A3: Self Portrait (Draft)

Overview

This assignment arrived in the midst of the unprecedented restrictions to liberty and social movement implemented by the UK government in response to the threat posed by Corona-virus. For the past ten weeks I have been restricted to living in my one bedroom flat with my dog Oreo for most of the day with the exception of one visit a week to the supermarket and one walk a day for Oreo. The experience has been surreal, especially in the early days when social hysteria resulted in deserted roads, high streets and public spaces. As the pandemic has continued the hysteria has reduced and gradually people are relaxing. However, non-essential shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants remain closed, the bustle of the high street remains a distant memory, the new emptiness resembling a dystopian disaster film.

Against this backdrop I recorded two weeks of diary entries, recording my activities thoughts and feelings at the end of each day. I discovered that taking time out to record these things encouraged me to reflect on what had happened and what I had achieved. It became obvious to me really early into the process that two elements of my life featured heavily in the majority of my current existence. My dog Oreo kept me company throughout lockdown and was never far from my side or my thoughts. My sofa appeared to be the hub of my home. I ate, studied, relaxed and napped on it. It became easy for me to identify the diary entries that I intended to use for a self portrait.

Approach

I planned to capture my daily life during lockdown by focusing on what took place on my sofa. This seemed the obvious approach because so much of my time was spent there. I planned to capture an image of the same location at multiple times throughout the day. The images were to be unstaged and captured without my knowledge or input.

I employed this approach because I wanted my work to express the feeling of monotony that I was experiencing living cooped up in a small space for weeks on end. I wanted to be present in my images but unposed and unaware of the intrusion. I also wanted to invite the viewer to extrapolate the elements of the scene into a story. This needed to work for an individual image and for the series as a whole.

Capturing the Images

Using a tripod positioned as close to head on to the sofa as I could get I configured my camera to automatically capture one image every five minutes. I then went about my day without paying any attention to it. I experimented with this approach before completing the diary entries because I wanted to know whether it would hang together. I varied the camera position and the focal length until I liked the results and then continued with this configuration for the duration of the project. My only involvement with the camera was changing the batteries every day, refocusing the lens and pressing the shutter button for the first image.

Processing the Images

At the end of the project I had many hundreds of images. I used Adobe Bridge (carousel) to cull them to a workable number by removing repetitions, those where I looked really terrible or had my mouth full of food, mid chew!

Using Adobe Bridge and ACR I edited the tone and colour of the images to achieve as close to uniform levels as I could. I am not sure at what point I felt that individual images would not convey my message adequately but at some point I decided that I could tile two of the draft images together into each final image. This approach achieved a number of things;

I could use twice the number of images to tell my story, thus more information could be presented.
The viewer would compare the two halves of each final image looking for a story to fill the gaps between the two.
Visually two tiled images were more interesting than a single. The proximity of the two halves making comparing the two easier.

I used Adobe Photoshop to fit two images onto one canvas and to match the colour and tone of each half before exporting to Adobe Lightroom where I finalised the images. I printed one or two of the final images onto semi-gloss photo paper and pinned them to my study wall for a few days and to see if I liked the results.

Images

_K3P0889

_K3P0912

_K3P0864

_K3P0848

_K3P0813

_K3P0743

_K3P0797

_K3P0709

Reflection

Overall I am happy with the results from this assignment. It isn’t exciting work and the images are far from fabulous but I feel that they meet the assignment brief. As I progressed I recognised that there were things that I could have done better…

I applied noise reduction and sharpening at the end of post processing. However I should have applied it to each of the draft images before combining them as each had different ISO levels depending on the light at the time it was captured. By applying NR to the combined image the end result was a compromise.

I could have decorated my lounge in something other than yellow wallpaper. I don’t like yellow in photographs! 🙂

I also discovered new skills whilst working on this assignment. Prior to this I had not really used Photoshop. For this work I utilised masks, clipped adjustments, gradient layers, with the associated learning curve.

