THE GREY AREA
My Definition The Grey Area: The middle ground between reality and fiction. A more detailed explanation of the Grey Area would be information that is unclear, unexplained or unknown. This uncertainty is what I call the Grey Area as its not simply black or white but instead is this unclear middle ground that is up for interpretation. This is what I mean when I say its the middle ground between reality and fiction as it is not confirmed to be real or fake.
My Definition Documentary Photography: A set of photos that have been put in chronological order to showcase an event.
Why do photographs appear to be reliable forms of evidence?
This is because photographs are a still shot of time that you can view and analyse.
Why might photographs be unreliable?
They can be unreliable because people are able to edit photos to change what really occurred during the time. Also, photos can be staged to make an event seem like it occurred. This means that photographs present us with the illusion of reality. However, they are extremely artificial and cannot be fully trusted.
Why might contemporary photographers/artists be suspicious about the reliability of photographic images? Can you think of some examples of photographs that appear to be factual/truthful but, on closer inspection, prove to be unreliable in some way?
Photographers and artists may be suspicious about the reliability of photographic images because they are aware that photographs can be changed easily through the use of Photoshop or other photo editing programs. There are a lot of unreliable photographs have been manipulated to appear as the truth. For example, photos posted by the media, magazine covers and photos taken for advertisements. Photographs have been manipulated to convey a certain idea and convince others of something far from the truth.
My Definition Documentary Photography: A set of photos that have been put in chronological order to showcase an event.
Why do photographs appear to be reliable forms of evidence?
This is because photographs are a still shot of time that you can view and analyse.
Why might photographs be unreliable?
They can be unreliable because people are able to edit photos to change what really occurred during the time. Also, photos can be staged to make an event seem like it occurred. This means that photographs present us with the illusion of reality. However, they are extremely artificial and cannot be fully trusted.
Why might contemporary photographers/artists be suspicious about the reliability of photographic images? Can you think of some examples of photographs that appear to be factual/truthful but, on closer inspection, prove to be unreliable in some way?
Photographers and artists may be suspicious about the reliability of photographic images because they are aware that photographs can be changed easily through the use of Photoshop or other photo editing programs. There are a lot of unreliable photographs have been manipulated to appear as the truth. For example, photos posted by the media, magazine covers and photos taken for advertisements. Photographs have been manipulated to convey a certain idea and convince others of something far from the truth.
JACK LATHAM-Sugar Paper Theories & Parliament of Owls
Jack Latham is a photographer who likes telling complex stories through original imagery. He is interested in retelling stories from the past and captures events through documentary style photography. He focuses on the grey area between fact and fiction when he retells a story. He uses photographs for a visual image of what could of occurred during these events and he uses text to explore the event in greater detail.
"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there" - L. P. Hartley
I feel like this quote sums up the nature of Jack Latham's work as it refers to the past as a "foreign country" suggesting that the past is puzzling and complicated. This relates to how Jack sees the past and how he admits that his photos which are attempting to recreate the past are complicated since they hover between fact and fiction which Jack refers to as the Grey area. This shows that Jack recognizes that you will never be able to reach the truth behind the event that took place in the photo.
"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there" - L. P. Hartley
I feel like this quote sums up the nature of Jack Latham's work as it refers to the past as a "foreign country" suggesting that the past is puzzling and complicated. This relates to how Jack sees the past and how he admits that his photos which are attempting to recreate the past are complicated since they hover between fact and fiction which Jack refers to as the Grey area. This shows that Jack recognizes that you will never be able to reach the truth behind the event that took place in the photo.
This is a photo from Sugar Paper Theories which shows a dead man on the ground near an abandoned vehicle. This style of photo is considered Panoramic Photography as its a long-range shot which shows the location of crime scene and also showcases the landscape. This photo has been taken in black and white to give it a serious tone since its capturing a crime scene. When I look at this photo the first thing that captures my attention is the anonymous man that is lying on the ground since he is in the centre of the photo and is also the darkest aspect of the photo. The next thing that captures my attention is the car since its right next to the man and due to its license plate it easily catches my eye since its made of letters and numbers. Lastly, my eyes come to a rest at the boats as they are taking up a quarter of the photo and also because they make me wonder why the photographer has decided to keep the boats in the back and how they relate to the crime scene. The lighting in the photograph is very bright due to its high exposure and also because the photographer has decided to keep it in black and white. The photographer has decided to keep the man in the foreground since its meant to be the focus of the photograph. In the middleground there is a car since its the second most relevant piece to the crime scene. Lastly, the photographer has decided to keep the boats in the background to amplify their importance to the crime scene. The image is intriguing to me because I can imagine what had occurred during this event. My favourite detail of this photo is the ships in the back since i feel like they add a whole new element to the story that is trying to be told.
