At this stage I’m still unsure of what exactly I’d like to make for this final project – the broad nature of the set task has made it challenging (for me) to narrow down the ideas I’ve come up with so far and decide upon what I actually want to work on. The goal in writing this post is to identify one or two ideas that I’d like to further explore, and hopefully by the end of this 500 words I’ll have something to work with.
I know I want to create another video-oriented piece, and ideally one with a more creative and expressionistic style (while still incorporating some investigative elements). Obviously this is a very general statement, and the form and nature of this project will be greatly shaped by the subject and area that I end up focusing on.
In my reflection for Project Brief 3 I mentioned that I’d like to continue investigating analogue (and digital) mediums in regards to principles of time, patience, and precision. Now I’d like to expand upon those principles to also explore the notion of being ‘in the zone’ (deep work), and the different ways that enjoyment and satisfaction are fostered by more tangible, slow-moving media practices.
I really enjoyed shooting and editing our documentary on neon glass bending for Project Brief 3, and I found the process of watching and analysing the footage to be really beneficial. For Project Brief 4 I’d like to continue down this path and investigate another craft and/or creative process.
At the moment I’m thinking that photography could be an interesting subject.
Similar to Karl’s glass bending process, I think a fine balance between patience and agility is significant to the art of photography – and this is especially true when it comes to analogue photography. Photographers who continue to work with analogue/film cameras are challenged by the relatively low number of shots they can capture on a single roll of ilm, and for this reason, being in the moment, and prepared at all times to capture brief expressions and movements is essential.
In explaining why he likes to shoot with Medium-Format cameras, Mustafah Abdulaziz asserts that the pressure of only having 10 frames to play with greatly enhances his creative process and his appreciation of the images he captures:
“It’s gonna take me a minute or two to reload this roll of film, and [then] this is gonna be gone” says Abdulaziz, the notion of being ready to capture specific, fleeting moments in time seeming to be very important to him.
https://vimeo.com/183972166
Furthermore, I think this readiness and ability to rapidly freeze moments in time is something that’s particularly relevant to many street photographers. In my own photographic practice I know that I’m often left wishing that I’d taken a photo a split second sooner – and for street photographers (who use analogue technologies) being able to capture precise compositions without sacrificing speed or agility is key.
With all of this in mind, I’m currently thinking about creating a video piece which looks into the role of speed and patience in the analogue photography process.
In terms of format, I’d like to be able to interview (analogue) photographers about their approach to the process, and collect imagery which illustrates some of the time-based processes that lie at the heart of the craft. Ideally I’d love to be able to follow a photographer around as they use up a role of film in order to capture their workflow – however we’ll see if this becomes a possibility in the coming weeks.