Professional Practice. The Module.

Refection & Evaluation

Initially I was taken aback by this project. I over complicated the assignment, by over thinking the requirements and learning objectives. When really the module itself is a learning process which your simply documenting at each stage. And once I had finally grasped this concept I started to enjoy the assignment.

I found the visiting lecturers the most beneficial aspect of the module, due to my dyslexia I loose concentration quickly and struggle with my short term memory. Therefore typical lectures, I struggle to stay focused due to the heaviness of the legalities. Whereas the visiting lecturers are all very different and tend to talk about their experiences and individual practices which I found particularly interesting and inspiring. In a sense we are getting free advice, and a step by step into the industry.

My favourite guest’s speaker, were in fact two fine art photographers, who spoke at the Annual Visual Culture Symposium in London; Emma Critchley and Clarisse d’Arcimoles. I had initially intended to practice Documentary and Photojournalism, as a postgraduate, however these artists have opened my eyes to a whole other field I could practice. But in particular Critchley, her creativity and passion eluded from her work, which enthralled me, she was inspiring to say the least.

I have gained considerable knowledge of the industry which I was unaware of prior to the assignment. The importance of copyright; the ownership and control of ones images. Insurance measures which have to be taken into consideration when on a shoot such as, model and building releases. As well as risk assessments which require all types of health and safety assessments.

The importance of self promotion and advertising, in this day and age, with the development of the internet and technology it is easy to connect, network and promote. My next challenge is creating an online portfolio to display my most current work.

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Reflection on the Interview

It was a staggered experience attempting to get an interview together and created. Initially the interview was intended to be done in person before Christmas last year. But due two hectic schedules on my behalf and Andrews we were unable to make a date.

Post the Christmas holidays, I emailed Andrew again to re-establish contact and get the ball rolling for a meeting. However, Andrew has been extremely busy and suggested a phone call. I wasn’t particularly keen on a phone call, due to the fact I wouldn’t be able to write down quick enough for when Andrew answered. And recording the conversation would have been hard. So in the end i suggested I sent Andrew various questions via email.

I wasn’t expected such elaborate answers, so I am really chuffed with Andrews response; giving me a further insight into his background. Informing me of current projects as well as giving me advice.

The overall experience was really beneficial, and it was really accessible. Being able to talk to and converse with a professional was so easily done. And as a student this is an experience that I have gained so much from. I will hopefully stay in contact with Andrew and in the near future will hopefully have new work of his to post.

Thank you so much Andrew for you time and patience.

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Andrews site:

Home

 

Interview with Andrew Nadolski

How did you initially get into Photography?

When I was at school I started to get interested in photography but it was in a very amateur way. After doing my A Levels I went to the local college to do a Foundation Course (before going on to do my degree). I used the darkrooms a little but didn’t really look at photography as a serious option then. I was determined to do a degree in graphic design.

Are you a self taught photographer or having you studied a photography/art course?

I went to Exeter College of Art (now part of Plymouth University) to do a degree in graphic design. I actually picked it because it was the furthest South West I could go and do a degree and I even didn’t look at the course structure beforehand. The course was a general first year and then you were expected to specialise in either straight typography, illustration or photography within a graphics ‘umbrella’. Because we had to do a number of photography projects in the first year I started to get more interested in a level beyond that of an amateur. By the end of the first year I was really interested in specialising in photography but I wanted to still keep a good level of design work alongside it. This ended up standing me in good stead afterwards and shaped how I work to this day. Importantly for me the lecturers both full-time, part-time and visiting were very interested in ‘art’ photography and stressed the importance of doing your own work as well as getting more commercial commissions.

What are your main highlights, working as a photographer?

I think the highlights for me are mostly to do with my personal work. Having exhibitions and knowing thousands of people have seen my work is nice but ultimately my personal work derives from me photographing what I am interested in and things I have something to say about. It is very rewarding to find a way of expressing yourself even if no one else sees the work – that fact that they do is a plus. On a commercial side it is very nice to be paid for being creative.

Who has been/is your biggest influence and inspiration throughout your photographic career?

