The decisive moment – assignment 3 by Steve Young EYV
List of contents:
- Tutor feedback
- Brief
- Introduction (printed and sent to tutor)
- The selected photos x 7
- Initial stepping into project phase
- Pre-selects and test images
- Contact sheets
- Where the assignment ‘went next’
NB. Analysis of images and SELF evaluation found at bottom of log note page: http://wp.me/p7xP3C-hX
Tutor feedback assignment 3
Samples pages from the notebook and prints were sent via post.
“You seem to be putting more and more on your blog over time and I wonder if you might find it better to type up all your notes onto the blog. You can see use a notebook to sketch (and then upload these pages as scans or images).
The advantage of having your notes online is that you can paste in the notes, which makes it much easier to follow through any online links.”
“It is also a little hard to read some of the pages as the copies are blurred.”
Yes I’ve struggled to adequately get my notes into a format that is readable on-line.
Feedback on assignment
Demonstration of technical and Visual Skills, Quality of Outcome, Demonstration of Creativity.
“For the assignment you have completed the series of images. From the post on the blog it is clear that you have undertaken some background reading into Cartier-Bresson. The research is good, with appropriate reference to John Szarkowski. You have looked at a range of photographers and made reference to how they have used juxtaposition. Do carry on making links between your posts (as you have linked the research post in the assignment 3 main post).”
“The set of images have an overriding theme in that they have been shot in similar locations. For me the strongest image is Image 4; which stands out as intriguing with the mystery person under the umbrella. The other person is just kept within the frame (another fraction of a second and they would have clipped the edge as they moved down the stairs).”
“You have avoided general crowded street views, which is what people often shoot when using a wide lens such as 28mm. Instead you have succeeded in isolating the details, which has produced a stronger set of images. The use of 28mm may be a little too wide; many street photographers’ prefer a 35mm, which has less of a problem with distorting verticals when shooting close and not amplifying depth in perspective.”
Yes this was a creative and intentional decision not to be too general with the photography but instead draw the attention to particular details.
“In your review against the assessment criteria, the context section is rather general. Think here specifically about the sources that you read. Was there one thing that you gained from your research? Was there anything that you read/looked at that you think you may have rebelled against? Sometimes we can take one image or passage of reading as a key pivot point in producing work.”
More has been added to my learning log about the above comment
“Do keep including your contact sheets, it is interesting to see how you have approached the images. For example for image 4 you can see from the sequence how you could almost see the image coming from the initial shot through to the final shot. The huge advantage of digital is that we can keep shooting and not worry about wasting film. The huge disadvantage is that editing becomes a much lengthier process. How did you find the editing process for this assignment? Did the chosen images stand out immediately?”
Coursework
Demonstration of technical and Visual Skills, Demonstration of Creativity
“You are completing the exercises/projects and uploading these to the blog.
Do keep working through the exercises etc and adding your notes to the blog. It is good to note if you struggle at any point with any aspect.”
Research
Context, reflective thinking, critical thinking, analysis
“Do remember to keep updating your research section on the blog. You have undertaken good research for planning for the assignment. I have commented in the feedback on assignment section about evaluating your research – think about specifics here rather than being general.”
“To push yourself further I would recommend including some research/reflection posts that are not directly related to the course. This could be more on your thoughts on photography and/or on your own photography. You may respond to something that you read or hear about photography or reference gallery visits that you may do. This shows that you having a general awareness of photography that goes beyond the course. This type of approach will stand you in good stead as you progress through the following courses.”
Learning Log
Context, reflective thinking, critical thinking, analysis
“The log is easy to navigate and do keep it up to date – particularly with regard to research and reflection. I do recommend that you do some general self-reflection on photography. It can be issues in the news and does not have to be related to any particular aspect of the course.”
Suggested reading/viewing
Context
For more contemporary street photography (and for work in colour) do look at the following photographers:
Nick Turpin – British photographer
Bruce Barbey – Magnum photographer
Raghubir Singh – Indian photographer
“Turpin and Barbey are very adept at isolating quiet moments on the street; they are both excellent at picking out small details as can be seen in your images.
