Professional Practice

In his third year he was influenced by his concern on deforestation 

Focused on Bateria 

First time he stepped away from camera 

The circles are meant to represent landscapes 

He allowed the petri dish and seeds to self sustain themselves then pulled them out like us destroying the forests

After third year he took a break from images and went to a rainforest as a personal, emotional experience 

He then worked around doing retail jobs and freelance until he started a internship Karst doing a curator role - got into Karst through a callout, was a simple CV application, put his ‘stake in the ground’

Karst does technical and admin internships 

Working at Karst helped him ground himself - as an intern his was at Karst for six months

Exeter Phoenix got in contact with him about presenting in the cafe - wall space was too big for what he had so he had to revisit his project even though he thought it had finished 

Artifacts became rectangular to represent the landscape more - due to the material being bigger it allowed the artifact to be disfigured which caused some parts to be in focus and others not - alongside this he grew a physical landscape 

He's old circular artifacts from petri dishes were presented to see if people would take care of them the same way we should take care of the rainforest - incorporated line graph design of deforestation into presentation 

After this switched over to freelance and working over creating

Industry:

The power of social media - he was contacted by a banking company to come on a shoot with a speed skating team 

He also did contemporary dance photography - collaborated with dancers and university students - moved into music videos 

Freelance work - worked on a film by le moon productions based in Exeter 

Personal project that he started at the end of last year - started off organically, he has a huge interest in games, watched a lot of people playing games as he didn’t have a lot of time to play them himself, was interested in strong story and cinematic games, post apocalyptic settings - Brett was drawn to the landscapes of the games, their cinematic value 

Brett went out and emulated the games aesthetics - was just interested in so just went for it 

Landscape photography - old army training grounds, continued with the emulation of the lush greenery of a game, had a blair witch project feel - in this shot he had thoughts around deforestation 

Began to look at the untouched landscape - how would nature react to the sudden departure of human beings 

Actively took images of landscapes that looked like they hadn't been touched - a beautiful landscape but depressing to look at , a sublime landscape and turning it ugly, a depiction of death juxtaposed with a beautiful landscape 

Considers shooting as primary research 

He edited the images by bringing out all of the colours to make it ‘beautiful’ then brought the saturation right down to represent his narrative 

Texture drives the way he takes images - is minimalistic and symbolic 

Vast landscapes so people aren’t visible - how small we are

Started putting landscapes on phone app to put a white border around it 

Then took white paper and mud to create a muddy background to go behind the images which was then scanned in - to represent the image belongs to the landscape

‘Ripped apart landscape’ - wasn’t done with scissors 

Using app ‘ Inframe’ to fit them in instagram

Lockdown project - using mirrors in garden to make it appear bigger

https://www.instagram.com/brettlphotography/

Link: http://mariabarhamblack.co.uk/

When creating my website I wanted to challenge myself as a creative to learn a valuable new skill and that's what I did by creating my own website from scratch. 

To start off this process I began to learn the basics of HTML and CSS, the essentials components of making your own website. Once I had this under my belt I began to start coding and testing and coding and testing, over and over again. This was frustrating at first but over time when I started to get the results I wanted to see it became extremely satisfying. The best part of the process was seeing my name in the URL bar and my own design in front of me on a screen. 

This experience of learning HTML and CSS has been overwhelming to say the least because the rules of coding seem to be never ending. However looking back I am glad that I chose to do it myself over using an editor. Obviously I am no professional at website creation however in today's day and age technology and knowing technology is vital when becoming a successful creative. Although website coding is not essential for the job role I currently want to pursue it is a valuable skill to be able to do for myself and possibly others if I carry on learning.

After using Codecademy to learn the basics of HTML and CSS I went forward to begin to code and design my own website. I started by creating an InDesign file of what I wanted my website to look like so I knew what I would need to add into my code. 

To start off the process I created the basic structure of a homepage adding a menu of what pages I wanted. Once I had done this I had to create a style sheet (CSS) which would design and position the text in HMTL.  To do this I began making different ‘classes’ for my title and the menu. What was written in these classes determined what colour the text would turn when you hover over it, the size and most importantly the position of it on the webpage. I have a few main classes that run throughout the code: ‘column’ and ‘row’ which control when the text would appear and then I have ‘topnav’, ‘testnav’ and ‘anav’ which control the visuals of this text. 

Once the style sheet had been created I started to apply the ‘classes’ to my title and menu. For the most part this put the text into the position I wanted, however I found the text to be too high on the page so used line breaks (<br>) to bring it down. Again I was mostly happy with the design on the text but just wanted to change the font which I did by adding ‘style=“font-family” with a font of your choice in front of the text.

Alongside the text I also wanted to have images which were simply added in by putting the desired position and the directory of the image. (<IMG STYLE="position:absolute; TOP:79px; left:820px; Right:75px; WIDTH:325px; HEIGHT:475px" SRC="images/scan 3.jpg">).

To get the HTML and CSS to work the way you want, it is split into separate groups within the code for example the CSS sits within <style> </style> which tells the program that its a stylesheet or all the different bits of texts that are divided by classes are also divided into sections by enclosing each different bit of text within <div> </div>. The CSS and HTMl also fall within <head> and then HTMl also falls within <body>.

