Final Photo Books – Large and Small

Overall concept

At the beginning of my book designing stages, I first anticipated that I would create a traveller’s journal style booklet with a leather-bound cover, leather strap which would tie around the book and beige coloured pages. My original interpretation of what the books could have been included crocodile or snakeskin leather bounded cover, reflecting the 1970s aesthetic which my images had. Although, after weighing up the options I had, the cost, ability to obtain the supplies/item/tools and the overall expected time it would take to actually make the journal, I decided that the idea wasn’t feasible. I began drafting out various other ideas, finally deciding on the method which I made both my completed books: I decided that a more time and cost effective way to get a leather cover would be to find some vintage books from old books stores, remove the text blocks and insert my pages inside. This worked out to be a much quicker option and I’m actually pleased with how the result I achieved. My overall concept for this idea was that if the books were kept on a bookshelf, the criminal contents within them would be hidden, reflecting how the actual crime within the book would have also been hidden.

Cover

While gathering relevant books within old bookstores, my main guidelines was to purchase booms which had similar coloured covers and also have similar ratios which would mean less editing to my text block in the future. I decided on two burgundy coloured leather-styled books which although where different in size, had the same ratio and also similar in thickness, meaning I wouldn’t have to use different paper gsm for each book.  Stripping the text block wasn’t difficult as the books were quite old so the thread and glue used to keep the block to the cover only needed slight persuasion to separate. Deciding on ways to edit the cover in a way that the book could still be recognisable to the viewer, I decided to laser cut / engrave my series’ name ‘Daylight Robbery’ onto the front cover. Using a laser to engrave the name meant I could get an extremely neat carving into the covers’ material and also meaning I didn’t have to use any wet material, such as ink or paint.

Binding

Sticking the pages together and also to the book was fairly straightforward. I opted to using a standard Japanese book binding stitch along the spine of the book, leaving the pages tightly compressed against each other, without any possible separation or unevenness. I used standard white clothing thread for my book as the pages were of normal thickness and didn’t want to cause and tearing which could have been created if I had used actual book binding thread, which is usually quite thick. Instead of using an awl to create the holes within each page, which would take quite a long time and in my experience it never actually turns out neat, I chose to use a drill with a tinny drill bit and then just create a five separate holes straight through the text block, which resulted in neat holes exactly in the same place within each page. To then stick the text block to the cover, I used glue (glue stick rather than any wet glue as the glue stick didn’t cause any unexpected creases or tears on the paper) on the first and last blank pages and then placed them in the same place where the original books’ text block was, and then compressed the two books under a heavy weight for several days.

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Images Chosen for Final Book Layout

Book Design

Pages from my book ‘Daylight Robbery, made in InDesign. Due to making two different sized books and with both having a ratio slightly different to 2:3, I spent a large amount of time experimenting with layouts and finding the best way to feature my images within the book without needing excessive cropping. For my small book, the dimensions were 152mm x 95mm, with a 155mm x 100mm cover and my larger book was 120mm x 184mm with a cover of 130mm x 191mm. Due to shooting in portrait and landscape, I was unsure on the best way to include the landscape shots within the book as the ratio didn’t fit with the images’. I worked around this by not cropping any on the landscape images and just included an area of border all around them, with a slightly larger section on the bottom. The portrait/vertical images were much easier to use as only a slight crop was needed and I was able to use an equal border around the whole image. I wanted to include two images which would feature at the start and end of the book, feeling up the whole spread, demonstrating their importance within the story. For the beginning image, I chose to use the heist map as I wanted to give the image as much space as possible within the page as I wanted as much detail as possible within the frame to be seen, such as the getaway route etc. For the ending image, I chose a portrait of the bald character as I wanted to leave the viewer with an interpretation of what the ending could have been. The image was shot from within the getaway car’s boot with the character looking towards the viewer; I wanted to create a narrative of the character looking at the contents of heist or possibly he had killed the crime boss character which appeared towards the end of the book and put him in the boot, just a few possible interpretations which could be created by the viewer.