Singh produced a wonderful series of images linked by using cars as a theme. If you enjoy street photography – having a theme can allow you to link images from diverse locations to form a series. It could be shadows, signs, street furniture – someone I know has done shopping trolleys! The chosen subject becomes a motif in the images and is a good working brief for a long-term project.”
“Pointers for the next assignment / assessment
In your evaluation of the assignment, be more specific. Give examples to really refine what you have saying – this can refer to particular images or reading sources.
Write some blog posts, which reflect on your views on photography.”
1.Brief
Submit a set of between six and eight high-quality photographic prints on the theme of the ‘decisive moment’. Street photography is the traditional subject of the decisive moment, but it doesn’t have to be. Landscape may also have a decisive moment of weather, season or time of day. A building may have a decisive moment when human activity and light combine to present a ‘peak’ visual moment.
You may choose to create imagery that supports the tradition of the ‘decisive moment’, or you may choose to question or invert the concept. Your aim isn’t to tell a story, but in order to work naturally as a series there should be a linking theme, whether it’s a location, an event or a particular period of time.
2.Introduction (printed and sent to tutor)
In this assignment I have presented 7 photos based on the theme of the ‘decisive moment‘ and within the overall theme have used the idea of juxtaposition and ambiguity as the motif for the images.
The images are of the spontaneous variety, of the nature and genre of what we call ‘street photography’. In the research section I discuss the difference between documentary and ‘artistic photography’. I have also placed an analysis of my photos there
Research for the assignment
In the research section of the blog you can see the pre-work done prior to and during the period of shooting the photos which took place over a number of weeks. Below is the link to the research page:
My process in the working with the imagery has been somewhat laboured. I have given quite a bit of prior thought to how I wanted to work; one lens, (28mm) shooting scenes on the street that represent or depict juxtaposition and or present a question (what’s happening?) within the decisive moment. I have tried to work closer in when the image involved people. I spent a lot of time wandering around and looking. I tried to pre-visualise the image and sometimes the decision to take a photo was for the setting and other times for the person or people. As I was constantly seeking out and wanting to be true to the theme of juxtaposition I had to be careful not to get involve in other potentially interesting shots. So I was quite disciplined and selective most of the time. However in some images the juxtaposition comes through more obviously than others and at other times, ambiguity.
The shots were done over the course of a number of sessions. Each session that I did was using a similar routine. Go out, take a good look around, be attentive, aware of situations, faces, people and their gestures and trying to imagine the value of the photo in print. How would I view this in print? I would often ask myself. One thing that I have learned is that this genre of photography is different from many other forms such as landscape, tableaux, portraiture or documentary to name a few. In general waiting for a decisive moment can be a bit painful and laboured. I have learned patience. Of the many photos I shot, each time I selected I scrutinised them each time more closely, thus sharpening a bit more my analytical skills. In some cases I reviewed images up to 30 times.
3.The selected photos x7
Image 1:
This photo relates to the concept of the ‘decisive moment’ for me because of how it brings together two periods of time in the form of the buildings. It shows two point of history, decay and ‘rebirth’. The man on the bike is a bridge between the two times, as he is not fully in the present (a gypsy looking for scrap metal) and not in the past as for the time with ruin represents.
Image 2:
A nun with her back to the camera looking at a poster that represents something that she is not a part of. The worldliness of the advertising and the values of the nun do not match. They do not belong on the same plane. The gesture of the nun is hidden. We don’t know her exact response. This fits into the theme of ‘decisive moment’ from the point of view of Juxtaposing two value systems that are mutually exclusive.
Image 3:
A man walks by a beggar, he has of pet chimpanzee on his bike. A social juxtaposition was aimed at here. One man with one arm and another with time to be concerned about things that the other cannot really contemplate. The ‘decisive moment’ in this image comes in here. Where an event has coincided to reveal a certain reality. The man’s gaze with the bike decisively looks away from the beggar. This is as if to say I am concerned about my part, the fun part but not yours.
