rnoon97

[rnoon97]

In this image I took a few months ago I utilised the rule of thirds to force a sense of perspective: the bottom two thirds of the image are filled with the tufts of overgrown grass while the top third is the sky and distant trees. I believe this composition works effectively, especially within the context of the main subject matter of the deer. The antlers shooting up against the trees create an interesting texture, whereas the deer’s warm-toned and lightly speckled coat stands out from the waves of green grass.

The natural light plays a key role in the presentation of this image, as it enables the fine details (such as the tiny flecks on the deer’s back) to be captured, as well as higher quality depth of colour. Additionally, the small lens flare invokes a sense of drama, especially as the deer faces away from us, as if the viewer is unnoticed and perching right behind the resting creature.

[rnoon97]

Before even reading the captions of the images, I was struck with how strikingly sombre Alys Tomlinson’s portraits in this series are. The students’ stern expressions contrast with the soft, often floral or otherwise naturally-textured backdrops of gardens and shrubbery, giving the impression that these photographs are documenting an occurance as opposed to simply capturing an outfit. An air of stillness is embodied throughout the portraits, especially through the subjects’ direct eye contact and the use of black and white. Moreover, the way in which the students are alone in each photograph portrays a sense of isolation.

[rnoon97]

Mind Maps for refining stories

I find mind maps to be timelessly valuable in the way they help me hone in on the key conponents of an idea. Making space to simply write down every thought that comes to mind, even if it may seem a little chaotic, reduces the pressure I often feel when trying to come up with the “perfect” concept. Instead, inviting myself to write down all the different directions a story could take allows creativity to naturally flow.

The above mind map is the one I created when I first identified “urban development” as my main theme for this project. I used the mind map to, in essence, dump every initial thing that came to mind onto a piece of paper. Looking back on this map now, as my story becomes more refined, allows me to return to the original concept and ensure there’s nothing I am forgetting, as well as that I am staying true to my original intention.

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Dark Rooms by Nigel Shafran

I have chosen these images by Nigel Shafran as I enjoy their simplicity and use of shape.  The delicate colours help portray a sense of softness against the structured geometry of the tiling, perhaps representative of the mundanities of the everyday commute. The composition feels considered and precise, with emphasis is placed on the subjects’ silhouttes.

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Further sources for research

So far my narrative direction has been based upon the 2009 academic article, Urban regeneration in East Manchester: a process of gentrification?. While the article provides a reasonably nuanced perspective of the topic, I am hoping to also explore more contemporary and visual sources going forward.

One medium  I am particularly interested in exploring is historic photographs of the area, for which I will use the blog Openshaw Memories. The website hosts a collection of photos taken in the last 100 years, providing an insight into the once heavily industrialised and densely populated area. The visual contrast between these images and what the streets look like today is incredibly striking, so this is something I may draw upon to help communicate what the realities of development in Openshaw are.

An additional resource I am hoping to utilise is the Wayback Machine website, which holds an archive of since-forgotten web page snapshots. I think this could provide an insight into the digital footprint - and thus legacy - of the New East Manchester initiative, as their website appears to have been inactive for the past few years. The Wayback Machine also provides information on the website’s yearly traffic, which may be an intriguing metric to investigate.

[rnoon97]

Analysis: “Fish Story” by Charlie Shackleton

“Fish Story” is a whimsical short film that sets out to find out the truth in the directors’ friends’ old family tale.

The quirky tone is set immediately through the use of panning shots of an immaculately eclectic fish-themed room reminiscent of a Wes Anderson set. A sprawlingly jazzy backing tune joins a recording of back and forth between the director and his friend, grounding us to the unlikely unfoldings of the investigation.

The story unfolds primarily through a series of audio recordings, including charmingly awkward phone calls with strangers as the director hunts down the origin of his friends’ fishy tale. There is an undeniably jovial tone to the whole piece, even at the moment where we feel there is little hope in uncovering the Welsh mystery.

The switch in style towards the ending acts as a satisfying crescendo, as we finally both see and hear directly from the organisers of an amusingly niche event that would otherwise be lost to history.

#inspiration

[rnoon97]

Mushrooms as inspiration.

My instant response when posed with the question of what inspires is me is to turn to nature. From sweeping landscapes to individual strands of lichen, much like many others I find the natural world an infinite source of creativity.

One specific component of the natural world I find especially intriguing is mushrooms. At this time of year they are in abundance, magically rising from grass lawns and rotting leaves overnight. They are incredibly fleeting beauties, often fruiting only for two or three days before disappearing back into their substrate for another year.

Despite their intriguingly transient nature and mysterious forms, mushrooms widely go unnoticed - that is, until you decide to start looking for them. Since becoming interested in mycology I have found it almost impossible to leave the house without noticing one hiding in plain sight.

This is why I chose to photograph some mushrooms found growing in a log in my garden. The clusters' striking simplicity is presented, almost sneakily, to the world for such a short time that they're easy to miss. But if you take a moment to stop and look what's hiding amongst the rotting wood you'll be rewarded with the sight of something spectacular.

Mushrooms make use of something most of us consider useless, primarily growing on rotting wood, leaves and other "waste". They're a fundamental part of our ecosystem, breaking down that which the rest of the natural world is unable to. This resourcefulness and efficiency is something I strive to embody when I create something. Similarly, I never want to act as if I create within a vacuum - I want to contribute to that which is bigger than me, always keeping my eye out for things that go unnoticed.