Silent Spectator (2019)
This is some class work we did where the aim was to create a sequence that told a story. I named my story "Silent Spectator" because I envisioned an individual exploring a new building for the first time. The most challenging part of this task was to decide what photos to take that clearly told my story. I made the photos black and white to amplify the idea that the individual is moving around silently whilst also making them pose in a stealthy manner. I decided to keep two photos of the man viewing the scenery to portray him as a spectator. My favourite part of this sequence is how the fourth photo is below the room so it makes it seem like he is walking up towards the room. I learnt that props are important when telling a story and I plan on using more props in future projects.
Shoot Intention - Peculiar Park
For this shoot I intended on visiting a playground with some of my classmates to capture the unusual activities that occur in parks. I focused on the theme of isolation crime and nostalgia since I believed I had lots of ideas of how to reflect these themes through my photos. For my first set of photos I visited the kids playground to capture photos that could convey a sense of nostalgia. I did this by wondering around the playground as if I am reliving the past. Lastly, I plan on combining all my shots together to reflect how all my memories of the park are rushing through my mind simultaneously. The next three images are related to crimes such as invasion of privacy, gang-related offenses and robbery. I decided that I wanted to work with shadows for one of my photos so I captured a potential robbery through shadows. Lastly, I wanted to represent isolation and how different people cope with it. On one side of the image there is someone who is feeling down due to the feeling of isolation, on the other hand, the other individual is standing proud by themselves. This contrast of attitudes is fascinating to me which is why I was interested in representing it through my photographs.
Photo Shoot - Peculiar Park
Untamed Overlooker (2019)
Refashioned Past (2019)
Outsiders (2019)
Conflict (2019)
Parallel (2019)
Photo Shoot - A day out
For this shoot I focused on landscape since I am interested in taking wide shots. These photos will relate to the Grey Area project since I didn't enter the building for a lot of these photos which adds a layer of mystery and its unclear what is inside a lot of these buildings. For this shoot I wanted to make sure that I was withholding information so that the viewer would question "what is inside there?" and this untold information is the Grey Area in my photos. These photos were taken using my phone camera since its the only camera I own and I feel like it captured the landscape well. I decided to add my own spin on the expectations of a landscape photo in different ways. For example, some of my photos avoid showing the sky which is usually a key part of landscape photos, however, I wanted certain photos to feel claustrophobic and tight. For other photos I decided to obstruct the landscape by placing either people, trees or railing in front of the scenery to keep some of it concealed and unknown which would create another grey area. Lastly, I decided to capture corridors, streets and pathways in a way in which you would not be able to see the end to make it so that my photos are partly undiscovered and inconclusive which is how those photos have their own grey area. I wanted to capture the scenery around me whilst also photographing anything that stood out. My favorite part of this shoot was finding the highest point in the park and capturing photos of the city in the distance. I felt like I was able to capture what I wanted to and I am satisfied with the outcome of my photos. To improve for next time I feel like I should focus more on taking photos that include props since a few of my photos are just of the empty park which are not as interesting as they could be.
Motionless Figure (2019)
Location (2019)
Infant (2019)
Isolated by Society (2019)
Aaron Schuman - Slant
Ticket to the Abyss
The Process-Ticket to the abyss
For my exhibition I wanted to create an accordion book to show off my sequence of photos. Firstly, I went out and bought some Matte Paper to use when printing all my photos. When I was preparing to print my photos I used Microsoft Word to position my images on the page and then started to print. The next stage was to cut them to size using a trimmer so that the pages would all be the same size. Finally, I stuck all the pages together and formed my accordion book.
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My Exhibition-Ticket to the abyss
For my exhibition I decided to hang my accordion book on the ledge of a window so that the viewers would be able to see all the pages at once. To set this display up I needed to use string to hang up my book and tape to hold the string in place. I also decided to use clips to hold onto the book since I wanted it to look like an investigation that is still being researched.
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My sequence of photos
This is a photo shoot that I took from New cross gate to Norwood Junction. I named this shoot "One-way Ticket" because my intention behind this sequence of photos is to tell a story about a 14 year old boy who took a one-way journey to London and never returned. I found this story fascinating because of how its unknown what had occurred during the journey and what happened after he got off the train. This story relates to the grey area because wherever he ended up is a mystery and that is what the grey area is in this puzzling event. This event allows you to assume what had occurred that day but there is no way for you to confirm that your theory is correct. A friend of mine took the role of the 14 year old boy in my sequence of photos which made the photo shoot more enjoyable because I wasn't by myself when I took the shoot. I am satisfied with the outcome of the shoot because it showcases the event clearly but also managed to keep parts of the story unknown and up for interpretation by the viewer.
Artist-Morgan Ashcom
What the Living Carry
Morgan Ashcom has created a set of photos called "What the Living Carry" which unveils a fictional town called Hoys Fork which is made of a collection of different locations that have similar aesthetics. His intentions for creating his sequence of photos is for them to resemble small towns in the United States. I really like how all the photos have certain features that links them all together since it makes the location seem more authentic.
Morgan Ashcom has created a set of photos called "What the Living Carry" which unveils a fictional town called Hoys Fork which is made of a collection of different locations that have similar aesthetics. His intentions for creating his sequence of photos is for them to resemble small towns in the United States. I really like how all the photos have certain features that links them all together since it makes the location seem more authentic.
