As mentioned elsewhere the assignment 4, critical review, was not well received, largely due to my inability to follow the brief. I had written a biographical review and this needed a substantial re write prior to sending for assessment. My tutor had been kind enough to suggest that I send a new version with the assignment 5 and he would write some off the record comments by way of extra help. The second version is "better" which is a relief although still edging towards biographical and could do with more contextual analysis in the socioeconomic climate of the time. If I have time before I need to email the OCA the word doc for plagiarism checking I may change a few paragraphs to incorporate these issues.
There is a wider lesson here. If I have some skill in photography this is not enough on its own to progress at level 2 (5) and beyond without some problems and I need to quite literally "learn" more with regard to essay writing. Much of the chatter on the forums is about photographic technique and very little about the academic writing that must sit alongside it. Maybe I am alone on this and it is my technical writing from my day job that conditions me towards linear thought.
However, it its current guise it can be seen here.
Showing posts with label Assignment 4. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Assignment 4. Show all posts
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Assignment 4 : feedback
This assignment did not hit the spot and I have just spent 3 days rewriting it. Much (All) of what was wrong was of course entirely of my own doing. I had (without going into all the detail) some plus points but they were not enough, and what I had in fact written was a "Historical Review" rather than the "Critical Review" that was required. My tutor has been good enough to say he will look at it again when I submit Assignment 5 to him, which by the way is almost ready to go, for once ahead of schedule.
On reflection I think there are lessons to be learned here that need recording. As a mature student it has been many years since I had to write an essay and never before had I written a critical review. My career is in Civil Engineering and we tend to write quite a bit but it is all based on factual evidence, often using data to justify an opinion. As a photographer I am aware of my skill base and while not highly skilled it is not as low as my writing skill, by any means. For a few weeks I need to look at less photography and read a book I have had for some while." the arts - Good Study Guide" by The OU (ISBN 0 7492 8745 4) deals with writing essays and good writing techniques by looking at some student work and challenging their methods and techniques.
On reflection I think there are lessons to be learned here that need recording. As a mature student it has been many years since I had to write an essay and never before had I written a critical review. My career is in Civil Engineering and we tend to write quite a bit but it is all based on factual evidence, often using data to justify an opinion. As a photographer I am aware of my skill base and while not highly skilled it is not as low as my writing skill, by any means. For a few weeks I need to look at less photography and read a book I have had for some while." the arts - Good Study Guide" by The OU (ISBN 0 7492 8745 4) deals with writing essays and good writing techniques by looking at some student work and challenging their methods and techniques.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Assignment 4 & 5 plus other updating.
My desertion (no, its deferment) has ended and I am back in the system. Assignment 4 has been emailed to my tutor and assignment 5 is well under way. I am able for the time being to spend 3 or 4 days a week on photography due to a bit of time rearrangement with workload, so progress is brisk. A number of projects are being held in draft while I complete the processing and gather my words into some order. The next assessment slot is March 2012 and hopefully without the benevolence of clergy or police I will make it.
