Below is my finished proposal form required for task 5 and the final project research for week 12. I intend to use this form at the start of my research documentation:
TASK 5 –
MED1011M-Independent-Project-Intentions-Form (Updated)
Photography – Final Project (Entropy)
Intro:
For the final project, we were tasked with selecting one of the keywords: migration, entropy, globalisation, synchronicity or division. I chose to base my project on the word ‘entropy’. Entropy is the degradation, slow decline, of a working system. Knowing this, I considered my interests and developed the idea of Entropy evident in clockwork autonomy. I have always had a passion for clockwork items and other such autonomous designs. My fascination with such a topic derives from the intricacies of the items and the sentimental value of stopwatches which I own.
My grandfather collected fully autonomous train sets and several stopwatches before he sadly passed away. Several of his sets and watches were passed onto me which started my passion and collection. After considering how entropy is present in clockwork, I was presented with the work of Hiroshi Sugimoto and his efforts to present ‘Conceptual Forms’. It was his work into representing maths in real world objects that influenced my look into clockwork further, capturing images that show the maths behind clocks as well as the entropy in their design. A couple of Sugimoto’s images caught my intertest, including: ‘The Confession of Zero’ (Sugimoto 2014) and ‘Mathematical Model 012’ (Sugimoto 2010). Another artist which caught my interest for similar reasons was Tom Shannon and his work with ‘Drop’ (Shannon 2009) showing a style of rounded metal objects to represent modernisation. This type of imagery appeals to the audience in the same way I am attempting to recreate.
Audience:
I set out to complete this project with one idea in mind, to let the audience see how entropy interlinks with the modern world. I figured linking Entropy with clockwork autonomy would be a simple connection that would allow the audience to make a further connection to the little use of moving parts in the 21st century. The idea of entropy being present in clockwork also provides the idea that entropy is present in creations and all creations are subject to entropy given enough time and neglect by their consumers and creators.
With this being my main point, I also want the audience to observe and appreciate clockwork for what it is. Simple moving parts moving at such an intricate level to measure a variable as complex as time. With many of us switching to digital due to many reasons, there’s little use for an object with moving parts, and higher maintenance, when we can measure time much more accurately through digital forms.
Autonomy, I have noticed recently, has little presence in our day to day lives. Cars/transportation still preserve the autonomous attribute but little else does. I would hope the audience is influenced by my images to continue their thinking and develop the concept of a world with little to no autonomy and ponder the reality of it.
Entropy:
Entropy can be present in more than the physical object, Entropy can be a term used when describing ideas or figurative situations. If the use of autonomy for creations can die out, why can’t other ideas and concepts? It’s not unheard of and is still present within society as seen on a regular basis – old technologies/devices are being switched for newer, more reliable, alternatives. This idea relates back to my previous points on audience, how I want the audience to interpret my images and to see how consumers are constantly out with the old and in with the new.
Development/Alterations:
After taking several images of antique clockwork pieces, I took the opportunity to browse old vehicle models and designs. It was this opportunity that got me to expand my thinking and cover all autonomy rather than just limiting my images to clock pieces. I believe this was a necessary choice because I would then be able to get a wider range of an audience to consider the limited use of autonomy (And in turn the entropy of autonomy) in our present society. The development of these images was as simple as walking around several antique stores found within Lincoln and seeing what they had to offer. Creating the images turned out to be relatively simple compared to the task of linking them together through a meaning/word. I am pleased with my option overall as it demonstrates the meaning of the word (Entropy) in both a physical context (Clockwork/vehicles) and in a broader for figurative sense (Autonomy as a whole).
Critical evaluation:
The images I was able to take for this project, I believe, were to a high standard that represents a meaning, one that aims at both the physical and metaphorical sense. I also believe however, that the images could have been shot differently, for example: Instead of using the recommended macro lens from the media loans department, I used my own digital camera with the macro lens setting. The images do not appear to be any worse of quality due to this change, however I would be interested in seeing the difference the studio standard camera would have made under the same lighting. Another point which is critical to the images quality is the lighting of the images. Under the current conditions the images were under shop lighting (low key, non-diegetic) which was not optimal, instead a high key, controlled, studio lighting would have allowed for more detailed shots.
I considered the importance of lighting and how lighting can be used in different ways to create a specific shot. After looking through the readings suggested on black board (Basic Photography 2000, p. 24) appealed to me through it’s simplicity of explaining the dynamics of lighting in shots such as close macro lens based imagery. Within chapter two, Langford discusses lights involvement with photography: Wavelengths, colours, behaviour. It was only after taking the images that I understood the importance of lighting, but I could not see any way of obtaining the objects I wanted in a studio setting. It is because of this reason, I have several images which I am not including in my final submission but will still be visible on my blog under a separate page.
Conclusion:
I am pleased with this final project as it provided a sense of freedom as well as a chance to obtain some real insight into the world of photography. I believe that this project has given the photography module a positive, well rounded ending.
Bibliography:
Shannon, T. (2017). [Online] http://www.tomshannon.com/ [Accessed 7 Dec. 2017].
Sugimoto, M. (2017). [Online] http://www.sugimotohiroshi.com/ [Accessed 7 Dec. 2017]
Langford, M. (2000) Basic Photography (7th edition) London: Focal Press
Sugimoto, H. (2014) The Confession of Zero, photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto [Accessed 7 Dec. 2017], https://www.sugimotohiroshi.com/confession-of-zero.
Sugimoto, M. (2010) Mathematical Model 012, photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto [Accessed 7 Dec. 2017], http://chateau-la-coste.com/en/portfolio-items/hiroshi-sugimoto/
Shannon, T. (2009) Drop, photograph by Tom Shannon [Accessed 7 Dec. 2017], http://www.tomshannon.com/drop