Assignment 5 – Applying the Techniques of illustration and narrative

What: The brief of this assignment was to show the command of illustration and narrative by producing a magazine cover and article
Where: Final Location – The Botanic Garden in Edinburgh
When:  Single Day – Just after the storms had finished on the east coast of Scotland.
How: First of all I made sure that I fully understood the brief of the Assignment by rereading the text. The then thought about what kind of article and images I wanted to produce, I spent a few days on line at the National Library of Congress of America looking at scanned copies of books by Edward S Curtis on Native Americans ^[1], Ansel Adams books and images of Americans of Japanese descent who were interred in America during World War 2 ^[2], I also looked at scanned images and articles at theAtlanic.com ^[3] and two articles on Military Working Dogs at foreignpolicy.com ^[4].

Looking at these gave me a few ideas to work on and also a lot to think about regarding the producing of images and how these photographers had an influence on me.

I had originally gone to the garden to do a social documentary comparing the botanic garden and the council owned park right next to it, as they are vastly different to each other. However I did not like the images that I produced of the park and I could not get a good comparison of the two locations. I then decided to document the Botanic garden as a location of interest as it an unusual place located in the heart of the city; again I had problems not only due to the fact that some of the gardens facilities were either closed or not working and also due to the fact that due to my limited mobility I could not get to all the locations within the Botanic Garden.

I then went round the garden again and noted the many differences in the buildings dotted around the location, I then decided to work on the idea of the evolution of the garden as it moved into the 21^st century very much like the National Museum had done when it reopened a month earlier.

I was surprised to find when I started to dig, how much the garden had changed and evolved just at this location.

The evolution of the botanic garden

D80,Aperture f/13, Shutter Speed 1/90 sec, ISO 640, 70mm (35mm equivalent 105mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 18-70mm lens

In 1834 the tropical palm house which is now the smaller palm house was constructed to house a number of tropical palm trees; each of which has been culled when it reaches the roof of the palm house to make way for the smaller trees. Sections of previous palm trees are kept just outside the entrance of the palm house for the public to examine.

D80,Aperture f/13, Shutter Speed 1/125 sec, ISO 640, 18mm (35mm equivalent 27mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 18-70mm lens

In 1858 the temperate plam house was constructed beside the tropical palm house  to contain temperate palm trees and is to date the tallest in Britain.

D80,Aperture f/19, Shutter Speed 1/180 sec, ISO 640, 27mm (35mm equivalent 40mm),Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 18-70mm lens

Part of the redesign was to reuse to original stone benches which now use temporary displays of flowering plants which would normally be kept out of public view in the research and support areas.

Here a pale rose is nestled amongst a collection of citrus plants all of which are sheltered in the shadow of a large palm tree. 

D80,Aperture f/13, Shutter Speed 1/90 sec, ISO 640, 52mm (35mm equivalent 78mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 18-70mm lens

The temperate palm house is now under maintenance to keep it in good condition. Glass that was broken in the recent storms is being removed by hand before being replaced with identical glass which is becoming harder to source.

D80,Aperture f/6.7, Shutter Speed 1/1500 sec, ISO 640, 34mm (35mm equivalent 51mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 18-70mm lens



In 1960s it was recognised that the original Victorian palm houses were in poor condition. It was decided that they should be restored to good condition and that 10 new glasshouses were to be built completed linking all the houses together. In 1967 this was completed and the new houses held a collection of plants in different environmental conditions.

D80,Aperture f/4 , Shutter Speed 1/750 sec, ISO 640, 18mm (35mm equivalent 27mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 18-70mm lens

The radical design of these new glasshouses allows for maximum internal area as the entire structure is supported on the outside.
D80,Aperture f/6.7 , Shutter Speed 1/2000 sec, ISO 640, 105mm (35mm equivalent 157mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 105mm lens



The main elevation  the new glasshouses is called the Front range providing visitors with a pleasant, quiet space. The planting and is regularly rotated to provide continuing interest.

D80,Aperture f/6.7 , Shutter Speed 1/3000 sec, ISO 640, 105mm (35mm equivalent 157mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 105mm lens

In 1876 the gardens acquired the area surrounding Inverleith house. This was at first used as a home for the regius keeper and his family.

D80,Aperture f/19 , Shutter Speed 1/180 sec, ISO 640, 27mm (35mm equivalent 40mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 18-70mm lens

It also has undergone several incarnations and between 1960 and 1984 was the founding house of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. It is now an internationally recognised art gallery and it houses a continuous rolling programme of temporary exhibitions.

The landscape surrounding Inverleith house has been reworked and landscaped to create a view looking south out towards the rest of the city silhouetting the castle, St Giles and St Andrews Square.

