Take 3

15 April 9:30 I’m in the Dorset Bar to join Clark’s DJ night.

Both David and Clark were in there and wore their suits. This is quit fresh for me that the first time saw DJ wore the suits and play the MODs music and a really great experience in the UK.  

Even that is a great night in the Dorset bar but I was feel frustrated about taking photos. I have to say all of the people I met during this project are very nice and friendly to me, and also they all good so I have a lot of ideas like how to shoot those people and how to present this community but some points cause that I can’t reach what I want in my photos. First is I can’t express my concept very clear and all of them have their work have to do as well so we don’t have so much time to talk about it. Next is I’m not good enough to control camera led to I miss some really great moments or photos are fuzzy(this is one of most depressed me reason). Last is after all they are not model so they will feel embarrassed be shot in front of people or feel shy when they saw camera. Like last time talked with Serin she has a quit nice idea might can present how they proud of as a MOD, but they have to stand in the middle of the street and pose and the background is unclear people. However the photos are not good because they can’t really be themselves (sigh).

That day is still a great night and we chatted quit a lot (both David and Clark knew Wan, Kar-wai very surprised me) and they recommend me a lot of music and film, too. Next Wednesday has the last meeting with Rebecca, she might take her friends together. I will see what can I gat on Wednesday.

 

Take 2

15 April I went to Jump the Gun and Collectif cloth shop to photo my models again. This time I rethinking which part of this community that I want to express. I think the way of life is more like this community’s common attitude and I want to through their eyes and status to show they very proud of they as a MOD. This time I went to Rebecca’s working place – Collectif to took photos. She is really great but very shy and that day she told me actually she is not really like take photos. I feel so sorry and sensation because she doesn’t like it but still agree help me as a model for my project.

After went to Collectif next is Jump the Gun (I go to that shop too frequency so that I  feel like work in there). The lucky thing is Friday not only Laurie in there, David and Clark in there, too. So I tried not to shoot only individual photo.

 

Yet I still do some individual photos.

They told me Clark will be DJ in 16 April in The Dorset Bar and they invited me to join MOD music night with them. So I think I will have some pub’s photo in that day.

Take 1

11 April I went out with Laurie and Rebecca to take photos. This is the first time that I met Rebecca and she is amazing totally out of my expecting. Last time I mention two points I want to shoot this community.

First is build photo’s atmosphere like 1960s fashion or movie’s photography. In fact I took a lot of photos but I am not good at photo at night so most of my photo cannot use. I quit upset about my poor skills because Laurie and Rebecca’s wearing and the place they chose all really nice. Except the nuclear photos, I am very enjoy that night. Both of them are very nice and would like to do anything that I wanted they doing . We also talked quit a lot (not just about MODs also shared our hobbies and daily life).

Second is to explore more clear idea about “the way of life” this concept. During our conversation I think this idea can through the environment to present their life style. Using the second photo as an example, that bar is their first met place and they usually dating in that bar as well.  Besides, the fourth photo’s cafe was their choice, too. What Im trying to say is different personality and life style’s people will choose different place to have a drink or date. Therefore in the next I will use this way to present the way of life this abstract concept(next Wednesday I will go out with Rebecca and whole day’s schedule all is follow her daily life).

I like Laurie and Rebecca’s interacted in this photo, very sweet and natural. But I’m hastening should use color or black and white photo.

Actually I ask Rebecca did her make-up in different place, however this place is my favorite one. Atmosphere and the light and the color is what I want, and also showed her wearing and make-up very clear to present how MOD care about their cloths and appearance’s details.

This photo’s structure is ok but the color is not what I want so I might do some editing if I will put this photo to my project.

I am really like this photo but I did not set the camera in the right mode and number so its unclear. I am quit frustrated about that because I like their walking in that moment.

 

14 April I will go to Laurie and Rebecca’s shop to take photos again also I will meet others in that day, too. After this experience I starting thinking the pose or the frame this kind of details and image different photos in my mind prepare for Friday’s photo. Another thing I will try to do is make the conflict (old school style photo with new technology) on my photos.

inspiration from 1960 fashion photography

These days I search some 1960 fashion photographer and their works, but I found I more interesting in atmosphere of photo so I’m not just focus on specific photographer. Besides the light, I think the features of environment can help to create the flavor. I really like the first photo, which include some decoration to show the detail and the model’s status looks very enjoy that moment.

