Picturing the Modern City

Artists and Photographers have expressed the appearance of modernity in cities and urban area’s for many years. The term modernity means the quality and moving forward of an object or environment. Factors such as the industrial works, science and communication all have helped in the production and are still important in how the modern city expands and grows. Paris in the nineteenth century is seen as one of the main cities that first appeared to becoming modern. Architect, Baron Hausmann was seen to of rebuilt the main city centre in Paris. It gained new places of leisure for the middle-class to enjoy, whilst the poor were forced to the suburbs of the city. This was certainly enjoyed by impressionist painters who then became part of the leisured middle-classes, because the changes in the city that contributed to new subject matters. Art became even more popular, which showed new ways of looking at things, that also came from photography. The underclass became a attractive subject matter for artists and photographers because of their interesting experiences, which was the other side to upheaval of the city,  who had to cope with new modernisation that negatively effected their lives, that the artists generally became concerned. It was photography that presented this adverse side of the city, to create awareness to those who did not realise there was such poverty, to try and make it a more suitable place for social reform. Photographers such as Jacob Riis, captured similar situations to this in cities like New York. He presented many different back alley's and interesting characters in everyday situations, to show this to the other classes that had no idea what went on with the people that were considered below them. The start of the twentieth century saw the turn of vision into a modern technological place of the future. All art forms became more geometric and abstract, creating a difference and huge growth to the modernity of what the previous century was before. Cinema was a new art that showed this expansion in how technology was the future, by presenting films that showed the city as a place of destruction and ill morals, which photography and art have continued to also do and even to this day cities all over the world have changed and so has our perception because of the media and art forms that change our attitudes and opinions.

Material Culture as National Identity: Tokyo Youth Culture

Japanese Youth Culture is very unique and has became very popular since its rise in the 1980's. No where else in the world has any youth culture like this and in Japan it is considered to be whats called 'Angura' which means it is its own culture. Within this extraordinary country, rather than just one type of  culture, it has many different groups that are called tribes, that are based on certain type's of looks. Many copy and look like popular subjects such as anime and musical inclination. The images below show how the Japanese youths dress very bright, colourful and is clearly very experimental. The main aim in most cases, is to be 'Kawaii' meaning cute and the distinct rejection to grow up and become more mature is the way teenagers in Japan are that has remained a key element in how they look. The beloved Kawaii trend has not just been apart of fashion, but because of the obsession with it, now is seen on products like handbags, household objects, cars and even planes, which is also apparent across the world with brands such as Hello Kitty being hugely popular in almost every country. There are many subcultures that are all very different but most still carry cuteness. Groups such as Decora, Lolita, Kawai, Ganguro, Visual Kei, Cosplay and Shironri each have their own different style and would be clear to see when in Japan and some being more gothic than others. If you are in a Japanese Youth Culture, the place to be seen in Harajuku, which is known as an international centre for the subcultures and other fashion interests. It is a huge community for shopping and eating. The main area to be for the youth culture is Yoyogi Park, where you can see other people with similar dress sense and those who are different. It commonly observes Harajuku fashion walks, which can be considered a competition to show off what you are wearing. Another popular area within the Youth Cultures is Akihabara or known as 'Electric Town' because of it being a main shopping town for electronic items, but is a popular place for video games and anime. Anime and Manga have created cosplay in Japan, which is when youth cultures dress up as their favourite characters in these animations. Music stars also copy their look off these comics and cartoons so their image will jump out at their audience. The music is not the only most important factor in their careers, but appearance is the next main influence, that can often be confusing for an outsider, because gender is not always clear to see. Ambiguity is not relevant in Japan because the beauty of these young men overstep's any reason for why they should not show it off, which hair and makeup does, that creates a presence and 'look' that will be remembered by their audience. Overall Japanese youth culture is massively popular and over the years has gradually became more common in Western countries, that can be scene even in the music business with artists like Katy Perry and Marilyn Manson, which shows the freedom in dress sense has made the world interested and amazed by these youth cultures.

Image's taken from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tokyofashion/

First Set

Below are some of the photographs that I captured on the 6th and 7th of October that are a starting point for my project. I used my phone to take these images because I thought that if the other staff at work saw me using my phone at first, it would make them feel more comfortable at first, rather than using my DSLR straight away, which I will use next time I shoot. I think that these images could be more successful, but will get better the more that I shoot and the more places that I expand to take photographs of in and outside of the store such as the process the clothe's go through from the buyers putting an order to the brands, then the deliveries, to pro-pressing the clothes and presenting them in-store ready to purchase. In general I would like to capture as much as possible in the store as a whole but focusing on the behind the scene's and journey of the fashion that is there. Overall I am not that pleased with these photographs but as my first shoot, they are an okay beginning to the rest of my shoot's to follow. Today(09.10.14) we had a group critique to show our recent work. I presented a few of these images to the group, which made me feel a lot more motivated and excited to use my DSLR and to shoot again to get some good images that will feel like successful editorial work.

