What skills I have learnt this year

I came to the college in September straight from A Levels. The first project we were given over the summer was a huge challenge for me as it all had to be shot in film. We had a small dark room in school, however I only went in there once and with the help of my teacher I developed one film, prints were never made from it. Instead of shooting freely like on digital, I had to really concentrate and think carefully about camera angles and composition as I only had a certain number of frames. Developing the film was fairly simple but when it came to making prints in the dark room this is where I had to spend a lot of hours practising. I found the workshops and hand-outs really helpful as these allowed you to work personally but having the lecturers there for support if it was needed.

We had a few more film projects after that not just using 35 mm film like in the summer project but using 120mm film too. I found that I preferred to shoot 120mm film on a Hasselblad rather than a Mamiya as I liked the 6 by 6 frame it created. For these film based briefs it was required to print on resin coated paper, this could be put through the ilfospeed machine which allowed a lot more prints to be done in a smaller space of time. We were then given a brief in which the final images had to be printed on resin coated paper, this paper is a lot thicker and has to be dish processed. I had never dish processed an image, however the times were written in the darkroom so it was quite simple. The only challenge when dish processing is mixing your own chemicals if they run out or if you are first in the darkroom. I find that mixing is easier when working in pairs as one of you can measure the water and the other the chemicals.

Over the term there have been a lot of technical workshops which I have really enjoyed. Being inducted on all different kinds of camera, digital and film opened new doors in how images can be created. Lighting workshops teaching us how to use a variation of lights including portable and stationary lighting have been really helpful. I really enjoyed the Lightroom and Photoshop sessions which we had because we learnt something new each week. I had worked with Photoshop before, in which I could completely manipulate an image; this is what I tended to do a lot of in sixth form. However now I try to create my whole image within the camera, this is why Lightroom is really good because it allows you to adjust colour, contrast, brightness etc. but relies on you creating your image before-hand. Within these sessions we also learnt about different file types and how to convert these to the correct size for printing.

Skills I have gained through each brief-

FD101-Still Life:

·         Studio and home lighting set ups

·         Using the Hasselblad film camera’s

·         Film processing

·         Dark room printing

·         Using Hasselblad extension tubes

·         Using the Hasselblad scanners in the digital darkroom

·         Research different photographers work

FD102-Formal intervention:

·         Deciding that I prefer to shoot 6 by 6 frame on the Hasselblad

·         Working with people within the image to create the intervention

·         Finding locations appropriate for shoots

·         Dish processing images

·         Printing images onto resin coated paper

·         Research different photographers work

FD103-Cover Story:

·         Enhancing my knowledge of digital camera

·         Research different photographers work

·         Learning new lighting set ups

·         Testing out lots of different types of lighting

·         Research into a career which I hadn’t thought of before

·         Seeing the work of our lecturer

FD104-Client Brief:

·         Finding a client

·         Contact between me and the client

·         Being professional with client and people who she introduced me to

·         Confidence around people who I had never met

·         Creating my own project within the brief

·         Researching different photographers work

Contextual Studies:

·         Research

·         Structuring an essay

·         Working in groups

·         Being confident in presenting work to groups

Complimentary Studies:

·         Learning something completely new

·         Meeting new people which have different interests to you

·         Creating products such as a Zine, Placard, T-shirt and badge.

My plan over the next few years...

I haven’t yet decided on a plan for the next 5 years, however below are my intentions for the next 2 years:

Year 1-

·         Continue my study at Plymouth College of Art for my FD year 2

·         Enter Competitions more regularly

·         Look for work experience around Plymouth

·         Hoping to continue working with Pamela Newman, photographing for Devon Life ‘Social Events’ page

·         Develop a website and professional business cards

·         Photograph events- Weddings, birthday’s, proms etc.

·         Assist in others shoots, whether this be through work experience or helping friends

Year 2-

·         Start the BA honours programme

·         Develop a professional website

·         Enter a photographic online library

·         Work experience covering a range of careers including newspaper and magazine work, commercial portraits and teaching experience

·         Gain more clientele within Plymouth and surrounding areas

·         Continue photographing events

By the end of year two I will be more aware of the path I want to follow. Over the next two years I am hoping that I will gain knowledge of different photographic careers through work experience, which in turn will lead me to fulfil my career ambitions.

 

Model Release Form

This is a copy of the model release form which I have used when working with my client. The model release forms that I have used for my client brief module are filled in and glued into my book next to the portraits of the workers in which I photographed.