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Assignment 4 - underway again
Assignment 4 - a critical review, has suffered a number of stops and starts due in part to my circumstances requiring a short deferment, and if I am truthful my hesitancy at doing this work. The human being when faced with decisions, will out of human nature take the easiest route and provide the required excuses to justify the why and wherefore as a defense. In general, within photography I will have a go at almost anything (that is legal) and produce an image to look at. Its what photographers do, we enjoy the process of taking images, the traveling, the equipment selection, the light measuring, the moment we select the shot, the taking and the later processing of the images into photographs. Its a comfortable place to be and we like it. I am not adverse to writing. In the past I wrote for Motoring News (a weekly motor sport newspaper) on something that was factual. At work now I write reports and technical output, but this whole essay business has got me hiding behind the settee. A few weeks ago I decided to try and face the demons and analyse why was this so difficult. The answer became clear as soon as I was honest with myself about how much I understood of the subject that I was to write about. The essay is "The life and works of Edward Weston" and while I had read a biography, plenty on the Internet and a superb book on his last years in Carmel, I still didn't have original thoughts to write anything meaningful. The only way forward was to re read as much as possible and get a legitimate understanding so that I could justify to myself the authenticity of my words. I am not naive enough to think of course that when complete it will be the essay everyone has been waiting for (in fact it is likely to be the only bit of this course that doesn't get published here) but I am feeling happier now the writing is underway that I will rely less on quotations from outside sources. All of this should not of course be a surprise. "No Pain, No Gain" has been with me for many years. Sanding wood before varnishing, exercising to loose weight etc etc and now read before you write. My tutor and the assessment will of course be the judge of whether I have succeeded.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Update July 2011
I am conscious that I am not writing enough here, and by not doing so it indicates that nothing is happening with my photography. This is not the case, so here are a few notes on where I am and what is happening. Mostly groundwork, research and shooting raw images for editing and PP, so nothing to show for the time spent.
13th June, went to Minorca for 2 weeks. The holiday was for the normal amount of rest and relaxation in my favourite boutique hotel. Plans were made beforehand to take my newly acquired netbook so that I could write some of my assignment 4 essay and maybe shoot assignment 5 around the rocky coast with the wild flowers and succulents, and imagine myself as Edward Weston at Point Lobos in California. All plans laid, but 11th June, chest infection starts, 12th June, get antibiotics and spend the first week feeling sorry for myself, albeit in heaven. 2nd week, I did get some writing done and I did shoot enough images for assignment 5.
Returned to UK, still with chest infection. My faith in Amoxicillin destroyed, so another visit to the doctor who sends me for xray. Not feeling like a full shilling at this stage and worried by health events with a friend I decided to reduce my business workload by a considerable margin. So, with time on my hands I am catching up on a whole range of undone chores and looking to proceed asap with the course. In the meantime I have had chance to look at my Alamy account, and what a surprise, a sale, which is nice and an enquiry through Photographers Direct to photograph an altar cloth in St Margaret's church in King's Lynn for a book on ecclesiastical textiles. The publisher requires high res digital images of the whole piece, close ups of parts, something contextual and an image suitable for an exhibition banner that is 2.5m high. I pointed out that the banner requirement was going to be difficult and I will have to shoot some 5x4 and have the transparency scanned on a drum scanner. I am meeting the editor tomorrow at the church to look at the shooting options and get a feel for the publication. On assignment in the past I have often struggled with "the feel" of the whole work and like to spend time asking questions about the project that may appear intrusive to the editorial team. "Just take the photos" you can hear them saying under their breath. My main concern of course is to get it right technically as I can imagine a book as esoteric as this will have a readership who will want to see every stitch and have absolutely perfect colour. We will talk to the church people tomorrow about just how much gear they will let me set up, bearing in mind the church is open to the public. I would like a flat bright light rather than the shafts of light often associated with large church windows as a starting point, but wonder if I will get enough texture. I will take my studio strobes and soft boxes with me as these may be useful to add some side soft light. I will use the D3 to set up the lighting and check exposures for the 5x4, as there will be no time for a second visit if the trannys are poor.
100m from my office is a burger van, selling cups of tea and everything from venison burgers to salad rolls. Its a good excuse for a walk in the fresh air, a cup of tea and a read of the paper. The owner says today "you do photography, don't you". From the conversation that followed I now have Monday set aside, my small studio set up and the prospect of shooting burgers, salads, wraps etc for a new flyer campaign and an A2 laminated menu. I did a test today with a "BLT in a bun" which wasn't as easy as it seemed. A simple white curved base/background is the basic setup as this will allow cutouts. I always underestimate the amount of light needed for the background to burn it out and had to use my old Bowens to blast the back with +2 stops. If not when you go to print the background it is a muddy white and any amount of moving sliders in PS, just messes up the main subject. You also learn that lettuce isn't that green and we need greener for Monday and that Michael Douglas in the classic film "Falling Down" had every right to be angry about the Whammy Burger when it looked nothing like the picture on the wall. Food photography is fascinating and difficult, finding a balance between truthful representation and an appealing product.
