Body & Object

David Bromley

Body Mind Map

Body Concept
My idea for Body is going to be about How the High-Street has been affected by the recent Economic Climate like the Initial Economic Downturn in 2008 and more recently the double dip recession of 2011/12. I want to focus on the small independent Shops as opposed to Big Chained Shops because I am interested how the current economic climate has effected the individual rather than the many which gives the issue a more personal insight. I am going to be asking questions to the owners of three independent shops in Rochester High-street to gain some knowledge of the economics of the local area.

Artist Research
John Thomson

This series by Thomson was to document the different Races of Humans in places that had never been seen before these photographs were taken. I like the simplicity of the photographs because of the neutral white background used. I admire the neutral expressions on the subjects faces because it makes the documentation seem more truthful and accurate. Thomson is relevant to my project because of the use of the gaze and facial gestures used by the subject.

Artist Research
John Delaney

In this series "Hoboken Passing" explores the survivors of a neighbourhood in transition. Delaney documents owners and workers of traditional family owned "Ma and Pa" shops. This traditional way of life and trade in recent years has been sadly disappearing from the streets of, New Jersey due to the changing economy and being replaced by national chained stores. From this series I get a rich sense of history and culture because of the rich textures and colours used. Also I really like the use of studio lighting in the series because I feel it highlights the urgency of this dying way of life and trade. Delaney is relevant to my project because of the context behind this series. The important element I have learnt from this series is the use of the environment with the subject.

Artist Research
Kate Peters

In this Series called The Ridley Road Portrait Project by Kate Peters. She Photographs Tradespeople in Ridley Road Market, Hackney. Peters celebrates the diversity and Multiculturalism in 21st century London. With her photographs she tries to create a lasting documentation of the Market through her Portraiture in wake of the dying high-street small traders and traditional markets disappearing in favour of chained stores and Supermarkets. The viewer's eye is immediately drawn to choice of using props because the colours of the props stands out from the neutral backdrop and the clothing worn by the subjects. I think the use of props adds a deceiving element to the photographs because without reading the story that is provided below the image a stereotypical assumption is made without looking into the context behind the images. Peters is relevant to my project because she is influential to my Studio Portrait task because of the context behind her work. The important element I have learnt from her work is the use of props.

Contextual Research
December 2011: Mary Portas commissioned by David Cameron to review the future of our High streets- The Portas Review: http://www.maryportas.com/news/2011/12/12/my-28recommendations/ Articles: High Street retailers: Who has been hit hardest?: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13977255 Rochester High Street: Vacancy Rate: 7%: http://www.visitmedway.org/

Task 1 Test Shots

These are my first attempts at the Neutral Portraits for Task 1 the negatives were quite underexposed which explains the really grey tones in the photographic prints that are shown here. Shutter Speed: 1/60 Aperture: F 2.8. To improve I need to meter my subject correctly to get a better exposed negative.

Task 2 Test Shoot

This is my First attempt at the Environmental Portrait for task 2. I am happy with the result but the image is very slightly underexposed and the eyes are a little out of focus. I think I need to practise more with my focusing and exposure to get a better result. Shutter Speed: 1/250 Aperture: F 2.0

Task 3 Test Shoot

These are my first attempts at the Studio Portrait for Task 3. I am pleased with the results because of the tonal range in the images and the even lighting. However, I need to address the issue of the frame e.g. the polyboard being in shot. Shutter Speed: 1/250 Aperture: F11

Final Contact Sheet Task 1

Final Contact Sheet Task 2

Final Contact Sheets Task 3

Final Prints Task 1

Joanna, Owner of Kiss the Bride I wanted to print these images because of the gaze of the subject

Kiss the Bride

Interview Questions
How long has the shop been here? "We have been here for 7 years" How has the current Economic Climate affected business? "Last year 2011 was our best year, but this year it hasn't been great because women are turning to on line dress retailers for cheaper prices"

Final Print Task 2

The Reason I wanted to print this image was because of the subjects gaze and the posture (resting her hands on the counter)

I like the shallow depth of field in this image because it focuses the attention to the subject

Michelle, works at Morley's Bakery for 17 years

Morleys Bakery

Interview Questions
How long has the shop been here? The Bakery has been here for over 70 years How has the Current economic climate affected business? At the moment things are ticking over and we are doing ok but It could be better

Final Print Task 3

I wanted to print this image because of the subjects gaze and the way she is handling the flower

Linda, Owner of Sweetpea & Olive Florists

Studio Layout

Sweetpea & Olive Florists

Interview Questions
How long has the shop been here? I have owned the lease on the shop for nearly 6 years but there has been a florist shop here for over 40 years How has the Current economic climate affected business? Business has been difficult over the last 4 years due to the recession, people losing their jobs plus rising fuel and utilities costs. We also face major difficulties in the floristry industry as we struggle to compete with the major supermarkets who often sell flowers at below the prices we have to buy them in at

Evaluation
In this project I have been investigating the economics of the High-street and the effect the recent economic climate on the high-street and small business owners in a small city such as Rochester. I think this project has made more self-confident about working with strangers. In terms of my understanding of my issues relating to my project I think I have a good understanding of the context of my idea. In terms of my research I think I have found artists that relate well with my idea and final prints because they have similar meanings to my idea and the meanings behind my final prints such as Kate Peters, John Delaney and John Thomson. In terms of my Final Prints I am satisfied with them because Task 1 was underexposed and Task 3 I ended up with a white background instead of a grey this was due to not underexposing the flash on the background. I think the aspect I need to address within the project is Task 1 because the negatives are very thin and it was somewhat of a challenge to print. To improve this I need to practise working with Low Indoor lighting. To improve this project I need to do more test shooting with a digital camera so that I have more images to work from to improve my development of the project. I think in future I need to take more care when handling my negatives because they have scratches and dust on them which cant be removed.

Object Mind Map

Object Concept
My Idea for Object Is going to be about how the Courts System in this Country is time inefficient because of lengthy court cases, appeals and people being processed through the courts system. I wanted to chose this as my idea because I and my family have had personal experiences with the UK legal and courts system.

Artist Research
Salvador Dali

In these series of paintings Time is the obvious theme which Dali represents through the use of Surrealism. The clocks which he paints gives of a twisted theme of real and dreamlike because of the cliffs in the background and the melting clocks. I really admire the detail in the clocks and the atmosphere of hallucinations in the image.

Artist Research
Todd McClellan

In the series "Disassembly" McClellan disassembles Small Old Technology such as Clocks, Cameras, Typewriters and Recording equipment piece by pieces and lays the pieces on a flat white surface to be photographed. The way the pieces are arrange has a very uniform feeling because of the way the pieces are group. I really like that you can see the very intimate detail of the pieces because you see what the object is made up of. McClellan relates to my project because it is a possible way for my to present my object

Artist Research
Taryn Simon

In this series "The Innocents" Simon documents the stories of Individuals who served their time in prison for crimes they did not commit. This questions photography's function as a credible eyewitness. Simon photographed these men at sites that had particular significance to their wrongful convictions. These sites were either the supposed scene of the crime, arrest or alibi. Simon confronts photography's ability to blur truth and fiction that can have lethal consequences. This series has a really dark and unsettling feeling to it which makes the viewer engage with the photograph more and when looking at the series I have a deep feeling of empathy towards the men for the injustice that had befallen them. Simon relates to my project because of the context behind her work about Justice not being delivered.

Artist Research
Vilma Pimenoff

In this series "The Dark Collection" Pimenoff explores the idea that any ordinary object can look completely different depending on the lighting, angle and the viewers psychological attitude or the way they act. I am fond of the use of the dark tones which gives an unsettling agenda to the work. I think this works well with the choice of lighting used because it gives a chiaroscuro theme with the use of light and dark. Also the objects make you look at them in more detail because the unknown nature of the shapes created. Pimenoff relates to my project because she uses a lighting technique that I would want to use.

Contextual Research
Abu Qatada appeal launched by home secretary: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/03/abu-qatadaappeal-home-secretary Stephen Lawrence case: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jan/03/stephen-lawrencetimeline The Leveson Enquiry

Digital Test Shots

These are some of the digital test shots I had taken on the day of the studio shoot prior to taking the final image on the Horseman Large-Format Camera. I had tried placing the clock on a book to make it relate more to my Criminal Justice System idea but I felt that the clock on its own looked better. I had thought to completely dismantle the clock but I thought just to take some parts off to represent a element of something that was missing.

Final Contact Prints

These are my Final Contact Prints for my Object Shoot

Test Shots

These are Black and White test shots using the Large format Horseman camera. I decided to shift the camera position because I wanted to change the perspective to looking up it at and to make the clock seem bigger because it is a big issue in society today. The only think I disliked was that when changing the perspective was it eliminated the nice shadows that I had earlier in the digital test shots I decided that I wanted to add another object to represent something interfering with the system working. I chose to use a miniature spanner to refer to the phrase spanner in the works. I decided to change the position of the spanner in the second photograph because I felt it was just placed there in the first and had less of a meaning than the position in the second photograph.

Final Colour Images

These are my Final Images for my Object Shoot, Personally I prefer the photograph on the right hand side because it is darker and I think the photograph on the left is too light. Shutter Speed: 2 Seconds Aperture: F32

Studio Lighting Plan

Tungsten Light

Horseman Large Format Camera with 200mm Lens

Final Print
I am happy with the result of my Final Print because I got the perspective I wanted and I got the intimate detail of rust and the workings of the clock and the have the pieces of the clock that have come off to represent that it isn't working. To Improve this I maybe need to include other objects that relate to the justice system to relate with my Idea better.

Evaluation
In this project I have been looking at how the Justice System in this country in ineffective and how the courts system is time ineffective. At the start of the project my Idea was about how the criminal justice system in this country doesn't work and more focus needs to be put on reform rather than punishment. My ideas have changed because I felt that my end result didnt connect with my idea. In terms of my research I feel I have looked at artist that have become influential to my work by using artists such as Taryn Simon and Todd McClellan . In terms of my understanding of the issue portrayed in my project I have looked at Court Cases such a Abu Quatada where he has tried and successfully evaded justice thanks to our appeals proceedings in the UK. I have looked at the Stephen Lawrence case where it took 18 years for some sort of justice to be delivered. The biggest challenge for me on this project has been Time Management because I am not used to having 4 projects going on at once and I need to use my time better in future. The visual choices that I wanted was for the clock to be old, hollowed out this translates my ideas because I want that to represent the exposed time inefficient workings of the Justice System. I wanted the clock to be rusted to show the decay and decline of the consistency of the Justice System. I think to improve I need to have a clearer idea when I started to make my final outcome to translate my ideas and I need to do more test shooting with a digital camera to have more to work with and develop my project further.