D40X Converted to IR, Aperture f/9 , Shutter Speed 1/1600 sec, ISO 800, 35mm (35mm equivalent 52mm), Pattern Metering Mode, CustomWhite Balance, Hand Held, 18-70mm lens



The garden itself which has now grown to an 80 acre site is constantly monitored by the staff and researchers to ascertain the condition of the plants, from pine trees to alpines. The horticulture staff maintains the garden to ensure the plants are in good condition

D80,Aperture f/6.7 , Shutter Speed 1/4000 sec, ISO 1000, 105mm (35mm equivalent 157mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 105mm lens

In the last five years the garden has undertaken another evolution when the west gate buildings were cleared and the construction of a new entranceway was started. The John Hope gateway was opened in 2009 not only as the new main entrance for the public, The building also houses other facilities including an improved Shop, education room, a Real Life Science Studio, permanent and temporary exhibitions, interactive media, plant sales and Gateway Restaurant

The gateway was named after Professor John Hope regius keeper of the garden from 1761 to 1786 who was responsible for unifying the differentiates sites into the first botanic garden at its original site on Leith walk.
D80,Aperture f/22, Shutter Speed 1/45 sec, ISO 1000, 15mm (35mm equivalent 22mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 11-16mm lens

Summary

It was a bit of a problem to begin with as at the start none of my original ideas worked out or when I went to scout locations they images I had planned to take just did not work out. I was pleased to find that I just did not start banging off with the camera taking hundreds of images in the hope that I would get something workable. I took my time and planned and replanned on the day when things did not work using the original plan as a structure to work from.

References

1.       http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/coll/067_curt.html

2.       http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/coll/109_anse.html

3.       http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/ww2.html

4.       www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/05/04/war_dog

Taking time

While looking over the coursework for part 5 of the course I decided that I would take two weeks annual leave from work and just apply myself to the coursework dedicating myself to the course completely. At first I did not think that this was going to work and that I would be left at the end with a lot of Assignment 5 to do. Happily however I can state that on the very last day of the two weeks annual leave that I have managed to complete the coursework in a steady state without rushing or making compromises to the work I produced. 

Exercise 47 - Rain

What: The brief of this exercise was to show the understanding of illustration by producing an original image for a magazine cover which demonstrates the subject of rain
Where: In the house
When: During the two days of storms
How: First of all I had to do was to reference some book and magazine covers and get an idea of what to avoid when coming up the subject of rain.

At first I wanted to produce an image of someone walking across the road at a set of crossroads where I could capture the silhouetted figure under an umbrella while the rain socked building could be seen going off into the distance using the perspective from the crossroads. However as the wind was so strong I could not find a position in my chosen location where I would not be buffeted by the wind and where I could catch someone using an umbrella, it appeared that umbrellas were not in use due to the very high winds.

I then thought about shooting out of a first flooe window into the dark night, placing a remotely fired flash on the ground floor below. I believed that the rain drops would be light up from below with the flash and this would produce a nicely light image of the rain. However the flash I am using has developed a fault and would not trigger correctly or produce a flash of the correct intensity. SO I had to rethink the idea again.

While at home I remembered an image I had taken a long time ago which had received some good reactions from friends and relatives. I then tracked down the original file and decided that I would like to use the concept to produce a new image

The original image produced in 2005 using one of my first proper point and shoot digital cameras.


I waited during the stormy days until there was a moment when it was not too dark and that the rain was light enough not just to streak down the window. I then just shot a few frames in different directions out through the glass until I was happy with the background of the image.

D80,Aperture f/22, Shutter Speed 1/3000 sec, ISO 3200, 105mm (35mm equivalent 157mm),Centre Weight Metering Mode, Cloud White Balance, Hand Held, 105mm lens



I used cloud white Balance rather than shade as I could not get the right colour representation from either shade or auto white balance.

I then gave the image a title to look like a magazine cover and then a couple of lines of text as you would normally get on a cover.

What I learned

I learned from this exercise that sometimes a plan just does not work out and that you have to be flexible with your ideas. I quite enjoyed the exercise as it was a task where I had to exercise my imagination and come up with some concepts and the second part was the exercise in producing and photograph to a set specification.

Exercise 46 - Juxtaposition

What: The brief of this exercise was to show the understanding of illustration and an understanding of illustration by juxtaposition by producing an original image either a still life or a larger scale shot.Where: In the house
When: During the afternoon
How: First of all I had to do was to reference some book and magazine covers and get an idea of what to avoid when coming up the image concept. I then decided to do a book cover

I went with a murder mystery novel as I thought the concept would be a good challenge as there are a vast number of murder mystery novels and they all have different covers all trying to avoid the same cliché potholes.

My book cover I decided on is for Agatha Christies Murder is Easy; I then sat with paper and pencil and scribbled rough drawings and thoughts until I had formed and idea or two. I then refined the ideas down into a workable format.

