Workshop week

This is the plan for our time together the week after next:

Wednesday 21 September: we will meet at 1.00pm at the NATIONAL GALLERY (Foyer) and then split up into two smaller groups. One group will first go with me to the Collection Study Room to view artist books while the other goes with Geoff to the back rooms to see the photography studios. Then we swap. After, if we have time, I'd like to duck into the NPG to see their contemporary Asian portraiture show - but we shall play it by ear as I am not sure how long people want at the NGA.

Thursday 22 September: we will also split up into two groups. One group will meet at 9.00 am - 1.00pm  at CIT (G103) and the second group will meet 1.30pm - 5.30pm.  Each of you will have 10 minutes to present your work in progress - please be prepared with images that you plan to use for your book (we can project them, no need to print yet) and some mock ups or sketches with ideas of how you will construct your book, or examples of book ideas that you have researched and you want to try.   You should also include samples of the text you will use - think like a designer: font, size, placing - it all counts and should be carefully thought through.  This is a work in progress workshop, so I am not expecting anyones folio to be finalised yet. However, I do expect to see 8 weeks of work!

After each presentation the class will give constructive feedback. We might have some activities to ensure that everyone gets feedback.  You might also want to have some questions to ask the audience after your presentation.

Everyone must attend all crit sessions for your group, and I am expecting a lively and generous feedback session after each presentation. This is your chance to resolve any issues you might have with your folio and ensure that you get quality feedback.   Please also ensure that your blogs are up to date with work in progress PLUS the short tasks I have set - remember the readings can be found on elearn.

We will do the split up of the class into two groups when we meet at the NGA.

The Remix

Joerg Colberg works "remixing" photographs, like a visual DJ. Check him out, I think it is very inspirational!

Martin Brink

Some of you seem to be stuck, and I am sure it is not for lack of ideas. However, when we are thinking of a "story" it is easy to get trapped into the notion of wanting to control the meaning/narrative. This is something that may be possible in written texts, but even then,  language can have many interpretations and the reader brings along a whole lot of baggage to how they understand or feel the story. With photography, as you all know, the meaning is far more slippery. As you put one image next to another their meanings change by association. Then, if you add a word or a caption you can further direct the idea or intention. But, I suggest that if you are feeling stuck, forget for a while about the literal story and start shooting - just like a daily exercise, and then see what happens when you place images together. Here is an interesting photographer, Martin Brink, who does that. Look at his series "The Daily Round" and imagine the images as a book.

http://martinbrink.se/index.php?/portfolio/the-daily-round/

VOGUE Archive

I posted this on FB, but in case you missed it - the whole of the VOGUE archive is now digitised online and you can access it through the CIT databases. CIT pays (a lot of money) for these databases and it is a real privilege to see every single page of every magazine since 1923. You can see how design, fashion, photography, portraiture has developed over the last 100 years.  You need to login with your CIT number by clicking the PROQUEST database here.  From there go to Fashion and be patient as it is a huge archive and may take a couple of seconds to navigate.  Here is one example from the first issue of 1923:

Discovery

I've just discovered this amazing photographer (showing at the Ballarat Biennale now) called Cynthia Karalla. Here is a very interesting narrative body of work:

Have a look at the whole sequence and other work in her website if you find it intereseting.

Memories, Families & "Place"

Most of you are well underway in developing your book project, but in the process we must continue to read critically about photography so that you can push your book from being more than a nicely designed album.  On elearn you will find a short text by Val Williams about memories and family photographs - wether or not the topic is specifically relevant to yours, analyse it and reflect on it in your blogs. What do you think are some ways (visually or conceptually) that you can shift a collection of images from "album" to "book"?

Remember too, you must be posting images WEEKLY (this an ongoing formative assessment item) and as you post images on your blogs take some time to reflect on the development of the concept, your ideas as they change and grow.

Susan Lipper is an artist that generates a sense of narrative by juxtaposing two seemingly arbitrary photographs together, such as this one:

Look at her blog and think about how you make connections as you place images next to each other. Culturally we are trained to look from left to right, so you can change or activate this way of "reading" a set of images through the design of your book. The book allows you to dictate the order of viewing.

I am endeavouring to check all blogs weekly and leave comments - however, if you feel you need more feedback or direction please remember you can always email or fb me and we can have an online conversation.

Visit to NGA

I have been organising a visit to the NGA to see some fabulous artist books that are not usually on display. Please mark your calendars: WEDNESDAY 21 September 1.00pm - 3.00pm, National Gallery of Australia.

I am getting some wonderful artist and rare photographic books brought out for our viewing in the Collection Study room.