Winstone Lake, Gloucestershire - Megan Rickards
Megan Rickards Photography Portfolio Photography portfolio illustrating research techniques, as well as academic and personal self-initiated images: • • • • •
My Images and Analysis CAPES Analysis (Culture, Aesthetic, Politics, Ethical, Style) Nature Shoot - Artist Research Photoshop Technical - My Images Personal Study - Researching Tish Murtha, incorporating own imagery
Instagram – @Meg_Photos
My images and analysis
I shot this image a couple of years ago on a Nikon DSLR. I used a high aperture and a fast shutter speed to achieve the shallow depth of field. I really like the sharp details on the flower and bug and the vibrant colours.
Including depth and field and the rule of thirds grid, I shot this image on AV mode on a Nikon DSLR. I really like this image because of the sharpness of the bug and the framing of the flower. I tried to get as close to the flower as possible, to capture the small details in the petals.
I took this photo using a toy fairy, a sheet of glass, a laptop, water and my DSLR. I first used my laptop for the blue background, and sprayed water on glass. I covered my camera lens with the glass, creating this overlay effect. I really like how it turned out as I was just experimenting with different ideas and materials, however it was really effective.
I took this image in Amsterdam in Spring, 2019. I love the blue and red colour scheme and the positioning of the bike. The look of the bike, and how it is placed against the fence captures how real the image is. I left the scene untouched and captured purely what I found.
This image was taken in an Amsterdam gift shop. I really enjoy the bold and bright colours that draws the audience in. The depth of field also attracts the eyes to the right-hand side of the image. This was shot on a high aperture to create the shallow depth of field.
This image was taken in Amsterdam, over the river. I decided to centre the padlock in the frame so it would be the first thing the audience is drawn to. I enjoy the bright colours and depth of field, as it allows the padlock to be noticed even more.
This is a macro shot of a small yellow flower I found in a field. I really like the small visible details, such as the spiders web wrapped around it. I also tried to include negative space by using the surrounding green land, as I thought that accentuates the colour of the flower.
I shot this photo on a holiday in Egypt. In Egypt were many interesting plants and flowers and I was very enthusiastic to capture them all. This image is my favourite because of the contrasting colours and depth of field.
This image was taken spontaneously. I wanted to quickly capture my friend as she was on her phone. I really like the framing of this image, as it is quite close up, but I have still included depth of field in the background.
This image was taken on my Canon film camera with Ilford black and white film, in a photography studio. I used a darkroom to process the image and I scanned in the photograph. I used Redhead Tungsten lights and soft boxes. To add something to the simple portrait, I taped a printed picture of an eye, that I took beforehand. I think this adds something to the image that can be interpreted differently by the audience.
This is a self-portrait. I used a tripod and the self-timer setting on my iPhone to capture the negative side of the internet. I wanted to experiment with iPhone photography as well as DSLR, to see what I could create with a simple phone. I used Adobe Photoshop to add social media symbols onto my face, and I used earphones and chargers to wrap myself in. I really like the contrast and the negative space I used in this image. I took this image in a park at sunset. I love the silhouette and how it contrasts so strongly to the sky. I also managed to capture a plane flying by above the park, which I think really adds something to the simple image. I thought really carefully about my positioning when framing the image, and decided just to include one swing, for simplicity.
I captured this image on a walk in Cirencester Park. I really this spontaneous shot as it’s so simplistic and looks very peaceful. I also love the shadows and the contrast. I used the rule of thirds grid when framing the photo to ensure the person is the main subject that the audience notices and doesn’t get lost in the location.
I directed and shot images of this model in a field, and this is one of my favourites from the shoot. I really like the elegance of this image. If I was to re-shoot his picture, I would have experimented with costumes / wardrobe, as this shoot was spontaneous and casual.
For this image I wanted a lot of shallow depth of field. I used a high aperture to capture the main flower with the surroundings blurred out. I love the bright colours in the image, and the contrast between the pink and green.
In this image, I had to get very close to the flower and bee. I wanted to ensure that the background was out of focus and the insect and main flower was eye-catching for the audience.
