Photographers Research Gillian Wearing
Gillian Wearing produces both photographs and videos which reveal the disconnect between our inner lives and public personas, the individual and society, and truth and fiction. Among Gillians most famous works is ‘Signs That Say What You Want Them to Say’ and Not Signs That Say What Someone Else Wants You to Say (1992– 93), for which Gillian stopped hundreds of passers-by in London, invited them to write whatever they wished on a white card, and photographed them. Like all of Wearing’s work, the portraits in this series convey the startling, unsettling divide between one’s
outside appearance and innermost self. The photographs that Wearing took were surprisingly revealing, intentionally and not – the City worker with thinning hair who scrawled “I’m desperate”, the black policeman who wrote “Help”. They not only gave her subjects a voice, they gave viewers an instant snapshot of worlds of interiors. Gillian Wearing does not see her art as therapeutic or even particularly voyeuristic. Gillian suggests, out of the “sense that it is better to speak than to hold things back”. Wearing has been strongly influenced by the
sociology of Erving Goffman, author of The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, in which he details the ways that we have “front-stage and backstage personalities, that we perform all the time, when we walk down the street, when we go into a shop. And when we are behind closed doors we go into a bit of a slump”. I like the idea of Gillian Wearings work and I think that it fits in nicely with the theme that I have chosen within the main theme of relationships. I think this is because many of the photographs that Gillian
Wearing took were people holding up signs which were the opposite to what they looked like. This is specially the case with the man in a clean crisp suit holding a sign saying “I’m desperate”. I have created a couple of photo shoots which relate to Gillian Wearings work but I have also added in the idea of opposites and juxtaposition as this is my theme within relationships. I have also created this idea by using facial expressions and fashion to reveal the hidden messages.
Reshoot one
Here I have taken photographs which are re shoots for my interpretations. I looked at the photographer Jim Goldberg who looked at the series of Rich and Poor and created photographs around this idea. I have used a model and dressed her in poor style clothes to represent a ‘tramp’. I have then used a sign which states ‘Don’t feel sorry for me, I have a happy life’ which juxtaposes the look of the model. This then links in with the work of Jim Goldberg and the theme of opposites. I like the first photograph because it is taken from a high angle looking down on the model. The edit is subtle but effective which makes the photograph look of a high quality. I have taken it from a side angle which makes the photograph look more interesting and exciting. The model isn’t looking at the camera and into the distance and you are able to see clearly by looking at the clothes that she is a poor girl. I like the second photograph in the middle because I have used a eye level shot which shows the whole length of the model. I have enhanced the photography so that the clothes are more bright and more eye catching. This is so that if someone was to look at the photograph they would instantly think that she was a girl who was maybe sleeping rough or who had run away from home. The environment around the person is a public area which if you were homeless would be a likely place to stay. The tramp is in a run-down area and you are able to tell this by the broken, rusty gate she is beside. I like the third photograph to the right because of the angle I have used. I have used a very eye level/straight on angle with the model looking straight into the camera. I really like this photography you are able to see the tatty old shoes and the dirty jumper which you instantly associate with a homeless person. I have edited this photograph in a very subtle way keeping the colour quite similar to the original.
Here I have taken a number of photographs in a number of different locations. This is because if a poor person didn’t have a place to live then they would travel around finding places to sleep on the streets and go round in public places. Her facial expressions may look tired and upset but that it because she is tired of travelling around. I have then used the sign which juxtaposes with the model to show the opposite and the relationship because the upsetting looking ‘tramp’ and the sign saying she have a ‘happy life’. I really like the photograph of the model on the bench lying down. This is because it is a typical pose/position a ‘tramp’ would lie in. Having the sign facing this way slightly makes it easier to read and having the model slightly holding it makes it relate to her. I like that this photograph is edited in black and white because it makes a link with the person in the photograph that she is stripped of everything. I also like the edit at the bus stop because it is an environment you are likely to see a ‘tramp’ in. The model is only slightly holding the sign which shows that she is tired and upset. Her facial expressions also compliment this.
Here are two more edits that I have completed when doing my re shoots. I like the edit to the left because I have used a dramatic angle. This is a side view close up angle. I have included part of her jacket she is wearing so that you are able to see the dirt that is on it. You are also able to see the mud that is on her face which shows she isn’t a clean lady. This makes you instantly think she is of a lower class. I like the edit above because the tramp doesn’t look as unhappy as she does in over photographs. This then relates to the sign she is holding and shows that she does actually have a happy life. The edit makes the photograph look more old and vintage which gives a good feel to the photograph.
I like the range of photographs that I have used in this series. This is because I have used the same environment but different angles to show this. The photograph at the top left is a long shot where the model is far away from the camera. I like this photograph because the fences either side create lines which make the photograph focus on the model. They draw your eye to the middle of the photograph where the model is. Although the model is far from the camera, you are still able to read the sign which is held in front of her and her face. Although you aren’t able to make out her facial expressions you are able to look at her body language which relates to the idea of this photograph. The photograph below (to the left) is a much closer shot. This is so that you are able to see her facial expressions more clearly. Although you are only able to see a limited amount of her clothing, you are able to see her shoes which look old and ruined. This then makes you think what her life is like. You are also able to see by the sign which is battered and muddy. This photograph is taken from quite a low angle/eye level which gives a good effect to the photograph. I then took a photograph from a high angle looking down on the person (top right photograph). This is because as the person is or at least looks like a down and out or society drop out, Looking down gives a greater impact and implies this. I then took some photographs from a side angle. The photograph at the top in the middle is from a high, side angle. I like the edit because it is in a enhanced black and white which makes the darker black stand out. This is the models clothing and the sign. I like the edit to the right as it is a low angle and it is almost like you are looking at what they would be seeing everyday from their position of sitting on a pavement for example.
