Personal Statement

Personal Statement

It is personal statement time so research is needed to begin and complete an effective and well structured statement.
All the information that has been compiled in HE Tool Kit sessions are necessary but research into the format and information structure is also needed to make the statement coherent and flow well.
There are lots of 'do's and dont's' associated with personal statements and it is easy to understand and see why. There are thousands upon thousands of statements submitted every year and it must become extremely repetetive and difficult to read them if they are badly written or structured in a difficult format.
A plan is needed before emabarking on writing as it will help to give some idea of what you are going to include and in what order.  The following image is taken from the UCAS website and there is plenty more advice and study aids to be found there.

The following link takes you to the UCAS personal worksheet pdf which, I found to be quite useful.
UCAS personal statement worksheet pdf

 The main 'do's' I am understanding are:

• Give convincing reasons for why you want to study the course - more than just "enjoying the subject"
• Express where you are now, where you want to go, how you are going to get there
• Write naturally and honestly
• Make your personal statement 'personal', express yourself
• Bring in your skills
• Read other statements but don't copy them
• Say what experience/courses already achieved
• Turn negative experiences into positive ones
• Only include things you are prepared to talk about at interview
• Check spelling, grammar and content
• Show your statement to other people, their opinion can be valuable

The main 'don'ts' I am understanding are:

• Don't use 'I' at the start of every sentence. Try to use alternatives such as, furthermore, in addition and including.
• Information already included in the application form does not need to be repeated
• Don't pad out information or waffle on meaninglessly
• Avoid making negative statements
• Mention skills and activities without giving examples of when they have been demonstrated
• Exaggerate or lie

The personal statement needs to written in 'word', using Times New Roman font and point size 12.

Websites with good information and guidance:

http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/undergraduate/filling-your-application/your-personal-statement

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Writing_Your_Personal_Statement

http://www.studential.com/personalstatements/

Genre of Photography to Research

Genre of Photography to Research

Following research on different photographers and genres of photography, I wish to develop a portfolio of work on abstract photography.  I am planning shoot a series of photographs to present in a photo book.

A lot of the work I have researched in this area has been in colour, however, I am planning to experiment with black and white photography in order to see if the abstract approach works without colour for me.  For this project I will be using my Nikon DSLR to capture the shots and editing post-shoot in Photoshop CS6.  Digital photography will allow me to attempt this area of photography as post editing will be required and I do not have a scanner.  Editing will be required to present the images in black and white as I will be shooting the images in colour, this will allow me to compare the outcome of both effects. I am also planning to use layering in Photoshop to achieve different effects.

Photographers I Have Researched

Chris Friel

Sea of Blood

Chris Friel only made the change from a painter to photographer in 2006. His images have a really strong effect of having being painted rather than photographed, this is a technique I would love to master.

http://www.chrisfriel.co.uk/

Istanbul

Ursula Abresch

I came across Ursula Abresch's work whilst searching for abstract photographers on the internet. I am captivated and inspired by her work and find her use of layering out of focus images with selective use of sharp images, very interesting. It takes 'layering' into a whole new level. 


http://www.ursulasphotos.com/

I will be conducting further research into the technique used to produce this type of imagery and I am planning to initially try the technique at Dee Estuary and plan another shoot for Delamere Forest.

Bibliography

Abresch, J. (2013). Art Photography. Available: http://www.ursulasphotos.com/. Last accessed 11th November 2012.

Friel, C. (2013). Chris Friel Photography. Available: http://www.chrisfriel.co.uk/. Last accessed 11th November 2012.


 

Photographers Research and Evaluation

Photographers Research

The first two photographers I have chosen to research are those that have greatly influenced others who have chosen to follow in their footsteps and made their life's work, 'photography'. The third photographer I have researched looks at how a photographer can be influenced by another but project their own vision and style into the images they produce, ultimately going on to influence others themselves.  I admire the work all of the photographers that I have chosen to research.