To create the rest of the website I created new HTML files on my editor. Each new file links to one another using,   <a href="file:///Users/owner/Desktop/MariaBarhamBlack/about_and_cv.html" style="font-family:Arial;">About&CV</a><br>, which turns the text into a link to another page. Each page follows the same CSS and the same HTML for the menu with the only changing element being what is on the page. For example on the about page all I had to add was a ‘class’ for <p> which is paragraphs then add in my text. The only page that had a large difference was the projects because of the slide show. To design the slideshow I had to create an addition to the style sheet, add the photos via HTML as well as creating a script for how the arrows would work.

Homepage:

This page is what will come up as you enter into my website so I didn’t want it to open on on a project or any info. Instead I picked two of my favourite images from my most recent project to take up most of the page. Doing this allows my audience to see my work straight away but gives no information so will hopefully make them interested in the rest of my website. One of the images is also featured on the back on my business card which makes them work well as a package as it is cohesive. I chose this image as in my opinion it is one of my strongest and will make a good representation of me as a photographer.

Beside the photographs I put my menu bar which also features on every other page. One of the features of this menu bar is that when you hover over a link it goes a rosy brown colour which is linked to my main promotional image and allows the viewer to know its a link to another page. All the links are about 12pt and have the font Arial apart from my name which I branded differently by making it bigger and using a different font that is similar to the one used on my business cards.

Project one and two:

To display my projects I put different links to separate pages. Each page is displayed with the name with the description of the project below the main menu and then the photographs from that project in a slideshow ,to the right hand side, with arrows to navigate the images. I chose this layout as there's not too much going on at once, its direct and looks sleek and professional.

About&CV:

I chose to combine my about me and cv into one page as I thought they worked well alongside each other. I put my artist statement at the top of the page then followed it with my CV. I chose to keep everything black and white with basic fonts to keep the sleek and professional side going throughout the website.

Contact Me:

This page is by the far the most simple. For my contact me I thought about putting a message box but ended up settling on just putting my name and email due to my research of other photographers websites.

Blog&Instagram:

Website Building Process

Front:

Back:

As a form of promotional matter I chose to create a business card which could be given to possible clients and employers to hopefully leave a lasting impression of me as a professional.  I think having a business card is important especially for a creative because it's all well and good having a fantastic conversation with someone at an exhibition about you but when it comes to getting your details scribbling your number on a piece of paper or napkin doesn’t hold the same effect.

Maria Barham-Black b. 1999 [email protected] www.mariabarhamblack.co.uk Based in South West Key Skills • Photoshop, InDesign, After Effects • Microsoft Office • Digital photography • Time management and planning • Team management Education 2018-2021 (pending) BA Photography, Plymouth College of Art 2016-2018 A Levels, St Cuthbert Mayne, Photography ,A, Fine Art ,C, Media ,C 2014-2016 10 GCSE’s, St Cuthbert Mayne, including English, Maths, Science, Fine Art&Photography Work Experience 11/2019     Volunteer at Illuminate Light Festival • Photographed the festival/installations for a range of sources including RIO and Plymouth College of Art. • Worked closely alongside the RIO team and assisted with social media posts for the Illuminates main platforms. 2016     Classroom Assistant Mayfield School • Assisted teachers and teaching assistants with their day to day of working with disabled children – helped with activities and the overall running of the day • I was able to learn a new approach to teaching and look at things through a different perspective. Group Exhibitions 2020 Snapshot, Plymouth College of Art

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To begin, I want to book a career appointment with the team at PCA to discuss my options moving forward to see if I have missed anything in my own research, check if they agree with my action plan and double check the amount of experience I need before applying for the MA.  After this, when the pandemic is over, I will reach out to local hospitals and daycares to see if I can get some sort of regular work experience going. An example of a group I could reach out to are ‘Orchard Saturday Club’ who are a Saturday club where disabled children for example go to the zoo or go on an adventure. This group is one of the main reasons I have a passion for OT and for me personally it would be good to give back to those who have given so much.

 As well as volunteering I will be focusing on my current degree to ensure I get a 1.0 or 2.1 as that is the entry level for masters in  OT at Plymouth University which is where I am planning on applying. In relation to my current course I want to think about the personal work I am making and how I could tie it in to a career in occupational therapy. This idea of helping others has already begun to emerge naturally in my 202 module where I am trying to make those who have been through a loss feel less alone.

The event that is closest to me is Bristol, it is open for all to attend and is suitable for those thinking about an Ma in Art Therapy or Art Psychotherapy. The course enables you to think differently about using art therapeutically and provides rich case studies from school settings and the current refugee crisis in Calais and Bristol. It also explores experimental art therapy and allows group discussion. 

The learning outcomes of the course:

I think that doing one of these courses could be useful for me to gain a point of view from an art therapist whilst being surrounded by others who are also interested in it as well. Before applying I would like to talk to a career advisor at PCA about whats the best choice however they are currently unavailable. 

