For assignment three, I chose the second option creating a narrative sequence that tells a story in a series of images. Larger versions of the images can be viewed at the end of this post.

Entitled Capture, the series initially appears to be a straightforward story of a person taking (capturing) a photo of balloons for a framed picture on a wall. However, all is not what it seems with the final image showing the photographer imprisoned behind the frame looking down at the balloons which are free again.

The intention is for the viewer to make up their own mind about whether this is just a playful series of images or to perhaps raise deeper questions about reality and the act of taking an image.

Research and planning

In my research for the series I looked at range of photographers and their approach to series, most notably Duane Michals, whose use of series and humour strongly influenced this assignment. I was drawn to images that question reality and also looked at the influence of surrealism on photographers such as Man Ray. Research and references relating to this assignment can be viewed in my Learning Log posts

• Things Are Queer, 1973, Duane Michals
• Man Ray
• Research Point Sequence

In addition, I created Pinterest boards as a visual notebook to record photographs and paintings (notably René Magritte) of interest , and planned a list of ideas for the series and props before settling on the final idea. The balloons were a deliberate choice of prop as they are associated with fun and playfulness, and bring strong colour to an otherwise limited colour palette. Sketches were created and the composition of the images were planned on paper. Test shots were taken to experiment with different poses, so the final sequence could be shot in a short space of time.

The original plan was to use a printed A3 image for the two shots that use a framed image. Due to the life of the balloons (10 hours), this was not possible and Photoshop was used to place the the image in the frame.

Five images were used to create the final series of three.

1. The subject taking a photo of the balloons on an iPhone
2. A photo of the balloons for the frame
3. The subject hanging the frame containing the photo of the balloons
4. The subject trapped behind the frame
5. The subject trapped behind the frame, looking down at the balloons

Reflection

I found this a rewarding experience and enjoyed how this assignment built on the skills that have been introduced through the first three sections of the course. The assignment showed how my approach has changed with research and planning, and also to have a much clearer idea about working with and directing people. An example of this is the shot of the subject trapped behind the frame. This was shot with with glass removed from the frame to avoid reflections. To get the expression I wanted, I moved the balloons so the subject was actually looking at them.

Overall, I am pleased with how the photos work together as a coherent set. I experimented with landscape and portrait formats, before deciding on a square layout as this had a pleasing balance of content and empty space and worked well for displaying the final three images beside each other. Another technique to help the images work together was to start close up to the subject and move away with each shot until the final image reveals the twist in the story.

The advance planning paid a large part in how the photos work as a series. It was good to have a number of different ideas that could be refined. Sketching ideas for composition was a new experience and saved time when it came to shooting the series. The test shots for the subject trapped in the frame were informative in identifying useful poses and also the importance of shooting the subject against the correct background, and to find a way of cutting out reflections from the glass. Though I could have used a polarising filter, in the end a quick and easy solution was to shoot the images with the glass removed from the frame.

Areas I would like to develop include lighting, communication of ideas, and recording my research. To try to achieve consistent lighting across the images, I used a Canon Speedlite with a bounce adaptor and the light bounced off the ceiling to create a softer light. I am aware that lighting is one area where I have limited knowledge and is an area to strengthen. I would have liked to have been able to communicate the concept of what I was aiming for more clearly to the subject, who loved the final photographs, but didn’t really understand what I was aiming for until seeing the finished product. It would have helped to have written out my bullet point of ideas into a short paragraph. Revisiting my notes with benefit of hindsight, I would have liked to make greater use of my learning log in recording my preparation for this assignment and also other related work that supports my development.

In conclusion, this was a thoroughly enjoyable section of the course and assignment, and as I have noted elsewhere in my course material, I am noticing a change to my practice. I find it interesting that my approach is now much more similar to composing music, with research, drafts, experimentation, and refining. One of my initial development points was to be able tell a story or express a concept through images and the series of images for this assignment are something I would never have conceived a year ago when I started the course.

Development Points

For my development I have identified the following points from things I have learned during this assignment

• Continue to develop my knowledge of the work of other photographers
• Look at how other art forms influence photography
• Create more regular learning log posts to consolidate my learning and research (approximately 500 words per post).
• Research the use of flash.
• Plan how I will communicate my ideas to models I am working with.
• Ambiguity can be good, the photos should be able to speak for themselves without being over reliant on descriptive titles or text.
• To continue to get feedback on my work from a range of people including my tutor, fellow students, and other people (including photographers and non photographers).

Last updated 1 Jan 2020