The first photographer I have chosen to look at is, 'Cartier-Bresson' (1908-2004) 

Derrière la Gare Saint-Lazare, 1946

Cartier-Bresson is possibly one of the best known photojournalist photographers in the world. He has inspired a great number of photographers that have chosen to follow in his footsteps and will probably continue to do so for many years to come.  Cartier-Bresson was instrumental in developing the street photography style that was coined 'The Decisive Moment', that has lay at the heart of his influence over the generations of photographers who have since followed. Cartier-Bresson was also an early adopter of 35mm format film photography, using a Leica 35mm rangefinder camera as his choice of equipment.  He also shot almost exclusively in black and white, refusing to embrace colour photography when it was first introduced.

My Opinion/Evaluation

It would be difficult to look at Cartier-Bresson's work and not be impressed and inspired. Learning that Cartier-Bresson who was firmly in the 'purist photography' camp, didn't edit his work if at all possible, makes his produced images seem that extra bit special. It is highly evident that Cartier-Bresson strived to apply the rules of composition in his work as every one that I look at and appreciate, is perfectly framed. His idea of working un-obtrusively on the street along with his patience, also appeals to me as this is the way I think his most famous 'Decisive Moments' were captured. The above image I have chosen to display, depicts one the most widely used images of Cartier-Bresson's and it epitomises one of his decisive moments. The man in the image is perfectly poised, foot pointed at the perfect angle and reflection in exactly the right place within the frame, it is known this image was born out of patience and perseverance. I understand why Cartier-Bresson has and continues to be a great inspiration for countless photographers. The images below are further examples of Cartier-Bresson's decisive moments.

New York City, 1946 by Cartier-Bresson

Rome 1959, by Cartier-Bresson

The image on the left is perfectly timed and framed, it depicts a mother being reunited with her son after world war two, capturing their raw emotion.

On the right this image shows perfect timing with the girl running through the patch of light on the ground, illuminating her and drawing your eye in, despite her only being a small object in the frame.



 
The second photographer I have chosen to look at is, 'Eugene Atget' (1857-1927)

Eugene Atget, date unknown

Atget is considered to be a pioneer of documentary photography who recorded the changing social history of Paris during his lifetime.  Unlike other revered photographers, Atget didn't receive high acclaim for his work whilst alive and his work was published and exhibited by photographer 'Berenice Abbott', following his death in 1927.  Atget originally sought to be an actor or painter, however, his true talent lay with photography.  It is unknown who or what inspired Atget to take up photography but it is known that he greatly inspired both Man Ray and Berenice Abbott, who, are both highly celebrated photographers and many others besides. Atget's photographic equipment was the standard for the day, including a large wooden camera equipped with bellows, a wooden tripod and standard-size gelatin glass negatives.  Atget never went on to update his camera equipment as time went by, preferring to stay with his dated yet familiar and set ways.

My Opinion/Evaluation

Atget was no doubt a talented photographer who didn't truly appreciate his own worth, however, I find it myself looking at Atget's work and understanding why others do.  Following looking at the book  'Atget The Pioneer' (2000), which, draws our attention to the comparison between  Atget's work to many others that have followed him, I have come to realise just how monumentally influential he has been. I find his social documenting of Paris during that era, fascinating, as I think it is important that Atget didn't just concentrate his efforts on the affluent, pretty side of Paris but rather, he recorded its changes and decline and included the run down outskirts of the city.  Even the shop fronts he photographed interest me, as they paint an honest and realistic snapshot of the time.  Due to the long exposures needed at that time in photography, there are 'ghostly' images recorded in some of Atget's work, as shown in the image above, that I think add to the character of his work. Some may see this as surrealist but I think it was just a side effect of the long exposure and not intentional.

