How would you describe/classify your current photographic practice in approximately 75 words?Currently my photographic practice has taken a turn from previous projects that I have carried out. Currently I am looking into the relationship between photography and people, and the role that photography has to play in narrative images and other visual work. Through undertaking both primary and secondary research methods I also hope to be able to understand whether photography can be used as a way of benefiting the individual(s) involved in the process of taking these images, or whether in fact it can add to the misconceptions that we have about individuals of different categories/groups.
Who is/are the audience(s) for your work currently?Currently the audience that my work is aimed at is individuals’ that fit into a characteristic, for example age, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation that feel that either have or still are being judged by other people as a result of having this type of characteristic. Individuals’ that have a characteristic that makes them more vulnerable to either being judged, bullied or harmed, are classed as high risk characterized individuals. I want individuals’ to be able to relate to my work and feel a connection with the individuals’ that are involved in my project and the stories that the images tell.
Creatively and photographically - what are you motivated by?I am mostly motivated by images that have a strong narrative and have a greater meaning behind them than just what is visually apparent within the image itself, I look for things much deeper than this. This is what I want my images to show; I want people to be able to connect to my images in the way that I can connect with other artists work.
Whose work are you most inspired and influenced by, and why?The artists that I am most inspired by are:
Cindy Sherman- I am inspired by the work that Sherman creates because although a lot of the work that she creates involves a lot of makeup and is usually staged, it is about what the images are actually showing and the message that Sherman is trying to convey to her audience; showing that being different is not always a bad thing, and standing out lets the world see you better for who you really are.
Jeff Wall- I am inspired by the work that Wall creates because of the subjects that are discussed within his images, including, “Urban violence, racism, poverty, class and gender”. A lot of Wall’s work is staged, but I like the message that each image connotes, and the feeling that it brings across to the audience; almost like a sense of escapism.
Nan Goldin- I am inspired by the work that Goldin creates as each of her images is unique and very intimate to her. I am also interested by the fact that her work highlights themes such as the LGBT. Some of her images may be staged, however, the way that she has taken her images is almost in the form of a documentary style; catching the moment in all its glory.
What are the core/recurring themes/ideas that appear in your work?The recurring themes within my work include personal aspects; things that all individuals’ have either experienced or can relate to either on a personal level or that they have experienced through another individual, for example a family member, friend or a partner. Some of the most common themes include, Mental illness, for example displaying through images what it is like living the with this illness, highlighting aspects such as Anxiety, Depression, OCD and Self Harming. When working on topics such as these, I tend to use dark colours, sometimes even a black and white filter to add more emphasis to the image(s), and as a way of highlighting the main aspects within the image, whilst not giving everything away; allowing the viewer to connect with the work in their own way, and finding things within the image that some people may not have found within it, due to their own personal ideas and experiences.
From where do these originate? (E.g. Your upbringing, family histories, educational background, personal likes or dislikes)For me a lot of the ideas I have for my projects resonate from my past experiences, as well as my own personal likes and dislikes with some of the work that current artists are making and comparing it some of the things that I am interested in. I constantly find myself taking inspiration from things that I can connect to on a personal level; whether this be images, writing and/or people, such as artists, as well as other inspirational people. I feel that I tend to hold my cards quite close to my chest and never really tend to let people in fully, only allowing them to have a sneak preview of myself, but when I find a topic that I am really interested in, that is when I really allow myself to shine through and let people get to know me and my story.
Reflecting critically on the ‘top 10’ images in your current portfolio, what are the main strengths of your work?From coming into a photography degree as someone whom had never studied any photography or art related course previously, this has meant that I must learn the basic skills and how to use a range of equipment very quickly, as well as ‘perfecting’ these techniques in order to increase the quality of my images. As a result of this I feel that I am still in the stage of working on my portfolio; and at the same time working hard on building up my skill base in order to keep increasing the quality of my images, till I find something that truly shows my skills and qualities. Now I would say one of my key strengths is that I am able to communicate well with individuals’ whom I have not met before, meaning that I am able to make connections easily with individuals’, this can be used as an advantage within my projects.
What are the limitations / areas for development?For me my limitations are that before I began my degree, I never studied photography or any other art practice, this meant that when I started my degree, I had a lot to learn, which meant that my work wasn’t up to the standard that it could have been. Currently I would say my area for development would editing my images, currently I know the basics for editing images, but I still need to learn how to use some of the other tools, available on software such as photoshop, InDesign and lightroom. This would enable me to improve the quality of my images and to use the tools to make changes and enhancements.
How is your work informed by research?With each of the projects I carry out, I always start off with an idea and then begin by looking at artists whose work is similar to my own project that I am carrying out, this gives me additional ideas and inspiration for my own project. Once I have my idea and my inspiration, I am then able to carry out further research, using methods such as the internet, books and interviews this then allows me to increase the knowledge base for my project. This also allows me to be more involved with my project and the work that I am creating.
Name one key theory/theoretical position that could be applied to your current work?Discrimination and Categorization
How could you produce your work differently – creatively, technically, practically?I could produce my work differently by being more open to new ideas and new methods of working, for example using video/stop motion photography and sound. Through using these methods, it will allow me to become more creative within my practice.
How will your contextualization / dissertation module inform your creative production?Through writing my dissertation this will inform my creative production through allowing me to become more informed of my subject matter, this will then allow me to truly connect with my work and the individuals’ that are involved within the project.
What were the 5 most important things that you learned during your studies last year?- Using the crit sessions to my advantage and making sure that I am always bringing along new work to be shown and discussed within the class.
- Making full use of the resources available to me, including the library, workshops, the tutors and all the equipment available within the college.
- I also learnt that by completing small amounts of work each day, it will make the workload more manageable and will allow you to complete the task more quickly.
- I have also learnt how to make connections with individuals. Especially individuals’ whom I will be using within my project.
- It is also important to take full advantage of opportunities that arise during your academic year, including work/shadowing opportunities.
What do you wish you had learned? What key things do you want/need to learn this year?I wish that I had learnt how to properly make connections with individuals that you are looking to use within your project. How to talk to them whilst you are carrying out the task, and how to direct individuals’, getting them to do what you need them to do without it being awkward or for you to feel like you are being ‘bossy’. This is something that usually takes place within commercial photography, but it is something that I feel could have and still would be beneficial to my own practice. This is something that I hope that I can learn this year; possibly when I carry out the shadowing/placements that I will be doing throughout this year.
Are there any personal/circumstantial issues that might hinder you from achieving goals this year? If so, what are your strategies for overcoming them?Still being a sufferer of anxiety and depression, I feel that this could hinder me at times when I begin to feel stressed. Sometimes as soon as I start to feel stressed, I want to immediately remove whatever it is that is causing me the stress, however, when carrying out a project like the one that I will be doing this year this is not something that is possible. So, it is important that I find ways to deal with this stress so that it does overtake me and my project. This is where I feel that by using the resources that are available to me, I will be able to feel more in control and so as a result should be able to manage this stress more effectively, so that it does not cause further damage to myself and jeopardise the potential for my project.
