Interpretation of the brief
Walking is a big part of my life. I would say it’s my biggest joy. I like the whole experience from planning a route, preparing my kit, climbing a hill, battling the elements, even getting lost, and eventually reaching a destination (even if that’s back where I started). At no other time do I feel calmer, stronger or happier than when I’m up a hill somewhere in gale force winds and rain, snow or blistering heat!
My instinct therefore for this assignment was to incorporate something connected with this love of a walking perhaps along the lines of the work of Richard Long. I’d also considered the idea of a Catholic pilgrimage, something like The Canterbury Tales. In the end, my direction was decided by choosing a location, Rendlesham forest which is about an hours drive from me.
I wanted to consider what the forest meant to us, in folklore and fairytales but also within psychology. My aim was to look at how a journey through a forest could be interpreted on a deeper level synonymous to our journey through life.
Relationship to the photography and visual culture addressed in Part Two
If I’m honest, the coursework for Part Two seems such a long time ago as so much has happened. The project is a result of my own life experience. It may even be less about visual culture rather than a reflection of ‘who we are’. I also think that in the end, conceptually this relates to our current situation where we are having to overcome challenges.
Strengths and weaknesses and ideas for further development
Although taken as test shots, the images work well and I hope present a subtle narrative that encompasses our collective associations relating to the mythical realm of the forest. In post processing, I have increased the black and also red, green and purple. Whilst this seemed to work well in LR, viewing these images now as JPEGS, it maybe looks a bit overdone and I will probably need to adjust this.
My intention had been to have another day shooting more specific images once I’d decided on a direction. (We are now in lockdown). I had ideas for reducing images with inverted colour and also layering with pages from a Grimm’s fairytale book. I’m now not so sure about that progression but would like to explore presenting the images as a handmade story book. This is something I’ve tried before and the results were very poor but I’m game to try again.
Technical choices and creative influences
In the end, this was influence heavily by the work of Ellie Davies. Although she uses land art in a lot of her projects, she manages to draw upon the stories of the forests in a subtle way.
Explanation of certain views and visual outcomes
One of my favourite images is influenced strangely by looking at the work of Timothy O’Sullivan. What I like about the image is that the eye is drawn to the teepee type structure however then you notice the trunk in the forefront of the image. This was deliberate and I remember an image of his that had a tree that seemed to block the view. It was almost like a raised hand saying ‘stop’. From a compositional point of view, it may seem ‘wrong’, however I believe it adds drama to the image.
Tenebris Umbra
“Midway through the journey of my life I found myself in a dark forest, for the straight way had been lost.”
Dante, The Divine Comedy
We are shaped to fit and we become what we need to be. The path to individuation requires a journey into the deep forest of the psyche. Like the Hero who must slay the dragon to win his prize, we must sometimes cross the threshold into an unknown world and face the challenges presented to us.
To become whole is to leave the familiar and well-trodden path. Sometimes it is to wander alone and scared in an unfamiliar forest and to face the demons we find there.
The Forest is a representation of our primal fears. We teach our children that straying from the path can come at a cost due to the dangers that lurk in the dark. Sometimes, it is in those dark places that we find our strength.
- Google Books. 2020. Dante’s Divine Comedy In Plain And Simple English (Translated). [online] Available at: <https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OdUbWgVpy2kC&printsec=frontcover&dq=dante%27s+divine+comedy&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj7xp6Dm7roAhUEilwKHSuODcsQ6AEIOjAC&authuser=1#v=onepage&q=dante’s%20divine%20comedy&f=false> [Accessed 27 March 2020].
Contact sheets
Demonstration of technical and visual skills
In the main, I’m happy with the technical side of my images. I’m now using a full frame camera with a 35mm lens. I’m also conscious that the better sensor is giving me better quality images.
Quality of outcome
Whilst the images presented were only intended to be test shots, I’m not entirely displeased with them. They are the result of a day out practising and experimenting. The images I’ve chosen I believe have a subtle narrative which works well with the conceptual aspect of the project.
Demonstration of creativity
The video clips are a new venture for me. I did it in part to have the experience of doing it. The clip I’ve presented here was again just an experiment with a ‘GoPro like’ camera which I wore on my head. I’ve edited out 30sec clips and presented them as a video slideshow. The idea was to create a sense of movement through the forest.
Context
I think the project works well to present a walk through the forest but with deeper connotations of our journey through life.
Landscape, Place and Environment 