Part A: Extend your own arts practice
My Challenge
Basic Ideas
I have narrowed it down to two ideas:
1) The first being 'Photography' orientated where I would take a selection of photographs and make a portfolio, followed by a series of short videos displaying my pictures of which I can post onto social networking sites as well as Youtube to get feedback.
Pros: This would improve my work within the Arts as well as branching out my use of Art media. It would be interesting to work with different software and so would improve my computing skills. It would also significantly enhance my creativity as I will be expected to take a lot of pictures and make them into short videos.
Cons: This would be time consuming as I would have to get up at different times in order to take decent photographs. I would also have to travel to different locations in order to get a variety of shots as well as using friends and asking for their permission.
2) The second idea was to do with 'Screenwriting' where I would write a short screenplay lasting a minimum of half an hour. I would have auditions for the roles and then would put on a performance during a lunchtime where people can come watch. I would leave a feedback book or notes page for people to leave anything they want to say about the performance/storyline etc.
Pros: There would be a lot of preperation into this as I would have to write the screenplay as well as cast, and the final product would be really impressive if all works out. It would also contribute towards my English and creative writing skills.
Cons: It would be a long process and would involve organising a large number of people at any one time. It would also involve getting a numerous amount of permission from parents of actors and organising time slots in the Drama Studio to rehearse.
Final Decision
I have chosen my first idea regarding 'Photography' as my development will be relevant to my personal interests as well as my Academic ones. I feel that I will be able to share my work and interest with the world easily via Social Networking sites and Youtube and would therefore like to get my work out there as soon as possible. I will also share it with the public to get feedback on favourite videos.
Project Aims
The basic aim of my project is to produce a portfolio as a series of videos.
I will use my free periods and free time at school to take and edit pictures as I see fit as well as keeping a record on which pictures I took where/when. Each video displaying my photographs will be around 3 - 5 minutes long. I aim to produce around 4/5 of these, but this may change.
I will also add music and transitions using basic software to enhance interest.
I am going to show them to my grandparents and their friends when I go on holiday from the 1st to 14th of August in a private viewing.
Preperation
Before and during my project, I need to take a number of factors into account when working. I need to:
- Ask for permission to take pictures in Mr Leonowicz's photography room if necessary.
- Ask for permission from anyone I am to include in my photography.
- Take into consideration the relevant time at which to take my pictures.
- Make sure health and safety regulations are in order.
- Make sure I keep a track of my photographs and maybe have a questionnaire on popular music to see what people prefer.
I also had the idea that I could make a photo blog or portfolio. I could also create a series of videos displaying my photos. I could seperate them out into individual videos i.e. if I was doing the seasons, I could have one video for Spring, one for Autumn etc.
I have chosen this because I wish to expand my knowledge of photography and to try out different styles that I am not completely aware of and at different places and points in my life.
I definitely feel I have expressed myself thoroughly and through different ups and downs in my life.
A majority of my photographs have been styled to my personal style and somehow reflect what I was thinking at that time.
Here are the links to my compilation videos:
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxULHmYh8f4&feature=plcp
This first link is of my picture compilation from my visit to New York. I took many pictures throughout my visit and accompanied the piece with an appropriate piece of music to add to entertainment.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p8UjrVMO54
This second link is of a frosty morning compilation I took, to give a quieter more solemn emotional feel to the video.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb9kwyALGw4&feature=plcp
This video, is from my Grandparents' 50 year wedding anniversary where I made a strongly emotive video that captured the moments of their day.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_cfkhTX3ro
This link is to a compilation video I made during the Summer which was more alternative and personal to me.
I shared these videos with my grandparents and a group of their friends when on Holiday this summer. I then asked each of them in turn which was their favourite, and if they had a specific photograph that they liked.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/105110808/Feedback-for-Photography-Compilations
The link above shows a few lots of feedback from my videos.
I also showed these videos to the members of my Art class, and collected their feedback on post-it notes. There were mixed reviews, but they mainly consisted of praise:
"The 'Frosty' video is so good! The delicate nature of the photographs is really inspiring and refreshing. You are a really talented photographer."
"Your videos show a good range of photography as well as subject matter and style. Your style is distinct and this definitely comes through in the videos."