Image Making Evaluation

Beginning my Image Making project, I began constructing various ideas based around a similar British / vintage aesthetic, similar to the work created in my Identity project. I first decided that I wanted to use documentary fiction rather than documentary reality as I wanted to create work in a director style role, creating the scenes, choosing objects/models and a narrative which would be visually interesting. After creating photos in a sixties style in my last project, I decided to follow a similar theme and shoot images in a seventies aesthetic for this project, mostly due to my interest in the decade’s culture and fashion, as well as it’s cinema. Inspired by my own interests in film / cinema, I decided to use classic crime drama as my genre as I have watched many films set in the 70s which has used crime as their chosen theme. Inspired by films such as The Italian Job, The Godfather and The Bank Job, I had a foundation knowledge of what kind of camera angles, lighting, colour grading and models which would suit planned images. I began researching further, watching other films which use similar themes such as Get Carter, Snatch, Lock, and Stock, & Two Smoking Barrels, each one taking various inspiration which would be used later within my photoshoots. Alongside researching cinema, I also researched photographers who shoot in a cinematic style: Gregory Crewdson, Matt Henry and Jeff Wall. Taking key elements from each of these photographers work for my own images: Crewdson’s use of lighting, Henry’s use of specific style and Wall’s ability to create a narrative within his model(s) / subject(s).

Shooting my images incorporated the researched which I conducted before hand as well as the narrative which I was trying to create. For my series, I wanted to create a crime series which depicted two criminals while they plan and prepare for an upcoming heist. I created two characters which contrasts between each other: one being a ‘top of the chain’ criminal who is visibly wealthy and is immersed within the crime culture, and another which is a lower down, petty criminal who would be carrying out the actual crime. The use of a getaway car was also a big factor within my series which I wanted to focus on as it would be one of the main ways to set the vintage 70s look. Luckily, I knew someone who owned multiple classic cars from the 70s which meant I could easily gather cars which I needed. The main getaway car within my shots was a cream Jaguar Mark II; this was incredibly fitting for my project as Mark II’s are known for being extensively used in the 60s and 70s as getaway cars during robberies. For the lower down criminal, I decided to shoot the images within the classic car garage as it was fittingly old fashioned and I chose my model as he fitted my brief effectively, as well as choosing an outfit that was similar to relaxed British 70s attire. For my crime boss character, I wanted the idea of wealth to be obvious within the frame, meaning dressing up the model in a smart suit and wearing extensive gold jewellery, as well as prop guns.

For my book (before hand-in went digital) I first planned to bound a Japanese stitched booklet in natural leather to match the vintage theme but after waying up the price and time left I decided it would not be an effective option. Instead I chose to buy two old books from a classic bookstore, both made in the early 20^thcentury, stripping the text pages which left me with the leather covers. I decided on using old book covers as I thought it could look as if the criminal content of my series could be hidden within an old bookshelf, reflecting on the secret nature of the series. After stripping down the books, I laser cut / engraved my series name ‘Daylight Robbery’ on the cover, created the books’ content and then hand-stitched the pages together, sticking the ‘text block’ into the covers.

I am very pleased with how the project progressed and the images which I obtained, as I believed the series captures the creative vision which I envisioned at the start of the Image Making project. Through the use of camera angles, lenses used, props, classic cars, models and clothing, I believe I achieved the vintage 70s aesthetic I was planning for. If I had more time for the series, I would consider creating more characters, locations and just generally adding more detail and depth to the storyline.

Heist Map

Shoot Two – getaway car(s), character two

For my second shoot, I needed to introduce another character to the series as well as establish the getaway vehicle for the characters. For the character, I wanted to create someone similar to the character of Terry in the Bank Job – a lower end criminal who carries out the orders from the crime bosses. The characteristics of this sort of character includes bald, fairly slim but built stature, stubble, wearing an overcoat with dark clothing, possibly with jeans. Actually, finding a person to match this description was fairly straightforward as coincidently I knew a quantity of men who fit the description and I could use for the project. As for the clothing, I wanted to match the outfit to the previous subject within my last shoot, which led me to choosing a classic looking blue overcoat, black turtleneck, bootcut jeans and vintage boots. For the getaway vehicles which would be used within the series, I wanted to use historically accurate getaway cars which were used in British bank heists during the 60s and 70s, which led me to use a cream Jaguar Mark 2 1969 and a Ford Escort from 1973. For the location, I wanted to use a similar environment as Terry’s car dealership in the Bank Job, so I used a large garage which had car lifts (which were useful for creating more detail / depth of field within the frame), roller shutter which could be used as a backdrop for subject/car and also random objects laying around the room which I could incorporate within the shits. 