The third photographer I have chosen to look at is, 'Berenice Abbott' (1898-1991)

Once it is understood how vital and instrumental Berenice Abbott was in publishing and exhibiting the work of Eugene Atget, I felt it only was fitting to research her own work. Abbott is probably best known for her project on New York in the 1930's, although, she also went on to form other projects including a highly acclaimed, science series of photographs.  Abbott's earliest influence was the artist Eugene O'Neill and Surrealist Photographer, Man-Ray, who was responsible for introducing her to Eugene Atget's work, which, she then went on to be highly influenced by.  Abbott documented New York City through photography, inspired by Atget's work in Paris, however she achieved this from her own perspective and vision. Abbott captured the inner city and it's splendours along with the changes which, quite often featured the old with the new.  Abbott used a large format view camera known as Century Universal.

My Opinion/Evaluation

It is clear to witness the influence of Atget in Abbott's work but it is also evident to me that she used her own perspective and captured her images as she wished to express them. In the image below, (The Flatiron Building), it is reminiscent of Atget's image of a similar building in Paris, however they convey a completely different mood and atmosphere. I see Abbott's image as lively, positive and thriving whereas Atget's image is run down, neglected and sombre.  Abbott captured both the buildings and life happening in New York in a poignant and powerful way.  It is interesting that Abbott worked for the surrealist photographer, Man-Ray but had a dislike of this genre of photography, preferring the pure style of photography, which, she found in the work of Atget.

A Corner, Rue de Seine, May 1924 by Eugène Atget

The Flatiron Building, 1934 by Berenice Abbott

"Ragpicker" by Eugene Atget, date unknown

Hot Dog Stand, 1936 by Berenice Abbott

Bibliography

Atget Photography.com. (). Berenice Abbott. Available: http://www.atgetphotography.com/The-Photographers/Berenice-Abbott.html. Last accessed 8th November 2013.

Cheroux, C (2008). Henri Cartier-Bresson. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd.

Commerce Graphics Ltd, Inc.. (2008). Berenice Abbott, New York. Available: http://commercegraphics.com/ny.html. Last accessed 8th November 2013.

Chrisalago, M. (2011). The Accidental Genius of Eugène Atget. Available: http://bastardtype.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/131-the-accidental-genius-of-eugene-atget/. Last accessed 8th November 2013.

Famous Photographers. (2013). Henri Cartier-Bresson. Available: http://www.famousphotographers.net/henri-cartier-bresson. Last accessed 10th November 2013.

Krase, A., Adam, H. A. (2008). Paris Eugene Atget. 2nd ed. Cologne: Taschen.

Lemagny, J-C., Aubenas, S., Borhan, P. & Lebart, L. (2000). Atget the Pioneer. London: Prestel.

O'Neal, H. (2010). Berenice Abbott, Photofile. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd.

Victoria & Albert Museum. (2011). Approved biography for Eugène Atget. Available: http://www.luminous-lint.com/app/photographer/Eugene__Atget/A/. Last accessed 10th November 2013.

Why Photography?

Why I Chose Photography

I have chosen to specialise exclusively in photography as this is ultimately where my interest and passion lies.

I was first introduced to photography in high school at a very basic level.  The school I attended, actually had a dark room and during a short course on the subject, we were encouraged to take a photograph and develop the image ourselves.  This was under the teachers instruction, using the equipment and facilities provided at the school. Sadly it was only a taster and wasn't to be repeated. I didn't go on to progress with photography at that time as I was 'steered' in a very different direction by both school and family.  During my time in high school, I also tried many different creative classes including, art, pottery, woodwork, metalwork and dress making. None of these other creative areas held the same interest for me as photography.  Art and drawing wasn't very successful for me at all as I quickly established that drawing/painting is not a talent I possess.

I decided to pursue education in photography now that my children are adults, leaving me with more free time to make such a choice.  Photography was a natural choice, as I my interest in photography had never left me and my husband is also very keen on photography so ultimately supports my decision to take it further.  I believe studying photography through education is the best route to take in order progress my photography, as not only do I learn many new skills and develop ideas, but also, I benefit from the support network that comes as an added bonus with an educational environment.  Following completing two City and Guilds Level 2 certificates in different areas of photography, I strongly felt the desire to further my skills with a level 3, full time photography course.  This may ultimately take me onto the Foundation Degree or equip me with the confidence to pursue a career in photography.

