Lesson video

Hi, my name is Miss Nadia, and I welcome you to our lesson today.

I hope you're having a lovely day, and let's get started with the session.

So, the title of our lesson today is "Photography: The Influencers of Sources on Photographic Investigations." And our outcome today is that by the end of your session, you should be able to say, "I can research, record, and annotate a photographer's work and show how their ideas, style, or technique connect to my own.

There are four keywords today, and your first keyword is "research." Research is an investigation into and study of information to establish facts and reach conclusions.

Your second keyword is "source." This is a place from which something, in this instance, it's the images or information, originates.

Your third keyword today is "context." Context is the circumstances that form the setting of an idea, event, or photographic work.

And our final keyword today is "annotation." Annotations are notes or comments that accompany the work.

So, let's just run through the four keywords today that we will be using in our lesson: "research," "source," "context," and "annotations." Our lesson today is split into three learning cycles, and the first of these learning cycles is called photographic sources.

This is where we'll begin.

What would you say to Sofia? So, Sofia says, "Do we really need to research for photography? Can't we just take pictures and see what happens?" Let's see what Andeep says.

"Research tells us how other photographers communicate ideas.

Not to copy, but to try to adapt and explain, and maybe get inspired to tell our own stories." Why research matters in photography: Research helps us to learn from other photographers and about the context and techniques that shaped their work.

By using reliable sources, we can understand more about and improve our own photography skills and style.

A source is anything that inspires or informs your own photography work.

And if you look at the images here on the screen, we have got a collection of source photography, and we also have an image of a library, where you often find lots of sources of inspiration.

Sources in photography can include the following: exhibitions, whether they are large or local; photographic journals or books; newspapers and magazines, including older publications; and internet research.

Can you think of any other sources? Let's look at newspapers and magazines.

Publications such as newspapers and magazines have a great way of pulling together images in a less targeted approach.

So, there are pros and there are cons to newspapers and magazines.

The pros are that it is cheap and an easy way of pulling together visual research, and secondly, it is a great way of working quickly to explore a theme.

The cons, however, are that it's not as effective for targeted research, and also the quality of those images depend on publications.

Let's have a look at photographic journals now.

These are dedicated books of the photographer's work, and they're an excellent source of high-quality photographs.

They're a great way of exploring a particular artist, genre, or theme, but can be hard to find and are potentially expensive.

Let's have a look at the pros and cons of photographic journals.

So, the pros are that you will get some high-quality images, and also they're really great for looking at an artist or a theme in detail.

The cons are that there is a potential high cost associated with receiving a photographic journal, and secondly, they're often hard to find.

Let's check your understanding then now.

Which type of source is good for researching a theme more broadly at the beginning of a project? Is it A, exhibitions; B, journals; C, newspapers and magazines; or D, internet research? And the answer is newspapers and magazines.

And why do you think that is? So, the reason why is that newspapers and magazines are a great way of conducting initial research into a theme.

The internet can also be good for broad research, although you do have to make sure to check for image quality and also the reliability of the sites that you are locating the images from.

Let's have a look at exhibitions more closely.

Visiting galleries is the best way to immerse yourself in a photographer's work, though you'll need to find the right exhibition and remember to take notes and make some sketches.

The pros of exhibitions are that it is an immersive experience of a photographer's work, and also you'll get a detailed look at a particular artist or a theme.

Now, let's take a look at the cons.

Sometimes the entry costs can be really high, and depending on what is on, it doesn't always match your area of research.

Let's take a look at internet research.

With the whole world at your fingertips, you can browse through a vast range of images, but remember to consider the issues you might come across, too.

So, the pros of internet research is that it's very easy, isn't it? And very convenient for you to locate information.

There are a wide range of images that are available as well.

And the cons of internet research is that there is a risk of poor image quality.

Also, it might be unreliable depending on your search engine results.

And also, it's not always good for depth.

Which type of source is good for immersing yourself in the work of a photographer? Do you think it's A, exhibitions; B, journals; C, newspapers and magazines; or D, internet research? And the answer is exhibitions.

Can you tell me why? The reason why is that exhibitions at museums and galleries are a good way to immerse yourself into the work and world of a photographer.

Photographic journals are also a great way to do this if you can find them.

It can be useful to create a mind map before using sources, so your research is focused.

This is how it helps: It generates keywords and questions that you'll search.

So, on this mind map, we have got the keywords, which are written quite largely around the title, which is "My Roots." We have got "traditions," "identity," "community," and "family." It chooses the best sources for each idea.

Also, it targets techniques to investigate, so your research links to your making work.

