Assignment 5 - Illustration and Narrative

Requirement

6/12 images

Instructions

• Illustrate a story for a magazine
• Choose one of the ideas below or pick your own subject
• Produce a cover and several inside pages
• Prepare captions to explain and link the images
• Decide where the emphasis should lie: aesthetics, design, representation, human interest
• Consider using narrative and 3 techniques of illustration (evidence of action, symbols and juxtaposition) as well as everything else learnt on AoP (frame, design, colour and light)
• Take time to undertake the assignment

Ideas

• A commodity - ordinary or exotic, production cycle, social implications from owning it. Consider use of juxtaposition and symbols
• Light - tangible qualities, effects of light on a landscape, ability of light to modify the subject
• Holidays - social documentary, landscape, exotic, domestic

Tutor's advice (after Assignment 4)

For learning and inspiration, look at:

• magazine articles, like National Geographic
• advertising's use of narrative
• Duane Michaels and Sophi Calle
• World Press Photo
• Sebastiao Salgado, for commitment, design and tonality

Tutor's feedback on the assignment- overall comments
Good subject, some good images. However, a few issues:

• No decisive illustration shot, as per brief (e.g. start or finishing shots
• Lack of creativity on the contrasts between the village and cyclists
• Be clear about the narrative, if this is less about the cycling and more about spectators or people otherwise affected you must show their reactions
• Make the timeline clear, e.g. shot 8 is confusing because it shows an empty road and this deflates the narrative
• Improve the title as it too confuses, whilst I realise the 100 and Classic are 2 different races perhaps use the name 'Racing through my village'
• Your blog comments on preparation give the impression that the race itself is the narrative and you didn't consider how to illustrate it

In conclusion, I am unclear what your narrative intentions were but you may be able to clarify this and find images from the shoot that better tell this story.


Introduction to My Story 

My story
2 cycle races as they passed on the same day through Oatlands 'Village', where I live. These events were part of the Ride London Festival during the weekend of 3/4 August (2013). The races, which followed the same route as the Olympic Cycle Road Race exactly a year earlier, were:

• The Surrey 100, a 100 mile marathon with 20,000 amateur riders, many of whom were raising money for charity
• The Surrey Classic, for 150 professional riders

Why? Several reasons. 

• Britain has fallen in love with cycling, thanks in large part to increasing success on the road and track of our athletes. 
• The races themselves were likely to attract spectators, but who and how many a year on from the Olympic event when the roads were lined with cheering crowds?
• The speed of the bikes would present a challenge to shoot, for which no proper dress rehearsal was possible

Research
My preparation for the shoot was:

• Reading the Ride London Festival programme details, including the estimated times for the two races passing through Oatlands. The 100 from 7.00 to 10.00 and the Classic at 13.45. An early start, then.
• Checking the weather forecast: hazy sunshine. A stroke of luck.
• Walking around the village to check how the light might fall and where the best angles may be.
• Looking on the web for images of cycling races. Not much inspiration. What I found varied between special effects (e.g. multi-coloured motion blur) and relatively tame frozen frame images.
• Searching the web for 'how to' tips for photographing cycling. Found a video by Tom Jenkins, a Guardian sports photographer, from 2009 (see next). Now his images were more relevant to my project.

'How to' and the plan
I made some notes from Tom Jenkins 'how to' shoot a cycle race. Which ones would be open to me? Resorting his tips into those that went into my plan and those alas that didn't:

Included:

• Shoot the pelaton, as this creates much stronger images than those of individual cyclists. Definitely should be part of my plan, at least for the professional race but who knows what the pattern of amateur riders would look like? Perhaps a telephoto lens would create the compression needed.
• Pick a spot where the cyclists are moving at high speed and shoot a pan blur at a low shutter speed with the camera at right angles. Panning is another must for my shooting plan.
• Shoot the spectators as they can be more interesting than the cyclists. Yes, a key part of the story.

Excluded:

• Take shots of cyclists preparing at the start. Not possible as the start was 20 miles away and the roads were closed.
• Position yourself at the top of a hill climb (i.e. where riders are grimacing from the effort) and on the inside track (i.e. the side that shortens the distance for the cyclists) and shoot with fill-in flash balanced against the sky. Other than a Box Hill the race is largely flat, so is this isn't an option for me, despite the attraction of getting 'shots of pain'? Not really, but keep the idea in mind. Also, would I use fill-in flash? Not sure that's fair on amateur riders. I can always use PS to lighten cyclists shot against a bright background.
• Silhouettes of riders shot into the sun against an uncluttered background. Not possible in Oatlands.
• Shoot cyclists in the post finish and on the podium. Again not possible in the circumstances.

