PERSONAL PROJECT
Brief:
An exploration of the still life genre paying particular attention to a documentary approach.
Still life is typically known as an art form in which the image illustrated subjects that are either natural (food, flowers etc.) or man-made (books, jewellery, etc.). Still life can be used in photography by creating a set using these subjects and photographing them. Still life gives artists more freedom to compose an image rather than photographing or painting a portrait or landscape. Still life, as a genre, began in the 16th and 17th century with Netherlandish paintings and is still used in the 21st century but has extended beyond the use of 2D to being used in videos and photos and other three-dimensional forms such as sculpture, installation and performance. I have decided to look into photographing still life images with a 'documentary approach' meaning I will be taking images of things that tell a story or of things that hold meaning to the subject. Documentary photography usually refers to chronicles of events or environments that are significant to history or everyday life.
Starting Points:
-Photographing daily tasks/activities for a week
-Set up formal still life in studios, exploring composition, tension, real and unreal
-Set up still-life at home, incorporating windows and mirrors. Pull back to reveal a narrative and create a bigger scene
Research Points:
-Laura Letinsky
-Wolfgang Tillmanns
-Cinemagraphs
-Photographing daily tasks/activities for a week
-Set up formal still life in studios, exploring composition, tension, real and unreal
-Set up still-life at home, incorporating windows and mirrors. Pull back to reveal a narrative and create a bigger scene
Research Points:
-Laura Letinsky
-Wolfgang Tillmanns
-Cinemagraphs
RESEARCH
Laura Letinsky:
Letinsky's series Still Life Photographs (1999-2012) captures large-scale photographs that feature food and the remnants that are left after interactions with food. Her images play with soft colour that invite the viewer, but upon close analysis the composition of the still life creates tension and unrest as to the placement of the the objects and the mess of the food. She ignores traditional methods of photography and tapes, pins and glues cutouts of food onto the scene alongside the leftovers of real food. I like the compositions that Letinsky creates and the meaning and feelings she provokes through her photos.
Letinsky's series Still Life Photographs (1999-2012) captures large-scale photographs that feature food and the remnants that are left after interactions with food. Her images play with soft colour that invite the viewer, but upon close analysis the composition of the still life creates tension and unrest as to the placement of the the objects and the mess of the food. She ignores traditional methods of photography and tapes, pins and glues cutouts of food onto the scene alongside the leftovers of real food. I like the compositions that Letinsky creates and the meaning and feelings she provokes through her photos.
Wolfgang Tillmans:
Tillmans exploits still life photography to explore nature and looks at the world from a unique perspective and a non-judgemental eye. To the normal viewer his images look unplanned and not staged. Tillman's believes his images put three-dimensional world into a two-dimensional photograph, capturing the moment and putting meaning into that moment. Tillman explores the abstract qualities that can be found in the physical world taking still life to a new level.
Tillmans exploits still life photography to explore nature and looks at the world from a unique perspective and a non-judgemental eye. To the normal viewer his images look unplanned and not staged. Tillman's believes his images put three-dimensional world into a two-dimensional photograph, capturing the moment and putting meaning into that moment. Tillman explores the abstract qualities that can be found in the physical world taking still life to a new level.
RESPONSE
I am going to take photographs of daily activities and events that I partake in such as meals I eat, my setup when I study etc. This has been inspired by Wolfgang Tillmans still life images that show a very natural scene of the mess and disorder of different setups in a house. His images include a palette of bright colours and have 'random' objects in them that may or may not be purposefully placed. I am going to take close ups of each scene as well as pulling back to create a bigger picture that includes more of the 'set'.
Kevin Burg and Jamie Beck:
This pair describe the cinema graph as "living moment in an otherwise still photograph. It exists in a world between a photograph and video to bring to life the image and make it last forever." They also created the term 'cinema graph' and define its meaning as they travelled the world and created these photos. The first image below is my favourite as not only is it a still life but it tells and documents a story. I like the subtlety of the other images chosen and the fact that viewer may have to double take the image to realise it is a cinema graph.
This pair describe the cinema graph as "living moment in an otherwise still photograph. It exists in a world between a photograph and video to bring to life the image and make it last forever." They also created the term 'cinema graph' and define its meaning as they travelled the world and created these photos. The first image below is my favourite as not only is it a still life but it tells and documents a story. I like the subtlety of the other images chosen and the fact that viewer may have to double take the image to realise it is a cinema graph.
