Spiderphoto's Blog

Identity – continued …

spiderphoto — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:07:31 +0000

Evident Self Portrait

Continuing with our exploration of the themes of Identity and Personality, we have been creating some simple self portraits. Discussing the many ways in which our likeness is used in order that we simply be able to navigate our daily lives, we looked into how the word ‘identity’ has taken on an often negative meaning. Images taken of ourselves can be used to mark our progress through the world and life in general holidays, birthdays, academic events, parties, religious occasions etc. However prevalent via Social Networking Sites or hidden away in Mum’s old albums and shoeboxes under beds the world over, how do these images convey any personal, intellectual or spiritual growth ? How well do they illustrate the multifaceted, changeable beings that lay behind those glossy stares, blurred shapes and false smiles ?

Why so serious ?

The Group are exploring the many different ways in which we can by choice, or have our identity changed for us. We have begun by looking at the fact that some of us will always rebel against this and all following apparent attempts at control and how some of us are either happy to go along with the flow – or oblivious in any case ?

Stroboscopic Photography

spiderphoto — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:13:56 +0000

Further to our experimenting with light, the Wirral Group have also been looking into using strobe flash to create multiple exposures. Setting the camera to ‘manual’ mode – selecting a fairly small aperture ( around f8 ) and an exposure time of between 1 and 2 seconds, the trick is to work out how many flashes we’ll get in that time. Setting the flash to ‘manual’ mode and placing it on a separate stand with wireless slave attached, the power output was reduced to 1/16th of full power and between 3 and 5 hz. The self timer was set so as to allow the subject to get into position. Focussing was done with the lights on and then the autofocus was switched off – this is so that, once in the dark, the camera will not ‘hunt’ back and forth attempting to refocus the subject. We played around with our settings until we settled on an exposure of 2 seconds and a cycle of around 5 -6 flashes each time. Much fun and giggling ensued …

Lets face it ...

Painting with Light

spiderphoto — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:09:43 +0000

The Wirral Photography Group, have been having fun lately. They have been experimenting in darkened rooms, bumping about and tracing colourful trails in mid-air ! Using simple objects, they have experimented with exposure times between 2 and 30 seconds, to produce images illuminated via various light emitting tools – such as LED key rings, novelty toys and laser pointers of varying colours. The trick mis to keep the light source moving, at first painting the scene with one colour ( such as green ) and then accentuating this using the smaller pin point light sources ( in red etc ) to create the swirls and trails.

Spider Wirral Photography Group - Painting with Light - Brain Storm.

Click to view slideshow.

Now will soon be Then …

spiderphoto — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:12:18 +0000

Looking into what makes a good story & further, who decides what makes a good story - the Group have been exploring different techniques, such as black & white. Discussing how we might tell a story using a single image, we set about finding a simple narrative with which to convey a happening or occurrence such as a family routine for example …

Exhibition Flyer

We also explored the reasoning behind which stories are chosen to merit archival for the future ? Visiting local exhibitions and looking at the work of other Photographers, we enjoyed the prospect of creating an exhibition of images that tell selected random stories, mini insights into the lives of Group Members – how they see the world and what interests and matters to them …

Hope Street Peeps

spiderphoto — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:08:38 +0000

Working on our Documentary technique, we have begun exploring street photography with our Hope Street Peeps project. Hoping to continue our aim to meet as meany people as possible, we are in the process of creating a simple but important visual archive of everyday stories & everyday people – for the future…

Hope Street Peeps- Why not stop & tell us your story ?

Please visit http//hopestreetpeeps.wordpress.com

Sharp Waters Soft Visions

spiderphoto — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:59:12 +0000

We are all used to seeing the landmarks and well-known areas of our Towns and Cities, we are also well aware of how these places can appear in snapshot form, inside corporate brochures or in Tourist Information. What if we are asked to think about these places when away from them ? If you could draw a picture inside your mind – on the back of your eyelids – what would you scribble. Would this image cut through, pin sharp and precise or would it slowly emerge, a fuzzy and unprocessed negative ?

We may pass the same streets everyday, either on our way to and from work or just whilst going about our daily routines. We will time precisely, the paths we take, knowing that if the bus is running on time, that the view of the River will be perfectly framed as we pass the top of a particular street. We may even sit in the same seat, so as to allow for this synchronous enjoyment each day.

When recreating these images in our minds eye, do we find that often, we begin to mix up familiar features from other scenes ? Do we find ourselves trawling the data banks of the aforementioned “Touristy” pictures that we have on file ? Is this just another form of visual apathy ? Is there still scope for filling these aesthetic gaps with images that make us feel, as well as merely recognise a particular place ?

