Formative feedback
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Student name
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Amanda Callow
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Student number
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507285
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Course/Unit
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PH3: BoW
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Assignment
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2
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Type of tutorial
(eg video/audio/written) |
Written
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Overall Comments
Making your work is not about impressing or disappointing me - but about trying to find your own personal voice as a photographer. It is clear from this work that you don’t seem that concerned to find this personal voice so I have to ask you what do you want to achieve?
I have to be honest and clear because you are a 3rd year degree student but you are making stage photography which is not better than generally available commercial stage photography. As a degree student, you are expected to make more inventive, more contextually challenging work than this not simply regurgitating what others have done. You do show attention to the gestures and expressions of the performers but you are not thinking about the whole visual impact of your photos. Simple visual problems affect most of these photos, and these are things you should have learnt to overcome a long time ago. Viewpoint is a big problem, so is focus, composition and the general lack of variety in your images. (These are mostly all three-quarter length portraits).
Making your work is not about impressing or disappointing me - but about trying to find your own personal voice as a photographer. It is clear from this work that you don’t seem that concerned to find this personal voice so I have to ask you what do you want to achieve?
I have to be honest and clear because you are a 3rd year degree student but you are making stage photography which is not better than generally available commercial stage photography. As a degree student, you are expected to make more inventive, more contextually challenging work than this not simply regurgitating what others have done. You do show attention to the gestures and expressions of the performers but you are not thinking about the whole visual impact of your photos. Simple visual problems affect most of these photos, and these are things you should have learnt to overcome a long time ago. Viewpoint is a big problem, so is focus, composition and the general lack of variety in your images. (These are mostly all three-quarter length portraits).
But I get the feeling you’re not really seeing these pictures as portraits at all and that is the
main problem. You are referring to ‘gig photography’ and that’s why this work seems generic
and lacking originality or personal expression. You are not finding anything visually interesting in this subject area. A portrait is a picture of a particular person and what that face, body,
gesture expresses through the photograph. The problem with performers is they fall into
subcultural genres and tend to want to look the same. Note for example, the way the rappers
all hold the mic in similar ways. It’s about identification. Maybe you could find something in
that to lift this genre of photography to a higher level.
I think you would benefit much more from a telephone tutorial, so next time, let’s arrange a time for a call. That would give you the opportunity to respond to what I’m saying and could give you a better understanding of where you’re at photographically and intellectually.
I think you would benefit much more from a telephone tutorial, so next time, let’s arrange a time for a call. That would give you the opportunity to respond to what I’m saying and could give you a better understanding of where you’re at photographically and intellectually.
If you are really unhappy about this report, you could transfer to another tutor. Maybe a portrait photographer like Les Monahan, Chris Coekin or Wendy McMurdo.
But I think you are getting to the point where if your subject is unavailable or impossible to access, you simply can’t make do with poor examples and you must find another subject. You need to be producing the best photography you can at this point in your development.
But I think you are getting to the point where if your subject is unavailable or impossible to access, you simply can’t make do with poor examples and you must find another subject. You need to be producing the best photography you can at this point in your development.
Assignment 2 Assessment potential
I understand your aim is to go for the Photography/Creative Arts * Degree and that you plan to submit your work for assessment at the end of this course. However, from the work you have shown in this assignment, I am concerned that you may struggle to meet the assessment criteria, and recommend that you instead consider either pausing your HE level studies for the time being or taking the personal development route rather than seek assessment (see Conditions of Enrolment, Section 2 a). Contact the OCA Course Advisors to discuss this further.
I understand your aim is to go for the Photography/Creative Arts * Degree and that you plan to submit your work for assessment at the end of this course. However, from the work you have shown in this assignment, I am concerned that you may struggle to meet the assessment criteria, and recommend that you instead consider either pausing your HE level studies for the time being or taking the personal development route rather than seek assessment (see Conditions of Enrolment, Section 2 a). Contact the OCA Course Advisors to discuss this further.
Feedback on assignment
Demonstration of technical and Visual Skills, Quality of Outcome, Demonstration of Creativity
If you want to make a photo of bored spectators - it could be interesting! - you need a lot more
clarity in your picture otherwise the image is unpleasant to look at and the telling expressions
are not clear.
Demonstration of technical and Visual Skills, Quality of Outcome, Demonstration of Creativity
Crowd
This is poor for a few reasons. It is very grainy. It is also framed in an indecisive manner - note there’s plenty of the decorated wall in shot, but you’ve cut the feet off the two lads in the fore- ground on the left.
This is poor for a few reasons. It is very grainy. It is also framed in an indecisive manner - note there’s plenty of the decorated wall in shot, but you’ve cut the feet off the two lads in the fore- ground on the left.
Jellyfish
The essential issue here is that you’re not managing to bring the background and the foreground figure into a working composition. This could be achieved by using a fast lens - say an 85mm which stops down to f1.4. But the real problem is that the background doesn’t seem to have much to do with the more interesting expressions of the band members. Perhaps you can find a way to isolate the figures like this - decontextualizing them from the stage and therefore emphasizing their emotions.
