Hester's Way: Take Two

This year I am revisiting Hester's Way and looking at developing my project in order to involve the the community further. I made my first visit yesterday to Springbank Community Centre and once I had introduced myself and explained my project I went back out to photograph the surrounding environment.

This shot is a continuation from last years work.

On my next visit I will be taking model release forms so that I can start to capture the people that use the centre and its resources.

2012 Review

As it’s a fresh start in 2013 and I’ve done so much in 2012 I thought I’d write a post to review my year of work as I know I became a much more confident photographer through a series of projects. So lets look at some favourites aye?

First of all we have Rescued, this was my FMP for college where I decided to investigate how many animals are homeless, stuck in an animal rescue centre. I travelled all over the place with this project and met some wonderful people that volunteer to look after the animals and train them.

I also learned a lot about Photoshop with this project, I rarely use the programme but had no choice here.. Not just to achieve the desired layout for the image but also to correct white balance on many images as I found shooting in the centres I was often working with multiple different lighting set ups. I also fell in love with a particular cat on this project, cat 3 down 4 across – Hank. I’d still adopt him if I could.

Moving on we have my WWII project, my absolute favourite for the year. I’ve always been a great fan of History and in particular war. But I don’t want to be a war photographer. I found people in my village that had been children during World War Two in different locations around the UK and asked them to recall memories of the war whilst I photographed them in the Studio. I was surprised as how well people responded as I know for a long time the war was unspoken of, and some still refuse to recall the difficult time. I was even luckier that they were able to bring with them items that they still owned from the war.

I shot this project on medium format film using a Bronica to try and keep the history alive within the images. The stories I got were incredible and if you want to know of any of the stories please get in touch. Or the link through to the Facebook album has brief details. Above are Betty, Colin and Jim.

But as well as these two projects I have attended and photographed two Protests, most recently #demo2012…

 Attempted live Fashion Photography at Mid Cheshire College Fashion Show which raises money for charity and thoroughly enjoyed it..

Campaigned for a very good friend to try and get him the position of NUS President at NUSNC12 and photographed the entire three days of the conference, learning how terrible my telezoom lens is, more so in low light…

 Plucked up the courage to start asking people for their photographs, which I must say is not in my comfort zone at all…

Got in to university in Cheltenham and shot my first live event with a same day deadline with them at Tewkesbury Mop Fair…

And finally completed my first extended project at university handing in on time, Hesters Way. A project which will be continued yet and hopefully become my first real Documentary…

I have done even more than this but to find out about that you will just have to explore my blog more, or my Facebook page.

I have no goals for 2013 particularly, I just want to keep growing as a photographer and push myself further with work. Oh and finish (if it’s possible to finish a documentary?) Hesters Way maybe.

Hesters Way Finals

I've finished it. I've handed it in. One project complete.

What do you think? Please tell me! 

One Day My Flash Will Kill Me...

So, yesterday I went back up to Hesters Way, my fifth visit. you'd think I was getting used to being there and stop being so scared. Well, no. Especially when I took my flash with me.. I thought I was going to die. But that turned out just to be my own paranoia. Silly me!

Unfortunately two of the shots I was hoping to get had gone, those shopping trolleys I was hoping for had been returned to Sainsbury's sadly. So all that time I spent in Tesco's car park practising my shopping trolley shots with the flash were pointless. I should probably apologise here to James who I dragged with me all that way - Sorry.

I do love the way the colours pop on this, they look so vibrant.

However, I do think I got some decent shots elsewhere with my flash instead, my favourite three being these:

This one is my absolute favourite from the shoot, the pink looks even brighter on the photo than it did in real life on the fence.

You might have already seen a very similar shot to this one, but I prefer this one. It was very difficult to get my flash to bring the green "Adam" out and this was the best I could do but I like it. I think it works rather well.

And again, I've posted a much further out shot of this tyre before now but I think this image really brings out the buts of grit and dirt from where the tyre has been sat for so long. 

So that was my adventure with flash. I didn't get any grief at all, which I was surprised about after my first visit when I got a lot of abuse. I must have just chosen a bad day then. 

The Annual Tea Dance

Oh goodness me, this was possibly the cutest, most lovely event I've ever been too never mind photographed. I had an absolute ball. And so did all the guests - it was great fun. The Mayor even popped along to show off his moves..

I was very impressed with the Mayor's dancing skills.

Some of the ladies dancing the afternoon away with students. This is one of my favourites from the afternoon even if it is a tad yellowy.

If I remember rightly, this was the barn dance. 

I don't remember which dance this was but these two were very much enjoying their dance. I really the depth of field on this too. 

A long shot of the table to the left. Above and Below the same with a serving of tea.

Picking out a lucky raffle winner..

Two of the happy RAG raffle winners, both with a nice bottle each ready for Christmas.

I know this isn't a very good photo technically but this student asked the gentleman to dance and it made me smile, and miss my Bingo crew back home as well. 

Now this pair were very into their dancing and I don't think they left the dance floor very often. I love the stance in this shot, even with the slight motion blur. 

I managed to sneak up to a high point somewhere (still not sure where..) and get a nice overview of the dance floor and the guests. 

Our VC also paid a visit to the Tea Dance, making the guest feel welcome as he and the SU President made a speech.

Another favourite of mine, I love the repetition in this image with the couple behind in a very similar pose.

One talented keyboard player.

This very happy couple asked me to take their photograph as they said they "couldn't remember the last time they had such fun dancing". Always a nice thing to hear. 

I really did enjoy my afternoon at the Tea Dance, I don't even know what else to say. I took so many photos, but these are my favourites. 

Now this afternoon, well I have to head back up to Hesters Way and shoot some more for my stories. Last minute I know, but I'm looking forward to shooting with flash - something I've put off before now due to lack of experience and unsurity (if that's even a word) or the reaction I'll get. Flash can seem intrusive.

Another Quicky

I'm coming to the end of the Photojournalist project I've been working on so starting to edit my final images. Admittedly I still have one shoot I need to do but that's all planned.

I showed you one edit yesterday, of the sign. Today I have some trees for you.

The original.

The edited version.

I've made the crop much tighter on this image as I think it looks quite sparce in the frame otherwise and I've given the reds a push to make the leaves more vibrant. I much prefer the second version of the image. 

This afternoon I'm off to the University's annual Tea Dance, photographing for Space again. I'm really rather excited. 

Hesters Way, Take Two/Three

Do you remember my first shoot at Hesters Way? The one that went a bit wrong and was really rubbish? No, well you should see it here. I've been back twice since then, one of those times I didn't have my laptop so you'll just have to have two updates at once about this project.

#1

The depth of field on this image makes the patch of grass in the background seem very large and empty.

Slightly underexposed but that's why I like this one as it starts to look over the estate. 

Gunna take my flashgun back with me to get this shot again, make the colours "pop".

If I slightly crop in to this shot I think it will be better as I'll make it more symmetrical.

This photo isn't very good but I have to go back and take my flash gun with me to get a photo of the trolleys a bit closer up.

#2

You can't really see it in this photo but in the top left windows of this house there is a line of knitted dolls. I used to have a clown made just like these. 

It's wonky but I like it and with a little straightening I think it will be fine. 

I really like the way the sign stands out here without the use of flash because of the white line surrounding it.

How warm and autumny do these trees make this shot? I think the colours are lovely. 

Now I just have to find time to go back with my flashgun.. and a bodyguard.