EXTRA / ordinary

EXTRA / ordinary

Through photography my aim is to explore the idea of what it means to be normal/ordinary in today’s world.

My intention is to create images of real situations, but situations no one talks about. The scene will be the same in very photography, the people different. The scene will be very simple, just a bed, wall and floor. I don’t want there to be four walls to in close the photography. I want my photographs to feel like the model has walk onto the scene and let you glimpse into their lives. I also want it to be more about the people than the room, I don’t want about to wonder why there all doing in the same room – I want the view to wonder what the people are doing/feeling while being in this one room.

Influences/Inspiration

Cindy Sherman (Photographer) Untitled Film Series

Cindy Sherman (born January 19, 1954) is an American photographer and film director. Sherman is best known for her conceptual portraits. Cindy Sherman has raised challenging and important questions about the role and representation of woman in society, media and the creation of art.

The Untitled Film Series (1977 – 1980) consists of 69 black and white photographs all of which are shot and posed in by Sherman herself. All 69 photographs feature Sherman posed in different female roles. “I’m trying to make other people recognize something of their selves rather than me.” Cindy Sherman. What Sherman is saying is that by using herself, the viewer can use her body as a tool to reflect the idea onto there own lives. Although Sherman has made all the characters up we sense right away that we already know who they are and what there story is. Sherman chose it keep all the images untitled as she wanted to preserve their ambiguity. There are no men what so ever in any of the photographs as Sherman plays with gender and uses it as a “constructed position within her works. Sherman also plays with the idea of people’s person identities and how the mass media is used to shape them.

Gregory Crewdson (Photographer) Beneath the Roses

Gregory Crewdson (born September 26, 1962) is an American photographer who is best known for elaborately staged scenes of American homes and neighbourhoods.

Both of Crewdson photography series Twilight and Beneath the Roses highly stages movie like in creation, works of art. Crewdson uses large crews and the scenes are elaborately stages and lit. Crewdson’s photographs are shot in small Americans towns, but are dramatic and cinematic; walking along you would easily mistake it for a film set. Crewdson’s scenes are often disturbing and surreal.

Crewdson works on the idea of narrative, but Crewdson’s images don’t tell you a story they make you think of one. The story is likely to be different in each viewer and very different to Crewdson’s story. Crewdson’s photographs look like stills from a film. But unlike a film it can’t tell a story from start to finish. The photographs are always open ended, the invite the viewer the make up their own story.

My other main influence is the emotional idea of what is Ordinary.

Ordinary – Adjective

With no special or distinctive features: normal

Normal – Adjective

The usual, average, conforming to a standard

Ordinary – What does it mean? The definition above states “With no special or distinctive features: normal. Normal? What is it to be normal? Do you have to conform to a standard to live a normal ordinary life?

In using ordinary people, not models I hope the feelings and emotions become stronger in my photographs.  

Other / Photographers / Films / People:

Sophie Calle – Sam Taylor Wood - Helmut Newton -

Revolutionary Road – Blue Valentine – American Beauty – The Virgin Suicides – In My Fathers Den – Butterfly Effect -

Sam Mendes -

Bibliography/references

Bright, Susan. Art Photography Now. Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2005  

Sherman, Cindy. The Complete Untitled Film Stills – Cindy Sherman. The Museum of Modern Art, 2003.

Cotton, Charlotte. The Photograph as Contemporary Art. Thames & Hudson, 2004

Crewdson, Gregory. Beneath the Roses. Abrams: First Edition, March 1, 2008

Practical Considerations/Proposed Budget

Number of final works: I want there to be an even amount, for example 6 to 8 photographs. I also what the photographs to look like a series, so the viewer can view each photography individually and as a group.

Size of final works: A3+, I want the photographs to be big and inviting to the viewer, as some of the images may be uneasy.

Method of presentation: Black Frames with glass

Detailed Equipment list: Canon EOS 450D, variety of lenses, tripod, lighting studio

Timeline

Weeks 1-3 Iris Awards

Weeks 3-5 Initial planning, research, experimental shooting

Weeks 5-15 Planning exhibition, photographing, printing, framing etc