Mining Institute - Aaron Guy

On Thursday afternoon we visited the Mining Institute in Newcastle to listen to Aaron Guy, photographer and motion film maker, talk about some of his work that was commissioned by the Mining Institute itself. Other than his passion in the visual arts, his main interests are geography and geology, which are defiantly apparent in his work shown below. During the talk, I found Aaron's work very different but the more we were presented the more I began to be fond of it. It is clear to see that interests have brought out the best in his work because of how successful it seems to be. His project "Void." about a coal site that he grew up near, which is shown below, that was published in to a newspaper, with the images placed throughout, Aaron said the difficulties of this was the quality of the photographs. The colour would not be same they would not look as strong rather than in a photo book ect. But looking at this newspaper esque booklet, the grainy effect matches the photographs and gives the effect of dark, hardwearing material's which is what coal generally is. His work is definitely extraordinary, in the way he captures his subjects and what he involves, such as the elements and materials that is connected and what coal is made out of, making it seem like he successfully makes the most out of everything. Aaron's attitude towards his work was very professional and seemed like he has worked hard over the years with his photography and motion film, that he has linked together in his projects.

Images from http://aaron_guy.ideastap.com

Photograph's below are of the Mining Institutes Library. Taken On my iPhone, edited in the app Afterlife, Filter: Relic.

 

Idea

After discussing all of our idea's on thursday with Antony, I have finally decided on what I am going to focus on for this project on. Hearing everyone else's idea's made me feel more comfortable with what I am going to photograph and where, subsequently having a few complicated idea's that wouldn't work. The assignment is to simply target something that is close to us and also what no one else can access, so the idea of photographing where I work is what I am going to capture and achieve in producing. I am going to hopefully capture all aspects of the shop where I work, which is Psyche designer clothing store in Middlesbrough Town Centre. Starting from behind the scenes where no-one can venture apart from colleagues, photographing what I think is extraordinary and fit well in editorial terms, to then taking photograph's of the staff themselves. I am pleased with this concept now it has been discussed and finalised as I can go down many route's such as, documentary,fashion or portraits, depending on what will fit best with the term extraordinary.

Richard Whitehead

The talk we had with Richard enlightened me on what Editorial photography work generally is and could look like. Richard himself said that "Editorial photography is work that supports the written work that comes along side it" which explains it simply and easy to understand. He also gave us a task in between looking at his projects, which were what practical considerations were involved in his editorial work. It was clear to see that a lot of planning goes into his work including research and what influences the style of the subject and who and where it is.Also the kit that he used, which I found useful to hear a photographer who explained his profession, down to the details of the importance of cleaning your kit the night before is, showing the little things like that are also crucial, adding to the how the photographs will eventually turn out. He also explained how social interaction and 'looking' is probably the most significant element of the job. The fact of looking around you did not jump out to me at first as being the number one part of being a photographer because of how obvious it is, but really is where the reason and generation of what the final result of the photograph will be because of 'looking'  and how it presents where the idea comes from. Social interaction plays a big part of any work that involves people, as communication can help create the final image that could result in a great photograph's from setting a friendly atmosphere with who you want your subject to be. Other important factor's he explained was practical documents and objects that should be with you when photographing whilst travelling: Insurance, Verification I.D, Model release forms and waterproofs for yourself and kit. Richard's work was really impressive, and inspired me to want to travel and do something similar with photography. I personally admired his work on Fuji and his exhibition called Brick Lane.

Fuji

Brick Lane

All images were taken from http://www.richwhitehead.com/

What do artists do all day? - Cornelia Parker

In our first lesson of Professional Studies we watched an episode of "What Do Artists Do All Day?" by the BBC. This episode was  about artist Corneila Parker who is generally a sculptor, but brings elements of photography into some of her Art work. The episode featured her working in her studio in London, on some of her latest work for her own exhibition in 2013. I found her personality very eccentric and flamboyant, which was present in the way of how she worked and what her art was all about. It showed her most recent work that was to be featured in the exhibition, that were sculptures of crack's in pavements of roads and paths in the places she walked on a day to day basis, that were made of bronze.

Image from: http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/may/18/cornelia-parker-interview

Although her personality is very quirky, she still worked in a professional manner. The programme showed Cornelia in a working environment and how she interacts with other companies that help her create her art work. She presented herself very friendly but serious with the people who were surrounding her and constructing her work. I picked up on a sentence she said very pleasing about her profession and how "Art is a privileged activity" because it was clear to see that she loves doing what she does, building sculptures and capturing interesting subject matters and how she worked in a professional way resulting in a completed piece's of work that are featured in many galleries across the country making her a well known artist of today.

Cornelia's work also came across as extraordinary to me and linked in with our editorial photography work. Her work is very individual and is not like any other photographer or artists work. The way she works is also quite extraordinary because she shoot's literally anything and everything she comes across which I feel is a great way to work as Cornelia did not seem to miss anything in the programme we watched. The photography work she produces that was shown, presented a uniqueness as they had a meaning to them that fit in with everyday events, such as politics.