I was in such a bad place....

God I was in such a bad place in the early part of this year. I really let the MA course get on top of me and it distorted my whole perspective on life and photography. I have been rereading my blog entries and editing them for inclusion in my photobook of the year and I realise that I was getting quite ill. I suspect some small part of this was a fear as to what the future may hold if I dropped out of the course - well almost 12 months on I now know that the future is nothing to be feared but rather to be embraced as you truly do not know what is going to happen - this is a very valuable lesson to learn especially when you read so much tripe written about what to expect in the next 6 months/year/10 years and so on. No one knows - you just have to figure it out as you go along.

Perhaps this is most important things I have learnt over the last 12 months - oh and having an MA in photography doesn't really mean anything other than the satisfaction of completing the course. Not completing the course doesn't make you a bad person - nor does it make you a bad photographer. It is just one of a infinite number of ways forward. If only I had realised this at the start of the course. Ah well - ce la vie.

Review of Practical Work in Progress (Group 1)

The rather formal nature of the title is what our second session at University is called tomorrow.   I am not sure what is required or who, for that matter, is in group 1.  I am not sure I was asleep at the time when this was mentioned.  I have emailed Mike Simmons for an explanation so no doubt I will feel somewhat embarrassed when the reply comes (I wish they would use Blackboard it would be so much easier!)

So just incase I am in Group 1 I have produced these three images/triptych to be going on with.  They are my latest thinking on the theme No Title/No Rules and represent three subject matters I am exploring at the matter: Self; Movement and Colour and Death.    Of the three the last is the most difficult - see previous posting.  However, I still feel it is an import aspect to examine when dealing with No Rules.   After all there are only two rules in life you are sure of Death and Taxes.

On a slightly lighter note I am still working with Flash but I have started to include artificial lighting as well.   I just love some of the bizarre colours you get.

Self

Movement and Colour

Death

Something new

I thought I would try something new today. I am writing this from the Library at the DMU. This is a first as I have never written an entry from outside my home. The first impression about this is that it is not that exciting. After all, a computer is a computer and its location is irrelevant. However, when think about it a bit more it is really more profound than that. It means that you can comment/publish from where you are in the world so long as you have a link to the cloud (I think this is a better word than the intelligent Internet - which has too many geeky connotations). I know I am not the first one to realise this, in fact I am coming very late to this particularly party but for me it is still very profound - probably says more about me than anything else.

Anyway, it did get me think about my Internet career, such as it is. I started using the interent in 1995 with the launch of windows 95. I subcribed to Microsoft Network (MSN) very quickly realised that Microsoft just didn't get the web, infact the early MSN was based on the then market leader of AOL. Boy how things have changed. I launched my originaal website in 1996 - it is still out there in the cloud - click here to see it. This has been slowly developed and is now just the local history I reaserached and wrote at that time - is it really 13 years since I did this???

So what is the purpose of this rambling nonsense? I guess it point is this. Over the last 14 years the cloud has had a profound impact on my life and my family's than anything else that has happened in those years.

A New Photograph

Bede Island, Leicester

It has been a strange old few days.   I have not made any photographs for over four days - for me that is something of a record.   So this evening I thought I would produce one photograph - and here it is.

Gjon Mili

A centaur drawn with light - Pablo Picaso, France 1949

Gjon Mili

I spent a bit of frustrating morning in the DMU Library trying to find books on Flash Photography.  There were plenty of books on Adobe/Macromedia Flash but not Flash Photography.  I then realised that I had misspelt photography and then found a a book by Gjon Mili - Photographs & Reflections.  I have only just started to examine the book in any depth but already many ideas about the next project/module/assignment are flooding through my brain.  Many of them are crazy and I am certainly not ready to disclose them to anyone who may read this.   Known the less Mili has been inspirational.  Perhaps this next module will be rather fun than I thought.

Am I turning Green??

Our excellent course rep. Daryl, has asked for for issues for the next departmental board meeting.  I have raised the issue of lack of electronic submission; lack of electronic copies of module guides; and lack of electronic copies of lecture notes on a system called Blackboard which is used by other departments at the DMU.

What I said was '...Why not have electronic submission of essays etc and lecture notes to be placed on Blackboard.   The reason why I am a bit of an expert?? on this is that my son is taking the MSc in energy and sustainable building design at the DMU and all his lecture notes, modules guides etc are all on Blackboard.  Yet what do we have?  Paper hand outs, no lecture notes and paper submission.  In short, the environmental impact of the way that the MA photography course is run is very poor. 

 

There is no real argument against this and, as Bev said last year, the DMU should be setting an example and trying to reduce their environmental impact as much as possible.  Perhaps the killer argument is compare what we do against the environmental policy of the DMU...'

Does this mean I am turning green?   Perhaps, but I cannot see why our course cannot follow the same practices undertaken by other departments at the university, it will save costs for the students, currently we have to submit two ring bound copies of our essays and seminar papers.  Equally, for students who were not at university one week, it gives them a chance to catch up with lectures they may have missed.  