Following exploring different genres of photography, I have found that my interest lies with outdoors rather than the studio, that is not to say I don't enjoy studio photography but I do prefer to be out in the world, photographing what I see.  I enjoy walking holidays in the Lake District and photography actually encouraged me to deal with my fear of heights because I felt I was missing out on the scenes from high up on the fells. As it turned out, that was very true and I have developed an appreciation of Landscape Photography taken from the fells that I have explored. When viewing my photographs after the event, I enjoy looking back at the scene I witnessed on the walk and still wonder how I have been brave enough to undertake the ascent, something I haven't experienced with other genres of photography.  Street Photography also holds an interest for me and recently I have been exploring this genre in some more depth.  Looking back at history and the many photographers who have specialised in street photography, makes me realise the importance of the social documentary and recording time aspects of this genre.  It is an area that I am planning to explore in greater detail.

Elements of Composition

Composition

The rule of thirds

The rule of thirds involves mentally dividing up your image using 2 horizontal lines and 2 vertical lines, as shown below. You then position the important elements in your scene along those lines, or at the points where they meet.

(http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/rule-of-thirds)

The idea is that an off-centre composition is more pleasing to the eye and looks more natural than one where the subject is placed right in the middle of the frame. It also encourages you to make creative use of negative space, the empty areas around your subject.

Composition can be defined as the arrangement of visual elements in a picture or image, a way of ordering the visual information.  Once we see things that are of interest, we need to isolate parts of the scene and organize the important visual elements within our viewfinder to depict what we want to convey to the viewer.

Elements of Design

Lines

A line represents a path between two points, and can be either straight, curved, vertical, horizontal, diagonal or zigzag.  Lines imply motion and suggest direction or orientation. Lines that converge suggest depth, scale and distance and a line is also an effective element of design because it can lead the viewer's eye into and out of the frame.                              

                              Curved Lines that lead the eye

"http://www.photowalkingutah.com/2008/10/use-leading-lines-to-enhance-shot.html"

Converging Lines creating depth

"http://digital-photography-school.com/converging-lines"

Colour

Colour can be used to draw attention to a particular part of the image or used to create harmony or contrast. We can provoke different emotions with the correct use of colour and colours can be warm or cold.

Warm colour drawing all attention to the car and perhaps provoking thoughts of 'danger'.

"Helen Levitt - Cat next to red car, New York - 1973"

 Cold colour that provokes emotion

"http://itsmypulp.wordpress.com/2007/03/03/photographic-elements-1-colour/"

Viewpoint

 Using wide angle, upwards views can dramatically alter the effect of an image.

 "http://www.123rf.com/photo_7546321_low-angle-view-of-skyscrapers-in-manhattan-new-york-city-ny-usa.html"

Wide angle view of tops of aspen trees and sky

 "http://www.slrobertson.com/galleries/usa/colorado/fall-color/wide/aspen-sky-1.htm"

Numbers

As a rule we are told that 'odd numbers' are better than 'even numbers', in photography.  This often leads us to creating 'triangles or pyramids rather than squares', within our composition.

 Comparison between 4 and 3 strawberries

This photo of four strawberries is quite bland and boring. It is difficult to find the center of focus in this image.
Read more at http://www.photoshoptutorials.ws/other-tutorials/photography-tutorials/10-important-tips-improve-composition-photos/#Fckzcf3Gozjf7s3d.99

Read more at http://www.photoshoptutorials.ws/other-tutorials/photography-tutorials/10-important-tips-improve-composition-photos/#Fckzcf3Gozjf7s3d.99

A similar image but with just three strawberries. Although just the image is similar to the previous photo, the odd number of strawberries make it significantly more interesting.
Read more at http://www.photoshoptutorials.ws/other-tutorials/photography-tutorials/10-important-tips-improve-composition-photos/#Fckzcf3Gozjf7s3d.99