Please see Gareth’s Gallery here

Who put the id in ID ?

spiderphoto — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 22:16:51 +0000

The face that launched a thousand ifs

Exploring the everyday images we see of ourselves, we discussed the interesting fact, that when photographed by someone else, we are often more at ease than if asked to produce a self-portrait. When photographed by someone else, we can always force a grimace, whether we manage to blink or not. No one wants to be the one ruining the group photo with a face like a wet weekend ! If in complete control of when the shutter is released and so how we choose to pose, why the deep, churning fear ? When in control of the self-portrait process, why do we feel as though we have none ? Is it because when captured by somebody else, we can hide behind the visage that we believe they see, the projected identity or avatar version of the person we think the world sees ?

The innumerable experiences from childhood to adulthood, that shape and form the encoded neural responses, learned and rehearsed over and again. Do we settle for the programming, or are we capable of unlearning the set responses that our faces project ? Muscle memory can be used to rehabilitate people who have suffered trauma, what about people who haven’t ? What if we’ve become so used to the masks we all wear, that we may be in danger of forgetting the inner self ? Is there such a thing ?

We are well aware of the subject of identity theft, it’s just one more item on the “Fear List”. The concept expects us to accept that all we are is a number – doesn’t it ? However, if we don’t accept this, don’t want ID cards as well as to be monitored 24 / 7, everywhere we go - why do we fear it ? If everything about us as individuals is condensed into an unnatractive, clinical out of date picture and a string of letters and digits, then what is it that is in danger of being stolen ?

The prevalence of Social Networking, video game character avatars, augmented and virtual reality technologies, it could be argued, could lead to a collective undoing of individuality. We are already interacting via animated versions of ourselves in dimly, monitor lit rooms. Judging each other based upon personality profiles, status updates and similarly imagined lists of numerically significant “friends”.

Are any of our fears unfounded ? Is it just the natural evolution of communication and language ? One generation just coming to terms with its age, technologically forgotten and unsure of how to feel about this ?

Watch the birdie and say, ” cheese” ……. Please see full Gallery

The Knowledge

spiderphoto — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:04:20 +0000

A steady stream of red trails meander off to my left, intertwining occasionally with the white eyed snake that seems to chase but never catch. There can be no more welcome sight though, than that familiar orange glow. The coachman of old, serving only to safely deposit you at or as close to your door as possible.

Why do we feel as though the cab driver would be interested in our entire life’s experience up until the point of our embarking ? Either this, or we are faced with feeling obliged to say something, anything – ” Been busy mate ?”.

In a City that never sleeps, where people and time move through and carry each other to nowhere in particular, it is these strangely comforting four-wheeled rodents, scuttling about and down all of the rat runs that move the most. Everywhere when you don’t need them, gone from sight when you do.

Please do pay the ferry man, forgive him the “scenic route”, he knows you know the way.

“Are you for Jones mate ?”. “No, Clarkson lad !”.

We may never guess who he had in the back the other day …

View Slideshow

Hope

spiderphoto — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:43:21 +0000

In these uncertain times, what is it that we hope for ? Financial stability, job security our own good health & mental wellbeing perhaps ? When we hope, do we really consider what we are hoping for ? Do we think of others, not just immediate family, but all people – everywhere ? What are the things that give us hope ? Family, friends, faith ?

We all sit down to watch the annual ‘funTV athon’, feel that we have done our bit, however modest, to help those in need. Then we get back to the task of feeling just as unhappy with our own little lot. We live in a society that is relatively affluent, that is to say that most of us do not go without food or somewhere to live and yet, this is often not enough. Why is this ?

Whilst queueing to fill in your next Lottery ticket, the ‘roll over’ already spent in your head, just think for a minute, what it is that you are really hoping for …..

See Gallery Slideshow

Parklife

spiderphoto — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:31:26 +0000

This work sets out to explore the multifaceted experience that is ‘the park’ . What are our shared and yet individual experiences of both this physical and mental space ? Not a cyclical, seasonal study of the urban landscape, but merely a superficial snapshot. A brief visual character interview, as we cut through on our way to the station, the shops, school or home. You may not have visited the park for years, even since you were a child. You will have memories though, no matter how faded, of jumping and laughing, listening to the trees and counting the clouds, of skinned knees and kicking through autumn leaves. Collecting conkers, skimming stones or, hide & seek. Sitting on benches dreaming of lives lived & texting loves lost to whoever will listen. in …. ‘the park’.

See Gallery Slideshow