Collecting The Performative

Link to tate  <---Click here!

In this link it explores performance art and how it can be collected and preserved. In the 1st video that can be watched there is a really interesting interview on the interaction of the viewer and the dancer and emotionally how the viewer will engage and react. 

22/2/14

I had arranged the shoot at wollaton hall before deciding I wanted to remove the Dancer from the images or video and though it would be a useful experience no matter what the outcome.  I am now Undecided weather I want to keep the dancer in the images or not, as it will potentially become too conceptual people won't try to engage with the work where as if I include the dancer in the instillation people will find it much easier to engage with the work and explore it further. 

Wollaton Hall Dance Shoot

I have shot a variety of videos as I would still like to continue making a video even if it is not for this term. I really enjoyed experimenting with camera techniques and the best way to capture the dancer. Looking at these videos I can see how I didn't always focus on framing or ensuring the camera want a an angle. It was an invaluable experience for next time as I am pleased with these clips and have the confidence to shoot more but with a much better awareness of what I need to focus on. 

I also need to track down a camera stand that had wheels that can move smoothly with the dancer. 

Wollaton Hall Dance Shoot

I really enjoyed shooting at wollaton Hall, It is such a beautiful space. The window light is and the shadows created worked really well. I had a lot of fun shooting these images, It was great to work with a dancer in such a beautiful space. 

It was a struggle shooting as we were only given 20 mins in the prospects room which is very tight, I am hoping to go back a couple of times this week to refine these images. 

I focused more on the camera technique, how the images were looking and the effects I could create to enhance the feeling of dance, next time I really need to focus on the technical skills of the dancer, I need to ensure I have taken the photograph at the height of the jump or when the dancers feet are fully pointed. 

Instillation

I have chosen to make an instillation of my work to give the viewers the opportunity to move through the images, moving away from the stationary and the linear giving them the opportunity to interact with the space and what can be seen in a more versatile and engaging way. 

I have chose to make the instillation like a mobile, the plan is to have several of these staggered to enhance the feeling of moving through the dance. What I really like about these mobiles is it as built on balance, all the components rely on each other and work together therefore when they move they will move together and interact again enhancing the experience of the dance more than just visually. 

Ranking Alive: In the face of death

I would like to move away from moving image fore this exhibition (continuing moving image in the long run) and explore how the images can be instilation art and how they can evoke emotion and change how the images are read. 

This was an opening instillation at a Rankin exhibition, he used not only the images themselves but the framing and presentation of the images. The collection of images are very powerful and can make the viewer very emotional and feel as if they know the subjects of the images and can realtor to them not only in the context of death and loss but on a personal level, an understanding of them and their personalities can be gained. 

Sam Taylor wood - Orchestra

Sam Taylor wood creates the experience of the orchestra with out a physical instrument, the viewer can see the musicians playing with out seeing the instrument itself but have fore knowledge of what is happening therefore can see and understand the instrument even in its absences. I am interested in exploring this in the context of dance. 

I am also really interested in the use of sounds and presentation, it is a more than just a visual experience. Again this is something I am really excited to explore in my own work. 

The Omega Suites

This series of images plays on what is missing and the viewer to project what they already know onto the images. Although there are no people in the images, we have an understanding of where they would fit, therefor the images still evoke emotions of death, crime and punishment. 

I would like to use similar techniques in my work. 

19/02/14

I came away from my seminar on monday with the intention of creating a video similar to the last one I uploaded but having a less of the environment and more of a focus on the dancer with an opening studio shot moving into a more externalised experience from the dancers perspective.

On Thursday however in a Critical Practice seminar we were discussing how photographs can be read and how as a viewer we can see what is not in the image its self along with how images can be read and weather or not captions and titles can reduce the imagination of the viewer or encourage.  I would like the viewer to project their own ideas and thoughts onto the work and to personally explore and find their own meaning and engagement with the images.

This lead me to consider the viewer of my work in a new way, I have been focusing heavily on how the viewer will experience the images and how I can create an immersive experience that is more than just visual.

I have decided to take a different approach to my work focusing on absences and how the viewer engages and fills the gap. Everything the can't be seen becomes just as important as what can be seen.

I would like to removed the dancer it's self from the images and take photographs of space that evoke the feelings of dance and connote the movement and experience, allowing the viewers to personally engage, creating a personal experience for each viewer.

I would like to explore further my initial shoot and make the work I had initially set out to do as it gives me the flexibility to explore both and work out what is the most dynamic and visually interesting approach.

If  i remover the dancer from the images I will work more with still images and look at how the layout and hanging of my work can connote the experience of dance. However allowing the viewer to project their own experience and emotions towards dance onto the work therefore caressing a very personal experience of the images.

Nick knight Lady Ga Ga

I really love Nick Knights use of costume and material in this Lady Ga Ga image, when shooting next time  costume is going to be a priority. I am looking forward to capturing movement and a concept of time through the material of the clothes. 

Video 2

In this video I have started to incorporate the images of place to create an experience for the viewer so they can feel as if they are there, the can have a more holistic experience. 

When creating this some of the images are visible for such a short amount of time the viewer can't take in what they have seen but it does enhance the experience of space. 