One thing I really like that Morgan has done is create a map of the location since I feel it creates a sense of authenticity because it allows the viewer to picture the location as a whole. I plan to make a response to Morgans work by creating my own imaginary location which will include photos taken from different places which fit a similar aesthetic.
My 'What The Living Carry' Project: Lanercoast
The intention behind this photo shoot was to create a sequence of photos that would be used to showcase a made-up location which I call Lanercoast. This shoot was taken in Northern Ireland over my break, I had focused on visiting multiple small towns so that my sequence of photos would flow better since a lot of the houses had similar appearances. I feel like I was successful in creating an imaginary place through my photos since there are recurring features throughout my sequence. To improve for next time I could add photos from a larger variety of locations to make my imaginary place seem more unique.
The Grey Area - Trip To Bristol (Jack Latham and Tony-Ray Johnson Exhibitions)
Me and my class took a trip to Bristol to visit Jack Latham's Sugar Paper Theories exhibition and Tony Ray-Jones' The English Seen exhibition and also to take multiple photos using a list of instructions.
My Thoughts on Jack Latham's Sugar Paper Theories Exhibition
I really enjoyed this exhibition because of how it was set up using spotlights and a dark room which created an ominous and tense atmosphere. I like how each photo had a spotlight above it because it conveyed an idea that a interrogation is taking place and that the photo is the key part in telling the true story. To enter the room we had to open these heavy doors which suggests that we are viewing private information that the public should be unaware of. Overall, I really enjoyed the exhibition since it made the photos seem a lot more purposeful then when I had originally viewed them online, I feel this way due to the lighting setup and the overall layout of the room.
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My exhibition - Alienation
For my exhibition I wanted to focus on the theme of Alienation in an urban environment because I felt like I could reflect this accurately through my photos. For this to work I needed to find a suitable location to take my photos, I decided that I would visit Canopy Market because there were lots of neon lights that I could use for lighting in my photos. To reflect Alienation in my photos I wanted to isolate the individual in all my photos to represent what it means to be alienated. Whilst taking my photos I decided that I wanted all my photos to be lighted by artificial light to highlight that these photos were taken in an urban environment. I made this possible by taking my photos late in the day so that there wasn't any natural light left. When I finished taking my photos I went into Photoshop and Lightroom to make some slight adjustments.
Original Photo
I adjusted the image by making the photo black and white
Next I added a green overlay to change the colour of the photo
Lastly, I added a tilt-shift blur effect on the bottom and top of the image to make it easier to focus on the individual
Original Photo
Firstly. I started by editing the photo in lightroom to make some of the colours more vibrant.
Next, I started removing unnecessary lights in the background using the brush tool.
Lastly, I removed the white flair in the corner of my image using the brush tool.
Original Photo
I increased the saturation of the image to make the colours more vibrant
Lastly, I increased the brightness of the image to make it more clear.
My Final Set of Photos
My Exhibition Layout
Documentary and Storytelling by David Bate
- Documentary Photography gave the idea a new life and social purpose.
- Individuals would document whatever they wish, even without the need for press.
- 1930s aim of documentary was not only to record and document but also to enlighten and creatively educate.
- Documentary Photography developed into documentary films, being shown as government "news reels" before feature films. However they would also be positive unless its about the enemy.
- Creative art of page layout was not in the hands of the photographer, in turn changing the individual meaning of each photo.
- Auteur Photography gave specific individuals the power to claim their own work and have their own style.
- The advancements of technology caused a spontaneous reaction involving the production and consumption of photography and cinema.
- Still and moving photography began a new world for democracy driven by common people, by having a growing sense of political and ideological urgency after the First World War.
- The documentary movement highlighted ambitions for people driven by the demand for a new reality, and a recognition that what ordinary people did in their lives mattered.
- People believed that mass media communication would lead to a better world, that information would lead to better education and then creating a social good.
The Photograph As Document by Stephen Bull
- Photographs does not only capture moments of time, but moments of truth (eg. Surveillance)
- Photography was perceived as the ideal tool as evidence due to its perceived indexicality.
- Some individuals, this style of photography can be perceived as a metaphor for the dominant metaphor for identity in the 21st century.
- Documentary photography can be used for a form of journalism, recording events of history and problems of society such as child and immigrant labour.
- Documentary photography derives from film making and the term of a film having "documentary value"
- The government capitalised on documentary photographers to photography social issues to raise awareness of them.
- Many photographers broke away from newspapers and magazine agencies and started to seek independence and freedom, becoming freelance photographers.
- Photobooks were becoming more popular as subjective views in photography were beginning to be recognised.
- Honourable documentary photography was a form of image making where photographers show concern for their subjects while also simultaneously expressing their own talents and gifts as photographers.
- Documentary photography in newspapers and magazines soon fell out of popularity as advancements in technology reached TV broadcasting, so for example, war journalism was no longer needed as the news was quicker and easier to communicate to the general public via TV broadcasting.