Project Proposal
Upon further review of my original idea of photographing contrasting places and architecture in areas across the UK, I came to the conclusion that this would take up too much time travelling and would be much harder to accomplish. Instead, I chose a more local and intimate idea...
Key Influences:
3 Key influences to my photography work are as follows:
-Daido Moiryama
-Ansel Adams
-Gerry Johansson
Daido Moriyama:
Moriyama's photography has been a keen interest of mine due to his work in monochrome photography, in which he seems to have photographed anything and everything. This free form of street photography has truly inspired my work from his black and white colour palette, to his dark atmospheres and grainy detail.
Ansel Adams:
Adam's mastery of capturing perfect black and white landscapes through his framing and attention to detail has given me a different outlook on my own work; it has opened a world of monochrome photography that I didn't know existed, in that it adds a sense of depth and texture to the images, immersing viewers completely.
Gerry Johansson:
Gerry Johansson's work in perfectly lining up buildings and backgrounds has shown me that organisation is important to make photographs that can be comprehended easier. This is because it allows the viewer to make sense of what they are seeing and thus relate to it and understand it better.
Techniques and Processes:
For this project, I will experiment with different cameras, finding different ways to photograph in black and white. I hope to achieve imagery similar to Daido Moriyama, as he is my main influence as a photographer.
To achieve this, I will shoot in the later hours and possibly implement the flash feature in order to create a contrast between light and dark while increasing the potential for grain. Furthermore, this allows me to use more abstract techniques, as during the day most things are clear, but at night they are much more ominous and unknown.
After photographing, I will add a few touches on photoshop. This will allow me to add features such as more grain, contrast and highlights. My preferred camera does not shoot in monochrome, so this will also enable the converting from colour to black and white, a technique similar to that of Daido Moriyama in some of his work.
Once I have all my photos ready and finished, I will send them off to be printed by youloveprint.co.uk, where i will decide the suitable formatting for my final product.
Context of the work:
For this project, I am going to use the idea of locality and sentimentality. I plan on using one of my cameras that show the time of the picture taken, however this time is quite off; the time shows the wrong hour and minute, yet it is somewhat close to the real time. This, on top of the use of monochrome, dark environments, with the implementation of grain, simulates this idea of a fuzzy memory of a familiar place dated back to a time that can't quite be pinned down exactly, leading to a sense of nostalgia. The way the foreground will be illuminated by the camera flash shows the things that are easily remembered and the forgettable background is lost in the dark.
Practical Elements:
I will mostly be using a handheld camera and most of the practical side of things would be either objects like railings or the floor to stabilize the camera.
Time Frame:
I plan to extend this project through the winter season in order to make the most of having darker lighting earlier. This may mean some photos will be taken close to the deadline, meaning I will have to edit the photos and prepare them after each shoot just so they are all ready to be sent off as soon as possible without having to spare too much time editing near the end of my project.
Critical Review:
When all photos are taken and edited to my liking, i will take all of my favourite photos from all of the shoots, including those shot with different cameras. I will carefully choose the images so that they make sense and at the same time look the best possible for a fulfilling final product.