And it saves time by avoiding unfocused browsing.

Your first task today, task A, is to use a mind map from a theme.

The theme could be given to you, or you might choose your own theme, and then you are going to plan focused research accordingly.

You could look at each branch of your mind map and turn the words or images into searchable keywords.

You could match searchable keywords to the most suitable sources.

And you could link each searchable keyword to at least one photographic technique.

So, you can pause the video here, and I hope the task goes well, and I'll be here when you complete it.

How did your task go today? Here is an example of how you could have completed the task today; however, there are many possible outcomes to this task.

Jun says, "I thought about searchable keywords for my family, such as 'family portraits,' 'photography,' or 'family documentary photography.

' For matching searchable keywords to potential sources, I thought of family, which then led to photographic journals and photobooks, such as by Nan Goldin and the series "Belonging and Beyond" by Dai Minnicucci.

Remembering 'family' can mean different things to different people.

For the photographic techniques linked to 'family,' I might look into close-up portraits and candid photography.

' For our second learning cycle today, we will be looking at context and annotation.

Once you have carried out some initial research and perhaps have the names of some photographers that interest you, you can start more in-depth research.

You can find out more about the context of their work.

Personal context shapes the work of many photographers.

For example, Nolan Trowe is a photographer whose practice became deeply shaped by lived experience of disability after a spinal cord injury in 2016 left him with limited mobility.

Rashini Kempadoo's photography blends fact and fiction to explore Caribbean diasporic identity, memory, and history, documenting communities and experiences in the UK and the Caribbean.

Nihad Nino Pusija is a Roma artist whose photography and portrait work explores Roma identity and migration across Europe.

His series "Roma in Europe" cycle began in 1996 to '97 and documented the exile of five Bosnian Roma families in Berlin.

Laura Aguilar's photography brings forth the often invisible identities of large-bodied, *****, working-class, brown people, challenging conventional notions of beauty and identity, and is deeply shaped by her own experience as a ***** Latina, exploring body, sexuality, and cultural belonging within the context of race, gender, and community.

You can also explore the historical, cultural, and material context in artworks.

For example, Gordon Parks was an African American photographer and filmmaker whose work documented the historical context of race, poverty, and social justice in mid-20th-century America.

Yu Yu Myint Than uses cultural context by exploring the everyday lives, traditions, and personal narratives of Myanmar to highlight the intersections of history, community, and identity.

Dianne Minnicucci uses materials like cling film and Vaseline to reveal and conceal identities of her images, the vision of her work being shaped by the material context.

Sofia and Jun are discussing how the context of a source deepens their understanding of a photographer's work.

So, Jun says that cultural context might add understanding through the traditions and symbols that help photos to tell a story, and Sofia has said that historical context can show how styles evolved, inspiring new ideas.

Material context might reveal processes and equipment, encouraging creative use of methods.

Social context reflects people's lives and issues at the time that the work was being made.

So, Andeep says, "I found out loads about the context of a photographer I like.

It's so easy to write about her.

I'll just copy and paste it all." What would you say to Andeep in response? Here's Jun's response: "Great you found so much about her.

If you just copy and paste it, it'll be obvious it's not your work.

You should try to put it in your own words." Is this true or false? Historical context has no influence on how photographic styles develop.

And the answer is false.

Can you tell me why? And the reason why is that historical context can show how styles evolved, inspiring new ideas.

How would you respond to Jun's statement here? "When we're researching sources, do we only need to include contextual facts?" Here's Sofia's response: "Nope, we should also annotate and add our own opinions.

That way, we can link it back to our own ideas and projects." So, here's an example of annotations.

"I choose to take a photo of the landmark building and edit it to make a tiny planet, as I feel that my city is one on its own.

Choose warm colors like summer.

I wanted the Manchester bees to be buzzing around." As well as noting down the context and key facts about a photographer, you can also annotate to show your own ideas and your own understanding.

Remember that the photographers you research do not have to be famous or well-known, but it might be more challenging to find information about them.

So, let's check your understanding on this.

Which of the following is correct? A, you must only research very famous photographers; B, you can research any photographers that you are interested in; or C, you can only research photographers that no one has heard of.

The answer is B, you can research any photographers that you are interested in.

Annotations might include: You could describe what you see, talk about the subject matter, the people, the places, the objects, the moods.

You can mention composition, colors, lighting, or angles.

You could also analyze techniques.

So, how has the photographer used light, focus, depth of field, editing, or framing? And what effect does that create in their photography work? You could interpret the meaning.

What story, mood, or message do you think the photos communicates? How does the historical, the cultural and social, or material context add to this meaning? You can also make it personal in your annotations.

