Learning outcomes - half way through People & Place

As I am about half way through People and Place and nearing completion of assignment three, these are a collection of thoughts on what stands out for me in People & Place so far.

The variety of poses used in portrait photography, sitting, leaning, standing, walking, squatting etc and the way limbs are positioned, hands, twists and turns of the torso, all contribute to the overall impression of the image and also to the message for the viewer, some are suitable for different ages and for varying audiences.

The importance of creating a 'set' of images that fit together, not only in size & shape but also colour casting and white balance, wide/telephoto, thus moving toward a sense of style. Identification of style and thinking of my own and how not to mix up (unless intended).

Talking to people can enrich an image, add depth to what the individual is about, what they are doing, this section has forced me to come out of my comfort zone and talk to people, I'm quite happy to chat to strangers and most of the time the response is good, other than once being shouted at by a man at an antiques fair when I was thinking of taking a photo's of his silver spoons! On the whole, people are very happy for photo's to be taken, especially small businesses who often give me their email address for copies of what I take. I found some situations easier, where the sight of a photographer is the norm compared to, for example, an area of a cathedral reserved for prayer & contemplation, I found the use of a telephoto lens made some situations much easier and more enjoyable, in the 'capturing the moment' section, I found this to be a favorite exercise as it allowed me to be a nosey parker and zoom in to from a distance with my 300mm lens, there was the issue of objects/people moving in front of the lens but peeping outside of the lens helped with this.

When considering light, I am less concerned with obliterating any sight of shadow for a portrait, realising that shadow can be perfectly ok, and actually preferable, soft window light, with gentle shadow cast on one side of the face can add depth to an image and, in some cases, enhancing the character of a face.

The Wide Angle project - what surprised me about these exercises was the effect using a wide angle close to people had, it reminded me of the work of William Klein, his work makes the viewer feel right in the surroundings of the frame. I was inspired by Klein's work and enjoyed trying to create the same feel of image, the wide angle really does place the viewer right in the scene. I enjoyed the technique of holding the camera on the neck strap, about waist level, I found this very comfortable and was pleased with the results, converting them to black and white in a Klein / Bresson style.

Producing a small number of images (assignment 3), forces the focus of the mind on the job, planning and returning to re-shoot can, and often does, result in a better image.

Thinking about spaces, how people use them, if people are in them does it make a difference to the image?I think it depends on the space being photographed, simply having evidence of the room being used by people in some way can be enough, in fact I think the lack of a person but belongings and/or evidence can create more of an impact as the viewer creates their own questions such as photographs of an abandoned building with torn wallpaper, damp walls, peeling paint etc, this can contribute toward creating thought provoking images.