Concluding 210mc

As I approach the curtain call on this module I would like to reflect on my experiences, understandings and enhancements in which this module has given to me.

Looking at my first project and then looking at my last, I could see a contrast in understanding photography and the nature of the art. I feel my first ‘draft’ project was the weakest project in which I produced. I don’t hate the piece but I feel from what I learned and researched, giving me a broader horizon and perspective on photography that it made me realise and have new ideas in which were not present prior.

At the start of the module I did have a strong creative personality and I have always been the character to try and go outside the box, but after all the lectures and extra research in which I conveyed I realised that there are so many other photographers that ‘one step ahead’.

This is not a negative approach because I feel it made me try and be even more creative and passionate about my ideas and the reasons for capturing that image or sound.

My favourite piece in which I have produced is the final project. I feel it is the project that tested me to the maximum of my ability as a photographer, soundscape and editor and that the final film is exactly to my intentions. The themes and representations in which I wanted to convey are present as well as the motions and emotions of the characters throughout the film.

This module has developed me as a photographer, lens artist, soundscaper and as a person. I have learned so much more about the boundaries and possibilities of photography in which have enhanced my creative perspectives, theoretically, mentally and practically. But my out look and appreciation on the art and of life has also enhanced. I will no longer look at Starbucks in the same way as I did before, I will now absorb the motion in which is running through and the various sounds and conversations in which can be heard, as well as the expressions and emotions of community. Knowing that a good photograph does not have to be of a model or piece of architect, it could be of a cleaner, a balloon or a merchant. It’s how it’s captured and manipulated by myself in which functions how well its conveyed.

Final Project: ‘Young Hearts’ – Daniel Booker

After looking at single images and how they provoke and convey sound, emotions and responses differently, our last project was to create a short video produced from still images.

The narrative had to be clear and easily understandable with a use of sound that helps convey the visual to our interpretation.

My final project is set at a boxing gym near my home location. Using only the sound taken from the gym from one particular training session and capturing over 1500 still images, I have produced a short video entirely made out of still photographs supported with a narrative that tells a story.

The story’s synopsis is about two young boxers who prepare to fight each other. It’s a simple narrative, but the procedure in how its shot is the most memorable element in which constructs the piece and makes it complete.

One of the most frequent quotes in which I received when making the video in post production was “how young are they”, their age being quite an important factor in the story. They are 13 and 15 years old.

Ages that when you view the film is quite scary knowing how young these kids are and the training in which they commit themselves to. But this is one of the representations and themes in which I wanted to show to the audience. After being influence by ‘Murray Kloses – Cuba’ portfolio, I became focused on the idea of teenage boxing.

I felt the themes in which it covered were extraordinary, however his photos were really representations on Cuba and the cultural impact of their country. I wondered what it would be like to manipulate a British version of actual teenagers boxing.

After learning through trial and error at the demo shoot for this project, I arrived at the boxing club with a storyboard in which I could go through chronologically with the kids and their trainer in order to create the film precisely to my intentions. Luckily this worked very well and the two lads in whom I met a few days before were brilliant to work with. They discussed with me what they do before fights as well as what they don’t do, which made my storyboard change a little as they introduced me to warm ups in which are more boxing related.

This was a good relationship to work with. They had already years of experience in boxing in which helped me in various sites. They directed me through their pre-fight emotions and actions, allowing me to shoot extra footage in which I initially didn’t plan due to my beginner knowledge of the sport.

We did only have two hours to record all the footage, due to deadlines to myself in order to edit the piece. The first hour went by very quickly, in fact too quickly. Although I had taken many images and recorded some strong soundscpaes, I still wasn’t half way across my storyboard. But after addressing the kids this, we upped the tempo of the schedule and worked a lot harder to get accurate footage quicker.

What I did find that the made the piece easier to capture, was to actually show the kids and the other boxers what I was doing and what my intentions were. I could only describe it to a certain extent but when I showed them on the camera they quickly recoginsed the type of piece I was trying to produce, allowing them to express their thoughts and ideas with mine.

I left the shoot with over 1500 images and 30 minutes worth of soundscape. This put me in great confidence in terms of producing a finished outcome that would show my intentions. However, I did not look forward to editing with such a great number of photos. But the process was not as difficult as I thought it would be. It just took time and patience. The easiest part was editing the sound into the piece. Due to collecting so much strong and clear sounds, I could loop and adjust various tones to fit the structure of the narrative. This was all achieved in half a day of editing. A contrast to the images, which took three and a half days, and over 800 images used to create the film.

