statement of intent.
For my upcoming exam around may, I chose to base my topic around messages. I have been inspired by Barbra Kruger as she has used many effective ways of spreading her message across internationally. She has done this by using newspaper titles, messages, themes and how harm can change a person's life. And the emotional pain which may of lead them to self-harm, have deep suicidal thoughts and drug intake. I have chosen messages as it can be a good way of broadcasting my views behind this sensitive topic.
In my mind, I would like to show how drugs can affect one's life and how one might start using them. The harmful chemicals within the substances such as cocaine you can find dried out petrol, solvents, acids and other life-threatening substances. When I read up an article about this, I first thought why would someone intoxicate themselves with something which can easily kill them.
From this, I made A tree diagram from possible causes such as bullying, violence, discrimination and family feuds. When someone gets bullied they may want to find a way to relieve themselves. They might do this in many different ways, alcohol, smoking cigarettes and drugs.
Currently, in my mind,, I have two ideas where someones smoking a cigarette and they out turn smoke. Within the smoke, there could be messages which tell you why it is harmful. How can it harm your body and how it affects everyone who's around you. An example of a message what I could use could be "would you let your children smoke" or I could show the deadly toxins enlisted. Such as rat poison, methane which is sewer gas, polonium 210 which is a radioactive element and radon. Even the name of all of these human poisons makes you feel frightened of in taking something harmful.
My second idea at Is someone holding a packet with drugs inside (not real), and using the theme which Barbra Kruger uses. Making the photo black and white and inserting a message with a deep meaning with Photoshop which appeals to someone looking over work. For this, I will also be using other sources such as YouTube to help develop my ideas and manipulate my photographs so I can get the best results as possible.
However, as I get to the end of my work I will write an evaluation so I can show my development as it'll make the examiner get an easier idea of what I have in mind and my skills.
For my upcoming exam around may, I chose to base my topic around messages. I have been inspired by Barbra Kruger as she has used many effective ways of spreading her message across internationally. She has done this by using newspaper titles, messages, themes and how harm can change a person's life. And the emotional pain which may of lead them to self-harm, have deep suicidal thoughts and drug intake. I have chosen messages as it can be a good way of broadcasting my views behind this sensitive topic.
In my mind, I would like to show how drugs can affect one's life and how one might start using them. The harmful chemicals within the substances such as cocaine you can find dried out petrol, solvents, acids and other life-threatening substances. When I read up an article about this, I first thought why would someone intoxicate themselves with something which can easily kill them.
From this, I made A tree diagram from possible causes such as bullying, violence, discrimination and family feuds. When someone gets bullied they may want to find a way to relieve themselves. They might do this in many different ways, alcohol, smoking cigarettes and drugs.
Currently, in my mind,, I have two ideas where someones smoking a cigarette and they out turn smoke. Within the smoke, there could be messages which tell you why it is harmful. How can it harm your body and how it affects everyone who's around you. An example of a message what I could use could be "would you let your children smoke" or I could show the deadly toxins enlisted. Such as rat poison, methane which is sewer gas, polonium 210 which is a radioactive element and radon. Even the name of all of these human poisons makes you feel frightened of in taking something harmful.
My second idea at Is someone holding a packet with drugs inside (not real), and using the theme which Barbra Kruger uses. Making the photo black and white and inserting a message with a deep meaning with Photoshop which appeals to someone looking over work. For this, I will also be using other sources such as YouTube to help develop my ideas and manipulate my photographs so I can get the best results as possible.
However, as I get to the end of my work I will write an evaluation so I can show my development as it'll make the examiner get an easier idea of what I have in mind and my skills.
The first 5cs
Context-
Barbara Kruger is a photography manipulation artist born on the 26th of January, 1945. She was famous for the ways she manipulated her images making them black and white with lipstick red blocked boxes with standard text inserted within.
She attended a university in New York City in 1966 to continue her work as it was a school for design. Around this time Barbra had declared that she had the ambition to drive down a career as a graphic designer where she was eventually elevated and promoted to become a chief designer at Mademoiselle magazine. Further, she egged into poetry, soft sculpturing, painting and photography.
We have seen Barbara Kruger's work throughout the world as it has appeared on many walls, websites and magazines as many people have glared at it with intrigue.
Her manipulations have been famous as they've stated many types of quotes. An example of this is "think of you" this tells us that we should be aware of what we do, how we treat others around us as well as ourselves.