There are lots of photographers whose work I really like but I don’t think they have directly influenced my work. I have tried to ‘find my own voice’ as the cliche goes. It is harder to say just how much I have been influenced sub-consciously because any time we are looking at other people’s work something must remain. I have never gone out trying to be like someone else – it doesn’t work, certainly not in an ‘art’ sense. I do get inspiration from listening to music and some writers really strike a chord with me but that is often when you are trying to tap into an emotion.

Some photographers live and work by a particular philosophy or saying (e.g the ‘decisive moment’) Do you have a favorite saying or quote you find inspiring?

Not in the sense I think you are asking about. I am a big fan of Frank Zappa. He spent his whole working life writing and performing music that to some degree his fans wanted to hear and then spent piles of his own money hiring full professional orchestras to play his personal work. One writer claimed he was going to write a complex book linking all of Zappa’s music together. Frank told him that unless he could understand what every raised eyebrow meant during any live performance then he would never be able to fully understand what was going on in his (Zappa’s) head let alone write a dissertation on it. I suppose what I draw from that is the recognition that with my personal work I am weaving elements of who I am, what I have experienced into any landscape I photograph.

When you came to College, you spoke about your End of the Land project, do you have any current projects your working on currently?

I do. I am trying to find time to pull together all my landscape / documentary pictures of the beaches of Newquay together into a book. I need to weave into the story of my Father’s experiences as a wartime refugee, so it’s a story of sand castles and Josef Stalin amongst others.

I have also picked up on a project I did some preliminary work on years ago of a small area of Dartmoor. I have found a way of picking up ‘the story’ that has been bubbling away in my thoughts for years.

As you have mentioned before you work both as a commercial photographer as well as a fine art photographer, do you find it hard to prioritise? Or do you keep to one project at a time?

Unfortunately commercial work has to come first. It is a constant frustration of anyone who has to balance those aspects. I am determined this year to find away of freeing up more time for my own work. I am ready for a bit of a change and have got more and more interested in teaching in some capacity and there are a couple of things on the horizon.

Do you have an advice for a young aspiring photographer such as myself, who’s looking into becoming a professional photographer?

Work harder than anyone else around you. Be more dedicated, more determined and don’t give up. One of the most important, and gruel, things you need to learn are that on-one owes you anything. There are people who will ‘give you a break’ but they are only going to do it if they think you are worth it. How you present yourself is crucial. If someone does offer you anything work hard to ensure it exceeds their expectations. They will then tell other people about you, that’s how it works.

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Nocturne 1 | 2011 | Andrew Nadolski

Emma Critchley Reply

I got a keep reply from Emma Critchley this morning, she was kind enough to respond to my email. But is overly busy at the moment to answer any individual questions, but she did leave me a few links, to various online articles with Q&A sessions.

http://emmacritchley.wordpress.com/category/press/

Look for these sections in particurlar: SiouxWire / Photomonitor / Guardian G2 / Foam International

http://www.thefrontview.co.uk/View/Interview.html

http://www.troikaeditions.co.uk/artists/emma-critchley

I appreciate the time Critchley took to email me back. I have had a look on the links and all give an insight into her practice and wanted got her so interested in underwater photography to begin with.

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Aims|Objectives|Career Aspirations

Over the past few months, since starting my BA, I have contemplated about what area of the industry of wanted to specialize in when I graduate. But as I was looking so far into the future, I forgot to concentrate on the present as I undergo my studies.

My primary aims are to work as hard as possible to achieve the best possible grades, in order to improve my skills and creativity as a photographer, as well as developing my professional practice and understanding of the photographic industry. I hope that my hard work pays off, and is reflected in my grades. And hopefully I will graduate with full honors.

After seeing and hearing from an array of professional photographers specializing in a variety of photographic fields. I really hope to go onto study for a post graduate course, and study for an MA, preferably in London. Then to primarily get a job working within the photography industry.

I really hope to maintain a career working as a fine art photographer, but of course I am fully aware that it is particularly hard to support yourself primarily on a creative income. Working as a freelancer or commercial photographer as well as a fine art photographer.

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Obscurity No.1 | 2011 | Mary- Anne Walker

Obscurity No.2 | 2011 | Mary-Anne Walker

Linkedin

As this module (Professional Practice) draws to a close, I thought it was time I created an online portfolio. To establish some sort of online presence. I used to have a Facebook photography page, but I felt to be acknowledged as a professional photographer, so I deleted the page in order to create a more professional webpage and current online portfolio. Throughout this module I have come to realise a lot of my portfolio is not up to par I feel to advertise or promote myself as a professional photographer.