Reshoot Two
Here I have taken a series of photographs using the theme of opposites and the use of juxtaposition. These photographs show an upper class lady who wears wealthy clothes but her facial expressions not represent happiness. This juxtaposes the wealth of the lady with the glum look on her face. I like the first photograph because the lady is posing in a very lady like way with her legs crossed. This symbolises the supposed superiority and potential wealth of the lady. The objects that are involved in this photograph look very upper class and could be expensive which relate to the look of the lady. Then when you look at her facial expressions you can see that she hasn’t got a smile and she is slightly frowning. The second photograph is the same position but I have used a different angle. This is because I wanted to be more adventurous and take a low angle shot. I like this angle because you are able to see a side view of her facial expressions and they are too not uplifting. The third photograph to the right is a more close up shot. This is so that you are able to see a close up of the objects which look rather expensive china. You are able to see her facial expressions more clearly which juxtaposes the way she looks.
These two photographs relate to the theme juxtaposition and the relationship between the two opposites. The first photograph to the left is taken from a high angle so you are able to see a lot of detail and figure out what this photograph is trying to convey. By looking at the models clothing you can see she has the appearance of an upper class lady. Then when you look at her facial expressions you are able to see that she isn’t happy. If someone was of a higher class you may except them to be happy because they are able to do a lot of things that maybe other people can’t. I like the sharp black and white edit that I have created with this photograph. This is because the black or white highlights areas which creates a focal point of the photograph. For example the edit enhances the ladies cheekbones making them more defined. I like the second photograph because here you are able to see another area which represents her feelings. The lady is sitting slightly hunched which could represent she is giving up. That she isn’t bothered and she is feeling unhappy. I like the colour edit that I have created because the lady looks very vibrant and bright where as the background is dull and dark. This fits in with the idea of opposites and juxtaposition. Although I haven’t used a sign in this photograph I have used another way of conveying messages across to the person which is looking at the photograph. I like that it isn’t that obvious to see what the photograph it trying to convey but when looking closer you are able to start to realise the meaning of this photograph.
I took this photograph because it shows a person who is wearing smart clothes which look expensive. Also the girl is sat on a chair which looks antique and could also be expensive. Stereotypically this person would be happy because she is wealthy. This girls facial expressions tell a different story as she looks very glum and unhappy. This shows the juxtaposition between the two main focuses in this photograph. I like this photograph because it is taken from a high angle so you are able to see all the detail in the photograph. It makes it different from a mid shot. I also like that this photograph shows that she is sat upright which relates to the wealth aspect of this photograph and on the other hand you are able to see clearly her facial expressions. Although this photograph isn’t a close up you are still able to see clearly that she isn’t happy. The edit is quite dark and doesn’t make any of the colours in the photograph bright and exciting. Adding to the mood of the girl. She is also totally engaged in her own thoughts.
Manual Edits
Here I have created a manual edit using one of my re shoot photographs. I have cut around the person in the photograph and then stuck it back down to the background but moving it slightly to the left. I like this manual edit because I haven’t done much to the photograph but I have created an interesting effect. I think that this manual edit was created accurately and neatly so the outline cut of the person is cut well. I like that this effect creates a thick, white border around the person which makes them stand out. This is good because it makes the person the main focus point of the photograph. The border draws your eye to the focal point. To improve this manual edit I could add more techniques to the background of the photograph. This is because I haven’t manually edited the background of this. I could sew around the seats or add coloured card to emphasis parts of the photograph to make them stand out and contrast with the rest of the photograph. I could write text on the photograph to convey the girls thoughts and feelings so the audience are able to get an insight and better understanding on the girl and what she is all about. This with make more clear of what the meaning of the photograph is all about.
Here I have created a manual edit combining three different photographs. I used three different digital edited photographs to make the edit look more interesting. I have cut two of the photographs in equal strips. I then combined them so that they interlocked alternately and slotted together. I then got another one of my re shoot photographs and cut the person from it. This left me just the person without the background. I then places this photograph on top of the other photographs along one of the strips. I like this edit because I haven’t just used one edit but I have combined three. I like that there isn’t just one focal point in this photograph. As I have used three different photographs there are many different focal points. For example the girls face occurs in all three of the photographs so I would say that there are three focal points. I like the I have used repetition with the strips but then I have broken that up with the cut of girl at the bottom of the edit. To improve this manual edit I could add more manual techniques so that it adds interested to the edit. For example I could add stitching to outline the faces so that they are more visible and stand out more. I could also add acetate of one of my re shoot photographs and layer it on the these photographs to the left. This would then combine another photograph into the edit in a different way. Instead of having a white background I could have another photograph as the background. This would make the piece look less plain and more exciting and full of colour. To relate to my theme of opposites and juxtaposition I could interlock two opposite photographs instead of photographs which are relating to the same story. This would therefore link to my chosen theme even more. I think this also could make the edit look more different and unique.
Here I have created three manual edits. The first edit to the top left was done by cutting up the photograph into strips and leaving a gap in between them. I have created the second edit to the bottom left by tearing the sides of the photograph and scrunching it up. I then tea stained the photograph to create a vintage type effect. The third edit just above was created by burning the edges of the photograph creating an original shape. I like the way that the shape isn’t regular and it is almost random.
Here I have created a manual edit using two photographs. I first cut around the girl in the photographs. I then placed them onto a piece of paper and used colours with the photographs and drew triangles in the blank spaces. I like this effect because firstly the colours link and secondly the triangles fill the blank space. I like that I have cut out the person from the photographs because it makes the photograph look more mysterious without the background and environment that it was in. To make this edit better I could add some more photographs of just the person in the photograph and create a big picture and piece.