I worked on the idea that if murder was easy then a child could do it, I then played with ideas such as child blocks or a lego gun, before deciding on a simple design of cut out people in a chain and one of them being murdered with a pair of scissors as simply we teach children to use scissors quite quickly.

D80,Aperture f/3.5, Shutter Speed 1/125 sec, ISO 400, 18mm (35mm equivalent 27mm),Pattern Weight Metering Mode, Flash White Balance, Hand Held, 18-55mm lens



What I learned

I learned from this exercise that is can take some experimentation and practice to demonstrate abstract ideas through illustration; however once the concept has been developed and it can be demonstrated.
I was unfamiliar with the concept of using illustration of portraying ideas, but I now understand the concept and also the concept of symbolism and the requirement to find the right symbol for the illustration of a subject or idea.

Exercise 45 - Symbols

What: The brief of this exercise was to demonstrate an understanding of symbols and symbolism which could be used to illustrate a concepts.
Where: Everywhere – I have been thinking about this a lot
When: All day
How: First of all I had to do was to jot down some notes on what I thought would be a suitable list symbols for the following concepts avoiding clichés

Growth – Building being raised indicating financial growth. A sapling or field of shoots indicating the start of botanical growth. A macro photograph of a shoot as it just bursts through the soil.

Excess – Glasshouse crammed full with a giant banana tree.

A large display of different coloured sweets and chocolates, something like the old fashioned sweetshop displays or on a market stall.

Collection of expensive cars together with their owner.

Crime – Especially after the recent events in London, broken windows come to mind. Vandalism, mugging, fighting in the streets.

Stacks on money beside bags of white powder.

A gun with some bullets beside it, a smoking gun?

Silence – A Victorian statue on a gravestone – statue looking downward in sorrow. These are usually found on children’s  graves or on war graves.

I did think about a hand or finger over the mouth, but I am concerned that could now be a cliché, it certainly was the first thing to spring to mind.

Poverty – First thing that comes to mind in the slums of Glasgow, so I thought about a poor child in the street.

A beggar stilling outside a large chain store or chain restaurant.

I found this quite a provoking exercise as it allowed me to exercise my mind allowing me to think up, note and sometime discard symbols for the concepts. I enjoyed this exercise as it did allow me the freedom to exercise my mind although it was at times difficult to decide if an symbol I had thought of was a cliché or not.

Exercise 44 – Evidence of Action

What: The brief of this exercise was to show the command of illustration by producing an image where something has happened. I took the exercise suggestion of something which had been emptied.
Where: In the house
When: During the afternoon
How: First of all I had to do was to jot down some ideas; at first I had been struck by the exercise suggestion of showing something which was broken, but after looking at what I had to hand which was just glasses and bowls, I could not come up with a good composition which I liked. It was while sitting at a friend’s 40th party that I observed someone clearing up a stack of empty beer bottles, I then re-examined the course notes and decided to change to the example of showing something as being emptied.

Since I do not drink beer and I was not going to procure a dozen bottles to pour down the sink, I examined a cupboard in the house where I stick empty bottles until we have enough to take to the bottle bank. In there were a couple of empty bourbon bottles including one limited edition bottle.

I remembered that the notes had mentioned advertising as an example of dealing with abstract ideas and I decided that I wanted to produce a single image showing several empty bottles of bourbon.

I then setup a light tent, correctly this time around, and after sorting out the background I experimented with different light setups until I got the shot that I wanted.
D80,Aperture f/4.8, Shutter Speed 1/60 sec, ISO 640, 48mm (35mm equivalent 72mm),Pattern Weight Metering Mode, Flash White Balance, Tripod Mounted, 18-70mm lens



What I learned

I learned from this exercise that is can take some experimentation and practice to demonstrate abstract ideas through illustration; however once the concept has been developed and it can be demonstrated.
I was unfamiliar with the concept of using illustration of portraying ideas, but I now understand the concept and also the concept of symbolism and the requirement to find the right symbol for the illustration of a subject or idea.

Exercise 43 – Narrative and Storytelling

What: The brief of this exercise was to show the command of narrative and storytelling by producing a number of photographs which could be used to illustrate an event or sequence.
Where: Edinburgh
When: Last Night of the Festival
How: First of all I had to do was to jot down some notes on what I wanted to capture on the day,

The crowd – This is a well attended event every year
The picnics
The fireworks
The castle
The Ending fireworks – usually the biggest burst of the night.

I also had to procure the tickets so that I would be in the position that I wanted. I had decided on where I wanted to be, but in a event like this you cannot always book a position on the ground so I arrived early to that I could get a good position on the East side of the castle. I wanted the East side as I had seen the weather reports for the day and they said that the wind was going to be blowing inland to the west of the city.