After last meeting with our tutor Andrew, we talked about follow some specific people rather than find variety of MODs to shoot. This idea is quit close to my thoughts so I met Jump the Gun’s assistance, Laurie, again to explain my next step and ask he would he like to be part of my project. He not just said he willing to let me photo his life, but also will introduce his girlfriend to me (because I asked he I want to photo female MOD, too but I only met male). There ware two images in my mind that I want to shoot. First is like Kate Moss this photo while second is photo a women makeup in a pub or restaurant’s toilet.  Next Tuesday I will go out with them and I will try this composition and build the atmosphere (through the environment and the details).

Another idea that I want to try is through the detail to hint(or cheat) audience which era is the photo’s present? Its quit interesting that a photo looks like a 60s photo but the model use smartphone , or in a shop or office like the first photo but change the paper to tablet. I’m thinking maybe conflict can make a feeling out of place, also can express my concept “the MOD in nowadays means a way of life”. (however I think the way of life is still unclear/abstract, so I need to chat with them more and be with than longer that I can get it.)  

 

MOD is a way of life

“Mod is more like the way of life. MOD ’s meaning is different from before, actually it is impossible have the same meaning like the past. ” Rose said that to me.

 Last weekend i had been to a MOD shop call “Jump the Gun” to took photos. Rose is shop’s assistance. Before I started taking photo we have a interesting conversation. I asked him so what do you think nowadays mod? He said actually this subculture is very easy to copy from the wearing, but for others who is really like this culture or think they are mod like me and Laurie(another shop assistance) are more like the way of life. After he said its their way of life which inspired me. (I admitted even I went to their shop I still didn’t know what should I take) I want through photo to show as a MOD’s attitude.

 The way of life remind me the movie “ Quadrophenia” their status. Riding their scooter do nothing but enjoy , not have a great ambition just want to live what they want and chilling their live.

First shot was portrait, like Steve McCurry’s photo, through eyes express their attitude.

Second one I tried to use Elliott Erwitt’s approach, using the reflection from the mirror.

Actually I still hesitating which approach should I use, the Portrait one they look very proud of them as a MOD especially Laurie (with glasses one), and the reflection one could see how they care every detail about wearing. But the last photo let me consider maybe I can combine both approach.

Steve McCurry

Sharbat Gula, The Afghan Girl, in Nasir Bagh refuge camp near Peshawar, Pakistan, 1984

Steve McCurry said he was so glad that he chose to be a documentary photographer. The reason is that making documentary photographs makes him able to witness what happened in history. The duty of documentary photographers is to know, to understand, and to document the existence of mankind around the world. Reviewing Steve McCurry’s photo works, I can feel a sense of pause of the time. His works exactly captured the scenes or the figures right at the moment, and the most extraordinary of all, as a viewer, I seem to be able to sense the stories of the people he photographed just through their eyes.

This is what I expect to do when photographing Mods, one of the subcultures popular starting from 1940. I am still thinking about how to express Mods through photos, but I do want to capture some core spirits of Mods, such as rebelliousness, eager for freedom, and their unsatisfaction of society by photo shooting, and I hope I can make viewers sense their values just through their eyes, too.

 

According to Steve McCurry’s documentary, he shared his experience of photography, and in one of part of lesson called committing to a story he said, “ the point to the central issue, trying to photograph the story you’re trying to tell. Keep your research things down, stop analyzing fearing and digging in the story and then attack it.” I totally agree on it.

Take the project of Mods I am about to do in the course Media Practice for example. I understood the culture of Mods much more after watching the movie “ Quadrophenia” and listening to the music of “The Who.” Another example is that I could sense the difference between two projects I did before, the hairdresser portrait project and the stalker project. Doing the hairdresser portrait project, I sort of formed a connection between the hairdresser and I since I had conversations with him, making us more than just strangers. For the project of the stalker, since I just stalked the person, there is no certain relation between us. Reviewing the photos I shoot, I can easily tell the differences between these two series of works, and now I do believe that forming a relationship with the people I want to portrait by photo shooting is really important.

 

– resource

http://photoblog.hk/wordpress/102752/steve-mccurry-給紀實攝影師的-6-節課

http://stevemccurry.com

Quadrophenia

 Quadrophenia

Mods. They hate rockers. They pay a lot of attention on wearing. The unstable life (after world war II ) and can’t communicate with parents and adults. They want to be somebody but there is no way can break class system. Hence they through modified scooter, wear suits and American soldier’s coat or different music type to seek their freedom and dignity. They also through those ways to against how they dissatisfied this society and life.

