In my presentation today I felt it was important to outline my journey so far as so much has changed from the beginning and I felt it would be really beneficial to hear back after explaining what it is I'm focussing on as a concept right now. I started preparing for the presentation by writing out a brief step-by-step and my thoughts on each, starting from my initial proposal ideas:
1. Initially my project idea surrounded class, particularly working-class and the relationship this has with urban youth style, the idea of the “chav” and where this urban style stems from.
2. A lot of my research then led to class documentary photographers (e.g. CJ CLARKE’S MAGIC PARTY PLACE) and got me thinking of reposing stereotypes, rowdiness, etc. However, for a long time there was this struggle to link both working-class and urban youth style concepts through imagery.
3. So I planned a trip home to rummage through some old family photos hoping for a more natural perspective on working-class and then tried some of these ideas out by shooting, still with that urban youth style basis.
4. But one location we tried was actually in the models room and home and these shots were unposed and styled from her own wardrobe.
5. After analysing some of the outcomes we decided that these shots felt a bit more humanistic as opposed to solely fashion based and that it might be the start of a project that gives an insight behind aesthetic, as well as how these individuals are perceived differently.
6. To add to this I’m also giving all of my subjects disposable cameras, which they’ll use to shoot their life through their own eyes, whether it be family, social, surroundings or even themselves.
7. In this sense, the concept has branched out from just a working-class focus to this subtle ongoing insight into individual youth lives. I am still waiting my first disposable back but i’m hoping it will be interesting to see either a contrast or a similarity in how I shoot them to how they shoot themselves, particularly as I’m naturally drawn to fashion aspects as a stylist and perceive them in a specific way because of that.
8. With this in mind, new research has led to series' such as 'In my room' by Adrienne Salinger (see below). I love this series because although it still has a fashion element it’s also documenting something and feels more personal. However, I feel my less rigid and more natural shots will give my shots much more of an edge.
9. My previous research still seems linked to the altered concept, particularly the documentary series' and family photo inspiration, as they all have this real feel to them that shows life behind aesthetic and include imperfections (e.g. blurs, grain, etc) that add more life to the shots. I've also found myself going back to some of the same research and being inspired by it in new ways, such as Youth Hotel by Gosha Rubchinskiy (see below).
10. In terms of layout, as the concept now has a more personal feel, I started looking into more scrapbook inspired photo-books (e.g. “What we wore” by Nina Manandhar - see below).
I hoped that feedback from my presentation would address whether my concept is currently too vague... I've always been the type to need occasional reassurance but the main thing I've taken from today is to have more confidence in my own mind and eye. Everyone seemed to find the individual subtle insight into youths concept really interesting and I was told not to worry about details at this stage, particularly as in this case, specific guidelines for every element will most likely limit the intrigue in the outcomes. By listening to this advice and applying it to aspects such as whether my "models" should have strict common ground, I've established that my own interest and initiative should be enough to guide me. I will naturally be drawn to subjects of the same age range, students, urban styles, etc and trusting my interests with things like this will only add another personal level to the project. Leading myself through this will also play a large part in the contrasting representation element - how youth are seen differently through different eyes (i.e. my own against theirs).
1. Initially my project idea surrounded class, particularly working-class and the relationship this has with urban youth style, the idea of the “chav” and where this urban style stems from.
2. A lot of my research then led to class documentary photographers (e.g. CJ CLARKE’S MAGIC PARTY PLACE) and got me thinking of reposing stereotypes, rowdiness, etc. However, for a long time there was this struggle to link both working-class and urban youth style concepts through imagery.
3. So I planned a trip home to rummage through some old family photos hoping for a more natural perspective on working-class and then tried some of these ideas out by shooting, still with that urban youth style basis.
4. But one location we tried was actually in the models room and home and these shots were unposed and styled from her own wardrobe.
5. After analysing some of the outcomes we decided that these shots felt a bit more humanistic as opposed to solely fashion based and that it might be the start of a project that gives an insight behind aesthetic, as well as how these individuals are perceived differently.
6. To add to this I’m also giving all of my subjects disposable cameras, which they’ll use to shoot their life through their own eyes, whether it be family, social, surroundings or even themselves.
7. In this sense, the concept has branched out from just a working-class focus to this subtle ongoing insight into individual youth lives. I am still waiting my first disposable back but i’m hoping it will be interesting to see either a contrast or a similarity in how I shoot them to how they shoot themselves, particularly as I’m naturally drawn to fashion aspects as a stylist and perceive them in a specific way because of that.
8. With this in mind, new research has led to series' such as 'In my room' by Adrienne Salinger (see below). I love this series because although it still has a fashion element it’s also documenting something and feels more personal. However, I feel my less rigid and more natural shots will give my shots much more of an edge.
9. My previous research still seems linked to the altered concept, particularly the documentary series' and family photo inspiration, as they all have this real feel to them that shows life behind aesthetic and include imperfections (e.g. blurs, grain, etc) that add more life to the shots. I've also found myself going back to some of the same research and being inspired by it in new ways, such as Youth Hotel by Gosha Rubchinskiy (see below).
10. In terms of layout, as the concept now has a more personal feel, I started looking into more scrapbook inspired photo-books (e.g. “What we wore” by Nina Manandhar - see below).
I hoped that feedback from my presentation would address whether my concept is currently too vague... I've always been the type to need occasional reassurance but the main thing I've taken from today is to have more confidence in my own mind and eye. Everyone seemed to find the individual subtle insight into youths concept really interesting and I was told not to worry about details at this stage, particularly as in this case, specific guidelines for every element will most likely limit the intrigue in the outcomes. By listening to this advice and applying it to aspects such as whether my "models" should have strict common ground, I've established that my own interest and initiative should be enough to guide me. I will naturally be drawn to subjects of the same age range, students, urban styles, etc and trusting my interests with things like this will only add another personal level to the project. Leading myself through this will also play a large part in the contrasting representation element - how youth are seen differently through different eyes (i.e. my own against theirs).
One suggestion that stood out to me by a peer during discussion after my presentation was to aim for a Zine publication. I studied Zine's for a short while in college and was excited to be reminded of an independent style of print in relation to my current concept. I think using the idea of a zine as publication inspiration could really add another level of authenticity to the project and allow me to make it as minimal/gritty/relevant as I'd like.
Overall, it was a productive session. The group were so supportive and helpful through constructive feedback. I've always been keen to discuss other's ideas and for them to do the same with me so the open atmosphere was much appreciated! I'm now looking forward to getting more shoots done ready for next week's formative feedback presentations. It's a brilliant feeling finally seeing all of the stages of a project start to come together and knowing every part of it is still relevant in some form.
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