Evaluations of Previous Modules of Current Year

 Areas of Photographic Practice A

For this Assignment, I had to do more research and be more creative. The first think that I had to face, was the true understanding of the narrative concept. I found it really difficult, not to understand the definition but the application. How would a picture reflect to a specific narrative?  I had to make a research to many photographers in order to explore how they work and think in order to capture photos with narratives. I found Gregory Crewdson very interesting and his videos helped me in agreat way to understand his way of delivering narratives out of his pictures. Moreover I was inspired by him in thinking of an idea for my circular narrative. His series 'Beneath the Roses' had as a subject mental diseases. I developed some thoughts related to the mental state of a person in a certain situation. For that point I started developing my thoughts as I wanted for the narrative to reflect to the mental state rather than a physical action. Accordingly after finishing my presentation,  I prepare a synopsis telling a story of a girl and I wanted to deliver a story of her that would eventually take her to the starting point. I focused too much on the mental side of the story but I did not think about the delivery thought the circular narrative and after I received my feedback I see myself that the delivery would be hard to do successfully. The next idea was more depended on a physical action rather than the mind and the massage. I was following the instructions of making a simplest story and I made a narrative related to the selling of houses. I thought that the person would meet at the same point after completing specific actions as the selling and buying of a house is a never ending circle. However after the feedback I understood that there is no understanding of the reason and how my starting photo would be the ending point.  I had to think of a different story which was very difficult and I spend a few panic days as I was lost.  When I saw again my presentation and research I started developing an idea Ithat would reflect both to the mental state and the actions. I was very happy for the fact that I thought about Agoraphobia. It saved me as I then concluded to my final idea.I have no idea how I did as the fact that I had two previous failures in my preparation for the assignment. I struggled very much in thinking of a concept however I am happy for the final idea. It helped me very much in my development of my skills on delivering a photo that reflects to a narrative. Moreover I had the experience of challenging my creativity thinking and the elements that helps a photo delivering strong narratives. Even if I have no idea if I succeeded or not, I learned many things and would like to keep practicing in this aspect of photography as I think that strong photos are mostly those that have strong and clear narratives.  I have many things to learn.

 Areas of Photographic Practice B:

In this project I had the chance to get familiar and closer to Salford, to get involved with photojournalism and further to provide images capable of forming an article, and finally I got the chance to meet great people and to help the Greek Society of Salford to get known. Once again, during the period that I had to capture the photos of my final idea (by which the process was very hard and I spend even hours outside the church), I faced a problem that caused me a lot of time as I have to go to London and wait for the issuing of my new ID. Consequently I was under stress and this affected my work both physically and emotionally. Nevertheless, I have realised now that I have to set aside my feelings and divide them from my work. My influences of that conclusion arose from my research on the war photography and further the photojournalism. In respect to this, I got familiar with the needs of the media, and the need of an article being supported by photographs. Moreover, even if I am not satisfied with my work I know that I have learned many things and especially I developed a more clear view of how my work should reflect to a subject given and on how important the style of an exhibition is reflecting the images and the subject.

Though the project I also had the chance to read many articles and arguments related to photojournalism and I also appreciated the work of many practitioners who most of the times are risking their lives for the work.

One of those considered the work of Kevin Carter and his controversial image of the Struggling Girl. This man captured a great photograph that illustrated the terrible situation that such countries are facing. The controversial aspect of this photograph was the ethical outcome. How could he put his work prior to humanity and helping the girl instead of leaving her to die? It is true that the criticism affected the photographer as he committed suicide. Hence in my opinion, a photographer should divide what is humanity and what is helping though your photographs. Surely being at a war, you are helping the society of getting informed. On the other hand having a little girl that her life depends on you, then there is line to be divided on how you would choose to help her. Either by letting her die in order to capture a photo that would help in a more general way a generic issue or you will help that one individual.  This issue is very argumentative and debatable

However,

 The most significant outcome that I had is that providing a great photo, needs dedication, risks and differentiation of emotions and private life. I now know that the only reason of failing in capturing a subject is the lack of dedication and passion.