Changes in approach
Previously, the results from printing have disappointed. So, for this assignment, I've invested time in understanding Printing and Colour Management better so that screen display and print are an acceptable match. Key steps were:

• Calibrating my monitor (using Color Munki)
• Setting up Soft Proofing in Photoshop with the correct profiles for Peak Imaging's printers: see Printing and Colour Management at Peak Imaging
• Producing larger prints: 9' x 6' compared with 7' x 5'

My Story - Surrey 100 and Surrey Classic 

Cycle 100

07.10 Sunday morning, time to buy the papers and hang around

Whilst good atmosphere in the early morning, it doesn't illustrate the start of the race.
Cut it out? 

Then the first riders arrive

A more effective cover shot for the theme. Crop the traffic cones and yellow 'things' on right to give the spectator more emphasis?

The committed few congratulate the committed many

Nice contrast to explain what is going on. But doesn't do more than scene set. Keep an eye open for characters and expressions that provide a twist to standard interpretation of the event

Dreaming that this is the Olympic Road Race for real?

Could have been sharper. Use a more memorable building to create contrast between riders and village

Capturing the action for posterity

Good near/far composition but does not reveal much about environment

Young and old cheer on the riders

Promising, good juxtaposition but not sure that this is the best possible shot for the concept

Many riders raise money for charity

Good idea, pretty good shot but framing could be better - more of the rider so that the logo stands out. Also image is a bit dark: how about selectively brightening the rider's vest so that it does compete for brightness with the background?

Surrey Classic

13.45: waiting for the professional riders to arrive

Good idea but deflates the urgency of the race somewhat. Would work well in a series: 'people strangely dotted around the road waiting for something to happen'. Better at the beginning

The pelaton comes into view at speed

Great 'cycling shot'. How about brightening the riders to make them stand out a bit.

At 20 miles from the start not much separates
the 150 riders as they swarm through the village

Image meets the need in series to show the physical effort of the riders

Followed closely by their support teams

More contrast in concept needed here, perhaps these race cars in front of normal cars or at least in front of a village icon

7 minutes later: that's it folks, the show is over

Captions work well but don't rely on them wholly to do the work in the story. Here it would have been better to show the last of the riders disappearing off into the distance whilst the spectators went home. However, 3 mums with their backs to us suggest that they are moving away. 

5.2(d) Illustration - Rain

Requirement

1 image

Purpose

• To experiment with responding to a subject brief with impact

Learning

• Think of all the causes and effects of rain
• Keep it simple
• Be interesting (viewpoint, lens, etc)
• Produce something that is always eye-catching, even if you cannot be original

Exercise

• Provide 1 strong image that conveys 'rain', for use on a magazine cover

Images and Review

Choice for magazine cover

Street awash with rain

Sudden heavy rain shower, summer evening
in Holborn, London as commuters are travelling home
Rain is centre stage, presence of umbrellas
confirms it is raining, hazy appearance of the scene

Others in the series

The flight from rain

Part of the same series of images as the previous one
Shot with a compact camera
Use of fill-in flash

The energy of rain

Rain drops hitting roof of a car
Shot with telephoto lens
Converted to B&W and heavily sharpened
Cropped into a panoramic image
(wrong shape for a magazine cover)

5.3(c) Illustration - Juxtaposition

Requirement

1 image

Purpose

• To explore the use of juxtaposition to convey a message visually

Learning

• Juxtaposition is the placement of elements within a frame which creates unusual, if not humorous, if not thought provoking relationship between them.
• It draws on the human urge to compare and contrast
• At its best it reveals hard hitting truth or great insight
• It often asks the viewer to accept a combination of real and unreal, knowing that the relationship has been forced by the photographer
• Still life makes juxtaposition relatively easy to achieve, which is why it is used for advertising, book covers, etc, where the choice of viewpoint and lens plays an important part
• However, you must walk the line between avoiding cliche (i.e. using imagery used many times before) and being obscure (i.e. most viewers will fail to make the connection)
• Juxtaposition appeals to lovers of the surreal, where posing questions is sometimes more intriguing than knowing the answers

Example - Melting ice cream on the red velvet bedspread of a luxurious hotel

• Ordinary elements usually seen in different contexts are brought together in the same scene
• This prompts a series of questions: How did the ice cream get there? Was it put there deliberately? If so, why? Does it belong to a child? How long has it been there? Is this a staged scenario?

