Work in Progress: Pre-module Exploration
- Laura Marsh
- Jan 23, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 26, 2021
I took some time over the Christmas break to stop and consider what I was shooting, thinking about the human choices task he wad been set to consider the choices and decisions w make with or work and what inspires us and how I will be moving forward with my project, taking into account a new lockdown in the UK. I current still plan to follow my project proposal and experiment wit still life and film photography, although now I will be relying on an independent company, Ilford and Harman labs to develop, scan and print any films I take as I am unable to go into work to access the facilities there.
I have taken some images over the break to help my thought process and tried some compositional ideas. While reading The Social Photo by Nathan Jurgenson, I decided to explore with my phone and experiment with some filters and editing styles, considering the vintage pre-sets that are available to see how I could develop my editing techniques during Informing Contexts. This process was to explore and visualise what images were in my head.
Fig 2-3: Laura Marsh, 2020, Editing Experiments
In the images above, I wanted to explore the dark tones that i had started in Module 1, using the colour within the details on the pavement against the delicate white of the feathers. i objective was to accentuate the shapes and details within each subject, using a variety of edits and adjustments within the app Snapseed, as this image was taken on my phone. By enhancing the contrast and saturation I was able to bring out the colours within the pavement and I added a slight HDR filter to give them more of an impact. I then reduced the highlights and increased the shadows to add subtle depth as well as a vignette to draw your eyes to the focal point, the feather. Figure 2, includes the same edits, but with the saturation reduced.
I was drawn to this subject as the delicate feather seemed vulnerable, laying in the middle of the path ready to be stepped on.
These images I noticed more man made objects and wanted to try some compositional shots, off to the right looking down, reaching down to be closer to the object and finally looking straight down to include the pavement and surroundings. The edits below are lighter than the images above, here I wanted to see how the man made objects looked using minimal adjustments and close to how they are. I was inspired by William Salit's no adjustment images of his series 'Looking Down' of subjects and objects on the ground. I do not feel man made lost and discarded objects is the route I wish to follow, purely as they do not interest me as much as the nature objects and also that it is common project amongst other photographers such as William Salit, Jane Lurie and Stephen Shore. My objective now is to focus on the natural elements, similar to some Shore's work, but to incorporate and underlying meaning of decay and fragility to the objects I find.
An aspect I would like to look into in this module is my own relationship with the outdoors and why I choose to photograph these items while I walk, going back to my first question I asked myself which was why do I shoot what I do?
Since the new lockdown began, I have been forced to limit my outings to my daily exercise or shopping trips, as I am now also working from home. This impacts me as I am not able to move as much as I would normally and I am sitting t a laptop more than usual. I am aware of how much I rely on walks to exercise and stretch by back, which is important due to my condition, but also to de-stress and think. This aspect would be considered as Mindfulness walking and I will be exploring this practice within this module, along side the effects of my back on my mindset and how photographing these small details helps me to take my mind off any discomfort I may be feeling that day.
This has lead me to re-think my project title going forward and two words keep floating around my mind - fragile and fragility. These two word, albeit similar in meaning, if feel represents how I feel and my experiences of having Spina Bifida Occulta in my lower back along with curves in my spine and of some of the natural objects I find. A feather, decaying leaf, leaf skeletons, the life of an animal for example.
To explore this aspect I will be looking into mindfulness photography, photography and art theory and as a starting point I will be looking at Liz Orton's work Humanising the Medical Gaze.
I have included more details of how I will move forward within my post Moving Forward
Bibliography:
Books:
Jurgenson, Nathan. Social Photo : On Photography and Social Media. Verso Books, 2019.
Websites:
Lurie, Jane. “Lost and Found.” Jane Lurie Photography, 24 July 2018, janeluriephotography.wordpress.com/2018/07/23/lost-and-found-2/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.
Monarchi, Christiane. “Liz Orton: Humanising the Medical Gaze.” Photomonitor, 2021, photomonitor.co.uk/essay/liz-orton-humanising-the-medical-gaze-2/. Accessed 21 Jan. 2021.
“Stephen Shore | Artists | 303 Gallery.” Www.303gallery.com, 2021, www.303gallery.com/artists/stephen-shore/images/details. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.
willibird. “Looking down (Photo Series).” William Salit / Fine Art, 2021, williamsalit.com/project/looking-down-photo-series/.
Figures:
Figure 1: Contact Sheet 1
Figures 2-3: Laura Marsh, 2020, Editing Experiments
Figure 4: Contact Sheet 2
Figure 5: Contact Sheet 3
Figure 6: Laura Marsh, 2020, Compositional Experiments
Figure 7: Laura Marsh, 2020, Compositional Experiments
Figure 8: Laura Marsh, 2020, Compositional Experiments
Figure 9: Contact Sheet 4
Figure 10: Laura Marsh, 2021, Ice
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