The topic of coronavirus and lockdown has been at the forefront of conversations over the past few months, and understandably so. However, I feel these discussions have certainly reduced over time, as most people have accepted the situation, and adapted to a new way of living – for the time being anyway. In the early days of the pandemic, when interacting with certain individuals’, I found their viewpoints on the matter to be fairly reserved. Of course, this was an unforeseen circumstance that quickly developed into what we are experiencing today, and even more so than now, was a period of utter uncertainty on many levels. I often wondered if, fear of the unknown, was the catalyst to these responses – or the lack of – and it became a coping mechanism for many, to not openly talk about their thoughts and experiences of lockdown.
For this assignment, I reached out to individuals’, whose lockdown stories I knew very little, or nothing about, and asked them to share their opinions on the matter. In the hope of receiving open, and honest feedback – unlike before – I requested they record their encounters in audio form, as I felt the perhaps daunting task of a face to face discussion, may result in information being withheld. In total, I collated eight stories – though only chose six to produce a total of seven images’ – and was pleasantly surprised by how in depth, truthful, and different they were to one another, reconfirming that though this is a global problem, the situation is very much a personal experience.
Not knowing in advance what was going to be said, I was unable to generate ideas for my photographs’, until all the stories had been listened to. A commonality that was discussed, related to the outdoors, and as I came to realise the significance this particular aspect of lockdown had on the participants’, I chose to depict within my images’, elements of nature. Though, there needed to be a recurring theme throughout the series, I wanted to make sure that the subject matter varied between photographs’. I believed by incorporating into the surrounding landscape, an item that specifically related to a selective part of the spoken text, I would be able to achieve this. However, I understood that each of the viewpoints discussed, would have to be different from the next, in order to make the process of selecting an appropriate item easier. And, though, this has no relevance to the relationship between ‘image and text’, by showing both natural and ‘man-made’ objects, juxtaposition between the two has been created. As I wanted the spoken text to add meaning to my images’ – rather than be descriptive of them – I tried to ensure that the items I selected, didn’t mirror the ‘words’ in literal form – though this wasn’t always achievable. This would also make certain that the intended narrative remained open for interpretation, making for a more meaningful project.
The decision to rework my video for assignment four was made easy, due to the simple fact that I wasn’t completely satisfied with what I’d produced initially. After I’d submitted my work to my tutor for review, I already knew the areas that I thought lacked quality and needed to be improved on for my assessment. This included the variation of lengths and volume levels between each clip, the total length of the video – which in my opinion was too long – and the general editing to refine the overall ‘flow’. However, as this was my first attempt at creating a video, I wasn’t too disheartened, and welcomed the fact that these noticeable enhancements were all part of my learning experience.
I also reached out to my fellow students’ for their feedback, and though most had the same thought process as I did, one comment that was shared with me a number of times, regarded the inclusion of a younger participant i.e. child, to counterbalance the already included elderly participant’s lockdown story. I felt this was a fantastic idea, as the understanding of the pandemic and the general feelings felt during lockdown, in theory, should be different between the two individuals’, and may offer an interesting insight into how, and why, vastly different generations are affected by lockdown. I chose to document my six year old daughter’s lockdown story, and though it wasn’t as detailed as the other’s, I was still pleasantly surprised by her account. I realised that I didn’t fully understand the impact that being off school and away from her friends for such a long period had on her, and it was apparent that she felt more comfortable sharing her thoughts via a recording. In regards to the image that supports my daughter’s story, though I feel it’s imaginative, it was certainly the simplest to create. However, I think it shares great relevance to her story and, like the other photographs, takes into account the relationship between natural and manmade objects.
Following the advice from my tutor, I decided to reorder the sequencing, in the hope that the relationship between the image and spoken text was easier to interpret, fundamentally helping the viewer determine the true meaning behind the assignment early on in the video. I believe I’ve now managed to achieve this, and with all the other changes made, the assignment is now ready for assessment.
I must say that I’m really looking forward to starting assignment four. Though, I’ve used text before – in some regard – to support my images’, I never really had an understanding of how, and why, to use them together in an effective manner. However, now I’m nearing the end of ‘Part Four’, I feel my understanding – from what I’ve learnt anyway – has improved enough to go into this assignment with a level of confidence that will hopefully see me deliver a solid piece of work, which is relevant to the brief and my desired intentions.
