Cold and frosty morning

Playground just before dawn

It was up with the birds this morning.  Well actually, it was an early start and a lot of fumbling in the dark - yes I was out early taking photographs.   Wasn't too cold this morning - perhaps -2c - still enough for ice to form on the tripod though.   Anyway I was out in the local park just trying to capture the brilliant moon lit scene before dawn wiped it out.  Well that was the plan but then came the mist and the whole scene changed.  However, as one opportunity was lost another took its place.  Hopefully, the results will be worth while.

its back to university this morning.  Time to hand in essays and seminar papers.   Hopefully mine will be okay but you never know until they are marked.  Here's hoping!

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.   

Essay put to bed

That is it!  I have decided I am not going to tinker/change this anymore.  It is finished.  I am not going to make any more changes to my essay.  IT IS FINISH.  Only I now that this is not likely to be the end of the matter.  I am sure that the process will have more twists and turns until the damn thing is submitted in January.

Anyway on a more depressing note I am now writing the seminar paper.  As the seminar didn't go that well this is bringing back bad memories.  The good thing is that it is only 800 - 1000 words.  Lets see how long this takes to write.

Essay starting to congeal

I am getting sick of the whole process but I feel that the essay is starting to come together.   This whole process has been painful in many ways but also very interesting.  I just hope the result is worth all the heartache and suffering (still this is much better than working for a living!)

The Editing continues

Well I have redrafted my draft ( actually this is the 15th draft!) and now I will start to edit it.  No doubt it will create even more drafts.   Question - when does a draft become the final document?  I suppose I will find the answer to this over the next few days.

The re-draft of the draft of the submission of the draft

The process has started.  I have started drafting the final submission.  Crewdson is being placed in the essay to provide some 'context'.   This whole process is time consuming and yet very enjoyable.   By chance a couple of weeks ago there was I watched an excellent Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe about how professional writers write and how they use drafts.  In short they redraft and redraft all the time - even when the programme is being recorded!   This was encouraging but it also means that I may well be writing a lot this Christmas break!

Crewdson Returns

I have started to include Gregory Crewdson into my final essay.   It is interesting how your views on images change over time.   By viewing Link's work through Crewdson's prism this does start to throw up new understanding or perhaps more confusion?   Only time will say.

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.

The dreaded cold

Boy I still feel rough.  After spending a wonderful day in London on Thursday last week I came down with an attack of the dreaded lurgy and have felt rough for the past few days.  I  am only just starting to get over it - must be an age thing as my son had a similar thing a week or so back and he was able to get over it in a couple of days.   Anyway, at least I am able to to write a few lines but that is about it.   The most frustrating thing has been the light has been exceptional over the past few days and all I have been able to do is sit and look at it.   Not one picture taken.   Lets hope I am better in a week or so's time as a I get my feedback on my essay.   If the presentation was anything to go by then I am in for a rough ride.   Now where is that Lemsip?

Harvard System of Referencing

I have just spent the past two hours trying to make my draft essay comply with the Harvard System of Referencing. This is the most frustrating thing I have done in a while! I am sure when you get use to the system it makes more sense but at the moment I am having difficulty understanding why this is the prefered methodology. I don't want to be too critical as I don't understand all the nuances but it goes make me shake my head with disbelief. Perhaps in a couple of weeks time it maye make more sense.

The draft is now complete. I have my seminar presentation tomorrow and then we hand in the draft. We should get them back by the 17th December. Then no doubt there will be some series redrafting to be undertaken! What a wonderful Christmas that will be.

Crewdson is no more

The creative process strikes.  Gregory Crewdson is no more!   Actually what it means is that as a result of the feedback I have reconsidered the essay and decided to concentrate on Winston Link.   As soon as I did this the essay started to take a much better shape and I have been able to make better use of the space available. 

Feedback

Had a tutorial yesterday and as usual it made me think.   I am in the process of writing my essay.  Now 3000 word is not the problem.  The problem is making the words cogent and fitting together so that the result works.   Anyway, the tutorial.   This has helped me junk a whole section of the essay, the one comparing Winston Link's work with David Shepherd.   Perhaps not the immediate comparison that might spring to mind but one that I thought had validity.   What I was looking for was a way of examining the meticulous prep that Link did when photographing steam engines.  Shepherd on the other hand didn't.  This wasn't due to any slovenly approach on his part but rather pressure of work and a realisiation that steam engines were disappearing fast.  

Having discussed this with Paul Hill, well argued it with him, I have decided to ditch this section.   First he is probably right, although I am not totally convinced yet it could not have been a valid point.  Second, it gives me some extra space to rework some of the original ideas.  By ditching the Shepherd section I saved 500 words.   Always very useful to have when writing. 

Having discussed this with other members of the course it is clear that we are all slogging through this process.   None of us are enjoying the actual writing but I think we are all gaining new insights from having to undertake this.    However, I am itching to start the real work of talking photographs,  after spending the last few weeks just sitting and listening to other photographers talk about their experiences I just want to get stuck into a practical module.  Still, I need to concentrate on the task in hand and get this essay finish.

1697 Words

The essay writing has started in ernest.   1697 words written yesterday.  However, these will not last the editing and reediting that will take place over the next few weeks.  It just felt good to start the process.

In the beginning there was the word..

Red Deer Rut

The authors of the the King James' really knew what they were taking about.  Of course, they were translating the greek text of the bible into English  but nonetheless they were true.  In the beginning there is the word.

This is how I feel at the moment.  I need to find the word or to be more precise 3000 words.   I have started the essay writing process and like many creative processes it is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.   The problem is finding the first portion of that 10%.   I can provide the perspiration just were is the inspiration?

In truth I have just written 700 words of my first draft.  Actually, this is incorrect.   This isn't my first draft but rather the first words put down on paper to get me started.  I will be very surprised if any see the light of day beyond the start doc v0.2.  But you have start somewhere and this is where I have started.   

Having too much information is as much of a curse as too little.   How do you edit out the chaff so that you only include the wheat?   Time will tell if I am successful in this particular endeavour.   

Still its better than working for a living (Thats 33 years of experience talking!)   Now if I could only find that word...

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