One of the difficulties with my intentions was that I did not want every clip the same length. I wanted it to be a bit jumpy in places where other places I wanted fast tempo such as the skipping scene. I wanted the piece to look as old as possible but to contain modern elements – supported by the use of teenagers in branded clothing of the modern age.

Although my film is long and slightly exceeds the initial time allocated, I feel it works best at that length and its current duration portrays the best representations, themes and anticipations. Shortening it may damage its portrayal.

My intentions were to build up the anticipation of the final call as much as possible. Giving the audience the perspective of each fighter. Allowing them to witness each other’s emotions and thoughts as they train, warm up and fight.

After researching other media texts in which I regarded as an influence, I was able to construct the piece together in a viewing format that can be associated with this sport. However the representations and themes in the video are much greater and contain more depth. Themes that is open to interpretation.

I am very pleased with the finished outcome of my film. I feel it portrays youth as a much older generation, creating representations in the audience’s response to the characters. Conjuring their personalities and their futures as human beings and how they will proceed through life in today’s society. This is manipulated with the boxing. The boxing represents the conflict in which they will go through in later life, the issues and the fights. But by having people of such an age involved in such a violent and compact sport, it brings that epic, astonishing and silent initial response factor to the viewer.

This is why I titled the film ‘Young Hearts’. Hearts that are still maturing and developing, but ones that have already dealt and experienced conflict making them more powerful than they think they are.

Project One Revisited – Daniel Booker

How can you say that?” she asked in a voice drained of feeling. Naoko’s voice alerted me to the possibility that I had something I shouldn’t have.

The first project consisted of us being given a short extract from a novel. We was not told the name of the novel or even who the author was, the brief was to create an image in which is our response to the piece of text we have been given.

I studied the text for some time, designing possible images in which I thought it could be manipulated. My first design was showing insecurity through a female body, a convention that is accepted in today’s society, a stereotype representation.

But after capturing this later image and shooting various photographs my rabbit. I realised there is more to the text than I first observed. There is no link to mankind nor does it convey if it’s an animation or image of wildlife.

The image I have chosen to represent the extract in which I was given to me is defiantly a very personal interpretation.
The character of my rabbit is only known by myself and not to the viewer, however this image to me labels ‘feminicity’ and that element of ‘surprise’ that can be manipulated in the text.

Beautifully shot at the rabbits level, I wanted to capture as much emotion as possible and wanted to show the rabbit as a protagonist, with the audience being a second protagonist. Through black and white photography, I was able to replicate the intended emotion and behaviour and draw all focus to the facial expression visual.

This image to me mirrors the quote “how could you say that”, expressed by the rabbits surprised, however curious glare over the brick wall. As well as making the audience a character by being observed through eye contact, linking the line “Naoko’s voice alerted me to the possibility that I had something I shouldn’t have.”

Final Project Preparation: Research – Boxing

In preparation for my final project I wanted to look research boxing photography; how other photographers have interoperated their view on the sport and what they capture in their image. Looking at the different emotions, shots and motions that are taken participants of the sport. Different photographers and media texts have taken the sport differently. But as you may see below, the most important characters in the piece are the fighters themselves. The ring is very much the same but boxers are the people that create character into the image.

My first text in which I looked at was film stills of 1980 film ‘ The Raging Bull’. Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, the film is about the emotional self-destruction life of boxer Jake La Motta. Being a biographical film, emotions and feelings of the characters are captured brilliantly. The protagonist of La Motta, is seen as a fighter, both in the ring and out. Creating this alpha destructive male image of De Niro.  The stills below are prime examples of Scorsese showing feeling and passion of a man and his life.  Each image shows a emotion by De Niro, one where you can stop and draw feelings from. Even though there is a stadium of people watching, you only focus what is going through De Niro’s mind, evacuating all the sound around him and just hearing his breathing, his panting, his exhaustion and his thoughts. These images clearly show a man of self-thought, emotion, passion and trouble. A perfect inspiration in capturing the thought and feeling of a fighter.

The opening scene of the film is a famous one. The slow pouncing steps of De Niro’s footwork jumping from the ground in a slow soft motion manner while the emotional orchestral music is played is astonishingly beautiful. You have no relationship with the character yet but the scene shows the passion and pride of this boxer. Not knowing his biography, you make your own opinion. However the scene draws you into its motion, its pride, its passion and the heart of the fighter.

