emilycontextsofpractice-blog

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Evaluation

This module made me more considerate towards big issues in the photography industry, these issues include the sexualisation/objectification of women and men, the representation of sexuality and why advertising is regulated. The debate task helped me to really research how damaging sexualising adverts can be, ‘sex sells’ but it made me consider different ways to sell a product, as I am sure people would still buy a product without it being sexualised. During my research for one of the tasks I began to realise how little sexuality is represented in photography, things like body positivity and feminism are much more heavily documented and I feel this is an important issue in this day and age. I would like to research further into this issue and would possibly like to see it explored more in future modules. Another thing I realised is that it is so important to regulate advertising, adverts can be really damaging to people, especially the younger generation, and I feel even with censorship they are still going too far, I think without these rules things would be out of control. Something else I would like to progress towards in future modules is exploring a wider range of photography, as this year there seemed to me more of a focus on advertising, I would like to explore all the different parts of each practice, and learn similar things to what I did this year.

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Bibliography

1) JK Knowles, Diet Coke, http://jknowles.co.uk/projects/diet-coke-2/, accessed 25th April 2017

2) Lynsey Addario, Veiled Rebellion, http://www.lynseyaddario.com/afghanistan-pakistan-and-iraq/veiled-rebellion/VeiledRebellion002/, accessed 25th April 2017

3) American Apparel, June 2008, Advertising Archive, https://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/adarchive/Ad.html?i=2644, accessed 25th April 2017

4) Daily Mail, 4th April 2011, David Bailey in conversation with Andrew Graham-Dixon, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/photography/8418600/David-Bailey-in-conversation-with-Andrew-Graham-Dixon.html, accessed 25th April 2017

5) Lara Jade, May 2014, Quick Portfolio, http://larajade.com/gallery/overview/, accessed 25th April 2017

6) Saved by “Conrad Lee”, My Environmental Portraits, https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/554365035363031035/, accessed 26th April 2017

7) djh advertising, 10th January 2017, Off the Page Advertising, http://djhadvertising.co.uk/tag/off-the-page-advertising/, accessed 26th April 2017

8) Jeffrey Schrank, The Language of Advertising Claims,  http://home.olemiss.edu/~egjbp/comp/ad-claims.html, accessed 26th April 2017

9) ASA. Broadcast Code, https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/advertising-codes/broadcast-code.html, accessed 26th April 2017

10) Niall O’Brien, Good Rats, http://niallobrien.co.uk/project/good-rats/#0, accessed 27th April 2017

11)  The Art Story, Irving Penn, http://www.theartstory.org/artist-penn-irving.htm, accessed 27th April 2017

12)  Rankin, Biography, http://rankin.co.uk/biography/, accessed 27th April 2017

13) The Big Dot Company, Photographer Rankin Talks Inspiration, Celebrities and Death, http://thebig.co/rankin/, accessed 27th April 2017

14) Ashleigh Kane, 13th April 2017, Pixy Liao’s Lady and Gentleman, http://www.dazeddigital.com/photography/gallery/23674/4/pixy-liao-s-lady-gentleman, accessed 29th April 2017

15) Ella Alexander, 13th May 2015, Meet the Models Who Want to Make You Feel Good, http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/plus-size-models-form-alda-collective-glamour-iceland, accessed 29th April 2017

16)  James Michael Nichols, 7th May 2016,These Beautiful Photographs Explore The Wide Spectrum Of Gender Identity,  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/spectrum-of-gender-identity_us_57278077e4b0b49df6abd4c5, accessed 29th April 2017

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Magazine

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Research

This is the research that me and my group did on the magazine task, this also includes the final magazine.

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/0B0cbe1Ze77_LME1OcmFRdDJDVWc

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Study Task 9

Research a minimum of two renowned fashion photographers. (One historical, and one contemporary) For each photographer you should find out some of their history, who they have been influenced by, and how they have influenced the genre of fashion photography. Why has their work been seen as significant?

Irving Penn

Irving Penn is a photographer inspired by surrealism, modern dance and film noir., you can see these inspirations shining through his imagery. He transformed the fashion industry through removing everything from his imagery but the model and their clothes. He invented the exotic photo shoot, which was a lone model on a desert island or in a city, this was derived from his daydreams as an office worker. He was born in New Jersey 1917, he studied art at  Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art 1934-1938

11) http://www.theartstory.org/artist-penn-irving.htm

Rankin

Rankin was originally inspired by W Eugene Smith as he wanted to be a documentary photographer, but he wasn’t very good at that and discovered he was much better at portraits. He made his name in publishing as he founded Dazed & Confused in 1992 and he has since worked for companies/magazines such as Nike, GQ, Elle and Dove. He has published over 30 books and he has created many celebrated publications.

12) http://rankin.co.uk/biography/

13) http://thebig.co/rankin/

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Study Task 8

Topics to consider in your personal research: • Locate and reflect on the work of a chosen photographer – historical or contemporary – who has explored subcultures in their work • Is the term Subculture appropriate in today’s society, or has the concept exhausted its usefulness?