Assignment 3: Tutor Feedback

Overall Comments

Very well written and expressed intro/evaluation/proposal for this assignment. Its evocative yet draws attention to the mundane regimented life under Covid-19 lockdown. The decision to approach this using a Typology strategy and presenting them as ‘cinematic’ diptychs allows all sorts of ‘meanings’ to emerge though recognisable social phenomena and codes of self-portraiture – even a postmodern nod to ‘google box’ – even though perhaps unintended – the connotations are all there which make for a rich, well researched and appropriate under the circumstances interpretation of ‘putting yourself in the picture’.

Clear integration of concept/theme and the approach strategy with which to express it. The idea to use the auto timer of the camera, captured without your knowledge or input is a very good one. The combination of the staged ‘Tableau’ self-portraits which, although a ‘mundane’ setting are rendered in a high quality, albeit machine like way with the diary entries as a narrative and formal counterpoint provokes the viewer with its mix of syles.

You could as you reflect both in the written introduction and reference to the blog (of how you got there) use more critical terminology such as ‘medium specific’ ‘Tableau’, ‘Performativity’ and ‘The Banal’ (as a photographic discourse). With particular reference to readings and research, including Shinkle on the mundane and practitioners such as machine made images of Walker Evans and the Staging questioning of representation of Philip-Lorca diCorcia (see – Readings). The emphasis on the interplay between the ‘grand picture’ (Tableau) and about the subject matter of the domestic and quotidian is well formed.

Feedback on assignment Demonstration of technical and Visual Skills, Quality of Outcome, Demonstration of Creativity

Drawing from Peter Mansell’s work looked at in the course document (p; 64) there is a clear context of claustrophobia and compression but rather than use as tight square format in that series you have opted for a more ’cinematic’ 24 x 36 and tiling.
Expand on the reasoning behind this more – even though the decisions came out of a process, they still allude to contexts such as Renaissance portraiture and the self- referential (television looking back at you).

Coursework Demonstration of technical and Visual Skills, Demonstration of Creativity

Reference your findings from course work exercises in your written intro and say how you used strategies you have uncovered and been influenced by in the exercises in your assignment.

Research Context, reflective thinking, critical thinking, analysis

Not sure if I would have described it as ‘It isn’t exciting work and the images are far from fabulous’ as that’s the point! Understand the frustration of Covid lockdown but this is a very creative interpretation and in line with some contemporary practitioners. You should name it.
The images work well to represent the mundane and banal and some strong juxtapositions (for example Oreo having his biscuit (self-referential) in the diary with the more performed self-portraits. Have a look at the ‘multi-modal’ work of Jim Goldberg (i.e. diaries, mixed with snapshots mixed with more staged set ups and ‘automatic photographs) so that you see that you are borrowing traditions, ‘quoting’ from them and mixing them (which is a contemporary way of working rather than sticking to one approach).

Learning Log Context, reflective thinking, critical thinking, analysis

The blog is very well structured. Keep this idea of the ‘learning log’ as a reflective summary at the right – drawing on the ‘research’ skills in the exercises applying that to the assignments and referencing in the ‘log’. Use of Harvard in text is leading the reader to these points. Just make sure you reference the critical terminology in any written intro.
In that way strong reflective thinking in the written introduction to the work as well as the blog.
Do be rigorous as you move forward use the critical terminology in your reflections so for example:
Typologies
Medium Specificity
Staging & Tableau When it comes to the context of presentation (tile images) perhaps talk about Diptychs rathe than use vague terms such as ‘two tiled images were more interesting’ as ‘like’ and ‘interesting’ aren’t really specific enough to talk about the codes and genres that you are clearly making sense of and working with.
A nod to renaissance ideas of self portraiture combined with snapshot diaries. Page of 2 4

Suggested reading/viewing Context Camera as auto recording device.

