ARTISTS TALKING

# 9 [17 March 2010]

oh deary deary me, I knew I should have stuck with my usual practice. absolutely woeful results!

I could claim that this was my intention, and write a creative piece about what they represent and why, ( and I've done that before) but sadly it was not, and I want to be honest with you, fellow travellers on this journey of self expression. I was looking for atmosphere not total gloom! this is all I am prepared to share.

I have shelved the idea of exhibiting this project next month, am going to have to go through my old work and use something from that, as there just isn't enough time left to get this right.

coming home from london on the train after picking up the processed negs, with a lighter purse and heavy heart, I felt a bit more detached from the east end than usual, and wonder if the ancestral connection and interest in the place is weakening.

It's enough to drive you to chocolate biscuits and strong coffee, in fact it already has....

# 8 [11 March 2010]

Today I have finally done some work, but before I come to that I should catch up since my last posting.

On monday I attended a fellowship meeting, where a small group get together in someone house and discuss certain text from the bible, chat and pray. this was another getting to know people kind of thing, and what a lovely group they are, so friendly and welcoming. Over the course of the evening though I got to thinking that no photographs could really reflect or demonstrate their relationship with each other and with their beliefs.

 Actually what I now think would be interesting to see and to exhibit would be a combination of photographs of the church together with video of the people and their activities. The contrast of the stillness of the church and vibrancy of the people would be a good demonstration I think, that while the building is symbolic, its nothing without the life of its congregation, and their relationship with God.... so where does that leave me.?? I have precious little moving image experience nor video editing software experience. Anyone interested in collaberating in a social documentary style piece of work in East London?

anyway , back to today's shoot. I took 12 large format images which I will be taking for processing tomorrow. not sure how confident I am with them, as I have changed from my usual practise of having a very shallow depth of field. Only used ambient light, again as usual. Got very frustrated at my inability to get in the correct position for certain shots, much as I love my wista it really isn't the most manoeverable of cameras. another lens might be handy too.

more next week after processing , in the meantime another digital test shot has been posted.

# 7 [18 February 2010]

This week I have been mostly engaging in diversionary tactics, to take my mind of the confusion of the church project. I did attend a quiz night at the church, we , somehow , came third, everyone else was clearly as useless as we were, but it was a pleasant evening.

I also had some photos developed that I took last year and had shelved. Now they have been developed I understand why I had left them ....yawn. It has made me think again about that 'go nowhere' project , another handy diversion. I had said that I would return to it in the winter, so perhaps I will.

Something both the church project and this has made me think about is whether I have a problem with people, (photographing them, engaging with them in general) which is very odd. Prior to my degree i worked as an IT trainer, talking for a living, for goodness sake, so why is engagement a problem now, on an artistic basis? This makes it sound as though I cannot photograph people which thinking back is obviously not the case as previous projects have proved. so why a problem now? is it because I am going down a path which wasn't in my original plan? am I embarassed by my artistic-ness?

looking back, the projects that I think have been the most successful are the solitary ones, just me and the camera. maybe this is what I should stick to .

# 6 [10 February 2010]

Yesterday I had a bit of therapy. Actually I had my hair cut but hairdressers are well known as unofficial psychologists/psychiatrists, so same thing. Anyway got some of the angst out of my system!

Have decided to take a bit of a step back from the touchy feeliness of the project. I think I want to try to persue the architectural angle but defer the people part until I feel a bt more comfortable.

In the meantime I have decided to process the film from my other "go nowhere" project, to actually see if they are any good. I am not sure why I haven't had these done, but maybe if I like them I will continue with that project, which I had said I would return to in the winter anyway.

I think maybe I just need to get "out there" with my WISTA since it seems that is the only way I ever feel in context and like a photographer!

That could be my problem, I am estranged from my camera, and I am sure it is as unhappy as I am!

# 5 [8 February 2010]

Why is it that when I was doing my degree, I felt my photographic practice was justified and I could pursue any idea that I wished without questioning its validity or wondering if I was exploiting my subjects. Everyone seemed to accept my odd /creative ideas, (presumably because I was mid degree) and yet now, post degree, it all seems so different....

On Sunday I went to church, the first time in many years, to meet the parishioners that would potentially become part of the project. They were lovely , friendly people. The service was modern and easy to follow, and enjoyable. Chatted to plenty of people who were interested in my ideas; I was invited to a small group meeting in someones house to get to know people better, and to a quiz night later this week.