I started the shoot with establishing the kind of detail shots I wanted to take; I focused on capturing the interiors of the classic cars, subject’s hands and other details within the garage. I particularly liked the shots of the red leather within the vintage Jaguar as it worked well with the luxury/extravagant 70s style; for instance, the photo of the gear stick gives enough detail while allowing the viewer to create their own narrative of what’s occurring at that particular moment during the storyline. I then began including the subject within the scenes, shooting both direct portraits and action shots. I decided to both use 50mm f/1.4 and 24-105 f/4 lenses as the 50mm gave me a wide aperture for if I encountered low light or wanted a shallower depth of field for my portraits. The zoom lens gave me more flexibility in well-lit situations, meaning a could use a range of focal lengths to my advantage, for instance shooting at 70mm for a portrait or using 24mm to get as much of the scene within the frame. Using 24mm was most useful for when I wanted deliberate distortion such as making the wheel larger than the subject or for capturing the car interiors without too much difficulty. For the direct portraits, I wanted to create as much emotion from the subject as possible without directing them to appear a certain way. I didn’t want them to purposely look tough or aggressive as I wanted the shots to be as authentic as I could get them. This led to portraits which portray the subject as being traditionally masculine but also being reserved with deeper emotion.

I’m very pleased with the photos from the shoot as I think they correlate well with the previous photos which I shot and also resembled some of the films which I researched during the project. My favourite photos from the shoot include the environment shot which I shot from a high angle and also the shots taken from within the car, such as the shotgun cartridges hanging from the mirror and the photo of the rear seat which was shot to look like the character is looking over the shoulder to see behind the car. My favourite portrait from the shoot focuses of the character but also has the car lifted in the air behind him, producing a gritty, vintage aesthetic.

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Shoot One Inspiration – Scarface and Godfather desk

During test shoot one, I found that the subject had a traditional wooden desk in their home which I thought would be a really good prop within the shots. Desks infer power and possibly extravagance which I thought would suit the crime theme which I was trying to deliver within the series. Desks appear to be a prime location during classic crime films, the most prominent being Scarface and The Godfather, the desk in each signifying the extravagance of the men behind them. For my shot, I decided to use the gold on the subject’s jewellery and match it with the gold drawer handle and the gold paged book, giving the rich aesthetic for the viewer, working with the subject’s attire. 

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Test Shoot One

For my first test shoot of the documentary fiction unit, I used my research into British criminal to create a Godfather style detailed stills and portraits. I wanted to shoot a set of images to depict the person in charge of the whole crime storyline, like a traditional crime boss. I decided the best way to represent this would be to use an older looking man wearing smart attire, such as a tailored suit and hints of gold. I wanted to shoot a wide range of detailed shots which would be used in various moments in my book without showing the man’s personality and then one full portrait towards the end of the book. For my detail shots, I decided to incorporate the man’s hands with various objects (such as guns, books, phones etc) leaving the viewer to create their own narrative of what is happening. To establish the subject’s power/wealth, I wanted gold to be a prominent colour within the frame, achieved via the use of watches, rings, belt buckles etc. My favourite shot displaying these focuses on the subject opening a drawer which has a golden knob and with a vintage phone on the desk, inferring a storyline to the viewer. Another shot which I particularly like focuses on the subject’s hand holding a black book with their gold ring matching gold initials on the book. For the portraits, I decided to shoot with a 24mm wide angle lens as I wanted to incorporate the characters home as much as possible; I particularly like the neon sign behind the subject producing a vintage 70s aesthetic as well as producing an interesting lighting within the final shots. I’m really pleased with the final photographs which I chose out of 400 shots taken during the shoot. I believe the images match a similar style as Snatch and produces the 70’s style which I was planning for. For my other shoots, I need to create another character which will be actually doing the crime; I’m thinking of creating a character which is visibly less wealthy than the first and particularly is working or driving a getaway vehicle. As for clothing, I want the next character to look less professional and wear more stereotypical British style 70s clothes, such as big coats or duller colours. I want the two characters to be drastically different, showing the chain between the upper and lower criminals within the storyline. 

