Day Nine

Day nine: the penultimate day of SYAS 2010. I've enjoyed it so much here that I don't want to leave. Everyone has been lovely, got along well and it beats school any day. I have learnt so much about photography and Photoshop and video editing and audacity and loads of art and the art world. I finished most of my written work today. Ahh, bliss :)

BTW, this is the photo that won me the 'Hidden Sheffield' competition that Vicky got us to do :)) Two free tickets to the cinema!!!

Part B

For my part B (being an audience member at an art event/experience) I chose Archipelago Gallery as my place to visit as I’m particularly interested in print based art and the process of silk-screening really interests me (and they have a silk screen printing workshop area!). On arrival, the gallery didn't look the part- a run down courtyard with black and red painted brick and wood, but upon entry it definitely was. gallery had a really lovely, old school, industrial feel. The kind of gallery I like.

On display there was work by Kid Acne and phlegm, local artists I really admire. With prints all over the walls of different colours and artists, Archipelago Gallery was certainly eye catching. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit, There are several rooms you can wonder around a bit like a house. There’s one room where they do changing exhibitions which I like is a great idea for keeping things fresh.

The founder of Archipelago Rupert Wood kindly gave us a tour of the different rooms and the print studio. It was fascinating to see how silk screen prints were made and framed. Basically there is a print maker who works for Rupert who will silk screen print up pieces of work from particular artists. The gallery will then sell the prints as limited additions. Like 1 of 100. Which makes them still quite original. Unlike just printing from a normal printer, silk screen is a long and skilled process and you see it in the finished work.

The only thing I wish was different was the amount of space there was for the work. But it was friendly and cosy. Overall it was an inspiring visit, very captivating, very interesting and thoroughly enjoyable.

Part D

You can view it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/site-education/sets/72157624880907957/show/

For my part D, I chose a project which incorporated social photography and digital image editing. Earlier on in the apprenticeship we did some studio photography work and I really enjoyed that and thought it would benefit me. We also practiced furthering our image based skills on Photoshop. I liked both of these activities and wanted to combine them for my final project. I also realised from the studio work that I love portraiture.

To theme my project in the area of portraiture, I asking people (some I knew, some I didn’t!) to think of three words which described them as a person, and then pull those expressions. Afterwards, I looked at the pictures in Photoshop and decided which half of the face had the best expression. I then took this side, flipped it, and put it where the other half had been.

The outcome was really interesting as some of the pictures looked like they hadn't been edited, but some looked really strange. It also showed how people express themselves, and how some people are more confident than others in showing different sides of themselves. It demonstrated how some people who have quite closed personalities to strangers might describe themselves as funny or confident, which is ironic because in reality they are not all the time.

I really enjoyed doing this project and the huge amount of work I produced and edited! You can view it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/site-education/sets/72157624880907957/show/

Part A

My challenge within my SYAS experience was developing my skills in photography and Photoshop to complete a social photography project uses digital imaging.

I already knew a bit about photography, but I wanted to experience more and learn more about working with people and cameras. Good people skills are crucial to good social photography. Working in the studio at the gallery taught me to communicate with people and make them feel comfortable while I take their picture. I think this is a good skill to have as it makes people show their true personalities rather than guarded ones they would normally show. I also came up with a project that used both photography and digital imaging (my part d).

knew quite about Photoshop from school, but the training we did here made me think that I could play with the medium of photography as a ‘document of truth’. In other words, keep the photo realism and not stray into effects and filters. I learnt a wider range of skills rather than just adding filters, including selections, feathered edges, the layers and history tools. My part D shows how I have developed my skills in both areas as my project was focused on social photography but I used Photoshop to improve my interests in what a photograph can capture in human expression.

Part C

My interview: http://www.radiowaves.co.uk/story/150858/title/BryonyGrahaminterviewsphotographerJacquiBellamy
Jacqui Bellamy is a Sheffield based photographer who has worked for the high profile club night, Razor Stiletto. She is free lance (which means she works for herself) and has been involved in a range of different photography projects that often involve events and local people. Her work really interests me as she has her own solo project, Latrino Gals, where girls pose in toilet cubicles. It's really unique and individual. She has also worked on television with such programmes as Summer Wine, League of Gentlemen and Foyle's War. I asked her if I could interview her as I have a huge interest in photography and I love her work. I researched Jacqui on the web and also thought about the questions I wanted to ask that would help me with my project and for thinking about a photography career in the future.

