Artist: Jeffery Millstein

Small Dreams, Trailer Parks in Palm Springs2006 – 2009, archival digital prints, 24 x 36” to 40 x 60” 

Small Dreams presents a typology of the post WWII trailers that popped up in Palm Springs, California. Early models were made using surplus sheet metal and the technology developed to make World War II aircraft. Over the years people would add on, remodel, and create mini gardens and decorative statements. Shot from the same straightforward angle, each exterior façade photograph reflects on the nuanced details and expressive personalized touches of their inhabitants

Jeffery Millstein, taken from http://www.jeffreymilstein.com for personal study purposes

This is a set of images which reminds me of my own project, though with much more quirkyness and individuality than my photos. It is typology and investigation into personality. It does, however, encourage me to continue on documenting the variety of houses that I see, and continue to produce a larger body of work in the future.

Millstein, J (2013), Jeffery Millstein Palm Springs (Online) Available at: http://www.jeffreymilstein.com [Accessed 26/07/13]

Book review: Design Principles

Book Review: Design Principles by Jeremy Webb

1. Basic design theory

‘skilful arrangement of picture information within a frame’ [p11]

‘photographers can include or exclude information, emphasise or diminish areas of content and adjust their position… to capture the image required’ [p11]

Design is the process, and composition is the outcome. [p11]

Isolate the elements needed for a successful image and don’t have anything else detracting from that. [p14]

Positive and negative spaces – creates space [p17]

2. The elements of design

Line, curve, shape, form, space, depth, texture, Light, colour,

3. First design principles

Pattern, repetition, rhythm,

4. Depth and scale

Positioning of photo elements – be careful and plan [p106]

The absence of scale can be used to ‘obscure the obvious’ [p116], create abstraction (using different viewpoint/ de-focusing/ proximity to subject)

5. Movement and flow

Lines and flow, use borders to contain the viewers eye within the image [p131]

6. Emphasis and emotion

Point of interest, can be colour, or simplicity, or de-focussing back/foreground, Juxtaposition,

7. Putting it all together

No set formula!

Conclusions

Some good advice – 

‘Limit yourself’,... Always question why it is that you are photographing something’ [p175]

This book is a good introduction to design principles for creative photography. Whilst some of it was a bit basic, I think there are a number of good points in there for me, and good ideas for challenging myself photographically. I really like the idea of including exercises within the book, and I think there are a couple of really interesting ones which I might follow up on. 

A quick image below taken recently with my iPhone, which is great for having a camera in my pocket. I think the design is quite strong particularly with the wire breaking (or forming?) the frame quite effectively. I only got one shot!

chooks and baby

References:

Webb, James (2010) Design Principles Singapore: AVA Academia

Project: A web gallery

There are two main considerations when creating a web gallery, as we are advised by the course notes. Firstly, the preparation of images for on-screen displays, and secondly, designing the viewers experience of visiting the site to best show off the images. The selection of images is important – only showing the best images, and also, presenting them central on the webpage – the image comes first!

I am starting by looking at other photographer’s web galleries, firstly looking at some fellow students work, for two reasons. Firstly I aspire to be like some of them, and secondly, they are on a similar pathway to me (though possibly further along), and so I can relate to them. So I started with Duncan Astbury whom I met when I lived in Edinburgh. His work is professional and his website looks well designed. Here is a screenshot:

It clearly shows his main interests, and specialities. The images certainly are central and the text is simple and surrounds the images complementing them. I probably wouldn’t overlap images, but that is simply personal preference.

http://www.astburyphotography.co.uk

Next I looked at the work of fellow DPP student Nathan Adams. He details on his blog (http://dpp.nathanadams.org.uk/2012/07/exercise-web-site-portfolio.html) how he designed his own website, the splash page which I show below

http://www.nathanadams.me.uk/

It is a strong starting point, a bold clear image with strong subject, supported by simple text of the photographer’s name. Upon clicking ‘Enter’, the viewer comes to another clean simple screen where the image comes first:

The thumbnails down the bottom are clear, and easy to click on to view at a larger size. The text on the left is simple, and does not dominate.

Keith Greenough was next, and his site keithgreenoughphotography.co.uk was also simple and clean, which I liked. The images pan through showing one scene at a time from each of his ‘portfolio’s’ which are displayed on the right side of the screen. It is simple and effective. Each portfolio can be clicked on to open a set of images. I thought each one took a little long to load for my liking, this would depend on internet connection partly, but is a consideration.