I took this image as a part of my “social documentary� project at College. I wanted this portrait to capture the new life everyone is experiencing to make it relevant and relatable. I directed my model and wanted eye-contact, so that my audience felt connected and directed towards when they look at the image.
I used a self-timer on my Canon DSLR to capture this selfportrait. I experimented with make-up and wore a dark top to add to the narrative and atmosphere. I used Adobe Photoshop to add a vignette and play with the contrast and brightness.
These portraits are a part of my College coursework. I took these in the studio using soft boxes, tungsten lighting and a black background. I requested for my models to wear a dark top with some jewellery. I love the atmosphere of these images, created by the expressions and the shadows.
I shot this image in the Cirencester Christmas Market. I love the depth of field that I included, and I used the rule of thirds grid to frame my photograph.
I used Adobe Photoshop to edit this image. I adjusted the contrast, brightness and saturation as the original image was quite flat.
This is the before image, before postproduction. To shoot this photo, I used a shutterspeed of 1/250 and an aperture of F8.
I love the leading lines and the framing - with the leading lines placed on the rule of thirds grid. I purposefully included depth of field in this image, by focusing on the fence and vines.
CAPES analysis
Henri Cartier-Bresson – Gandhi, India, 1948
Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French humanist photographer considered a master of candid photography, and an early user of 35mm film. He pioneered the genre of street photography and viewed photography as a decisive moment. Cartier-Bresson went to meet Gandhi in mid-January 1948. His photographs captured the Mahatma (Great Soul) taking his first food after a fast in the name of peace, and later controversially visiting a Muslim shrine in Delhi to show sympathy for the Muslim Indians. Then, at 5.17pm on 30 January, just 90 minutes after Cartier-Bresson had last seen Gandhi, the Hindu nationalist Nathuram Godse – who scorned that very sympathy – assassinated him. This image was taken on a roll of black and white film. The contrast created with the black and white film makes the image more appealing as it exaggerates the strong tones. Cartier-Bresson also considered the rule of thirds when taking this image, as
he has clearly positioned Gandhi on the right had side of the frame, this allows the audience to draw their eyes straight onto him as he is the first thing they would notice in the foreground. He has also used depth of field on the people behind the main subject. By doing this, it distracts the audience to what is behind Gandhi and attract the attention to him. As well as this, leading lines has also been incorporated with the three people in the foreground. The day before Gandhi’s assassination, Cartier-Bresson photographed the leader, who had been fasting to call for an end to the violence over the India-Pakistan partition, as he was physically—and perhaps emotionally—supported by his nieces. Cartier-Bresson returned the next day to interview Gandhi about the fast. On January 30, 1948, hours after their conversation, Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu nationalist. In the aftermath, Cartier-Bresson returned once again to Birla House to document Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s announcement of Gandhi’s death. Cartier-Bresson’s quiet pictures of Gandhi’s body lying in state led to a commission from Life to document the funeral. The news sent Cartier-Bresson racing back to document the aftermath with his unobtrusive little Leica, which did not require flash. ‘We are bound to arrive as intruders,’ he later wrote. ‘It is essential, therefore, to approach the subject on tiptoe. It is no good jostling and elbowing.’ Later that night, and again without flash, he captured prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru announcing to the world: ‘The great light is extinguished.’ Mandela, King and others would take up Gandhi’s torch around the globe. The exhibition’s other photographs set the Gandhi story within the complex context of the contradictions and turmoil that followed India’s creation as an independent democracy. Images range from the well-known – Jawaharlal Nehru and the Mountbattens standing in front of Government House in Delhi – to quack doctors in back streets.
Image research – nature shoot Nature/ wildlife – flowers Terri Weifenbach – In Your Dreams, 1997
Terri Weifenbach is an adjunct professor of Film and Media Arts. She is a fine art photographer and teacher on the faculty of the Corcoran College of Art + Design and American University—both in Washington, D.C. She has conducted workshops at art centres such as Anderson Ranch in Aspen, CO and The Centre for Photography at Woodstock, NY. Her work has been exhibited internationally for over 15 years and is in numerous collections including the Sir Elton John Photography Collection and the Museum Ludwig in Koln, Germany. I really like the inviting colours in Terri Weifenbach’s images; the strong contrast and bright tones makes her images eye catching and exciting. When shooting something similar, I will be using a DSLR camera and I will be shooting outside, in the natural light. I will shoot on a high aperture of F3 to hopefully achieve the shallow depth of field – like Weifenbach. The shallow depth of field in her image allows the audience to focus on the foreground of her image, as the background is blurred. I think this technique is effective as it adds depth to the image.