I usually have a number of ideas to explore at this point. However, at present, I’ve only two. That being said, I’m certainly not feeling discouraged by this. The underlying theme will be a continuation from previous assignments within this module, where I will once again explore the notion of coronavirus and lockdown. However, both ideas would see we produce work which is very different to anything I’ve done before, in the fact that ‘people’ won’t be the main subject – in photographic form anyway. I’m excited about this prospect, and feel this particular assignment, which will be part of a larger body of work at the end of this module, needs to diverge slightly in regards to subject matter, to help show my development as both a student, and a photographer.
My first idea revolves around the banning of bonfires and campfires, in and around Edinburgh, to “keep the air clean for people who are self-isolating”. Though, this was a regulation that was created back in April, the idea was sparked more recently, when I was out on my daily walk. It was a period when Edinburgh was being blessed by warm weather, and as a result, the general public hoarded to the village where I live, which is considered a ‘beauty spot’ because of the beach and stunning river walks. Apart from many individuals’ clearly ignoring the covid-19 safety advice given to them, I was astonished by how many fires had been lit on the beach, and pockets of dry land hugging the river. At the time, the ‘regulation’ wasn’t at the forefront of my mind, and I was more concerned about the careless scorching made to the grass, plants and some small trees. It wasn’t until later that day, did I remember the banning that was in place, and thought this could make for an interesting project that explores a perhaps less cared about topic surrounding lockdown. I revisited Paul Seawright’s work – in particular the ‘Fires’ series – which I first came across when doing the ‘Context and Narrative’ module. I’ve always felt he managed to capture what could be considered a dull subject – burnt out fires – in a captivating and meaningful way. Seawright’s work can only be described as allusive, and he is known for purposely creating “obscured” narratives that “gives its meaning up slowly”, in order for it not to become too journalistic in style. I feel this is an important factor I must take into consideration, as though my photographs’ – unlike Seawright’s – would include text in some form, they mustn’t be too reliant on the words in order for the viewer to understand their true meaning. Compositionally, each of Seawright’s images’ are similar, and all contain objects that have been damaged by the fire that act as the focal point, ultimately creating the interest that would otherwise make for a featureless photograph. It’s important I try to do the same, however, I won’t know if this will be achievable until I start the photographic process.
I’ve thought long and hard on how to make the text relatable to the underlying theme, and in which way to present them most effectively. I feel the words need to come from those individuals’ who have been directly involved with the ban. For example, the imposers, or those it’s trying to protect i.e. the vulnerable and emergency services. I’ve found that spoken words in audio form are limited in this regard, and I’ll be reliant on what was said in the papers, and online. This means the text would need to appear in the form of captions, or be presented in another way that’s seen within the image. Though, the caption would be the easiest option, I feel I have an opportunity to be more creative. After reading Michael Colvin’s project ‘Rubber Flapper’, I was impressed by its originality, and the extent Colvin went to, in order to tell his fictitious story. I’ve drawn inspiration from the fake newspaper he created, and feel I could incorporate something similar into my work. I feel however that this wouldn’t be a quick process, and due to strict timeframes, I’m not sure how achievable it is. Another idea I had, and one which is perhaps more realistic, yet still creative, is to produce placards one would see during protests. I think this has relevance to what we are seeing throughout the U.K currently, though, I fully understand this is a different issue altogether. It also has pertinence to the picket lines from 2002, when fire services across the country went on strike to demand better pay. I remember vividly, firefighters huddled around bonfires, waving their placards with messages of their demands. I would use this idea from the perspective of the ‘vulnerable’, and feel that overall, it would be fitting because of the subject matter being explored.
Since my initial research, I’ve been out to see the remnants of the fires, in the hope to plan for the photographic process. Rather annoyingly, a week of bad weather has erased almost all evidence, and quite honestly, they aren’t worth photographing, especially for an assignment. I was at least hoping for some charred items to be evident within the ashes, but at best, only faded scorch marks remain. I did manage however, to take a couple of photographs, to demonstrate my thinking – without the placards of course. In hindsight, I should’ve gone out earlier, as I really think this would have made for an interesting project. I’m not discounting it all together, but understand that I’m reliant on such things as the weather, stricter policing and ever changing policies.
