Friday afternoon and it feels like it has been a long week. On the upside, the initial dense fog of confusion regarding the various interfaces, terminology, and online navigation structures has already begun to recede. I was already aware of the mirrors and window metaphor, but the increased focus demanded by the forum exercise and the writing exercise has created a deeper sense of its role and importance within photography. The impending essay (which I have now structured but have yet to write) has drawn out my own understanding of the concept and has been useful as another tool to help refine my self-reflection as a photographer.
I am constantly revisiting the question that has taken up so much of my attention in the weeks and months leading to the start of the course: What is going to be the main thrust of my research project and will this in turn drive the direction of my final project. Somehow I have seemed to have amassed no less than nine separate ideas. Does this mean I am inventive and creative or simply indecisive and lacking focus? Time will tell.
The first main event of the week was the introductory talk by Jesse who laid out the broad scope of our journey of the next two years and the various elements of the online infrastructure which we had all begun to attempt navigating. I had reviewed the slides before the lecture but all the same, it was useful to hear it being explained by our course leader.
Wednesday was spent creating a response for the forum where an image – A Portrait of Space by Lee Miller was shown. We were asked to provide our thoughts and reflections on the photograph, its meaning, and possible insights into our own relationship with photography. I tried to provide a very brief overview of my own journey over the past few decades and my increasing desire to create work of meaning. Seeing the responses of others reminded me that one can never predict how others might respond to a brief. There are always a myriad of possibilities of which we tend to only be aware of very few.
Wednesday evening was our first guest lecture from in this case Melanie Issaka. Exploiting the simplistic power of cyanotype self-portrait silhouettes mixed with colour images showing parts of her body Melanie demonstrated a powerful awareness of the sense of her own identity and how her appearance as a female creative from Ghana influenced her reaction to her and her work. Although the images were visually striking, I was interested in why she had not added context through descriptive text to explain her motivations in creating the work. Melanie explained that she preferred a strong sense of ambiguity to remain in her work. I wonder if I would want the same. I feel that my direction in wanting to create work of meaning within documentary photography will always feel more powerful when it is accompanied by descriptive text. I have yet to explore this further.
On Thursday I sat down in my local library with the intention of writing the 500-word essay on the mirror/window metaphor. To really find a meaningful position on the questions asked, I had to sit for some time (almost two hours), before the words and thoughts began to flow. Even then this was not even an early draft, more of a structure and set of signposts. However, the time invested was worth it. Although I am now running slightly late with the essay I have thoughts and a structure which I feel I can work with. The Mirror/window analogy is now firmly and comprehensively planted in my brain.
Thursday was also the first peer webinar where we got a chance to meet a number of our peers. In this case only three. The intimate group was in hindsight a better option as we were able to explore how we felt in more detail and with more candour than if we had been in a larger forum. I am certainly not alone in having yet to define my research and final projects. There were insecurities and apprehensions but also a sense of excitement and belief in the power of the journey.
Friday did not register as a day for Falmouth. A heavy commitment outside of the MA kept me away from my desk. One item of note. I finally committed to C41 development at home and have purchased the various chemicals and darkroom necessities to encourage more colour film shooting.
The Photography of David Rosen 