Examples - 

Children at play on an anti aircraft gun
Beirut, 1982
Steve McCurry

Real girl, manufactured girl starting
from the poster at the bus shelter
Constructed Childhoods
Charley Murrell

Exercise

• Choose either a still life or a larger scale shot 
• If  still life, pick a favourite book and design a cover using 2 to 3 relevant elements
• If a larger scale image, shoot a portrait with a relevant possession or the results of their work or hobby

Image and Review

God and Mammon

Tesco Express, Westbourne is housed in a
church building with a restaurant, Rock.
If shopping is now a religion in England, then
this is very apt.
(Taken just before sunset with an iPhone 5)

Walk on by

Waterloo Station

The passer-by sends her message
about How Much Can You Trust Religion

 

Canary Wharf 

sitting on top of a jetty

 

Image was shot from Greenwich.
It juxtaposes the dilapidated structure of the
jetty, overgrown with grass and trees, with the slick
high-rise buildings of Canary Wharf.
In fact, the perspective, which shows the skyscrapers sitting on
top of the jetty, gives the impression of
the Wharf as a Toy Town.

Age and Youth

Mid afternoon in a Bournemouth cinema when
the sedentary elderly watch the images of active youth
(shot with an iPhone and de-saturated) 

5.2(b) Illustration - Symbols

Requirement

As many images as desired

Purpose

• To consider how symbols convey meaning in photos

Learning

Overview

• Signs and symbols are part of daily life. Some are universally understood (e.g. red for danger). Others require learning to be understood (e.g. deaf sign language)
• Semiotics is the study of signs. It informs linguistics, the sciences and visual arts. Leading figures of relevance to photography are Ferdinand de Saussure (1857 - 1913) and Charles Sanders Peirce (1839 - 1914).
• Important to consider 3 dimensions: the sign itself, what it refers to and how those who see the sign will understand it (using signs to convey meaning must take account of the social, cultural and political values of the audience)
• Photographers may be more or less conscious in their selection of signs in their images depending on their style or circumstances of working
• Signs are of 3 types: (1) icon, (2) index, (3) symbol. The differences between these 3 signs arise from the nature of the connection between them.
• Icon: connects to what it represents by likeness, i.e. it shares some of the qualities (e.g. physical or behavioural) of the original, e.g. signage on toilet doors, a caricature, imitative gestures, a scale model, metaphors
• Index: connects to what it represents directly either physically or by cause, e.g. an arrow used to point towards a building exit, smoke to denote fire hazard, footprints for footsteps. The link is either observed or inferred.
• Symbol: connects to what it represents by interpretative habit, assumption or rule, independently of how or where it appears. The relationship must be learnt like, e.g. Morse Code, language, traffic lights. See separate post: Emma Blaney The Spectre of Impossible Desire. 
• For further discussion see: Notes on 'Context and Narrative', Maria Short

Pointers to use of symbols in photography

• Avoid cliché (e.g. use of a shield to signify protection), unless using it in an unusual or interesting way
• Make the symbol recognisable, whilst avoiding the obscure
• Choose a symbol that is practical to shoot

Exercise

Part 1

• Write down 5 examples of symbols that advertising uses to convey meaning indirectly (e.g. a shield for protection to promote insurance products)

Part 2

• Find symbols to show a number of concepts: growth, excess, crime, silence, poverty
• Note briefly how these might used in a photograph
• Shoot, if inspired!

Symbols

Examples:

• Growth - sapling emerging from various contrasting backgrounds, e.g. drought, previous year's decaying leaf fall, snow
• Excess - table with food for a feast, large belly overhanging belt, gold coloured Rolls Royce in the drive, speed camera flashing at blurred car disappearing towards the horizon, a bank note used as a utensil (i.e. other than for buying goods) or simply many notes (say £50 each) floating down after being thrown in the air
• Crime - broken window, knuckle dusters, hoodies looking menacing as old lady walks by, barbed wire or broken glass on top of a wall, black finger prints on an item of value 
• Silence - (seemingly) empty landscape, Trappist monks, still water of a lake, mountain top
• Poverty - person sleeping on streets, family in threadbare clothes, farmer in worn clothes standing over field of withered or destroyed crops, queue at a food bank, empty pockets or purse

Images and Review

Some images that symbolise....

