Evaluation.

Right so...
Aim: Experiment with scanner.
Objectives: 1. Get out of the house. 2. Collaborate. 3. Try to retain some humour.

Have I achieved this?

Yes. I think I have... to some extent. The humour may have faded out a little but otherwise I think I have.

My photographic experiments with Scanning technology have been fun. I feel like I've covered lots of ground, exploring techniques to fit different subject matters. Some of the techniques I've started to explore I want to go back and revisit in order to find their full potential. I also have ideas for "3D" lenses and other things that i really want to try out but as of yet haven't had the chance.

This year has showed that taking a small idea and just pushing it and exploring the possibilities can be hard work but also lots of fun. I hope to continue with using the scanner next year.

Of the Objectives I think I Achieved these too!
Getting out of the house. I set this as an objective because last year I sat in my room like a massive geek and drew pigeons. I did not enjoy this. It was not useful. And the work I produced was shit. SO! I've been getting out of the house now for over 5 months and it feels great. I've been able to interact with surroundings, talk to people and yeah just have some fun!

Collaboration was important too, for similar reasons to getting out of the house I just wanted to have some interaction and i think this has helped me get to a point where I once again enjoy the work I'm doing.

Its been a good year. (In comparison to previous. In my opinion.)

Refrences/Influences.

Books;

Mann, Sally, 2006. "SALLY MANN". Gagosian Gallery.

Jake Chapman, 2003. "The Rape of Creativity". Museum of Modern Art, Oxford.

Sion Parkinson, 2006. "Head in the Railings" (Chap Books). Book Works.

John Szarkowski, 1984. "Irving Penn". Museum of Modern Art.

Simon Baker, 2005. "Jake and Dinos Chapman: Like a Dog Returns to Its Vomit". White Cube.

Irving Penn, 2001. "Still Life : Irving Penn Photographs, 1938-2000". Bulfinch.

Dinos Chapman, 1996. "Chapmanworld". ICA (London).

Norman Rosenthal, 1998. "Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection". Thames & Hudson.

Jean- Claude Lemagny, 2000 "Atget the Prophet," in Atget the Pioneer (New York: Prestel)


Websites;

Scanner related -
Leanne Eisen
http://www.sentex.net/~mwandel/tech/scanner.html
http://golembewski.awardspace.com/
http://lifehacker.com/5088105/turn-a-scanner-into-a-camera
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/11/how-to-make-a-s/

Flickr members/groups -
aguila_81
;|
Scanner Photography
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pzz/sets/72157603914991422/
Painters -
Josh Keyes

Taxidermists -
Polly Morgan
Claire Morgan

Photographers -
Amy Stein
Nick Meek
Simone Bergantini
Corinne Rusch
Richard Barnes
Anthony Saint James

Other -
Vice Magazine
Dominic Wilcox
Room Sized Camera Obscura



Videos;
"Weekend Project: Scanner Camera" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNEyIt0yqUU
"Memoirs of a Scanner" - http://vimeo.com/6359800

Where/How I work.

(Img. 1 - How I set up the studio for my series of Portraits. You can see the amount of equipment I have to lug around with me too. Scanner+Lens+Metal bar thing/Tripod/Laptop. This is generally the equipment I used for most of my work, except in the studio I chose to use the bright lights too.)


(Img. 2 - This is how I work at home. Using the top of a broken table I found near uni. This is my cutting board/drawing board. Whatever's needed. Useful. Photo taken during production of publication. [Photoshop>Automate>Photomerge. Its hard to take photos of things on your lap.])

Expel thy demons.

Right. So we're all in the dark. (Students writing this Learning agreement.)
Nobody quite knows whats going on.
So... Im just going to try cover some of the things I've been hearing that is needed in the learning agreement. All in this one post.


Numero Uno.

Its only work produced since Christmas.

(Img. 1 - Peel.)

OK, Well according to Cagd. This image was uploaded on January 7th (Img. 1)
This image is on page 29 (as of: 13.05.09, 10:48am) which equates to around 350ish images/text/links/research uploaded to to the website.
Summarising this would take as long as it would be to do all the work again!

Thank god we're not summarising the whole year. First image posted: 28th September, 2009 page 44 (as of: 13.05.09, 11:29am).



