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, 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.

Flat 47

In case you haven't already heard I've started to do a documentary, one I can work on in my spare time. Title, "Flat 47".

I want it to be a black and white documentary, and whilst I've started it on digital a few shots here and there could end up being done in film. Maybe. I can't decide yet. Probably not due to expense though.

Anyway, I started some shooting for it this weekend...

Thursday 8th November.

This was my most successful shot of the night and I'm still not overly fond of it. However it does demonstrate the style I was originally out aiming for. I've since sacked off the square format. 

Saturday 10th November.

I believe this collection of bottles (and cans) has been growing since the start of term and I haven't even captured it all yet.

Family shot? I like this shot. Turns out once you get the hang of a Metz Flashgun they can be quite useful. I'm still practising though.

Something was funny. 

Now this shot would be easy to turn in to a Square format image which I intend to do at a later date. However it isn't one I want to turn Black and White because I love the burst of colour in it. 

Another group image, it's just a shame one person wasn't paying attention.

This project is definitely going to be a long one as it keeps going. And I think it's definitely going to take a while before my camera becomes ignorable. I mean ...

Clearly not appreciated! Sadly the photo didn't turn out or this would be quite a mugshot.

Mugshot

So we all know that a few weeks ago I went and photographed Tewkesbury Mop Fair, (if you didn't you should click here). Well there is a portrait from that night that I keep noticing. I didn't include it in my final edit because it's a little grainy, despite shooting 400 ISO, I'm not sure why this is but it can't be changed. Sadly. But anyway, it's this one:

I love it, I didn't even need a flash to light her face up. 

On another note I'm still having trouble with Redbrick, the student newspaper at Birmingham uni. They don't seem to want to give inabout crediting me. They've now got it in to there heads that because they posted the article online with another of my photos it's okay and that should be enough for me. Well they are wrong. (Oh yes, article available here). If printing my work was going to be such an issue for them they never should have - that's how I see it. Correct me if I'm getting this all wrong.

Pittville - Test Shots

A project I've recently started involves exposing Cheltenhams grotty side. Everybody thinks it's such a posh place and all lahh de dahh but I don't. I'm not sure if it's because of where I'm living in Pittville halls or if I'm just so used to the cute little village of Davenham it all seems so big and I've become aware of everything.

Anyway, to start my project off and help me to determine the style of images I want to use I headed out, round my campus to start taking photos. These are some of what I got.

This is my favourite shot from the shoot yesterday, I love the slight vignette around it. It took me ages to get and I probably looked like a bit of a fool sat on the floor by the smoking shelter/bike rack taking photos of the bottom of the bin. 

Look at this great dirty stain, this is what I can see out my window, just below the pigeon spikes. It looks even worse here on a close up photograph. 

How did that chair get up there? I would love to know. 

I'd prefer this image if I cropped the top a little, it's a bit too overexposed for me, that or a black line to mark where the image starts and ends if it was being printed. 

Spare scaffolding? I think that's what this is. I think this image is quite peaceful somehow, all the smooth lines with only a few rougher textures. 

This shoot went much better than I expected and I got a whole range of images from it. I don't think there is going to be a specific something I look for in my shoots, I'm just going to see what I find and shoot. Lots. 

Chickens!

Anyone who has seen my FMP from college last year will know I'm a bit of a sucker for animals. So when I went over to the animal enclosure in the park today I couldn't resist taking photos. Admittedly, I only photographed the chickens and a peacock because the chickens were pretty and reminded me of my Nan's at home, and the peacock was just chilling near the fence posing for me.

You must admit this is a very pretty chicken. 

And this I like because you can see the chickens and the other people in the park admiring them. Along with the other birds in the enclosure too. 

The peacock. Posing, playing it cool.

But whilst in town today we also saw this unusual sight, a girl who I assume you would call a busker even though they weren't playing music. 

She's very yellow, and very cheerful looking. I've no idea how she is balancing on that wooden stick either. 

People At Work

We were set a little task today in our lectures to photograph people at work. I headed out to the High Street and hit the Charity shops, I went to find people that were working to help others. These are the results I got, my favourite two images.

When I first went in to this shop - Oxfam (it was very well hidden) I wasn't entirely convinced I would be able to shoot. It turns out however, that this woman knows a lot about photography and so was able to tell us some stories about her own personal experiences - including one about a friend which had her in stitches, as you can see.

This lady was very lovely, and very softly spoken, to stereotype she's the type of lady I would expect to find in a charity shop, she was lovely to talk to as well, and very interested in what we were doing.

In order to keep these portraits as natural as possible, I had Ellie to talk to them and keep them distracted whilst I was taking photos, this way they payed less attention to the camera and became less selfconcious. 

Two Favourites From The Week

Despite all the snapping I've done this week, there are only two photos that particularly stand out for me, and these were both taken on Wednesday on our trip to London.

But before we get to those, I have to share this with you.

Never ever, before in my entire life (all 18 years) have I seen anybody polishing there gates, but this week as I made my way back from the Town Centre, I spotted this little lady polishing her gates with a lovely feather duster.

Photo number one:

Taken in the delightful gardens of the V+A, as we made our way out of the gallery. I was rather impressed with the miniature fountains that lined the steps at the top of the shallow pool (It's basically a posh pond). I like it mostly because you can see people enjoying the weather, eating lunch in the background. this image also makes the fountain in the foreground look much taller than it in, and those in the background smaller! 

Photo number two:

My first time on a London bus, as we stopped at a bus stop I just took a picture, I wasn't expecting much but I managed to get this little gem. I love the expressions on all three peoples faces as they each check the bus times. My bag, that was on my knee is the blob in the foreground that is out of focus, helping to keep you paying attention to the people. 

Annnnnd, that's all folks!