For instance, you can say what you like or what you dislike, and it's also really important that you explain why.

Explain how their style or techniques could inspire you and your own photography.

And remember to link it back to your project theme.

So, now we're going to begin task B.

I would like you to select one or more photographers and research the context of their work.

Then, I would like to annotate one or more of their photographs.

The context could include the cultural, historical, material, and social influences.

Your annotations might include describing what you see, analyzing techniques, interpreting meanings, and making it personal.

And I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you learn lots about your photographer, and also that you really are able to connect it to your own ideas, which is really important.

I will see you.

Good luck with the task.

So, here are some possible outcomes, although you may have created a variety of different outcomes.

Cultural: inspired by Irish folklore, using symbols like hands and a sea to suggest journeys and identity.

Historical: black and white echoes, early 20th-century surrealist photography like Man Ray's work.

Material: uses 35-millimeter film and darkroom layering for double exposures and bold silhouettes like Jerry Uelsmann: black border from printing.

Social: reflects modern ideas of identity and presence, showing how people leave traces in changing environments.

"In this photo, I see the silhouette of a hand repeated smaller in front of the sea scene, all framed by a black border.

The technique of repetition and strong contrast creates a whimsical, dreamlike mood.

I think the photo communicates ideas about memory or imagination, and I like the mystery it creates.

This inspires me to experiment with silhouettes and layering in my own project." We are now going to be moving on to the third learning cycle in our lesson today, which is applying research to work.

When you create your own photographs, you should reflect on the research and sources you've studied and let them influence your ideas, style, or techniques.

Now, this doesn't mean that you are copying another photographer's work.

All it means is that you are experimenting with ideas, style, or techniques in your own way, and you're adding your personal interpretation and linking it to the project theme.

Is this true or false? Using sources in your work means you should copy their photographs exactly.

And the answer is, of course, false.

Why do you think this is false? The reason is that when you create your own photographs, you should reflect on the research and sources that you have studied and let them influence your ideas, style, or techniques without making direct copies to your own work.

You might start to discover the ideas, styles, and techniques that work for you, and you might notice how your work connects to the photographers or the sources that you've looked at.

You might start to discover the ideas, styles, and techniques that work for you.

And you might notice how your work connects to the photographers or sources that you've looked at.

So, do you think A, you should copy exactly what the photographers do; or B, you are finding your own ideas and seeing links to sources; or C, you should ignore other photographers and work completely alone? The answer is you are finding your own ideas and seeing links to sources.

We're going to move on now to the final task of our lesson today, which is task C.

I would like you to choose one of your sources and consider how you could make work inspired by them.

You could research their ideas, their style, and/or technique.

Continue on to take photographs inspired by their work.

So, I'm sure you're gonna have lots of fun completing this final task today, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how you get on.

Pause the video here, and I will be here when you complete the task.

I hope you got on well with task C today.

Of course, as always, there are many possible outcomes to this task.

Here's an example of one way you could have completed the task today.

Lucas has looked at a source image here, which is on the screen, and he has said that "I could make a series of photos inspired by her style, experimenting with shadows on the floor instead of hands.

I could focus on composition, contrast, and repetition to capture a dreamlike mood, while adding my own twist by using shadows and glare to explore shapes and space.

This links to my project theme of imagination and identity." And here's a visual example of what that looks like.

So, on the left-hand side, you can see the source image, and on the right-hand side, you can see, and now you can understand where Lucas' ideas have come from and his thinking behind his work.

And you can see his interpretation of completing photography based upon the research that he has conducted.

The work has been inspired by the idea, style, and technique.

So, unfortunately, we've come to the end of our lesson today, and I hope you've thoroughly enjoyed it.

Now, let's summarize what you've learned today.

So, today we discussed research, and you completed some research into other photographers and influences, which help us to grow as photographers.

So, within your tasks today, you would have looked at source photography from other photographers and applied those ideas into your own work.

There are multiple sources that we can look at for research, and each has its benefits and each has its pitfalls.

And we looked quite closely at each of those things, where we talked about the pros and the cons of each of those types of sources of research.

Contextual information and annotation are needed as part of research.

We need to understand some of the thoughts and the context behind artists' work in order to then give that deeper thought and meaning to your own photography.

We can also use our research and sources as inspiration and growth for our own work.

So, I really hope today you are able to take influence from a photographer's artwork or multiple photography work, and I hope that has really helped you personally to grow as a photographer in your skill and in providing that deeper context and that deeper meaning within your own photography work.

I hope you enjoyed your lesson today, and I will see you very soon.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.