The Wrestler (2009) starring Mickey Rouke isn’t necessarily about boxing, but I felt it was a film that I have drawn inspiration from in replicating alpha male emotion.  Like ‘The Raging Bull’, the film is a biographical film about self-destructive fighter. Described as the wrestling ‘Raging Bull’ by many reviews. Although the film was shot in colour, I found this black and white photo of Rouke in the ring looking scared, wary and focused on the danger approaching. Whether this is physical or mentally is questionable, but this powerful character of such size looks extraordinary.  The other photo below then capturing a fast motion, a picture that shows movement and just a glimpse to the natural eye, but frozen in mid air, you get to see the thought and emotion of the character at such a fast pace. The photographer has done brilliantly to capture that millisecond of time. Producing a beautiful photograph of a warrior at war.

Other films in which I have looked at for inspiration include ‘Ali’ (2004) and ‘Million Dollar Baby’ (2004). Boxing films that focus around the life of a particular character. The genre of these films mirror the genre in which I want to base my final project at and looking at the shots in which the director and photographer uses to produce text, gives me ideas and thoughts in how to portray my project. The shot of Will Smith leaning over the rope shows a confident character; but like the De Niro images, the photograph escapes the sound of the arena and draws your focus onto the expression and posture of Will Smith.  The frame from ‘Million Dollar Baby’ is the one photo that is different to the rest. All the photos above it express the theme of masculinity, but this is image is a female. This is neither a stereotype nor a convention in which you link to the sport. Offering a powerful and extraordinary portrayal by the director. Does this make the audience feel different in viewing this image compared to a male boxer? Possibly. I have found that the conventional characters are these athletics males, the non conventional characters being children and women.

The image directly below the ‘MDB’ screenshot is a child replicating the pose of a boxer. Like the female, this breaks conventions in viewing the image. It raises larger questions and themes. What does this represent? Is this the future and destiny of this child? The questions and themes flood more fluently in a photo that breaks stereotypes compared to ‘expected’ boxing photos.

Moving away from films, I have looked at photographs of much older photographs. Images of boxers from the early 1900s up until the 60s. An age where black and white photography wasn’t a choice or an option, it was the only format to shoot in.  Where today boxing photos are largely edited to black and white, these photos were black and white originals.  So why is black and white photography associated and conveyed to boxing? From what I have looked at these earlier photographs of boxers such as La Motta, Williams and Ali, they seem to make the emotion and posture of the boxer clearer and focused. Colour photography in boxing replicates the atmosphere and the epicness of the sport compared to these black and white images. They capture the mind and expression of the boxer, escaping the character from the world around them and drawing your focus to the emotions.

Final Project Preparation: Demo Shoot – Daniel Booker

For our final project we were issued with the brief describing the power of a single image; what it conveys, evokes and the way we respond to it. Looking at sequencing of images, sounds and narratives that have been done by past photographers such as Chris Markers etc in order to understand the movement and possible concepts that can be achieved in this final project.
The use of a still image in film is a very memorable experience for the viewer. It is not a common occurrence but we remember the way in which the image is constructed into the story and its reasoning for its position.
Our brief is simple, we have to produce a 2-4 minute still based film; comprised completely of stills images, have a understandable narrative and a use of sound.
Having time to think about the brief was very helpful. It let me look at the possibilities and range in which I can and could produce. I feel I am very new to the art, still learning after each shoot and understanding much more to the previous.
I did struggle for ideas at first. I have always been interested in portraits; displaying and capturing an emotion, a time and scenario from a person. But I felt that my previous projects have displayed various ways in doing so and looking at other peoples work for ideas might be seen as ‘copying’ or using their influence ‘too much’ in which I struggle to create my own perspective.
But after looking at Murray Close and his work in Cuba, I could see and feel a sense of emotion in which can be captured by using younger generations. His boxing photos instantly appealed to me. But I felt they could be so much more, there could be so much British interpretation and representations evidence in this possible project. Then after brainstorming and thinking of ideas, I started to look at pasts texts that share a similar theme.
‘The Raging Bull’ film in which is shot in black and white was again a big influence. De Niro is seen boxing on his own in the ring at the very start, a slow motion piece of footage that leaks very little about the man, but so much about his character, his beliefs, his life and his choices. Then as soon as the idea was reached I knew I was focused enough with it to produce.
My idea was young men in the ring. Showing a similar representation to Close but setting it in modern Britain, conveying all the representations of youth and fighting into a still image, produced into a movie through boxing. I wanted to show children behaving and fighting much older than they are, but achieving the representations of the youth culture in which surrounds our country today. There was so much potential and ideas being displayed through my mind, I had to proceed and start capturing.
After getting permission to shoot at the local boxing club, I immediately felt my skills being challenged. Never before have I taken photos that desired such speed and precise measurement, and I struggled. I struggled in the balance of the photo. Having a shutter speed so fast to capture the pace of the boxers, but enough to receive light into the image.
The overall process was a success though, it brought me to reality on what and how the piece could be structured.
The images I feel capture ‘place’, in black and white the produce that ‘boxer’ feel to them. Many photos of boxers are black and white, it’s a stereotype. The photos of objects look quite old to me due to this. They seem to offer a history to the image, which is a strong contrast to the boxers. They are young, modern and people of today. They provide of time. Having these characters of today in a ‘potential’ old environment. These photos are some of the higher quality photos in which I captured. It was a great experience for me. It gave me time for thought, learning and planning after. Having the experience in shooting this demo made me realise of what I need to change in order to succeed. Although the photos have come out well, they are not exactly what I wanted. I wanted to produce a quick sequence of photographs that ran emotion and I feel that these are very ‘still’ images, capturing one time. But by this experience I can adjust my camera skills, learn how to capture my intentions next time for the final shoot but by also having the privilege to adapt to the environment where I will be setting my story.

