Following the email submission of my second assignment ‘Collection’, I received my feedback and some files to look at to reflect the comments made by my tutor.
Here is a summary of my strengths, weaknesses and areas to improve on in future pieces of work:
Strengths:
– Appropriate assignment that shows a familiarity with still life informing conventions (vanitas) and a typology strategy.
– Hierarchy of needs well informed by reference to other art forms.
– Choice of influences drawn from coursework and research.
– Write up well researched.
Weaknesses:
– Be more concise, focus on the subject and how I approached it.
– Meandering when explaining my process, so summarise.
– Summarise and refer to blog posts to show process etc.
– Clearly show test shoots and technical details.
Areas for development:
– Tell assessor what I’ve found and summarise, be more concise.
– Clarify my intent with references and research on technical choices to back it.
– Structure and outline in any written work.
Reflection:
While my practical work is strong and shows my understanding of the brief, technical elements I’m exploring and clear research, I need to be more concise with what I’m writing. Blog posts are ideal for explaining my process in more detail, but for an assignment with a restricted word count it is better to be short and sweet with descriptions, backing it with references and knowledge.
Rather than allowing the assessor to read and come to their own conclusions about my work, I need to be clear and straightforward by telling them what I did, what I discovered during the process and how I would improve.
Glad to know that I have succeeded in most areas so early on however.
Month: April 2020
The Decisive and (In)decisive moment
Assignment 3, Online ResearchSummary:
For this post I have;
– Made bullet points on what I found in the slideshow provided by Robert Bloomfield, regarding the Decisive and (in)decisive moment.
– Reflected on what I have found from this slideshow, quick scans of the artists suggested and imagery included.
– Stated the differences and similarities between the decisive and (in)decisive moment, interpreting what I read in the slideshow.
– Briefly mentioned how I am still undecided on the path I will take for this assignment, therefore more research needs to take place.
Before beginning my mind-map for this assignment, I am first going to have to properly understand what decisive and indecisive moments are to make sure I am creating images with a more definite knowledge of what I need to achieve.
Robert Bloomfield ran a meetup earlier on this month which I didn’t attend myself; however, a PDF of the slideshow became available in the PHEYV email thread. I will make short bullet points reflecting on what I have found from both this slide to summarise the meaning of both techniques for easy access when future referencing.
Decisive Moment :
– DM is usually street photography, so will need to be altered for the UK lockdown.
– DM is when you take the current event and the forms into consideration at the same time, forming a balance between the two. Don’t just focus on the form; think about the surroundings and vice versa.
– Be aware of what is happening around you and anticipate what may happen to capture the unique moment before it changes.
– Basic elements of DM, Gesture, Juxtaposition and Moment.
– ‘Well sometimes the pictures disappeared and there is nothing you can do’ (Cartier-Bresson, 1973). In other words, the moment is there in a second and once it’s gone, that’s it.
– ‘The difference between a good picture and a mediocre picture is a question of millimeters, a small, small difference, but its essential’ (Cartier-Bresson, 1973). Find the balance, be aware of how each detail fits with one another. Recognise what is in front of you.
– Shoot pictures of people who aren’t aware you are there, capturing them in their natural state rather than posed to evoke questions and feeling. Study them and try to understand who they are, rather than just taking a snapshot without studying or thinking.
– Establish contact when taking portraits, to pose some questions to create a slight connection and reaction.
– Don’t overshoot, the picture you may have wanted may have already gone when you just snap away, be more selective with your shooting (Cartier-Bresson, 1973).
– You need to forget about yourself for a while; otherwise, if you get involved too much, you may start to try and push a point which isn’t necessary.
– The juxtaposition in photography evokes questions and emotion due to the contrasts between the different events or subjects. To capture these elements can add to the image and supply some sort of statement.
– Be intuitive and know when to click the camera, ‘that is the moment the photographer is creative’ (Cartier-Bresson, 1957).