Image 4:
Someone disappears into a subway station with an umbrella. The decisive moment here was more of an aesthetic one; a coincidence of forms and shapes that gave rise to visual interest.
Image 5
A priest deals his blessings. I like this image a lot and generally shooting body parts in situations for me leaves questions unanswered. The images that I have seen that leave questions for me are the most interesting and stimulating. The juxtaposition here is not so strong. However, there is a curious tie in with the other photos in the set, as I have used people in situations that are not altogether clear with some sense of ambiguity.
Image 6
A man with wet trouser legs inside. Why? This again raises a question rather than juxtaposing. Although one might find a juxtaposition between a man with wet trousers and that fact that it is a grown man. One does not know why, but the mind makes conclusions.
Image 7
A woman sits at a bar. The Juxtaposition here is not so strong but again there is an element of ambiguous behaviour. The expression, the clock and the alcohol all serve as part of the image.
4.Initial stepping into the project phase.
The first set of images below are the ones I took on the first session of shooting and thereby I have explored a number of different ways to express or show the photos. They are the pre-select group.
Firstly I had the idea to explore adding a textual piece to each photo, leaving the text open somewhat to interpretation. I experimented with this and later felt that it was better to leave the text out. I felt that the text was going to define too rigidly the meaning of the photo. It created a kind of quick look and move on feel, as now there is no need to look at the photo.
Below an example of this test idea
There are two examples in the grid of images with and without text. The nun (back facing) and the beggar in the street. The other three images do not have text. Another technical decision I made was to format the aspect ratio to 16×9. This gave a little more intensity to the photos without loosing too much information in the frame. I felt that I needed to exclude some of the detail as it did not add to the image. A case in point is the beggar. In one photo you see to the left of the frame a lot of window pane. This I felt needed to go. The downside to the 16×9 format arose with the building photo as it seems to crop too much of the image from above and below, which in this case I am not sure is desirable. I later decided also to abandon this idea also and, apart from some mild cropping, have left the images as such in most cases.
The challenge that arose on the day of shooting was whether and when to ask permission or not when taking the photos. I discussed the ethics of this in the last assignment (assignment 2 research https://createatocalevel1photograph.wordpress.com/2016/09/27/research-assingment-2/) It was the case that on the first day I asked permission to do one shot, and was refused. This sets up an interesting dynamic on the street.
The issue then was one of timing and composition if the photos were to be clandestine. Some shots needed to be taken quickly and without fuss or heavy composing and shooting methods. So, the technique I employed was to compose as I came into the subject that I was photographing. I would spend some time just waiting and looking, trying to see what the overall context would look like and then what was going to be irrelevant to the photo (bearing in mind the theme of juxtaposition).
(note: 16×9 format abandoned on all photos)
Learning:
Two or three elements in a photo and one idea seem to be sufficient to create a work or series. I have tried to adhere to this in this assignment. In the foundation course, I remember being encouraged to ‘shoot the complex’ and not look for simple ready-made compositions. This seems to be a fine balance between shooting too complex a situation and loosing any emphasis visually or doing a set of perspective shots that anyone else with a camera can unwittingly take without any prior thought, concept or preparation. One of Bresson’s injunctions was to “not think whilst you shoot”. However, his work was clearly informed by artistic visual training and he had developed this over a number of very many years. I can see the sense in not thinking whilst shooting if the discipline of study and visual awareness is already in place.
I have also been learning that my perception of a situation can change. My ability to compose has developed during this assignment and I find myself now, almost always in composition mode even when the camera is not with me. This has led to a kind of new seeing of situations that seems to be becoming more habitual in a positive sense.
5.Pre-select images and tests
6.Contact sheets for whole assignment
7.Where the assignment went next – follow on
At this stage of the assignment I had decided to ditch two ideas that were forming around the project. First, the use of text and secondly the use of 16×9 format. Both of these ideas seemed in the end to not fit in with the overall identity of these images. I have essentially pursued the theme of searching for juxtaposing situations and ambiguity in street photography. This has been much more of a challenge than I thought.
OCA log level 1 Photography 