Number Two.

In some form or another I have been told that these words are THE WORDS, to think about when writing about my work.
• Reflection
• Proposal
• Negotiation
• Implementation
• Evaluation

And because I don't think I've really done this yet. I will now.

• Reflection - This year as a whole has looked like one massive eclectic mess of work; Animation/Text based work/Photography/Video and whole heap of experimenting with scanners.

My main struggles with work are usually just the initial getting going. If I cant figure out what exactly I want to do, I end up running round like a headless chicken. However after Christmas my decision to stick with using a scanner to produce my work worked massively for me. I enjoyed the freedom to just produce what I liked and also trying the change the actual workings of the scanner (to little success but never the less was fun.) I think its this care free approach, with a bit of tongue in cheek is my way of working. The less I worry about it the better the work is.


• Proposal - My proposal was just really to experiment with the scanner as my main tool for creativity. I wanted to get out of the house. Out of my comfort zone. And try to react to my surroundings, working with people and generally having some fun.
So yeah;
Aim: Experiment with scanner.
Objectives: 1. Get out of the house. 2. Collaborate. 3. Try to retain some humour.

The scanner as a tool is still, for me an incomplete exploration. I would still like to be able to carry on playing with this. Expanding some of the methods I only touched on briefly to see them to their full potential.

• Negotiation - I've negotiated in several situations. Tutorials/taking photos/collaboratively. In tutorials, discussions that lead to decisions about what to be working on, discussing ideas etc.

Whilst taking photos is actually where a lot of the negotiation takes place. getting access to buildings, asking people to take their photo. These are challenges that have to be faced but if you dont ask. You don't get. So I've found that perseverance is important.

Collaboratively negotiation is a joy. This year I've enjoyed working with Amy Cattell on 2 publications, both of which came out great. Problems were solved together and there was lots of discussion about how the final article should look. In the end I think we both came out of the experience with publications that wouldn't have looked the same had we not collaborated.

• Implementation - The implementation of ideas into my chosen method came later on this year. For me most of the year was the exploration. The importance of exploring the medium I chose first to find a suitable way of working. Then going on to react to days out/workshops with this medium. My ideas were much stronger after I found the potential of the technology, seeing the particular aesthetics it gives an idea of what it should be applied to.

• Evaluation - (I will actually do this properly in an individual post.)

From the flat.

(Img. 1 - Mug i scanned in the studio.)

The use of the flat bed of the scanner takes me back to thinking about Man Ray in first year. His photograms (or Rayographs, Img. 2) work by projecting light onto photographic paper, with an object on top of. So the shadows the object projects onto the paper are not exposed.

(Img. 2 - Rayograph)

So with Photograms being a projection of the object. I suppose what a scanner does is that the reflective image. Light is being shone onto the object and the reflective light transmitted to the computer. I played around with the flat bed for a while without realising that it was a fairly similar technique. you can only really take photos of objects that are either touching or very slight distance away. (img. 3)


(Img. 3 - this experiment was learning how far an object could be placed from a scanner without loosing the image completely.

Collaboration.

Everyones doing it. Whats with that?


(Img. 1 - Taxidermy Publication.)


(Img. 2 - Thackray Publication.)

So 2nd year seems to have united us all to get a bit of collaboration going. I worked with Amy Cattell to produce 2 publications (Img. 1-2). These publications we produced were in response to museums. One specifically the Thackray Medical Museum and another was just for Taxidermy from a couple of museums. We decided to collaborate after seeing that our photographic styles were fairly similar. Different in production, but the outcomes were both fairly dark and dingy.

The actual collaboration came when we started to compile the images. Decisions about the dimensions and shape of the book had to be made. What images and the order in which to put the images. Paper stock etc. All was discussed between the two of us. In the end I believe that we came out with a publication that I wouldn't have ever made on my own. Amy's approach to work is radically different to mine and she had made books previously which I had little experience of. The sharing of ideas and creativity helped bounce ideas off of each other.

Working alongside someone is a great relief. Less stress, someone to talk to when something isn't quite going to plan. Or if you're just unsure about how an image looks. Its just reassuring to know that theres someone to turn to. I would definitely work with someone else again. (/ I will work with someone else.)

