Nearly three weeks ago now, I wrote about my period of reflection (during which I am taking stock of my academic research and practice to date) as I prepare for my formal upgrade to PhD, and more importantly write the accompanying paperwork.
I am conscious that I have not written many blog posts during this period but in some ways, I think it is a sign of success! I have stopped forcing outputs and instead put my energies into reflecting on my work to date, ideas for the future and allowing my brain to just do its work. At first, I tried to force myself to reflect on particular aspects of my PhD to date, but I found instead that if I just focused on other things (like completing the house move for example) sometimes I would suddenly put two ideas together in my mind or see the connections between two previously separate thinkers.
I produced Part 1 – From Ontology to Object-Oriented Photography of my upgrade paper, also serving as the first assignment for the philosophy module I am auditing called New Materials and Realisms. I have received feedback from a Philosophy lecturer alongside comments from my supervisors. I am very pleased that they all believe that this is a good starting point from which to now produce the second assignment and the second part of the upgrade document.
So, now my priorities have switched from producing an assignment to finishing off a first draft of the paperwork for upgrade. This second part, I am working on now, is about producing a case study of my photographic work and the research methodology and research methods I have employed to demonstrate how Object-Oriented Photography looks in practice. I have also produced a 10 Signifier Model of constructs relevant to getting to the essence in my photography. This is in draft form and will be developed over the coming weeks.
I have produced a detailed structure of Part 2, discussed it with a Philosophy lecturer and am currently creating some visual heuristics to accompany my work. Tomorrow the hard work starts as I begin the drafting process and putting together the images I wish to include in the document.
So, I may be quiet for a couple more weeks, as life returns to normal after significant building works and the final move of our effects from Gloucestershire, and as I draft my assignment/upgrade document. . .
