Reflection 29/7

This course has already offered the opportunity for me to gain technical production and camera skills that I was lacking before. As I found out in my individual exercise, I have a fairly good sense of how to set up the EX3, with a solid gain in my ability to recognise good exposure and an understanding of how to actually employ the zebra tool.

I chose the doorway that I shot in the exercise as it created the opportunity for multiple spaces to be in frame (i.e.: the space as it appears in the frame before the doorway and through it) and the misleading depth of the space through the doorway. In the first shot I attempted to time it so that I could capture some people walking in the courtyard through the door – a couple walked past but that was all. For the second one I asked a man sitting nearby if he would walk back and forth a couple of times with some sort of purpose. My instructions were quite vague so his actions were too, but some of the impromptu decisions he made invited nice moments – the main being when he chose to look up and his face was met with warm light.

In reflection I probably would have spent more time adjusting the focus in order to give more depth to the frame as it seems a little flat as I watch it back. I would also consider either giving more or less instruction to a future participant as it is slightly uncomfortable watching someone perform in such a way that they only vaguely know what they’re doing.

I declare that in submitting all work for this assessment I have read, understood and agree to the content and expectations of the assessment declaration.

Observation #2

After one dog decided it was satisfied with us and carried on to the next thing, another would charge towards us. Our picnic blanket eventually became a minefield of guacamole, crumbs and saliva. As frequently as dogs came from one direction, engrossed players of Pokemon Go came from the other. It soon became clear that this was because the only two sorts of people occupying the park were those walking their dogs or playing the immensely popular game. There were even moments of crossover: several families strolled past, the parents walking the dogs with the children lagging behind deeply concentrated on catching Pokemon.

It wasn’t only children obsessing over the game. Roughly 10 metres away from my picnic rug, a couple of 30-somethings were stumbling back and forth and noting each other’s progress in the game. It seemed as though they had been playing for quite a while, as one of them mentioned something about a Pokemon they had caught earlier by the playground, which was at the other side of the massive park. Chances are they made the trip to the park specifically to play the game.

Does it really engage you with your environment if you’re just going where the game begs you to for rare Pokemon? These 30-somethings weren’t gazing off at the beautiful shimmering lake, or the swaying trees, but rather circling the same patch of grass for awkwardly long periods of time. It scarily recalls the gameplay of the original games themselves, where all too often you would find yourself in the same nondescript grassland for hours to encounter an obscure Pokemon to brag to your friends about the next day.

Observation #1

I became aware of an extremely drunken man when my girlfriend introduced me (or rather insisted that I stand beside her) to him. He was a Jeff Bridges lookalike, with the hygiene of The Dude and the fashion sense of Rooster Cogburn.
“Jazz, man … Uh, the kids, they’re lookin’ for somethin’ fresh, y’know, and like, what you’re doin’, you’ve got it, it’s there, y’know”

This was the central message that took him roughly 2 minutes to articulate to us. It was flattering, albeit mainly incomprehensible, so we thanked him and parted ways. We had a laugh and didn’t think too much of it, until I was reminded of his presence throughout the rest of the evening as he yawped whatever bizarre sounds he felt the need to (the most frequent sounding like the call of an ill bird). He spent the majority of the performance that followed ours incoherently babbling to the lady on the door taking tickets, who ultimately was reduced to tears after having to put up with this guy for so long.

Who once was harmless; at worst an embarrassment, was eventually repulsive. He had made his way around the room, accumulating a trail of upset that elongated behind him until it couldn’t be ignored. His presence both filled and contaminated whichever space he entered. Oblivious and consumed by his inebriation, the man damaged an experience of which he wasn’t really present.