Content/composition-
In the centre of the image, we see a needle piercing into a person finger and text which says "thinking of you" surrounded by a rectangle which coloured, lipstick red which catches the viewers eye with ease. She has also used a black and white background to give the photo manipulation more depth and meaning to the audience would be asking themselves questions. The words "thinking of you" indicate how the artist may have had a disaster previously and she couldn't take her mind of something that hurt her the more she thought about the situation. The needle piercing into the skin indicates how she may have had feelings with her partner, family member or friend and how much they truly meant towards her and the more she thought of it the more the needle seeped inside expressing her self in a physical way instead of internally.
In this photograph, we see how the photograph has been tightened up and cropped and how Barbra Kruger purposely placed a light at a steep angle pointing down to emphasize how large and dangerous the needle is to make this image look graphic to the viewers eyes.
Connection-
This image links into my theme of drugs, self-harm and suicide as In my mind I insist on spreading messages within Manchester. There are many people around us self harming, smoking away their lungs and self-harming. I have an idea where I could show how drugs, alcohol and in toxins can really harm someone's body and make your life go into a downward spiral. Wherein the worst case scenario this could lead you to become homeless with no family, friends or community around to help you as they could think of you as someone who wastes there money on in toxins.
This photograph creates a scene inside the viewer's mind on how a simple mistake can change your life forever as once you've tried it you're hooked on. This photograph is ideal as the black and white make the image something special, something which is worth replicating or something that inspires you to do good within your local community.
Comment-
In my opinion, I love how Kruger shows us messages in such effective and meaningful ways during the 70s 80s and 90s. She made the art that was critical to the culture at the time, as art was big. The 1980s was when people had a lot of greed and they wanted their social status to be elevated. In my eyes, this artwork was trying to show people how they didn't need to change the way they acted. Her work was consistent and easily recognisable as she stuck to her theme of black and white and a block of lipstick red which brought out the feminism within her. I particularly enjoyed how she expressed how women had rights and didn't have to be lured by men as they were going through a lot at the time. This has inspired me to do something similar as it could be an interesting way to stop intoxication and depression.
Barbara Kruger is a photography manipulation artist born on the 26th of January, 1945. She was famous for the ways she manipulated her images making them black and white with lipstick red blocked boxes with standard text inserted within.
She attended a university in New York City in 1966 to continue her work as it was a school for design. Around this time Barbra had declared that she had the ambition to drive down a career as a graphic designer where she was eventually elevated and promoted to become a chief designer at Mademoiselle magazine. Further, she egged into poetry, soft sculpturing, painting and photography.
We have seen Barbara Kruger's work throughout the world as it has appeared on many walls, websites and magazines as many people have glared at it with intrigue.
Her manipulations have been famous as they've stated many types of quotes. An example of this is "think of you" this tells us that we should be aware of what we do, how we treat others around us as well as ourselves.
Content/composition-
In the centre of the image, we see a needle piercing into a person finger and text which says "thinking of you" surrounded by a rectangle which coloured, lipstick red which catches the viewers eye with ease. She has also used a black and white background to give the photo manipulation more depth and meaning to the audience would be asking themselves questions. The words "thinking of you" indicate how the artist may have had a disaster previously and she couldn't take her mind of something that hurt her the more she thought about the situation. The needle piercing into the skin indicates how she may have had feelings with her partner, family member or friend and how much they truly meant towards her and the more she thought of it the more the needle seeped inside expressing her self in a physical way instead of internally.
In this photograph, we see how the photograph has been tightened up and cropped and how Barbra Kruger purposely placed a light at a steep angle pointing down to emphasize how large and dangerous the needle is to make this image look graphic to the viewers eyes.
Connection-
This image links into my theme of drugs, self-harm and suicide as In my mind I insist on spreading messages within Manchester. There are many people around us self harming, smoking away their lungs and self-harming. I have an idea where I could show how drugs, alcohol and in toxins can really harm someone's body and make your life go into a downward spiral. Wherein the worst case scenario this could lead you to become homeless with no family, friends or community around to help you as they could think of you as someone who wastes there money on in toxins.
This photograph creates a scene inside the viewer's mind on how a simple mistake can change your life forever as once you've tried it you're hooked on. This photograph is ideal as the black and white make the image something special, something which is worth replicating or something that inspires you to do good within your local community.
