Final Thoughts - Professional Practice

This assignment has probably been the most rewarding of the three years at UCBC. The lecturing staff set the parameters of the assignment combining two previously individual modules. This combination in my mind really has worked. Using literature to produce a set of imagery and then put on a solo exhibition really adds depth to the final imagery, it has also been quite a challenge. The added complexity of working with other people who have a much greater knowledge on the subject matter  really focuses the mind.

The Metaphor

We all at times get those mental blocks, any exercise that helps creative thinking can only be good. The use of literature to inspire imagery is one such way to open the mind to the possibilities. Also working with a group of people you don't know, you need a common thread so all can participate. Using literature  that has inspired others provides opportunities that you would not normally consider.

Working with the Hospice

Working with the patients and staff at East Lancashire Hospice has been a pleasure and really uplifting. The positivity and support they have shown for this project really spurred me on. The literature, lyrics and poems they chose have that wonderful depth to them. If I had had more time on this assignment I would have liked to involve the patients and staff a bit more on the creative process. Discussing my ideas of how I had interpreted their words. This would have throw up more issues, as we all know any creative process is all about subjectivity. I hope in the future to work again with East Lancashire Hospice and  create a collection of images that have focused on a community arts theme that all have been involved.

The Exhibition

As previously stated in a previous blog this exhibition space was negotiated after the Hospice contacted me for one of my collection of images. I took this as  an opportunity to work with the staff and patients to create a photographic collection that would be exhibited at the Hospice and then permanently displayed thereafter. This week all images have been presented along with all  corresponding literature to why and how these images were created. The reception of these image has been very good. The Hospice feel that it would be in their interest to maximise the publicity of this project as Blackburn College has the Hospice as it's nominated charity. As things stand the Hospice want to take this project out into the community to emphasise what they are here for and raise money for the ongoing support of their patients. A venue and date is still to be arrange at the time of writing.

Summary

What have I learnt from this assignment? I have learnt when an opportunity arises to put on an exhibition - ask. Be mindful of how you  communicate and negotiate with your prospective host ensuring all aspects of the exhibition have been cleared. Many hands make light work - the Hospice has a full time promotions team, working with them on the publicity of this exhibition shows what is required to make it a successful show.

Exhibition Statement - Professional Studies

The “Visual Metaphor” – GHOST ON THE CANVAS.

As a third year BA Honours Photographic Media Student at Blackburn College University Centre, I was given an assignment titled The Visual Metaphor. This required the production of images motivated by literature and create an exhibition within a public forum.

Glen Campbell recently released an album, “Ghost on the Canvas” as a finishing point to his long and established career as a Country/Popular music star. He was diagnosed with suffering from Alzheimer’s and wanted to put his thoughts onto record whilst they were still clear. After listening to the haunting and heart wrenching lyrics of these “vocal metaphors”, for the coming to terms of the end of his life as he and his loved ones and friends knew it, I was inspired to collaborate with the patients and staff of East Lancashire Hospice for what moved them or gave them hope, strength and happiness in a time of sadness, bewilderment or despair.

A lyric from a well loved song, a passage from a piece of literature or a line from a poem have motivated everyone asked to focus their feelings or mood about the situation they might have found themselves or a loved one in, or indeed the caring staff who come across people encountering this change in life every day.

Some of these ideas have been interpreted as a visual metaphor and translated into a photographic image, presented in this exhibition. Each image focuses on a specific mood or feeling represented by the song, poem or piece of writing.

Each numbered image directly relates to a patient’s or member of staff’s inspirational piece they contributed to our meetings. The original line or quote is accompanied with explanation of the metaphor I chose to use in its visual form.

The Images - Professional Studies

 “GHOST ON THE CANVAS” – A VISUAL METAPHOR FOR THE INSPIRATIONAL LITERATURE/LYRICS THAT HAVE ENCOURAGED AND COMFORTED THE PATIENTS AND STAFF OF EAST LANCASHIRE HOSPICE.

Each photograph has a quote and an explanation accompanying it with how it has been interpreted through my photographic images.

Picture One.

This macro image of a daffodil head where only the central trumpet and stamens are in clear focus. The rest of the daffodil’s image has a dreamy, soft focus feel, reflecting the sight William Wordsworth came across – the onset of spring – Daffodils – on his walk in the beautiful Lake District in England. Spring represents new beginnings, hope and happiness.

Taken from “I Wonder Lonely as a Cloud” words by William Wordsworth

Picture two.

As long as there is an empathetic ear and a smile, the trials of life can be easier to bear – if only for a little while. If this is accompanied by a cup of tea, the best drink of the day, curer of all ills, so much the better. Many visitors to East Lancashire Hospice have agreed how important this daily, hourly ritual is. Life stops for a break, illness is forgotten and for a few delicious minutes all is well.

