Martin Wilby (Group I)
Environment
I decided to photograph play areas where I take my young son, showing his absence. This is the narrative for my environment photographs. Single-minded locations with specific defined social uses, that can alienate or create emotional responses when you are unable to use them as designed.
I wanted to create a series of images that relate to the human emotional interaction with the landscape/environment, specifically play areas, from the viewpoint of a parent missing a child. In my case this is because my son lives predominantly with his mother. The play area is a space built and designed specifically for children to enjoy with their parents, it comes alive when full of the joy and innocence of children and families. When they are absent, the environment becomes something different; a poignant reminder of what is absent. It becomes a space full of melancholy.
Initially I made the images restricted to where I live (see early images section in blog), the places we spend the most time, but during a tutorial the image I showed were said to express the wrong message, so I went away and found a new visual reference.
My new direction comes from studying the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher. I liked the head on/side on nature of the images, the way the viewer always sees the structures from one direction, and not at an angle. Some of the structures almost look like they need slides attached and swings because the shapes resemble playground equipment.
My images take some of the Becher’s visual elements, with a essence of the topographic/typological approach to the actual playground equipment.
But unlike the Becher’s, my brief is for an environment/landscape (not just a single structure) so I have pulled back to contextualise my images by showing the locations. Although these may not be 'countryside' images, to many children parks are the only green space they see, and to them it's the landscape of their youths. Fortunately much key information on the Bechers has been made available to us during the course, so I’ve not had to go too far for the information on their work. I had printed off ‘The Photographic Comportment of Bernd and Hilla Becher by Blake Stimson’ and found images of their work to review.
The pastiche needs to be shot from a higher camera angle (identified at the tutorial), and the exposure needs to bring the trees into silhouette, knowing this I have not made an additional print (this one exhibited is very poor)
Early test shots (not used)
Self Evaluation
Starting with issues related to the Environment project, it initially took me a while to fix my concept. I had no defined visual approach. I also felt the tutorial changed my visual direction and by that time getting equipment out became impossible. Having started early and using medium format, when I needed the equipment after my visual approach was defined, it became impossible to get cameras (I was forced to shoot on 35mm). The lesson being: have the idea formulated very quickly. If asked what context I would place my work in, I’d have to say like the Object project it is postmodern. The reasons behind my photographic choices have been explained and relate to my visual influence. I feel the visual choices translate my idea by creating an obvious visual message that the child is missing from the environment. The clinical formal nature of the camera position, using black and white, capturing movement, are all layers to the narrative that hopefully build a strong visual. My studies on this project are managed using my blog and defined deadlines. If asked what aspects of my shoot productions I need to reflect upon and why, it would simply be to define the visual approach early and get the images as soon as possible. The most significant challenge on these units has been lack of equipment and time management.
I’d overcome this prior to final submission by completing any outstanding tasks as soon as possible.
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