Finalised Photographs

Below is my finalised photography essay which consists of the 8 shots I have planned on this blog. Similarities can be drawn from my plan and these final photos. I believe that My final products are very eye catching and tells a story very well. I believe that the photographs came out very well but if I could change one thing then I would have had the photograph in the 

Photograph 8

This is my closing photograph, meaning that It should be one that ends the story and concludes the essay. For this photograph I am going to take a picture of one of the men from the previous photograph but this time have them standing on their own looking quite depressed. This means that once again I need to adjust the settings so that the photograph will come out darker. I have chosen to close with this photograph because it uses an individual who is the oldest of all of the people used as subjects, suggesting that he has spent a lot of his life in pubs and to have the last photograph as one of the darker photos, highlights how although pub culture is very enjoyable a lot of the time, it can also be very depressing and spending your life there may lead to regret. Below is a picture that is similar to what I aim my final photograph to look like; 

Photograph 7

For my seventh photograph I go back to the brighter side of pub culture and therefore will have the brightness higher to reflect this. I also am using an older individual for the subject of the photograph. The image will capture two men standing at the bar talking, looking like they are having a good conversation. Below is an image that is similar to what I am planning on taking;

Photograph 6

This photograph will work in opposition to the last, with this one presenting the less enjoyable side to pub culture. This means that I once again will adjust the settings in order to create a darker photograph. I am going to take a shot of one of the individuals in the last photo outside, sitting down and looking very dunk. This contrasts to the last photograph just like the first 4 do. Below is an example of an image that is similar to what I plan to take;

Photograph 5

For my fifth photograph I am returning to the lighter side of pub culture and therefore adjusting the settings on the camera to take another bright photograph. This photo will show a group of friends having some drinks together and having a good time. The individuals in the photograph won't be much older than the barmaid in the last but they will be of similar age so instead of having the viewer see the age still increasing, it shows different roles of people of a similar age have when in pubs. Below is a photo similar to the one I plan to take;

Photograph 4

Like my first two photographs, this one is going to work in opposition to my 3rd one. I am planning on using the same barmaid, but this time looking very stressed out. I will once again lower the darkness of the photograph in order to reflect the mood that I am trying to present. Below is an image that is similar to what I hope to take for this photograph;

Photograph 3

For my third photograph I am going back to the what seems to be happier side of pub culture, meaning that I will go back to have the settings adjusted in order to capture a brighter photograph. As described before, the individual acting as the main subject for this photograph is older than the last, in this photograph a young barmaid is being used as the key subject. The photograph will capture the barmaid serving a drink whilst smiling. Below is a photograph similar to the one I plan on taking;

Photograph 2

For my second photograph I am going to use one of the individuals from the first image but this time have them sitting on their own. I am using this image as an opposition of the first one to show the two sides to pub culture, this one being the more depressing side. The picture will have one of the children sitting on their own, looking very bored and sad. I will adjust the camera settings so that the image will be much darker than the first photograph; highlighting the intended difference between the two. Below is an image similar to one that I would like to capture for my own photograph;

Photograph 1

Before taking my final photographs I have decided to go into more detail of how I plan to shoot each images and what each one shows. My first photograph is the introduction to my photography essay and so it has to be a captivating one which draws in the audience immediately. As I have described in my initial plan, I am aiming to get a shot of two children in a pub whilst laughing and having a good time. I will adjust the settings so that it is quite bright, reflecting the mood of the photograph. I have chosen to introduce my essay with this image because as each photograph changes, the individuals being used as the main subject will get older. I believe that this image will be great as a starting photograph as it sets an enlightening mood that will make the audience expect this from all of the photos before seeing the next image which is a complete contradiction of this one. Below is an image similar to what I want to capture;

Photography Mistakes not to make

After making mistakes in practice shots earlier on in the term when learning about aperture, I thought that it would be a good idea to research mistakes that tend to be made in photography and how to deal with these mistakes. Below is a video that I found that I believe has helped me to think about what mistakes to not make when shooting for my project;

The Gaze in Photography

I have also researched the gaze in photography to try and enhance my understanding of how to successfully take the photographs that I am planning on taking. Through my research I have learnt that there is a gaze in almost all photographs whether it is intentional or not, there tends to be a key focus in all of these. There are many types of gazes, two which occur very much in photography are the male and female gaze. The male gaze refers to the way visual arts are structured around a male viewer and depicts the world and women from a males point of view. The female gaze is the same concept but reversed (seeing the world from a woman's point of view). I will keep these concepts in mind when taking my own photographs. Also, the fact that I know there will most likely be a gaze that the viewers gaze is naturally drawn to, I can manipulate the photograph in a way that I choose what point they are looking at. I am able to do this through techniques such as the rule of thirds, where the focus of the photograph can be chosen by creating a square grid and having an object on a specific corner on the grid.

