com/2013/05/world-press-photo-controversy-objectivity-manipulation-and-the-search-for-truth/
Seymour, T (2014) Civic
journalism – harnessing the power of photography. British Journal of Photography.
December 2014/January 2015 Volume 161 Issue No. 7831
Books
Adams,
A (1983) Examples, The Making of 40
Photographs. Boston, Little, Brown and Company
Barthes,
R (1977) Image Music Text. London,
Fontana Press
Bazin,
A (1958) The Ontology of the
Photographic Image. OCA Course Material
Linfield,
S (2010) The Cruel Radiance. London,
The University of Chicago Press Ltd.
Mitchell,
W (1994) The Reconfigured Eye: Visual
Truth in the Post-photographic Era. London, The MIT Press
Sekula, A (1975) On
the Invention of Photographic Meaning. OCA Course Material
Solomon-Godeau,
A (1994) Photography at the Dock.
Minnesota, University of Minnesota Press
Sontag,
S (1977) On Photography. London,
Penguin Books Ltd
Broadcasts
Campbell,
D (2010) Narrative, Power and
Responsibility [recorded lecture] #phonar lectures
at Coventry University. Posted on Soundcloud.com on 17th-November-2010
https://soundcloud.com/mattjohnston/david-campbell
Ways of Seeing by
John Berger, Episode 1. (1972) BBC4 on You Tube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pDE4VX_9Kk
Websites
10B
Photography. Image Enhancing – re
service provided
Reuters Press
Agency. About Us
Available
at http://thomsonreuters.com/
APPENDIX A
Lilly Allen’s –
The Fear
I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don't care about clever, I don't care about funny
I want loads of clothes and fuck-loads of diamonds
I heard people die while they're trying to find them
And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
'Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous
I'll look at The Sun and I'll look in The Mirror
I'm on the right track; yeah I'm on to a winner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
'Cause I'm being taken over by the Fear
Life's about film stars and less about mothers
It's all about fast cars and cussing each other
But it doesn't matter 'cause I'm packing plastic
And that's what makes my life so fucking fantastic
And I am a weapon of massive consumption
And it's not my fault; it's how I'm programmed to function
I'll look at The Sun and I'll look in The Mirror
I'm on the right track; yeah we're on to a winner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
'Cause I'm being taken over by the Fear
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
'Cause I'm killing 'em all on my own little mission
Now I'm not a saint but I'm not a sinner
And everything's cool as long as I'm getting thinner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
'Cause I'm being taken over by
the Fear
[1] Full lyrics for Lilly
Allen’s The Fear (2009) can be found in
Appendix A
[3] Solomon-Godeau, A
(1994) Photography at the Dock.
Minnesota, University of Minnesota Press. ‘Who is speaking thus?’ p171
[4] Sontag, S (1977) On Photography. London, Penguin Books
Ltd p5
[5] Ways of Seeing by John Berger, Episode 1. (1972) BBC4 on You Tube
[6] Barthes, R (1977) Image Music Text. London, Fontana Press
p19
[8] Mitchell, W (1994) The Reconfigured Eye: Visual Truth in the
Post-photographic Era. London, The MIT Press p7
[9] Adams, A (1983) Examples, The Making of 40 Photographs.
Boston, Little, Brown and Company p42
[10] Cozens, C. (2004) Editors
'clean up' bomb photo. The
Guardian.
[13] Campbell, D (2010) Narrative, Power and Responsibility #phonar lectures
[16] Bivins, R. (2008) The Internet, Mobile Phones and Blogging –
How new media are transforming traditional journalism.
[17] Bulkley, K. (2012) The Rise of Citizen Journalism. The
Guardian
[19] Seymour, T (2014) Civic journalism – harnessing the power of
photography. British Journal of Photography.
[22] Laurent, O. (2013) World Press Photo controversy: Objectivity,
manipulation and the search for truth. British Journal of Photography.
Sunday, 15 February 2015
Assignment 5 planning (part 8) - the build process
Creating the base element of each of the building blocks was a relatively easy process - converting the images to line drawings.