Therefore my first step is creating a LinkedIn profile, I have only just created it. But here is a link if you want to connect with me.

http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/mary-anne-walker/8b/25a/8b8

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Tony Cobley

Today we had an ex Plymouth College of Art student now professional commercial photographer Tony Cobley come in and talk about his background and current practice and the process/progress that took place to get him to where he is. Cobley graduated back in 2008, he now mainly operates in the South West, living just outside Plymouth city.

Cobley has been interested in photography from a young age, describing his interest as ‘happy hobby photography’, he enjoyed the idea of capturing different scenes. But for a large part of his early career, Cobley didn’t practice photography. It was due to a back problems which led Cobley to making a huge change in his career, this is where he decided to go back to college and study for a full honors degree as a mature student. In the same month that Cobley started his degree he also started his business; it was at this time in 2005 where he vowed that photography would be his only form of income, he was fully commited.

During the talk today Cobley highlighted on many occasions the importance of formal training, and that many people pick up a camera and automatically promote themselves as a photographer. But Cobley, made apparent the significance of study, and the understanding of how a camera and industry works.

While studying at Plymouth College of Art, Cobley underwent many projects, continually experimenting and exploring various avenues in which he could create work and work within. Initially Cobley found himself drawn to landscape photography, enjoying the natural shapes and forms of the English scenery, working on medium format, which created elegant transparency in his imagery which Cobley enjoyed producing. Cobley relished this technique of working, so decided to apply the same technique but changed subject matter. Being fascinated by the seaside and coastal areas, this is where he found himself primarily working. At the time Cobley was highly influenced by Martin Parr, Cobley explains, that this influence is visually reflected in his work.

Cobley found himself working quite comfortably on the coastline, he experimented with various methods of working, taking on a very documentary approach, producing beautiful black and white images, which depicted very picturesque street scenes. This allowed him to establish a very traditional, modernist stylistic, resulting in very elegantly timeless seaside front images. Once Cobley had pursued this path, he found himself wanting to create more post-modernist images, using colour, depicting imagery of decay, ‘punchy’, ‘tacky’ seaside fronts. Cobley ironically found out, that once you go looking for a shot, is that, that shot never appears. He found patience was a much needed attribute while shooting, as most of the time he found himself waiting around for sparks to happen to create that all important shot.

Throughout his talk Cobley emphasized the importance of experimentation, while at college, due to the facilities and equipment available. During his final year at the college, Cobley worked primarily on large format, using 5×4 inch film. Strongly recommending that we as students try as much as possible and seize all opportunities and then gravitate what works for you. Work based learning is a concept Cobley promotes; work experiences, assissiting already established photographers. While studying Cobley both worked for a and volunteered for numerous companies and photographers. Working commercially for Trevor Burrows, portraiture assisting Venture and location photography for SW Screen. As well as starting his personal business promoting himself as a freelance photographer.

These are a few of the areas in which Cobley works within:

• Food and Drink
• Corporate Portraits/Lawyers/Boardrooms
• Medical/Scientific
• Industrial/Technical
• Lesiure and Tourism
• Education
• National Trust
• Environmental Product
• Architecture/Interiors/Exteriors
• Health and Well being
• Events/PR
• Stock/Landscape

Examples of Commercial Clients:

-Occasionally via agencies

• National Trust
• Toshiba
• Lexus
• Royal Marines
• Devon Air Ambulance
• Asda

Working as a commercial photographer, has many restrictions and you are constantly working to a client brief, so vary rarely is there ever any artist licence to contribute. Cobley made apparent the importance of keeping your passion alive by having personal projects which are entirely your own, it allows you to still keep a sense of enjoyment and pleasure.  Cobley’s has an array of on going personal projects which he is ever expanding, these range from ‘Structures in the Landscape’; concentrating on shapes and forms, the idea of man-made in wild places. ‘The Pony Project’, Cobley lives just on the outskirts of Dartmoor, thus frequently photographing and documenting the landscape, and its contents; describing these images as ‘not typically equine’. Cobley also is undergoing a project of photographing Union Street in Plymouth city center; interested in textures, colours, alluring archaic aspects. Depicting gritty back street views of decay and deterioration. And finally due to Cobleys health issues with his back, having an operation which put him out of practice for a short while, but in that short while he found himself drawn to the sky and the idea of looking up at the clouds capturing the strange shapes and obscure forms which consumed the world above.