Nature/ wildlife – flowers Terri Weifenbach – Hunter Green, 2000
The shallow depth of field in her image allows the audience to focus on the foreground of her image, as the background is blurred. I think this technique is effective as it adds depth to the image. I really like how the flowers are framing the image. The fact that the background is out of focus and the foreground is sharp really creates an eye-catching path for the audience, as their eyes will automatically be drawn to the edges of the image; rather than the centre. The bright colours in Weifenbach’s image are contrasted. For example, the three main colours in this image are blue green and pink. This also grabs the attention of the audience, as the colours stand out. When taking my image, inspired by Terri Weifenbach, I will use a low aperture and a 50mm lens to increase the depth of field. I will ensure to use bright colours and consider my framing when shooting.
Nature/ wildlife – sunsets / sunrise Paul Reiffer –
Still, Lake Wanaka - New Zealand
Paul Reiffer is a British commercial and landscape photographer. From an early age Reiffer developed his interest in photography through spending time with his father, watching him develop images in a self-built darkroom in their family home. This image was taken at Lake Wanaka in New Zealand. I love the rule of thirds and symmetry incorporated in this image as it draws the audiences’ eyes to the righthand side of the frame. The bright colour of the sunset also creates a fantasy atmosphere, as the surroundings are pink and purple. Because of the sunset, the colours have created a silhouette from the tree. When taking my image, inspired by Paul Reiffer, I will consider the rule of thirds, symmetry, silhouettes. I will use a DSLR camera with a 24mm lens; with a fast shutter speed and low aperture.
Nature/ wildlife – sunsets / sunrise Paul Reiffer –
– The Golden
Durdle Door Sunrise – The Golden Arches
Arches Paul Reiffer is a British commercial and landscape photographer. From an early age Reiffer developed his interest in photography through spending time with his father, watching him develop images in a self-built darkroom in their family home. This image of the sunrise was taken at Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, Durdle Door. The timing of tis image was very important when Reiffer took it, as he wanted the sun peeking through the arch at the perfect time – which he achieved very well. When taking my sunrise / sunset image, I will consider my timings and positionings of everything in frame, as I would like my image to include rule of thirds, shadows and maybe even symmetry. I really like the rule of thirds and the vibrant colours in this image, as it creates a beautiful and dramatic atmosphere. I think that the framing and positioning of the arch makes this image very eye-catching to the audience, and also because of the strong contrasting colours.
Nature / wildlife – landscapes Colin Prior –
Assynt, Achnahaird Bay Scotland
Colin Prior, born in Milngavie, Glasgow in 1958, is a landscape photographer. Prior takes panoramic landscape photographs of Scotland and around the world. His landscape photos are very striking, as they all have a very narrow depth of field, meaning that his images are very sharp, and everything is in focus. This allows the audience to be drawn to the whole image, as there isn’t really a main subject in frame. When shooting my own landscape, I will also shoot on a high aperture of F22, for example. This will ensure that my image is sharp and all in focus. I will also consider the rule of thirds, making sure that my horizon is straight; I could guarantee this by shooting with a tripod.
Nature / wildlife – landscapes Colin Prior –
Old Man of Storr, Skye, Scotland
Colin Prior, born in Milngavie, Glasgow in 1958, is a landscape photographer. Prior takes panoramic landscape photographs of Scotland and around the world. His images are extremely powerful and mesmerising, capturing beautiful scenery on his travels. A lot of prior’s images include great negative space and rule of thirds. For example, in this photo, he has used the sky behind the rocks to create a clear backdrop. This allows the audience to focus purely on the hillside, instead pf what is behind it. When shooting my own landscape, I will consider my background as well as my foreground, and time my shot based on the clouds and birds in the sky. By doing this, I could ensure I have a clear background, creating negative space, however, capturing some birds or clouds could add some depth to my landscape.