Niall O’Brien

Niall O’Brien has explored punks throughout a range of his photography project, a subculture that is very relevant to this day. His work shows all sides of the culture, from the softer side to violence. As you can see in the first photo the subject seems quite affectionate towards his pet rat, and as the photos develop so do the characters in them, as in the last photo there appears to be a fight. The vignette effect makes the photos look more grungy, you can also see that the photographer has also washed out the colours to add to this. I think the term subculture has became irrelevant, there is so many cultures nowadays, all mixed together, that it is often difficult to define someone as one thing, people are a lot more vast and express themselves more.

10) http://niallobrien.co.uk/project/good-rats/#0

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Study Task 7

6. P, Research the Advertising Standards Authority and the specifics of the ASA’s code. What are the guidelines that govern whether or not an advertisement is likely to be banned? How do you feel about the issue of censorship in Advertising? Is it still necessary in the Information Age?

An advert can be banned if it is deemed harmful or offensive, e.g if it goes against someones beliefs, if it promotes an unhealthy lifestyle, if it objectifies a person, especially a child or puts across a belief that could impact something political. I think censorship  is a major issue, because if anything it doesn’t do enough, adverts still manage to get out that have damaging views, you see women getting objectified and models skinnier than is healthy, which can change the way a viewer sees themselves, and not in a good way. Given the amount of content that is streaming into the world, it is very hard to regulate adverts now, but if something more was done about adverts that are harmful to society, I feel this wouldn’t be as much of an issue. I think it is very much necessary in the information age, I feel that if all censorship was removed, society would be very damaged and there would be no control on what is forced upon is. Even though there is a lot of damaging content online, you often don’t come across it unless you go searching for it, whereas adverts are everywhere you go, TV, billboards, magazines and bus stops. I definitely think censorship is something of worth, even if it helps just a little with today's issues.

9) https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/advertising-codes/broadcast-code.html

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Study Task 6

Read a chapter of academic text relating to either the Language of Advertising or Representation in Advertising and the Media. E.g. Sturken, M., (2009) Practices of looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture OUP, USA Wells, L., (2015) Photography: A Critical Introduction (5th edition) Routledge, London Write a short summary demonstrating your understanding of what you have read

The text that I read taught me the many different languages and intents of advertising photography. I learned that advertising has many different tactics,even though its main purpose is to sell a product, e.g “THE "WE'RE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE" CLAIM”, this was basically explaining an advert that there is nothing like their product, giving the viewer a reason to buy their product and also “THE RHETORICAL QUESTION”, which asks the viewer a question that confirms the products “goodness”. This text helped me to consider the different ways I can show a product in my work, I need to consider how I want the viewer to react, whether I want my purpose to be clear or if I want them to question what they have seen.

8) http://home.olemiss.edu/~egjbp/comp/ad-claims.html

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Study Task 5

Locate 1 ‘Off the Page’, print advertisement Describe the imagery Consider the content, styling, background, composition, lighting, use of colours Interpret the Language Who is the Advertisement aimed at? What is the ad saying, what is the proposition? What is the key communication technique being used? Is there any symbolic language being used? Is the ad directed at any of the levels within the hierarchy of needs?

The imagery in this ad is very basic, the lighting seems quite natural as it is very soft, if used, it was minimal. The colours are also quite subdued, they don’t jump out at you, but the pink jersey fills up most of the advert, and seems to be the main colour showing, since this is what is being sold. The intent of this advert is to sell clothes, it is aimed at a older age range, middle age +, you can see this by the choice of model and dated styling. FREE DELIVERY is in the biggest font, which draws you into that, and then to the price, making you more likely to buy the product as it feels as if you are getting something for free. Here you see someone with a nice home, well presented, happy and drinking wine, this is how most people this age would like themselves to be, and the advert is trying to give you the ideal that this shirt will bring you that life.

7) http://djhadvertising.co.uk/tag/off-the-page-advertising/

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Study Task 4

Locate one environmental/editorial portrait that you are particularly drawn to. Describe the image in terms of it’s formal characteristics (e.g. lighting, use of colour, composition) Consider the narrative of the image. What does the compositional content and the formal treatment that you have described, say about the person and the narrative?

The yellows flowers are what originally drew me to this image, I like the way the photographer has kept the colours in this image quite subdued, but kept the daffodils bright. I found this different to usual floral photography, as it usually has bright, overpowering colours that makes the imagery quite busy and cluttered. The use of a small area of bright colour, leads you in to the photo, allowing you take it in fully, as you don’t have everything popping out of you all of once, I feel without this use of colour and light, the image wouldn’t be as good. The lighting also leads you into the models face, as she is also the focus of the story too, this allows you to instantly see the key points to this image, so you instantly see that this is a story of a florist. The model is also in the center, showing you that she is the key to this story, along with the flowers.   