After I watched, I thought this is not a movie that seems can save anybody. The movie described a very very thin young man(from west London), trying to found his ideal life and went to Brighton.  They might joined some collective fights, but they are not interesting in social movements. They just don’t want to be bound by life and to rebel their boring life, yet they can not construct a satisfying society. However this movie show the real situation in that year. I really felt how Jimmy confused and depressed after he talked to the girl and  when he found that cool guy just a doorman(especially this part).His world collapsed.

The who – my generation

Many people said new Mods changed. For me I think just live in different generation but the teenager still against the same thing, using different way. So I would say Mods’ spirit still living.(of course some people just mimic their wearing and scooter but people can not deny other real Mods).

This is Carlotta Cardana’s project called “Modern Couples”. She is an Italian portrait and documentary photographer based in London.

She said “I am trying to get a glimpse of their identity beyond the “mask” and to portray them for who they are, rather than for what they wear.”

That is one of the point that I want to show Mods in photo, too.

Carlotta Cardana’s web: http://www.carlottacardana.com/moderncouples

Cutter & Grinder Barbershop

 

He is from Poland, working as a hairdresser for four years. Before working in the barbershop, he was a bartender. He and his wife just got a little baby girl. Although he seemed tired, he always smiled when he talked about his daughter.

Cutter & Grinder is not a big barbershop. There are only two seats and two hairdressers. The decoration of the shop is very old-school, and the hairdressers with beard  wear the white shirt. There are a plenty of mirrors in the shop, but you won’t feel uncomfortable.

When I asked him which part of your body he valued the most, I thought he would say his hands; instead, however, he said he actually never thought about this question before, even though he thought his hands were truly important for him.

I pondered on his answer for a while because I still couldn’t figure out which part could present his personality, but his shoes reminded me of the English gentleman. He was very kind and friendly to me while I was staying there for four hours.

As I mentioned in the beginning, he is a hairdresser, and he interacts with his customers very often. They will talked a lot about their work, school life, or daily life. Sometimes they will share their interests with each other. During their conversations, I found this hairdresser like movies very much. He prefers crime movies, and he doesn’t like musicals. In my observation, he is not only a careful person but also very efficient. He will communicate with customers and check if they are satisfied with his design.

I especially spolighted on his scissors or on other professional tools that he uses every day.

ps. The owner of this barbershop is Hossein. He wasn’t here on the first time I went there, but I saw him when I went there again to give the Polish hairdresser photos, and I asked him whether I could take some pictures of him. He was very generous, and he said I could also shoot a film there if I want to.

Cutter & Grinder Barbershop : http://cutterandgrinder.co.uk

In this project I tried to practice focus on the right position and deal with light (no exposure). Waiting and observation are key points during I’m taking their photos. Also engagement is important. We talked quite lot and he never mind share his life to me. So I think maybe the portrait could not fully capture the men because I was incapable of expressing their lived stories in the pictures, but I did successfully engage in their lives （within only four hours）and communicate with them.

COMMUNITY

– what is “community” ?

in oxford dictionary community is :

– all the people who live in a particular area, country, etc. when talked about as a group

-a group of people who share the same religion, race, job, etc.

-the feeling of sharing things and belonging to a group in the place where you live

-a group of plants and animals growing or living in the same place or environment

In my opinion, comunity is a group of people with same factor or quality, and sevaeral comunity live together, it become society. we can use different way to define each community, such as income, occupation, or culture. In our society there are a verity of communities, people can use hobby, value, history, memory ect. to category types of communities.

Personally I think since you are a part of society and you have your own religion, history background, interesting or life style then you will be attracted by who have the same hobbies and you will form/belong to  a community.

-what community I belong to?

Now I’m a pre-master student so the first group that I thought is student community. But I also think I’m in the subculture community. Not because of my appearance , the reason I think  I’m in this group is because I interest in their culture, like musics or movies. Also because I support and respect different thinking’s people in our society.

The photo I post is from a photographer Ewen Spencer. I found him from a article which called the “The photographers who captured the best of UK subculture”.It’s quite interesting they talked about the UK subculture. This Ewen Spencer’s photo is about garage. After saw his personal website which let me re- think about what is “community”? How to define which community you belong to?

Maybe people is “be category” to a community not “belong” to a community.

-resources

http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/community?q=community

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Types_of_communities

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community

http://www.dazeddigital.com/photography/article/27119/1/the-photographers-who-captured-the-best-of-uk-subculture

http://ewenspencer.com/category/photography/