Basic Copyright© Notes

What is copyright?

·         The right to authorise or restrict making other copies

·         An author’s right

·         A property right

·         A human right

·         A collection of rights

Ø  Ideas cannot be protected by copyright only when it becomes a material does it exist

Ø  Copyright applies to anything sold or produced

Ø  Copyright is protected in the UK under the Copyright Design & Patents Act 1988 (as amended).

This law came into effect on 1st August 1989.

The 1956 or 1911 Act will still apply to some older works.

Since the 1988 Act, it has been changed a number of times.

The most important amendment that has taken place, has affected the duration of copyright for photographers’.  (Beyond the lens 2003)

Ø  The creator of the photograph is the Photographer

Ø  Employed photographers DON’T hold the copyright to their images, the company owns the copyright

Ø  Duration of copyright lasts for the lifetime of the photographer plus 70 years

Ø  The photographer holds the copyright to their images (unless they are employed)

Ø  If the photographer licences their image to someone the photograph can be reproduced in any media for a period of time stated by the photographer

Ø  If the photographer assigns copyright it means the copyright no longer belongs to them, it now belongs to the person who bought it. This should only be done as a last resort

Ø  Metadata needs to be updated to insure the photographers ownership and copyright details are displayed

Ø  Orphan works are works that cannot be unidentified-unknown

Copyright infringement:

Ø  Primary-reproducing a photograph without permission

Ø  Secondary-the selling of that image, for example on a t-shirt

Attribution Right:

Ø  The right to be identified as the author

Ø  Right to have name appear alongside photograph.

Ø  Understood as a ‘by-line’ or ‘credit’

Ø  Applies to a photograph published; exhibited in public; broadcasted; or appears in a film.  (Beyond the lens 2003)

Integrity right

Ø  Photographer’s right to prevent work being mistreated.

Ø  Only applies to ‘treatments’ of work which are damaging to the honor or reputation of a photographer (Beyond the lens 2003)

Attribution and integrity right

Ø  For the purpose of reporting current events

Ø  For publication in a newspaper, magazine or similar.

Ø  To employees for works made during employment.

Ø  Very few photojournalists are in the position  to assert their right to be identified.(Beyond the lens 2003)

False attribution right

Ø  Belongs to anyone who wrongly has worked attributed to them. (can be useful if a photographer finds he/she has been credited for someone else’s work)

Ø  Can be deliberate where an advertiser want to use a more prestigious photographer, to create value. (when this photographer can not be afforded for campaign).

Ø  Can damage a photographers reputation if credited for something that is not worthy of their name. (Beyond the lens 2003)

Privacy Right

Ø  Belongs to anyone who wrongly has worked attributed to them. (can be useful if a photographer finds he/she has been credited for someone else’s work)

Ø  Can be deliberate where an advertiser want to use a more prestigious photographer, to create value. (when this photographer can not be afforded for campaign).

Ø  Can damage a photographers reputation if credited for something that is not worthy of their name. (Beyond the lens 2003)

Gillian Wearing-Portrait Photography

Gillian Wearing is one of Britain’s most influential artists. Her portraits that interested me were from her collection 'Album.' In this series she photographed herself disguised as members of her family.

Portrait photography is used by contemporary artists to explore issues of identity-national, perosnal or sexual the portrait has moved away from its commercial roots to come a powerful encounter or exchange between artist, sitter and spectator.[Art Photography Now- Susan Bright]

Gillian Wearing as her 'Mother'

Gillian Wearing as her 'Sister'

Gillian Wearing as her 'Father'

Gillian Wearing as her 'Grandmother'

My Portrait Photography:

Here are two portraits I have taken this year of my Dad. Since starting the college course in September I have learnt so much about different lighting techniques. I have found the technical workshops really helpful because you can take notes and talk through the process and then after put it into practise. These photographs below used a Rembrandt lighting set up.

Zena Holoway-Underwater Photography

Underwater photography is a specialized type of photography that is most popular among scuba divers, snorkelers, and surfing photographers.

Zena Holloway is one of the worlds most well known underwater fashion photographers. She first became a PADI instructor/commerical diver and then became a self taught underwater photographer.

Underwater photography is something that I would be really interested in trying and I am hoping in my second year I can grab the opportunity.

Wish you were here 2012

I have recently entered a Sunday Express photography competition in association with Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky. They are looking for nautical images which celebrate Britian's costal landscape. I had an image from a collection I took at Yealm Estuary which I have chosen to enter.