If you want to become a photographer, you have to love what you are doing and hence I know that this is what I really want to do. And hopefully in the future I will be able to get involved with photojournalism as such photographs are remaining and written in history and are visualizing the true events in the eyes of those they were there. A person can fight with every possible means, and photographing is a weapon. It is the photographer that would decide how to use it.

International Markets and Context

For this project we had to place ourselves in three different positions. First we had to act like the organizers of an international exhibition. Second, we had to act like participants in an international exhibition and third we had to maintain our role of photography student, in order to make research or the related aspect and to a practitioner that his work would be capable of being included to the exhibition and also to inspire us.

For doing the above, we were divided into groups and hence I had to act as a part of a team but also to make my own research and work. My team worked effective and each of us had an equal responsibilities. Hence we all did the research on the international market and after combining our work we had selected the nature of the exhibition. As a part of this process we had to consider all the elements of making a successful exhibition, including the location, promotion, advertising, costs, profits, subject and etc.

As a final part of our group we had to prepare a presentation that would show and explain our festival. Hence each of us had to prepare a part and also to introduce their work to each other.

In respect to my role in the group apart of my research, I had to find a practitioner. I had difficulties in doing this as at first I wanted to make a research on a practitioner that captures the moving stars. However the difficult part was to do the same thing. As I learned through my research the geographical place affects the work of a practitioner and hence I started looking for another practitioner that would be able to inspire me and to be a part of our exhibition. Hence I choose Robert d Anderson. My influence was at some point very straight forward but as I was working in my photographs I got the idea of using images of the opposite subject in order to show the difference between the movement and traffic of a city and the harmony and relaxation of the nature. I started developing this idea and I had in mind many ways that the images could work in the exhibition individually but also as my whole participation.

I might have already taken the three nature photos however; I haven’t used them as I wanted to use them in the right moment and place.  An international exhibition is the best place to show your work and by combining the subject of the exhibition and the subject that interest me the best, I am able to show sort of my identity in the world.

Generally the difficulty that I faced was the preparation of my photographs as I did not have a clear image of what I wanted to do as a participant in the event. Nevertheless, I think that my group did a great work in creating the festival and I am happy with my participation in the festival as a new practitioner.

Professional Practice for Photographic communication
 

In this assignment, I have reached a high level of research and creativity.   The subject that was given to us for this project was Re-photography.  The term re-photography was clearly understandable to me and gave me a perfect motivation to create the right structure for the project’s planning. I and my classmates had to work together in groups.

Firstly it was given to us a map of Salford and everyone in the group, had to assume a road individually.  After that we went to Salford museum to search for road photo shoots from the early 50s. Secondly we produced a short length presentation to inform our lecturer about the road we have chosen and which techniques we were going to use. 

My main idea was to be educated for the history and the cultural site of Salford, through researching and photo shooting a number of churches. The difficult part of this project was to be well-navigated in the streets of the town.  Streets where absolutely different and the old town was replaced by modern age buildings. Local shops closed due to multinational companies and shopping centers. In addition, many buildings that I spotted in the old photographs nowadays have been demolished.  While I was walking in Broad St., I met a lot of hospitable and helpful local people.

After I finished the photo shooting part of the project, I started the Photoshop editing process, using some tools of the software such as eraser, warp, cropping, adjusting and estimating exactly how to link the two images.  I have adapted some techniques of well known photographers such as Mark Klett, Dave Re etc. After several thoughts I had finally chosen which photographs I wanted to use for the Re-photography final images.

The next step was to take part in an exhibition at Salford Museum where we had to present our best edited images. My chosen image was the beautiful St. Thomas’s Church at Pendleton, Broad St. The image should be printed on foam board (359mm x 507mm). We all did a great job and the project after a great team work was successfully done. Is the first time that I’m selling my own piece of work and this situation is giving me strange thoughts because I feel that my work has value for money but in the other hand it’s my creation and is hard for me to sell it. In the near future I will deal again with re-photography because keeps culture and history alive. A re-photography is not just an image collapsed on another, but a mixture of 2 or more generations.