Narrative and Illustration:Project-Illustration; Exercise 45 – rain

This, and other exercises in this section on Narrative and Illustration on the OCA’s Art of Photography module, require a clear understanding of the use of signs and symbols in photography.  Maria Short in her book (reviewed here) Context and Narrative devotes one chapter to understanding signs and symbols in photographic art.  She introduces Semiotics, the study of signs and symbols, and, in introducing the work of de Saussure and Sanders (the orginators of semiotic models) and draws the distinction between the form which the symbol takes (the signifier) and the concept it represents (the signified). This distinction has arisen in a previous exercise where the representational aspect of symbols was explored; essentially a symbol is something that represents something else.  Closely related, although different, to the concept of a symbol is the concept of the icon.  In the case of an icon  the signifier is perceived as imitating the signified (e.g. a scale model or cartoon of the real form).

This exercise deals with indexical signifiers; symbols that can be causally liked or inferred.  For example smoke to symbolise fire, or footprints indicating footsteps.   In this exercise the brief is to make an image that will be used to illustrate the cover of a magazine that deals with rain.  We are asked to avoid settling for obvious images such as rain swept streets yet leave the viewer in no doubt about the subject of the magazine.  In other words the symbolism in the magazine cover must be closely linked to the subject without necessarily being obvious or cliched.

In the image below I show a range of symbols associated with rain without at any stage showing rain drops specifically; umbrella, reflections in a puddle and the effect of rain drops on the puddle itself.

Rain

Narrative and Illustration:Project-Illustration; Exercise 44 – juxtaposition

Juxtaposition is the combination of two elements in a photograph that carry equal weight  and  which either with contrast each other or in which one element contributes towards another to create an overall theme.  The two elements should be strong in their own right so that when the viewer looks at it they come to their own conclusion about their purpose in the image.

Exercise 44 in the OCA’s Art of Photography programme deals with the use of juxtaposition as a means of illustration.   The course notes (pg 117) note that often still life image making is used so as to control the juxtapositioning process and, indeed, suggest that such a process could be used in the making of an image on juxtaposition for the cover of a book.

I have selected a late night image from the city of Brussels, arguably cliched, but one that I could not ignore; the contrast between the homeless person settling down for the night with his dog with his back towards the upmarket clothes store.  The spot is only 100 metres from the famous Grand Place.

Steven McCurry’s picture of children playing on burnt out tank in Lebanon is a strong use of juxtaposition as is Walker Evan’s image of a graveyard overlooking a steel mill in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania from 1935.  Juxtaposition can also be used for humorous ends as frequently used by Robert Doisneau.  Here is ‘L’Enfer’ from Paris in 1952.  The gendarme is clearly aware that he is a centre of attention but not sure why.  That the image is set up is not in doubt but that does not detract from the humour.

Narrative and Illustration:Project-Illustration; Exercise 43 – symbols

This, and other exercises in this section on Narrative and Illustration on the OCA’s Art of Photography module, require a clear understanding of the use of signs and symbols in photography.  Maria Short in her book (reviewed here) Context and Narrative devotes one chapter to understanding signs and symbols in photographic art.  She introduces Semiotics, the study of signs and symbols, and, in introducing the work of de Saussure and Sanders (the orginators of semiotic models), draws the distinction between the form which the symbol takes (the signifier) and the concept it represents (the signified). In another exercise the particular use of indexical signifiers (symbols that can be causally liked or inferred to the subject) was referenced in respect of symbols to represent rain.

In this exercise we are asked to suggest symbols for a number of concepts.  In suggesting symbols and, in two instances (see below) providing an image by way of visual illustration, I am conscious that choice of symbols will be heavily influenced by social, political and cultural background.  For example, someone of right leaning political persuasion might well evidence graffiti as a symbol of crime whereas someone left leaning might see this as symbol of class expression.

In suggesting symbols appropriate to the concepts it is also worth bearing in mind that too often symbols can be cliched and become hackneyed because of their frequent use.  However, the choice of symbol must  not be so obscure that the relationship between  signifier and signified becomes impossible to determine.

Growth; nuts and seeds (see image below); eggs – especially if cracking open; sequential images of plant growth – would require digital manipulation to merge into a single image; sequential images of human growth; juxtaposition of acorns and oaks.

Excess; conspicuous consumption – especially when juxtaposed with images of poverty; luxury cars; private planes; tables overladen with food.

