Finally!
Back on the rails after a long drought. Cannot believe that it is over 18 months since I last submitted a group of photographs for comment as part of an assignment. Guess we all have highs and lows, creative blocks, whatever, but this has been long and drawn out. Too Long!
Sending my photos to Simon was cathartic, a release of pent up energy. However, I have to admit that I am more than nervous about his response, the long break has left me very unsure of myself and concerned that what critical sense I had might have left me. A few days and I will know.
In any case here is the submission
Introduction
At the beginning of this course I made several decisions that would have a long term impact on my progression and what I created. One was that Robert Frank would be the subject of my essay and thus my “in the style of”. I also determined to pursue a long term study of the people of Munich, creating a progressive portrait of the inhabitants of the city. The goal would be a book, “Die Münchener”, a parallel to “The Americans”. However, when working on assignment 2 I got myself into a difficult place creating another book, “Fest”. I invested too much time and energy in book design and too little on the actual assignment. Subsequently, I learned a lot about book design, but turned in an assignment that could have been far better with additional work. I learned a valuable lesson and that was to focus on the brief and not on my personal take on what I wanted to do. I still plan to produce Die Münchener, but later and in response to this assignment and my tutor’s feedback, not as a precursor.
This assignment took even more time than I anticipated, 22 months have passed since I first took photographs that contributed to this submission, my original plan was to submit this assignment in Spring 2013, not 2014. 2013 became a lost year, one in which I made little or no progress on the course; the combination of a close family bereavement and severe overwork left no energy for study. There is good and bad in this. I lost momentum and interest in the world of photography, but I gained time to think and re-assess both my interests and my commitment. Entering 2014 I feel re-energized and ready to re-engage with my studies, I hope that comes out in this assignment. These are the first photographs I have submitted for comment in nearly 18 months, have I moved forward or sunk back?.
During those intervening months I did not stop taking photographs, I kept taking pictures of the city and it’s people, sometimes landscape, sometimes street, exploring different styles, even playing with medium format film. I always had an idea of what I wanted to achieve, but not quite how I was going to achieve it. I tried to be open to whatever I found, traveling to different locations in the city and it’s surroundings, capturing whatever interested me. This broad approach to imaging Munich created issues later in the process, but enabled me to sustain the project over time. The greatest issue was what to present, how to capture the essence of a population in 12 photographs. Clearly such a goal was impossible, hence I have tried to present 12 images that reflect upon my experience of the city, but at the same time echo the work of Robert Frank and his study of the Americans.
Munich is an eclectic place, left leaning, social democrat in it’s politics, yet surrounded by the traditionally conservative Bavarian countryside. It is wealthy, there is little or no poverty, jobs abound, being unemployed is on the whole a personal decision. Although expensive by German standards it is not when compared to other comparable global cities. It is a centre for finance, but balances that with a strong manufacturing base, BMW has its home here. The cities bishop became a Pope, yet it has one of the most progressive gay communities in Europe. The people of Munich are open minded, hardworking, full of humour and can afford to have a good time. This assignment takes a look at those people and tries to capture something of the diversity of this amazing place I call home.
In the Style of
A key problem I had to resolve was what “In the Style of” meant and in particular how I was going to interpret the brief. I have struggled with this since I started the course and although I have come to a view and one that informs my photography, I do wonder if this is what the designer of the course had in mind.
I have decided not to copy Frank’s visual style. I don't own a 1950's B&W film Leica and if I did I still would not use it for this work, nor do I want to replicate this in software. I am in the process of developing my own visual style and at present that is clean sharp and ordered, very different to Frank. I am not sure I would benefit by going against that at this stage in my development as a photographer.
However, Frank is a great influence on me and my work, but more in the sense of his subject choice and methods. What I am trying to do in this assignment is to channel Frank's way of looking at the world, using my camera to ask questions and capture the zeitgeist of Munich. I have taken time over the assignment, paralleling Frank's months on the road, to develop ideas and narratives over time, not a few weekends. I have tried to present within each photograph an individual narrative, each should ask questions of the reader and hopefully contain the occasional surprise. Frank excelled at single image narratives. I am also looking for a little humour and social commentary, again something that Frank brought to his work.
To add context to the set I am also drawing a little on a German photographer, August Sander, each photo is an illustration of a "type" of Münchener. The goal is not a complete typography, but a set of 12 individual photographs, each examining a different aspect of what it is to be a citizen of Munich.