I doubt things will change in a hurry but it is something that does need to be addressed.

Well does this constitute a rant?

Essay and Seminar Paper printed and mounted - at what cost?

That's it - I have  finally put the two documents to bed.   From now on there will be no changes.  One thought has come to mind - why are we going to these lengths?   My son is also taking a master, however in sustainable development, and he only has to produce his work electronically - yet we arts people still have to print them off - why is this?

Bev, a fellow student on my course, also teaches in the same department as my son and she has brought this up with our faculty - to no avail.   No reasonable point was made to support our current submission policy; two copies, ring bound with with acetate cover and card board back.   This does not seem to be too environmentally friendly - nor cost effective.   

Last day of the First year

I have just found out that the last day of the first year of the MA course is Monday 11th May 2009.   I have to say that seems rather early, that was until I realised that we are dealing with an academic year and if we were undergraduates we would send the last month taking exams.  The final day of the DMU academic year is early June 2009.

Walking to University

Aylestone Meadows - Leicester

What a pleasure it was to walk to University yesterday.   It was a bit slippery under foot but that didn't bother me.   On the way I was able to do a bit of photography - see above - and also a bit of bird watching - saw a lovely Little Grebe as well as some nice views of Long Tail Tits.   We had a bit of a Christmas lunch/snack with some rather nice mulled wine and mince pies.   

The day was very short.   We had a bit of a discussion about next term/semester and the work we are likely to do...we are actually going to take some photographs yippee...   As I was not in last week I messed the second half of the seminar's and clearly there was some rumbling in the camp about the length that some of our colleges seminar.  Whether it was the mulled wine but we then some of our number decided to slag off men.   A catalogue of faults with men were then put out as though they were indisputable facts.   I am never ceased to be amazed at the sexist comments made by women about men.   This is not to say that men are without their faults it is just that it would appear that nowadays you cannot say anything about women but it is open season on men.   I also found out that there would appear to be a bias amongst some of my colleagues against long lenses and wild life photography.   This, however, was wrapped up into a general moan about men.   I did try to defend men but to no avail.   Clearly,  it is a proven fact that whatever men do is rubbish!   

The only formal part of the day was a tutorial.  This went well and the feedback I got from my first draft was very encouraging.   It looks like Gregory Crewdson will be resurrected to add some extra power to my analysis.   I intend to get this essay finish before Christmas as I want to go to Norfolk and get some winter shots of the geese and other birds.

Anyway, a merry christmas to all my colleagues and I look forward to working with them in the new year.

Should I walk in?

Surfers on the beach - St Brides Bay Wales

It is a lovely morning - the first in several days.   I am almost over the lurgy that has struck me down over the past fortnight so the question is - should I walk in to university?   It is just under five miles and I haven't gone for a nice walk for a few days.   I am tempted.

The box

It just sits there in the dining room.   Its portent mensing all who pass.   The box will not be ignored.   But why is the box sitting there?   It's all to do with the DMU I'm afraid ( well I would say that wouldn't I.)   To tell the story of the box is to tell the story of my son's master's course at the DMU.   Yes we are a family of two master's students at the same university.   Not sure how unique that is but there it is.

The other day my son announced that he wished to print off a 500 page govt. report that he need for his latest assignment and how much would that cost?   Once I had come down off the ceiling he started to realise that perhaps printing the whole document off was, perhaps, a rather expensive way of going about things and that he would probably find other ways of finding the information in the report.   This, however, made me start to assess our printing needs over the next 2 years.   He has essays to write and so do I.  His, however, can be submitted in electronic form, mine can't.   To obtain his MSc he will have to write a 15k word paper which will not be electronically submitted.  I will have to write a 10k word thesis.   My wife also wishes to use the same printer at the same time.  In short time has come to...well get a box.

The box, of course, contains our new colour laser printer and tomorrow I will have the pleasure of installing it on our network.  The salesman who sold me the printer said that it would be straightforward  to setup, which of course is short hand for not straight forward at all.   We hope that the printer should be far more cost effective than the current small inkjet printer.   This will not stop tomorrow from being a real pain.  I hope I am wrong but I have been here before and setting up anything on a network is always fully of unforeseen pitfalls.

Autumn

DMU Path

The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.  What a wonderful day it has been.   The sky is full of character and mischief.   One moment it is dull; the next there are beautiful shafts of the cleanest light streaming across the countryside.    This might sound like I have overdone the grape juice but I just love autumn.   This also makes it sound that I live in the middle of the country but I'm afraid that is not the case.   Whilst I did take a walk in the countryside this morning I was never more than 400 metres from a motorway.   Still I was able to commune with nature - well have a chat with some non-plus cattle - probably the reason that they were non-plus was because a number of the compatriots were being shipped off to market and well our dining table.   Still, it didn't stop me spending a few minutes with a small herd whilst I ate a rather juicy apple.   This was not such a good idea in retrospect - as soon as I started walking again my aging joints started to complain.  Oh the joys of getting old!   Still this wouldn't stop my good spirits - especially after the mood I have been in over the past two weeks.   It really was a joy to be out.