"You took a lot of photos, but the videos still look a bit short? Very good though, well done."
"The music fits the pictures really well and makes the videos even more watchable. I especially like the 50 years video, it brought a tear to my eye, its very emotional and impressive."
"I don't like some of the brightly coloured ones in the Summer video. It's way too bright and doesn't fit in or look natural."
Reflecting on the creation of these videos, the collection of the images and photographs wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. I had to take my camera to the specific events the videos are related to and take as many pictures as I could. I feel that the videos I created are very effective, and from the feedback from my Grandparents, Aunties/Uncles and Cousins where they stated; "It brought tears to my eyes" and "I cried with tears of joy, it was so moving", I take that they are successful. My audience was not only my family, and people who know me, but also their friends and relatives who were invited to watch the short clips. In total there was around 15 people who watched and I received 15 responses. I wanted my videos to be short and effective and to initiate an emotional response. My photos were well picked and edited for the best effect and I feel all the preparation as well as compilations were very easy to create.
Part B: Get involved in the arts world
Volunteering
As part of my volunteering, I am helping out in a Year 8 English class. I have taken part in some of the lessons via presentations to aid the class in their learning of particular subjects. I have also had some input to the classes ideas and have spoken to each person individually. To show my dedication, I also help out in the lessons when the class teacher isn't there, and even when the class isn't there.
On 1/12/11, the class were on a trip and so I went with Miss Stevens to help out in an Art Class of Year 9's. In previous lessons I have helped Miss with writing homework or class objectives on the board. I have also aided the class by walking round and answering any questions about what they are studying. I also found it useful to ask my own questions to try and gage a sense of understanding with the students.
I helped Miss in one lesson with using the computer when the class were filming their 'News Reports' and was in charge of music and the background images. Also, within my media class, I was given the role of chief photographer to help catagorise all of our work as we went along to show evidence of our project which helped me get experience within the new art form.
From this I learnt that to receive feedback from a class you must ask questions as well as answer them, and to get involved with the class and form a trust and understanding is critical.
In previous lessons in 2011, I have been stationary at the front of the class asking/answering questions. I have also helped out with writing words/spellings, homework and tasks on the board, as well as creating a presentation to help with the classes studies and techniques that they were learning.
My voluntary work was ongoing, even after I had fulfilled the required hours. I continued to assist the class in their creative and academic activities for the duration of the year up until July when the school broke up for the summer holidays.
5/1/12
- Helped out with the word 'Euphemism'
- Took the register to student services
- Class re-read sections of books and re-capped the story they'd previously read before breaking up for Christmas.
- Discussed character traits/personality and continued reading the book.
12/1/12
- Handed out dictionarys and lesson 'pyramids' to help the class with their assigned task.
- Helped with the class task of writing a chapter of the book they'd been studyng - punctuation, spelling, sentence structure and starters.
- Helped with common words that are misspelt - you're, it's, they're/there/there.
15/3/12
- Today I showed the Year 8 class my advert of which I created previously for an AS Media task.
- As a group, including the teacher, we evaluated the advert and I received some feedback on the pros and cons of the actual advert.
- I prepared a presentation of which explained the different slides on the bigger screen for the class if they were having trouble with my smaller handout.
- I created a handout including screenshots for one between two which included screenshots at the end that the class themselves could comment on.
- I explained my advert to the class so as to avoid confusion, and explained our AS task in simple terms.
- The feedback was useful for my AS media course and I will be sure to include this in my coursework.
- I included the link for the youtube video on the handouts for the students.
My presentation: http://www.scribd.com/doc/105107962/Techniques-Powerpoint-Year-8
I have sat in virtually every lesson besides ones I was ill within or which Miss Stevens was not present. I helped the class with spellings on the board as well as correct phrasing of sentences and ideas to further their stories. I helped each individual student with their persuasive writing about a hobby they participate in and they ranged from Horseriding to Skating to Reading.
I helped with retrieving sheets and asking the technicians for help with equipment if required. I did everything that was asked of me and even held presentations for the class.