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Lock, Stock & Two smoking Barrels

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, 1998, is, like Snatch, a British comedy-crime film which is directed by Guy Ritchie and is often referred to as the introduction to Snatch due to the cast, director and storyline holding similar traits between the two films. The film depicts a heist implemented my petty criminals and carried out on a fellow gang operating in the flat next door and initiated due to a failed card game, resulting in a loss of half a million pounds.  I find Snatch to be a more polished version of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels due to the actors and director which are in both films getting more experience between the two years between each other. Although I much prefer Snatch as a film, I do think Lock, Stock is defiantly comparable due to its filming techniques for one instance; the use of angles, lighting and colour are used effectively to add to the gritty, criminal underworld aesthetic present in the storyline. Like in Snatch, a wide range of lenses are used within the filming process; my favourite is probably the use of wide angle and then shooting close to the scene/subject, for example the scene which depicts Vinnie Jones with two shotguns closeup, draws the viewer closer into the action which is occurring during each moment. The colour grading is where the two films contrast, Snatch strong has a green hue colour cast, especially during the night scenes, while on the other hand Lock, Stock uses more warm, red tones which can bring the viewer closer to each scene, and further away during Snatch.

Like Snatch, I think Lock, Stock is relevant to my British, crime, classic themes during my own work as although the film was contemporary when it was released it still holds values inspired by older classic crime films from the 60s and 70s. One technique which I have found interesting within the film is the closeness which is present when there is a group of characters together, making the viewer ‘one of the gang’. This is also present when the film wants the viewer to focus primarily on one individual, which the cinematographers achieved with straight filming on the characters’ face.

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Snatch- Film Stills, Composition, Lighting etc

Snatch, 2002 is a British comedy/crime film, directed by Guy Ritchie, and depicts the lives of multiple London criminals from crime lords to low ranking petty thief’s, and how they are all simultaneously connected with each other. The film. Uses a range of technical filming methods to intertwine the viewer into the scenes; for instance, wide angle lenses alongside close up compositions within certain dramatic scenes to weave the viewer further into the suspenseful storyline. Another interesting camera angle used within the film is high angle shots, similar CCTV footage, which causes the viewer to retract themselves to what the characters are doing and also create a God-like perspective on the negative actions of which each man is doing. Another key attribute which I found interesting while watching the film is the wardrobe decisions. Nearly all of the cast is wearing some form of professional looking clothing, such as suits and old style hats, while gypsy characters Mickey O’Neil who is continuously dressed in a scruffy attire which shows further depth to the difference and separation of cultures between himself and the wealthy crime lord characters within the film.

Although Snatch was released in 2000 and contemporary for its time, I feel it is relevant to the 1970’s theme which I have been working with as it has similar themes to the crime genres present in the other films which I have researched and the wardrobe is quite classic even for its time, especially the long coats and colour choices. The colour grading of the film is also reminiscent of gritty crime dramas from the 70’s/80s mostly due to the dark nature with strong green and red tones, which I like. I think the film is a good example of how a scene can be both intense and playful, which could be useful within my own images. I also like how in Snatch, the imagery is perfectly constructed which means the film can be paused at any moment and the still could be effectively used as a photograph. This is the kind of effect I am planning to achieve in my work as I want my images to seem like they have been pulled from a film/storyline.

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Jeff Wall

Jeff Wall is a Canadian phototopographer who like Crewdson and Henry, is known for his large scale, large production photographs and highly constructed scenes. Like the other two photographers, Wall uses his photographic practices in a cinematic style and produces scenes which looks like they could have been pulled out of a full-length film, while still expressing a certain feel or emotion just within one image to the viewer. His decision to produce large scale prints for exhibitions comes from a similar decision made by Crewdson; the essence of the enormous prints engulfs the viewer into the scene and also on a practical level, allows the viewer to examine all the intricately placed details within the composed scenes. Jeff wall’s work is fundamentally the definition of documentary fiction: using compositions and subject matters which would usually be used in traditional documentary reality but actually using models and sets to create the planned image. I appreciate Wall’s ambition to capture an image, even if it is not actually a real scene, using various means necessary to create the print which he envisions. With this in mind, Wall plays with the notion of what is documentary photography and how far the genre can be widened. It is noted that he works primarily with non-professional models as subjects which retracts the stereotypical model characteristics/attitudes which I personally find very obvious in the final image within other genres of photography such as fashion. The choice of using real people as subjects (even though they are being instructed) gives his constructed scenes a more authentic atmosphere; one of the most obvious examples to me of this is Wall’s ‘Boxing’ 2011 (Figure 1)  which depicts two young men boxing which looks like their living room. The candid aesthetic of this shot seems completely authentic. Wall’s use of composition seems the most important factor to my opinion; by positioning the camera by the right side of the wall and using a wide angle lens makes the image appear as if it was taken by a parent who had just walked into their living room, found their sons boxing and took a snapshot of the scene for the family album. Of course other steps had to be taken by Wall for the photograph due to it eventually being printed on a large scale and hung in a gallery, so other measures such as added lighting and props for the room would have been planned, as well as camera positioning and composition.