As part of my 104 module I took a lot of time to research what occupational therapy was and how someone with a photography degree would reach that job role. Two of the people I contacted to gain more insight were ‘The British Association of Art Therapists’ and an ex photography student from PCA who is now pursuing an MA in occupational therapy 

The British Association of Art Therapists

After asking questions about occupational therapy the BAAT they responded with what I’d have to do to reach my end goal. The email below explains in order to become an art therapist you must hold a undergraduate degree, usually in an art, psychology or health care related degree. After this you must complete a Masters Degree in Art Therapy/Art Psychotherapy. Once you have both under your belt you then can register with the Health and Care Professions Council. Alongside this you should build work experience by possibly contacting homeless shelters, local hospitals and day centres. If you are passionate about a masters you can do short courses with the BAAT which will provide you with a certificate of attendance and give you access to a great source of information.

Communication with ex-pca student Ellie who started her MA in occupational therapy 

As well as communicating with the BAAT, John put me in contact with a previous student who was also interested in OT in her time doing an undergraduate in photography. Ellie explained her story to me about how she was always interested in OT but never wanted to take the plunge into the MA because what would they want with photographers. In her undergraduate study Ellie was fascinated with OT and began to incorporate it into all of her projects with her FMP being an interactive experience based around Autism. Alongside Ellie volunteered at a Saturday group in Newton Abbot for disabled children. Eventually she bite the bullet and applied for the MA in Occupational Therapy then ended up getting onto the course. 

In order for me to be able to create the HTML and CSS (style sheet) for my website I need to have a visual plan to be able to follow. To design this plan I will be using Indesign to create each page of my website visually.

Below are jpegs of each pages plan ------->

Homepage:

Project 1:

Project 2:

About Me/CV

Contact Me

I chose to carry out an ethics form/checklist on my 202 module as the subject matter and narrative are sensitive (even now it has been evolved). I believe it is important to think about the ethics behind what your making as creative especially if the subject matter is sensitive meaning you could hurt or offend someone.

‘The Unforgetting’ is an exploration of Peter Watkins' late mother and how he lives with the grief of losing her. A cumulation of years of work revolving around his German family history and the trauma that he has from losing his mother as a child is shown through the notion of time, memory and history. The work is an installation piece displaying fragments of memories through the belongings and remnants from a life interrupted. With death present throughout the work, when it is exhibited a ghostly presence is cast over the room.  Watkins portrays his unexplainable sense of loss through the absence of his mother amongst her possessions. All the things his mother left behind are shown, from rolls of super eight film and engraved drinking glasses to her lace baptismal dress suspended in the air behind yellow perspex and portraits of her as a child at the same age Watkins was when she died. All these mundane artefacts are transformed with a brand new sentimental narrative with Watkins retelling his childhood memories of his mother. Among these bittersweet remnants of her life stands her backpack from the day she died, yet another mundane thing which has the power to make the world stand still. Although Watkins lets the viewer see the outside of the backpack, the insides are hidden so the audience isn’t let into her final moments as they are extremely private and intimate to him. For the most part Watkins explores his personal nostalgia throughout this project however the collection contains self portraits of him from the present. Representing his psychological state manifesting onto his skin through marks, the portraits show him topless, in a bare room, his body is rigid and covered in bruises. These bruises are not a result of an illness but are remnant from a Chinese treatment used to treat depression and acute back pain, cupping.

Watkins' very complex project explores how the absence of one person can affect another. The use of personal and what could be seen as private objects allows us as the audience to stand still, take it in and try to understand what Watkins was feeling. With Watkins having deliberate reasons behind each piece, the new sentimental narrative is rich in meaning. The dress symbolises water and represents purity as it flows in the air creating an otherworldly presence. 

This collection of work is a metaphor for grief and bereavement by revealing a little but not the whole story. Representing how there’s no way to really show the full extent of what an absence of someone you love feels like. An indescribable loss.

Links: http://www.peterwatkins.co.uk/the-unforgetting.html

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From the beginning of year one I have used this module as a way to discover what I would like to do with photography after my degree. At the end of year one I had explored the job role of occupational therapy quite deeply and discovered that it was something that I was definitely interested in possibly pursuing  Although I was interested in occupational therapy as an end goal I wanted to use year two as a way to explore other occupations  so I was not limited in what I could achieve. I wasn’t sure what this other job role was but I knew I was interested in marketing and the behind the scenes of creative companies.  With this in mind I chose to pursue this profession throughout semester one and in the beginning part of semester two.

After deciding to follow this job role I landed my work placement at the Illuminate festival which allowed me to explore marketing and the behind the scenes of a creative event (see Illuminate evaluation and  progress updates). When undertaking  my work experience I knew it was exactly the part of the industry I wanted to explore in PDP for my second year. To develop from this I did some research into other companies like RIO(who ran Illuminate) and then reached out to a local company who explores social change. Initially I heard back from them but then we lost communication which put my experience in that section to a halt. Due to this happening in the beginning of semester two I thought it was a good time to reflect on my future job role. Although I enjoyed the marketing occupation I found myself being more inspired ,energised and connected to the occupational therapy role. I think that that occupational therapy links in well with my personal practice and my personal experiences which makes it something I am extremely passionate about.