Walker Evans: Labor Anonymous: https://davidcampany.com/anonymous-and- incognito-walker-evans/
Many Are Called:

Tableau / Staged in order to re-inforce that “people represent things. Its not personal”: Philip-Lorca diCorcia: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=So_FK4qnz5Q&feature=emb_logo

‘Multi-Modal’ use of photographs, diaries, staged and snapshot:

Jim Goldberg – The Last Son: https://vimeo.com/196430394

Theoretical Readings on ‘The Banal’

Shinkle (2004) boredom-repetition PDF enclosed

Pointers for the next assignment / assessment

Do caption your images – rather than ‘_K3P0709’ etc use a naming system that describes the picture (could just be ‘Hollli Kalina Living Room HK001 – where HK is your initials and the first image from that iteration.
This will become ultra important in the next level when you are responding to the codes and conventions of genre and attempting to place your work within a Proffesional context (intending them for exhibition, image libraries, for publication. 10 years from now you will be try gin to find ‘ah those self-portraits I did in the living room’ and your hard drive will be full of 24 TB of ‘K3999899 random titles.
Don’t be tempted to caption images with their ‘meaning’ allow context to emerge as you have done in your very well written proposal.
Strengths Areas for development

Creative approach sampling a range of approaches

Name them and reflect on the practitioners and theoretical influences by referencing the blog.

Learning log summarising your research. Research has a function to inform the practice work so (see above) reface where you got these ideas from and use terminology

Well expressed. Not a negative point. Keep up by reading others blogs, treatments for films etc – to see how they engage the reader and ‘put images in their head’ in order to ‘sell’ the project. This can be done in a poetic way (as you do) rather then just a report. I recommend Wim Wenders (enclosed a as PDF)

A3: Self Portrait

Overview

Approach

Inspired by Elina Brotherus’s honest depiction of herself (The photograph as contemporary art p165), I wanted to include myself in the frame. My approach was to include a staged tableau but to be less performative in style. I wanted to be present in my images but un-posed and apparently unaware of the intrusion.

Nigel Shafran’s images of the banal (Shafran N. (1999) Dad’s office -1997-1999) [online] Nigel Shafran website. Available from: http://nigelshafran.com/category/dads-office-1997-1999/. Last accessed 10/08/2020. encouraged my exploration of the banal.

I employed a typology approach, confining the tableau to the extreme edges of my sofa. This repetitive imagery was employed to express the feeling of monotony that I was experiencing whilst living cooped up in a small space for weeks on end. I wanted to invite the viewer to extrapolate the elements of the scene into a story, to support the narrative in my diary entries. As explained in Context and Narrative in Photography (2020) “Creating a typology…promotes comparisons between photographs”.

Capturing the Images

Processing the Images

Using Adobe Bridge and ACR I edited the tone and colour of the images to achieve as close to uniform levels as I could.

During the editing process I experimented with cropping images to focus on the subject of the portrait but the results lacked the mundane messaging that I was looking for, appearing more like a series of candid snapshots. I decided to retain the original straight out of camera crop. Whilst not as confined as the square format of Peter Mansell’s work which we explored earlier in the course, the combination of mundane tableau and typology strategy created a similar feel. I decided later in the editing process to present the images as vertical diptychs. This approach achieved a number of things;

The number of images increased, thus more information could be presented.
The viewer is invited to compare the two halves of each final image and to extrapolate a story to fill in the gaps between the two. As explained in Context and Narrative in Photography (2020) “Visual continuity and uniformity in a set of photographs offers coherence and allows the viewer to perceive each image as part of a larger argument”.
Visually the vertical diptych image creates a stronger more confined aspect ratio than a single landscape image. The proximity of the two halves presents an aspect ratio closer to square.

I utilised some of the skills in Adobe Photoshop that I had learned earlier in the course to fit two images onto one canvas and to match the colour and tone of each half before exporting to Adobe Lightroom where I finalised the images. I printed one or two of the final images onto semi-gloss photo paper and pinned them to my study wall for a few days. Living with the images for a period of time helped to support the final editing decision.

Reflection

Overall I am happy with the results from this assignment. The final edit supports the narrative of my diary entries, the chosen presentation connotes an atmosphere of mundane repetition. As I progressed I recognised that there were things that I could have done better…

I discovered new technical skills whilst working on this assignment, using Photoshop for far more of the editing process. In the course of this work I utilised masks, clipped adjustments, gradient layers, image and layer resizing. Edits that I would normally make in Lightroom. I intend to spend more time studying Photoshop.

I could have decorated my lounge in something other than yellow wallpaper, the reflected yellow light causes problems with skin tones.