Evaluation

Throughout this module of Portrait Photography, I have developed my knowledge and understanding with reference to shooting on the large format 5x4 field camera from what I have used in previous modules, and on the Hasselblad medium format camera using colour film, that I have never used before until shooting these portraits for this assignment. It has been a challenging experience learning new techniques and printing in the colour darkroom for the first time, but having to learn these new skills, will be ones that I will definitely be carrying on using in the future. It has also refined my perspective of what a portrait actually is, by researching photographers and portrait projects from other artists and by means of capturing my own images to portray this type of photography in different ways and by printing them it in different sizes and on different papers that were knew to me.

The brief title of “Who are they?” also proved to be an interesting topic. At first the title spoke out to me as shooting strangers, which is who I started out shooting on the large format camera at first. It was interesting because the strangers that I asked to take pictures of either seemed quite interested in the camera, what I was doing and why I wanted to take a picture, or they were reluctant straight away and were not willing at all. I found that older people were more pleased to have their photograph taken, due to the fact they wanted to know more about my reason of photographing them. Using the Hasselblad for the first time in colour proved to be quite difficult as I had never shot in colour film or was familiar with the camera, but after a couple of shoots I felt comfortable and began to enjoy capturing images on this format. In some of my other colour images I did not use strangers, but my friends instead who I do not think matters concerning the title as the audience does not always know who is in the images and the question of “Who are they?” is depends on the individuals views and beliefs.  

Shooting Black and White again was also an engagement with expanding my skills once again, on this large format camera that I have previously used before. After researching a number of photographers such as David Bailey and Richard Avedon at the beginning of the assignment, I felt I felt more inspired to go out and shoot portraits on different camera’s, of people that were strangers and also close to me. The use of each depth of field being used  was also interesting to learn and develop  my intelligence on apertures and f-stops, in how it would effect the positioning of the person who would be in my shot and frame depending on where they would be stood. The whole process of this was a step forward in the present time of my awareness to how to use the camera and how to approach people, which has lead to using this camera in this sense again has improved my level of understanding and will proceed to continuously from this module.

Overall I feel that I have achieved the outcomes of this module but also could of done better. My skills have extremely developed in using both cameras that were needed and also by learning to print in the colour darkroom. Having to shoot strangers will always be a challenge but proves it can turn out with capturing good results, as I have found with my own work. In the event of if I was to do something different during this module I would doubtlessly shoot a lot more, so that it would of helped my skills develop and also would of ended with handing in final improved and overall better more successful prints. The title is also apparent in my photographs because I have used strangers in some of them, making the question “Who are they?” clear to see, and although I have used friends in other ones I feel that when looking at a portrait there is always questions to be asked and answered about the individuals in the image. On the whole, the techniques and equipment that were used to capture the images are certainly ones that I plan to carry on using and proceeding to expand my knowledge, as I have enjoyed learning new ways to photograph and print, that I definitely want to become better and see more progress at.