Nature / wildlife – insects John Hallmen –
Fall Beetle
Fascinated by insects since he was a child, Swedish photographer John Hallmen has made a name for himself as a premier insect photographer. Self-taught, Hallmen’s meticulous approach sees him capturing these tiny creatures either in the wild or in his makeshift home studio. Hallmen/s work really fascinates me, and the details visible in his photography. I love the bright colours that really capture my attention and the framing of the beetle on the flower. When shooting, myself, I will consider my positions and where I frame my insect. I will use the rule of thirds grid to ensure my image is eye-catching.
Nature / wildlife – insects John Hallmen –
A cuckoo wasp sleeping on lady’s bedstraw
Hallmen’s insect portraits are an incredibly detailed look into the personality and anatomy of different species, each photograph a tribute to a universe of animals that often goes unnoticed. Whether captured in their natural environment or given the studio treatment—Hallmen often uses focus stacking in these instances to pull out rich details—his work is a fascinating look at the beauty and diversity of bugs. When shooting my images of the insects, will shoot on a hight aperture of F7 to make sure I include depth of field but to guarantee the bug is sharp and in focus. Including depth of field will allow the audience’s attention to be drawn to the main subject, which is the insect, instead of anything in the background.
My photoshop technical images
Bringing my chosen theme narrative / surrealism forward, I decided to use the digital techniques of vignette and layering filters. I took this image on my digital camera. When shooting this image, I used a shutter speed of 1/125 and an aperture of F5.6. I edited this image in Photoshop adjusted the brightness, contrast and other filters to make the image look more vintage. When I took this image, I considered the rue of thirds grid, and ensured that the lamp post was place to the right-hand side of the frame. I think this image link to my chosen theme because it makes the audience feel out of place, as in reality, and as I took this image during lockdown there are no people or cars around; which makes it look deserted.
Also, for my theme of narrative / surrealism, I decided to use the technique ‘invert’ and ‘overlay’ for this image. This technique was very simple to do, as all I had to do was press ‘ctrl I’ on the keyboard when in Photoshop. However, I think this technique is very effective. I also used an image I took of a flower in the sky to overlay over the portrait. I used a shutter speed of 1/250 and an aperture of F4.5 when shooting this image on my DSLR with a self-timer. I think this image links with my theme as the tones and highlights have been adjusted because of the invert filter. I also increased the contrast and lowered the brightness to this image on Photoshop to add more depth. I really like the negative space and the use of the rule of thirds.
For my chosen theme of narrative / surrealism, I decided to edit my photo using the technique ‘colour gradient’. I really like this technique as it brings brightness to a plain image. I used a portrait I took on my film camera, therefore the image was originally black and white. This technique was very difficult to do, as it had to get the right colours and get the gradient exactly where I wanted it. When shooting, I used a shutter speed of 1/250 and an aperture of F5.6. I think this fit well with my theme of narrative / surrealism because the colours makes the audience feel in another world.
Based around my chosen theme of narrative / surrealism, I took this image and chose the technique Faucheur to reflect my theme. I started by opening my image in Photoshop and adjusted my brightness and contrast. I decided to lower my brightness and increase the contrast to add depth and to exaggerate the colours and highlights. I also added a dark vignette to the corners of the photograph. I like how this looks as it adds to the negative space. The blue sky creates a perfect backdrop for the leaf – making it stand out. I selected circles around different parts of the image and rotated them, creating an abstract pattern. This links to my them of surrealism as the image doesn’t look normal.
For my chosen theme of messages, I decided to mirror this portrait in photoshop. I did this by copying the layer of the image, flipping it and ensuring that it had the same dimensions of the original image. When shooting this image, I used a shutter speed of 1/300 and an aperture of F5.6 to include depth of field. I really like this image because of the bright red colour of the hood. The hood makes me feel like the model is trying to hide, and the lack of facial expression emphasises that too. I used a DSLR camera and natural day light to shoot this image. I also lowered the brightness and increased the contrast in photoshop to bring out the highlights on the face and to exaggerate some tones.