The DMU path image was a follow on to another one I made last week.   I just love the combination of leaf, colour and the line.   My colleagues on the course wondered what I was doing but I just had to capture the image.   I am not sure what that says about me.

I have been lost today

Campus Centre

Arrghh!   The internet crashed today.  Having spent a wonderful hour checking the network it would seem that the problem was in 'the cloud' rather than on the local network.  To think one time I thought it was really interesting to know about http or TCP/IP - thankfully no more and now all I have to worry about is when the system crashes.

The good thing about this was that it gave me time to look over some of the books I've recently bought.  I have to say I am humbled when I look at the photography in the Wildlife Photographer of the year. Now interestingly I started to compare the photographs of a snow leopard and Gregory Crewdson -both elaborate setups and yet recording a beautiful creature the other ...well I am not sure yet whether I really like Crewdson's work. ( I know this is almost a heretical comment from someone studying photography but the artificiality leaves me cold - well that is the case at the moment and things may change! Watch this space)

Emma, one of my fellow students has circulated a set of mug shots of all my fellow students.   Interesting to see how each persons sees them self.

In search of the iconic

Is this an iconic image?

Paul Fusco - Magnum Photos

What is an iconic photograph?   I am not sure - are you?   I have spent the afternoon looking at imagery from around the world to try and come up with some guidance but all I have succeeded in doing was muddying the water.   However, I think that this actually may be a good thing as this is the start of the process and if I knew now what is an iconic image then the journey would not be worth taking.

Why am I concerned with this.  Well its my friend the MA essay.  I am comparing two very iconic images - well I think they are iconic (and so do most people if I am honest)  but that does not answer the question as to what is iconic?

I have done some very simple research and this would seem to leave more answers than questions.   The good thing about this quest is that I can spend time looking at some of the great images of all time.  I am surrounded by books full of magnum photographers, the best sports photographers and other unimpeachable photographers.   The initial litrature search has been inconlusive but to be truthful I haven't really tried to find any really useful text books yet. That joy is to come.

So what is iconic?   I would love to hear your views.

The Hard Work Begins

As with all my other colleagues I am now immersing myself in the research for the first essay for the MA course.   I have to say this is an absorbing activity.  However, the knock on effect has been that I am no longer paying as much attention to my own photography as, perhaps, I should.   This is not a unique problem.  David Manley on his blog as eluded to the same issues.   Trying to mix work with study is never easy.  I know this from personal experience when completing my degree with the OU.  I still have a second degree course started with the OU and I doubt this will ever be completed as my life has moved in new directions.  It is hard.

Now the good point for me is that I have recently retired and so have the luxury of being able to commit myself to the course full time.  I also live reasonably close to the university so can pop in to the library at short notice as and when required.   This is not the case for most of my colleagues, although some do work at the DMU but I am sure their day jobs get in the way.  I am not sure what this prattle is saying other than the course demands hard work and having to keep down a job at the same time adds to the pressures.

Back to the images.  I am not sure whether this is just the time of year/age or the course having an effect but I have noticed that I am starting to look at my photographs differently.   It is far too early to quantify this in any meaningful way but it is something that I feel is happening.  I will have to watch this otherwise I will start to be looking at photographs with the intensity and eloquence of Greg Lucas!

On the trail of Winston

What a morning.   I have spent the time writing up my notes about the image I am researching and have got to strange and bizarre details.   I know that there were 43 flash bulbs used and I have been trying to locate each bulb - now that is really sad!   Anyway, it then struck me - link used flash heads that had multiple bulbs in them  - see previous blog picture of Link and his assistant.    Not sure whether I'll use any of this detail but it is interesting to know - well I think so.  What does that say about me?

O Winston Link and Kite Surfing

(O Winston Link Museum - Property - Do not reuse)

O Winston Link

This man is starting to become imbedded into my psyche at the moment.   He is the photographer that I am researching for my first essay.   Yesterday I spent all the day chasing down facts about the man and his photography.   This was mainly successful - see 21st October blog for details.   Today I am back on his trail.   I will try and find the book previously mentioned but I will also start to research the similarities between Link's images and Norman Rockwell.

On a lighter note I have finally started to work on the kitesurfing  (apologies to kite surfers who I mistakenly called Wind Boarding.   What can I say I got it wrong - sorry.)   I have just posted a new intro image of a kitesurfer on my website.  Over the next few days I hope to develop a new gallery around this fascinating sport.  That is if O Winston Link does not get in the way.   Oh the joys of university life!

Back to the grind stone

After a week end spent taking or is that making photographs? I have the fun of having to get back to the research for the MA course.   Actually it is really quite interesting but just now it seems like hard work - especially as there is a beautiful sunrise outside just calling to me to get out and capture it.   Oh the hardship!