Project Proposal | Lucy Yates Photography

MY BRIEF:
For this project I am aiming to create a series of images focusing on the human body. By doing this I am hoping to develop my knowledge of nude photography further and to establish the difference between nude and ‘pornographic’ photography.
I will be creating these images under the influence of Jacques Lacan theory of the Mirror Stage paying particular attention to the Fragmented Image / Body and thus applying this theory to my photographic practice.
For my photo-shoots, I will be looking for both male and female models to par-take in test shoots and depending on how well I collaborate with them hopefully use them for my final photo-shoots. Because of the nature of my project, I will have to make sure that I have created model release forms to get the models full permission to take photographs and present them in front of my peers and my portfolio. When undergoing the shoots, I will be paying particular attention to lighting as well as the body itself, and shapes that we can position the body into to get the desired photograph while hopefully gaining further knowledge and confidence with working with others.
My photo-shoots will be taken on site of the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham – we have a small studio with lighting that is only accessed by using a key. This studio will be ideal for what I want to achieve as other members of the university will not be able to enter the studio without my permission and hopefully it will make my models feel more comfortable when working with me.
I aim to undergo at least two test-shoots to help me make the vital decisions of how I want my studio to be set up for my models, and undergo the minimum of 5 photo-shoots to create my final images. The chosen platform for creating my images will be on 120mm film – This project is ideal for me to get back into the darkroom environment and be experimental with my work. I felt 120mm film would be best suited as I can pick up on the detail and make larger prints than 35mm could do and it will give me the chance to explore using Hassleblad cameras – something I have never tried before and eager to learn new skills in a camera I am not confident in.

RESOURCES:
120mm Film, Photographic darkroom paper, Studio (Lockable), Lighting & Softboxes (all studios are equipped with this), Light Meters, Wireless Flash Sync Transmitters, Flash Sync Cable, Hassleblad, Digital SLR, Enough money from my budgeted weekly allowance to pay for film and printing costs.

SKILLS:
Recaping on how to use Hassleblad / Medium formats.
Photographic printing techniques – wet process photography and being experimental as well as fine digital printing,
Scanning negatives digitally, not only will I have a digital copy of the image but I will also have back-ups just in-case I lose my negative strips.
People skills – being professional around model that is outside of the university.

TIMETABLE (Rough Guide):
29/09/14 Group Tutorial
30/09/14 RDB
06/10/14 Test Photoshoot 1
07/10/14 File Management Workshop
13/10/14 RDB
14/10/14 Test Photoshoot 2
15/10/14 Photoshoot 1
20/10/14 Photoshoot 2
21/10/14 PROGRESS REVIEW
27/10/14 Photoshoot 3
28/10/14 Workshop
03/11/14 Group Seminar
04/11/14 Photoshoot 4
10/11/14 Photoshoot 5
11/11/14 Individual Tutorial
17/11/14 PROGRESS REVIEW
24/11/14 Production
25/11/14 Individual Tutorial
01/12/14 PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION
02/12/14 & 03/12/14 ASSESSMENT REVIEW
08/12/14 & 09/12/14 FEEDBACK TUTORIALS

No. of hours scheduled activity: 100
No. of hours of independent study: 200

LEARNING OBJECTIVES & OUTCOMES:

LO1) Demonstrate skills in proposing, researching, initiating and evaluating a practical project.
LO2) Demonstrate the development of technical and practical skills appropriate for this project.
LO3) Demonstrate the ability to independently produce and present an ambitious photographic project.
LO4) Demonstrate further development of employability in photography in related areas.

OBJ 1) To develop a good understanding of Nude Photography.
OBJ 2) To develop a good understanding of Lacan’s theory of Fragmented Image/Fragmented Body.
OBJ 3) To produce a filled and detailed Research and Development Book that shows a clear understanding of how I advanced in my project.
OBJ 4) To produce a series of high quality printed photographs that demonstrate practice and technique to show in front of my peers.

BA (Hons) Photography

Project Proposal
Unit: NARRATIVE FPHO5004

1. AIMS: SUBJECT, TREATMENT A brief description of the project you are carrying out, including the subject matter, narrative strategy and /or structure used for each narrative and intended outcome. Name a few key references (artists and/or theory) relevant to your approach or theme.

(Be brief and concise, use key words and specialist terminology whenever possible)

I aim to create a presentation that is video based on myself growing up and the changes I faced throughout the period of time. For my presentation video, I aim to use Flashback/Memory narrative structures as I feel I can personally relate to the images and will be able to give the audience a brief understanding of my life, by either adding text or experimenting with voice recordings.

For my publication, I will try to create a photo-album (or something in the scrap-book style) using found imagery of myself from an early age to present day. For this publication I aim to make it in a Linear narrative structure as well as focusing on Memory too, but maybe incorporating a family member’s input with captioning my photographs (as if seen through somebody else’s eyes).

RESEARCH: Roland Barthes, David Campany, Linear/Flashback/Memory Narrative, Victor Burgin, Araki Nobuyoshi, Nicholas Nixon – Brown Sisters.

2. SKILLS AND RESOURCES REQUIREMENTSIdentify the skills you think you will need to develop and the resources you envisage being required

Looking into the family archive albums
Familiarize myself with Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Premiere Pro
Scanning images to the highest quality – recapping.
Get to terms with Indesign – recapping on it to help me create my publication
Book Binding – look into how books/photograph albums are made? Maybe look into scrap-book style
Blogging – familiarize myself with WordPress
Restoring the quality of images to place into the album – or doing the reverse and making them look older? Experiment.

4. OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMESWith reference to Assessment Requirements and Learning Outcomes for this project, specify what you intend to achieve by the end of the unit and what you hope to have learned.

1) To have researched and analyzed in depth all research (primary and secondary)to show an understanding of my journey into creating my digital presentation and publication.

2) To gain a better knowledge as to how to use video-editing software to create a presentation other than using Microsoft PowerPoint.

3) Archiving images of myself/organize them in a time-line order to show progression of me growing up and changing over the years.
Using found images for this project, to clearly demonstrate how I went about this and using industry-standard equipment to create my presentation and publication.

4) Creatively make a presentation that explores the use of text or audio.
To creatively make a photo album/scrap book that an audience can interact with.

When planning and writing your Project Proposal, keep in mind the Aims of the Narrative unit:

A1 Research and critically analyse various narrative strategies

A2 Develop an understanding of how the presentation and editing of the same images and/or text may be employed to construct alternate narratives

A3 Experiment with techniques and modes of production and presentation relevant to narrative

A4 Apply narrative as a strategy to represent a given theme