For this submission I took on board my Tutor’s comments and using Photoshop cleaned up the background altering the crop slightly and made small adjustments with the dodge and burn tool.
I have provided a folder containing my photograph, my 1000 explanation including the 300 word introduction club-class and my Tutor’s report shaun-mullins-512659-photography-1-context-narrative-assignment-5 and the image.
I have provided in my folder a printed 1000 word essay amended-final-draft-its-a-lilly-1 and my Tutor’s report. shaun-mullins-512659-photography-1-context-narrative-assignment-4
For this assessment I chose to print the first page of my essay containing the image on photo quality paper through my Canon printer for better image reproduction as the image was taken from the internet and was only 72pdi in quality.
I have reprinted all my photos using the adopted lilac Hue style suggested by my Tutor as I like the result and further to his comments, I also re-took the photo of image 5 standing on the soap-box for a better composition and made some Photoshop improvements to some of the other images for example image 3 (please refer to my earlier blogs) . Included in the folder is my Tutor’s report, Shaun Mullins – 512659 – Photography 1 Context & Narrative – Assignment 3 (1) My 300 word introduction labeled 1 of 16 300-word-introduction The character descriptions from my friends and family and a printout of the associated anchoring text marked 6 of 16 a-self-portrait-as-regarded-by-others
For this assessment, taking on board my Tutor’s comments I took two new photos one for image to simply change the composition from portrait to landscape for consistency and I changed the last image for a strong picture. I also reprinted all the images using my Tutor’s suggestion of adding a little lilac to the Hue as I was unhappy with the colour cast I appeared to be getting as I couldn’t get a perfect black or grey. This intended Hue is very subtle and I like the result.
Included in the folder is my Tutor’s report Shaun Mullins – 512659 – Photography 1 Context & Narrative – Assignment 2 a printed copy of the anchoring text for each image marked 8a the-unseen and my 300 word introduction marked 8b redundant-reflections and the photos.
For my Formal assessment I have sent out the same photos and covering material as originally submitted to my Tutor.
I have sent this work in two envelopes one for ‘The Report’ and one for ‘The Statement’. I have also included my 300 word introduction headed Planning labeled 13 of 14 assignment_1 ,Tutor’s report Shaun Mullins – 512659 – Photography 1 Context & Narrative – Assignment 1
In the envelope for the report will be found the letter to the Newspaper and the appropriate photos, printed by a local photo printing retailer for added authenticity.
The Report the-report
In the second envelope for ‘The Statement’ to the Police, I have included the hand written witness statement with the corresponding photos, printed with the same method through a third part high-street retailer.
This was my original image that I submitted to my Tutor and based upon his report I have amended the image through Photoshop. I have tried to reduce the high light on the door but I don’t won’t to remove as I won’t it to remain a clue to the real identity of the entrance and the door keeper.
I have cropped in a little and used the healing tool to extend the brick work on either side of the door.
shaun-mullins-512659-photography-1-context-narrative-assignment-5
I have just received my Tutor’s report for my last assignment for the Context & Narrative course and I am both pleased and relieved that my Tutor liked it and has given me a good report.
He comments that I didn’t mention if I used a tripod. This was an oversight in my blogging, as I had used it and I listed it as the equipment used but obviously I did not make it clear that the camera was mounted to the tripod for all my shots.
When setting up for the shoot, I reasoned that by mounting the camera, it would slow me down and help control the framing of the picture and although I didn’t consider it at the time it was important in order to be able to merge more than one image through Photoshop, if required. Which in fact was the case.
I feel that although I achieved what I set out to make, I still felt that picture wasn’t quite as good as I hoped. I struggled with the framing as the camera was fixed; and my dog was not, which caused problems getting all the elements in the right place. Perhaps I should have set the camera up a little further away or set the zoom to a wider angle for greater flexibility when cropping. However, I was working at my second choice of locations due to circumstances beyond my control and time had been wasted trying to get access to my first location choice, leaving me less time to work. All in all, I made the best out of a non-ideal situation and I am fairly happy with the final picture if not ecstatic.
The Report
1# My mother was posing for her photograph.
2# A lady looking the wrong way and another pedestrian sees the danger and rushes to prevent an accident.
3# The gentleman grabs the lady before she steps out.
4# He saves her just in time.
5# He then rushes off and catches a Bus.
The Statement.
1# My mother posing for her photograph with the attacker in the background.
2# The attacker rushes to attack the lady.
3# The assault
4# The attacker runs away when he realizes that we witnessed it.
5# My mother helps and comforts the lady.
The Report
The Statement
For this assignment I was tasked to create two sets of photographs telling different versions of the same story to explore the convincing nature of documentary photography.
The aim of this assignment was to demonstrate that images and ideas about truth have problematic relationships.
Planning
I began this project by first scribbling down some ideas on note paper, considering the key points and learning aims before brainstorming for some ideas. I then made lists headed ‘Context’ and ‘Narrative’ and began to formulate ideas with a mind-mapping / tree graphs that helped filter ideas which led me to the idea of witnessing an incident that can be interpreted either as an attack or a rescue.
To try to make these two sets of images look authentic, I decided that a camera-phone was the best and most appropriate choice of camera for this particular narrative. Therefore, I hope that by using this method of recording the ‘incident’, I will have created both an implied appearance of truth for a citizen-journalistic story and an evidence style narrative.
I then considered the photographs that I required to tell the two versions of the same story by making a list and then sketching out some ideas as a storyboard. I then approached my friends and parents with my idea and obtained their helpful co-operation.
Next I reconnoitred the proposed location taking notes of light, traffic, and the bus time table and made some test shots.
Putting the plan into action.
I first wrote my two narratives one I headed “The Statement” and the other I headed “The Report” and briefed my models and driver of the car using it.
Due to the bright sun I chose to photograph from the opposite side the road from my original test shots and the Church helped with the background. Normally this road is very quiet but (typically) was busy which reduced the time I had to make the pictures and limited the opportunities to re-shoot. I found the camera-phone’s response time to be slow and difficult to review properly a further complication was my father didn’t understand that I needed him to stop the car almost on the zebra-crossing for a more dramatic picture and the busy traffic prevented me from being able to either re-position the car or I before a queue began to form. Therefore, I was only partially successful with obtaining all the photos that I was happy with. As I could not re-shoot, I had to use Photoshop to manipulate two images to make them more dramatic. I have re-used three images in both narratives as they work for both, one I have cropped out the bus to emphasise the assailants escape. I then hand wrote labels for each photo that I attached and downloaded a Met Police witness statement that I had wrote for ‘The Statement’ and typed ‘The Report’ as a covering letter to a newspaper to help support the ‘context’ for both stories. I used an online printing service for my photos but on receiving them and physically examining them, I made a couple of editing decisions by removing a couple of chosen pictures from the original choice and ordering two additional duplicates. Finally before sending, I made one final editorial decision requiring getting a single photo from the photo lab at Tesco’s, hence why one image ‘the escaping attacker’ is of a different size and crop. Clearly this is the downside of not having your own printing facilities.
Merged photos – left image, lady looking the wrong way for the narrative to work but good pose of running man, right image lady looking the right way but not good pose for the running man, both images merged using Photoshop.
Merged photos – left good poses but car too far away, right car taken from this image and merged with left picture using Photoshop.
Three printed images edited from the final selection. Reason – I did not consider them necessary to the narrative.
Images duplicated as they suited both narratives and the bus image re-used but cropped for ‘The Statement’ narrative to imply that the attacker was escaping.
Summing up
Key points –
Learning aims –
shauncn512659 Context & Narrative 