At first I was nervous about interviewing someone who had photographed bands such as Muse, but as soon as she started talking Jacqui put me at ease. She was confident, bubbly, and funny, and was happy to answer all of my questions the best she could. I found her answers really interesting, and she gave a genuinely helpful out look into the world of photography. She was also keen to help me learn new skills, and offered to let me shadow her at some of the festivals she works at.

The questions I asked were;
-I read online that you started out as a hairdresser, what made you change your career path to become a photographer?
-As part of your job as a photographer, you shoot live bands, what live bands have you photographed and what kind of music interests you?
-What locations has your work taken you to?
-How did you get involved with the Razor Stiletto club night and what interests you about it?
-I love your solo project, Latrino Gals, and it's obvious you've met some quite interesting people. What is the most bizarre experience you've had doing that project?
-Why did you decide to use toilet cubicles as your location and is there any symbolism there?
-As a free lance photographer, how do you get work, and what range of work do you do?
-What training do you have in photography or are you self taught?
You do a lot of social photography, what skills and qualities what you say make a good social photographer?
-What advice would you give young photographers looking to make something of themselves in that area?
-Out of all the projects you've been involved in, which would you say has interested you the most?
-Looking at websites online, you've done a lot of different styles of photography. Which is your favourite to do and why?
-Are there any people that have stood out to you throughout your creative career and why? Who is the weirdest person you have met?
Do you have any favourite photographers or photographs and what or who are they?!
Do you have any goals for the future with your photography?

My interview: http://www.radiowaves.co.uk/story/150858/title/BryonyGrahaminterviewsphotographerJacquiBellamy

Day Eight

The day began with me sitting on a bench on Fargate ON MY OWN drawing Sheffield onto a broken mirror with an OHP pen. No wonder people gave me strange looks. Anyway, at about 11'0'clock I met the gang back at the peace gardens and we proceeded (rather slowly, we had cameras and the task of capturing ‘Hidden Sheffield’ for a photo competition...) to Bank Street Arts, an arts centre which housed galleries and creative studios.

Bank Street was really interesting as we saw work by taxidermist Susannah Gent, which included a video of her skinning a fox, a dead badger with a glass bowl in its stomach, and a variety of other dead animal sculptures. As a vegetarian, it wasn't particularly my cup of tea, but it was still interesting. After this, I did my interview (see part C) with photographer Jacqui Bellamy, who was really lovely throughout and keen to answer all my questions. I then went with her and some other people from the SYAS to The Riverside where Jacqui had some of her photos from her 'Latrino Gals' series exhibited there.

That was a good visit as on the way down Jacqui talked about what her job is all about, festivals she's involved in and also how I can get involved in that area at a young age. She was really helpful in giving me an insight into how to get started. After this, we went back to Bank Street and a woman called Cassie showed us her studio where she does vinyl printing. Which was very interesting. All round a good day!

Day Seven

On day seven, we did more studio work, and I had some of my friends come in to let me take photographs of them. Also, my brother came in. Harriet and I went to Archipelago galleries down the road at lunch time for our visit part of the arts award (B). I saw Chloe there, a girl in my form. Fun.

Day Six

Week two; day one. Arrived this morning a couple of minutes early, thinking 'Oh I'll be the first one in.' This was not the case. I was actually second to last. So started the morning slightly late. It didn't matter, we were just sorting out our blogs and such until about 10:30 when we went to Yorkshire Art Space down the road. That was interesting, we got to see the artists' studios and how they work in there, and we looked at a ceramics exhibition by Emilie Taylor, which was in the lobby. That was really interesting as I thoroughly enjoyed her work, despite it not being what I might normally choose. She did pottery, like made big vases but painted with tower blocks and caravans. We then went up to her studio, and met her dog, (which seemed to take a shine to me...) and looked at the new work she's doing involving people. That was interesting as well as we got to see the environment in which she creates her artwork. After that, back at the gallery another Emily (Foster) also a Site Young apprentice but doing other projects, showed us her photography work back in the studio. I really enjoyed her work, I thought it was well composed and interesting. Also, Emily seemed really lovely herself :). Today we also got started on our part D projects for the arts award.