Having selected the image or images needed to create the final composite, they need to be converted into black and white 'pencil' drawings . This is done using the following navigation:
Using Levels, the image then needs to be adjusted to reduce the level of detail and the amount of black included - this better enables any colouring that is required.
The next step is to add the artistic effects, in this case a blue and grey wash and etching to bring out the detail of the stone work.
Finally, for this image, the two grave stones were added.
Once all of the layers is switched on:
This assignment was very challenging in terms of developing a set of images that were able to be sequenced in order to communicate a narrative and also in developing a range of Photoshop techniques to replicate the different artistic styles utilised by Piper.
My initial attitude of 'how difficult can this be' quickly became 'why do I make life so difficult for myself?' This was much more do do with the development of the narrative rather than the way I wanted the final image to look. Once I could visualise the image, it was a case of trial and error to develop a technique that delivered that result.
My key learning form this assignment - be methodical and ensure that all of the assignment elements are covered before deciding what you want to do. I was (still am) fascinated by Pipers work and wanted to use him in one of my assignments. As such, replicating his technique was my area of focus; the development of a "documentary photo-essay" got lost until I finally had to pull the assignment together.
Having selected the image or images needed to create the final composite, they need to be converted into black and white 'pencil' drawings . This is done using the following navigation:
Filter > Stylize > Find edges; Control +I; Control + Shift + U
 |
| Pencil drawing |
The next step is to add the artistic effects, in this case a blue and grey wash and etching to bring out the detail of the stone work.
 |
| Colour wash |
 |
| Etched detail |
 |
| Grave stones |
 |
| Final image |
This assignment was very challenging in terms of developing a set of images that were able to be sequenced in order to communicate a narrative and also in developing a range of Photoshop techniques to replicate the different artistic styles utilised by Piper.
My initial attitude of 'how difficult can this be' quickly became 'why do I make life so difficult for myself?' This was much more do do with the development of the narrative rather than the way I wanted the final image to look. Once I could visualise the image, it was a case of trial and error to develop a technique that delivered that result.
My key learning form this assignment - be methodical and ensure that all of the assignment elements are covered before deciding what you want to do. I was (still am) fascinated by Pipers work and wanted to use him in one of my assignments. As such, replicating his technique was my area of focus; the development of a "documentary photo-essay" got lost until I finally had to pull the assignment together.
Assignment 5 planning (part 7) - the ugly truth...
This post presents, in no particular order, some of the original images used to develop the All Saint project.
The initial shoot at the church provided some good photographs of the building and the graveyard, however, as the project developed and became more and more abstract in nature these original images were of limited use.
Subsequent shoots were used to capture shapes, textures and angles of parts of building to use as building blocks for the final compositions. These 'ugly' images would be of no use for anything but this kind of abstraction.
With the exception of the last two portfolio photographs in the grave yard, the images were taken back to their base elements - line drawings and then re-coloured - so the actual colour and exposure of the photographs was not important.
Multiple image manipulation
The cover image is a single image with minimal manipulation - rubbish removed from the pavement and a little sharpening.
Vision is a single image but made up of 7 manipulated layers.
Contraction and Solace are the same single image and intentionally so, but again each is made up of multiple layers to create the desired final image.
All of the other images are made up of multiple sections of photographs - from 3 to 7 different photographs.
The initial shoot at the church provided some good photographs of the building and the graveyard, however, as the project developed and became more and more abstract in nature these original images were of limited use.
Subsequent shoots were used to capture shapes, textures and angles of parts of building to use as building blocks for the final compositions. These 'ugly' images would be of no use for anything but this kind of abstraction.
With the exception of the last two portfolio photographs in the grave yard, the images were taken back to their base elements - line drawings and then re-coloured - so the actual colour and exposure of the photographs was not important.
Multiple image manipulation
The cover image is a single image with minimal manipulation - rubbish removed from the pavement and a little sharpening.
Vision is a single image but made up of 7 manipulated layers.
Contraction and Solace are the same single image and intentionally so, but again each is made up of multiple layers to create the desired final image.
All of the other images are made up of multiple sections of photographs - from 3 to 7 different photographs.
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