Romain Laurent:
Laurent creates, 'moving, half-moving and not moving' images that focus on portraits of people. I like his half-moving images that include stills of people with a isolated object/s that moves. I like the idea that you can add tot he purpose and story of a photo with just a subtle change. He creates more wacky cinema graphs that entice and excite the viewer. Although not entirely linked to the still life I have previously analysed I have been inspired by Laurent to have fun and experiment with different techniques when shooting my cinema graphs.
Laurent creates, 'moving, half-moving and not moving' images that focus on portraits of people. I like his half-moving images that include stills of people with a isolated object/s that moves. I like the idea that you can add tot he purpose and story of a photo with just a subtle change. He creates more wacky cinema graphs that entice and excite the viewer. Although not entirely linked to the still life I have previously analysed I have been inspired by Laurent to have fun and experiment with different techniques when shooting my cinema graphs.
RESPONSE
In response to the photographers who created cinema graphs I am going to attempt to create my own, focusing on similar subjects to my previous still life photos. I will create similar sets and intend to have 2 moving elements in which, after edited, one element is moving and the rest of the frame is still. I must use a tripod when taking my videos to ensure that the gif is seamless and looks as natural and as possible. A tripod will also make it easier for me to edit the cinema graph as there will be less movement to make static.
How to make a cinema graph:
Step 1: Open for video in Photoshop, making sure Animation is on by selecting Window>Animation.
Step 2: Then find the small drop down menu at the top right of the animation window and select 'Document Settings'. You will be able to change the frames per second of the video - make sure it is below 30.
Step 3: At the top of the timeline there is a blue pointer, drag this to where you wish your video to start, then drag the start blue rectangle to the position of the pointer and this is where your video will now start.
Step 4: Similarly to the previous step, drag the blue pointer to where you wish the video to end. Then drag the blue end rectangle to this position and this is where your video will now end.
Step 5: Select the timeline menu again at the top right of the animation window and select 'Trim Documentation Duration to Work Area' and your video has now been cropped.
Step 6: Next, you need to find your master frame, this is the backdrop frame that will not move. Select CMD-A to select all, CMD-C to copy and CMD-V to paste. This will create a new layer of your selected frame.
Step 7: Next, type the 'Q' key to select Quick Mask mode. In this mode, select the areas you wish to remain static. Leave out the areas that will be moving. Type 'Q' again to exit Quick Mask mode and then hit ALT and Add Layer Mask. This will create a new layer mask on the still image keyframe layer.
Step 8: Select the drop down menu and click 'Flatten Frames into Layers' creating a bunch of layers that will make up your video, then delete the two original layers leaving the layers you just created.
Step 9: Turn the movie into a frame animation by clicking the button at the bottom right of the animation frame. This will create only one frame so click the drop down menu and select 'Make Frames from Layers' converting your animation layers into frames.
Step 10: Your animation may have a long pause at the beginning so you can either delete the first frame or adjust the delay settings to your desired effect.
Step 11: Finally, you want the video to loop forever so click the drop down menu below the first frame and select 'Forever'.
Step 12: To save your GIF, click File>Save for Web & Devices and choose the file type 'GIF' and reduce the size/adjust any settings if necessary.
Step 1: Open for video in Photoshop, making sure Animation is on by selecting Window>Animation.
Step 2: Then find the small drop down menu at the top right of the animation window and select 'Document Settings'. You will be able to change the frames per second of the video - make sure it is below 30.
Step 3: At the top of the timeline there is a blue pointer, drag this to where you wish your video to start, then drag the start blue rectangle to the position of the pointer and this is where your video will now start.
Step 4: Similarly to the previous step, drag the blue pointer to where you wish the video to end. Then drag the blue end rectangle to this position and this is where your video will now end.
Step 5: Select the timeline menu again at the top right of the animation window and select 'Trim Documentation Duration to Work Area' and your video has now been cropped.
Step 6: Next, you need to find your master frame, this is the backdrop frame that will not move. Select CMD-A to select all, CMD-C to copy and CMD-V to paste. This will create a new layer of your selected frame.
Step 7: Next, type the 'Q' key to select Quick Mask mode. In this mode, select the areas you wish to remain static. Leave out the areas that will be moving. Type 'Q' again to exit Quick Mask mode and then hit ALT and Add Layer Mask. This will create a new layer mask on the still image keyframe layer.
Step 8: Select the drop down menu and click 'Flatten Frames into Layers' creating a bunch of layers that will make up your video, then delete the two original layers leaving the layers you just created.
Step 9: Turn the movie into a frame animation by clicking the button at the bottom right of the animation frame. This will create only one frame so click the drop down menu and select 'Make Frames from Layers' converting your animation layers into frames.
Step 10: Your animation may have a long pause at the beginning so you can either delete the first frame or adjust the delay settings to your desired effect.
