Demonstration of technical and visual skills – Materials, techniques, observational skills, visual awareness, design and compositional skills. (40%)
As a set, I think these images sit well together; they all have similar colour hues to each other, and, more importantly they balance over the final presentation layout. Although I have shot most of these images from my standing view point, I have avoided any sense of repetition due to the individual compositions, and more importantly their final placements within the overall image grid. Where similarities exist, I see as connections, for example the white national dress, or the freezing of the walking stride. My collection of images are all as sharp as the lens allows at the focal length of 300mm, when viewed at 100%, with no chromatic aberrations, and the compositions are nicely balanced, incorporating a mix of angles.
The strongest image in my set is ‘daydreaming’, where I captured an older Arabic man sleeping in a alleyway during the day. His clothes are as dirty as his makeshift bed, and he has given in to waining energy levels by retreating to the ‘comfort’ of being horizontal. Yet, he has taken the care to remove his shoes and place neatly by the side of his bed, ready for his awakening. As the brief was to submit a selection of images that work together as a set, I felt compelled to build a set around ‘day dreaming’. The final image grid needed to honour this hero shot, so everything else is arranged around this image. The people on the right side of the grid are all either facing or walking into the middle, likewise those on the left also face towards the middle.
Quality of outcome – Content, application of knowledge, presentation of work in a coherent manner, discernment, conceptualisation of thoughts, communication of ideas. (20%)
Overall, I am happy with the selection of images I am presenting – I set out to showcase a less glamorous side of Dubai and I do feel that I have achieved this. I have tried to incorporate humour which I think comes across in ‘assessment’ and ‘wear sunscreen’, and maybe to a lesser extent in ‘not about you’ although the latter is a more obvious nod to irony. The common theme is the connection between the people and their surroundings, I feel the images quietly whisper story telling. I think this collection accurately represents my current skill base, certainly with regard to street photography. It takes much more practice to hone the skills required for this genre of photography.
Demonstration of creativity – Imagination, experimentation, invention. (20%)
This whole assignment was essentially an experiment for me, to be out shooting candid photography, in an area of Dubai where white women don’t generally hang out on their own. This was a personal challenge. I wanted to try to capture different nationalities, whose paths don’t normally cross with mine. Without the close up shots I had hoped to capture, I had to seek out the ‘unusual’, the ‘pattern’, or the ‘humour’ in the situations that I stumbled upon. I experimented a little with shooting from an elevated position, and tried to find interesting ‘props’ around town. For example, I used a bit of graffiti, which in itself is very unique for Dubai as it tends to not be allowed here, as the basis for an image, as well as giant posters in a shop window.
Context – Reflection, research, critical thinking. (20%)
One thing that became apparent after each shoot was that my images lack strength of emotion in the subjects, and I also recognise that there is little in the way of interaction between people. Both these qualities are always very apparent in the style of street photography that I personally prefer to peruse. I had hoped to capture something in that arena, at some point on my sessions, but evidently those types of images have eluded me. My bravery, or lack thereof, means that I am shooting from a distance and not filling my frame with the subject, which would no doubt help to relay sentiment, should they be on show. Perhaps it’s this very shortfall that allows my images to work better in colour than black and white – the life is injected via the spectrum of colour, rather than through the medium of emotion.
I very much enjoyed researching this assessment, looking at the pioneers of the genre, and assessing how the general style has been affected with the passing of time, coming right up to date and looking at more contemporary practitioners. I found that I was able to evaluate my work quite easily and identify some of the reasons as to why it lacks the same strength or intensity.
Street photography is the epitome of spontaneity and is all about capturing what unfolds around you, as and when it happens. You can chose location, time of day but you can’t chose who is around or indeed what they do. Crucially, you are as reliant on your surroundings as you are on your ability to anticipate and capture the moment. It’s immensely challenging and far more difficult than it first appears.
Caroline's Learning Log 