Comment-
In my opinion, I love how Kruger shows us messages in such effective and meaningful ways during the 70s 80s and 90s. She made the art that was critical to the culture at the time, as art was big. The 1980s was when people had a lot of greed and they wanted their social status to be elevated. In my eyes, this artwork was trying to show people how they didn't need to change the way they acted. Her work was consistent and easily recognisable as she stuck to her theme of black and white and a block of lipstick red which brought out the feminism within her. I particularly enjoyed how she expressed how women had rights and didn't have to be lured by men as they were going through a lot at the time. This has inspired me to do something similar as it could be an interesting way to stop intoxication and depression.
The second set of 5cs
Context-
John Conn is a photographer who expresses how homeless people need hope and family and support to battle their curses. (battles) Within this image, we can see a homeless Vietnam veteran who had a multi-terminal illness. From this image, we can see the poor old man trying to be the man who he once was, a survivor and someone who has been through it all as he has seen his brothers and sisters die beside him. We see the hero holding with a hunch back begging for some spare change. Wearing his once honourable uniform where he may have felt safe when he returned to the United States. We see the uniform well condition telling us that he still has honour for his country and has some hope that someone may help the battle-hardened veteran through his tough struggles. The black and white stresses more of the meaning behind the photograph as it makes the photo upsetting and lugubrious.
The homeless persons face is almost like a phantom-like he might be invisible to people walking past. He almost looks empty like he hasn't had anything to eat in a while. This can show us how hard life can be for homeless people around the world and how to should take everything we have for granted.
Content/composition
The photographer has taken this photograph with the hero veteran in the middle as he is the centre of attention the photographer has done this on purpose so we can see the distress that he is going through. The photographer has taken the shot with a purposeful intent of the dog tags embalming down from the soldier's neck to his chest so we can see that his identity hasn't been stripped away from him even though all of his possessions have been taken away. The photographer has also strategically caught three empty cups in the man's hand possibly showing us how many times he might have a drink in 3 days. The black and white could symbolise the pain what the victorious could be going through as he has no reliable food or drinks he could rely on.
Homelessness could be like an unlucky lottery losing your house, job, poverty and an unreliable amount of money that could slot into your pocket in a week. We see how the photograph is dark on the outside going light in the inside maybe this is done to show there might be some hope inside the loyal, humble and patriotic veteran.
Connection-
This image connects to my work as it can show you what route people can go down if you get addicted to drugs and others in toxins. This helps me identify how into a downwards loop you can go into once you're in those situations. Sad, depressing and almost phantom-like where no one acknowledges you. In my opinion, I think that John Conn has also inspired me to show the devastation this world is going through and how to spread an image across effectively with a deep meaning behind it. To spread this image I will personally do many photo shoots and close ups of people or objects so a message can will be able to be spread across and hopefully letting people to taking it into consideration. This also links in a way as money can be scarce for people who are addicted to drugs as it can make
Comment-
Personally, In my opinion, I think it is excellent how the photographer has expressed his own inner opinion. He has told us how he thinks homelessness is a major issue which is increasingly rapid throughout the modern world.
This makes me think about how I would like the "perfect world". The perfect world would be something which is equal to everyone. No-ones homeless and everyone has their own say. Their own warm comfy bed what we all look forward to when we get home, the luxurious delicacies such as food right at our doorsteps and most importantly family.
All of this makes me think about how unfortunate homeless people are spending their days alone with no one to help them.
No food, No water, No comfy bad what we can come to and most importantly the hard communication and hassle what can be with family as they may think you are going to spend the money on drugs or alcohol or other in toxins and even in some cases forgetting you're even family.
Photo shoot plan
The set up
Props - knife, lighter, bags and fake cocaine
Photo shoot no.1
Shimon Attie
opinion
I am going to do a image just like this with one of my photos. First I am going to take a photo of a wall then take my own image to fade and paste onto the wall so it shows a issue happening right behind the walls of our houses or the community which we live in. This image will show the things what are happening at our front door step as its a issue in many different homes globally.
It is reported that there are 150 million people world wide that are homeless and a big chunk of them have been affected by drugs, according to Wikipedia. However in other sources such as https://www.drugwise.org.uk/how-many-people-use-drugs/ it is reported that 1 in every 11 intakes some drugs in the united kingdom alone. For me, this makes alarm bells sound. On how drug dealers are taking away the money of hard working people and making them go into a different state of mind where the person doesn't know what they're doing an example of this can be cocaine.