Step 11: Finally, you want the video to loop forever so click the drop down menu below the first frame and select 'Forever'.
Step 12: To save your GIF, click File>Save for Web & Devices and choose the file type 'GIF' and reduce the size/adjust any settings if necessary.
FIRST ATTEMPTS
After shooting multiple videos and attempting to edit a few of them I have definitely learned the importance of the use of the tripod and the idea that the cinema graph requires two moving subjects. This is because if there is only one moving subject it will just look like a gif or a regular video being played on repeat, whereas two moving subjects emphasises the fact that it is a cinema graph and only one subject is moving in the frame. A tripod is also very necessary to the cinema graph as there will be a static frame. This frame needs to be the same throughout or else editing will be extremely difficult and will most likely not work.
IRELAND
I took a short trip to Ireland visiting my family. On documenting my stay I came across old objects in my grandmas house including an old TV, record player and some records. I photographed these items which inspired me to take on a documentary approach to my project and take photos of objects that hold stories to someone. The images I took in Ireland hold significance for my mum who grew up in this house and with these items. I also explored the local town where I found antique shops and interesting scenery and I also took the chance to photograph the old remains in the city such as the Kilkenny castle. Most of the photos were either taken outside in the natural daylight or indoors with warm tungsten lighting. The unnatural indoor lighting added to the images by giving them an older and more home-y feel.
Deirdre O'Callaghan:
O'Callaghan created a series and published a book titled "Hide That Can" in which she documented 4 years of the men who stay in Arlington House, which is a hostel in Camden. The inhabitants mainly come from Ireland and came to London in their 50s and 60s looking for work. This project has allowed some of these people to take a trip back to the Ireland for the first time since they left. Her images not only capture special and sometimes stressful moments but also document a story and the stories of the people in this house through the objects that she finds. The images have a warm tone and all have a cohesive colour palette.
O'Callaghan created a series and published a book titled "Hide That Can" in which she documented 4 years of the men who stay in Arlington House, which is a hostel in Camden. The inhabitants mainly come from Ireland and came to London in their 50s and 60s looking for work. This project has allowed some of these people to take a trip back to the Ireland for the first time since they left. Her images not only capture special and sometimes stressful moments but also document a story and the stories of the people in this house through the objects that she finds. The images have a warm tone and all have a cohesive colour palette.
Julian Germain:
'For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness, 2005' - Julian Germain
Germain has a series of photographs taken over 8 years of Charles Snelling, an elderly man living alone in a small house in Portsmouth. Germain took this time to really get to know Charles and discovered things as little as his love for flowers and colour. Germain photographed things lying around Charles' house as well as small daily tasks such as making breakfast or going for an ice-cream at the beach. His images give the viewer a personal insight to Charles' life, past and present with the repetition of one image plastered around his house of a woman who we assume he was once very close with. I particularly like the warm and dark tones in his images that make the viewer feel like they really know Charles.
'For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness, 2005' - Julian Germain
Germain has a series of photographs taken over 8 years of Charles Snelling, an elderly man living alone in a small house in Portsmouth. Germain took this time to really get to know Charles and discovered things as little as his love for flowers and colour. Germain photographed things lying around Charles' house as well as small daily tasks such as making breakfast or going for an ice-cream at the beach. His images give the viewer a personal insight to Charles' life, past and present with the repetition of one image plastered around his house of a woman who we assume he was once very close with. I particularly like the warm and dark tones in his images that make the viewer feel like they really know Charles.
RESPONSE
In response to these photographers I have been inspired to take a similar approach by photographing and documentary my grandma's life. I will take pictures in her house, paying attention to small details that portray something about her and her life. I will also scan photographs or documents that illustrate parts of her life or tell a story. My subject supported the theme because the photographers I analysed had subjects with interesting backgrounds and stories of where they came from and my grandma grew up in the Philippines, and moved to London so she has experienced different types of living. My composition helped to support the theme because my grandma's house is filled with miscellaneous objects and small trinkets that she has collected throughout her life that all hold special meanings to her. I took these pictures free hand to get a more personal feel and so I could get a closer look at certain objects. My images express my intentions which were to capture a story and to give the viewer an insight to the type of life my grandma had and currently lives.
Below are some documents that I found around my grandmas house and scanned that tell us something about he life:
This is a photograph of my grandma's TV remote that has been labelled, displaying what buttons mean what. This was necessary as she kept forgetting how to use the remote. Not only do these images reflect her Alzheimer's but the coffee stains also represent a part of her daily life which is that she has to have a cup of coffee every morning.