Chinese New Year.

The year of the tiger.


(Img. 1 - Hand painting at Chinese New Year.)

This workshop run by Clive, was working with the Chinese community to document their new year celebrations.
This was an interesting workshop to attend. On the first day we weren't quite sure what to expect. But sure enough the church hall was full of crying, screaming and hyperactive paint covered kids. This was great fun. I used my scanner to the best of my ability in the surroundings. The obvious approach was when i saw some of the kids doing hand painting. (Img. 1). I had to think on my feet changing settings quickly to deal with impatient children. Some of whom had to be encouraged by their mothers.

This engagement was fun having to interact and negotiate with people whilst trying to quickly react to what was going on around. Challenging but fun.

Portraiture.

(Img. 1 - Mike.)


(Img. 2 - Ffion)



(Img. 3 - Amy.)

As the introduction of full body scanners begins in U.K airports, our privacy, dignity and rights will be pushed to beyond our usual comfort zone. My portraits using a modified flatbed scanner, are affected by the subjects movements, distorting and sometimes almost completely destroying their visual identity.
The decision to move about is theirs. The disfigurement of the portrait won’t be attractive however it is their anonymity they will be changing. The studio was set up with bright lights and most photos were taken on a one-to-one basis which may make the subject feel somewhat as uncomfortable as the scanners they may encounter on their next journey abroad will make them. Some of my peers have not and will not turn up to have their photos taken this probably isn’t but could be seen as a use of their rights to remain anonymous.

These photos (Img. 1-3) were taken in the photographic studio. I used studio lights on the subjects. The rigidness of the photo shoot allowed for lots of shots to be taken in (Fairly) quick succession. Keeping the focus in the same position and also the lighting at the same level.

Thackray.

This project was inspired by a visit to the Thackray Medical museum. The horror show of mannequins suited the mood of my photography. I also have a slight phobia of mannequins. Their lifelike qualities often take me back and make me think twice about if they are real or not. With these photos I wanted to use the mannequins and other things I saw at the Thackray museum to create a haunting and creepy set of photographs. Which I hoped would make people feel as uncomfortable as I do around mannequins.

My Camera...

... And my strife.


(Img. 1 - This is the camera itself. A big cardboard box with a magnifying glass. Carefully taped up and taped to the scanner.)


My photographic practice is just that; Practice. I used a modified A4 flatbed scanner to produce most of my photographs this year. And this is a fairly temperamental technique. Similar to that of a pinhole camera, I use a camera obscura to transfer the image onto a light reactive surface (the scanner). This method has caused a few problems through out the year. At first I was unsure that the technique would actually work. The first image I got was less than spectacular (Img. 2) and I was tempted to stop then. however with some perseverance I managed to work out how to focus the camera by sliding the outer layer of cardboard up. This primary research was great fun, frustrating at times but in the end paid off and became rather rewarding.


(Img. 2 - The first image.)


(Img. 3 - Second image. Even though I'd seen it work on the internet and the basic scientific principles seemed to be all in order . I did feel like a pioneer in photography when I managed to achieve this. A photo of the corner of my bedroom. How exciting!)


The camera is also tempermental in the way that I can only ever get it to capture this seagull ish type shaped part. Sometimes its there sometimes not. I just cope. Also the appature (despite me saying it was similar to a pin hole.) Is about big enough to get my hand through. I've tried different appatures but none seem to work quite as well.
So;

MASSIVE appature= Tiny depth of field. (I think that bit of science is right.)
So yeah to get anything in focus takes some time.

Another thing is if its bright daylight I have to make different appatures to make it work. Usually consisting of layers and layers of parcel tape stuck over the lens with a small hole made with a biro. The camera works better in man made light/Low lighting conditions.

Taxidermia.

"The sight of a dead animal, particularly a bird, touches me in a way that I always feel very contemplative." - Polly Morgan.


(Img. 1 - Leeds City Museum.)

This project I set out to take photos of the taxidermied animals in Leeds City Museum and also Leeds Discovery Centre with my Scanner camera.


