Thursday 4th March



OK. Got my blog up and running.

I was both excited and challenged by our first session on Monday. It's interesting being a student and not a teacher. I feel comfortable but overwhelmed by the unit expectations and what I would like to achieve in 12 weeks. So I'll have to be careful...many say less is more but how to choose.

Thanks Stuart for getting me thinking. I am already benefiting form being part of the group. It gives shape to my photographic life and I know it will be significant in helping me to conceptualise the things I see and photograph.

For instance windows...

I had not heard of the mirror/window idea before but as you introduced the idea I had an idea about how to develop a long-standing interest. For many years, like many others, I have taken photos of graffiti. Now there are many photographic books on the topic. Elongated format books with art on trains, books focusing on the work of particular artists such as Bansky and more recently books about the history of street art.

I have taken photos in my neighbouhood of the things that have captured my imagination...whimsical ideas, political statements, beautiful stencil art and also small messages. And this is where my puzzle began. I don't think it is enough to just photograph graffiti. I say So what? Even if you have captured something that others may not have seen I think a concept is needed. So I've been thinking about this for quite some time with some ideas sticking in my mind.

One idea is about 'writing on the wall'. Stuart, the idea that you raised on Monday about classifying or contrasting was interesting in this regard. People write different kinds of things on the wall...tags, political statements, emotional expressions, information etc. some are big and some are small. The small messages are interesting and when you raised the idea of a window I drew in my book a set of squares.

At the centre was the message but seen through a series of 'windows', the streetscape, the building a feature and then the message.

So on Tuesday I set out to try the idea.