Crime; vandalised property; graffiti; burnt out cars.

Silence; backlit meditation pose (e.g. as here), finger to lips (e.g as here).  Other possible symbols might be church and library interiors.

Poverty; Outstretched cupped hand; images of malnourished children; ragged clothes. .

Walker Evans, a small collection of whose work is reviewed here, worked for the Farm security Administration in the US between 1935 and 1938 and used symbols extensively in his work of witnessing the great depression; his portrait of Allie Mae Burroughs being a good example of this fact as his image of a cotton tenant farmer family from 1936.

Narrative and Illustration:Project-Illustration; Exercise 42 – evidence of action

This exercise is an introduction to the use of symbols (see Exercise 43, Exercise 44 and Exercise 45 for further exploration of the use of symbols in narrative and illustration) and is part of the Narrative and illustration module of the OCA’s Art of Photography module.  The exercise requires the production of one photograph in which it is clear that something has happened, the course notes suggest including something that has broken or spilled.

The periord from early December 2013 to end Fenruary 2014 has produced some of the most violent storms and coastal damage in living memory along the west coast of Ireland.  The image shown here is clear of evidence of action as required by the exercise.

 

Arguably the most famous ‘evidence of action’ image is that of Robert Capa showing the soldier shot in the Spanish Civil war.

 

Review: ‘Robert Doisneau’ – Jean Claude Gautrand

Robert Doisneau (1912-1944) spent most of his life taking street photographs in and around Paris.  In the book being reviewed here (Robert Doisneau, by Jean laude Gautrand, Taschen, 2012) he is quoted in the notes as saying that ‘Paris is a theatre where you book your place by wasting time.  And I am still waiting’.   Many of his most famous images e.g. ‘the kiss’ and ‘the sidelong glance’ were clearly set up and intended to be humorous; many dealt with Paris during its occupation by the Nazis and have a much more serious intent; Arrest of a Sniper, Clandestine Press.  These and about 150 other images spanning the period 1912 to 1985 have been brought together in this small format publication by Taschen and published.  The book notes have been prepared by Jean Claude Gautrand.  The images are grouped into ‘The Early Years – 1912-1939’, ‘The War – 1939-1944’, ‘A Thirst for Images – 1945-1960’, ‘From Toil to Consecration – 1960-1944’.  the book notes are grouped into three sections ‘Lessons of the Street’, ‘Paris:The Luck of the Stroll’, ‘Robert Doisneau’s Legacy’.

The Taschen volume is a small, nicely produced publication that provides a useful introduction into the influences on Doisneau and the images he made.

Susan Woods; City Assembly House, Dublin

The New York photographer Susan Wood’s exhibition ‘close up’ is currently showing at the City Assembly House in South William street as part of the Jameson Film Festival.  the exhibition runs until the 22nd February.  Woods is well known for her cineman stills work.  The exhibition features images from Billy Wilder’s Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Easy Rider with Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper, Modesty Blaise with Monica Vitti, Dark of the Sun with Jim Brown, Marcello Mostroianni in Leo the Last and John Wayne in Hatari.  Two sets of images stood out those from Leo the Last and Easy Rider.  The images from Leo the Last portray the swimming pool scenes a while the Easy Rider scenes are a mixture of set shots that feature Fonda and Hopper.

 

Richard Mosse – The Enclave; Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

Richard Mosse, a kilkenny born photograhper is currently exhibiting his recent work from the Congo in the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin.  The exhibition consists of a small number of very large images and film installation and a soundtrack all of which were generated during 2012 in the Congo.  Mosse, on his own home page, states that the work is an attempt to bring “two counter-worlds into collision: art’s potential to represent narratives so painful that they exist beyond language, and photography’s capacity to document specific tragedies and communicate them to the world.”  The whole installation is both stunning in its visual imagery and deeply unsettling as it narrates and documents the horrifying war that has been going on there for a long time.  the images in their own right are visually dramatic as he uses a military spec 16mm infra red film that is no longer in production.  these result in vegetation turning red and dramatic surreal landscapes.

The Enclave represented Ireland at the 55th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2013 and runs in the Royal Hibernian Academy, Ely Place until March 12th.