Taken from “Smile” words of John Tuner and Geoffrey Parssons

Picture three.

The staff at East Lancashire Hospice are like no other. They carry the patients, relatives and friends and cope with sadness day after day. Believe me when I say that the Hospice isn’t a sad place to be – there is joy, friendship and happiness everywhere – because of the staff.

Taken from “Footsteps in the Sand” words of Mary Stevenson

Picture four.

Illness is represented by an Ivy growing up and overtaking the healthy Lily. However, as the words of this well loved and well-known hymn remind us, God created all – even the sad and ugly things such as illness and finality. The pure Lily inspires us with hope that the outcome will be happy.

Taken from “All Things Bright and Beautiful’ by Cecil Francis Alexander.

Picture five.

East Lancashire Hospice needs over SEVEN THOUSAND POUNDS A DAY to function. People (residents, patients, visitors, staff), need the Hospice. To help in this endeavour many committed, caring souls carry out find raising of all descriptions. This image discreetly shows what this ultimately requires.

Words by a Hospice Donor

Picture six.

This image represents the love and relationship within the Hospice. People are here for various reasons – either as a patient staying as a resident or day care patient, or member of staff. There is so much love shared and felt between all here, that these Valentine messages, gathered together from a display made by the Hospice patients, demonstrates that even if there is a final separation, love continues.

Taken from “Death is Nothing at ALL” Words by Henry Scott Holland

Picture seven.

Life here is shown as a light burning brightly. We all strive to make the most of our lives and relationship, hopefully enjoying the time we have had. But lurking in the background is the reminder that time runs out.

Taken from the poem “Slow Dance” words by David L Weatherford

Exhibition Cost - Professional Studies

When organising and putting on an exhibition it is not only the time and creativity required that have to be taken into consideration. There is the actual material cost. Below is the breakdown of the cost of putting on an exhibition  at East Lancashire Hospice:


Exhibition rental space                                  n/a
Cost of film 50 sheets 5 x 4                          £33
Backgrounds                                                £5
Chemicals for development                         £14
Props                                                           £20
Studio Hire                                                  n/a
Specialist Paper A2 x 30 sheets                  £100
Printing 7 x A2 Sheets                                £100
Mount Board and Mount Spray                  £40
Frames (supplied by Hospice)                      n/a
Fuel (meeting, delivery & collection)          £30


Total                                                            £342

Creative Approach Part 2 - Professional Studies

Following the Professional Practice assignment one of the experiments I was conducting was the use of a Victorian Lens. The Petzval lens as it's known has the effect of extreme soft focus with a sharp centre. Many modern lenses of today try to emulate this effect. Although the image below is over exposed I like the ghost effect it creates. As I am using different bits of literature provided by the patients and staff of the Hospice, I need a central theme to bind them all together. For this I have taken inspiration from the latest and final album of Glen Campbell - Ghost On The Canvas. Combing the creative effect and using the words of Campbell's will hopefully produce some interesting images. We'll wait and see!!

School Boy Error - Professional Studies

Well we all make them - that is, School Boy Errors. Mine was the wrong knowledge of ND filters. This came about when using my old Petval Lenses. These lens by nature are fast and  without the aid of a shutter exposures have to be around 2 seconds to manage the timings. However, to get 2 second exposure on a large format lens of around F4, light coming through the lens has to be controlled. This was achieved in the past by a 4 stop ND filter. On  a previous assignment using this technique the negatives always seemed over exposed by around 1 to 2 stop. This was always semi corrected in Lightroom but I wanted to get the exposure correct. I researched and double check the Petzvals Lens aperture along with the filters I was using. This is where an error was highlighted. I had measured and calculated the F.stop of the lens from the stop opening rather than the  back element of the lens. I had thought previously the lens was F3.2, my new calculation put it at F4. The other piece of enlightenment was on the filters. I had been using an 4 Stop filter. I had presumed this actually meant 4 stops of light would be stopped coming through the lens. Oh no, it is actually 2 stops. So this is why my negatives where always between 1 and 2 stops over exposed. An 8 Stop filter was bought, which actually stops 3 stops of light coming through the lens and using F4 on the light meter meant the over exposure was corrected.

Creative Research - Professional Studies

With any assignment for Uni we are encouraged to look at other photographers work for inspiration. As the Professional Studies assignment  will be still life I have dusted off some of the names I have looked at from previous projects. One name that I always take inspiration is James Day. Predominately a still life and advertising photographer, Day has worked for many major brands from Audi, Sony and The Times just to name a few. However, when visiting his website, looking at the still life category, there are so many varied and beautiful images, it's hard not to take inspiration. I am always fascinated by his use of light, always striking and effective without being over fussy.