Also, for my theme messages, I decided to show the technique ‘overlay’ for this image. I took a portrait on a field using my DSLR and natural sun light and overlaid it over a picture that I took on my film camera of a fence and also added a vignette. I really like this effect as it reminds me of bravery. I think the hat my model is wearing reminds me of a soldier’s helmet and the fence makes it feel like the audience is peering over at him on the battle field. In Photoshop, as well as overlaying the two images, I also burned the sky to exaggerate the clouds. I think this increased the contrast, giving the photograph more volume. I used a shutter speed of 1/70 and an aperture of F3.7 for the portrait. I used a shutter speed of 1/120 ad an aperture of F7 for the fence on a roll of film.
Linking to my chosen theme of messages, I used the clone tool in Photoshop to edit this headshot. When taking the image, I used a shitter speed of 1/150 and an aperture of F4.3. I started to use the clone tool to give m image negative space, removing any distractions in the background to leave a sloid colour background. I think this was a good idea because it allows the audience to focus on the model and not anything behind them. I then selected the face and stamped it in the background, overlaying the features in different places. I think this technique links to m theme of messages because it reminds me of hallucinations or someone's mental wellbeing, as the edited faces are distorted.
Bringing forward my chosen theme, messages, I took this image using a shutter speed of 1/250 and an aperture of F5.6. This image is an extreme close up of my eye and I used artificial lighting to take it. During post-production, I selected my eye ball and crystallised it to add to the emotion, as I think it looks like the eye is breaking. I also increased the contrast and lowered the brightness in Photoshop to remove any unnecessary shadows. Not only this, but I also used the clone tool and selected areas of my skin above my eye to remove bright areas that were caused from the flash. I did this to ensure there were no other distractions in this photo, other than the crystallised eye and the tear.
Personal study – Megan Rickards I am going to be looking into the work of Tish Murtha, how Murtha produced her images and what inspired her to produce genuine photographs. I am fascinated by the way she viewed the world and how it is portrayed through her work, creating realistic images of society. Although her images are quite personal to her life, and what she experiences each day, I enjoy how relatable they are to her audience. The realistic feel that the photographs creates really captures something that the viewers are able to relate to themselves. Tish Murtha was a British photographer who captured the world around her in a spontaneous and beautiful way. Her work included juxtaposition and casual lifestyles in black and white. She has inspired me to look deeper into social documentary; and to notice and appreciate my environment the way it is, by creating thought provoking images. As well as looking into the reality of her work, I would also like to highlight how her success came about and how her private family background is reflected in her photographs. The main atmosphere created throughout her images was the playfulness of the young children in her local streets, shooting her images on a black and white film camera. Throughout my personal study for Tish Murtha, I will be researching her and her work to gather information to talk about. I will find my information from online articles, video interviews and documentary’s and books about her photography. After leaving school at 16 and working a variety of jobs, Tish Murtha lived in Newcastle upon Tyne. She was encouraged by her lecture to apply for the documentary photography course in Newport, the very first of its kind. Aged 20, Murtha left Newcastle in 1976 to study in Wales under the guidance of Magnum photographer David Hurn. Times were tough because she didn't have that much money, she was being held without education on a grant and would work at a nightclub at night with a few of the other students because the course itself could be quite expensive - those costs quickly racked up. But David Hurns memory of her is that she was incredibly hard working and even though she worked those very late hours she was never late once after her studies. She felt she had an obligation to the people and problems within her local environment, and upon her return to Newcastle photographed family, friends, neighbours, the unemployed and children playing in the street. Murtha’s work was often concerned with the documentation of marginalised communities from the inside. Unlike other photographers who came to document social poverty in the region at the time Murtha didn't just document it, she lived it, as the third of ten children, brought up in a council house in Newcastle, she captured the lives of her friends, family and the community around her well she was on a job scheme for the unemployed. Although money was tough, she had an artistic drive that kept pushing her, creating a fun atmosphere. This was an incredibly tough time economically for the North East of England as the mines were being closed down. Where Tish lived was one of the worst affected areas; so, she decided to take her camera and use it to tell the stories about what was happening in her part of the world. However, she didn't do it as an onlooker, she