For my next idea, I drew inspiration from OCA tutor, Les Monaghan, who recently produced a series called ‘Heard in Lockdown’. It reflects on the thoughts of six locals to Withernsea, regarding their lockdown experiences. Made to be representative of postcards, each pack was distributed to all residents within the town, in order for them to reply and share their personal stories. Not only is the concept creative and meaningful, the process is reconnecting a community that would have been separated, due to the current events. What interests me specifically – as I hope to achieve this myself – is the relationship between the text and image, and how the chosen words – presented in the way of captions – adds meaning to the photograph, rather than describing what is being depicted. With some of these captions possibly being described as ‘complementary titles’, as a viewer, the way we interpret, and ultimately form a meaning from those specific examples, is certainly challenged because of the relationship between the text and image. For example, on the occasions Monaghan depicts statues within his images’, it could be initially implied that they are responsible for speaking the words, relatable to the caption.
I would produce a similar style project, by reaching out to individuals’, to find out about their thoughts and experiences surrounding lockdown. The text would be presented in the way of audio – specifically the participants’ spoken words – which would support the relevant image. As I’ve not yet received any recordings, I do not yet know what I would be photographing in regards to subject matter. Though, I’m thinking that I would depict within the images’, the elements of nature, to resemble one of the aspects of lockdown, many of us experience less of. I like the idea of incorporating into the surrounding landscape, an item that specifically relates to the text associated with that image. This would also create juxtaposition between the natural, and man-made objects, the viewer would identify. I would need to ensure that the item didn’t mirror the text in literal form, and that it allows for the “viewer’s interpretation to be opened up” – as described in the brief. Until recently, I had great difficult in applying both video and audio to my blog. Below is an example of how I would present my work.
I’m very proud of the work I’ve produced, and though this was an assignment I thoroughly enjoyed, I’m glad it’s now completed. I must admit that I didn’t realise how difficult it would be, to try and produce images’ from spoken text that I hadn’t heard prior to starting the process. There were certainly times throughout, where I really thought I’d bitten off more than I could chew, so to overcome that hurdle gives me a massive sense of achievement. I really wanted to challenge myself, and explore new ways to showcase my work, which I understood was critical for my development as both a student, and as a photographer – I feel I’ve done this.
Taking into consideration past suggestions made by my tutor, I chose to incorporate flash into the photographic process, which is still a relatively new concept to me. Though, I certainly see the benefits, I feel that with more experience beforehand, I would have been able to utilise its functions more effectively, and perhaps, seen better results. However, this entire process is about gradual learning, and developing my skill set within different areas of photography, so I certainly cannot be too critical on myself in this regard. My compositions throughout, had to be carefully considered, and how I framed the scenes in order to best show the props I chose to use, was always at the forefront of my mind. For example, with the ‘briefcase’ image, if I’d chosen to use a different perspective, the money might not have been visible, or easily as identifiable to the viewer, resulting in misinterpretation that may affect the true meaning behind the image. I was also able to effectively use the natural elements – seen in images’ five and six – to create leading lines, helping to draw the viewer’s eye towards to point of interest. The concept of juxtaposition was always going to form naturally throughout the series, due to ‘man made’ objects being depicted within a natural setting. However, this was something I purposely intended during the planning stage, and I hope the viewer picks up on this.
I always love using props in my photography, and though I found this particular part of the process challenging, it always allows me to explore my creativity, and use objects to express meaning in other ways. Choosing the props to use, in relation to the spoken text, had to be selected with careful consideration. I tried very hard not to allow the words to be descriptive of what was being depicted within the image, and ideally, didn’t want the props to mirror the ‘text’ in literal form. I feel I’ve managed to achieve this, though there could be question marks surrounding image five – the telephone. I wasn’t sure at the time, and still aren’t, what prop I could have used, to reflect this selected part of dialogue. However, to demonstrate the individual’s age, and the notion of generational differences, I purposely used a rotary style telephone, and therefore feel that it’s justified. I believe the prop I used most effectively that may be open to interpretation more than the others, are the cogs seen in image one. They were selected to reflect the personal development training the individual describes she has done during lockdown. I also think image six has been well utilised, in regards to the creativity aspect. It represents the common phrase “money doesn’t grow on trees”, meaning money must be earned – something the individual is struggling to do, as a result of his job being affected. Another way in which I’ve demonstrated my creativity, is by using video to present my images and spoken text – something I’ve not done previously. The process was extremely time consuming, and though the editing and presentation could’ve been better – again, part of my learning experience – I still think it was the best way to present my work, and has benefited my project on the whole.
