Today, I had my introduction to the last module of the first year. This module is going to be a short one, which consists of 5 different tasks to complete. The module has been designed to build on the knowledge acquired in 150MC (Developing and Understanding Photographic Practice) and 151MC (Digital Practice). Helping me expand my practice skills, through a series of location and studio based assignment tasks. I feel that with this module, it will help to refresh my memory on how to use studio lighting.
Within the lectures today, I was introduced to pre-visualisation (the knowledge to be able to see something, or know what it will look like before it has happened.) This will consequently build my ability to control natural and artificial lighting within certain locations.
One of the photographers that I was introduced to today was Jeff Wall, who was a canadian photographer best know for pre-visualisation.
Jeff Wall – A Sudden Gust Of Wind, 1993
The image above was made up of about 50 images. Wall knew exactly what he wanted to create so made plans on how to do it before hand. Here is the draft of the image:
Jeff wall is a great example of using pre-visualisation techniques to create photographs. This is shown through his work well if you understand the background of it. Here is another image called ‘Tattoos and Shadows, 2000’, where Wall looked at a real life event and then went home and re-created the situation he had witnessed. The idea behind the image below was some people sitting in the sunshine under cover of the trees where the light shined through the leaves casting shadows on the people. One character had tattoo’d arms, and he liked the idea that the shadows casting from the leaves on the tree made patterns on the other people’s arms like the man with tattoo’s.
Jeff Wall – Tattoos and Shadows, 2000
Another photographer to use this technique of pre-visualisation is Gregory Crewdson, who was mentioned today. I am familiar with his work and used it for reference when using the studio in my college years to understand how lighting is used to highlight and enhance an image both emotionally and physically. Crewdson’s set ups could be mistaken for film sets because of the huge amount of lighting and planning that goes into one single still shot, but this gives them a cinematic feel. The image below is the set up of an image created in 2007 and then below that is the finished product. By looking at the lighting and where it’s placed in the image you can work out how the light has effected the overall image.
Gregory Crewdson – Untitled (Trailer Park) from the series ‘Beneath the Roses’, 2007
Gregory Crewdson- Untitled (Merchants Row) from the series ‘Beneath the Roses’
Gregory Crewdson – Untitled (Natural Bridge) from the series ‘Beneath the Roses’
Gregory Crewdson, Untitled from the series ‘Twilight’, 2001
After looking at these photographers and grasping the concept of being able to pre-visualise and the advantages of this skill, the first task for the module is to create an instruction manual which charts all the technical tests that I will undertake throughout this term, including the pinhole camera I made during the easter holidays. The manual should include information that is easy to understand and can be shown in any way I feel fits my learning needs best (through diagrams, words, pictures.) For the research, I need to consider what I like and dislike about instruction manuals and try to incorporate the positive sides of these manuals into my own work.
Kerrie Caine 