Brief

Choose between the following two assignments:

1. Photographing the unseen

Start by doing some reflecting in your learning log. What kinds of subjects might be seen as unphotographable? How might you go about portraying them using photography? List a few examples of things you’re experiencing now or have recently been thinking about. This doesn’t have to be too in-depth or revealing, but it can be if you want. Equally, it might be something as apparently trivial as how you’re going to fit everything into your busy day. At first you may come up with literal examples, but the more you think about them the more those ideas will develop into specific and more original ones. Make a list of at least seven ideas. Try and keep to things you have a personal interest in or curiosity about.

Keep a notebook​ with you at all times and make notes when ideas strike you as interesting. (This is good practice for all stages of the degree and beyond. Ideas books are something to be revisited time and again for ideas and hints for the photographer you’re becoming.)

Now implement one of your ideas. Aim for a tightly edited and visually consistent series of ​7–10 photographs.

2. Using props

This option is about photographing an object to suggest a narrative.

Choose between a white shirt and a handkerchief for your object. Once you’ve decided; make a series of ​7–10 photographs​ which tell a story about or including your object.

You can make your photographic style anything you like. You may wish to include the prop in all of your series or just some of the images, depending on the narrative. Bear in mind that the story is being alluded to through the use of the prop and its location – and characters should you choose to include them.

Draw a storyboard​ before you start to help you consider the progression of the plot and how you’ll set up the shots.

Now implement one of your ideas. Aim for a tightly edited and visually consistent series of 7–10 images.

Introduction

Unfortunately my partner and I have attended several funerals in the last couple of months. I guess this is par for the course as you get older but with both of us being fairly young 60yr olds and the people who died being around the same age, we are aware that we have experienced a few too many than would be expected. None of the deaths were covid 19 related, two of them were expected due to illness and one sudden and unexpected. My partners white shirt (not always the same one) has evolved over the years as he got older and in the last couple of months has been well and truly put into the role of “funeral shirt”. I only really became aware of  this when I was putting the ironed shirt back in the wardrobe after the funeral of a friend, knowing that it was likely to be needed again in a few weeks. The second funeral and the shirt, needed a bit sooner that expected, but expected. When the shirt was placed back in the wardrobe the second time, I had no expectations that it would be needed again quite so soon. It became clear to me after the third and sudden death that the white shirt and its role in my partners life had started to represent something important in my head, if not in his. I think perhaps I was more conscious of it.
In simple terms the white shirt, and its role in my partners life is telling the same story over and over again, of loss and healing.

In my planning, (Link) I created a story boards as suggested, and found this really helpful in keeping me on track and recording my ideas (my ability to sketch is not the best however). It was a challenge to complete this part of the course whilst dealing with all the emotional and practical aspects that come with this kind of loss but there were elements of healing in continuing and not letting it consume my thoughts. The research (Link) and reading I did at times helped to keep me sane. Christmas and covid restriction put a whole extra level of stress an anxiety in there! I have not added text to the images but I do believe the series would benefit from some. I just don’t know what! I did think of just adding three dates to each image. The dates that the white shirt was in any of the particular states for the three people we lost. This would however make it personal and that was something I was trying to move away from (rightly or wrongly). I am hoping my tutor can point me in the right direction.

I don’t think this assignment is going to be one of my best. I did consider asking for an extension but I’m not sure that would have helped.  I do think however that as with assignment one, that in a few months, when some of this turmoil has quietened down I will be able to revisit and perhaps do them both justice. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the next part of the course can be completed without a life changing event occurring!!!

Final Submission