Gender in Photography

Before I start taking photographs for my own project I wanted to research a few themes that I can use to help with the development of my own work. One theme that I have looked at is gender in photography. Through my research, I have found some very interesting points that have helped me realise certain points to consider which I would not have before. I have learnt that when taking photographs, whether I am focusing on gender or not, it can still play a big part in the final photograph. In most of my photographs I wont be focusing too much on gender as it isn't relevant to a lot of my photographs. However, it could be used for two of my photographs, where I am planning on taking photos of a barmaid serving a drink to a customer with a smile and then turning around and looking upset. I could potentially focus on gender in these, by maybe having the customer looking like he has been offensive and having the barmaid looking vulnerable. Below are a few photographs where gender plays a big role and that could be used as inspiration for my own project;

Examples of effective bright photographs

In preparation for taking my own photographs, I have done research into existing photographs that I believe will help my project. As I am planning on shooting half of my photographs either in bright lighting or changing the camera settings/composition to get the same result, I have looked at existing photographs of the same kind of brightness I am aiming to shoot mine like. Some of my favourite photos that I looked at are shown below;

Examples of effective dim lighting-photographs

In preparation of my own work I have looked at many existing photographs to help inspire my work. As I am planning on shooting half of my photographs either in dim lighting or changing the camera settings/composition to get the same result, I have looked at existing photographs of a low brightness. Some of my favourite photos that I looked at where the brightness creates a melancholy mood;

Research into aperture, shutter speed and ISO

Below is a vide that I used to help me remember and understand the use of Aperture, Shutter speed and ISO better;

Initial Plan

Below is my initial plan for my project, where my focus of the photographs is pub culture and the people who go to pubs. I have decided us 8 shots for my photography essay and have described what I plan each shot will consist of in my plan below;

Photo 1: Child sitting in pub with another child, each with a coke and bag of crisps,   laughing/playing- adjust settings on camera to take a photo that is bright, giving off an enjoyable atmosphere.

Photo 2: One of the two children this time on their own, with a finished bag of crisps and coke, looking bored next to their parents who are talking- adjust camera settings and change the angle to change the feel of the shot to a sadder one.

Photo 3: A group of young people having drinks together and a smile on their faces (empty drinks on table and perhaps a birthday card) maybe have one guy having a shot- camera settings changed to have a bright shot reflecting a happy mood.

Photo 4: One of people from the group of young people leaving the pub, the boy who was taking the shot is leaning on the wall looking very drunk- shot will be outside at night so need to adjust settings to be able to see clearly, the darkness outside will reflect the mood of the shot but I will take the shot from a high angle looking down on him as well.

Photo 5: A shot of a barmaid smiling as she is serving a customer- again adjust the camera settings to have a bright shot whilst having the barmaid stand in good lighting to emphasise her smile.

Photo 6: A shot of the same barmaid with her back to the bar looking very stressed out, may have a rude looking customer in the shot as well- adjust settings to darken the shot to make it seem a lot less joyful.

Photo 7: A shot of an older man by the bar looking quite happy talking to another customer-having the lighting at a normal brightness to make it seem quite normal and easy.

Photo 8: Shot of the same man at the bar in the same place but this time on his own looking quite lonely because he is on his own- adjust camera settings to have the shot a lot darker than the previous photo to give a more depressing feel to the shot.

Chosen Idea

For my final project I have chosen to use a mixture of my second and third idea which looks at the customers and staff of pubs and bars. I have chosen these ideas to be mixed together because through this I am able to show similarities and connections between the two and highlight both positives and negatives of this culture. I am planning on showing different types of people at pubs and show a side that seems quite enjoyable and another side that seems a bit more depressing. However, I need to think about what type of people I am going to use as the focus of my shots and how to show the distinction between the enjoyable atmosphere and the less enjoyable one.

Stuart Hall: The work of Representation key notes

In this reading Stuart Hall helps to explain what representation actually is. He gives more that one definition. Firstly, he describes it as the production of meaning through language and secondly, to represent is to depict or describe something, to call it up in the mind of description, portrayal or imagination. When representing a specific group or location in my project, like said in the specification, I shall keep these definitions in mind and think of how I can represent my subject in the light of these definitions. The reading also states how visual signs and images carry meaning and thus have to be interpreted, meaning that through my photographs I can create my own signs to be interpreted by the audience to tell a story.

