Please find attached your feedback for assignment one.
Please read through it all carefully as first impressions and speed reading
usually means that you could miss something important.
I am looking forward to see ing new work and will be
catching up on all the blogs this afternoon.
All the best
dave
PDF filed as Documents/Personal/OCA/mike_harris_Ass_1.pdf
Open College of the Arts
Tutor report
Student name Michael Keith Harris Student number 510286
Course/Module Photography 1: Art of Photography Assignment number one
Overall Comments
This submission reveals that you have gained proficiency in using your
camera to achieve what should be correct exposure to record imagery at a
quality level.
This first assignment is not assessed or graded. It is intended to give us
some idea of your acquisition of skills and how you are progressing
towards meeting the criteria for assessment. It will enable me to identify
your strengths and help you address any weaknesses.
The book was an interesting choice of media for presentation. It required
you to select images which display the contrasts on opposite pages without
the distraction of loose prints. This had both advantages and disadvantages
which I will comment on later.
You begin the book with an additional segment: then and now, where you
have carefully captured an image to mirror the period original almost exactly.
This reveals a meticulous edge to your practice that is also reflected in the
subject matter and style of the imagery. This also illustrates that you are
willing to take those extra steps to add “value” to your practice. All of these
are sound traits but you might find that this approach could be restrictive in
some projects and in developing your own creative style and identity, so do
be aware of this as you journey through the course.
Assessment potential (after Assignment 1)
You may want to get credit for your hard work and achievements with the
OCA by formally submitting your work for assessment at the end of the
module. More and more people are taking the idea of lifelong learning
seriously by submitting their work for assessment but it is entirely up to you.
We are just as keen to support you whether you study for pleasure or to gain
qualifications. Please consider whether you want to put your work forward for
assessment and let me know your decision when you submit Assignment 2. I
can then give you feedback on how well your work meets the assessment
requirements."
Feedback on assignment (Demonstration of Technical and Visual Skills, Quality of
Outcome, Demonstration of Creativity)
(Demonstration of Technical and Visual Skills, Quality of
Outcome, Demonstration of Creativity)
You chose not to extract imagery from the exercises as the starting point for
the assignment and submitted imagery from a separate shoot to illustrate
the themes of the assignment (“contrasts”).
This has produced a range of content and perspectives on an interesting
building. You use photography to inform and record which provides purpose
and helps to validate the project.
Despite going out of your way to “add value” as I mentioned earlier, the
submission exhibits extremes-from considered capture (as in the front
cover) to what appears to be a little slapdash and less considered imagery,
e.g: “opaque” and “small” where correct exposure is questionable.
This first part of the course was about ensuring the crucial elements of
capture were forefront in the mind, so low light really demanded the use of a
tripod to allow for slower shutter speeds; there are-after all – no moving
elements in the imagery. Watch out for this in the future. In a highly volatile
situation “image quality” is of less importance, but not in this type of subject
matter. Where light was high in intensity as in the quirky “chair” images you
have good sharp capture and high fidelity colour and these simple
compositions are among the best in the submission for me. The light and
dark comparison however, is perhaps out of place here. If you half close
your eyes you will see that the tonality is roughly the same. You will explore
more about colour and tone later in the course. It is quite a fascinating
subject.
Overall of the images submitted demonstrate all of the criteria for technical
and visual skills, but some other criteria for assessment (see below) are
clearly less considered. You will need to find some consistency in your
submissions. Surprisingly, this is at odds with the quality of work exhibited
in your blog. This exhibits strong image composition and consistency in
quality (at least on screen).
The book is a growing media for the dissemination of imagery and a valued
resource (even investment) in photographic practice. I liked the fact that you
used this for the submission, but it doesn’t allow me to see the quality of the
imagery in both capture and output. Much of the poorer image quality in the
book could be down to reproduction so I have no concerns about this at the
moment. The front page image for instance is very high in contrast and
important highlight detail is bleached out. For the future, you would be best
to submit prints and original images on disc (with metadata) to enable me
to provide you with sound technical guidance. Book layout and design is
also critical to ensuring your work is seen at its best, but this is for the future
also. Look closely at some recent photography books to see how images
and text work together. Avoid templates if possible as these are usually
poorly contrived.
Overall I think this submission indicates some sound knowledge and skills
which go some way to meeting the assessment criteria for future
submissions. With careful consideration to all of the elements in all of the
images submitted you should be able to progress convincingly. I do think
this submission also reveals some frustration at having to undertake the
exercises, and this frustration manifests itself in a submission, which to me,
is well below your capabilities.
indicates some sound knowledge and skills
which go some way to meeting the assessment criteria for future
submissions. With careful consideration to all of the elements in all of the
images submitted you should be able to progress convincingly. I do think
this submission also reveals some frustration at having to undertake the
exercises, and this frustration manifests itself in a submission, which to me,
is well below your capabilities.
Sketchbooks Demonstration of Technical and Visual Skills, Quality of Outcome,
Demonstration of Creativity
Your blog as mentioned earlier, is very different in quality compared with this
submission. You might easily have sampled work from this as the starting
point for this assignment. So a little bit of poor judgement there perhaps.
What is missing at the moment (as far as I can determine from the blog) is
any notion of empirical research from reading and exhibition visits. This is
essential underpinning for degree study, which is your intention. This needs
to be the key aspect of your learning plan for the next stage of development.
Learning Logs/Critical essays Context
Use your blog to reflect on your intentions, successes and failures. If you
relate your experiences and reading to what you are achieving, or
developing new directions, you will begin to place your practice in a wider
context. It is time to move out of your safety zone.
Suggested reading/viewing Context
You live in Leeds so have easy access to The National Media Museum and
Impressions Gallery. In this respect you are most fortunate so do make
good use of these opportunities.
I think I mentioned already that you should have a look at Charlotte Cotton’s
book on the reading list as a starting point.
Pointers for the next assignment
There is much to commend in your practice evidenced on your blog, so I
have no real concerns about your ability to capture quality imagery, exhibiting
a strong personal style and quality. The assignment didn’t quite match this
potential on this occasion but doesn’t pose a threat to your progression.
Wider visual research through the literature and exhibition visits will help to
inform a creative mind which is stretching at the seams at the moment.
I would leave the book for submissions later in the course, which would
benefit most from the format. I hope that your next assignment will be as
visually exciting and consistent as the work I can see on the blog.
Tutor name: DAVID KINNEY
Date 9th June 2012
Next assignment
due
TBA
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