This photo of four strawberries is quite bland and boring. It is difficult to find the center of focus in this image.
Read more at http://www.photoshoptutorials.ws/other-tutorials/photography-tutorials/10-important-tips-improve-composition-photos/#Fckzcf3Gozjf7s3d.99

This photo of 4 strawberries is quite bland and boring. It is difficult to find the centre of focus in this image

This photo of four strawberries is quite bland and boring. It is difficult to find the center of focus in this image.
Read more at http://www.photoshoptutorials.ws/other-tutorials/photography-tutorials/10-important-tips-improve-composition-photos/#Fckzcf3Gozjf7s3d.99

"http://www.photoshoptutorials.ws/other-tutorials/photography-tutorials/10-important-tips-improve-composition-photos/"

 A similar image but with just three strawberries. Although just the image is similar to the previous photo, the odd number of strawberries make it significantly more interesting.

Pattern

Pattern uses elements that are repeated. The repetition of lines, shapes, tones or color can create interesting images. A repetitive pattern that fills the frame gives the impression that the pattern is massive and goes beyond the image even if the pattern or repetition is only enough to fill the screen. This is done to take images of people’s faces in a group or crowd or an assembly of arranged bottles in a factory.

 Factory Bottles but perhaps not as many as the eye perceives

"http://flickr.com/photos/monster/19350697/"

  Giant Lobelia that utilizes both pattern and spiral shape in it's composition

Pattern is not one of the six classic design principles, but it is one of the more important visual elements in modern photography. Finding a compelling pattern is almost a guaranteed way to capture an amazing photograph. Patterns appear everywhere in our world–in the bark of a tree, the honeycomb in a bees’ nest, or in a neat row of products on a store shelf. A pattern is any repeated object, color or shape – which sounds pretty basic until you start paying attention and then realize that you’ve been looking right past them for most of your life. Whenever you’re out with your camera, start training yourself to find patterns. In many cases, simply zooming in on a pattern will create the illusion of infinite repetition. You can also add interest by breaking up a pattern; a neat row of oranges, for example, will look much more interesting if you place a single lemon at one of the “rule of thirds” intersection - See more at: http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/2679/six-classic-design-elements-for-outstanding-photographs/#sthash.klR3gWZj.dpuf

"Photograph by George F. Mobley"

Pattern is not one of the six classic design principles, but it is one of the more important visual elements in modern photography. Finding a compelling pattern is almost a guaranteed way to capture an amazing photograph. - See more at: http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/2679/six-classic-design-elements-for-outstanding-photographs/#sthash.UGSlPDqp.dpuf

Pattern is not one of the six classic design principles, but it is one of the more important visual elements in modern photography. Finding a compelling pattern is almost a guaranteed way to capture an amazing photograph. - See more at: http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/2679/six-classic-design-elements-for-outstanding-photographs/#sthash.UGSlPDqp.dpuf

Pattern is not one of the six classic design principles, but it is one of the more important visual elements in modern photography. Finding a compelling pattern is almost a guaranteed way to capture an amazing photograph. Patterns appear everywhere in our world–in the bark of a tree, the honeycomb in a bees’ nest, or in a neat row of products on a store shelf. A pattern is any repeated object, color or shape – which sounds pretty basic until you start paying attention and then realize that you’ve been looking right past them for most of your life. Whenever you’re out with your camera, start training yourself to find patterns. In many cases, simply zooming in on a pattern will create the illusion of infinite repetition. You can also add interest by breaking up a pattern; a neat row of oranges, for example, will look much more interesting if you place a single lemon at one of the “rule of thirds” intersection - See more at: http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/2679/six-classic-design-elements-for-outstanding-photographs/#sthash.klR3gWZj.dpuf

Level 2 Introduction to Digital Imaging Portfolio - Street Photography with Video

Street Photography Assignment

The Brief:

• To produce a series of images fitting the theme of Street Photography, clearly showing the subject matter and not simply 'grab' or 'random' shots. Think about interacting with the subject and how best to approach people.
• Use my phone or recording device, base myself in a convenient area for minimum of 30 minutes to jot down observation, decide on a theme and record ambient sounds.
• Use my phone camera instead of my DSLR to take photographs with a view to assembling a slide show which incorporates the ambient sound recorded.

