To recognize the assignments with the most compelling outcomes I had to re-visit and review each from a cold viewpoint. Detaching from your work and looking at it as a critic isn’t an easy task, but I am aware this is necessary to select the best examples for assessment. It was fascinating to do as it has helped me see how I’ve developed across this unit, both creatively and analytically.

Assignment 2 – ‘Collection’.

‘Collection’ felt like the first proper assignment for this unit as there were exercises that took place beforehand, providing me with more knowledge and research to take forward. 

The brief required us to choose one of three topics, build on that chosen word and produce a set of harmonious images in terms of concept but visually different. Deciding upon the ‘things’ route allowed me to explore items we use daily, similar to Sam Oster and Barry Rosenthal that used electrical and plastic objects in their works. 

Assignment 2 was the first time I gathered inspiration from practitioners from a technical, visual and presentational standpoint, making my work effective.

Gathering information from the general public and collecting the items mentioned enabled me to produce a coherent typology of images exploring the everyday necessities we use. While the subjects were different, shooting in black and white, using square framing and a plain background, enabled consistency to flow through the set.

I have reworked some elements of the assignment to reflect upon my tutor’s feedback: https://laurenpowelloca.photo.blog/category/assignments/assignment-2/

Assignment 4 – ‘Languages of light’.

Following a troublesome experience with my third assignment, ‘Languages of light’ was my favourite project out of this unit. Testing the different choices of light used within the photographic world, building knowledge on how to use them effectively enabled me to push myself beyond my comfort zone by using controlled studio lighting.

Branching out from natural light and producing powerful images while using an LED light pad helped me appreciate studio lighting and the artist’s ability to manipulate it to your benefit.

Taking influence from film negatives, lightbox photography, and Andy Ellisons MRI scans of fruits and vegetables helped build my technical knowledge within the camera and photoshop. My compositions are coherent, full of contrast, detail and are innovative in nature.

Assignment 4 outcome rework: https://laurenpowelloca.photo.blog/category/assignments/assignment-4/

Assignment 5 – ‘Photography is simple’.

I am glad that my final assignment is one that I feel could be listed as one of my three best outcomes, as should be expected after a whole unit of learning and growing. 

‘Photography is simple’ enabled me to be flexible in terms of topic and approach; something that I enjoy as a photographer is challenging a subject rather than backing the statement up kept this brief exciting. Discovering Ziqian Liu encouraged me to shoot self-portraits with an instant camera to present how difficult photography can be from a compositional point or technical angle.

Conceptually my images are intriguing as they subtly link back to the argument that photography is far from simple, nor is the human body. Mixing media, using post-production to show the evolution of photography and how quickly images take to capture in the modern-day assisted me in discussing how easy it can be to believe photography is simple.

My reworked outcome for assignment 5 is here: https://laurenpowelloca.photo.blog/category/assignments/assignment-5/.

References:

Powell, L. (2021) Collection [online] Available at: https://laurenpowelloca.photo.blog/category/assignments/assignment-2/ [Accessed 24th August 2021].

Powell, L. (2021) Languages of Light [online] Available at: https://laurenpowelloca.photo.blog/category/assignments/assignment-4/ [Accessed 24 August 2021].

Powell, L. (2021) Photography is simple [online] Available at: https://laurenpowelloca.photo.blog/category/assignments/assignment-5/ [Accessed 24 August 2021].