Last Saturday was another great day for me and the Streetlighters. I pulled myself out of bed after a late night at the pub, dressed in some nice clothing to be presentable to the general public. The Caravan Gallery travels the country taking pictures of people and cities as they are.
The Streetlighter's work was the first to be exhibited in the caravan not belonging to Jan or her partner. The set up was simple, with our names and a quotation penciled in beside the pictures. My quotation was 'I've never seen that before, but I see it in a completely new way'. A classic Lyndaism.
I was on a real high all day, giving ukulele performances to the delight of Isaac (and not so much delight to one of the course leaders). Total strangers and friends of the Streetlighters all visited and made comments on the work, sometimes leaving comments in the comments book. I had a really encouraging comment from a professional artist that I should keep exploring some of the themes my work touched upon, that the perspectives of the photographs completely transformed the space you are looking at. The light reflecting off street signs was another theme she thought I could follow. She hoped I would keep going, investing my dole money in disposables.
I never thought I would get a reaction like that, I was very flattered. The most commented on of my pictures was the reflection of trees in the puddle on Frensham Road. I toyed with the idea of doing a project just devoted to reflections on water. An idea for the future, perhaps.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The Last Streetlight
The excitement leading up to the exhibit at the Food Festival has distracted me from the duty that is keeping up the streetlight blog. The last few sessions have really been focusing down on what we want people to see. I'll admit today's Streetlight was tough. We took our pictures down to Southsea Common to make our final selection for this Friday's exhibit. Daniel put me through my paces teaching me the differences between detail shots and abstractions. I had to dismantle my great 'shape' construction, because there was no meaning to it, and did not interest him visually (he can be a hard task master).
I gave over to advise, and trusted that the course leaders knew what they were talking about in the hope I will pick up a bit of that 'skill' of knowing what to look for in photographs. I odn't know if I ended up with something I was proud of, but I did learn something.
Finally we returned to Friendship House and chatted about the end of the course and what we might do next. It is sad to come to the end of the eight weeks, and I feel I've come a long way in not only my understanding of photography (of which I knew nothing) but of myself (which I migiht have known something about). I feel a lot better about myself for having created something and having that creation displayed, even if it is not outstanding at the moment. My first tentitive steps into a new chapter of my life.
I gave over to advise, and trusted that the course leaders knew what they were talking about in the hope I will pick up a bit of that 'skill' of knowing what to look for in photographs. I odn't know if I ended up with something I was proud of, but I did learn something.
Finally we returned to Friendship House and chatted about the end of the course and what we might do next. It is sad to come to the end of the eight weeks, and I feel I've come a long way in not only my understanding of photography (of which I knew nothing) but of myself (which I migiht have known something about). I feel a lot better about myself for having created something and having that creation displayed, even if it is not outstanding at the moment. My first tentitive steps into a new chapter of my life.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Philosphy of a Camera
Tonight's Streetlight turned out to be very reflective and inspirational. We've been taking these pictures for a few weeks now, and I admit to not being sold on my own outcomes, to envying the work of others.
Steve and Jan, our light in this darkness, encouraged us to take our pictures from last week, and start to put together a theme. To explain why we were taking the pictures we were taking. I will admit to finding an explanation hard, with the undeniable urge to retake all my pictures and make them about something.
The cruelest thing Steve and Jan asked us to do, was to take away all of the pictures apart from three. These pictures had to represent 'our work', work that we would be proud of and have confidence in. Again I found this tough, wanting to curse Steve and Jan, but by the end of the evening I appreciated the point of the exercise.
After picking three photographs we had to write about our theme, why we had taken these pictures. The introduction of the written word the mass of random photos on the indisctint theme of journey's strange thoughts on the philosophy of what I'd been doing, perhaps even insight into the psychological/subconscious influences on my choice of theme.
Steve and Jan, our light in this darkness, encouraged us to take our pictures from last week, and start to put together a theme. To explain why we were taking the pictures we were taking. I will admit to finding an explanation hard, with the undeniable urge to retake all my pictures and make them about something.
The cruelest thing Steve and Jan asked us to do, was to take away all of the pictures apart from three. These pictures had to represent 'our work', work that we would be proud of and have confidence in. Again I found this tough, wanting to curse Steve and Jan, but by the end of the evening I appreciated the point of the exercise.
After picking three photographs we had to write about our theme, why we had taken these pictures. The introduction of the written word the mass of random photos on the indisctint theme of journey's strange thoughts on the philosophy of what I'd been doing, perhaps even insight into the psychological/subconscious influences on my choice of theme.
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