New Work For Major Project Part 2.

Below are a few new images that I'm considering for use in my Major Project section called Abandoned.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/8

Expo- 200sec

ISO- 800

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 18mm

This shot I took a while ago now but I couldn't decided which section I felt it sat best in, in the end I thought the basic idea of it being an abandoned bike which sat for about a week in this position meant the logical chose was to place it in this section. Don't know what happened to it in the end but its gone now, most probably the scrap man had it but its a mystery. Maybe not a great photo but there's something about it that makes it a possible.

Tech Details

F-stops- f/13

Expo- 400sec

ISO- 400

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 55mm

Although this building looks abandoned in actual fact it isn't its a full working factory located on the edge of the village. I took it the other month when we had some snow mainly because i made it look even more abandoned with the snow piled in the chairs and the boards up at the windows only increase this feeling and look. Unfortunately the foot prints in the snow kind of spoil the effect and I'm not sure about the angle either but still a interesting shot.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/11

Expo- 250sec

ISO- 400

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 28mm

What this images has going for it is that it fits in well with the theme running through the photos I originally presented for this section. What it shows is the village garage up for sale, don't know the reason behind this whether for financial reasons or whether the lease has simple ran out. Either way it'd be another major loss if it closes down because it'd mean having to travel into the nearest town of either Lichfield or Burton on Trent to get any work done which isn't helpful as this would mean a twenty to half an hour journey. What I like about this shot most is that the texture of the door and the dirtiness really shows up well giving a strong sense of realism, a definite possibility in my final selection. 

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/14

Expo- 640sec

ISO- 500

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 54mm

Yet more evidence of the difficulties on modern farms, this is one of two barns that aren't actually near a farm but instead located out in the fields. The one barn completely collapsed when all the slate was stolen from the roof many years ago while this example has unfortunately just become increasingly run down until it to has begun to fall down after the last two winter. Its a shame because you don't seem to find these kind of structures anywhere else in the area so it's like the area is losing some of its unique heritage yet few seem to care.

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New Work For Major Project Part 1

New images to consider for my By Day Section (Re titled The Village during Assignment 5) , all have there merits but do any add anything to the work I've already produced?

 Tech. Details

F-stops- f/4.5

Expo- 2500sec

ISO- 400

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 31mm

What I liked about this shot was that it adds a little light heartiness to what so far has been a more serious project. You could argue that the mood should remain the same throughout the section but I'm a believer that this doesn't always have to be so and if you can find the right photo and get the balance right it can work. What I think it shows is that there is like most places a mischievous side to the residents, you may not always see it because the village looks quiet and peaceful but its there.

    

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/14

Expo- 500sec

ISO- 400

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 55mm

Here the focus is more on the quiet sedate side of life with the typical view you'd expect in most villages of the cricket pavilion on a sunny day. It may only be March but you can see that the pitch is already being prepared in readiness for April and the start of the new season. As usual I have to ask the question what does this illustrate about Yoxall as a place, for me it's that although things are changing some parts remain the same and always will.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/11

Expo- 250sec

ISO- 400

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 31mm

I'd been looking for a while now for a different view of a familiar landmark in the village and eventually came across this reflection in one of the village hall windows of the school across the road. What I really like about it is it's a little abstract and unusual but at the same time its still very recognizable to anyone that knows the area. Originally the image contained more of the window surround but I cropped this away as I felt it didn't work very well like this, what you see above is a much better result in my eyes. 

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/5.6

Expo- 100sec

ISO- 400

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 18mm

What this image captures is how space within the center of the village is very much at a premium with new homes built very nearly in the graveyard. Again its the struggle between the new and the old in a way but a the same time its a some what haunting image with the kneeling angel head stone as the focus of the shot. I like it but I'm not sure whether its right for this project.