Process
The extended time for this study resulted in a lot of photographs, roughly 2-3,000 taken over 30 or more separate days. I edited as I went, after each shoot examining the “Digital” contact sheet on my screen and selecting those that I thought had some merit. This resulted in a pool of 230 photographs that I then further refined to a final set of 48. These I printed onto plain paper enabling me to get away from the computer screen and look at them as physical objects. At all times I dipped back into the complete volume of photos, pulling images in and out as my thoughts evolved.
Getting this down to 12 was hard, it always is with assignments, but this time particularly challenging as I had been working on the photographs for such a long time. A problem I have is a tendency to develop favourites, photographs that for any reason I become attached to. I lose objectivity and can end up rejecting more effective images to keep these in the set. At this stage I share my thoughts with friends and fellow students to try and see if any of the final set do not work for any reason.
Once I had a working set of 12 I remained open to change, but at that stage started to think about how each photograph should look as a finished object. From the beginning the decision was to work in B&W, not necessarily to parallel Frank, but because I wanted to explore the world in this medium and chose to use this assignment for that. Once that decision was made I was pretty much committed because it influenced what I shot, how I shot it and what photos I selected after each shoot. I have looked at the final set as colour images, some work, many do not.
I am quite heavy handed in developing my images, liking string contrast images. I have consciously tried to dial that down with this set, looking for a smoother tonality and thinking ahead to creating final prints. I make very few local adjustments to images, preferring the standard tool set in Lightroom to that offered by Photoshop. The biggest processing decision was in how I cropped each photograph. I have not standardized the aspect ratios, choosing whatever works for each individual image. This risks disjoint between the images, however, there is no intent for a linear narrative; each photograph should present a standalone statement. That said, sequencing is still important, the photos will be read in the order I submit them, so some care was needed. The sequencing of images in The Americans is much commented on and is an essential element of the structure of the work. With only 12 photographs establishing rhythm or patterns was not possible, and I did not permit sequencing to influence image choice. However, the sequence chosen is deliberate.
Learning
What did I learn from this assignment? Patience and Stamina! Well, those were the two qualities I needed to keep going. I have struggled badly with this assignment, in part due to external factors, but also down to my own prevarication and unwillingness to call it a day and finish the process. There is a risk that the time taken might lead to a disjoint in the images, I have tried to avoid this, but am still concerned. I think I fell into that classic art trap of never being able to call something complete. Indeed this is not complete, in a sense it never can be, but a set of 12 photographs had to be selected and presented.
I learned a lot about camera handling and the activity of street photography. I used small cameras throughout, either fixed lens compacts or mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In this sense I did borrow from Frank choosing discreet cameras that limited the attention that I drew. I found that cameras with fold out screens that could be used at waist level made me more or less invisible. I also discovered that a cheery smile diffused most people’s look of concern about being photographed. In short, my confidence rose considerably.
Most of all this was a lesson in developing an inquiring mind, looking at the mundane to find the marvellous, using a camera to tell the story of the people of a city. I hope that together these photographs ask questions bit also reveal something about the people of Munich in a way that Frank’s photographs revealed 1950s America.
Artist: The first and last photographs in this set are very different, but both contain the word München and bookend the set. Within a few of the photographs in the set I have tried to include direct or indirect references to the city.
This is an artist at a craft fair held once a year in the city centre. The city is frequently taken over for fairs or demonstrations, most weekends there is some activity. The city supports freedom of expression and art is central to the core values of the people. Photography is not always so welcome.
The photo contains a very clear indication not to take photographs and hints at the struggle of engaging in street photography in a country that places huge value on privacy. It is not perfect, when shooting a lady crossed in front of me, her handbag is still in the frame. I could crop closer, but wanted to completely include the lady in her chair.
Worker: This is another photograph that obliquely hints at the city. When buildings are being renovated or replaced the hoardings frequently contain large scale photographs of what will be revealed when the work is complete. The worker in question is taking a break for that essential of modern life, sending or receiving a text message. Once it would have been a cup of coffee or a beer break with colleagues, now we retreat to the solitude of electronic communication.
Shopper: I struggled with the crop of this photo, undecided about the left hand window that is very partially revealed. However, with the window in place the photograph takes on the impression of a series of stills from a movie, a moment in time captured as part of a continuum. The photograph illustrates the cleanliness of a Munich grocery shop, and the people in the queue occupy themselves with phones and even a newspaper.