Day Five

Today we spoke more about our final ideas, more one-to-one chats with Vicky about them, more blogging, more getting up to date, more tea, and more cameras. I have to say I've really enjoyed the past week, although I'm tired now with the information overload... :)

Day Four

Thursday was just sorting out again, we learnt how to use iMovie to edit our clips, talked about what we’re going to do for out final arts award project and did our blogs again. Vicky talked to us individually about what we’re going to do for our projects, and I decided to do a photography project including lots of different people.

Day Three

Day three in the studio and Photoshop. Vicky showed us how to use it and do different crazy effects with it (see banner), which was good fun to mess about with it. She also talked about how Photoshop can be used in subtle ways I how the power for Photoshop is using it as a document of truth. We discussed the arts award we're doing and then looked at some websites to give us a few ideas on what to do for it.

Day Two

Being bossy and photography. Two things I extremely enjoy. Especially the first one. Which is why today particularly interested me as we got to take pictures of the person we were paired up in the interview with, which involved a lot of the previous. After this, we were sent off with video cameras and told to film the ‘passing of time’, which was good fun as we basically just filmed anything that moved, but using tripods (static shots) and got to mess about with a camera, and I do love cameras.

Later on, a film producer of short films called Rob Speranza came to visit us and talk about his work, which was interesting as we found out he was originally from New York (he had a really nice accent…) but moved to Sheffield and set up the SYFN (South Yorkshire Filmmakers Network) with some other people interested in the same field. He showed us one of his short films, which was really well put together. Also, another filmmaker called Richard Bolam came in and showed us some of his short films of places around Sheffield, which used time lapse filming. These were really interesting as they were an alternative to normal speed clips. We also went down into the gallery where there was an exhibition by a woman called Haris Epaminonda, which was interesting as she also uses film in her work. I really liked what she did as it was strange, but definitely created a lasting atmosphere. Bring on day three!

Day One

Take 8 inexperienced young artists, approximately 10,000 sheets of information (I’m still digesting it..), 5,000 cups of tea and put them all in a studio with a huge window.

Welcome to day one of our work experience; please enjoy the awkward silence while it lasts (which could be some time). Don’t get me wrong, day one has been a great introduction to the world of contemporary art. Vicky has shed some light on what we’re going to be doing and the other people in the scheme seem lovely (I’m sure we’ll be talking by next week…) the endless stream of tea and coffee is enjoyable, and the guest artists and support folk seem interesting.

After the mountain of sheets were all tucked away neatly into our new folders, we learnt some skills on interviewing and practiced on another person in the group as a way of getting to know them. It was a good exercise, as we learnt how to interview but also started to chip away at that ominous cloud of awkwardness and start to be more comfortable around each other. Well, the person we were interviewing anyway.

Before this I might add, we set up our own little folders on our own little mac books in the studio, so that we could later edit the interviews we had recorded and edit out any ‘umm’s and ‘errr’s.

After I risked the rain at dinnertime (Another thing I learnt today was not to wear open foot shoes in this weather), we met a lovely artist called Lesley Guy, who gave a really interesting presentation on her favourite artists and contemporary art.
I really enjoyed this as she showed that any old crap (literally) can be used in art.

She then showed us some bizarre but totally intriguing artwork of her own that included drawing on people she finds in the newspaper who have recently died. Strange as it may be, I really actually enjoyed her artwork and it really inspired me to do some of my own (although people aren’t particularly fond of me doodling on their only copy of their wedding photos as my mum ‘kindly’ pointed out… just kidding ;) ). So today has been a slightly awkward but captivating success of a first day in my work experience. Better than sweeping up hair any day.