Adjustments to assignment 5 based on tutor feedback

In Assignment 5, after comments from my tutor, the image below was flipped so the writing would be visible, and replaced with the bottom image, featured in my assignment.

Original image

Assignment image after adjusts made.

Feedback: Assignment 5

Tutor Reports: Assignment 5

Overall Comments

The assignment’s text has a narrative that shows evidence of your overall planning – both of the day and of the images, plus a record of what was found and some self-reflection. These are all fine for the learning log, but for this particular assessment I’d suggest submitting the images alongside captions for each image; in fact just as you would write them for a documentary style publication – either a magazine, or a magazine style blog.

There is a wide range of subject matter, locations and viewpoints that adds variety to the set of images, varying the pace of the narrative. I particularly like the way that you have mixed the personal with the travel images and some details with ‘grand views’.

The assignment could be laid out as a word, PDF or Photoshop file, with title and your name on the first page, then the images with captions on the following (numbered) pages. This isn’t in the style of previous assignments, as the emphasis here is geared towards constructing a narrative to draw in and engage with a reader – from a general audience’s perspective.

So the first image will generally be an upright one with space in the image to overlay the text, or a square image with text set either above or below it. It is difficult to get a feel for how the images will sit on the pages (one per page, multiple images per page?) without some clues given by breaks, page numbers or captions. This sequencing is part of the narrative as this determines where the images will be seen, particularly which images will be seen together.

Feedback on assignment 

Focusing and control of depth of field are both very good throughout – showing a progressive improvement from earlier assignments. Colour balance is also good, despite varying conditions of bright sunlight and deep shade. Exposures are generally good, yet a few images could do with an extra tweak to brighten them a little – e.g. Owl telescope, seagull/streetlamp, waterfront/cobbles, arrival at Liverpool and the shopping street. 

Your compositions are good, showing the use of diagonals (bikes and close up of chain) and rhythm (waterfront & cobbles), curves (chain fence and telescope). The balance of elements arranged in the frame is quite good too; I found the cropping/framing to be a little too tight on some images, e.g. the top of the chain fence, the bottoms of the super lamb banana, the first shot, the ‘town hall’ (this is actually the Liverpool Port Building) and the two ice cream vans.

There are images that show a personal side that other people can easily identify with, the padlocks and key chains on the chain barriers for example.  There are also those that others might not relate to as easily when seeing an article on Liverpool, for example the foggy start on an (as yet) unnamed station, or the train tickets at the end.

Some of your images show the sights and facilities on offer that form a narrative, based on ‘what you might expect to see and enjoy’, which is good travelogue material – e.g. the bikes, ice cream vans, the flags for the Tate, super lamb bananas, waterfront shots (several). I think that the more personal shots of the padlocks show another side that is less expected, drawing the viewer into the story on an emotional level. This is a side that can be explored further in your photography and developed through modules such as People and Place or Documentary.

As far as editing the final selection goes, I find the two vans are better than the first shot, mainly due to having the lighting working with you, accentuating the sunny weather and the colours. The Tate and big wheel shot is a little dull in lighting, but that could be boosted in post-production, as could the shopping street image, the seagull and the waterfront with cobbles. The ‘Town Hall’ shot should be renamed, as it isn’t, but also because the flags dominate the shot (possibly reverse this one left to right, so the words are legible too?).

As much as I like the train station shot (very atmospheric), it doesn’t really fit with a story of Liverpool that others will readily relate to. The arrival at Liverpool image doesn’t really do it for me either; a shot of Lime street station, St Georges hall opposite, the statues in between or the Walker gallery behind St. Georges would seem more obvious views for an arrival by train in Liverpool.

Learning Logs or Blogs

It would be good at this stage to see some evidence of wider viewing and reading. Which books have you looked at, what did you think of them, were they interesting, inspirational, boring or so dense you didn’t get past chapter one? Have you been to exhibitions, OCA study visits or interacted on the OCA forums? Which photographers’ work have you seen? 

Add to this reflection: Which you picked (and why?). What can you take from them (or not?). What have you seen that you’d like to try yourself? Looking at the bigger picture, how do you feel now when looking back at the first assignment and exercises? Have your ideas changed? Are you more (or less) confident? Are you more, or less, enthusiastic and can you put into words why that is?

Answers to these questions only have to be a sentence or two (not an essay), but together will make you think about where you are with your photography and help to resolve what you like and why. With these growing polarizations of taste and subjects you can start to narrow your own work into a more recognizable style, exploring finding your own voice, through photography.

Suggested reading/viewing

I recommend reading The nature of Photographs by Stephen Shore (Phaidon, 2010). I also recommend reading 'On Being a Photographer: a Practical Guide' by David Hurn and Bill Jay. This book is more about a photographer’s approach, attitude and their mind-set, rather than technicalities (as the title might suggest).

Pointers for the next assignment

This module is now completed