Another photographer who I have mentioned many times in my blog and always take away something from his photography is Irving Penn. Now for is fashion photography Penn also became now for is general allround professionalism in the medium. Although is portraiture photography is extremely popular it's his still life that fascinates me. Taking the mundane subject matter and turning it into something special. Take for instance the images of the used cigarette buts found on the side of the street. Penn turns them into an intriguing examination of disposed of irrelevant items.

Creative Approach Part 1 - Professional Studies

This assignment is proving to be quite challenging which if I'm honest is exactly what I intended it to be. The literature that the hospice has provided is quite emotive and is proving to be quite hard to interpret into a visual metaphor. However, by taking key elements from the pieces provided I have been able to focus on the mood of the verse rather than trying to interpit the whole thing.
Here are my initial thoughts:

".......In vacant or in pensive mood, they flash upon that inward eye.........then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils."

Taken from 'I wonder lonely as a cloud' words by William Wordsworth

"Smile though your hear is aching, Smile even thought its breaking, ...........You'll find that life is sill worthwhile if you just smile"

Taken from the words of John Turner and Geoffrey Parssons


"...........during your times of trial and suffering............its then that I carried you"

Taken from  'Footsteps in the Sand' words of Mary Stevenson


".......each little flower that opens.........."

Taken from All things bright and beautifull by Cecil Francis Alexander


".......You better slow down, don't dance to fast, time is short, the music won't last........ "

Taken from the poem Slow Dance words by David L Weatherford

Fact Finding - Professional Studies

As outlined in the previous post, I wanted the patients and staff to be part of this project and exhibition. For that I required them to provide passages from books, poems or song lyrics that have a meaning. So a number of visits were required to discuss this proposal. At the hospice patients normally only attend one session a week. The hospice is open to day patients Mon through to Thurs. As it is predominately a different group each day I briefed each group with an overview and then discussed pieces with individual patients and staff. The hospice group have been very forthcoming and have given me plenty of information to be going on with. All of the pieces have a deep and strong meaning as you would expect and if will be hard to do justice to the relationship the patient or staff member has with their particular piece. A few and varied examples are: Footprints in the Sand by Mary Stevenson to All Things Bright and Beautiful by Cecil Francis Alexander.

Initial Meeting at the Hospice - Professional Studies

 I have very kindly been given permission to put on an exhibition on at East Lancs Hospice. I have just had my initial meeting with the clinical staff of the day centre to explain my ideas. Now, I want to expand the brief that has been set by the lecturing staff and UCBC. The brief was to take a piece of literature, poem or lyric from a song and create a visual metaphor. As I intend to work with the patients and staff, I think its  more relevant if they supply the literature and words that inspire them, I can then create imagery from this. My intention is not to duck out of finding relevant pieces but for this to be a collaboration of work. In fact I will submit my own piece that inspires me. The staff of East Lancs Hospice are very happy to accomadate this idea and think it will be a good exercise for both staff and patients.

Blackburn Hospice - Professional Studies

As previously explained for the Professional Studies assignment students have to organise and put on an exhibition. I have been very fortunate to obtain permission to put on an exhibition at East Lancashire Hospice, Blackburn. This opportunity came about when patients and staff from the hospice attended the end of year exhibition at the University Centre. The hospice group commented on my images and asked if they could purchase a set. I gladly provided the images which now hang pride of place at the hospice. While working with the hospice I had the idea of putting on an exhibition there. I wanted to work on a project that would be challenging and just not about displaying pictures. I put forward and discussed this idea with the manager at the hospice. I described that I would like to work with patients and staff and use literature that inspire them and I would create images around these pieces. Very kindly the hospice agreed and now I find myself on a roller coaster of an emotional journey to fulfill this brief. Just hope I can do the project justice.

The Meaning of Photographs - Professional Studies

One of the challenges and feedback I obtained from the Professional Practice assignment was to be more creative in the meaning of my Photographs. At first this was a little hard to understand as I had always tried to be creative in the use of techniques and choice of camera format. However, this comment was not directed at the style of my photography but more on what message my images where trying to portray to the viewer. I have found this in the past a little difficult always tyring to make my images pleasing to the eye but not containing any real message. Some of the photography of this nature has left me cold, lots of meaning but not something you would want to hang in your hallway or view for very long.

I came across a photograph by Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin. At first glance at this image you might be mistaken that, well it's just a good shot of a leaf. The leaf is an interesting shape and colour and has a fine art vibe about it. Many would be happy for this to hang in the hall way. Then, and this a big then, you read why this particular leaf has been taken. A sixteen year old Palestinian boy blew himself up in a market area of Tel Aviv. The force of this explosion stripped the leaf from the tree. This is a common sight, trees around such explosions are stripped of their foliage.