Ways of seeing key notes

This reading starts by pointing out that seeing comes before words- the baby sees before it understands words. The reading explains how it is seeing which establishes our place in the surrounding world- we explain the world with words but words cannot undo the fact that we are surrounded by the world. We have knowledge such as the Earth turning away from the sun creating a sunset but the sight seems too surreal and the explanation doesn't quite fit the sight. The way we see things is affected by what we know and what we believe. It is also explained that we can't be fully covered from words whereas we only see what we look at , its our choice, and it is our take on what that sight is that can affect us.

David Prakel: Composition key notes

Another key reading that I did to prepare myself for this project was about Composition by David Prakel. The reading explains what composition is; the process of identifying and arranging the elements to produce a coherent image (everything in an image forms its composition). Prakel explains how we are enabled to better understand the principles of composition when the consistent parts of an image are formally broken down into line, shape, form, texture, pattern and colour. This reading has helped me to understand that I must change the composition for the different photographs that I take by changing the Apature, Shutter Speed and ISO settings on the camera.

Graham Clarke: How do we read a photograph? key notes

Another key reading that I have looked at in order to help steer my own project is How to read a Photograph by Graham Clarke. In this Clarke suggests that we should read a photograph, not as an image but as a text. He explains how a photograph is itself the product of the photographer and is always the reflection of a specific point of view. Clarke also states that a photographer doesn't just take photos in a passive sense, it is to impose, steal, recreate the scene according to a cultural discourse and the photographers views. This reading has helped me to understand that as people should read photographs as a text, I as the photographer should construct them as one too and that I should do this by recreating the scene of my subject in a way that I feel necessary.

John Ingledew: Photography key notes

One of the key readings that I have done in preparation for this course is from John Ingledew. Ingledew explains how photography is a potent and powerful force, able to tell huge stories through single images. He states that the key to creating great pictures is not through the equipment used;its about finding your own way of seeing things using photography. The reading highlights how photographs have the power to stop time preserving moments that have passed by and that particular moments that are caught'conjure up' memories and emotions for people. Ingledew also looks at the technical side of photography and a key point that I drew from this reading is the fact that cameras can register events or objects that the eye cannot by using exposures of fractions of a second, minutes or hours. This reading has made a few things clear for me; I need to tell a story through my images and to make great images I need to make the story in a way that I see something.

Idea 5: The negatives of pub culture

For my fifth and final idea I have chosen to use the negatives of pub culture as my main focus. Like my fourth idea, it uses social context as its key focus but with this idea it is used to highlight the negative views towards pub culture.

Positives of this idea:
-It is easy to highlight the message behind this idea
-There are a range of individuals who could be the main subject of the photos
Negatives of this idea:
-The photographs would be repetitive because the negatives of pub culture are very similar
-It is a sensitive topic and some people may not want to be the main focus of the photographs

Below are examples of shots that relate to this idea:

Idea 4: The positives of pub culture

For my fourth idea I have chosen to focus on the positives of pub culture, for example to socialise with friends. This idea uses social context as the key focus to portray pub culture in a positive light.

Positives of this idea:
-It is easy to highlight the message behind this idea
-There is a range of different people who can be the subject of the photographs
Negatives of this idea:
-The story/message of this idea isn't very interesting to me
-In order to present the message this idea, the photographs are likely to seem very repetitive as there aren't many more positives of pub culture other than socialising

Below are examples of shots that relate to this idea:

Idea 3: The staff

For my third idea I have chosen to use individuals as the main focus, in this case the staff that work in pubs, most likely bar staff. I aim to show the ups and downs of bar work, for example, where staff actually enjoy serving pleasant customers and when they don't enjoy serving those who aren't as pleasant, even though they have to still put on a smile.

Positives of this idea:
-This idea has a clear story that I can show quite well through my photographs
-I have done bar work myself and therefore know exactly what kind of images I want to capture
Negatives of this idea:
-It will be hard to take good quality photographs of staff without getting in the way too much

Below are examples of shots that relate to this idea:

Idea 2: The customers

For my second idea I have chosen to focus on the different types of people that go to pubs and explore the reasons for why they do so. This idea uses social context as the main subject and is explored through shots of various individuals.