I have decided to split my assignment into two slide shows although only asked for one.  I felt that adding sounds into the background of the slide show mattered to be 'in tune' with the photos being viewed and unfortunately I do not yet have to skills to create and edit my own soundtrack.

Inspiration:
For inspiration on street photography I have again looked to Meyerowitz and having watched a DVD, The Genius of Photography (2005) where Meyerowitz is on the street in America and very much in people's faces, I was certain I wouldn't be able to adopt his approach. As I expected, when it came to practising street photography, I took a much subtler stance although I do wish I could be a little more like Meyerowitz. Meyerowitz's images have continued to develop throughout the many years of his career, this is illustrated on his own website, which, also contains an honest interview about his early years.

 Images portraying Meyerowitz's approach on the street

Meyerowitz, Retrospective, date unknown

Equipment I used:
Samsung S3 Phone with integrated camera
Nikon D7000
16-85mm zoom lens
Olympus Dictaphone to record sound

Safety Considerations:

I didn't use a tripod on this occasion as Manchester City Centre is very busy and I felt it would have been a health and safety issue. As I was in a group so consequently, I didn't need to take a companion with me as a safety precaution and I kept my equipment to a minimum so as to prevent injury to myself.  As this was an outdoor shoot, the weather was also a health and safety consideration, consequently I dressed and chose appropriate footwear for the occasion. I was also mindful of the traffic, particularly the trams, allowed into pedestrian areas and took care not to stand in a dangerous position when taking photographs. An awareness of peoples feelings towards having their photograph taken is also necessary in order to avoid hostile situations.

The Shoot:
After meeting up with my college group in Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester it took a little while to become comfortable with the idea of actually approaching people for their permission to photograph them.  It is quite easy to capture people from a distance, especially when they are unaware of your presence due to them being involved with their own activity or thoughts.  Intentionally interacting with people I wished to photograph actually turned out to be a much more pleasurable and rewarding experience than I had anticipated.  Many people smiled and were happy to stop or sit and let me photograph them, even when, in some of my images they look like they are unaware of me.  The people who say no or wave their hand in a negative gesture are the minority and once this happened it became easier to address my fears of rejection in this respect.

The Koffee Pot:
A cafe called 'The Koffee Pot', was chosen as a base to decide a theme, record ambient sound, make notes and take photographs with my 'phone camera'.  I simply chose to portray the people who use the cafe and the images reflect some people whom I didn't approach and interact with and some people that I did interact with.  After viewing and analysing my results, I have concluded that unless people are looking or smiling directly at you, it is difficult to tell which people I did or did not interact with.  I also aimed to portray in the slide show, the very different people that do frequent the cafe.

Piccadilly Gardens:
On my way back to get the train home from Piccadilly Station, I also chose to take photographs on the street in the area of Piccadilly Gardens. I found it easier to approach people in this area on my own, perhaps due to me being a woman and people were not intimidated by me. All of my images reflect people that I did interact with.

The Slide Shows:
I presented the images in an sequence that I felt 'flowed' and added the appropriate ambient sound from my recordings, using PowerPoint. The slide show was then saved as both a presentation and a MP4 file, the MP4 file facilitated uploading a video to the video sharing site 'Vimeo'.  I strongly feel that adding the appropriate ambient sound to my slide show of images made a substantial difference to the final presentation.

This following link is my slide show without sound:

Street Photography (Cafe) 

This following video is my slide show with sound:

This next video is my slide show of street photography in Piccadilly Gardens and once again the ambient sound was recorded in the immediate area and forms the background sound to my slide show.  I stayed with the theme of people that frequent the area and discovered that most people there were more than happy to be photographed.

