BODY OF WORK ASSIGNMENT 5: MAJOR PROJECT PORTFOLIO

This version is changed from my draft submitted to my Tutor.

The introduction to my work below is also included in the presentation of the work in my slideshow included below.

WHAT LIES BENEATH

Introduction

The work

This body of work is a personal response to a dynamic landscape, both internally and externally. Ancient woodlands are complex communities, with trees at their heart; they envelop your senses, encouraging you to slowly absorb what you see and feel, wake your subconscious, and inspire reflection.

The photography here explores the possibility of transforming abstract ideas in a photographer’s subconscious into something concrete, via a visual representation of another subject. It positions an ancient woodland as a visual metaphor for community.

Through this work I have learnt that combining the world within my head, with the one in front of me, can be cathartic. This internal and external passage through the landscape, has helped me to accept and heal some of the wounds that inspired it’s beginning. This said it is important to acknowledge that a photograph carries no fixed meaning, and that viewers themselves may complete gaps in the meaning.

Influences on the work

The work is informed by research on ‘affect’ (expressing what is in a photographer’s mind) and ‘effect’(realism), in landscape photography. In essence this is the difference between photographing a subject realistically, and photographing to represent something else, including abstract ideas.

This has been influenced by twentieth century and contemporary photographers who created images as metaphors for something beyond the subject being photographed; thereby combining photographically the world within us, and the world outside us.

The concept of the work is stimulated by humans, though they are not evident in the images. The stimulus is my experience of the local community which seems often disharmonious and driven by difference, in contrast to the many harmonious characteristics of these ancient woodland societies. Qualities such as cooperation, support, diversity, resilience, inclusion, networking, mutual exchange, and adaptation, could in my opinion be beneficially applied to some human communities.

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What Lies Beneath

My final Submission as a slideshow can be seen in the video below:

South, N. (2023) What Lies Beneath At: https://vimeo.com/864896760 (Accessed 15.9.23)

BOW A5 LEARNING LOG ON CHANGES TO MAJOR PORTFOLIO FOR SUBMISSION

This learning log entry documents changes that I made to my final submission following Tutor and peer feedback

I now need to ensure that my intention for the work, combined with feedback from others meets the learning outcomes for the unit. To do this I must review and ensure any changes support:

  • Producing a convincing visual project
  • Communicating my intentions
  • Use accomplished techniques.
  • Show the above in a complex environment.
  • Transform abstract concepts into rich narratives.

Review of my images

Taking on board advice from my peers and my tutor, I should now review, reduce, and therefore strengthen the series of images that I share in my major project portfolio. This will help to ensure that I am communicating what I intend.

Reviewing my draft A5 submission I edited the images again focussing on the images alone at first, rather than as images for a final product.

My original product had 14 images, I wanted to make a tighter set of main images. First I removed the greener “rebirth images,” which I have decided I won’t use at this point but may incorporate later in SYP. So omitted: #11, #12, #13, #14.

Then I rejected images #7, #8, & #9, as they are lesser immersive woodland images.

I added an image that I had earlier rejected (now #6) and reordered #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #10 and the new image to form a series of 8 images. Ultimately I rejected image #10 to form a final group of 7.

The final order for the images were 1) #3, 2) #1, 3) #4, 4) #2, 5) #6, 6) new, 7) #5.

See submission editing padlet: https://oca.padlet.org/nicola514516/revised-bow-a5-submission-image-edits-w07q1li6855xas1o

My editing was harsh, I really stepped back and reviewed my whole body of work, which did result in my redacting some of my later images. However, I am now pleased with the remaining images as they form a strong and cohesive group, as well as each being strong images each themselves.

Next my presentation of this series transforms these images which represent my abstract concepts into a narrative for the viewer.

Review of my method of presentation for assessment  

During feedback, my Tutor focused, and in turn focused me on my images, rather than my method of presentation of them. This changed my perspective for the presentation of my work for assessment. Reviewing my presentation against the learning outcomes now, I can see that my book dummy was over complicated. I need to focus on more simple narration of my abstract ideas, but include some signposting to help convey my intention.

Having edited down to seven main images for what lies beneath and eight images with definitions for various components of the community, I have decided that I will present these as a slideshow rather than a book at this stage. This will simplify the presentation around the images, and as my tutor said, “let the images speak for themselves.”  

My power point slideshow will include:

  • Two sections of introduction split into an introduction to the work and an introduction to the influences on the work
  • Seven main images.
  • Six poetry couplets to accompany the main images.
  • Eight images of components of the woodland community, presented as footnotes.

Whilst making my slideshow I carefully considered the font, text size and placement.

Change of project name: At some point during reviewing these elements of the work it occurred to me that the project name would be better returned to ‘What lies ‘beneath’ rather than ‘within’ – beneath is a better description I feel, as it points more to the invisible. This is the term I used when composing the poetry, and up to assignment 4.

Now this is done I will turn to the other elements needed for Submission for assessment.

BOW ASSIGNMENT 5 REFLECTIONS ON FORMATIVE FEEDBACK

This was a video feedback session.

I described the journey that I’d taken after shooting and editing for assignment 5 which formed new series ‘rebirth and healing’. And from this how I had developed my final Body of Work portfolio, and a dummy book to showcase this work.

My Tutor focused and caused me to refocus on the work alone initially which has helped me to re edit the work for submission.

Since the feedback I have rethought the way that I will present the work for submission and have switched from a book dummy to a slideshow, this to simplify the presentation and allow the images to speak for themselves.

I have formed a list of action points below:

  • Review images for final portfolio: consider shape, tone, the amount that the woodland fills the frame, and consider whether some images are more suitable for a separate group of rebirth?
  • Decide whether to include the rebirth images or leave for SYP
  • Consider moving the woodlands ‘parts’ to the end of the work retain the borders and definitions.
  • Make slideshow to present my work, saving a more sophisticated book for presenting my work in SYP.
  • Experiment presenting images as full bleed on pages.
  • Use one couplet only on facing page of each photo and consider font size of poetry.
  • Remove captions from images and number the images on pages in small font in the corner.
  • Shorten introduction and divide into two parts, one commenting on the work and two, explaining the influences on myself.