   Tech. Details

F-stops- f/6.3

Expo- 100sec

ISO- 800

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 44mm

The above photo is one you commonly see when anyone does any kind of work surrounding British villages because these two icons are some of the first things you associate with village life. Fair enough you don't see to many red phone boxes anymore these days so it does make it a little more interesting but on the whole its been done that many times that I find myself a bit tied of them being used as a symbol of Britishness (don't know if that's actually a word but you get what I mean). The reason I've included it here is the simple fact that its still a scene that relates to village life, while also showing something which is becoming out dated in the modern world.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/14

Expo- 640sec

ISO- 500

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 34mm

Similar to another photo above of the village Cricket field but this one shows more of the preparations for the start of the season. Still needs a bit of work as the tonal range isn't that great at the minute but I think when it's done it could be a pretty good shot.

Tech. Details

F-stop- f/3.5

Expo- 15sec

ISO- 200

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 24mm

This is the first shot that I've added to this section from my At Night (explanation for this can be found in Assignment 5 section), taken in the village graveyard I liked the way this area was being illuminated by the church lights giving it a different presents. The other point I like about this shot is that nearly all the shapes in the scene are very angler and sharp expect for the stone closest to the camera which in complete contrast to the others is very rounded. Most people would possibly look at this scene and straight away say it's a little spook but with the amount of light I just don't think it feels like that.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/3.5

Expo- 5sec

ISO- 200

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 21mm

Here I wanted to capture the feeling of the speed people will travel through the village at so to do this I used a longer exposure to just capture the headlights of a passing car. Technically it's a good photo but I don't know there's just something about it which doesn't feel right. Maybe it's the composition or maybe I should have got the headlight blur going even further into the distance, I don't know but what I do think is that I don't think I'd use it in my final selection.

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Tutors Report On Assignment 3.

Got my Tutors Report back this week on my 3rd Assignment and was a little apprehensive about what she'd think of my work as this assignment contained first my Critical Review which if you've been reading my blog up to this point you'll understand was an area that isn't my strongest, plus the first two sections of my Major Project. Thankfully she liked a lot of what she saw, first she seems to understand the limitations of my written skills and pretty much only recommended to tidy up my bibliography which I have done. I really thought that I was going to be told that it need still a good bit of work to bring it up to standard but maybe I just need to stop being so hard on myself when it comes to written work, it isn't ever going to be the greatest and maybe it is reasonable good but then again I am doing a Photography Degree not a trying to write a best seller.
With my Major Project again she was happy with where my work is and understood that I see it still as a work in progress with areas to improve it. As it stands at this time I want to change a couple of the photos in the By Day section because as she's implied two at least don't really convey anything to the view about the place or add anything to the overall feel of the section. Plenty to keep me going as I move onto Assignment 4.


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Major Project Part 2- Abandoned.

For the second part of my project I wanted to look at the idea of abandonment, this may seem a little bit of a strange subject matter within a broader study of a rural village but let me explain as I go through this collection and you'll hopefully see what and where I'm coming from.

The first couple of images below are really looking at how the current hard economic times are having an effect on the village, first you have what is becoming a growing trend here and in other rural communities in that the old farmers cottages that had been lived in for years are slowly emptying and falling into disrepair as the farms go out of business and people are forced away to find work. When they do eventually if ever come up for sale they do sell pretty quick but 9 out of 10 times its to developer who pull them down and build something three times the size that know one who's lived here all there life's can ever hope to afford. In away the village is losing a bit of its history a bit at a time, this particular house my great grand parents lived in for most of there working life but now as I write this its gone.

The one thing I found that needed fixing in this shot was the fact that I hadn't managed to capture the tonal differences in the brick work so to sort this I used the Burn tool in Photoshop set to a fairly low opacity of about 25% and work over the areas until I was happy that this range capture more to its true nature.      

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/7.1

Expo- 160secs

ISO- 400

Expo. Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 18mm

The second photo below continues the abandoned theme nicely this time showing one of two closed down stables located in the area. What I like about this image is the very prominent sign that can be taken in one of two ways, first either it's very threatening and give the shot a ominous mood as to what would happen if you set foot in the place or secondly as a little surreal in the fact its only an abandoned yard why would you imply   the likely hood of death if you enter?