The re-animation of animals through the taxidermic process has always fascinated me. The importance of retaining lifelike forms of animals for further generations to study will gradually become of more importance as ice caps melt, urbanization and deforestation take place which will certainly affect already endangered wildlife.
My photographic studies of taxidermy illustrate the rather peculiar art. The animals are given an identity by the taxidermist, and this superimposed character is what I wanted to capture with the set.

I think that the glass boxes help me to remove myself from the animal and its life-like pose removes me from its death. Museums are nothing more than cheap to run Zoos the animals don't need to be fed, watered, cleaned out they just stay in their mock up habitats with a bunch more out of context animals. This however isn't a bad thing I thrive off of these animals, frozen in time. Always there ready to be seen with their claws out. There's something reassuring about being able to re-visit and see your favourite animal en captured and posed like the beast it once was.


(Img. 2 - Dead pigeon found murdered a street away)

These photos (Img. 2) taken on 35mm film have made me realise what I like about Taxidermy as opposed to just dead animals like these. Even though there is a bit of peace... The decomposing of the corpse is disturbing. Taxidermyed animals have such a grand/majestic quality about them. Making them powerful creatures rather than fragile. (I didn't kill it by the way.)

As a person I don't think I form human relationships well enough to understand peoples relationships with animals. But what I like about taxidermy is the ability to be stood a foot away from some of the most powerful animals in the world.
Like a child with their face pressed up against the glass, I too enjoy them with the same wonderment. I think that the process that I have taken to come to the final photographs gives them an ethereal feel.

*Ethereal- Word that I just had to put in at 2am before the deadline in a sleep deprived moment of madness.


(Img.3 - Illustration from first year.)

I think this is the most important set of images that I produced this year. Important to me because I feel that I have been on a journey with the photographs. I worked in first year with illustrations of animals (Img. 3). This did not go well. However I think its interesting that I've somehow revisited them again, without really thinking about it. Making this constant dialogue between me and my subject (Animals in general), has helped me form a relationship with it I think. I am gradually seeing what I can work with and what inspires me about them to use them in my work.

Going back to my original brief I think I achieved what I set out to do after the Christmas period. I got out of the house. Out of my comfort zone. I had to have negotiations with people from outside of university and also later I'll describe how I used the photos to collaborate with fellow students.



(Img. 4 - Simone Bergantini)

Simone Bergantini (Img. 4) has been of particular interest to me recently I found his work through Foam Magazine's website as one of the winners of the Talent call last year. His dark portraits of foxes,monkeys and people remind me of my own work from this year. They have similar rustic qualities and, the shallow depth of field allows for a lot of further thinking into the imagery. It doesn't reveal too much in one heavy burst.

Self Portrait.

(Img. 1 - This is myself. It was early.)

The Brief.

The brief I set myself in January/February sort of time was very loose, I had already began with the scanning stuff so I basically wanted to progress it. Here’s what I originally wrote (Img. 1);


(Img. 1 - Brief written at beginning of semester 2.)



So yeah set out with my scanner in hand to do this. This brief may have seemed a bad idea at the time, usually with open briefs I get lost (Img. 2). However I think the experimentation and the process of building/researching and using the scanner camera, captured my attention and I managed to see things through. The images I began creating were more accurate representations of what I had pictured in my mind.


(Img.2 This is a flow chart of ideas/things covered in the first semester. How things didn't work. Its basically a diagram of my brain.)

Introduction.

Scanning has many implications. One of which is carrying round too much equipment to be healthy.


Hello future back problems.


(If you didn’t get my jest. I’m going to write this as a critical blog or maybe imagine me giving this as a lecture? Yes that’s good. So rather than a 3rd person essay I will attempt to go through and write this in one go, maybe a bit of editing later but yeah one go so its like a continuous dialogue. I feel that this is the true way for me to fluidly express my work.)

This semester I have focused on creating lenses to fit an A4 flat bed scanner. The Cannoscan Lide 25 A4 flatbed scanner was purchased because it would be “portable”. Under this premise I wanted to produce work outside of my bedroom and in the real world, live environments and difficult situations. I moved fairly quickly from working on the flat surface to lens based image making, which I will go into more depth throughout this The LEARNING AGREEMENT. (It comes across as a big deal. But is it? Should I be making such a fuss over nothing?)

Or maybe this post should have been called;

Dr. Stirling or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Learning Agreement.