The week 4 activity was to “to rediscover why you love to take photographs. Review your earliest work and reflect: What do you see in it? Can you find a theme that connects it to the work you make today? What do you like and dislike about the early work? What was it about these photographs that made you want to be a photographer?”(Flex.falmouth.ac.uk, 2017)
Figure 1: Sutherst. Reflections on a Snowy Day. 2000
The above image is one of the earliest I could easily put my hands on. It was taken on a freezing cold snowy day in 2000. I remember my husband trying to drive his car on the snowy, untreated roads. The snow was deep. Having just moved to the are, we were keen to visit places in the snow. We finally made it into the Forest of Dean where I took this shot. I used my Bronica ETRS with a 75mm lens to capture this. The image was shot on Ilford XP2 Super 400 film.
Despite what you may be thinking, I am not a nerd for remembering all these details. I was so chuffed with the shot that I entered it for a competition and the details are written on the back of the image. I didn’t win, but still loved the shot.
There has been some discolouration (as seen in figure 1), as the image has been in my living room on a shelf since it was returned to me.
To answer the questions proposed:
What do you see in it?
When I look at the image, I see potential and enthusiasm to create interesting shots. I remember taking ages to find the right location. I still have the drive that I had then.
Can you find a theme that connects it to the work you make today?
This image is quite disconnected from my main practice. Today, I predominantly shoot portraits and horses. However, it is quite similar to some of my iPhone images that I shoot for Instagram and other social media sites.
What do you like and dislike about the early work?
I like the monochrome of the image (and I also quite like the discolouration). The composition is ok, not perfect. I was more interested in recording scenes rather than telling stories about the scenes. This is where I have developed the most. I dislike (bit of a strong word really) that there is no central or dominant subject in the image.
What was it about this photograph that made you want to be a photographer?
I have taken photographs since I was around 8. This photograph was taken during a period where I was experimenting with different cameras. I have continued to experiment in my practice. It is the ability to produce images that can be treasured and evoke memories from the past that drove me as a photographer at that point.
REFERENCE
Flex.falmouth.ac.uk. (2017). Log in to canvas. [online] Available at: https://flex.falmouth.ac.uk/courses/84/discussion_topics/2797 [Accessed 15 Oct. 2017].
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