2 shoots to do, so, what happened to taking it a bit easier
.
13th June, went to Minorca for 2 weeks. The holiday was for the normal amount of rest and relaxation in my favourite boutique hotel. Plans were made beforehand to take my newly acquired netbook so that I could write some of my assignment 4 essay and maybe shoot assignment 5 around the rocky coast with the wild flowers and succulents, and imagine myself as Edward Weston at Point Lobos in California. All plans laid, but 11th June, chest infection starts, 12th June, get antibiotics and spend the first week feeling sorry for myself, albeit in heaven. 2nd week, I did get some writing done and I did shoot enough images for assignment 5.
Returned to UK, still with chest infection. My faith in Amoxicillin destroyed, so another visit to the doctor who sends me for xray. Not feeling like a full shilling at this stage and worried by health events with a friend I decided to reduce my business workload by a considerable margin. So, with time on my hands I am catching up on a whole range of undone chores and looking to proceed asap with the course. In the meantime I have had chance to look at my Alamy account, and what a surprise, a sale, which is nice and an enquiry through Photographers Direct to photograph an altar cloth in St Margaret's church in King's Lynn for a book on ecclesiastical textiles. The publisher requires high res digital images of the whole piece, close ups of parts, something contextual and an image suitable for an exhibition banner that is 2.5m high. I pointed out that the banner requirement was going to be difficult and I will have to shoot some 5x4 and have the transparency scanned on a drum scanner. I am meeting the editor tomorrow at the church to look at the shooting options and get a feel for the publication. On assignment in the past I have often struggled with "the feel" of the whole work and like to spend time asking questions about the project that may appear intrusive to the editorial team. "Just take the photos" you can hear them saying under their breath. My main concern of course is to get it right technically as I can imagine a book as esoteric as this will have a readership who will want to see every stitch and have absolutely perfect colour. We will talk to the church people tomorrow about just how much gear they will let me set up, bearing in mind the church is open to the public. I would like a flat bright light rather than the shafts of light often associated with large church windows as a starting point, but wonder if I will get enough texture. I will take my studio strobes and soft boxes with me as these may be useful to add some side soft light. I will use the D3 to set up the lighting and check exposures for the 5x4, as there will be no time for a second visit if the trannys are poor.
100m from my office is a burger van, selling cups of tea and everything from venison burgers to salad rolls. Its a good excuse for a walk in the fresh air, a cup of tea and a read of the paper. The owner says today "you do photography, don't you". From the conversation that followed I now have Monday set aside, my small studio set up and the prospect of shooting burgers, salads, wraps etc for a new flyer campaign and an A2 laminated menu. I did a test today with a "BLT in a bun" which wasn't as easy as it seemed. A simple white curved base/background is the basic setup as this will allow cutouts. I always underestimate the amount of light needed for the background to burn it out and had to use my old Bowens to blast the back with +2 stops. If not when you go to print the background it is a muddy white and any amount of moving sliders in PS, just messes up the main subject. You also learn that lettuce isn't that green and we need greener for Monday and that Michael Douglas in the classic film "Falling Down" had every right to be angry about the Whammy Burger when it looked nothing like the picture on the wall. Food photography is fascinating and difficult, finding a balance between truthful representation and an appealing product.
2 shoots to do, so, what happened to taking it a bit easier
.
Monday, 22 November 2010
Assignment 4 : a critical review (planning)
OK, before anyone starts scrolling down their screen looking for Assignment 3. It hasn't been done, but it will be. It just suits my situation at the moment to do something additional to image making. Assignment 3 will come along soon.
Assignment 4 is a critical review of about 2500 words about the life and work of a photographer. The OCA list five, although it is possible to do A N Other, but I will conform and stay within the list. In addition I am mindful of Assignment 5, where I am required to produce 12 photographs "in the style" of one of these photographers.
