Overall, I am somebody who needs to break things down into smaller, more manageable chunks which I find much easier to process. I have identified that one area that needed improvement was producing images with correct exposure in-camera. I have been specifically focusing on this when shooting, taking advantage of bracketing and exposure compensation techniques and the addition of a variable ND filter as part of my equipment. Overall this has made my editing workflow much more efficient.
Additionally, I have gathered that I am a visual learner - taking this into the world of photography, it is clear that it will be much more beneficial for me to be hands on with a camera or editing technique etc. when I want to develop a skill further. This has given me a great bearing on the ways that I can enable myself to be the most productive and creative possible version of myself.
I have found that I need to ensure that I am able to establish a personal brand that will stand me apart from other photographers in my field. This could be done collaboratively with a graphic designer, for example. Building this brand would involve founding a consistent character and style that is synonymous with my portfolio, social media channels and other works. Doing this will give potential employers a reliable view at what they can expect from future work. This will limit the possibility that they end up disappointed with the outcomes that I produce for them.
Some things are a part of our character and will stay that way. However, I still feel that I have made huge progress in terms of getting closer to achieving my goals for the future, specifically those that relate to my potential future career path.
In its most basic form, I see this project as the synergy of two entities - the cultural, and obviously visual, landscape of Milton Keynes, in combination with Fortna's Business Principles. This is also the key challenge, being able to combine the two in a way which is clear and unconfusing. I feel that this will be particularly hard as the principles are extremely business based, whereas the defining features of Milton Keynes are cultural. Putting these two ideologies side by side will lead to a certain level of appropriation in the mixing of the two ideas.
As part of this project it is clear that I will have to undertake some research into ways that a case study/theme can be integrated in to a collection of photographs. Having a underlying message or feel will certainly be an area to cover, so research into the semiotics of an image will be insightful. A simple way to achieve some of this unity between images will be through the style of edit - I feel quite comfortable on being able to deliver this through my own skills at the present time.
One particular photographer that I feel inspired by and who's work I know will relate to this project strongly is Martin Parr. Martin is a British documentary photographer, photojournalist and photobook collector. He is known for his photographic projects that take an intimate, satirical and anthropological look at aspects of life. Looking for queues in his work will help me identify how I can visualise the cultural impact of people on Milton Keynes. [1] I believe my own work could greatly be improved upon, specifically in relation to this project - Using Parr as a reference I will be able to drag my work away from being heavily reliant on lines and shapes within the images. My work needs more emphasis on the human subject, especially for this project!
An example of Martin Parr's imagery.
Another influential photographer who's work I feel relates to this project is Vivian Maier's. Working as a nanny in New York City for over 40 years and pursuing photography in her spare time meant that Maier gained a huge archive of work based in one city. This sort of collection, allows the viewer to boil down her work into key photographic highlights of the city and the people in it. [2] In my own personal work I tend to look for the 'perfect' shot, which makes me hesitant when it comes to the number of images I take. Using Maier as a reference, I will make a concerted effort to be a little more carefree with my shooting habits, to ensure that I collect a wide variety of images. Sometimes the best images you take are the ones that you don't even think about. Hopefully this will give me more content to associate with this current project. In addition to Parr's work, Maier's gives me the motivation to include more people in my images.
An example of Vivian Maier's work.
When I compare both of the artists work together I feel like I relate more to Parr's. I think this because of his use of abstract subjects and eye catching colour. Maier's work is much older, hence the black and white film used. I would prefer to use colour in my images to highlight the vibrancy in Milton Keynes's culture and heritage. Additionally, the town hasn't been around for much more than 50 years, which I think lends itself to a more contemporary photographic documentation for this project. You could however argue that the black and white adds an element of timelessness to a set of images.
We have a trip planned for Barcelona during the time frame of this project. Although it is not specifically tailored to the photography students taking part in the course I believe it is great opportunity for me to experiment with taking photos of a city. In this case I think it will be important to attempt to capture more than just the famous landmarks, but the more cultural aspects that may be overlooked by the general tourist. Taking photographs in this street/travel style is something I genuinely enjoy and believe is a strength of mine.
This will directly translate to when I start looking at the famous and culturally important landmarks of Milton Keynes. Off of the top of my head these will be things like; Peace Pagoda, Concrete Cows, Bletchley Park, Xscape Building, Roundabouts etc. I believe it to be important that I cover things that clearly establish the scene as being in Milton Keynes, as people working at Fortna may not be from the area.
The next immediate task for me will be to create a project management plan that will enable me to plan the necessary tasks I need to complete during the project. This is particularly important to me as I struggle with time management. As I complete specific tasks I can check them off, giving me sense of achievement and thus more motivation to complete upcoming tasks.
References:
[1] Martinparr.com. (2019). Martin Parr. [online] Available at: https://www.martinparr.com/ [Accessed 13 Jun. 2018].
[2] En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Vivian Maier. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Maier [Accessed 13 Jun. 2018].