Unit Assessment Presentation

Object and body

In Object unit we were asked to create a still life and represent a current social issue. Firstly I started to develop idea about financial crisis. But after useful tutorials and researches it became more personal still life with financial problem results.

In unit research my inspiration came from Vanitas (Harmen Steenwyck). It is still life paintings from history art. 

This reference gives me understanding about symbolic objects and nice lightening subtleties. Object unit was a challenge for me. It was very hard to choose objects for my idea interpretation.

Other researches that I’ve done were object symbolism meanings. For these, which I selected to use in my still life, I tried to find and give symbolism meanings. Lots of dream meanings and symbolisms sites were analyzed. Clock means: movement forward, activity and important things in your life. To strengthen this movement I demonstrated physical clock arrow turn in the picture. Gold coins means profit and tangible things. In picture frame with family photo bodies I made black like a shadow. It will represent that I'm missing my parent’s ant how time and huge distance can estrange us. Gold key meaning in dreams is solution discovery for the problems.

To reveal depressing image mood, final print I made with a blue tone. To be honest I think this task I manage poorly – I devoted more time to environment project. Going forward it is a good lesson to me. Next time I should balance all projects evenly. Also different projects can help to each other and give interesting ideas.

“The body” project task was to take a portrait of unknown person.

For research task I've chosen three artists: two painters (Johannes Vermmer and Rembrandt Harmenszoon) and photographer (Hendrik Kerstens).

These references gives me good understanding in portrait lighting technique, such as Rembrandt. Also I learned that discovered subjects personality and characteristics makes huge influence to the portrait.

I was interested to shoot elderly people. It seemed to me that they always had a live experience and I wanted to reflect it in the portrait. It was most difficult task for me in this semester. To get into conversation required careful, considerate and professional negotiations. With couple unsuccessful trips to Rochester, finally I found a person. But unfortunately day before photo-shoot she cancelled it, due to unplanned call to work. I hardly quit with this trouble and found couple nice students in photo-shoot day. But apart this, failures were leading me further: in studios was not enough space, burned light head and jammed film in film processor. However finally with all the troubles I made some images. 

To be honest, I was not happy with my final picture. I didn’t reveal a subject personality and character into the portrait. It was not enough time, after all unplanned changes in this task.

I’ve received very useful lesson from this unit. If project includes more people, you must forecast anticipating troubles and always to have a second plan. Photographer is a director, so everything must be done professionally. Even with unplanned problems.

ENVIRONMENT

Pastiches

First image, which I choose to pastiches, was Roberts Adams “On Signal Hill, Overlooking Long Beach, California” 1983. 

Firstly it looked easy pastiche. I thought I would find similar place very quick. But I was wrong. My researches took so long that I've done my final shot nearly last minute. If to ignore that it was done in a wrong light, I think I realized the main idea. The tree in the foreground is not only dwarfed by the city behind, but it also acts as alone and pathetic reminder of what has been displaced by urban development.

Second image, which I choose was Thomas Struth, “Bukseo Dong, Pyongyang, North Korea”, 2007.

 The tree is my main accent in this picture, what I was looking for. I couldn't reflect same structures lines. But I discovered main idea, which is very similar to previous pastiche.

For the first environment unit task I looked to specific environment, which were built in war times. I created a series with military constructions, designed to protect humans. I want to demonstrate how natural landscape with these partly remained structures overgrew to cold and horrible reminiscence environment. This is nature against thousands of tons of concrete.

In my research I’ve looked at several artists: Simon Norflok and Nigel Green. 

Especially I analyzed Nigel Green book “Dungennes”, because my first idea was about this place. I wanted to reflect how humans are taking over the landscapes with industries. But Erasmus Schroter book “Bunker” influenced me to the final idea. Differently then I, Schroter was able to reveal these structures in full beauty. It explains that main clue in the image is idea. Same object presentation can be shown in completely different ways. It depends what you want to say to your viewer.

I took all images with medium format camera and black and white films. For final printing I’ve choose dark tones to reflect cold feeling and gloomy mood of the landscape.

I devoted lots of time to this project. Big challenge was location researches of these structures. In two days I’ve done nearly 400 miles by car and walked tens of mile. Some accesses to these buildings were very complicated: no roads, fences or gates. However it was unbelievable experience.

Second Environment unit task called “The City”. For this project, idea came to me very quick. Maybe some influence did and Charles Marville who was taking pictures before and after building demolition in Paris.

My plan and idea was to show same place in twenty-four hours difference. I wanted to find photographer’s who done similar idea. And in long researches I found one: Michael Marten. He was photographing United Kingdom seaside’s landscapes. But he was doing two pictures in 6 or 18 hours difference. These pictures inspired me to think about human and nature connection.

For my idea implementation I created a three-day plan:

First day (Saturday) – local searching and marking

Second day (Sunday) – photographing

Third day (Monday) – photographing

Shooting was done on Sunday’s early morning and I came back after 24 hours on Monday. To present this idea I did it in diptych style. In these pictures you can see how space is changing in 24 hours time. In first part, city is grey and empty. However, in second shoot the same scene is presented in completely different light– filled with warm colours and vitality. The importance of human work and relaxation was reflected in the environment.

Self Evaluation

All issues, which I faced with, were very beneficial for me. Humans are learning from own mistakes. I learned to plan, do not rush with the first idea but keep developing it. Issue in the Body unit gave very useful lesson to me – in future I must be ready for everything and always to have a second plan.

My still life and environment war structures works has a small emphasize on political meaning. Financial crisis and personal feelings combine affect my still life. Nowadays crisis is very popular theme.

War structures reflect political disagreement and are important inheritance. It demonstrates how natural landscape with these partly remained structures overgrew to cold and horrible reminiscence environment.

I am really happy with my environment unit works. However, object and body units were closer to my heart.  I thought it would be much more easier to work on it. However it was vise versa.  Most significant challenge for me was a portrait shoot. I was interested to shoot elderly people. But I faced with a lot problems in this task, so I didn’t manage it, as I wanted.