spent a lot of time with the people that she photographed so that she could build trust with them so they would therefore give her access to very private moments in their lives. Her approach was very informal because she knew people would bring their guards down if she was friendly and open with them. “Elswick Kids”, 1978 This image taken in 1978, titled Elswick Kids, shows two young children sat on a wall admiring each other. The expressions on their faces looks cheeky and somewhat mischievous, which really reflects their age and possibly their relationship. As the children are sat very close together, this could show the audience how well they get on, whether they are siblings or best friends. And also, how the children rely on each other for fun and entertainment. Their outfits are quite tatty with the older boy having a rip in his trousers, on his knee. This could give the audience an insight in their living conditions and their family wellbeing, but also possibly their nature of being children; running around and “dare devilling”, as children do. There are also kids captured in this photograph in the background, behind the main subjects. These kids are seen running towards the wall, almost trying to
get into frame. This could suggest the pure thrill and excitement of what they see happening – the two boys having their photo taken. The rush and enthusiasm of the background boys implies to the audience that something exciting like this doesn’t happen very often in their village. The depth of field draws the viewers to the centre of the frame, directing their attention to the main subjects. Although the background is blurred out, the movement of the kids at the back doesn’t go un-noticed by the audience. This could also be because of the rule of thirds being used, with one boy placed directly to the left-hand side. I also enjoy the deep contrast of the black and white. It emphasises the old - fashioned style and period in which it was taken.
“Kids jump from a 2nd story window onto mattress”, 1979 An image in particular from Tish Murtha that really captured my attention is “Kids jump from a 2nd story window onto mattress”, taken in Newcastle, 1979. The image that sits on the cover of her book, documenting what kids do, something quite dangerous. It includes piles of rubble and bricks, and things that are falling apart. You can tell the side of the building has been torn down, not fixed up afterwards and the windows have been bricked up. I think this really reflects the environment where Tish grew up and the state of her living conditions, as well as the young children seen in the photograph. I absolutely love the little detail in the bottom left corner, of the child looking away and holding a very creepy doll and the doll being the only thing that's looking at the cameras - almost mocking the audience about “why are you looking at this, what are you looking at?” There is so many things to discover in this image, also including the triangular composition of where the figures are laid out, and I think that is very eye catching for the audience.
“13 Kenilworth Road”, 1981 Another striking image, by Tish, is one called “13 Kenilworth Road”, taken in 1981. It portrays three young adults - talking, smoking and one with a pallet gun in the background of the image - and a girl who is the subject matter, as she is the only one in focus. The girl has a remarkable expression on her face, almost pondering, however she does not look happy. It looks like she might have been crying, tatted clothes, muddy hands and tear marks down her cheeks. This young girl could have been shotted as a beautiful portrait on its own – she is back lit, with the background out of focus. However, adding her to the environment she is in with the young adults behind her adds a narrative that the audience could possibly create themselves. The beauty of Tish’s work is developing a deeper meaning of what is happening in the image, and what the girl could be thinking. “Will this end?”, “Will I see better days?”, and it enriches the story of the shot by way of telling you more than what just a portrait would tell you because of the context.
Tish Murtha took her images based on what she knew and what she was a part of. The financial struggles of the people in the images mirrored her own at the time, and the kids who were out on the street all day because both parents were away at jobs for long hours - she had that upbringing herself and she knew what that was like. I think that's a huge constituent in what makes her images so compelling. Inspired by Tish, I think it teaches me that the very best place to take eye-opening images, is at home with what I know best. Another thing her work teaches me is if I want to become a compelling documentary photographer, I need to find a subject I really care about. Tish had her eyes wide open and while everyone else just saw a run downtown, she saw stories that desperately needed to be told. She teaches me to stop thinking about getting on planes to go and get interesting shots and to start to look for the stories that are closest to me, because they're the ones I'm going to be able to dig deepest with. As a documentary photographer the whole point is to be able to dig below the surface, and if I travel far, I don't have the time to do that. And that reminds me that it is not my location that needs to change to take compelling images. It is my vision. The very best stories I can tell, are probably closest to me.