– Observe and find something interesting in an ordinary space (Erwitt, 1999).
Indecisive moment:
– To remove expression or visual triggers such as gesture can confuse the viewer’s expectations to understand someone’s character (Cotton, 2018:106).
– Instead of juxtaposing the imagery, Paul Graham captured a connection between the two or threes compositions to create tension or surprise, rather than contrasting the subjects. The center of the photographs shows movement in turn, encouraging the viewer to focus on the event that is soon to be gone, implied by the images (Bloomfield, n.d).
– Guido Guidi captures the ordinary and overlooked, things people usually rush past and don’t naturally observe. He often presents images in a sequence, showing slight changes in time for the viewer to pick up on (Higgins, 2018).
– ‘Chance is important’ (Guidi, 2018).
– ‘All moments are decisive – and none’ – (Guidi, 2018). He doesn’t necessarily agree with Cartier-Bresson’s idea that a single moment can encapsulate the impact of an action or scene. Instead, he captures a moment which is one of many.
– There is something more outside of the image, and there is always more to discover.
– Photographs are monuments that show the passing of time, single moments that hold importance.
– Memory and the photograph are inseparable; they capture a memory than can be seen whenever needed.
– Every moment is significant in their way.
Reflection
After looking through the slideshow and reading a few articles suggested within, I now understand much clearer the difference between a decisive and an indecisive moment. A decisive moment is to be vigilant and capture a few unique moments that we feel cannot reoccur. Observe and snap someone in their natural state, without them knowing you’re there to avoid an influenced reaction. Find balance within the composition and be aware of how each element fits with one another. Juxtapositions formulate a contrast, consequently evoking questions to be made and enhance the impact of the event taking place, for example, a wealthy person walking past a homeless person. Try not to overshoot to prevent missing that ‘moment’ and remove yourself from the scene to stop your ideas from taking over your thinking.
An indecisive moment is more flexible, as each moment is significant and doesn’t have to be a spectacularly unique event. Instead of juxtaposing, you can connect the imagery by showing the differences that have taken place within a period, slices of time that show a procession of actions. The photographer has more control of the composition, maybe directing the models to look a certain way or move the subject to a particular place, rather than relying on fate to hand it to you. You have more chances with the indecisive moment than you would with the decisive, which can seem like the more appealing route depending on how you view it. Although, to observe the ordinary and find something interesting in it, takes time and a sense of awareness that isn’t as easy as first thought.
One thing that the two have in common, however, is being open to what you are photographing and taking time to observe or capture a shot. Albeit planned or otherwise.
I am yet to decide whether to focus on the decisive or the indecisive moment as of yet, but considering the UK is restricted as to what they can do and where they can go, the likelihood of me being able to capture a decisive moment indoors may not be possible. Further research needs to take place for this decision to be made.
References
Bloomfield, R. (2020). INDECISIVE MOMENT EYV MEETUP REDUCED [pdf] (Accessed 31 March 2020).
Cartier-Bresson, H. (1973) Words by Henry Cartier-Bresson (1973) – AMERICAN SUBURB X [online] Available at: https://americansuburbx.com/2009/07/theory-words-by-henri-cartier-bresson.html (Accessed 31 March 2020).
Cotton, C. (2018) The Photograph As Contemporary Art, 3rd ed. London: Thames and Hudson.
Erwitt, E. (1999). Life According to Elliot Erwitt [online] Available at: https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/society-arts-culture/elliott-erwitt-life/ (Accessed 31 March 2020).
Guidi, G. (2018) Guido Guidi: ‘Many times I’m not looking when I press the shutter’ [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/nov/05/guido-guidi-interview-photographs-suburban-italy (Accessed 31 March 2020).
Higgins, C. (2018) Guido Guidi: ‘Many times I’m not looking when I press the shutter’ [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/nov/05/guido-guidi-interview-photographs-suburban-italy (Accessed 31 March 2020).
Lauren Powell OCA 