Street photography - Format International Festival, Derby

'Right Here, Right Now'

Exposures from the public realm

4th March – 3rd April 2011

Derby, UK

About Format International Festival, Derby

Whole range of different events and exhibitions around the city - well worth a look.

Press release about it is here

Aurora Borealis to light up the night sky

Aurora Borealis to light up the night sky

Great photo opportunity if you are travelling north for half-term.

Critique or criticism

Composition, Colour, Shapes, Patterns, Lines, Tonal Range, Frames, Rule of thirds, Texture, Form, Focal Point, Perspective, Scale,  Denotation, Connotation, (literal and implied meanings).

Anyone from 7512 will recognise these.  Words we have been encouraged to use when analysing and researching photographs.  OK, but is the picture any good?  It's just so subjective.  Well most of us know something that we like when we see it, don't we?  The difficulty, or the beauty of it, is that they are often linked with memory and / or emotions.  So is it the picture we like or is it all the other stuff.

I've had a root round to try and find something that will help me get behind this and came across this book - Criticising Photographs, Fourth edition - Terry Barrett, 2006.

I'll get back once I've had a chance to look through it and let you know what I think - subjective again.

I think my favourite quote to date comes in a section that is looking at differing art critics, criticism and styles:

"Allan Sekula's writing is so suspicious of photography that it has been called 'Almost paranoid' and has been likened to a history of women written by a misogynist"

N&EMPF - North & East Midlands Photographic Federation

Went to a presentation of images from the 56th Annual Exhibition of N&EMPF at the Derby City Photographic Club last night. 

Some amazing images, some I really liked, some I could appreciate and some that didn't do anything for me.  The only thing that they all confirmed was how far I still have to go if I attempt the journey.

February Snowdrops

31mm  1/160th  F7

ISO200   100dpi

This image did not work in colour.  Lighting was poor - taken in the middle of the afternoon on a very grey day.  Converting to B & W brings the snowdrops very clearly into focus as the subject.  I did not see the damaged flower when I took this, but I think it's OK, it is what it is - the first flowers of Spring.  No cropping other than to reduce the size of file.

Flowers used to form triangle with 1/3rd, 2/3rds divide.  Aperture set to bring most of the flowers into focus with background blurred.  Strong lines of leaves emphasising delicate flowers

Just liked this composition with the walled garden beckoning.  Difficult exposure trying to retain detail in the shadow without completely overexposing the image through the doorway.  Have been reading about merging two images of the same scene with differing exposure levels which I intend to explore over the coming weeks and months.

Post 7512 level 2 - Hello, my name is Ian and I think I might be becoming an addict.

16 weeks later - what do I do now?

It has been an intersting experience.  I've met some great people, had a few laughs, drunk a few beers - some good - some not so, learnt how to blog and almost by osmosis developed a range of skills around photography that I did not have before.

All I wanted to do was learn a bit about digital photogrphy having been sqaurely in the film camp until last summer.

If you thought developing film was expensive wait 'till you get hooked on digital.  Hello, my name is Ian and I think I might be becoming an addict.

I'll just get a digital camera -
I need to go on a course to learn how to use it better -
I find I cannot wait for my PC to keep up as I try to compare images - I need a new computer - oh and by the way don't forget I need new screen and screen calibrator because the one I have does not compare to those used at college.

(and my wife's viewpoint - "well, photo geek boy, at least it's not another woman.  If you think i'm coming out with you when you are carrying a tripod you've got another thing coming.")

Hello, my name is Ian and I think I might be becoming an addict.

16 weeks - I need another fix.

YES - I've found a new supplier -
Derby City Photographic Club  my first visit - 31st January and a visiting speaker - JOHN WELLS  FRPS - THE JOHNNY WELLS ROADSHOW http://www.johnswells.co.uk/

Nerves steadied, fix achieved, 
hello, my name is Ian and I think I might be becoming an addict.

Next fix 7th Feb -
Will Cheung FRPS - My Passion for Photography
"A presentation by one of the most respected names in the world of photographic magazines. In the last 25 years, Will has been Editor of Photography Monthly, Digital Photo, Photography Monthly and, now, Advanced Photographer. "

Hello, my name is Ian and I think I might be becoming an addict.