Formula 1 magazines

I decided to broaden my research to other forms, i discovered segments in the formula one magazines where the photographers explain how they took their images, i felt this might aid me in my own.

The caption for this image talks about the idea that photographs tell only a small part of the story, for example at first glance the racer seems to be disapointed about the session but in reality he is stretching his back and holding a cold towel on his face in preperation for the race. i feel this is very important in my photographs for this unit because i want to show that you shouldnt judge a book by its cover as many do with deaf and old people, my images should show people living everyday life with the hidden story being their deafness. As well as this the photographer used f2.8 and a 182mm lens which isnt the lens you would usually use for portraiture however the f2.8 allows more focus on the racer.

This image shows me the importance of a tory, this too many would seem like a celebratory hug but in reality its a hug between a father and son who have had a few tensions between them over the years, again showing theirs more to the story than what meets the eye. Although this image seems quite busy but as the background people are all facing the main subjects are focus is still drawn their. Furthermore the angle of the image may seem restricting as you can only see one subjects face but due to the sunglasses you can see the reflection of the other subject, therefore drwin gthe viewer in further.

This photographer talks about how sometimes photography is a bit of luck and about being in the right place at the right time which is very true , you can be in a room full of people but if you don’t focus on the right people at the right time the photos will just be boring. He wasn’t quick enough to get right to the front but by stepping back and using a longer lens he was able to capture this image with no background clutter, nice highlights on the face and drips of sweat which really emphasises the emotions and the moment felt. This shows how it isn’t important to take the pictures that everyone already sees like at the front of the concert but by going behind the scenes and understand the preparations we understand more about the situation.

I feel this image was very successful in showing identity as although there is a lot of negative space, the helmet looking up at the racer is like a son looking up to his father, its who they look up to and who they want to become, their identity. For this image they used a 24mm lens with f 1.4 which has created a lot of focus on the subject and helmet so although there is a lot of negattive space the viewer is deterred from this by the sharpness of the subject.

Overall although formula one has nothing to do with my project it has allowed me to see what other photographers think as they take their pictures and how to improve the composition, lighting etc in my own portraits.

Photographer research- Philipp Rathmer

I found an article about a project with children in Malawi, the plan was to give the deaf children hearing aids and give them a camera to document their new favourite sounds. They were given a crash course in photography and they came back with a few days later were truly inspiring: dogs barking, music, the sound of their own name, the whirring of a sewing machine. I feel this project is interesting because it has not been completed by an experienced photographer instead we get a raw viewpoint of the sounds from the deaf people themselves, as the photographer could have just questioned the children on their favourite sounds and then taken them himself but this wouldn’t have been as authentic.

Here are a few of my favourite images taken as they really show us as a viewer the sounds that are being represented. The movement created in the second image by the water bouncing off the hand really allows the sound to be felt by the viewer. Although the first image is out of focus in places it really complements the idea of movement as we see the uplift of the sand as well as the movement of the ball and feet. I like that in both images the face has been cut off as it allows us to focus on the sounds rather than other elements of the picture. Furthermore in the second image the pots and pans frame the image by drawing your attention to the tap and water which is the important sound in the image.

Overall i would like to use this project to inspire my own, by finding small ways i can represent sound in my image so that the viewer can have a sensory experience. Although i don’t want this to be the main focus for my project i can find a way of incorporating it when trying to show that the everyday life of a deaf person is very similar to everyone else.

Deaf discrimination

After looking at ageism i felt it was fitting that i looked into discrimination against he deaf as i am focusing on both during my project.

The first article i found was about an incident that occured in a burger king where hte server refused to serve a deaf person. “I had my order ready, I had it typed on my phone. I do that often when I go through drive-thrus, it hasn’t ever been an issue,” Hollis told the newspaper But when she handed her order to the employee at the window, Hollis said she was met with a “face of frustration.” immediately he denied her service and told Hollis that she’d have to come inside the restaurant. The employee passes her a note saying ‘ can’t do a full order at the window, too busy’. After waiting at the window, Hollis said that another employee eventually took her order but the incident was still upsetting because she knew her sons were watching. She wanted to tell this story to raise awarness about the discrimination deaf people recieve every day. This inspires me to also raise this awarness through my photos, to show others deaf people are just the same as everyone else and i can show these average tasks in my photos, as well as showing they should be allowed to complete them despite how others may try to stop them such as this employee.

Next i decided to look into a few statistics around discrimination, 1 in 4 deaf people quit their job due to it. It is said Discrimination was most likely to come from colleagues (62%), and then from management (53%). More than one third of deaf job seekers (37%) have faced discrimination as early as the interview stage. This should not be happening especially at the workplace as everyone despite their disability has to earn a living to pay their bills etc. and should not be made to feel unworthy of this human right.