I thoroughly enjoyed today’s talk, it was refreshing to hear from a photography, who supports himself entirely from his photographic career, and the idea of it is possible, is a reassuring one. I think a positive from today is that you shouldn’t ever give up, and that working hard is just the start of it. You have to put yourself out there in order for opportunities to arise and be created.

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A few of my favourite images of his:

Black and White Documentary.

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A few of Tony Cobleys sites:

Home

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tony-Cobley-Photography/318793731621

Tweets by TonyCobleyPhoto

http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-cobley/13/b32/751

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Hockney On Photography

The Warhol film led me to watching this documentary on David Hockney. The artist and photographer offers an insight into his creative process, revealing the techniques and inspiration behind the innovate works such as Pearblossom Highway.The interviews in this documentary were conducted before the publication of Hockney’s book ‘Secret Knowledge’, which is an examination of the use, by artists, of optical instruments in the history of western art.

‘Its all about now’ – Hockney on Photography and other matters.

The camera is older than Photography, Photography is only the chemical in invention of how to put the image on a flat surface, had been used by painters before. The camera wasn’t born in the 19th century only the chemical process.

This documentary was an interesting one, the constant yo-yo of photography being Hockney’s hot and cold. Taking from it when he wants, fighting against it when he finds the medium limiting. Hockey explored and experimented with various methods and techniques within the photographic field. He explains he ‘didn’t care whether it was considered and art form or not’. Hockney found through experimentation that he made his very own personal discoveries.

Photography crosses a boarder, becoming a collage, using his photographic images which contained the condition’s of paintings. Hockney didn’t something different, he drew no similarities to that of Bresson. Hockney was primarily a painter who took series of images with a camera and rearranged them on a flat surface. It  was an innovative idea.

Hockney’s indecisiveness was something that has stayed with him throughout his creative career. Known for his continuous contradictions. Its interesting to watch and listen about the way he describes his work, during the documentary he appears so passionate about his photographic, particularly his Polaroid project.

What Hockney was trying to achieve was the idea of being able to read the image from various angles and an array of ways. The images is not intended to confuse the eye, but make you aware of the various realities within the images as whole. He enjoyed the concept of creating a sense of time and giving the image time in a unique way.  In order to create these Polaroid images Hockney need a single lens reflex, to allow him to construct the image entirely. This was initially called ‘drawing with a camera’. Hockney also favored large format shooting on 10×8 film, he explains that ‘stepping back allowed you to reveal more’.

Hockney describes photographs as artifices, not documents. This idea led him to other areas of interest, and allowing him to experiment with the view of what a camera can do. Whats clearly evident in many of Hockney’s most iconic images is the fight against a single point perspective. Wanted people to be able to see an object from all sides simultaneously creating exceptional graphics, which allows the reader to read the images effortlessly.

Cubism is another ‘genre’ that Hockey is quite known for, although typically cubism refers to the idea that only particular sections of a single image are visions of reality. However Hockney completely disregards this notion, and for him cubism allows him to focus on the entirety of realities of the image as a whole really showing reality in a more vivid way.

Playing with reverse perspective, and playing with different ways of representing space. Hockney was a huge fan of Vincent Van Gogh. His most favored image was ‘The chair’.

Hockney paid homage to this particular piece:

Taking photographs began to obsess him

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Started experimenting with 35mm and compact cameras. Fascinated with space, an entirely new way of working, as you don’t see the images as you photograph. Working from a memory working in this way allowed him to sharpen his visual memory. This then led onto his interest in the Grand Canyon, and showing its grandeur.

Hockney also emulated this collage methodology, with an observation of The Grand Canyon. Printing on 11×17 paper. Letting the camera act as your eye. Attempting to show movement. Beauty in the process of seeing.

Using 35mm film.

Hockney felt as though he needed to create this image again, but through painting.