The essential issue here is that you’re not managing to bring the background and the foreground figure into a working composition. This could be achieved by using a fast lens - say an 85mm which stops down to f1.4. But the real problem is that the background doesn’t seem to have much to do with the more interesting expressions of the band members. Perhaps you can find a way to isolate the figures like this - decontextualizing them from the stage and therefore emphasizing their emotions.
It is so typical to make these performers seem ‘larger than life’ idolized people. Maybe making
them smaller would help you to see them and show them in a different light.
The mixture of black and white and colour photography appears indecisive. But it doesn’t appear that the stylistic aspects of gig photography interest you because these images are not heavily processed. That could be an avenue for you to explore - intense Photoshop work - which turns the photographs into paintings.
In Jellyfish 4 the mic stand coincides with the bass players head. Generally you need to get a totally clear outline with your figures unless there’s a non-distracting way to do it otherwise.
In Jellyfish 5, I like the way you’ve caught the guitarist in mid-movement, which adds a dynamic blur.
Jellyfish 6 appears to be out of focus on the band!
The mixture of black and white and colour photography appears indecisive. But it doesn’t appear that the stylistic aspects of gig photography interest you because these images are not heavily processed. That could be an avenue for you to explore - intense Photoshop work - which turns the photographs into paintings.
In Jellyfish 4 the mic stand coincides with the bass players head. Generally you need to get a totally clear outline with your figures unless there’s a non-distracting way to do it otherwise.
In Jellyfish 5, I like the way you’ve caught the guitarist in mid-movement, which adds a dynamic blur.
Jellyfish 6 appears to be out of focus on the band!
SACollective
These two images look pretty convincing as commercial gig photos - the shot of the singer looking at the camera is particularly good because singers don’t usually look at the cameras. I’ve removed the distracting stage lamp behind the singer.
These two images look pretty convincing as commercial gig photos - the shot of the singer looking at the camera is particularly good because singers don’t usually look at the cameras. I’ve removed the distracting stage lamp behind the singer.
WBWasted
Maybe because rappers are less concealed by guitars and drums, and the background is less busy, these pictures of this group are better. Some are grainy or noisy but I suppose there is no way of avoiding that.
In terms of gestures and expressions you have the same re-enactment of their favourite performers going on. So without the essential element - the music and lyrics - the postures and gestures are emphasized and that needs to be your main source of observation. Try to find something in this body language which is strong and try to find a way of emphasizing it so that it communicates to the viewer.
Maybe because rappers are less concealed by guitars and drums, and the background is less busy, these pictures of this group are better. Some are grainy or noisy but I suppose there is no way of avoiding that.
In terms of gestures and expressions you have the same re-enactment of their favourite performers going on. So without the essential element - the music and lyrics - the postures and gestures are emphasized and that needs to be your main source of observation. Try to find something in this body language which is strong and try to find a way of emphasizing it so that it communicates to the viewer.
Research
Context, reflective thinking, critical thinking, analysis
You’ve written a short paragraph about Rock n’ Roll photography is the new trainspotting. It’s not really clear what research you’re doing and what you’re learning from it - specifically. Are you learning something about dealing with the mess of equipment on the stage? Are you learning about handling the lighting? Are you learning about what to look for?
It is not clear whether you are looking at or critiquing the work of photographers mentioned in the course materials: Hannah Starkey, Taryn Simon etc.
Context, reflective thinking, critical thinking, analysis
You’ve written a short paragraph about Rock n’ Roll photography is the new trainspotting. It’s not really clear what research you’re doing and what you’re learning from it - specifically. Are you learning something about dealing with the mess of equipment on the stage? Are you learning about handling the lighting? Are you learning about what to look for?
It is not clear whether you are looking at or critiquing the work of photographers mentioned in the course materials: Hannah Starkey, Taryn Simon etc.
Learning Log
This is mostly about your working process and self reflection - and you admit that you couldn’t find the best access nor did you go to many gigs. It’s honest writing but it isn’t in-depth. Your motive appears to be to find the passion on people’s faces. There is feeling in these people, but there is also cliche. If it’s the faces you’re interested in, why not use a telephoto lens to get close? What you want to communicate is not coming across.
This is mostly about your working process and self reflection - and you admit that you couldn’t find the best access nor did you go to many gigs. It’s honest writing but it isn’t in-depth. Your motive appears to be to find the passion on people’s faces. There is feeling in these people, but there is also cliche. If it’s the faces you’re interested in, why not use a telephoto lens to get close? What you want to communicate is not coming across.
Suggested reading/viewing
Context
I found this site, http://uk.complex.com/style/2012/10/the-50-greatest-music-photographers- right-now/kyle-gustafson
Because of the proliferation of gig photography, it is easy to find research material and to improve your observation skills.
Context
I found this site, http://uk.complex.com/style/2012/10/the-50-greatest-music-photographers- right-now/kyle-gustafson
Because of the proliferation of gig photography, it is easy to find research material and to improve your observation skills.
Pointers for the next assignment
You must engage thoroughly with the research in the next section. It should help you to lift your photography to a new level.
You must engage thoroughly with the research in the next section. It should help you to lift your photography to a new level.
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Tutor name
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Robert Enoch
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Date
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1st August 2016
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Next assignment due
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10th October 2016
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