1000 Word Evaluation
Though not a formal work experience or placement, fulfilling my self-directed brief has enhanced my awareness in many areas such as editing and sequencing, design and layout, personal promotion and perhaps most of all time management, completing the project alongside other course modules. Numerous on-going academic and personal projects have helped support and develop one another, such as encouraging students to contact practitioners who, in my case, strongly improved my people skills and overall confidence. It was, in fact, this confidence boost that then encouraged me to fully realise the project – a zine – and promote it as a self-publication.
The photobook – and self-publication – has enjoyed a significant rise in popularity over the past decade in particular, and something I hold a keen interest in. Similarly has the photographic depiction of the nude proved desirable of late and caught my attention. Significant contemporary practitioners who also work in such a way include Ryan McGinley, Synchrodogs and Ren Hang (with their photobooks Way Far, Byzantine and Republic) as well as lesser-known photographers such as Eleanor Hardwick (Celestial Bodies) and Sasha Kurmaz (Concrete and Sex). The increasing popularity of this combination extends to many photographic artists, making it difficult to penetrate the glass ceiling, if you will, and stand out or define yourself amongst other practitioners. Many of these artists – and more – gain recognition through features with established arts institutions such as the British Journal of Photography or Dazed and Confused.
Numerous publications by the referred photographers can be found in Village Bookstore, Leeds, who I approached with a copy of my zine and enquired about having them stock it. A few weeks later, they took five copies from me to be displayed alongside many editions from Pogo Books, my favourite small-scale publisher. A dialogue had been initiated and a rapport established, and so I hope said relationship can be maintained and improved over the years as I create more work.
Looking back at the experience, delaying the promotion and “release” of the zine until I had confirmation from Village Bookstore may have been beneficial, as I could have approached for a launch party had it been unheard of. Perhaps unfortunately, I had sold a few copies at an art fair in Manchester a few weeks earlier, overly eager to try and spread my name; patience would have been an ideal trait to possess. A launch event could have been hosted and promoted by Village Bookstore, indefinitely reaching a much wider audience than my own platform allows (some 8,000 Instagram followers compared to my own 550).
Whilst my patience may not have improved throughout modules, I gained many other skills such as learning to shoot HD video and use Adobe Premiere Pro during Responsive. Despite being unfamiliar with the more cinematic way of thinking, I could still construct a narrative, which then influenced experimentation with different angles and lighting. It introduced a whole new way of seeing, which also helped my understanding of how sequence informs narrative for moving and still imagery alike.
Meanwhile, Context of Practice informed my research, linguistic and analytical skills, all aspects which link to the publishing industry in some form. To write or photograph regularly for a popular publication alongside Uni work would be a great opportunity to further develop my understanding of and immersion within this practice. Publications such as Of The Afternoon, Hotshoe and PYLOT are perhaps most appropriate for my contextual awareness, given their critically analytical approach to contemporary photography (which, with a hint of irony, seems to be realised exclusively with analogue processes).
An aspect developed from the PPP module is personal promotional strategies. Emphasis has been placed on reading your audience and selling yourself appropriately; ensuring your online presence is a reflection of the work you want to be recognised and indeed celebrated for. This takes place on multiple platforms such as Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram, which are neither strictly professional nor personal applications. Although what I do post seems to receive positive feedback, I am aware the posts are not nearly as frequent as necessary to thrust myself into the limelight. Furthermore, the infrequent posts reach mainly my own active audience; submitting to heavily followed accounts and having work featured brings work to you and, as parasitic as it appears, is a useful way in broadening your audience (which of course translates to more potential sales). This knowledge has encouraged me to be confident, set goals and thoroughly consider my approach to both projects and people. For example, when submitting a zine to a publication or gallery I may well do so by post or in-person rather than strictly email, offering the tangible object for review; however, I contact the more “approachable” artists (perhaps deemed so by their age range or social media activity) through more colloquial platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, where photographs and conversations can be shared across the globe instantly. Overall, the PPP module has helped me better identify myself as a practitioner: my strengths and weaknesses have been constantly tested, evaluated and redefined as I bring the module and year to a close with much more confidence in myself as a person and as a photographer than in September. The encouragement to contact (and collaborate with) current practitioners within my specialism of “Fine Art” photography, as well as submitting to relevant websites, competitions, publications and exhibitions, has allowed for a holistic development of self which I can only hope to continually improve. It is my hope that this newfound confidence in my work and myself will extend into the upcoming PPP 3 module, as well as be evident when applying for work experience and internships within the near future.