With this image I plan to have someone taking/dealing drugs with a knife, lighter, package of drugs and packets of cocaine (prop/fake). With this I am thinking of someone imitating of cutting up a package and taking on the phone as it could effectively show word across what's happening behind closed doors.
It is reported that there are 150 million people world wide that are homeless and a big chunk of them have been affected by drugs, according to Wikipedia. However in other sources such as https://www.drugwise.org.uk/how-many-people-use-drugs/ it is reported that 1 in every 11 intakes some drugs in the united kingdom alone. For me, this makes alarm bells sound. On how drug dealers are taking away the money of hard working people and making them go into a different state of mind where the person doesn't know what they're doing an example of this can be cocaine.
With this image I plan to have someone taking/dealing drugs with a knife, lighter, package of drugs and packets of cocaine (prop/fake). With this I am thinking of someone imitating of cutting up a package and taking on the phone as it could effectively show word across what's happening behind closed doors.
Ideas
Manipulation with Photoshop
Manipulation with Photoshop no.2
News paper making
Trial and errors
Bones.
Photo shoot plan no.2
Props
Rocks
BestIn my opinion, I think this is the best photo I took. The rocks are clear and the honey is shinning off the lighters light what it is giving off making it the best one out of all of the ones I have taken.
|
WorstI really dislike this image as nothing is clear. This photo is all bleached out and white making the image basically unclear. This would make the person seeing this photo confused at to why this was made.
|
Final
Photo shoot no.2
Prop shoot
29th April 2019.
I will not touch my preparation work from now on and just do my exam work.
I will not touch my preparation work from now on and just do my exam work.
Exam
Duck link steps
Final
Duck link no.2
Final
Duck link no.3
Final
Duck link no.4
Final
Duck link no.5
Final
Duck link no.6
Final
Duck link no.7
Final
Duck link no.8
Final
Duck link no.9
Final
Evaluation
When I was first given the sheet of what options what I could pick for my photography, 'messages' popped out towards me. From this, I started to wonder what troubles there were in Manchester and there it was, deadly toxins which could kill someone drugs and alcohol because of this I decided to make a mind map and Jot my ideas down on a website called coggle and from there I expanded from deadly toxins to killings all because of one thing, drugs.
As an ordinary person in Manchester, whenever I have been to town with my friends or family or been to the local shops, I always have witnessed the same thing. Drug dealers, people drinking their livers out, smoking and a lot more and because of this, I felt as if I should send a message out across Manchester exposing what the dependence on harmful substances can do to you like this ongoing epidemic which needs to be sorted pronto as if this situation doesn't get any better the people around us will slowly get in to taking drugs as well. Our loved ones and peers which can cause a chain reaction of peoples lives being played around like a jig saw by the drug it's self as people can become homeless by this or even get fired from their jobs because of how they may of changed from the perfect employee to someone who's now unmotivated and doesn't care because they don't have the drugs, alcohol or even cigarettes there to fuel them.
Furthermore, I started to research on a diverse amount of artists and photographers. The first to catch my attention was the legendary Barbara Kruger who manipulated photos which were perfect to catch the viewers eye an example of one of her pieces what stood out to me a lot could be when she manipulated an image of a needle going in to a persons finger captioned "thinking of you" in separate lipstick red blocks which immediately stood out to me, making me think why is she doing that to herself? and what happened to her and then I realised, I needed to achieve how she pulled her audience in and made them think to themselves about how bizarre the image is. Her work stood out to me as she quite obviously tried to express her self with images she has taken and how ambitious she was to try and spread a message during the 70s, 80s and 90s with a unique style of her own which was easily recognisable and effective.
Secondly, I like how a man called John Conn has used photos of vulnerable people as they're holding a sign with a sincere message so that people can donate money to them or buy food as they will have very little and live in shelters or even on the streets if they don't have access to a shelter as it is hard to get in to one because of the amount of homeless people on the streets. Alternatively this may have been done to send out a message about what hardships they've faced in their lives, and the regrets they have as many people have a good story to tell of how they became homeless in the first place. This has to lead me to think just like John Conn and express what's going on around Manchester as a lot of people use drugs and become homeless because of it. This motivates me to express the problems in Manchester and find a solution which can be making posters.