The final case i looked at was after a deaf woman noticed fraudalent activity on her bank account and through her brother contacted the bank via telephone. as theyw ere not talking to the woman herself they refused to serve the customer despite explaining her disbility, the use of the app messaging service would take 3-5 days which is far too long for an emergency such as this.

Overall after looking at these discrimination cases it has inspired me to show people to trues side of deaf people, that they are just like us even if they cannot hear. I want to show you can still be happy and you still take part in everday tasks and activities.

Cruel jokes about the old are everywhere. When will we face our ageism epidemic? – Francine Prose- The guardian

I wanted to continue my research into ageism and how growing old is perceived by many even though most of us will experience it. This article looks at ageism by TV presenters and other influencers and how this is received by the elderly as the writer gives us her opinion.

In her opening statement she states- “We tolerate mockery of the elderly that we’d never allow if it targeted another group.” I find this very interesting as many of us make jokes about being old however almost everyone will reach and experience old age so why wouldn’t we have a more sensitive approach towards the matter? Discrimination against particular races, sexualities , religions etc. is constantly spoken about in the media and is slowly improving over time however why is this not considered with all aspects of life such as with ageism.

The New York Times ran a piece by Ann Bauer titled: do old people have a different smell? After renting her house to an elderly couple, Ms Bauer returned to find that her home had an odd scent. One biologist at the Monell Chemical Research Centre found that an increased concentration of an unsaturated aldehyde produced, in the old, “a distinctive grassy, waxy or fatty odour”.

The results of these studies are unimportant, the fact that they were carried out and funded is the interesting part. Are there studies in progress designed to determine if black people smell funny, or if one can identify a gender nonconforming person by an educated sniff? Most definitely not because this would seem very discriminatory and would spark an uproar by all.

Another interesting factor to consider is the phrase “OK Boomer” it is Generations Z’s response to the problem of “older people who just don’t get it.” OK Boomer now appears on phone cases, stickers, pins, and sweatshirts and on a range of products that say, “OK boomer, have a terrible day.” But what if there was a sweatshirt that said OK Jews, have a terrible day? The accepted justification for this is that the old have ruined things for the young: they are responsible for climate change, for income inequality, financial crises etc. Although it seems unfair to direct the anger at the average middle-class senior citizen rather than the big banks, upper class, government etc.

Overall this article allowed me to see ageism from the view of someone going through it themselves so i can understand the truth and not just the mass opinion. I feel i can now approach this project with more sensitivity as i understand the discrimination that can take place and i want to show viewers the other side of growing old, that you can have fun and still enjoy the remaining part of your life regardless of the ageism and other limitations.

Artist Research- Google image search and Chuck Baird

I decided I wanted to look into other means of research by not only looking at photographers for inspiration. When searching Deaf art into google images the photographs that appeared was very interesting to me. Almost all of the images were bright and colourful which enhances the importance of sight for deaf people, while we can hear many different beautiful sounds they rely on a variety of colours.

Through this search i discovered a movement called De’via. De’VIA is created when the artist intends to express his or her Deaf experience through visual art compared with deaf art which is when it is just being used as a subject matter.

“Deaf art expresses the values of Deaf culture— the beauty of sign language and its painful oppression, the joys of Deaf bonding, communication breakdowns between signers and non-signers, the discovery of language and community, and the history of Deaf people,”– Chuck Baird

In 1989 nine Deaf artists came together to discuss Deaf art and came up with the name Deaf View/Image Art (De’VIA). “De’VIA represents Deaf artists and perceptions based on their Deaf experiences. It uses formal art elements with the intention of expressing innate cultural or physical Deaf experience. These experiences may include Deaf metaphors, Deaf perspectives, and Deaf insight in relationship with the environment , spiritual and everyday life.”(De’VIA Manifesto, 1989)

Chuck Baird

I decided to look further into one of the artists so i could understand more about De’via. He was an American Deaf artist who was one of the more notable founders of the De’VIA art movement, From the Kansas School for the Deaf, to Gallaudet University and finally the Rochester institute of technology. Baird started work as a set painter for the national theatre for the deaf , followed by a position with Spectrum-Focus on Deaf artists, In between, he found time to work with Deaf media on their Emmy award winning series for deaf children, Rainbow’s End. His art was recognised internationally in the Deaf community. He held residencies at many Deaf schools, teaching and creating long-lasting artworks. Below i picked out two of my favourite artworks by him.

They both focus on the two different elements of being deaf: the lack of use of ears, and the main use of hands in communication. The second image depicts hands holding a flower, implying that their thoughts blossom and are shared through their hands as well as the use of hands for their artwork creating such a beautiful thing like a flower. While the first image shows us the importance of their eyes and how they use them in replacement of their ears, i like how he has painted a really close portrait of the face as it causes more focus to be on the ears and their meaning. I found that in a lot of his work he uses water, this could be to help the viewers who are not deaf to understand what it sounds like to be deaf as it is a similar sensation to being underwater.