As part of my volunteering, I am working with a proffessional teacher during my free time to learn how to assess and help out in a classroom environment. At the same time I am studying the individual students, taking note of their progress and getting to know them. I help out with the tasks and do anything Miss asks of me to show my commitment, loyalty and determination to be involved with her teaching environment. As part of this, I had to help and present various presentations and ideas to the students to aid them with their learning as well as my understanding of their learning. Despite only having a required amount of hours to have experience with a professional, my experience lasted from October to when I left for my exams. This gave me a consistent amount of experience that I found incredibly useful. It widened my knowledge of how a classroom works and also how the younger people I work with think.
Reflecting back on this work experience, I feel I could have asserted myself more, however I had a great breakthrough with my confidence and developed my interpersonal skills to a much higher standard. I have definitely learnt how to approach different situations and it has helped me to develop my thought processes when approaching different situations.
Other Volunteering Oppurtunities:
Located local in Letchworth, Szpak Photography is a small photography and design area where I could have volunteered to work besides with Miss Stevens. http://www.szpakphotography.co.uk/
Similarly, near my Dad's two businesses, I could have volunteered at the local photographers to gain experience of the camera's and how they work properly as well as the ins and outs of the trade. http://www.constablephotography.co.uk/
Featured below are a few websites I have made note of and have looked at in regards to possible careers in photography in the future as well as looking at other peoples photography and the subjects they use.
http://www.careersinphotography.org/
http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Awards/Awards-2010/Photography.aspx
http://creativepool.co.uk/articles/jobdescriptions/photographer-job-description
http://www.digital-apprentice.co.uk/whats-on-offer/photography-and-digital-imaging-apprenticeship/
http://thefoodiebugle.com/article/food-photography/food-and-lifestyle-photography-how-it-all-began
Part C: Research and Review
I have visited my secondary school's A-Level art exhibition whilst I was still a GCSE student. While I was there, I met with my Art Teacher Mr Leonowicz and discussed with him (seeing as he is the head of photography at our school) what it took to be a photographer. He is a proffessional artist and photographer. I also walked round and took note of some of the A-Level students photography as well as the high grades they had been given for their work. I looked through some of their portfolios and saw how much hard work they had put into creating their final pieces and was amazed that such a task had taken a short amount of time (one year) to complete. They do not neccesarily need to finance their work besides the equipment required such as canvas's, paints etc. I asked some of the photographers who were there what they did to develop their skills and they stated that they work in their own free time and take pictures when they're out around town or visiting places to try and encourage an inspirational spark of some sort. The exhibition took around 1 hour to set up my own set, but longer to get every single piece together and positioned accordingly in the hall. I learnt from this exhibition that to show and exhibit your work publicly is a very important criteria of being a successful artist or photographer. I've learnt various different ways of taking pictures, and that any photograph can be used in some way or another. I have also adapted my understanding of editing and that it can be used effectively, despite some of my own images being wrongly edited i.e. too bright and overexposed.
Their work has inspired me to be as creative and imaginative as possible and to take my camera with me wherever I go as anything could catch my eye and inspire me at any point.
Earlier this year I have also attended the Cambridge weekend where many Artists opened their homes to the public so that their houses became public showrooms. I hired a bike and rode round the whole of Cambridge visiting certain Artists, studying their art forms and asking various questions about their chosen occupation. Many of the artists I encountered had won numerous awards for their artwork, once seeing it, there was obvious reason to.
On the whole we visited roughly 40 - 50 Artists who all used different mediums of Art. Of these 50, around 12 were practicing photographers. I asked them about the types of cameras they used and when they used them. Some preferred shooting at night and others preferred the early morning, however they were all skilled and took their job very seriously. I brought a few postcards of their work to study and catalogue at home as well as a few leaflets from various houses I took a particular interest in.
Some of the Photographers I visited were interested in taking pictures of people, whereas some were more interested in taking pictures of nature. I liked some of the ideas I saw when looking at the people and decided to possibly try and incorporate this in my final pieces.
One of the ladies that I met when visiting the studios, was a proffessional photographer, Celia Bartlett. I was introduced to her work and her photography, and closely studied her style. I also asked her a series of questions. Cambridge Open Studios: http://www.camopenstudios.co.uk/node/636
Q1: What made you want to become a photographer?
A: I didn't want to become a photographer, I just gravitated towards a camera that my father brought for me and I was sold.
Q2: Is there a particular subject that you enjoy photographing?