The List
A quick run through of the candidates then.
Ansel Adams.
I have a few of his books and they were all well read years ago when I did my work in a wet darkroom. His books "The Negative" and "The Print" are masterclasses in developing and printing using large format negatives. Inventor of The Zone System and founder member of the f64 group, he is perhaps the best known of all those on the list. A god like figure in the world of monochrome, but I wonder how I will fare when it comes to his style.
Robert Adams.
I had never heard of him. Reading about him and looking at his work has not brought about a "wow" moment. The style of his work is however interesting although I have never found myself interested in this type of work I feel uncomfortable that later I will have to work in his style.
Fay Godwin
Well, Fay Godwin, I think you either love her or hate her. I do both. I feel my opinions of her are so mixed that I would need an entire essay on its own to explain them. Far be it from me, but aren't many of them just ordinary photographs in very poor light. Maybe some other time I will expand on this.
Edward Weston
I was aware of some nudes and shells, but only from magazines and the Internet. Further research has however interested me. Not only his photography but his life. A complex man who lived in a wooden hut, had many lovers and photographed a toilet. During a holiday this year I read a biography by Ben Maddow and began to realise that Weston was establishing himself as a possible candidate for my essay.
Galen Rowell
Again, I had never come across this photographer prior to this list. His work using 35mm transparency and the hard won landscapes in remote parts of the world hardly seems plausible as a style for myself to try and emulate.
My decision: Edward Weston. I visited an exhibition of his work in London in September, now re reading his biography (this time making notes) and have just acquired "The Last Years in Carmel".
Critical review writing is new to me so I will do some reading on the style and techniques needed prior to starting.The OCA has a 3 page document on this and that seems like a good place to start and base my technique as I assume the tutors use it as a checklist for content.
Assignment 4 is a critical review of about 2500 words about the life and work of a photographer. The OCA list five, although it is possible to do A N Other, but I will conform and stay within the list. In addition I am mindful of Assignment 5, where I am required to produce 12 photographs "in the style" of one of these photographers.
The List
- Ansel Adams
- Robert Adams
- Fay Godwin
- Edward Weston
- Galen Rowell
A quick run through of the candidates then.
Ansel Adams.
I have a few of his books and they were all well read years ago when I did my work in a wet darkroom. His books "The Negative" and "The Print" are masterclasses in developing and printing using large format negatives. Inventor of The Zone System and founder member of the f64 group, he is perhaps the best known of all those on the list. A god like figure in the world of monochrome, but I wonder how I will fare when it comes to his style.
Robert Adams.
I had never heard of him. Reading about him and looking at his work has not brought about a "wow" moment. The style of his work is however interesting although I have never found myself interested in this type of work I feel uncomfortable that later I will have to work in his style.
Fay Godwin
Well, Fay Godwin, I think you either love her or hate her. I do both. I feel my opinions of her are so mixed that I would need an entire essay on its own to explain them. Far be it from me, but aren't many of them just ordinary photographs in very poor light. Maybe some other time I will expand on this.
Edward Weston
I was aware of some nudes and shells, but only from magazines and the Internet. Further research has however interested me. Not only his photography but his life. A complex man who lived in a wooden hut, had many lovers and photographed a toilet. During a holiday this year I read a biography by Ben Maddow and began to realise that Weston was establishing himself as a possible candidate for my essay.
Galen Rowell
Again, I had never come across this photographer prior to this list. His work using 35mm transparency and the hard won landscapes in remote parts of the world hardly seems plausible as a style for myself to try and emulate.
My decision: Edward Weston. I visited an exhibition of his work in London in September, now re reading his biography (this time making notes) and have just acquired "The Last Years in Carmel".
Critical review writing is new to me so I will do some reading on the style and techniques needed prior to starting.The OCA has a 3 page document on this and that seems like a good place to start and base my technique as I assume the tutors use it as a checklist for content.
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