Overall after looking at this work i feel when creating my own project it is important to include lots of colour as well as including hands and ears as an important factor with out making them too much of a focus as its more about being able to complete everyday tasks and still enjoying life.

Photographer Research – Richard Billingham

I have decided to continue my research into family photographers and how to approach it as Billingham is known for his honest photographs of his parents where he should little sensitivity in the matter.

The series is called Ray’s a Laugh and portrays his life of poverty and deprivation as a young child. Billingham has said he chose to use the cheapest film and development he could find which could reflect the lack of money he had as a child as well as how little his parents care about themselves and their body so the quality of the pictures is also not cared for. He focused on his alcoholic father and his violent mother, which although at first glance seem quite grotesque, they are still human and their struggle is relatable to many, not necessarily literally.

The lighting and angle of both the images is very direct and intimate and could only be taken by someone as close to them as a son. The fact neither of them look at the camera in the series implies how unaware of their surroundings they are especially due to the alcohol. Furthermore i like how the second image doesn’t directly tell us he is an alcoholic but just implies it allowing the viewer to work out the rest as it makes the image more intriguing, the toilet is a very common object linked to alcohol which is enhanced by him flopped on the floor next to it.

Overall by looking at Billingham’s work i understand the importance of angle and lighting and how it effects the mood of the image. I myself want to represent my grandparents in a good way so will ensure the lighting and angles compliment this.

Photographer research – Kate Disher Quill

I wanted to continue my research into deaf photography as i did want this to be my main theme for my project. Quill uses intimate portraiture to create awareness for deafness as she grew up herself with the condition, generally feeling isolated. Disher-Quill spent a year meeting, photographing and interviewing members of the Deaf community about their daily realities and routines.

“From a young age, I was always drawn to the emotion that photography can evoke. I would stare at portraits, unsure of how or why I was so captivated by the face of a stranger, but I suppose I was compelled by the curiosity that it sparked in me.”

At a young age Disher-Quill hadn’t come to terms with her condition feeling others were judging her and that she would never be as clever as her peers. When going to hearing centes the images surrounding her would be of the elderly and babies making her feel different and isolated.

“It was April 2014 when all of this changed. I was skimming through a magazine and stumbled across an article by a 27-year-old photographer, who was also Deaf. She mentioned the awkwardness of missing punchlines, the embarrassment of being a teenager and telling boys she was Deaf, and the frustration of not always having access to subtitles when watching movies. She then went on to explain that visual imagery had always been a huge part of her life, and that it seemed natural for her to pursue a career as a photographer. Mid-way through the article, I realised there were tears rolling down my face… If a thousand words in a magazine could have such an impact on me, how could I use photography and storytelling to do the same for so many others? It was in that moment that the idea for Earshot was born.”

This story is very important because it just shows how little deafness is spoken about especially in young people and how they need to be spoken to or shown something that will inspire them just like the article did for Disher-Quill.

She chose to use film so that she could be more experimental This also meant she was able to enjoy the shoots more, as she wasn’t reflecting on whether the shots were working or not, which helped her to be more present with the subjects.

This image stood out to me as it shows something couples take for granted, communication at night. the couple both wear cochlear ear plants and at night when they both remove them many may believe they are unable to communicate, however they turn on their phone torches and are still able to sign and lip read. i like how this shows you don’t have to be isolated if your deaf, there are ways of getting around the condition and people that will still love you. I like how the angle and lighting focuses on the face alone as it enhances the intimacy as well as the mode of communication, i feel that it was also important to have the couple smiling as it shows others that deafness doesn’t have to be isolating and a bad experience.

In this image you can see how Disher-quill experimented with various aesthetic strategies, here perhaps using the reflection in the water or pacing something over the lens to create this texture. This is important for this project as the models can’t hear so they rely on their other senses, and by creating this image Disher-quill has emphasised the importance of seeing for these models. I like the textures created in this image as it creates another sensory experience for the viewers, rather than just seeing the image they can feel it which makes it more enticing. Furthermore i feel the models outfit helps the image as green blue and purple are all very complimentary meaning one element doesn’t stand out and overbear the rest of the photograph especially as the models face is important in telling the story as well as the textures.

Overall i feel the story behind this project is very inspiring and i want to take the isolation and other emotions felt into account when taking my photos. I want to show that it doesn’t have to be something that needs hiding, you should feel proud when wearing hearing aids, and i want to inspire others with my work.

Photographer research – Laura Zalenga

To continue my research into the elderly and their stereotypes i looked at Zalenga who photographs the elderly but in their own environments which i felt was important as this is the style route i want to go down.