 Timeless | Pigment to canvas| Multiple dimensions

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Overall the documentary was interesting to hear firsthand Hockey’s opinion’s and philosophies. He enjoys this concept of telling stories and allowing narratives to unfold. Describing photography as an accessible medium for many, everybody loves to document and record there tales.

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Since the filming of this documentary, Hockney claims he has given up photography altogether.

Interview No.2

Since my London trip, and the Plymouth College of Art Annual Visual Culture Symposium, I cannot stop thinking about Emma Critchley and her underwater Photography. The day was such a blur and went so quickly I didn’t get a chance to speak to her in person and ask her some questions so I have emailed her today asking if she’d be willing to answer a few questions about her practice and what initially got her so interested in underwater photographer and if there was any other particular photographic area’s she enjoyed in her earlier career.

I realise the deadline for this assignment is in a couple days, but I think I would benefit anyway from reaching out, and speaking to more photographers. This assignment has made me realise how easy it nowadays to contact and talk to professionals. Even if I don’t get the interview in time for the deadline, I’ll still post the questions and answers. I have emailed a couple photographers now. And I have one interview in progress.

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Watch this space

Emma Critchley

‘Figures of Speech’

The Victoria and Albert Museum

The V&A is a museum that is always one you can visit and revisit. You can spend an entire day in there and still be left with more to see.  The building itself is beautiful, standing grand and tall, with a beautiful marble interior. The main reason for going to the V&A was too go behind the scenes, into the print rooms, where we could hold and manage original prints.

This was an experience I will never forget. You research and source photographers and artist continuously throughout your photographic career; these photographers influence and inspire you. So when you are privileged enough to handle original pieces of artists which you are in awe of, its simply breath taking.

In my most recent project, I was heavily influenced by Lee Friedlander, and as i was browsing through the archival boxes I stumbled across a Friedlander original print, it was a strange feeling which i cant quite describe. Its as though your star struck but you not actually meeting the star. A peer pointed out that its a strange sensation, knowing that a photographer you admire had handled the print that at the very moment was sat in your hands.

I took a few images from my time in the print room.

The group in the print room.

A few of my favourite prints

Untitled | Jananne Al Ani

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Have and Take | Robert Taylor

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Untitled 1983 | Richard Prince 

These were the three images that stood out to me. My photographs are not an accurate size guide, as all images were quite large. Which does alter the way in which you view and interpret an image altogether was an enjoyable one, and an insightful one.

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While at the museum, I took the time to visit two photographic exhibitions the first was ‘The History of Photography’ and ‘Making it Up: Photographic Fictions.

Making it Up: Photographic Fictions

Photography is widely associated with truthfulness yet it has also been employed throughout its history as a means of telling stories and evoking the imaginary.

This display includes photographs by some of the most influential contemporary artists working in this vein, such as Gregory Crewdson, Duane Michals and Cindy Sherman, alongside examples by 19th-century practitioners including Julia Margaret Cameron, Clementina Lady Hawarden and Oscar Gustav Rejlander.

A couple images from the exhibition:

Untiteled | May 1997 | Hannah Starkey

Tale telling: Three People Thinking the Same Thing II | Frances Kearney | 1998

Timeless: Cindy Sherman | Untitled #74 | 1980

In this small but alluring exhibition, truth is irrelevant and story-telling acted throughout.

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The History of Photography

The Photographs Gallery draws upon the V&A’s internationally renowned collection and chronicles the history of photography from the 1840s up to the present day.

In 1852, the V&A became the first museum to collect photographs and in 1858, the first to hold a photography exhibition. The Gallery showcases some of the most technically brilliant and artistically accomplished photographs in the history of the medium.

This re-hang of the permanent display shows works by key figures of photographic history and includes an insight into some of the V&A’s first staff photographers, such as Charles Thurston Thompson and Isabel Agnes Cowper. The display also showcases a number of exciting new acquisitions made through the generosity of the Photographs Acquisition Group, including work by Ori Gersht, Darren Harvey-Regan and Denis Brihat.

Jiving at the Long Bar | Southend – on -Sea | Kevin Lear

The View From my Window Atelier | 1950 | Josef Sudek

Former Texas Tenant Farmers Displayed by Power Farmer | 1938 | Dorethea Lange

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The main website:

http://www.vam.ac.uk/

The V&A flikr site:

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A few little V&A memento’s

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A couple shots from around the museum.

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