Soundscape: Issue 2 – England Vs Egypt Goal – Daniel Booker

After attending the recent national football game at Wembley, I have produced a second soundscape.

The image is a scene at Wembley Stadium, where England beat Egypt 3-1 in a friendly on March 3^rd. My seat was right behind the goal, which allowed me to record and capture this photo and the diagetic sound to match.

Combined with the live commentary from television, my piece expresses the difference in atmosphere from the television to being at the game. The diagetic sound is heard with passion and love breaking through the voices of the English fans, a roar of ecstatic emotion. In contrast the television commentary is more negative, concentrating on the issue with the goal rather than joining in with the wild and fanatic celebrations in which occurred within the stadium.

The image itself is deliberately designed to be manipulated as a fans perspective, conveying what being involved in this moment means to them.

Although I am really proud of the Starbucks soundscpae, I still want to show this one. I believe the location is a total contrast and this is also replicated through the sound of the roaring crowd within the stadium. Giving me two soundscapes that contrast each other but also convey their images perfectly in my view.

Audio Slideshow: People Power -BBC/The People’s History Museum

The following images and link are from the BBC’s ‘People Power’ audio slide show. A unique and exclusive perspective on how men and women were given the right to vote, a change in British democracy. These photos capture the sense of ‘time’ perfectly. Clearly displayed as ‘elderly’ photos, expressed through the tone of black and white and signified through the technology and clothing of that time. The photos cry ‘history’, a time of the past and memories. But the photos themselves are what I find more interesting and exciting. The themes in which they represent back up the image. But how the images are expressed and taken are beautiful. They are photos that are expressing a movement, a political change for a gender in a dominant country. The images are polite on the eye. There is not too much going on and events to look view in the photographs but what there is to view is a delightful portrait of people expressing their voices to be heard in a political movement.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8530782.stm

Documentary Photography Research – Kenya’s Zebra Relocation – Siegfried Modola

Modola’s documentary photographs of Kenya’s zebra relocation are a short slideshow set of images that capture their movement, the reasoning and motion of restocking the countries areas devastated by draught. This is an area of photography I am yet to preach. Projects that display a narrative of chronological information to the viewer. The documentary is set in Kenya, regarding the relocation of Zebras in their country. The pictures themselves are spectacular, capturing the life on a climate that is suffering from so many issues. Replicating the change and process in which is participated by the animals and the cycle in which is narrated. Displaying to the audience information of the relocation, and the life of the Kenyan zebra.