My Evaluation
On this occasion, as per the brief, we were encouraged to interact with the people we wanted to photograph.  I found this daunting at first but did find myself relaxing and gradually becoming more natural with the process. The 'close-up' approach that I witnessed 'Meyerowitz' using in his DVD, really wasn't for me but I do admire how he manages to do work in the manner he does and produce great results. I did strive to create some spontaneous looking images, the way Meyerowitz has mastered but I think this takes time and practice.
I still used my camera in manual as this is my preferred choice of mode, however I do plan to attempt using Aperture Priority in the near future.  Using my phone camera was a discreet way of taking photographs but I was not overly happy with the quality of the results produced from it. I believe using a smaller and more discreet camera would probably be a better choice where discretion is an issue.  I felt the results from my Nikon DSLR were satisfactory but as I have already mentioned, I think this could be improved by trying different camera modes in the future.
On reflection, I do feel this is an effective way to present my work and the ambient sounds and music add a great deal of mood and atmosphere to the overall finished presentation. I was happy with my results with the presentations although, the next time I put together a slide show, I will add a blank slide at the end to finish the slide show in a smoother manner.

Bibliography

Howard Greenberg. (2014). Joel Meyerowitz b.1938. Available: http://www.howardgreenberg.com/#artists/abc/197. Last accessed 25th Oct 2013.

Meyerowitz, J. (2003). Joel Meyerowitz: Photographer. Available: http://www.joelmeyerowitz.com/index.html. Last accessed 25th Oct 2013.

The Genius of Photography (2005) Produced by BBC4

Art and Design (Phase 2) Mini Brief

Research for Images Submitted for 'Mini Brief 1'

The images I have taken and submitted for the mini brief are sequential in nature due to them belonging in the same theme which is, 'Street Photography'.  I have chosen the people of Chester City Centre as a theme and have included very different characters and elements of the people to be found there.  I have visited Chester as a city many times over the years and have always been fascinated by both the architecture and the diversity of people.  I made a decision to visit there on a Saturday afternoon for my images as I wanted to capture the busy streets as well as focusing on individual people.  More information regarding Chester can be found on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester

I have taken inspiration from the work of Joel Meyerowitz, who is a multi award winning and well known, respected street photographer.  Meyerowitz is a great advocate of using colour photography in his street scenes, which I admire.  Many street photographer's try to re-create old style photography and either shoot or turn their images black and white but Meyerowitz is quoted in his biography "As an early advocate of colour photography (mid-60's), Meyerowitz was instrumental in changing the attitude toward the use of colour photography from one of resistance to nearly universal acceptance".  Meyerowitz firmly believes that we record so much more information and detail when shooting in colour, which, I agree with, particularly in street photography.  Meyerowitz himself drew inspiration from Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank and Eugène Atget, more information regarding this can be found on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Meyerowitz.  Meyerowitz shoots his images with large format film cameras.

Samples of Meyerowitz's work:

"Fallen Man, Paris" (1967)

 "New York City", (1974)

The equipment I have used is as follows:

Nikon D7000 and a Nikon D800

16-85mm lens

70-200mm lens

55-300mm lens

Safety Considerations:

I didn't use a tripod on this occasion as Chester City Centre on a Saturday afternoon is very busy and I felt it would have been a health and safety isssue. I also took a companion with me as both an assistant to help with carrying my equipment and also as a safety precaution.  As this was an outdoor shoot, the weather was also a health and safety consideration, consequently I dressed and chose appropriate footwear for the occasion. I was also mindful of the traffic allowed into pedestrian areas and took care not to stand in a dangerous position when taking photographs.  An awareness of peoples feelings towards having their photograph taken is also necessary in order to avoid hostile situations.