Zalenga enjoys the power of telling stories and showing raw, honest emotions in her photographs that in turn makes her work stand out. She feels photography “is a type of therapy that gives you the ability to heal yourself and others.

For a project called 1000 Strangers,  Zalenga approached random people on the street and asked to take their photograph however older people tended to say no to being photographed saying, “I’m not beautiful anymore. Maybe you should photograph someone who’s younger.” So she decided to explore the idea of aging more closely in a documentary-style series where she went to elderly people homes. Which came about when she had these thoughts:

“I had people where I told them that I thought they looked great, and they had tears in their eyes because it was so long since someone had told them they’re beautiful. That really made me think—something’s so wrong with that. I also noticed that I don’t talk to a lot of old people.”

When talking about stereotypes she quoted “our society very clearly has this beauty ideal of someone being 20 years old, and after that… I have heard so many people in my life say this sentence: “Women, especially, have their beauty peak at 20 and after that it’s downhill.” basically, that the older you are the less beautiful you are.”

These were my favourite photographs from the series due to the honest smiles exhibited, in both images the subjects are looking off camera creating a sense of mystery for the viewer wondering what was said to make them happy and laugh. I like the focus in the first photograph as it enhances the wrinkles on the face which creates texture as well as the emphasis of the smile and the glossiness of the eyes. Furthermore the background of the second image is less out of focus allowing the viewer to see old photos and enhancing the theme of life and ageing.

Overall i like the idea of a documentary style as well as photographing genuine emotions in my work that go against the general stereotypes of the elderly as well as deafness. Moreover i feel it is important to create context in my images so the viewer will look beyond the portraits such as the old photos in the background as i feel it is more interesting for the viewer.

Photographer research – Ilya Nodia

I also wanted to look at stereotypes surrounding old people as this would also be a theme in my work, many feel that getting older means loneliness and sadness as you become more limited in movement and corresponding activities. However Ilya Nodia pictures against these stereotypes picturing old people smiling and enjoying life.

Nodia visited several nursing homes t where he turned their cozy living quarters into temporary photography studios, which is interesting as they are still comfortable in their own homes but allows the background is a studio setting. “The usual schedule was completely disrupted,” Nodia quotes, “Elderly ladies picked out straw hats and powdered their cheeks, while the men teased their beards and carefully positioned their medals.” this quote enhances the idea that the smiles of the elderly are honest and genuine because they during the day they were able to change their normal routine and enjoy themselves rather than sitting down or watching tv.

I like the angle of both images the first being a basic portrait which allows the viewer to see the woman’s outfit and provide more context for the image, while the second being taken landscape creates more focus on the smile as there is limited background to distract you. Furthermore the light grey background compliments the portraits well as its not too harsh and contrasting so causes more of the focus to be on the smile and emotions. In the second image the gaze of the old man is slightly off camera which makes the viewers wonder what the camera man or assistant is seeing to make him laugh creating an element of mystery.

Overall i like how the images move away from the stereotypes of ageing and i want to use this theme in my work in addition to deafness. The only difference being i want to shoot in a more documentary style rather than studio as it provides more context for the viewer as well as allowing the subjects to be more relaxed and comfortable in the photographs providing a more honest image for the viewer.

Photographer Research – Bethany Davies

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To continue my research i decided to look into documentary photographers, Davies focuses on her deaf parents, looking t her work has given me an understanding of how to be sensitive towards the subject as well as how to photograph family. I like the idea of not only taking portraits and looking at objects that help with every day life as Davies has done in this series. However to contrast i may also like to show everyday life as a deaf person with out focusing too much on the disability to show they are still normal people who have hobbies and complete the same everyday activities as everyone else.

When talking about the project she quotes:

I was inspired to create this series of images due to my opinion that the subject of deafness is something which is largely misunderstood or overlooked. I wanted to produce something that would raise awareness and contribute to helping break down the barriers that deaf people often face on a daily basis. As deafness is largely invisible, I wanted to challenge myself to capture the essence of deaf life that many hearing people are not aware of. Although I wasn’t expecting it, taking some of these images was an emotional experience – primarily, the one that shows my dad preparing for a job interview after a few months of being unemployed, due to facing discrimination issues.

I like the idea of showing the viewers experiences that they are not aware of but are important in other peoples life. As well as looking past the discrimination that can occur with deafness as people aren’t educated enough on the subject, hopefully my own project can help with this.

I like the angle of the second image as it allows you to see his hearing aid but he is completing an everyday task, as well as this the first image provides the angle of the mum looking at the tv but how this everyday task has been altered to allow her to do more than see and extend the senses. The third image also gives the viewer an insight into deaf life and how sight is such an important sense for a deaf person and how it is their form of communication to each other.

Overall this project has secured my vision for my own, the use of documentary style in their own home as well as veering away from stereotypes and show viewers how you can be happy and everyday life isn’t much different than everyone else.