• Practitioners that influence you or relate to your current work.
Across this module my research has explored a range of photographers looking at a diverse assortment of still life photography. As the module has progressed I have sought to respond to each of my artists adding to my techniques and methodology.
Most recently I have drawn influence from Kreetta Järvenpää and Bobby Doherty. This has brought me to experiment more extensively with blue screening and the colour range selection function in Photoshop. This could progress my own methodology in making scenes and arrangements.
• Your relationship to the medium, your tools, and your approach.
This module my relationships with my equipment of choice has developed, particularly through the use of scanography to make images ‘cameralessly’. In recent weeks I have also taken to producing photograms in response to Toni R. Toivonen. As a photography teacher I get to make a few photograms each year but these are typically to demonstrate the method to students. This gave me a great opportunity to make photograms for myself for once.
• Your motivation and how that may have changed.
My motivations and direction at the end of module 3 was towards the golden era Dutch artists and their still life paintings. These were then responded to by creating my own scenes with scenarios inspired by a lot of religious iconography and symbolism.
Over module 4 this has changed through a more contemporary influence while maintaining symbolic references and depictions. This has evolved through the mentoring I’ve received in webinars towards my own practice. This will continue to refine over the course of the FMP and the final weeks of this module.
• If and how you might do things differently moving forward.
I have often felt that much of the art of photography is in the taking of the image rather than the making of the image. However I am feeling more and more loose with my mindset around the creation of imagery in photoshop and that it’s okay to use more. My experience is varied but I know enough to learn quickly.
This past week I have felt a renewed energy for my work and my practice. This comes after the Landings series. I have always felt passionately about the value that photography has and exhibiting it demonstrates this. Hopefully this will sustain me through these last couple of weeks and into my FMP.
This week had no webinars or tutorials but it I am still enjoying my progression. My reflections on the feedback from the recent webinar with Cemre have forced me to more rigorously interrogate my methodology.
Beyond this module I perceive my photographic practice moving towards that of publications and book making. I would like to continue pursuing still life photography in the FMP but to have more direction and focus in it. That specific direction I am not yet 100% sure of.
Andrews Masters Journey 