I am encouraged by my tutor's feedback for this first assignment and feel that I have made a good start.
Well done for completing assignment 1 so promptly. It's a good sign of your commitment to the course and your enthusiasm shines through.
There have been so many questions in my head in these first few weeks of the course so I am grateful to my tutor for her encouragement and support. In was useful to attend the OCA presentation at UCA, Farnham and meet my tutor and hear the presentation from Anna Fox. I have always thought in a words and pictures mode had an interest in audio visual presentations and Anna's work got me thinking more about that and how I might apply it to some of my assignment work.
Developing your story telling capabilities would be an excellent aim for your photography.
I am aware that as well as providing an accurate interpretation of the assignment briefs, I have to try and create good images.
Technically some of these images lack professionalism and this could be a way in which you develop your visual skills. Looking for composition and well as ideas is a skill that needs to be developed and I am encouraged that you are trying to do both. In some instances it seems that the idea is taking precedence over the quality of the picture. At the same time some of your pictures demonstrate a strong ability in using lighting and reflections.... it is important that BOTH aspects are taken into consideration for your photography to develop.
I am beginning to appreciate the importance of light more than I have previously. The book Light - Light Science & Magic which is one of the books I am currently reading should help me more with this as the text emphasises 'Photography is the manipulation of light'.
My tutor told me when I met her at Farnham to think outside the box and says -
In consideration of your pairings you have been somewhat creative in thinking beneath the surface and beyond the obvious and I am really pleased you took my advice on this. Some of the pairs still seem quite obvious to me but I think you have done well for a first assignment! Continue to think outside the box and push your ideas beyond the literal and I think you will open up some interesting areas to work in.
My tutor provided some very interesting observations on some of the pairings. Some of the pairings I made I was really pleased with and some were not as good as I had hoped for. Perhaps that's stating the obvious and I need to make sure I interpret and understand some of the artistic speak my tutor makes when she talks about making the work metaphorical and symbolic rather than literal. Hopefully I will get better at understanding this new style of imaging and speak in OCA! So what is the key advice for me -
Try to keep your themes consistent and edit tightly - we are looking for visually coherent (composition/colour v b&w/portrait v landscape) as well as conceptually coherent (what are the images about? Do they tell a story? Are they repetitive?) images. Editing is very important and can really help us to know/or betray or 'not knowing' what we intend to produce as photographers! Try to have a clear idea in your head when you are shooting and editing - this will really help your point come across.
A range of books and websites have been recommended and I am following up the suggestions. I am advised to keep my blog up to date rather than trying to fill it in in hindsight and to show evidence of reading photographic books and theory. I have been reading the OCA "Developing your log using reflective writing" article in an attempt to develop my ability within this part of the course. So lots to do!
Well done for completing assignment 1 so promptly. It's a good sign of your commitment to the course and your enthusiasm shines through.
There have been so many questions in my head in these first few weeks of the course so I am grateful to my tutor for her encouragement and support. In was useful to attend the OCA presentation at UCA, Farnham and meet my tutor and hear the presentation from Anna Fox. I have always thought in a words and pictures mode had an interest in audio visual presentations and Anna's work got me thinking more about that and how I might apply it to some of my assignment work.
Developing your story telling capabilities would be an excellent aim for your photography.
I am aware that as well as providing an accurate interpretation of the assignment briefs, I have to try and create good images.
Technically some of these images lack professionalism and this could be a way in which you develop your visual skills. Looking for composition and well as ideas is a skill that needs to be developed and I am encouraged that you are trying to do both. In some instances it seems that the idea is taking precedence over the quality of the picture. At the same time some of your pictures demonstrate a strong ability in using lighting and reflections.... it is important that BOTH aspects are taken into consideration for your photography to develop.
I am beginning to appreciate the importance of light more than I have previously. The book Light - Light Science & Magic which is one of the books I am currently reading should help me more with this as the text emphasises 'Photography is the manipulation of light'.
My tutor told me when I met her at Farnham to think outside the box and says -
In consideration of your pairings you have been somewhat creative in thinking beneath the surface and beyond the obvious and I am really pleased you took my advice on this. Some of the pairs still seem quite obvious to me but I think you have done well for a first assignment! Continue to think outside the box and push your ideas beyond the literal and I think you will open up some interesting areas to work in.
My tutor provided some very interesting observations on some of the pairings. Some of the pairings I made I was really pleased with and some were not as good as I had hoped for. Perhaps that's stating the obvious and I need to make sure I interpret and understand some of the artistic speak my tutor makes when she talks about making the work metaphorical and symbolic rather than literal. Hopefully I will get better at understanding this new style of imaging and speak in OCA! So what is the key advice for me -
Try to keep your themes consistent and edit tightly - we are looking for visually coherent (composition/colour v b&w/portrait v landscape) as well as conceptually coherent (what are the images about? Do they tell a story? Are they repetitive?) images. Editing is very important and can really help us to know/or betray or 'not knowing' what we intend to produce as photographers! Try to have a clear idea in your head when you are shooting and editing - this will really help your point come across.
A range of books and websites have been recommended and I am following up the suggestions. I am advised to keep my blog up to date rather than trying to fill it in in hindsight and to show evidence of reading photographic books and theory. I have been reading the OCA "Developing your log using reflective writing" article in an attempt to develop my ability within this part of the course. So lots to do!