Restructure

Today I had a tutorial to discuss my project, I came away a litte unsure where to take the advice I was given as I've spent a lot of time thinking about this project. I know that it needs more structure and I need to think of something to tie my ideas together. So I've got my thinking cap on...

• I will reconsider the structure of my project- I know I need to tighten my ideas and make them more relative to each other.
• I will research archive photography.
• I will consider photographing the participants in the same environment rather than in individual settings.
• I will think about how I can get access to participants on a large scale or think about reducing the size of the group I would like to photograph.
• I will look into psychology in relation to 'Challenges'- I will speak to lecturers and do online research.

The Pressure is on...

This week I have realised just how long I have left at university- not long! The pressure is starting to hit me- which should get me working hard as I work much better under pressure. The challenge is to get through the next couple of months so I have made a plan and have arranged to see my tutor to discuss the project as I feel I need to get grips with it a bit more...

Happy Birthday Photoshop

It was Photoshop's birthday on the 19th of Feb and it is now 20 years old. It got me thinking about how adavanced photo editing has become. I find it interesting that I am only a few months older than photoshop but I only discovered it at the age of 17, at college. Ever since I have used it for art projects, photo projects and for fun. I can't really imagine life without it. I will most definately be using it for my Challenge project.

Carruci Exhibit

On gallery day I was adament that we went to see the Elenor Carruci exhibit as I am a big fan of her work. I was dissapointed that her photographs didn't fit the setting, The Hyman Gallery wasn't a good host. The intamacy of the portraits was hidden by the cold reception we recieved from staff who peered through the door without a 'hello'.

Besides the coldness the works were raw and depictted her style perfectly. Next time Carruci - find a better venue!

"Oh! You Pretty Things"

So, a friend from my course and myself went to central London for a gallery day. The first stop was Liberty of London Gallery, not only are we having to walk through my favourite of all the department stores in London (I love the exposed beams and the 'rustic London' feel about the place) but we also got sidetracked by pretty much everything we saw..."I love that", "oooo look at this" but this lead to "OMG £1,595", "erm really can't afford anything in here" and then this lead to "we need to be sucessful", "depressed"!

We headed upstairs to the 4th floor gallery for the 'Oh! You Pretty Things' exhibition, a name that depicted the setting perfectly. The portraits displayed were not directly related to either of our projects but I enjoyed the exhibition and was able to look at lighting, composition and colours. Works by young British photographers Alice Hawkins, daniel Jackson, Josh Olins, Angelo Penatta and Jacob Sutton filled the gallery taken from the Spring Projects gallery - http://www.springprojects.co.uk/flash.html.

Lighting...

Its been dark drizzly day in february which has led me to think some more about the lighting I need to use for my portraiture...because obviously we can't rely on the good ol' english weather. Once I have collected all of my research and I establish the settings for each portrait I will need to consider the lihting carefully. I really want to explore a range of lighting including studio and outdoor. I have arranged to use the studio at university with a friend next week and can't wait to begin shooting!

Challenging Challenges...

I need to pick the brains of many people for my project and so far I have asked everyone I have been in contact with about their Challenge. The people who I have spoken to face to face have been engaging and have really opened up to me which I find very interesting since we're supposed to be living in a mediated world dominated by online presences, so why has very few of my 'friends' on facebook responded to my interest in their Challenges? I wonder if this is because obligation isn't present online...you simply don't have to reply! I'm seriously considering age old communication in the form of a carrier pigeon...surely people will respond to such a grand gesture- vintage communication how very cutting edge...

Wrangler get clever...

I came across this- It is oh sooo good!!! Very Clever! I'll make it my challenge to find out how they did this...

Check it out - Wrangler

The Pale Ginger one from Girls Aloud...

Being very pale myself, I'm always trying to acheive golden skin. I always wear a high factor on holiday- getting burn't is not a good look, who wants their skin to peel, sting and stop you from sleeping but have admittedly had the odd sunbed (about 10 in my life). I know how frustrating it is not going a beutiful dark colour on holiday and lets face it sunkissed skin is more attractive than pale freckly skin like mine (or so were told).

I was a little shocked last year when I returned from holiday with a nice 'glow', I had such satisfaction in having a tan that was natural. But it had gone within a week and I went back to my St Tropez and that was that.

Last week I watched 'Nicola Roberts: The truth about tanning' and was quite shocked at the lengths people go to change their skin colour. She explored the truth about sunbeds and even spoke to people with skin cancer, she did all this while looking very stylish- she has this whole english rose look going on and its quite a transformation. I could understand the challenge these people faced when Nicole -the ginger pale one from girls aloud- took their tanning products away as I don't think I could face life in my truthful colour all the time.

Watch the 'Truth about Tanning' on BBC i-player

'Jelly on a plate'

I need to apologise for my lack in blogs over the past week...I went to hospital for a minor operation and haven't been feeling myself. BUT I'm feeling much better now and have got a lot of things to blog about :).

So first, the hospital experience (no gory details) was a BIG challenge for me as I really dislike hospitals/ needles/ blood etc. I'm not sure when I developed this fear as when I was a child I loved hospitals (think it was to do with toys more than anything). I was actually surprised how well I handled it! I've overcome a challenge that I thought would be very difficult -I hope it will be as easy for my Photography subjects.

Being put to sleep is a very strange prospect but when you wake up you have no idea what has even happened, in a strange way that settled me. The highlight of the day was feeling high as a kite, singing about Jelly, Yes Jelly! I am a big fan of the wobbly stuff but singing 'Jelly on a plate' as soon as I came round was a step to far. I did get my Jelly though after a long sleep :).

4

I am a huge fan of Channel 4...its more fun than the others! This huge piece of art got me all excited at the weekend, especially when we realised it was a giant 4 and we were standing outside the Channel 4 building. I looks like this could have been a bit of a challenge to build and i'm still wondering how it could have been made...

Channel 4 will show the Big Art Project later this year, I'll definitely be tuning in to see the development of the the projects...