But I am now finding it all a bit uncomfortable and want to step back. Somehow it feels as though I am intruding, or perhaps it is that I am intending to try to photograph their faith or their demonstration of it, something that is very personal and individual. Am I invading ther privacy?

While in the church I was thinking of what would make a good image. I loved the way the children were included in the service and weren't afraid to wrestle on the carpet after the service when we were all drinking tea and chatting. There could have been some good pictures , but the parents might not have been so keen for me to photograph their children anyway.

I am beginning to think that this could be another "go nowhere" project, something I start but don't finish because I feel awkward about it for some reason. The Advanced Professional Practice module seemed straightforward enough when I did it, but it didn't include how to address internal conflict, lack of confidence, and crises of conscience post graduation. Now the protective cloak of student hood has gone, it seems I am exposed, and not the resourceful person I always claimed to be....what a disappointment.

I am feeling that maybe I should just photograph landscapes, or architecture or pretty flowers - just something I don't have to interact with, or explain my ideas too. A subject that needs no understanding, that is obvious, shallow, that doesn't make people look at me in a strange way...Maybe I should just become a hermit, a hermit with a large format camera, living in a cave......

# 4 [26 January 2010]

Meeting this morning at St Annes with the Church Man. he let me into the church for a proper look around, which included the Crypt, fascinating and very crumbly. we talked some more about my idea.

The passing of time and people have obviously left their marks on the building, and if the project is to be more than a repeat of similar projects I have done before, I am going to need to engage with some of the faithful. happily the Church Man ( who does have a name, btw)  can arrange this. If I'm to record the impressions made by the faithful, it does make sense that I include some of them.  I took a few digital snaps just really to keep the place in my mind but the plan is to use my large format camera for the project. the next steps are for Church Man to sound out the congregation about participating, but he thinks that shouldn't be a problem, meantime I have some more thinking to do....

It has all made me reflect on my musings on the feeling of home, although home is something we identify visually it is actually about something that is unseen: relationships, memories etc. You can be a Christian without going to church, but such a building gathers people together, again it is about the relationship and fellowship of the people who gather there. I really do need to try to articulate this idea better. 

But anyway, at least I am doing something.. A book on my shelf has just caught my eye, The Fate of Place by Edward s Casey... I never did get to grips with it when I was doing my degree and tried to sell it on amazon... I have a feeling it's calling me now....

# 3 [23 January 2010]

Many years ago I visited St Marks in Venice; I was immediately struck by the atmosphere, it felt like the years or some remainder of them , hung in the air. Some kind of ethereal reminder of all the faithful that had passed through the doors. Hold on to this thought, I am going to return to it later. 

Now, in my photographic practice I try to capture an atmosphere , a feeling, something which can't be seen, it's not easy but its what I do. Anyway for some time I have wanted to do a project about faith, based in a church. Is it possible to photograph faith? I can photograph representations of faith, people observing their faith, but I am looking for something else. Well I have finally got this off the ground and have an appointment in a church on Tuesday. I do not know the place, although I have been there once before, only not with the intention of photographing it, and then only for a few minutes. I am not sure what I will find or whether my idea will work.

A church or any building or place can leave an impression on one who spends time there, spiritually, psychologically, in an unseeable way.  People passing through will leave an impression on the place, definitely a physical impression, and maybe something less definite...we'll see!

The good news is I am finally ready to do some photographic work, after suffering the visual equivalant of writers block since graduating!

# 2 [30 November 2009]

In an attempt to avoid doing any work of my own I have taken on some volunteer work, to take my mind off my lack of creativity. I'm helping the family history archive (where I made my last project) catalogue their 30,000 photographs..that should keep me busy for a while.

# 1 [18 November 2009]

I thought it might be worth beginning this blog by outlining my ideas and how I work. Recent projects have addressed aspects of identity, and the ideas related to objects, home and place as this is an area which interests me. In the past my projects frequently had a personal connection, sometimes by way of the location, or an often tenuous link with an idea or memory. For me, photography is not solely about detail and clarity of image and I try to create photographs which evoke a feeling or atmosphere, not just provide ‘information’. Although we relate to and identify with places and objects visually, their importance to us is frequently emotional and connected with memory and relationships - things which cannot be seen and this view influences my work. It is often these emotions, memories or relationships that I attempt to capture a sense of. My preferred medium is film, in particular medium and large format photography, usually relying only on the available light. I do use digital SLRs also, but prefer to keep digital manipulation to a minimum.