| Independent Photography Derbyshire Welcome to photography with a difference where image making steps into photography's unique territory, that of making a series or sequence of pictures. |
Outline
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| There
are a couple of ways
to start, one is to choose a subject, a theme or an idea for making a
series of pictures, another would be to go out and take pictures of
things that caught your eye and then by looking at the results closely
find an emerging personal theme. Nominated themes that stretch the interpretive powers of our minds are interesting for instance, joy would be a good start bridges would not be. The themes with the widest possible interpretation will also be difficult to deal with, imagine taking on something like civilization, but then think of it from a personal point of view, what does it mean to me. Thinking of it this way not only engages a person with the subject but also gives the mind a starting point for ideas. Once the idea solidifies a start can be made on the images to illustrate it, this always involves a great deal of ingenuity, research, false trails and the final images may be quite different from the initial vision. Quote "Photography is a medium of formidable contradictions - it is both ridiculously easy and impossibly difficult" - Edward Steichen. The production of prints can be from the local chemist, or they may be manipulated in software and printed at home, they may be in colour or in black and white. They should be able to fit on a piece of card or board that can be carried easily. Quote "The inner world of the mind and the outer world of reality meet in our perception by sight, photography allows us to record the moment we choose to align the two". Your scribe paraphrasing William Bishop Prints can then be shown to and discussed with other members at the meetings, these are the moments that make doing this worthwhile where you learn something about yourself that you hadn't known before. This can then be applied to future themes, tackling them with a greater insight into your personal approach. Quote "To engage a sequence we keep in mind the photographs on either side of the one in our eye". -Minor White Members will be encouraged to bring along books of photographs they may have, looking at the work of other photographers is vital to our own photography, from studying other photographs we can determine the how and why of a particular image and then apply this to our own image making. Quote Richard Avedon, an American photographer was once asked by Ernest Hemingway what sort of camera he used, to which Avedon replied, 'What sort of typewriter do you use?' Exhibitions of group work will be held from time to time with all the group members looking out for suitable venues. These should include unlikely places and could be factory or warehouse premises. I believe that photography should not be hidden away but presented in unusual ways and at venues where one would not expect to see a display of images. The only equipment necessary to join the group is a camera, series of images take up a fair space so individual images do not have to be any larger than 5" x 7", this is well within the capabilities of the most modest of cameras. A photographer owning expensive equipment is not a better photographer, merely the owner of expensive equipment. After the serious bits above let it be fun, let the meetings be informal get-togethers to discuss all things photographic. Bring some pictures to talk about, share experiences, get help with photographic problems or just come to enjoy the atmosphere and the chat. Anyone with an interest in doing this is welcome to contact me, James Mansell Read please send an email to: jasread [!AT] btinternet.com |
| If
sufficient interest is shown in this, as I write it is the 4th
Oct 2009, I will obtain a meeting room in Danesmoor, Chesterfield S45
for the first meeting. Quarterly meetings will be held here with
informal meetings taking place in other areas to suit individual
members. This group will not stage one-upmanship competitions, there will be no 'superior equipment clique', there will be no boring look at me me me talks. All are welcome there will be no heirachy, no fees and no rules, except an interest in photography. There will be a Google Group to distribute information please use email for initial contact. |