After I did most of my research, I went out to get props to take photos off and experiment with. From this, I developed multiple ideas of how I could send a message across. Following this, I thought of setting up a studio laid out for a photo shoot and take photos the same way as Jonn Conn did and the way Barbra Kruger sent out a message of importance.
Then the day came. I had set up a model to sit on a chair where he would act out like he was a drug dealer and was on the phone to someone. This lead me to adapt and expand my current ideas as I decided the first photo shoot would be used as mainly for graffiti and some illusions. When the second photo shoot came I had my model set up as someone who had drugs laid out all over the table making an impression that he is up to something which is not good which later would be manipulated in photoshop as an illusion because of the drugs. pleased with my images, I decided that no more photos needed to be taken and I was more confident for the upcoming exam what was inches away as online videos helped me develop my photoshop manipulation skills helping me spread the message more reliably.
On the 29th of April, I want my outcomes to be clear and understandable with the clear purpose of a message what needs to be understood clearly. I will aim to do graffiti types of images and put them onto a wall and make the photos eiree for effect. I will make newspapers and insert them in my photoshop as well as so much more because of all of the photo shoots, research and ideas that have allowed me to accumulate skill.
As an ordinary person in Manchester, whenever I have been to town with my friends or family or been to the local shops, I always have witnessed the same thing. Drug dealers, people drinking their livers out, smoking and a lot more and because of this, I felt as if I should send a message out across Manchester exposing what the dependence on harmful substances can do to you like this ongoing epidemic which needs to be sorted pronto as if this situation doesn't get any better the people around us will slowly get in to taking drugs as well. Our loved ones and peers which can cause a chain reaction of peoples lives being played around like a jig saw by the drug it's self as people can become homeless by this or even get fired from their jobs because of how they may of changed from the perfect employee to someone who's now unmotivated and doesn't care because they don't have the drugs, alcohol or even cigarettes there to fuel them.
Furthermore, I started to research on a diverse amount of artists and photographers. The first to catch my attention was the legendary Barbara Kruger who manipulated photos which were perfect to catch the viewers eye an example of one of her pieces what stood out to me a lot could be when she manipulated an image of a needle going in to a persons finger captioned "thinking of you" in separate lipstick red blocks which immediately stood out to me, making me think why is she doing that to herself? and what happened to her and then I realised, I needed to achieve how she pulled her audience in and made them think to themselves about how bizarre the image is. Her work stood out to me as she quite obviously tried to express her self with images she has taken and how ambitious she was to try and spread a message during the 70s, 80s and 90s with a unique style of her own which was easily recognisable and effective.
Secondly, I like how a man called John Conn has used photos of vulnerable people as they're holding a sign with a sincere message so that people can donate money to them or buy food as they will have very little and live in shelters or even on the streets if they don't have access to a shelter as it is hard to get in to one because of the amount of homeless people on the streets. Alternatively this may have been done to send out a message about what hardships they've faced in their lives, and the regrets they have as many people have a good story to tell of how they became homeless in the first place. This has to lead me to think just like John Conn and express what's going on around Manchester as a lot of people use drugs and become homeless because of it. This motivates me to express the problems in Manchester and find a solution which can be making posters.
After I did most of my research, I went out to get props to take photos off and experiment with. From this, I developed multiple ideas of how I could send a message across. Following this, I thought of setting up a studio laid out for a photo shoot and take photos the same way as Jonn Conn did and the way Barbra Kruger sent out a message of importance.
Then the day came. I had set up a model to sit on a chair where he would act out like he was a drug dealer and was on the phone to someone. This lead me to adapt and expand my current ideas as I decided the first photo shoot would be used as mainly for graffiti and some illusions. When the second photo shoot came I had my model set up as someone who had drugs laid out all over the table making an impression that he is up to something which is not good which later would be manipulated in photoshop as an illusion because of the drugs. pleased with my images, I decided that no more photos needed to be taken and I was more confident for the upcoming exam what was inches away as online videos helped me develop my photoshop manipulation skills helping me spread the message more reliably.
On the 29th of April, I want my outcomes to be clear and understandable with the clear purpose of a message what needs to be understood clearly. I will aim to do graffiti types of images and put them onto a wall and make the photos eiree for effect. I will make newspapers and insert them in my photoshop as well as so much more because of all of the photo shoots, research and ideas that have allowed me to accumulate skill.