6) https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/554365035363031035/

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Study Task 3

Locate 2 photographic portraits, one historical, one contemporary. Provide a brief analysis of the images: Describe the images Consider the subject, styling, background, composition, lighting Interpret the images Where might the image have been taken? How would you read the image? Is there any implied meaning? What does the image say/reveal about the sitter?

David Bailey

This image radiates elegance, it shows the start of a whole new fashion era and captures the beauty of models of that time. You can see here that the photographer has connected with the model, you can feel the emotion coming from the photo. Judging by the background this is a studio shoot, as it is quite plain, making the sole focus the model. The lighting does this too, although soft, is captures her, making me feel this is either a beauty dish or light box, or a mix. This image makes it clear that this model is someone who feels confident in themselves, the way she is positioned, even though she is facing down, her face is edged towards the camera and her arms make her feel quite open.

4) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/photography/8418600/David-Bailey-in-conversation-with-Andrew-Graham-Dixon.html

Lara Jade

This image shows someone who is empowering and confident, the way she is looking down shows she is someone important who people look up to. The colouring of the image gives the impression that the model is bubbly and gives an uplifting feel to the image. The model has been sat down, but her body is curved in a way so that you see all of her, and she is very open, even in the way that her jacket is hanging off her shoulders. Just as the previous image, the lighting fills the whole image and doesn’t feel very harsh, so again I would say this is a soft box or beauty dish.

5) http://larajade.com/gallery/overview/

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Study Task 1: What is your Context?

What brought me to this degree was an accidental discovery of photography, during my GCSES’s I took photography as a filler, instead I found that I loved the subject, it changed my future aspirations and led me to wanting to become a fashion photographer. In a way this has helped shape who I am today, it has given me something to focus on and to drive me to be successful in the future. There are many people who have helped make me who I am today, but I would say the main people would be my family. My Mum has always been very artistic, so art has been a part of my whole life and my Dad is someone who is very headstrong and determined, which is something I have gotten from him, this gives me the energy and determination to follow a career in photography. My friends and partner also make me very driven, they continue to give me inspiration and passion, which flows straight into my photography. My interest in photography came from an artistic background and as previously stated, taking a GCSE course, I enjoy fashion and used to always have magazines, so this tied in well with my interest in editorial/fashion style. I have decided to take a photography degree because I want to gain a better understanding of lighting, it has always been something I have found difficult and is essential for gaining a successful career. I also want time to consider what I truly want to do in photography, right now I am interested in fashion, but experience in other areas may help me to find a passion for a different sector of photography, I feel that this course will give me the time to find out who I am as a photographer. My outlook on life has always been quite positive, I’ve always been very driven, which definitely stems from how I have been brought up, as I’ve always been taught to be the best that I can be. I currently want to be a fashion/editorial photographer, fashion photography is what I find myself most inspired by and during a project on my previous photography course, it was the subject I enjoyed the most.

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Contexts of Practice Brief

Brief

Part One

Record of contextual practice: Research journal/blog Minimum expectation 2000 words.

You are required to keep a research journal or Blog, which documents your learning journey, and should include your lecture/seminar notes and critical reflections, and ALL sources of information and references. Your journal is used throughout the academic year to support ongoing dialogue as part of your formative assessment but it is also a record of your work towards this module and becomes a reference source for you as you progress into the second and third year. You will be required to present your research file at feedback tutorials and formative assessments. (You must reference all sources used – using the

Harvard style of referencing.)

Part Two  

Group research presentations (formative assessment tasks)

Week 27: Tuesday 31/01/17

Magazine article Task – Working in groups of 4-6 you will create a magazine article based upon one of the themes covered in your lecture series. You will collectively research your chosen/allocated topic, sourcing images, quotes and other content that you will combine with your own writing and perhaps own imagery – to create a digital editorial piece. Your editorial will be presented to the group in the formative assessment session, and the PDF of the document will be uploaded to the folder on Google Drive

Week 34: Tuesday 21/03/17

Debate Task - Working in groups of 3-4, you will conduct research into a

selected topic related to contemporary views in your field of study. You will then prepare a debate argument based upon this theme. Your peers will be arguing the opposite angle to you and you will be required to make a reasoned defence based on thorough research. You will present your research to your peers and tutors in an illustrated group seminar/presentation. The aim of these micro presentations is to evidence research skills and critical thinking (5-10 minutes per group max). Your group presentation should make clear your sources of research and your ability to synthesise information in order to present an informed position from which to argue your point. Your tutors will be looking for evidence of teamwork, research skills, and planning. This task is peer/tutor assessed.

Part Three

Final  evaluation and bibliography. – Your final submission of your  research blog/journal will include a self evaluation of your progress  throughout the module along with some thoughts as to where you would like to  progress in contextual studies for your second year. You are also required to  submit a bibliography of sources consulted for all your research in the year.  This bibliography must be compiled in the Harvard style of referencing.

Deliverables

•         Research journal/blog Minimum expectation 2000 words •       Group research presentations: Debate  Task & Magazine Task

•         Final evaluation and bibliography.