I was inspired to do this by Coca Cola and how they would flash the coke bottle on the screen in a cinema and people would then want coke. 

Hopefully i will be creating an experience in a subtle way.

I have realised that I much prefer sections of this clip made up of just images, in many ways i feel the use of still images makes the process more engage and encourages the viewer to stop and spend the time to engage personally. 

Video 1

This is the first video I have made so it is very rough looking but can give an idea of what I am aiming for. This is just the dancers I haven't yet used locate images as I want to experiment and practice creating the feeling of movement and dance before adding in the experience of place. 

Strictly Come Dancing

After struggling to take photographs in an environment where I lacked control I decided to look at the official Strictly image gallery as the photographer for strictly would also have been in a situation of little control, however they would have been in a better shooting environment as there would only be one couple at a time. 

I have enjoyed looking at how these images have been framed, shapes have been created and the costume used to create really dynamic images. One other thing that has really stood out to me in these images is the use of the eye line and the emotion. The photographer has used the emotion character and narrative created by the dancers to his advantage to create an image with all the above. 

UoN Latin and Ballroom Images

These are some of my preferred images from the shoot, when I next shoot with the dancers there are the shots I will be aiming to achieve. 

UoN Latin and Ballroom

The University Of Nottingham Latin and Ballroom Society allowed me along to one of their practices to photograph the dancers. I saw this as an opportunity to get both moving image and stills of dancers.
I shot both a video of dancers and a time-lapse video of the dancers while I was shooting stills using freelancing techniques.

I realise after shooting I didn't take quite enough images with the technique of free lensing, I took a lot to begin with and then started taking photos that would be considered technically good as I was worried I would leave and regret taking so many soft images. I now know next time I need to shoot a lot more of them.

This shoot was an invaluable experience and gave me a lot more confidence for my next shoot and lots of new ideas.

It was a tricky environment to shoot in as they were all there to practice for their upcoming competition, the dancers would often stop to redo a section of the dance or go over a mistake making it difficult to get dynamic images of the dance. I also struggled as there were lots of couple dancing at the same time, while photographing one couple often another couple would dance straight through the shot.

I am looking forward to getting the dancers into a space where as photographer I have a lot more control of the situation enabling me to take much better images. These images are very rough and experimental, I would like to get to a point where my images can be beautiful stand alone prints.

Strictly Come Dancing

I found this discussion about the camera work on Strictly Come Dancing and thought it would be useful to bear the comments in mind when making my own video. Obviously It is for a very different purpose but I don't want to create any barriers for the viewer, I want the experience to be as welcoming and immersive as possible. 

cameramen

This discussion has been closed.

• Message 1. Posted by glynis lomax (U14229386) Sunday, 22nd November 2009permalink
  Please will the camerman not show us just the top half of the dancers as we can't see if their footwork is good or not and that is important when we come to vote surely!!
  complain
• Message 2. Posted by sallyd29 (U14230047) Sunday, 22nd November 2009permalink
  You are so right, I am a new on this discussion thingy and that has been my beef since day one sort out the camera work, come on peole, we can change this if we all compain.
  complain
  This is a reply to this message.
• Message 3. Posted by Sue (U14230389) Sunday, 22nd November 2009permalink
  I'm so pleased others agree about how unsatisfactory it is not to be able to see dancers feet. A good point about how we know who to vote for if we don't see the footwork. I suspect in the cameramans or directors world it is quite something to whizz about all over the studio and have the blokey running around with andycam or whatever its called BUT its not for you lot its for the viewers!
  complain
  This is a reply to this message.
• Message 4. Posted by MonkeyBoyIDG (U13463680) Wednesday, 25th November 2009 permalink
  Hi Everyone,
  Welcome to the boards, unfortunately, you have started a conversation in the 'Are You New?' area, where people generally come to say hello.
  Why not try out some of the topic areas to the left of the page, including;
  The Fans' Spa (general show discussions) : www.bbc.co.uk/dna/st...
  Or Our Couples for 2009 (support for fav dancers): www.bbc.co.uk/dna/st...
  Best wishes,
  Strictly Host
  
  

  *@£"** cameraman AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!

  This discussion has been closed.

  • Message 1. Posted by sadiesamba (U14140831) Saturday, 21st November 2009permalink
    So Ali trod on Brian's toe? - we'd never have known.
    
    Why do the camera persist in showing head and shoulders everytime the angle switches and add the feet as an afterthought?
    
    Yet again the dreadful camerawork ruined the dance for!
    
    DWTS may not be everyone's cup of tea but their camerwork is superb
    
    ...now the professionals are dancing they're showing the feet TYPICAL!
    complain
  • Message 2. Posted by I Love Everybody - Obsessed (U14119445) Saturday, 21st November 2009 permalink
    Agree. Also, just me, or was the cameraperson during Natalie and Vincent's samba rather fixated on Vincent's butt?
    complain
    This is a reply to this message.
  • Message 3. Posted by discoboots (U14209038) Saturday, 21st November 2009permalink
    yes, as nice as Vincent's bum is, I would have preferred to see more of Natalie. Come on BBC, sort it out!
    complain
    This is a reply to this message.
  • Message 4. Posted by sadiesamba (U14140831) Saturday, 21st November 2009permalink
    Better angles on the professionals though ..........strange!
    complain
    This is a reply to this message.
  • Message 5. Posted by sadiesamba (U14140831) Wednesday, 2nd December 2009permalink
    Why do we get to see more freckles than fleckles?
    