I also looked at Gavin Gough’s images, whom a fellow student had linked to. His images are mostly Asian travel theme, which must be his personal interest. The images fill the area and the text is very simple. I liked how he had the ubiquitous facebook/twitter/share symbols on his page.

 http://www.gavingough.com/

I’m a big fan of the work of Viviane Sassen’s work. Her webpage has a rolling view of images, each highlighted in turn depending on where the mouse hovers over the screen. I find it a little distracting, but it does show her variety of strong images and might keep people on the site a bit longer, to see ‘what is coming next’! Her work is so distinctive and unique.

http://www.vivianesassen.com/

A slightly different slant for my final choice – Douglas Ethridge is obviously quite a widely published photographer, so his website has more detail of books, news and events. The layout is simple and highlights his key recent achievements.

http://www.douglasethridge.com/

So after looking at the above (and many other) websites of photographers, I will make some generalisations:

• What is the purpose of the website? This varies depending on the photographer – art/commercial/student etc Make it appropriate!!
• The most effective sites are SIMPLE! – in design/layout and information content
• The images must stand out – and only the (very) best should be included
• Easy navigation is also important – the average person only spends a few seconds looking at a website, so the whole thing must come together effectively and easily.

At this stage I do not plan to set up a website for my own photography. I am not interested in getting commercial work and do not have a coherent body of artistic work that I would be happy to put up – this is all in the future I hope! Nonetheless, an interesting exercise.

References:

Adams, N (2013), Nathan Adams Photography. Online, available at: http://www.nathanadams.me.uk/ [accessed 2 July 2013]

Astbury, D (2013), Astbury Photography. Online, available at: http://www.astburyphotography.co.uk [accessed 2 July 2013]

Ethridge, D (2013), Douglas Ethridge Photography. Online, available at: http://www.douglasethridge.com/ [accessed 2 July 2013]

Gough, G (2013), Gavin Gough Photography. Online, available at: http://www.gavingough.com/ [accessed 2 July 2013]

Greenough, K (2013), Keith Greenough Photography. Online, available at: keithgreenoughphotography.co.uk [accessed 2 July 2013]

Sassen, V (2013), Viviane Sassen. Online, available at: http://www.vivianesassen.com/ [accessed 2 July 2013]

 

Artist/Photographer: Ian North

I just read a really interesting interview with South Australian Photographer Ian North, on ASX website. I have been eager to find out about contemporary Australian photographers, as most of my reading is very UK or USA focused. There is something about knowing someone works in the same part of the world that is appealing and interesting to me.

He captures landscapes that are quite familiar and yet foreign at the same time. The simplicity of the framing and slight imperfections are interesting (Gesalt is mentioned – the example below has a power line cutting through the top right corner, I would have cropped it out, and yet it gives the image form and draws the eye in). His use of light is mentioned also – something that I continue to challenge here in Australia – the light is just so strong and harsh and needs to be used carefully. The strong shadows in these images add a three-dimensional feel. The subject matter is simple and everyday – the kind that interests me personally. I find his work truly inspirational and I know it will help me find my own subject matter as I continue on in my studies.

“My concern was not to dwell on that banality but to capture gestalts, these concatenations of built form and nature, especially the wonderful skies, which formed coherent wholes” 

(www.americansuburbx.com, 2012)

Felicia 16 (Goolwa, Fleurieu Peninsula), 1976 from the ASX website for personal study purposes

He has also worked in Canberra, documenting the streets around the small city, and the interactions between the wilderness and suburbia. Some images are shown on the NGA website here. And I have copied a couple below that are reminiscent of my own images that I will present for my final assignment. The same brilliant skies and similar framing of the houses with trees – the interaction between home and nature appears to be an interest of North.

Canberra suite no. 17, from the series Canberra suite 1980-81, from the Art Gallery of NSW for personal study purposes

Canberra suite no. 3, from the series Canberra suite 1980-81, from the Art Gallery of NSW for personal study purposes

From the NGA website (my highlights):

North’s methodology is concerned with the processes of vision and interaction as they have shaped the landscape. In ‘Canberra Suite’ North presents an encyclopaedic record of Walter Burley Griffin’s intricately designed city, exploring the spatial interface between nature and humanity. The works are absent of human life – reminiscent of Ed Ruscha’s ‘Twenty-six Gasoline Stations’. The emotional ambivalence of the images is reflected in their use of colour, like that of postcards. As one of the first instances of larger format colour art photography in Australia, the images topographically map space as a depersonalised, banal subject. Yet their colour, like that of landscape painting, highlights flora, revealing the number of non-native plants included in Canberra’s design. As such, these artefacts of North’s private wanderings and systemic mode of looking are able to subtly critique colonialism.

I will continue to research this interesting artist, I share an interest in both his work and driving inquiry.

References:
De Almeida, P (2012) ASX Website. Online, available at: http://www.americansuburbx.com/2013/04/interview-a-conversation-with-ian-north-2012.html [Accessed 27/06/13]
Art Gallery of NSW Website. Online, available at: http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/?group_accession=180.2010.1-8 [Accessed 27/06/13]