My words have become part of the visual ingredients of my portfolio and they are as important as my images.
I have started to think about how I will display and submit my images for my Work in Progress Portfolio and have sought clarification from the Course Leader that I am able to submit my words with my images. This has been agreed.
Questions:
Should I include wider images that give context and perspective to the panel (such as Image 7)?
Are there images in this collection you do not feel are worthy or appropriate in the panel?
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what presentation software I might use to best display and present my work? (To date I have used my Clikpic website and presented in a very traditional way see below)
I have considered the possibility of presenting my work in a video format but am concerned that it will appear that I have submitted two Oral Presentations and there will be too much similarity between the two. What do you think?
The images and words
Image 1 -The Loch is calm, the reeds of Cill Chriosd stand proud. The water is still. The Cuillin range and cumulus give strong reflections.
Image 2 – It is a clear day and the water shimmers. The occluded light in the sky reflects under the swirling stems of the reeds. My early photographic images enter my mind but the memory quickly fades in the autumn air.
Image 3 – The grasses are dancing in the strong northerly wind and the Loch comes alive in frenzied movement. I am picked up and gently transported to a world free of my memories.
Image 4 – A gnarled silver birch arches around the reeds in a protective motion. The Loch is a refuge for me in coming to terms with dark memories.
Image 5 – Movement is the order of the day and the reeds are buffeted by an ever-increasing wind. The water is whipped up in waves and the rushes dance remorselessly. My mind similarly darts from the present to the past mirroring the movement of the Loch.
Image 6 – There is a dimpled surface on the water and the reeds punctuate and divert the patterns. The grasses sway in and out of my focus allowing my mind to wander and drink in the scene.
Image 7 – A mackerel sky envelops the Loch with the reeds clear and defined against the early evening light. It is an ethereal and mysterious scene which allows me to float into my own world of thoughts and memories.
Image 8 – A mass of chaos and disorder. The reeds appear to have taken over the surface of the Loch that reminds me of the chaotic thoughts that sometimes take over my mind. That is when I come to the Loch.
Image 9 – Clouds spill over the Black Cuillin while the Red Cuillin is more clearly defined. The reeds are high and have fluffy heads allowing them to re-seed and enable them to return stronger next year. That sense of rejuvenation gives me energy and hope.
Image 10 – The reeds inhabit a mysterious environment and mist swirls around the Red Cuillin as my mind drifts towards some of the dark images of my mind.
Image 11 – An isolated clump of reeds and a still, overcast day accentuates the calligraphic shape of the rushes against the gentle ripples moving across the water.
Image 12 – As I gaze at the reeds and the shapes they draw I catch a glimpse of the underwater world of the Loch – dark and mysterious. It is similar to the public and private personas of human beings and the many private thoughts and emotions that do not see the light of day.
Image 13 – In amongst the reeds is where I like to be. Their delicate swish and sway provides a meditative rhythm which allows me to be part of the Loch and its tranquility.
Image 14 – The delicate fronds of the grasses reflect in the still Loch, as autumn returns. The fragility of the reeds reminds me of the vulnerability of humans when faced with challenging images that keep returning to our thoughts.
Image 15 – The movement of the turbulent water around a moss-covered stone captures my imagination as the current of the Loch fights to find its way around the natural barrier.
Image 16 – The inky, dark reflections of the reeds above the water provide another dimension to the underworld of the Loch. My mind wanders and see underwater creatures, dead reeds floating on the surface and the decay of autumn seeing the end of the season for the tules.
Image 17 – The Loch is dynamic and fast-flowing as the reeds dance across the surface of the Loch creating tapestry-like patterns.
Image 18 – The waters are inky today and provide strong and vibrant patterns and shapes. The movement in the water is almost grainy in its appearance. This darkness causes me to think about some of the dark images I hold in my head.
Image 19 – The rain starts to fall on the Loch and creates a sense of disorder and tension. The reeds also break through the surface and disrupt the tranquility. My mood is also changed and memories enter my mind for a second.
Image 20 – Although it is a grey day, patches of strong light reflect on the water’s surface giving it a milky appearance. The reeds add to this mysterious scene as they disequilibrate the water. Memories are similar as they play games with our recollections and the images we retain.
Image 21 – A hypnotic scene greets me at the Loch with the reeds looking spindly and delicate reflected in the still and stark water.
Image 22 – A storm rages over Cill Chriosd and the rushes take on a strong and coarse persona against the elements. The water becomes almost soup-lie in its consistency.
Feedback:
I was fortunate to have a 1-2-1 webinar with my tutor Sophie and so was able to spend some quality time discussing next steps and considerations as I work towards submitting my Work in Progress Portfolio. The key points were:
- Don’t necessarily create text for every image
- Don’t describe with words, add something about feelings, emotions – be honest and get straight to the memory
- How will I present the images – print out a set of work prints, sequence them, lay them out and reorder, live with them, stick them on the wall – then decide
- The context of the work is me – therefore there is no need to contextualise the reeds through a wider landscape image
- Gain more feedback on my images and plans for presentation
- Current website is not showing off my work as effectively as it should. My images are simple and graphic – the website is complex
- Think about presenting in pdf format – consider In Design or Powerpoint
- Play with Presentation
- Sophie Calle – Book on the Wall