Review: ‘Walker Evans’; Thames and Hudson – Photofile

Thames and Hudson’s Photofile series aims to bring the world’s best photographersto the general public in a small attractive format.  Each little volume contaains about sixt images in a pocket book sized format.   I was not familiar with Walker Evans, until I bought the book and started to recognise some of his iconic images.  Evans spent a short time (1935-1938) working with Farm Security Administration (FSA) during which he produced very powerful images symbolising the Great Depression.  In particular, his images of tenant farmers individually and collectively are very stong. Here his image of an Alabama tenant farmer from 1935; here his image of Allie Mae Boroughs and here his image of a cotton picking tenant family all symbolise the poverty of the Great Depression.  However, while many of his best known images were not associated with the FSA they all carry strong symbolic elements. e.g. his images of women as objects of repulsion and as fetishes.

A short introduction covers his background, work and the key influences on his image making. The book’s small format does not do justice to many of the images but as an inexpensive introduction to his work the book succeeds.

Assignment Three – Feedback Reflection

Assignment Three of the Open College of the Arts Art of Photography deals with Colour. The assignment, found here, was a long assignment involving still life, identifying a wide range of colour combinations, street scenes and colour accents.  I preparing the assignment I was conscious of earlier feedback in respect of the inclusion of more people and making sure that the colour correlation between screen and print was acceptable and I will come to these two points below.

Overall the feedback was positive – ‘..an energetic and interesting exploration of the assignment…’, ‘…the assignment was a good demonstration of the technical exploration you underwent…’  My inclusion of people (not my default) was commented on favourably ‘…I like to see you challenging yourself with taking people images…’ .  In respect of this last point I know that making images of people does not come naturally or easily and I feel that I will need to even more proactively address this, probably in the final assignment that requires me to put together all that I have learned in the programme.

Two matters requiring further consideration arose in the feedbaack.  First, there may still be a colour problem despite my obtaining Colour Munki, calibrating my computer screen and changing to a fine art printing shop.  My tutor noted that it may be a problem between two computer screens (tutor’s and mine) rather than between mine and the print.  In the Fourth Assignment I was very conscious of having good colour correlation between the screen and the print because of the  very delicate colours in the object used and the colour temperature and white balance challenges posed by the artificial lighting.  When the prints came back I was very happy with the results.  Notwithstanding my efforts on this matter I will need to manage the colour issue closely.

The main technical issue that arose and that was in the feedback was on issues of focus in some images both the point of focus and focus throughout the image.  Bluntly, this was sloppy camera work on my part and the images where this is a problem will be remade before final submission making sure that if the image requires focus throughout that choice of aperture is more carefully considered and if a point of focus is required that more consideration is given to what is important.

 

The final comments in the feedback concerned the learning logs/blogs, visits to exhibitions and reviews.  These were all to a satisfactory standard.

 

 

Narrative and Illustration:Project-Narrative; Exercise 41 – a narrative picture essay

Underwater Hockey or Water Hockey or Octopush is a sport played underwater in swimming pools by teams of ten (six in the water at any one time) wearing snorkels, fins, masks and gloves.  The objective of the game is get a puck into a goal at the end of the pool.   It is seldom seen and even less often photographed because few pools have an underwater spectator viewing area and even fewer spectators have diving gear and cameras.  The images were made during an underwater hockey event in the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.  The camera was my Nikon D7000 with an 18-55mm lens in an Ikelite housing with ISO set high (usually 800) and on shutter priority (1/250 usually) to freeze movement.  The images were made in RAW to allow full white balance control in post -image capture processing. The sequence of images and accompanying narrative are offered in fulfillment of the OCA’s Art of Photograph Exercise 41 in the Module on Narrative and Illustration.  This exercise is a a narrative picture essay.  The course notes ask for some thinking about layout and size of image.  To meet this requirement I have prepared a pdf document that has a suggested layout and image size and this is found by clicking on the  Let the Fun Begin – Underwater Hockey.  In this blog the same text and sequencing of images is used but all the images are the same size.

Let the Fun Begin

Underwater Hockey or Water Hockey or Octopush

This is what they are fighting over – a ‘puck’

Equipped with mask, snorkel, face protection, fins, gloves and a ‘bat’

Ten on each team with six in the water at any one time. Each team waits at each side of the pool.

Until the referee has placed the puck

Then they are off

Fit

Men and women

Supposedly having limited contact!

While obeying a few simple rules – no blocking, no hitting other than the puck, no striking an opponent – and trying to score goals by hitting the puck against a metal plate at the end of the pool.

This is not a spectator sport but my word it is exciting if you have a ringside seat and, even better, a camera.