CAPES ANALYSIS – “Jim Chopping Wood”, 1981
Cultural Tish Murtha was a British photographer who captured the world around her in a spontaneous and beautiful way. Her work included juxtaposition and casual lifestyles in black and white. She has inspired me to look deeper into social documentary; and to notice and appreciate my environment the way it is, by creating thought provoking images. As well as looking into the reality of her work, I would also like to highlight how her success came about and how her private family background is reflected in her photographs. The main atmosphere created throughout her images was the playfulness of the young children in her local streets, shooting her images on a black and white film camera. The image in particular of Tish Murtha’s that I will be looking at in this analysis is “Jim Chopping Wood” taken in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, in 1981. It was taken in an area where families struggled for income, and children played in the streets whilst both parents were trying to make a living, very similar to how Tish’s childhood was like – therefore reflecting on personal experiences. Aesthetic This image of Tish Murtha’s is just called “Jim chopping wood” and it simply captures kids hanging out in the street. It shows them lining up to look at an older teenager’s muscles while he's chopping some wood. It really shows the sense of fun they still had in the community; despite their financial struggles their families are dealing with. The children are fascinated by this boy and the look on each of their faces, just having a look at him, I think it's such a wonderful moment. And it's these beautiful, little moments in the context of so much difficulty that, I think, really humanise it. She loves these people and she's really doing the work of telling these Internet stories.
Political People often received her images and saw them as controversial and it sparked debate wherever it went but she didn't mind at her work was divisive and some people have mixed feelings about it because at the end of the day as a good documentary photographer her whole aim was to get people talking about an issue she thought was very important in fact when these images first appeared her local MP took those photographs to parliament and it sparked debate because people could see the plight of these young people who are leaving school with no hope of employment because there were just no jobs in her photographs got people talking about these issues at the highest level 2 is hard to measure how much photography really changes things but it Tish's goal was to get people to see unseen people and to get them talking about their lives and their difficulties. She had her eyes wide open, seeing stories that needed to be heard. Economic During the time of 1981, in particular, the place where Tish grew up and photographed, many families struggled financially. The mines were being closed down, and where Tish lived was one of the worst affected areas. Tish used this to start documenting the struggles the families went through, that were similar to hers. In this photograph “Jim Chopping Wood”, it shows how they didn’t have fancy gas coming into their houses to heat. It has to be done the old-fashioned way in the stove, and the boy maybe looks in his late teens early 20s. Social Tish also encourages to be with the people so what is looking at Tish Murtha that you're photographing, obviously when photographing someone you're going to be with them in their presence Tish does more than that. She enjoys being with them and around them over an extended period of time. Finding out who they are as human beings. Something you'll notice when looking through Tish’s work is, you'll see the same faces popping up again and again because it's clear that she wasn't just running around trying to find interesting faces and bring them altogether in a visually interesting book. She was spending time with the same kids in the same families over and over again to tell their specific storeys in more depth. She became a part of the Story that she's visually telling. I think so many photographers approach situations and they take shots from a distance, but for this sort of rich, warm, creative storytelling of real issues, you have to be in there and involved. I think that's a big difference between social documentary photography and street photography for example because most street photographers don't want to be seen or notice, but a documentary photographer wants to get in get involved. It's so clear when you look at Tish’s images that she must have spent countless hours on the streets with the kids she photographs and that you can feel their comfort with her and her affection for them in her work. It teaches me that to do this sort of documentary photography, staying and being involved like that is the only way to put that kind of intimacy into your work. I think Tish's work is so compelling because of her method; because of how she approached her subjects and how she spent time with them and the access she got. It gave her the trust to get the incredible shots.
MY FINAL IMAGES AND ANALYSIS - inspired by Tish Murtha
I captured these six images within the space of two days, during the Cirencester market in the town centre. I tried to capture the new normal that everybody is experiencing. Sticking with my theme of being inspired by my chosen photographer, Tish Murtha, I learnt a lot about shooting social documentary. For example, I wanted to keep my images as natural as I could, talking to my subjects, like what Tish does, to enhance the social side of what I captured. By turning my images black and white, it increases the contrast and the story. I tried to create a story throughout my work, about the venerable ones throughout this pandemic. I shot at the bus stop, visitors amongst the market and the workers at the stalls. I really like how my images turned out and how they document the times we’re in and how people are keeping themselves and others safe.