Silence

Lake Cauma, Switzerland

 

Poverty

Corner of Strand and Aldwych. London

Crime

Greenwich warehouse gates

5.2(a) Illustration - Evidence of Action

Requirement

1 image

Purpose

• To practice composition to show something has happened

Learning

• Illustration in photography is largely the skill of showing something has happened in a single image, particularly (a) simple relationship between items in the image or (b) hint at something that has occurred

Exercise

• Produce an image in which it can be seen that something has taken place

Images and Review
 

Margaret Thatcher's Funeral
Evening Standards being taken at
Waterloo station by passing commuters

 

5.1 Narrative

Requirement
5/15 images

Purpose

• To learn how to produce a picture essay

Learning

Overview

• Many photographers pay most attention to graphic content (form) of their images rather than their subject (content). However, the majority focus on their subject, to tell the story that lies behind it
• Narrative in photography seeks to tell a story, either in a single image (often impossible) or through a set of coherent ones
• Picture essays can comprise any number of images, typically from 3 upwards
• Narrative works best where it describes a sequence of events (e.g. a journey, a process, making an object) or a single event with several different perspectives
• It helps to work out the picture story in 2 stages: (a) plot the story, (b) plan what and how to shoot, (c) presentation of story

Plot the story

• Use the 6 'soldiers of enquiry': 1. who (people)? 2. where (place)? 3. when (time)? 4. how (process)? 5. what (outcome)? 6. why (meaning)?
• Consider how other photographers have handled this subject: what worked well, what did not, so what lessons for you? 

Plan what and how to shoot

• Rehearse the event beforehand, to the extent possible, particularly viewpoints, lenses, restrictions
• Evaluate different options for presenting the narrative: (a) distant views to close-ups, (b) vertical and horizontal shots, (c) lens choice for impact, (d) role of colours, (e) direction and quality of light as well as options available, (f) variety of frame size and shape
• Prepare your picture script

Presentation of story

• Aim to compile your story into a coherent set of images, with variety to maintain interest as well as reveal detail and message

Exercise

Part 1

• Pick 1 image where the graphic content dominates, choose another where the subject is paramount and the composition is routine

Part 2

• Set yourself an assignment and produce it

Images and Review

Part 1 - Examples


Part 2 - Picture essay


TV shoot of Zumba promo with Wyclef Jean
One October morning I stumbled across the shooting for Daybreak TV of a promotion of the Zumba dance phenomenon on London's South Bank. I was always carry a compact camera in my bag for just eventualities. Usually it just adds a little weight....but today it earned its place!

Images with editing decisions

Establishing shot#1
Jacket signals upcoming content
Eye contact from bystander engages with viewer
(even though the look was probably: who is that guy
in a suit with a camera?)

Establishing shot#2
TV or film crew against the iconic St Pauls
on the opposite side of the river

Developing shot # 1
Participants waiting for 'action'...

Developing shot # 2
Production manager gives the signal to get ready...

Developing shot # 3
Filming starts...

Developing shot # 4
Dance team get into their stride...

Developing shot # 5
Wyclef Jean sings to his own number: Historia

Developing shot # 6
Dance team reaches its peak

Closing shot # 1
Volunteers celebrate the closing of the shoot

Closing shot # 2
The volunteers ask one of the pros to grab a
personal memory shot
Echoes the opening image

Assignment 4 - Light

Requirement
8 images

Assignment
Pick 1 object. Use any type of light. Produce a small portfolio, showing the following attributes of the object

• Shape - outline with the minimum of detail visible but isolated from background
• Form - 3 dimensional properties modelled using shadows and depth
• Texture - nature of surface using a pattern of small hard shadows (consider level of diffusion and angle of light)
• Colour - colour of object as strongly as possible
• Other - object in any other interesting, unusual or attractive lighting

Images

Turkana Man

The Turkana are one of Kenya's minority tribes (800,000 strong). Semi-nomadic, they live in the harsh climate of the north west of the country. They use their animals - goats and camels - as a source of milk and meat. Their god is both the creator of the world and the distributor of blessings. Each day one must seek to find the blessings of life—water, food, livestock, wives, children—in a manner that appeases the ancestral spirits and is in harmony with the peace within the community.