This was an opportunity to use another element within my photography, to help with the intended narrative. Prior to this assignment, I’ve only used visual representations i.e. photographs and written text, to help achieve this. So, to incorporate spoken text in audio form, made for an interesting change. Overall, I feel the narrative is strong, both visually and audibly, and has made for a better project. I now feel I’ve the confidence to use this process – where appropriate – within my work in the future.
Beginning with the positives, my tutor liked the idea of me starting the photographic process, only once all of the ‘lockdown stories’ had been heard. He felt this showed development in my learning and understanding, as it demonstrated giving each participant a sense of identity. I must admit, this was not something that I intended, but I’d like to think that it was done on a subconscious level, as it’s an element of my photography that I’ve been working hard on since assignment one. My tutor also commented on the last sentence I wrote in my essay, which read “This would also make certain that the intended narrative remained open for interpretation, making for a more meaningful project”. He admitted this raised his hackles slightly, was a ‘blanket phrase’, and questioned me on whether a photographic project needs to be open for interpretation to be meaningful. I see this as a positive, because at the same time, my tutor felt this statement seemed “harsh” on the work I’d produced, which to me, shows a level of appreciation on his part, on what I managed to achieve. This has also made me realise the importance of thinking carefully about statements I wish to make, before including them in any written piece. On reflection, I do agree with my tutors comments, and as a result, I’ll remove this sentence from my essay.
There were some areas of the assignment that will need to be re-worked, before assessment. The main issue my tutor had, regarded the sequencing of the images / audio, and the overall edit. As image one was considered, in his opinion, the most obscure in terms of its narrative – something I completely agree with – perhaps this should appear in the middle of the series, which would allow the viewer to gain some form of understanding of its intended meaning, from the photographs’ and ‘lockdown stories’ that are perhaps easier to interpret that appear prior. We had previously talked about starting a series with the ‘best’ image, which was my thought process in this instance. However, I now understand that this notion shouldn’t always be applied, and careful consideration must be made about which photographs appear where, to help strengthen the overall narrative. Also, I realise the importance of consistency, when using video to present your work, and more so, if spoken text has been used to support your images’. For example, the lockdown story – specifically related to image one – is far too long, and inconsistent with the others. This will need to be shortened when re-editing my video for assessment. What I found interesting – again, specifically related to image one – was that my tutor associated the cogs shown, to a personal incident surrounding a bike. This made me wonder if photographs have more impact than spoken word, even when they accompany each other.
I have been encouraged to look at photographers, who incorporate a range of multimedia in their work, for example, Susan Trangmar, or the multimedia section of WPP, as I feel this is an area I would like to explore further in the future. I’m currently looking at investing in the student package of adobe’s creative cloud, in order to improve, and have perhaps have more options when creating videos, specifically when using Premier Pro.
The words I have chosen for this exercise, come from one of my favourite songs called ‘Coyotes’ by singer Don Edwards. The song tells a story of a cowboy, who is reflecting on how the world he once knew, has changed dramatically over the years. There are implications made of a deep connection between nature and man, and how we as a human race – in the cowboy’s eyes – have destroyed the landscape in front of us for our own needs. The song describes the continuous loss we experience as time passes – perhaps from our own doing – where in the end, the cowboy himself becomes ‘lost’.
My photographs were taken in and around the village where I reside, which has seen huge change since I first moved here thirty years ago. New housing developments have naturally caused a spike in population, and as a result, the landscape is forever changing. The village was the site of the earliest Roman settlement in Scotland, and throughout, I envisaged what the landscape would have been like back then, how radically it would have changed every few years, and what the Roman’s would have made of the village today. I wanted my images to reflect the passing of time and how people have shaped the landscape – for better and for worse. However, within all the photographs, the notion of nature is evident. Each image is supported by a line from the song, but I’ve been incredibly careful that the text adds meaning, rather than describing what’s depicted in the photograph.