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/11

Expo- 250sec

ISO- 400

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 46mm

The next two photo's are a little less about how economic issues are effecting the place (although the image below does have some relevance) and more a snap shot of some of the more unusual sights I found. First what I liked about this view of a group of abandoned vehicles was the way they'd been there that long that the paint had started to fade and the undergrowth and surrounding foliage had began to grow around seemingly swallow the wheels especially in the case of the Land Rovers. To get the faded paint work to appear right it was down to the dodge tool being worked across the body work to bring out the weathered appearance while I then used the burn tool to darken the mould on the roof of the Land Rover to give it the look you see below. 

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/10

Expo- 200sec

ISO- 800

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 28mm

One thing that always fascinated me as a child was the many World War 2 gun positions that you could find along the banks of the River Trent near the village, even 20 years ago they'd been fairly well look after but now most have fallen down, been pulled down or as with the case here become that over grown that if you didn't know they were there you wouldn't notice them. In away its a shame because again there part of the history of the area that's being lost dew to the fact the farmers just aren't there any more to look after the land and the buildings located on them. This photo still needs a little work clearly in the top half because I used a Grad. Filter to darken the sky but unfortunately this also darken the top half of the trees. To fix this I'll   use the dodge tool it's just up to this point I haven't been happy with the results so I've include the original just so you can see what I'm taking about. 

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/10

Expo- 250sec

ISO- 800

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 18mm

To me this final shot is the most powerful in this section because it illustrates the problems rural communities face in a kind of haunting way. Even 5 years ago you'd like find all the pastoral land surrounding the village full of livestock but now dew to the effects of reduced income for many different reasons you see more and more of the land empty but for the feeders left behind. As with a lot of the shots in this section it very personal issues that make them work for me I just hope that they convey some of the same feelings to everyone else that looks at them too. 

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/14

Expo- 400sec

ISO- 640

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 41mm

I'd like to think this section is more complete then the previous one but I'm not sure that there's ways it can be still improved so I'll look forward to hearing what my tutor has to say when she's had a good look in the near future.

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Major Project Part 1- By Day (Re titled during Assignment 5 as The Village)

For the first section in my major project I chose to focus on the theme of the village by day, basically the premise was looking at the area under normal everyday conditions and seeing what aspects of it stood out. I think I need to make this point right from the start this section is very much still a work in progress, I like the photo's I've produced up to this point and the five here I'm including are some of the best but my aim is to give a feel for the place and I'm not 100% certain I've quiet achieved this yet. Coming into this project I'd done a fair bit of research on how other people had approach similar subjects (you can see this in my Major Project Planning section) and had settled on the idea of approaching it in a kind of Street Photography way with a slight surreal edge because I felt this the best way to get over the feel of the village and show the kind of place it is.

In the first photo below I wanted to convey how the village sits in the surrounding landscape and I felt this view with the power station looming on the horizon kind of work well. What I like is the contrast between the village, the open countryside and then the more industry urban area in the background. What I'd like to think this says to people is how rural are rural communities these days? 

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/5.6

Expo- 320sec

ISO- 500

Expo. Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length-  130

With the next couple of images I've really captured the more surreal side of life whether it be a strange place to collect shoes or a giant snow man outside the local pub. What I want to avoid is this project as a whole turning into something more serious then I intend, their some real powerful issues to look at in the following sections so I don't want to get to bogged down now so the more light heart I can make the subject in a couple of the sections the better the project will be in the end I hope. 