A: I enjoy photography as a general art form and so anything that I take is a credit to me really. I do enjoy taking pictures of animals, especially the african compilation I've collected as well as hazy landscapes and close-ups. The range is endless.
Q3: Can you give me any tips to help with my photography?
A: Of course, don't be afraid to take pictures. Take pictures of everything and review them later, never look at what you've got while you're on the job, and have fun. Don't ever limit your photography to just ONE thing or subject.
During an Art lesson, I asked Linda Paice, an Art Practitioner at the school a few questions:
Q1: What does it mean to be an artist/photographer?
It means everything to me. It’s all I’ve really ever wanted to do and I get an enjoyment level out of this job so much.
Q2: How much work does it require to become successful?
A lot of work is an understatement. It takes not only work, but immense dedication to do this, and to do it successfully.
Q3: Is all of your work successful?
Not all of it no. Mr Leonowicz’s work however has been to the local 1066 gallery on an exhibition. But no one artist has all of his works to be successful.
Q4: How long have you been working in the trade?
A long time, I’d say over 25 years now.
Q5: What is your most popular piece of photography?
I like Mr Leonowicz’s field series. The landscapes and textures are very interesting.
Q6: How do you make yourself successful?
There is no way to make yourself successful. It either happens or it doesn’t. It’s a journey that you have to continue to fulfil as your life goes along with dedication and hard work before you get anywhere decent.
Mr Leonowicz (Head of Photography at The Knights Templar School) - "Photography is an incredibly hard skill to have. It isn't simply point and shoot as many of my students have thought over the years. It is a talented way of capturing the everyday life of which can be tailored to a personal preference."
"These photography students really put themselves out there and tried their best to take an interesting photo as well as editing it to make it their own. I'm really impressed with the quality of photography."
"The exhibition is a free public exposure of the work of the students. It lets their parents see what they perhaps didn't quite want to show, and expresses a open and free nature to their artwork, giving a different perception altogether."
Part D: Form and Communicate a view
IS TAKING PHOTOS IN PUBLIC A CRIME?
I have created a public petition and have set the goal to 50 signatures minimum. I have posted it on Twitter and Facebook and will keep checking to see if I can reach 50 signatures. I also posted it on my Film Review Blog as the traffic I receive is rather great at times. This will hopefully make those who read my blog from various other countries, sign the petition for this cause.
http://www.petitiononline.co.uk/petition/public-photography/4815
I also created a presentation which I presented to my Art and Photography classes to get their responses. They all told me their responses afterwards which I wrote down. A select few said; "Without photography, they wouldn't know where their lives would go."
Another participant said; "Without photography in public places or even at all we might as well be blind. Our eyes are like cameras and you can't take that away from us."
By the end of the presentation, most of the class were completely against banning photography in public. Although some stood by the idea that this is how terrorists receive their images and information that could prevent such events as the Twin Towers. One person said; "Photography is good for private use for projects, but to the extent where people's lives are lost is a thousand strides to far".
My presentation: http://www.scribd.com/doc/105112132/Photography-in-Public-Places
This debate has many different yes and no's surrounding it and could go on forever.
When I visited a media convention in 2011, we were shown a short clip of a man and his hidden camera being shown away from a public building with force, after being told they weren't allowed to photograph or film the premises. Even after showing that they were part of the BBC crew, the officers still wouldn't budge and they were eventually escorted away from the premises. Is this too far?
This is what my argument is focusing on.
'Outrageous'
This website below is part of the BBC's ongoing campaign to get a decision as to whether it is good or bad. Sources on this site show that the argument has been going on before even 2008, and so has created a substantial following.
This specific article mentions of a law which previously came into balance where any person taking a picture of a police officer is breaking the law. It is part of a terrorism act which took force.
From the site:
It permits the arrest of anyone found "eliciting, publishing or communicating information" relating to members of the armed forces, intelligence services and police officers, which is "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".
Similar Links and Sites that are relevant to my argument:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/how-to/computer-security/taking-photos-in-public-places-is-not-a-crime
http://photographernotaterrorist.org/
http://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/1993.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography_and_the_law
http://content.photojojo.com/tips/legal-rights-of-photographers/
http://www.axholmecameraclub.co.uk/page10/page10.html
http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/galleries/best-photographer-websites/