“Part history, part sage, part mesquit”
“And he’ll tell you a tale of the old days, when the country was wild all around”
“Now the longhorns have gone, and the drovers are gone”
This image, from the Sun newspaper, supports an article discussing the ‘test and trace’ system being launched throughout the U.K. and the possible dangers of coming into close contact with asymptomatic individuals’, now lockdown measures have been somewhat lifted. Personally, I feel that since the ‘rules’ have been relaxed in Scotland, a minority of people certainly aren’t respecting them. As I live beside a beach that has been visited regularly by many people over the last few weeks due to the good weather, I have become all too familiar with witnessing scenes like that seen in the image. Of course, I’m as happy as the next person that some ‘normality’ has been brought back into our lives, but this needs to be done sensibly and respectably. The original caption reads, “With coronavirus often asymptomatic, without contact tracing it’s hard to know if you’ve been near an infected person”.
Negative captions
“Individuals’ ignoring government guidelines now coronavirus lockdown measures have been relaxed. But, at what cost?”
“Respect social distancing to avoid close contact with asymptomatic Covid carriers.”
“New Covid cases likely. But who will be to blame? The public or Government?”
Positive captions
“Freedom from full lockdown! Soaking up the sun after weeks of being stuck indoors.”
“Sun, sea and friendships reunited. A sense of normality now measures eased.”
“Life’s a beach now lockdown rules relaxed.”
Re-contextualised captions
“The man with seven wives. Fury as marriage laws change in U.K.”
“Skin cancer in U.K. at an all-time high. People urged to use sunscreen.”
“Bikinis in the U.K. to be banned from next year. Some women already adjusting for the change.”
This image, from the Guardian newspaper, supports an article about the murder of George Floyd whilst in police custody, and subsequently, the protests that followed – some peaceful, some not – specifically seen across America. Most believe this was a pre-meditated and racially motivated murder – as Floyd was a black man – rather than a case of bad policing. Unfortunately, racial profiling by police officers – specifically towards black individuals’ – has become all too familiar in recent years across the U.S. In response, social movements such as ‘Black Lives Matter’ have been created to raise awareness of the problem. “Let us breathe” has become the ‘message’, if you will, seen throughout the protests, and symbolises Floyd’s last words “I can’t breathe”, as a result of a police officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck, whilst he was unarmed, handcuffed and lying face down on the road. The original caption read ‘How the killing of George Floyd has upended America’.
Negative captions
“Second wave of Coronavirus feared, as mass crowds gather for George Floyd protest.”
“Masks being used to conceal identities NOT for Covid protection.”
“Reading between the lines will result in more deaths on black individuals’ at the hands of the police.”
Positive captions
“George Floyd protestors show signs of hope.”
“One race unified.”
“Peaceful protesters air their views.”
Re-contextualised captions
“Californian residents raise concerns over rising pollution levels.”
“Americans angered. Wearing masks to combat Covid-19 to become mandatory.”
“Inhalers run out of production in some U.S states. Asthma sufferers concerned.”
This exercise showed me that it’s actually very easy to use text in the form of captions, in order to solidify meaning to an image, as long as what is written has some relevance to what is being shown. Captions are primarily used to give an insight into the story that relates somehow to the photograph. However, whether an image has positive or negative connotations – regardless of what is depicted – depends entirely on the captions used. I also learnt that one image could have multiple captions attached to it, where in theory, each created a different story surrounding the photograph. I’m not certain that photograph captions are ever used in a dishonest manner when featured in newspapers or magazines. However, if they weren’t featured alongside a main article, the truth could certainly be questionable.
Thinking about how I could use what I’ve learnt in my own work, perhaps an interesting project would be to produce a series of images’ that portray both positive and negative scenes, but use connotations that are the opposite to what is being portrayed. Could using text in this regard change the meaning of an image that isn’t considered neutral – like those I used for this exercise.
I actually found this to be a more challenging exercise than I initially thought. I have a better understanding of how difficult it can actually be to create an image – without the inclusion of text – that depends solely on what is depicted within the frame, and how the image as whole is presented to the viewer, to solidify the narrative that is trying to be communicated to them. On the other hand, I now realise how by including carefully chosen text, how simple it can be to add new meaning to the narrative. In this instance, this new information paints a picture for the viewer in regards to what may happen next, but also, gives meaning to ‘frames’ seen previously. A good example of this, is the relationship between frames 2 and 6. The viewer should be able to piece together that the reason why the tree has fallen over in frame 6, is because of the storm mentioned in frame 2. Also, I found it interesting that symbols can be used instead of letters – as seen in frame 7 – and as this is a familiar method commonly used and seen to represent obscene words, the narrative hasn’t been obscured in any way.
Iain Barbour - BA (Hons) Photography 