Festival Fireworks Edinburgh 4th September 2011-09-06

D80,Aperture f/16, Shutter Speed 30 sec, ISO 100, 29mm (35mm equivalent 43mm),Centre Weight Metering Mode, Manual White Balance set to 4000K, Tripod Mounted, 18-70mm lens



The traditional firework display and concert marks the formal end to the Edinburgh Festival, the concert and fireworks on the last Sunday of the festival take place on Edinburgh castle overlooking Princess Street and the gardens below.

D50,Aperture f/9.5, Shutter Speed 1/8 sec, ISO 1600, 40mm (35mm equivalent 60mm),Pattern Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 18-70mm lens


The event attracts a large audience who sit below in the Gardens and watch the display of 10,000 fireworks in the night, while the Scottish chamber orchestra play a series of classic pieces matched to the display.

D50,Aperture f9.5, Shutter Speed 1/10 sec, ISO 1600, 18mm (35mm equivalent 27mm),Pattern  Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance,Hand Held, 18-70mm lens



People arrive up to two hours before the concert many of them sitting on the grass banks and enjoying a quiet picnic; many were setting up cameras to capture the event.

D50,Aperture f/9.5, Shutter Speed 1/15 sec, ISO 1600, 52mm (35mm equivalent 78mm),Pattern  Metering Mode, Daylight White Balance, Hand Held, 18-70mm lens



As the sun sets, the castle which is usually light up is silhouetted against the sky

D80,Aperture f/16, Shutter Speed 8 sec, ISO 100, 14mm (35mm equivalent 21mm),Matrix Metering Mode, Manual White Balance set to 4000K, Tripod Mounted, 11-16mm lens




A flare is fired into the sky to test the wind speed and direction to ensure that the wind speed will not cause the fireworks to go out of control and drop into the crowds below.


D80,Aperture f/16, Shutter Speed 30 sec, ISO 100, 29mm (35mm equivalent 43mm),Centre Weight Metering Mode, Manual White Balance set to 4000K, Tripod Mounted, 18-70mm lens


As the dark draws in the audience settle for the performance, and the lights are dimmed around the garden to allow the best view.


D50,Aperture f/11, Shutter Speed 2 sec, ISO 200, 55mm (35mm equivalent 88mm), Pattern Metering Mode, Shade White Balance, Hand Held, 55-200mm lens



The concert and as the orchestra plays the overture to Glinkas “Ruslan and Ludmilla” fireworks stream from the castle into the night sky.

D80,Aperture f/16, Shutter Speed 30 sec, ISO 100, 29mm (35mm equivalent 43mm),Centre Weight Metering Mode, Manual White Balance set to 4000K, Tripod Mounted, 18-70mm lens


Following Glinka, Borodins “In the steppes of Central asia” is played as the fireworks light the sky in colourful inspiration of the orient.

D80,Aperture f/16, Shutter Speed 30 sec, ISO 100, 29mm (35mm equivalent 43mm),Centre Weight Metering Mode, Manual White Balance set to 4000K, Tripod Mounted, 18-70mm lens


As the concert progresses through the harmonies, melodies and rhythms of each piece of music the audience are dazzled by the pyrotechnics.

D50,Aperture f/11, Shutter Speed 8 sec, ISO 200, 55mm (35mm equivalent 82mm),Pattern Metering Mode, Manual White Balance, Hand Held, 55-200mm lens


As the concert draws to an end and the castle is lost from view in the cordite smoke, the finale of “oriental procession” from Sibelius’ Belshazzars feast the night sky is almost brought back to its’ daylight colours by the final burst of fireworks

 D80,Aperture f/16, Shutter Speed 30 sec, ISO 100, 18mm (35mm equivalent 27mm),Centre Weight Metering Mode, Manual White Balance set to 4000K, Tripod Mounted, 18-70mm lens


What I learned

First thing I learned from this is that I am not very good at writing narrative due to my dyslexia.

Planning is required for a photography essay in this style, unless you happen to come across a sequence of events like Robert Lebeck did at Leopoldville where he managed to capture a sequence of images showing a young man stealing the ceremonial dagger from King Baudouin, then planning has to be done. Otherwise you just miss the scenes you want to photograph and you end up just shooting and hoping that you will capture something.

I also did some reading up on fireworks photography before the event to see if there was anu goood guidance on white balance. I did come across one site which recommended setting the white balance to 4000K as this give the best representation of the colours. I did this and I have to agree that it does give a good representation.

I also learned that after the photographs have been taken; that they can be juggled around to make them out of sequence which can make for a more visual narrative. I have noticed that in some magazines that they start start an essay with a different photograph out of sequence and then they will follow with the others in as rear a sequence as the story will allow.