In the below image I used a little burn tool in Photoshop to bring out the wall texture, with it being very white and making up the bulk of the shot I didn't want it to feel very flat and bland but by doing this it makes it feel far more real and part of the whole.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/10

Expo- 250sec

ISO- 400

Expo. Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 27mm

The question you might ask is how to you build a snowman that tall, well the answer a little bit of a mystery but I'd guess it has something to do with a few pints on a snowy evening and no one being in a hurry to go home on a Saturday night. As a point of fact the next day the top was taken out of it for health and safety reasons, what a world we live in today.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/8

Expo- 160sec

ISO- 400

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 55mm

The last two photos in this part are the ones that I feel could do with be changed because they don't really add anything to the section, the first below is just a simple village view I suppose with a little bit of a surreal angle to it with the antique sign being located on the clearly old building. Also there's a contrast between the old and the new but for me it's just lacking a bit of something to make it special. You're probably asking well why include it if you're not going to use it at the end of the day? Well the simple answer is it still captures the make and landscape of the village so in that respect it works but just not really well with the other shots. 

Tech Details

F-stops- f/14

Expo- 500sec

ISO- 640

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 28mm

The final shot does fit in more with the others in this collection but again there's just something that makes it grate in my mind. I think its possibly the way the tree branches intrude to far into the frame but what I do like  is the way the child's horse toy seems to be looking into the village drawing your eye in this general direction. Again if in the future I capture a better scene I'd replace this image without a shadow of a doubt but for now it stays. 

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/9

Expo- 200sec

ISO- 500

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 24mm

For my first section I'm fairly happy with what I've achieved there's some good images and I'd say it does give an interesting snap shot of the place. One think you might have noticed is the lack of people in any of the photo's here and there is a reasons for this. First I have a whole section to come on this subject but secondly because during the day the place can seem pretty much empty of life dew to the fact very few people actually work and live here, it's a very much ageing community and anyone below the age of retirement has to work every god given hour to afford to live here in the first place. In away I'm one of the luck ones I haven't left yet but like everyone else my age in time I'll have to leave too.

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My Critical Review.

For my Critical Review I chose to study the work of Ansel Adams, he was someone who's work I'd briefly look at earlier when studying Straight Photography and thought he deserved a more in depth look. As I've already said this isn't my favourite part of the course, but there has been an improvement over the last few years in my essay work and there's still a hell of alot of room for improvement still. One of the main areas I'd say I've got better is with my research, I tended to only look in a very limit area for information on a person but this time  
I've look in a much wider field over all mediums from the internet to books and even on tv to get as much info as possible. Where I'm still struggling though is in my written skills, its just getting the relevant facts down in a manner that's easy for someone else to read and make sense where I'm still not happy. Anyway if you follow th link you can read for yourself and see what you think.

A Critical Review of Ansel Adams.


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Critical Review Writing.

When it comes to essay writing I'm like many people I hate doing them because I always seem to struggle to get started, then when it comes to include all the relevant information within the amount of words specified again
I seem to have problems. Its not something I've ever been great at but I have discover a couple of helpful websites that have at least improved my essay writing skills and given me more confidence in my abilities in this department.

http://lklivingston.tripod.com/essay/
Gives very basic structure ideas but found it to be surprisingly helpful.

http://www.essay-writing-tips.com/
A little more detailed then the first site, used before in my last course to help with my piece on the ethics behind digital manipulation. Really helpful.

http://www.studentnow.com/features/essayswritingtips.html
Offers bullet points on ways to improve your writing and research skills.

These are just a couple of the many hundreds of sites that are out there but these three I found the most useful personally. The major things I've learned is that clear planning and plenty of research are the bases of a good essay, brainstorming diagrams I found where a great way to break down the subject in my case Ansel Adams into smaller sub sections and then take my cues when writing from these. Its a approach I found work in my case I'm not saying its for everyone but its finding the best way to work personally.


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Theoretical Study on Colour Formalism or New Colour.

Theoretical Study on Colour Formalism or New Colour

By following the link above you'll find the study I've done on Colour Formalism, this I found a little difficult to begin with as with it begin a very loosely titled movement there really isn't that much available (at least that I could find) about it. The reason I wanted to look at this movement was simply because I was interested to know more about the progression from black and white photography to colour, its isn't a perfect study but it's help me to understand the reasons behind this move and learn more about the people who broke this ground.