Positives of this idea:
-Using this idea will allow me to clearly make a link between each picture whilst getting across a message/story
-Only need permission from one venue to take the pictures
-There are a range of individuals who are able to be the subject of one of the photographs
Negatives of this idea:
-As there will be a lot of individuals used as the focus of the shots, it will be difficult to get permission from each person that I may want to have in the pictures.

Below are examples of shots that relate to this idea:

Idea 1: Different types of pubs

For my first idea I have chosen to explore the various types of pubs that exist and what atmosphere is given just by the look of each one. This is the only idea where I have chosen to focus on location instead of using people or social context as the main subject.

Positives of this idea:
-It depicts more than one location and therefore can explore how the difference in location can change the mood of each photograph
Negatives of this idea:
-It is difficult to make all the photos relate in a way that doesn't just show various pubs(no story is being told)
-It is less likely for me to get permission to take pictures in various pubs as opposed to just one
-It is difficult to capture a single image that reflects a whole location

Below are examples of shots that relate to this idea:

Breakdown of main idea

As described in a previous post, I have chosen pub culture as the main focus of my photography essay. However, there are many different routes which I could take with this idea and therefore I have broken it down into more specific ideas of how I may approach it. I will experiment with each of my ideas and choose which one I believe to be the best whilst doing so. My ideas for what I may use as the main focus for my photographs are;
-Different types of Pubs(Location is the subject)
-Different people who go to pubs and why(Social context is the subject)
-The staff that work in pubs(Individuals are the subject)
-The positives view towards pubs(Social context is the subject)
-The negative view towards pubs(social context is the subject)

Pub Culture Collage

Below is a collage of various photographs into pub culture that relate to my idea. From looking at it it, there are a range of messages and stories being told in each picture and the collage catches the different reasons for why people go to the pub and why people drink, this is what I want to show through my photography essay. The various ways of portraying messages can be seen through these pictures as well. I have gained much inspiration from these photographs and they will help when planning my my shots, however, I need to not let it stifle my creativity and need to keep in mind that I am telling a story.

Bill Bradshaw

When researching photographers who have used pubs as their focus of a project, I didn't find many, however, Bill Bradshaw came up who took many photographs of pubs and the drinking culture. He took many photographs of people enjoying themselves in the pub and of the actual pub or drink on their own, which is quite different to the sort of photographs I am planning on taking. Also, the pubs used in his photographs are a lot more elegant than the ones that I am planning on using, if I were to take my shots in the same sort of pubs he used then the message could be lost. For example, if I were to take a shot of a man sitting on his own, whilst trying to give off a sense of loneliness, a pub as glamorous looking as the ones Bradshaw uses, then the message could be lost. However, there are a few photos of his that do link to mine and that I may use as inspiration for my own project. Below are some examples of his that I may mirror as they capture the range of different people in the pub or a certain group for example;

Main idea for photography essay

For my portfolio for photography I am required to create a photography essay that consists of 6 to 8 photographs which sends a message and tells a story. After a lot of thought I had the idea of basing my project on pub culture. I have worked behind a bar for the past few years and have found that there are many different people who go to pubs and for different reasons. With this I believe that I could get some very eye catching photographs that would highlight the range of different peoples lives. However, with pub culture as the topic and the lives of different people in the pub as the main focus, I am not sure how to approach the story telling part of my essay as I plan to get photographs of different people and not have just a single person or people in most if not all of the photos. However, I believe that when going out and taking practice shots, that it will become clear to me which route is the best one to take.

Over exposure photos

Whilst photographing strangers on campus and trying to capture different gazes I realized that I had made a very big mistake. When looking back at the photos that I had just taken it was drawn to my attention that over half of the pictures were overexposed leading to them being extremely bright and very difficult to see. The exposure of each photograph is affected by aperture, shutter speed and ISO. It became clear to me that I had made a major rookie mistake by not looking at each of the settings before taking the photos and even more of a mistake by not checking my photos after I had taken each one. Below are some examples of the terrible photos that I had taken due to my mistakes:

The gaze of strangers

During a workshop we discussed the concept of gaze in photography, in particular the male gaze. The male gaze refers to the way visual arts are structured around a masculine viewer. The concept consists of three different gazes; that of the person behind the camera, that of the characters within the representation or film itself and the gaze of the spectator. Below are some photographs that I took whilst trying to capture different gazes;

Aperture photos

In photography and digital photography, aperture is the unit of measurement that defines the size of the opening in the lens that can be adjusted to control the amount of light reaching the film or digital sensor. Aperture therefore ultimately affects the brightness of the image, below are some examples of pictures that I took using different aperture settings: