BA
(Hons) Photography
Research
Project Proposal
Ben Stokes
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Keywords: Praise, Craftsmanship, Talent, Natural, Grime, Real Life,
Effective, Affective, Influence, Exhibition, Industry, Passion, Positive,
Motivation, Appreciate, Emotion, Impact, Dead Pan, Minimal, Contrast, Great,
Work, Life, Previous, Skill, Strength, Pride, Relationship, Document, Show,
Insight, Reality, Aesthetic.
·
Overview/ Topics Of Interest: Throughout my time at university so far
and especially during the last few months, my style has really progressed and
has started to define itself naturally. My interest in the praise of past
industrial techniques and industries has started to become the main focus
within my broad photographic interests. Through my personal work I have been
able to produce a strong impacting body of work surrounding this theme and
through focus during university assignments I have been able to develop this
idea. I now intend to further develop this idea into something of more detail,
this project will be one that I will continue to develop further into my
career.
·
Title: I believe that giving my work a title so early on would be
inappropriate, I would prefer to start producing my body of work first and then
the working title will occur naturally during the process.
Some
previous similar bodies of work have been called to following:
1. August Sander- Citizens Of The
Twentieth Century
2. Lewis Hine- Men At Work
·
Introduction/ Research Question:
Having
worked on and off in the metalwork industry for over 5 years, I have seen the
craftsmanship and skill of talented individuals which is sadly declining within
this ever industrializing world that we live in. This is what has sparked my
interest in photographing such subjects, and the praise of the craftsmen who
are still utilizing these age-old techniques. I intend to create a set of
portraits of a variety of talented engineers who are still utilizing these techniques
and processes involved in the metal working industry in order to praise them
for the work they are so passionate about. I want to really show the hardship
and talent that these individuals possess in order to praise their work,
instead of copy the work of other similar practitioners who choose to simply
document the decline of the industry as it becomes taken over by machines.
After research into suitable metalwork businesses I will focus upon a number of
small businesses around the UK who still utilize the techniques previously
talked about.
·
Aims & Objectives:
1. To read further into documentary
photography as a whole as well as finding more specific areas/ photographers of
interest.
2. To start to build a rapport with the
subjects I choose to photograph.
3. To visit relevant exhibitions in order
to gather a first hand feel of previous work, as the photographer wants them to
be seen/ envisaged.
4. To discover how deadpan photography had
totally changed the documentation of a subject.
5. To collate contextual research and
ideas with visual experimentation.
6. To continue defining my photographic
style.
7. To create a body of work which
encompasses the skills and style that I have developed during my studies.
8. To develop relevant research areas which
critically influences my development.
9. To explore different presentations of
the final outcome.
10. To produce a final outcome that
showcases my initial idea whilst also showing how my idea has progressed.
Rationale: Research will be key for this project; the research that I
undertake at the beginning will start to influence my practical work as it
progresses. I am interested in researching such things as the modernist
photographers from the 20th century and also some of the suitable
photographers who came out of the Dusseldorf School, in terms of aesthetics and
style.
I
would like to research into other photographers who have documented the decline
of a given thing whilst still praising their subject. This will give me a great
insight into what work has been produced and how other photographers have gone
about it. My research will primarily be looking into documentary portrait
photographers, however having said this I am interested in gathering an in
depth and broad understanding of other photographers views in different styles/
genres which would in turn influence my own work. The initial research will
consist of reading suitable books and published articles as well as calling
upon previous research into this topic from personal work and research within
other assignments. I will also use my memory of exhibitions and artist talks
that I have visited/ attended. The research will be on going and will continue
to develop and influence my work throughout. The way that I will research is to
read relevant theorist books, photographer’s books, online journals, printed
journals and any other useful forms of information.
From
the outset and throughout the project, I will start to photograph, I find this
the most efficient way of coming up with the best possible final outcome.
Photographing straight away is the best way for me to naturally begin
experimenting with my practical work. I intend to take a vast amount of images
in order to give me the possibility to edit down and choose the most suitable
subjects and photographs.
After
my initial practical work, I will then undertake further research into areas
that may arise during the practical element. The further research will be more
in depth, leading on from other photographers/ artist research and looking into
theorists such as Roland Barthes (Camera Lucida) and John Berger (Ways Of
Seeing) which will then lead me onto producing more considered images which
purvey my idea more uniquely and precise.
I
hope to achieve a greater understanding of how others have praised a given
subject through the photographic medium as well as gaining further knowledge
into the metalwork industry and the way that it is changing in this technical
world. I want to create an impacting and memorable set of images, which puts
across my feelings and emotional connection for the subject matter. Throughout
the project I will keep an online blog/ reflective journal to put across my
thought processes and development work.
·
Previous Research: In previous projects, I have
researched into such photographers such as August Sander and Lewis Hine whose work
is based around similar subjects as my own. I will continue to research
throughout this module and that will enable me to find more writings which
would be suitable for my progression.
August
Sander- Sander produced a piece of work named “Citizens Of The Twentieth
Century”, this was an ongoing project into the typology of man at that time,
this was a systematic attempt to categorize and portray the people of that
time. One particular photograph that interests me was of three young farmers
who Sander had photographed on their way to a dance. The photograph, being one
of Sanders most well known photographs has the emotional connection between the
photographer and the subject, similar to that of my own work. August Sander
grew up around farms and farmers, I believe that it was his upbringing that
created this sympathetic and emotional connection between the farmers. My own
practice is similar to Sanders because of the fact that I have worked in the
metalwork industry for several years and have become appreciative of the work
that is being done in the forges.
Lewis
Hine- Hine produced a set of work/ book named “Men At Work” which documented
the praise of “men of courage, skill, daring and imagination” where he tried to
show the heroism and skills of engineers, miners and other manual industries.
I
recently visited Lewis Hines exhibition in New York, this gave me great passion
and enthusiasm for my own assignment. This was a great experience and has made
me very enthusiastic and excited to start this project.
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General Methodology:
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Data Collection & Analysis: I think that this particular assignment
would not be suitable for the collection of data/ questionnaires from outside
parties. Having said this, it is hard to say this so early into the project; I
might find that I would benefit from this data further into the future.
·
Qualifications & Restrictions: The only restrictions that I can think
about are the access to metalwork workshops other than that which I have
previously been allowed access into. The matter of access into other forges is
of great importance to me, I would like to photograph the engineers of other
forges in order to create a broader set of photographs. I will research other
metal working forges are around the UK and see if they would be suitable for
the project, I will then contact the forges directly to discuss my work.
·
Specialist Needs: In terms of equipment, I will be using
a Canon 5D Mark II. I will need an external flash also due to the dark
workshops where I will be photographing. I will need to also consider safety
equipment and training in any workshop in which I have not been trained. I will
also be experimenting with a medium format Rolleiflex Automat camera, this
camera is great for portrait work and through experimenting and shooting, this
may become my primary camera for the project. Saying this, the Canon 5D Mark II
gives me the latitude that I need when photographing in such dark conditions. I
also need to think about the price of development and scans that come with the
medium format camera, it may not be feasible or affordable.
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References:
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Initial References:
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Initial Bibliography:
1.
Books:
-
2.
Journals:
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The
British Journal Of Photography http://www.bjp-online.com/
3.
Websites:
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The
British Journal Of Photography http://www.bjp-online.com/
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The
International Center Of Photography http://www.icp.org/museum/exhibitions/lewis-hine
4.
Exhibitions:
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Walker Evans- American Photographs.
Museum Of Modern Art (MOMA), New York.
I visited this
exhibition in November 2013, I wanted to see first hand the way that Walker
Evans himself wanted to put across his work to others. This exhibition and
presentation gave me huge enthusiasm and passion to drive my project forward,
his work was impacting and beautiful. In this exhibition, I really got to see
the huge changes that were happening in America around the time Evans took the
photographs. The beautifully crafted dead pan portraits of American people and life
with moving contrast to the rundown buildings show the ideas of Evans by
proving to the viewer that the basics of documentary photography can make this
style into a widely accepted art form.
Lewis
Hine-
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