This is a very clever way to provide a message within an image. On its own it is what it is, but with the supporting commentary it elevates the image to a higher plane.

In the 1st Year at Uni we were given a fortnightly challenge to produce an image from a set word. The word was 'Hunger' and we could interpret this anyway we desired.  I produced the following image:

Although I would do things slightly differently if challenged with this assignment now. However, this images was in response to reading how much money is spent on aid to feed the starving ($2.9 Billion). However UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon stated 17,000 children die each day from starvation. Things to me did not add up. My representation here took three symbolic items, the rusty spade to represent the undeveloped 3rd world, the rice to represent the staple diet of the impoverished and the single American dollar to represent the ineffectiveness of the aid we give.

These images highlighted that you can have meaning in a photograph and make them aesthetically pleasing. This is what I think the challenge set by the lecturing staff meant.

Task No 1 Visual Metaphore- Professional Studiess

Following the briefing session the lecturing staff wanted us to get into the mood for the  Professional Practice brief. Leaving the search for exhibition space to one side students were requested to find one  piece of literature that has inspired them and that have strong metaphores contained, one for each of the following categories:

Inspirational Book
Poetry
Song Lyrics

The students were then requested to bring along there ideas along to a show and tell session. The ideas which I shared with the class are as follows:

Inspirational Book

The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell. This book provides a fascinating insight into the life of the common man in the 1930's. Based around the hardship felt by the Northern towns predominately in Yorkshire and Lancashire.   Orwell's use of descriptive English transports the reader into the world of hardship and poverty along with the unjust treatment of the common man. The prime example of this is when Orwell experiences the confined, claustrophobic and back braking conditions of the coal mine. This was hard toil for little money rewarding only the pit owner with the true wealth.
Although many of today's woes can draw similarities with the dispare and hardship and the greed of the privileged of the 30's the degree is nowhere as bad. This book could and has inspired many a photographic project and this is why I have included it in my choice.



Poetry

The poem I chose is something from the dim and distant past of my memory. As any child in the secondary modern education system of the late 70's 1st world war history is taught. The teacher in one of these said history lessons wanted to present a true and meaningful picture to young minds what war in 1914 to 18 was really like. For this he chose the poems of the first world war, one that I have always rememberd was Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Own. As with Orwell, Owen transports you to the scene of the battle. Up to this point I like many others of the time had a very romantic idea of war. This poem brought me down to earth with a bump.



Song Lyrics


There so many song lyrics to choose, from the likes of Johny Cash or The Beatles to name a few. The  one I have decided on is from a recently realeased album from Glen Campbell - Ghost on a Canvas. Now before I heard the album I can't say I was a Glen Cambell fan. However, this album is intended to be the last album Cambell records due to his ill health suffering from Alzheimers. This album is about Campbell's life and the pitfalls and success contained within. As with my other choices this album has used very descripive language and is full of metaphores explaining the difficult journey throughout his life.

East Lancashire Hospice - Professional Studies

The original Hospice was the life work of Dame Cicely Saunder who opened her first Hospice, St Christopher's,  London in 1967. Her theory was to concentrate on the patient rather than the disease. This theory rose when touring  and lecturing in America. She introduced the idea of specialised care for the terminally ill. She emphasised that this care had dramatic effects on controle of the illness. These early theories are the foundations that modern hospice care has developed as we know it today.


East Lancashire Hospice has been in existences for over 25 years.  The current building was built with the funds raised by its supporters. The Hospice get no funding from government or NHS as I had previously thought. There is a dedicated team of fundraisers that have to find nearly £2.8 million per year to provide the excellent care that the patients find invaluable. Many think the Hospice is a place of sadness and it is a place you go before you die. This could not be further than the truth. In fact on my many visits to the Hospice I have always found it a very special place. No matter if you are a patient, visitor or staff member, everyone is made to feel special.

Introduction - Professional Studies

Following the Professional Practice assignment in semester one, students are asked to continue  their chosen style of photography into the Professional Studies assignment. The aim of the Professional Studies assignment is to concentrate the skill of the student in their post graduation photographic career choice. This then comes to a conclusion with the students organising an exhibition in a local establishment. This can be a library, art galley or small business. The aim is to organise a semi to permanent exhibition of work. This is only the first part to the assignment. The second part is to use literature as an influence to create imagery of a visual metaphor. Both parts have to be taken into consideration when developing ideas. There's no point in hanging images that  have no relevance to the establishment that are exhibiting your work.