Reflection on assignment two progress and consolidating a direction

Whilst I’m still writing up my research posts for assignment two, I’ve had a couple of days out and about in Rendlesham forest. I wanted to get some practice in and experiment a bit. I forgot to take the attachment for my tripod on the first visit, so shot handheld all day. At first I concentrated on portrait orientation because I’d read a blog post on shooting forests/trees that suggested it was a good idea. When I got home and viewed the images, it didn’t work for me. I also used the ‘fog filter’ which I was unsure of it’s success.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The effect of shooting handheld meant that I had to use larger apertures and therefore lost some detail especially whilst using the fog filter. Is this good or bad? My concern was that the fog filter wasn’t giving enough of an effect to really warrant it’s use and what I was left with was images that just looked a bit poor quality. The portrait orientation seems to squeeze and compress the image.

After looking at Dan Holdsworth’s Blackout, I’d had the idea of inverting the colour of my images. I guess this was to challenge our notions of ‘the shadow’, good and evil so to speak. What I found was that some of the images worked really well such as the inverted image below for example. The white branches are reminiscent of bony fingers stretching out.

• 

• 

The images below however, I don’t think work so well. What I’ve tried to do is return the colour to as near as normal whilst having the black and white inverted. Image no.3 for example was with the fog filter which I think is passable but in general so much detail is lost and the colour looks a little odd.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Looking at the images from the second day where I took longer exposures using my tripod, I was able to compare the varying effects. Out of the three images below, I was surprised to find that it was the one taken using the fog filter that I think creates the best effect.

• 

• 

• 

I also experimented with camera movement. A journey means movement. I waited till the last second of the exposure before slowly moving the camera. Again, there are varying degrees of success but in the main, I think the images work.

• 

• 

Therefore there are decisions for me to make. What I like about the colour inversion is the sense of tension it creates. Below for example, the inverted image has a real sense of dynamic movement, whereas the original image seems still and more subdued.

• 

• 

I’m planning another trip next week and I feel that the way forward depends on a decision as to ‘what am I trying to convey?’ This means refining my concept. At the moment, it’s a bit loose and I have a number of ideas which don’t necessarily coalesce. Simplicity is always key. I don’t think it will work to bring together a mix of these visual effects and ultimately I will need to choose one ‘visual idea’ to maintain a coherence of the final set.

What I may do is put together 2-3 different sets of images and compare what works. I already have a lot of images which each have different merits. I will spend a bit more time with the colour inversion to see how I can make it work a bit better. At the moment, I suspect that my original idea of the fog filter may be my best option. Combining it with longer exposures does seem to enhance the effect just enough. I also had a brief look at other photoshop effects but I think there’s a point where I don’t want to solely rely on post production ‘effects’ at the expense of good meaningful images.

At the time of writing, Coronavirus is on the march. I’ve implemented stricter cross-infection protocols at my work and already engaged in social distancing for a few weeks. I wondered if I was being over-zealous but now I’m grateful for it. Despite being chastised by a friend for being a bit flippant about it a few weeks ago, (I’d said: “bugger it, I could do with some time off”) I’m now a little anxious.

What I’d like to do is close down my practice and disappear into the woods for a few weeks but patients are eager to still attend their appointments so for now, I’m keeping going but concerned about my exposure. There are elderly relatives to consider and my neighbours, all of whom are annoyed at the prospect of having to isolate themselves for the next 3 months. I’m doing shopping and being supportive. What this means is, I’m a bit distracted.

My trips to Rendlesham have been so therapeutic and what I realise is that whilst sometimes having to sit down and study seems like ‘yet another bloody thing to do’ it’s also an amazing outlet for me. Perhaps I can channel some of the fear that is circulating into this project?