These images were taken from picture frames in my grandmas house. The first image shows her and some family enjoying a meal at a restaurant that was taken and printed this year, 2017. The second image shows her and her husband on a day out, enjoying the view and the third image shows her first grand child, taken in 1990. My grandma has many old photos displayed all around her house that she insisted on me photographing, showing her love for her family.
The image above (left) was found by my grandmas front door, this shows her Catholic upbringing and background that she taught her children and that was also taught to me. The image above (right) is a photo that was framed on my grandmas wall that was made by her eldest son and his wife on mothers day, 2001. It includes a variety of pictures of all her grandchildren at the time.
Kaylynn Deveney:
Deveney photographed the couple Edith and Len over the period of a year. She photographed the couple a few months after they made a move to a nursing home from their flat in Wales. She paid particular attention to how the couple would experience togetherness in the nursing home and how it might limit their daily lives. She aimed to capture the redefinition of their lives following this move and how the meaning of 'home' can change.
Deveney photographed the couple Edith and Len over the period of a year. She photographed the couple a few months after they made a move to a nursing home from their flat in Wales. She paid particular attention to how the couple would experience togetherness in the nursing home and how it might limit their daily lives. She aimed to capture the redefinition of their lives following this move and how the meaning of 'home' can change.
RESPONSE/DEVELOPMENT
As a response to Kaylynn Deveney and as a development to my previous work I will be taking a closer look at my subject by including my grandma in the images and also taking time to ask her a few questions about her upbringing and what brought her to London. Deveney's images subtly include her subjects and their environments that allow the viewer to get to know them a bit better with a small understanding of them from their surroundings. Her images have subtle hues and focusing giving the images a softer and more personal feel. After taking a few images in this style I noticed my photos had a high exposure and some were out of focus due to a high ISO so on my second attempt I adjusted the settings on my camera to solve this issue.
Deveney also photographed Albert Hastings, following his daily routine and getting to know him. Her photographs tell his story aided by his own handwritten annotations of each image in the published book 'The Day-to-Day life of Albert Hastings.' Some of his annotations include a trip to the hospital where his chest was 'playing him up' or his bed which is his 'little bit of comfort.' The images vary from objects she finds in his house to Albert preparing a snack and I particularly enjoy the fact that Deveney's images portray a close up story of Albert whilst, at the same time, keeping certain elements concealed.
RESPONSE
In response to Deveney's 'Day-to-Day Life of Albert Hastings' I have done the same by asking my grandma to write a short sentence describing some of the images I have taken around her house. Below (left) shows her writing and below (right) shows a blank scan that I had to take in which I selected each sentence and pasted them onto this sheet so I could connect them to an image.
'GEORGETOWN' - RESPONSE
www.lewiskhan.co.uk/georgetown.html
"A friend, a neighbour, a familiar face in the street. Georgetown is a portrait of south London resident, George." - Lewis Khan
"A friend, a neighbour, a familiar face in the street. Georgetown is a portrait of south London resident, George." - Lewis Khan
Lewis Khan's 'Georgetown' documents and tells the story of George, a south London resident. The video is composed of stills alongside clips of George carrying out daily tasks. For the length of the video George's voice is played as he speaks about his life whilst the viewer watches, seeing shots of things lying around his house like cigarette butts, photos and writing on his walls. In response to this video I will be using my photos of my grandma and also going to her house and recording her doing everyday things. I will record her talking about her life and upbringing and edit these into a video in a similar style to Khan's 'Georgetown.'
I have recorded clips around my grandmas house, using a tripod, some of still objects and some of my grandma and her husband doing daily activities around the house. The objects I chose to take stills of I selected as I thought they would show an insight to what type of life she has. These things include medicine, fridge magnets, family photos etc. I have also interviewed her that acts as a voiceover to these clips and some footage of her speaking is also included a few minutes into the video as the idea of what she is like is built up and then the viewer finally gets to see what she looks like. The short clips of objects and aspects of her house allow the viewer to imagine her life and the way she lives now with her voiceover as an aid to explain her view on it. She speaks about her life in the Philippines and her move to London, and the life she gave to her children.
Questions:
1) What jobs did you have in the Philippines?
2) What jobs did you have in London?
3) When did you come to London?
4) What are your kids like?
Below are some unedited clips that I have shot for my short documentary/film:
Questions:
1) What jobs did you have in the Philippines?
2) What jobs did you have in London?
3) When did you come to London?
4) What are your kids like?
Below are some unedited clips that I have shot for my short documentary/film:
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Below are some of my grandmas favourite songs that I asked her to give me as a background to the film:
Carpenters - Only Yesterday
John Denver - Annie's Song
Eddie Peregrina - You Mean Everything To Me
John Denver - Leaving on a Jet Plane