I bought this clay statute of Turkana Man on a visit to Kenya in 1994 to explore a job offer. I didn't take the job, a turning point in my own life and that of my family. Turkana Man has enjoyed the same display spot in our house for nearly 20 years. When I see it, it reminds me of that seminal moment. To everyone else it is just another piece of African tourist art.

Tutor feedback

General comments
Easy to take light for granted, especially when conditions  are unspectacular (e.g. outside golden hour), yet it is the key ingredient that creates atmosphere in photos.

The work shows a good understanding of the brief and controlled use of light. Also, important  to choose a subject that has meaning. 

Key learning points

• Backgrounds: Whilst the lighting effects are satisfactory, some of the backgrounds are not. Backgrounds affect the quality of the image too
• Elevation of camera in relation to eyes: Most of the viewpoints are slightly above the bust: potential to make image seem small and even risks condescension (looking down). Take some images from below the eye line. This should make the bust seem more powerful and imposing.

Blog
2 pointers

• Text is short and technical, perhaps OK for this exercise but you would improve the blog by describing how choice of composition changes the meaning of the portraits
• Make more connection between Influences - Reaction - Creativity, i.e. your photography reading and the work of photographers - your thinking - your photos.

 

Shape

Side view.
Statue was backlit through a white nylon shower curtain
at an angle acute enough to reveal a small amount of detail 
around the eye, to add interest

One of the best shots. Real silhouette because some of the detail retained. Background isn't distracting in this instance: impression perhaps of being inside a tent.

Rear view.
Figurine was backlit by flash with a yellow plastic  diffuser
over the head and fired through a photo tent.
Setting the flash at a 30 degree angle to the camera 
kept some of the detail at the edge

Worst photo in set! 3 faults: 1. Colour cast detracts from image. 2. Back view is uninteresting. 3. Un-ironed backcloth takes too much attention away from the subject. Replace it. 

However, if you use this image, improve it by: 1. Remove cast in PS, 2. Use Gaussian Blur to disguise the creases on the cloth, 3. Dodge in greater detail in towards the right hand edge (else use a brush at 10% opacity on a 50% Gray layer set at Overlay blending model to paint detail in or out as needed)

Form

Three quarter view.
Bust was inside a photo tent lit by a tungsten lamp 
left (closer) and right to show the contours of the face

Composition delivers brief well. However, background is un-ironed! People will notice. No creases in any professional photographer's portraits.

Front view.
The statute was lit overhead by diffused flash 
supported by a white board reflector (to the left)
against a yellow towel. The shadow around
the high cheek bones givens the image
its depth

Composition also delivers brief but in a different way. Eye contact with front fired flash. Hard shadows around the eyes work well. But: 1. 'Plank' shadow below nose doesn't: use a reflector to raise detail. 2. Backdrop is clearly a domestic towel and this  automatically 'colours' the reading of this image: use a clean, large sheet of white or black paper/ cloth, or perhaps create a background that enhances African culture.

Texture

Side view.
Lit by diffused flash to left with white reflector in front
pointed at right hand side of head. Background is
several layers of polythene wrapped around a cardboard frame.
The relatively hard light reveals the most
significant detail

Raking light reveals texture. Suggestion: remove the necklace, a distraction at the bottom of the frame?

Rear view.
The bust is lit by two tungsten lamps, one left and 
the other right. This throws up the surface
detail, includingthe inscription

Better rear view image than Shape#2 above. Best background: even, no distractions, says nothing!

Colour

Front view.
Filling the frame with the face against a
neutral white background highlights the
mud brown colour of the statue

Framing and focus on eyes work, but effect is slightly soft. Shows terracotta colour well, but remove the fragment of necklace as a distraction.

Front view.
The background of a complementary 
colour, Turquoise (wrapping
paper glued to cardboard sheet), provides
the contrast to reveal the colour of the 
figurine

Colour background is not out of place in an African background. Less confrontational eye contact compared with Colour #1. Even so, blue and terracotta work against each other in a way that a deep red or yellow would not. Consider replacing this image by the last one in this post. 

Images 'on the bench'

These images made the short list but didn't get picked

Shape

More interesting than those selected
but too far away from the assignment instructions

Lens flare would probably be seen as a fault
rather than a mood enhancer

Texture

Print was disappointing

Print was also disappointing

Form

Low lighting creates a tension in image
which I dislike

Colour

Conventional portrait of less
interest than 2 images chosen in this category

A candidate for inclusion in assignment? Works as Form as well as Colour. If so, reduce glare in RAW Conversion by dialing down the highlights.