    I'm so fed up with the camera work. Once again Karen Hardy mentioned crucial steps that the viewers were unable to see at home but the audience and judges did have the priviledge of seeing!
    
    We saw a few feet for the Charleston but still far too many waist upward shots. There was a lot of talk about swivling feet but precious little view of them!
    
    How much longer do we have to put up with these camera angles? Thank goodness steadycam's been given a rest.
    complain
    This is a reply to this message.
  • Message 6. Posted by sujusu (U14178093) Wednesday, 2nd December 2009permalink
    I know exactly what you mean! Simply because I'm no great shakes as a dancer, I like to watch their feet to see how they do. I found it exceptionally frustrating this week. I do wish the Beeb would react to some of these comments - after all, if you can't see the dancers' feet, what is the point?
    complain
    This is a reply to this message.
  • Message 7. Posted by Redcurrant (U1754354) Wednesday, 2nd December 2009permalink
    Yes if the only thing you believe all of the audience is interested in is the whole body etc.
    
    Many viewers are not interested in the footwork, don't know if the hold is good or bad, and cant count to four in time so the aspects of the dance that you may be interested in pass them by.
    
    They want to see glitz, smiles, big hair, shiny teeth, movement, excitement. They want to see the interaction between the individuals and the response of the audience, they want to hear the band and the atmosphere and feel they are there in the middle of the floor involved with the dance.
    
    If you want to see the whole body then campaign for an option to be available interactively through the Red Button.
    
    

  
  
  
  

The Exchange Arcade Nottingham

I choses to go and shoot some images of the interior of the Exchange arcade in Nottingham as it has a beautiful interior similar to that of a ballroom. When shooting I chose to use both freelancing techniques as well as long exposures. The use of freelancing is to create that feeling of dance and movement while the long exposures are used to create the aesthetics of dancing and how visually one might experience it if they were the dancer, the speed of the dance and the spinning environment. 

I not only want to use these images as part of the moving image but I would like to create images that can be used as a stand alone print so I was aiming to create beautiful images in the process. 

Nick Knight Refined Rebel

I really love the use of movement in this Nick Knight editorial, the use of the long exposure and the flash create a really dynamic image that expresses movement. These are more aesthetically what I am aiming to achieve and the use of the long exposure and the flash create an extra level of engagement for the viewer. 

Seeing Spots

Seeing Spots was an exhibition at the Tate Modern by Yayoi kusama, an artist with nervous disorders and suffered with hallucinations since childhood. She claims to see spots all the time and has created large instillation art to externalise this feeling. 

This work allows viewers to experience her work more than just visually, it becomes a much more immersive experience in which one can engage personally. This is something I would like to achieve with my work, I want to push the empathy created when shooting that is created for the viewer further. I would like there to be interaction and engagement on a much more immersive level with touch sound and journey, as well as the environment. 

I am hoping to do this with the way in which my images are displayed in an exhibition environment, along with the moving image I would like the work to be hung in a way that will evoke feelings of dance that the viewer can move through, along with that I would like to create a book or small prints the viewer can handle to develop a much more personal connection to the work. This is ambitious and my not be achieved in the course of term two but I want to continue to develop and work on the experience of my work.  

Anna Ostoya

I have been considering how I would like my final piece to look,  I want it to be a montage moving image using stills and moving images highlight the interaction of activity and space. This montage by Anna Ostoya is interesting as it has many layers and perspectives to build an environment or social story. It has the flexibility to be read in many different was weather that be linear or chronologically or from the centre out. I am hoping for my final moving image piece to use techniques and aesthetic qualities from this cinematic montage. 

Nick Knight

I found this shot by Nick Knight a useful inspiration as I like the way he has used the dress and movement to create a dynamic and engageing image. I want to explore movement in my work not just moving image and montage but through the costumes of the dancers. 

NLC Media Team

Last week I was part of the Media Team at a conference centre, this was an invaluable experience as I was using camera equipment to record and stream live to an auditorim of 1000 and at peak times 500 viewers watching the live stream. 

Durin the conference many different shots were needed from arty, atmospheric shots to work in time with the beat of the music to steady following of speakers. 

Catharsis: Images of Post-Conflict Belfast

Visually these images are nothing like what I am aiming to achieve but conceptually they are very similar. Angela Kelly is exploring Ireland today, Post conflict but aligning it with the emotions and memories associated with the places visited from her childhood. She is exploring the interaction of place and emotions along with the present and the past. She places imaged taken from her childhood with imaged taken in the present post conflict teamed with GPS coordinates. 

I found this work really useful as I am exploring the interaction of the space and the dancer and the intereaction of the photographer and the dancer creating empathy with the viewer. I want to explore this empathy further with viewing environment and how the viewer can handle and interact with the work.