Ryan Pyle: China’s Wine Industry – Research

Shanghai – based photographer Ryan Pyle offers a glimpse of a vineyard in Shanxi, producing a perspective of China’s fast developing wine industry. The process of images reflect and could be recognised as ‘documentary’, however Pyle is able to capture raw emotion and motion of a country not stereotypically known for its process and production of ‘wine’. The emotions of some of his images such as the men working in the fields and the females picking the thousands of grapes portray and signify a culture that still processes through man labour. A tradition where the men work on the fields and the females work inside. But none of the workers are really showing a love for their work; a desire or passion. It seems more like a mechanical process in what is photographed. Lots of lower class workers producing high quality products for the middle and upper class. Clashes of characters are shown in the images. The girl at the end drinking the wine looks attractive, clean, crystal and perfect; as well as the point of sale in which the wine bottles are displayed in. Signalling a  ‘luxury’ and ‘privilege’ to drink and consume this drink. In which as we see the production of the industry, we notice that this may not be the case. The process starts at the bottom, with the lower class and concludes being consumed by the upper class. A representation of social and working life in China; brilliantly and accurately captured by Pyle through stills. Proving that images can mean more than just a picture.

England Vs Egypt, Wembley Stadium, 3.3.10 – Daniel Booker

On Wednesday 3rd March 2010, the England football squad faced ‘three times in a row’ African champions Egypt, in a friendly at the newly built Wembley football stadium in London. I purchased four tickets for the game because I wanted the experience to see the national team play at its new stadium and to witness this ‘emotional and loud’ atmosphere in which has been stereotyped with our country and the game.
After purchasing the tickets in early February, no one could write the speculation in which surrounded the game on this cold March night. Bleeding with off field controversy and stories, the atmosphere of the game was different to what I normally expect it would be. With the captain stripped of the armband, the left back involved in a major tabloid influenced affair, a striker tagged as the ‘best in the world’ and the most famous face in football on the bench, the pre match atmosphere was filled with excitement and expectation.
I took my camera to the game and hoped to capture emotions of fans, players and emotions that surrounded the game before and during. Not particularly knowing what to expect as this was my first experience watching my country at football, I had a strange feeling however that I would be able to capture emotions like no other. Emotions of uniqueness and to their own, stills that are only capture that time and that place.
With the stadium only being born in recent years, the first initial reaction in approaching it is its size and capacity being over shadowed by a gleaming and beautiful arch that protects the stadium and is fast becoming a convention to its portrait.
You walk in and you are struck with a feeling of ‘wow’. A stadium that is fit to hold 90,000 and that has already been the location for some emotional and memorable football moments. You were now at the scene of a ‘moment’ waiting to happen.
We attended the stadium at an early point, the gates have been open about 20 minutes and we had found our seat, it was time to patrol the stadium and see what I could capture.
As I circulated the remarkable stadium, I found myself looking for fans that tell a story, in which you could smile at and create a novel for. Fans of excitement, stereotype and who create an excellent portrait.
One of the first images I took was the one of the old lady and what appears to be her son. She is seating down, clearly has a problem with moving while being designed to look patriotic for her country. While her son stands next to her, restrained from moving away but still expressing his excitement with being in the stadium for the match.
I then approached the Egyptian supporters. I immediately came across one particular character in which fascinated me. The gent in the Burberry scarf, large hat and enthusiastic waving flag. He had an appeal about him that struck a chord. He was not an athlete judging by his physique. He was a fan. A fan of passion, lust and love for his home country. I just think he alone makes the photos of the scene interesting. Ignoring his apparent family next to him and absorbing the atmosphere and tempo of the cheering, encouraging and lust for the Egypt football team.
Another character in which I came approach of was a girl that had a Chinese ethnic about her. However, she had the England emblem painted on her cheek. She is most likely as English as me, but because she does not share the ‘stereotype’ English appearance, it was like breaking the ‘fourth wall’ for me. If you take away the English badge and ask anyone where they think this girl is from, they most likely wont say England, but because she has an England badge on her cheek branding her a England supporter, you think twice. I just thought it was very interesting and a possible representation on Britain’s cultural movement today.
When kick off was near, the stadiums attendance rapidly multiplied until there were 80,000 plus supporters watching the same game and events as me. A statistic that is very scary when you think of that it in that perspective. I have one unique perspective on the game, however the person next to me has another, and the man next to him as a different view and so on. But with an 8pm kick off, at 7:55pm the teams were out and ready to sing their national anthems. What was very nice to find when we first arrived at our seats is that we were going to be part of one of two 20,000 man made St George’s flags manipulated by the crowd behind each goal. I have seen this on television before and on several adverts such as Budweiser but being part of it was something else, which was the prized ‘moment’ of being at Wembley. The images below show a spectacular perspective of my view, both the flag opposite and the flag in which I was part of. You see the emotions and unity of so many different people from different lives joining together to create one flag, one brand and one identity. That’s what Wembley was about. It was more than a football match. It was individuals coming together to form one, a nation of unity, passion, lust and support.