Penner: A Penner is the local word for a tramp, not necessarily a homeless man, but a down and out, usually alcoholic person who hangs around the city centre. He has been collecting bottles to return for their “Pfand” or deposit. Tourists rarely realize that 25 cents of the cost of their coke is the bottle which can be returned once empty. For every 10 or so bottles he collects he can earn enough for another beer, his current bottle sits next to him. The kiosk to the left will handle the transaction meaning he can maintain his perch in the winter sun.
In this photo the flag is that of Bavaria and contains the arms of the state, again a reference to where we are. I had to lighten the man’s face as the low winter sun was really casting deep shadows. I could have moved in closer to drive more of a portrait view, however, this is meant to place him in a place, the photo is about the Penner, but it is also about where he is. I am reluctant to chase down “The Other” in my photography, but many of Munich’s Penners are a part of society and tolerated, well to a point.
Pensioner: Clearly the elderly lady is not the subject of this photo, but she does create an odd juxtaposition with the immense Buddha in the background, “Made in Dresden”. What that is about, I really have no idea. I have cropped the photo to emphasize the position of the Buddha. I hope this photo has a sense of humour within it.
Lover: Street photography is often simply a matter of luck, although I do wonder if the couple saw me composing the photo and decided to help me out, they laughed as they walked past me, all smiles. My plan was a photo of the Tambosi café to the right a famous Munich spot to sit in the sun and engage in people watching, note that all seats face forwards. I waited for someone to occupy the left foreground to add balance, then got lucky. I have cropped the very heavy shadow on the right of the original photograph. The shadows are stronger than I would have liked, however, this was taken in February and that was the light.
Photographer: I think like many photographers I am fascinated by imaging the act of making a photograph. This was taken during the annual Christopher Street parade, the photographer was looking for couples to create portraits of. I think this speaks of Munich’s eccentricity and tolerance of alternative lifestyles. There is also the confluence of tradition and counter culture, the lederhosen of the photographer and one subject are fiercely traditional, contrasting with the perhaps more stereotypical leather pants of the right most man.
Transvestite: I questioned whether I should include two photographs of visibly gay men in my set, however, I think the two photographs act as a contrast. The first illustrates acceptance, the second bemusement and perhaps hostility. There is a risk in any set of photographs of focusing on the unusual, however that is often the source for interesting photographs.
The cleaning crew stand in stark contrast to the two guys walking past them. I think I got the focus about right, enough background blur to make the couple stand out. I would have liked a little space above the subjects head, but this was taken with a fixed focal length lens and there was not enough space to manoeuver.
Protestor: This is the only out and out portrait in the set and as such is a simpler photograph than many of the others, however, it still asks questions. Although clearly a man with attitude to my eyes he still looks somehow vulnerable among the black clad heavy guys around him.
I took this at the annual protest against the NATO security conference held in Munich every year. I stalked him for a while with a tele trying to frame him against the arch behind. This is one of the photographs that loses something in B&W, his hair is almost the same orange as the 4 lights beside him, providing a better balanced image in colour. However, I think is still works in B&W.
Cop: The NATO conference also brings a heavy police presence, literally thousands of cops are deployed across the city in riot gear. This group was defending a rather smart shopping arcade, a potential target for the anarchists protesting. Life went on as usual, the police smiled, people chatted with them, they were present but not really in the way.
They are also pretty OK about being photographed, this is one of many that I took. I have chosen this view as it offered the best sense of the strangeness of heavily armed police lining the streets of the city. By omitting their faces it perhaps raises the sense of threat a little, reducing them to instruments of the state not people.
Musician: A long standing tradition on “Christihimmelfahrt” (ascension day) and also father’s day in Germany. Brass bands accompany processions to church. The bands then go to the beer garden and provided they continue to play, beer will be on the house. This photograph offers a contrast to some of the others, illustrating that whilst tolerant and progressive, Munich also values tradition, especially when that aligns to beer drinking.
Although liberal, Munich is still deeply Catholic at its core. The city manages to balance these two values.
Taken with a 35mm equivalent lens this is a rare close up. I am becoming more comfortable with street photography, but still tend to shoot from a distance, although that is in part driven by a desire to include the landscape around the subject to add context.
Fan: My final photograph
is the raw emotion of victory, Bayern Munich had just won the Champions League
and with it a treble. There is a lot of emotion around the football team and
the city is very proud of its achievements, fans are as fanatical as anywhere.
This
was also a lucky shot, I was as caught up as they were, having spent the
evening out on the streets watching the game on outdoor screens and consuming a
fair amount of beer. Perhaps being a
participant and not simply a photographer meant that I was a part of the crowd
and not a voyeur. This definitely
benefits from B&W, the colour image has serious colour problems.