Images

My first image is that of a crowded street scene of people including placard holders who, although obviously meant to be working, look like they are enjoying socialising.  I have used a fast shutter speed to freeze the action of the people, making the image appear quite 'still'. This is particularly evident when looking at the legs of the people as they are frozen in action.  Although the background is quite out of focus due to the shallow DOF I used, it is also quite recognisable as Chester which, I wanted to portray, particularly in my leading image. This image has also been manipulated in Photoshop by firstly altering the white balance in 'Camera RAW' and then re-imported into Photoshop and the exposure altered using 'Curves' in the layers palette.

 

 f/2.8 1/320 sec ISO-720 98mm

My second image has captured a religious street preacher, reading out loud from his bible, trying to convert the passers by. Again I have selected a shallow DOF to bring attention to the preacher and his one and only listener stood directly behind him. Everybody else passed him by and I think there is a sense of movement in the the people as they do so. This image has also been manipulated in Photoshop by firstly altering the white balance in 'Camera RAW' and then re-imported into Photoshop and the exposure altered using 'Curves' in the layers palette.

 f/4.5 1/125 sec ISO-560 70mm

In this next image, the performer making the balloon shapes has actually made a sale. I took a few shots of this performer before finally capturing him enjoying any successl. The colours in this image already draw attention to the subject but this is also highlighted by the shallow DOF used. The baby seems quite nonplussed by it all whereas the mother looks happy to be engaging in something nice for her baby which allowed me to capture a moment of emotion. This image has also been manipulated in Photoshop by firstly altering the white balance in 'Camera RAW' and then re-imported into Photoshop and the exposure altered using 'Curves' in the layers palette.

f/2.8 1/80 sec ISO-200 70mm

This fourth image was taken of the homeless people portrayed within it after speaking to them and asking for their permission. There are a lot of homeless people in the streets of Chester and I felt it was only right to include them. The woman in the image is actually trying to teach the man how to play the guitar and is smiling as she does so. Again I feel that I managed to capture some emotion as well as depicting at least a little of their plight. I kept the DOF shallow to really focus the attention on them although you can still make out the blanket in front of them with the small amount of money they have made that day. This image has also been manipulated in Photoshop by firstly altering the white balance in 'Camera RAW' and then re-imported into Photoshop and the exposure altered using 'Curves' in the layers palette.

 f/2.8 1/80 sec ISO-450 135mm

My fifth and last image is that of the street scene below me, taken from the bridge which houses the world famous 'Eastgate Clock' in the city centre. I have chosen to use a long depth of field in this image in order to keep the buildings all along the street in focus, allowing the scene to continue into the distance. The image does also have some movement in the people and car contained within it is as I used a fairly slow shutter speed. In this image the day is drawing to a close and the crowd is now thinning. I wonder if they will give the homeless street people or the dedicated man preaching his faith, any time?  This image has also been manipulated in Photoshop by firstly altering the white balance in 'Camera RAW' and then re-imported into Photoshop and the exposure altered using 'Curves' in the layers palette.

 f/16 1/15 sec ISO-640 16mm

Link to my slide show of images:

Slide show presentation of 'The People of Chester City Centre'

My Evaluation

This is quite a new area of photography for me so approached it cautiously. When viewing my results post shoot, I felt that I should have interacted with people more as I think this would have added a more personal touch to my images.  I used my camera in manual mode, however, I am considering whether using one of the semi-automatic modes such as Aperture Priority might be a more suitable choice for this genre of photography.  I believe this would allow me to react to changing scene's on the street with more efficiency as I would only have to change the aperture, depending on the result I wanted to achieve.  Overall, I was pleased with my results but feel I could improve, particularly with my interactions with people and trying different modes on my camera.

Bibliography

Meyerowitz, J. (2003-2012). Biography. Available: http://www.joelmeyerowitz.com/photography/biography.html. Last accessed 11th November 2012.

Wikipedia. (2013). Chester. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester. Last accessed 11th November 2012.

Wikipedia. (2013). Joel Meyerowitz. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Meyerowitz. Last accessed 11th November 2012.