Out of the three photographers I have researched so far, Jeff Wall’s work is probably my favourite due to many factors. I particularly like his use of colour within his final photographs; comparing to Crewdson and Henry, Wall’s use of colour is much less exaggerated, this may be due to the two other two using a 1950s-1980s Americana aesthetic, but Wall’s images are a lot more realistic and I feel like I can connect to them much more than the other two’s work. Another attribute which singles out Wall from Henry and Crewdson is his decision to make his scenes less American-focused. Crewdson and Henry both create work which explores the notion of what American culture was/is, but I personally feel this is much less present in Wall’s work. His photographs seem much less specific to one specific country and can be sympathised with by a range of different people from many different cultures. For example, in Matt Henry’s work, I feel a certain novelty factor which may be due to not being American and not understanding some references, but researching Wall’s images, I feel much more connected to what the storyline could be or what kind of emotion which is being represented.

Researching Wall has been greatly beneficial in my own planning process. His work has given me some stylistic inspiration on what kind of compositions and lighting I could use within my own work, especially when I want the viewer to feel sympathetic or connected to what they are doing. I’ve found that the images which feels much more intimate to me within Wall’s work is usually when a subject is being photographed indoors, whether indoors or in their homes, which could be a usually idea for when I start shooting my images.

Figure 1 ‘Boxing’ 2011 

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The Italian Job

The Italian Job, directed by Peter Collinson,is a British crime film following a criminal gang as they complete an Italian gold heist. The film begins with Charlie Croker being released from prison and the viewer follows with Croker as he designs and carries out a robbery of a large amount of gold, and escaping with multiple Mini cars, with the film ending in a literal cliff hanger. Although the film was released in 1969, it has significant following in modern day cinema as most British people citing the film as a ‘classic’. Like Get Carter, The Italian Job holds the classic British suave aesthetic which was used in most British cinema during the 60s and 70s, and also the kind of feel I want in my photo series. The sense of ‘Britishness’ is used in all of the three films researched already and seems to have the same effect as the use of ‘Americanism’ as seen in Henry’s and Crewdson’s work. It seems that due to Michael Caine’s association with this genre of cinema, he is an icon or ‘Modfather’ of the classic British crime thrillers, and also the embodiment of a criminal who is also a gentleman, supposedly. Alongside Caine, there is a range of other actors within the cast, some being Noel Coward, Benny Hill and Raf Vallone, but as Caine is the leading actor, and therefor the films protagonist, the viewer feels closer to Caine and his ambitions during the developing stages of the heist. This could be an important factor which I could include within my series. The wardrobe choices, as seen in The Italian Job, is a decisive attribute to achieving the classic late 60s/ 70s aesthetic. I often enjoy using specific clothing styles within my other photographic work so I think after researching various 1970s films and photographers in the past so I have some understanding of what time-accurate outfits to use. 

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Get Carter, film stills- composition, colour etc

Get Carter is a 1970’s British crime drama starring Michael Caine as lead and directed by Mike Hodges. Filmed in 1970/71, the viewer accompanies London gangster/criminal Jack Carter as he seeks reason and revenge for his brother’s death. Get Carter produces a gritty aesthetic for the viewer, delivering a more realistic portrayal of British life and criminal attitude during the 1970’s, with Caine influenced by his real-life criminal acquaintances. The film, in essence, is the definition of the classic crime genre, with a protagonist hunting for answers and using any means necessary to get their way.  Like The Bank Job, Get Carter combines its content matter with classic cinematic compositions to make the cast seem powerful, especially in the two films when a character is wilding a weapon. Although it can be argued that in Get Carter, Mike Hodges produced even more graphic tensions between the cast and doesn’t have the novelty effect present in The Bank Job.

Get Carter is an available aid for my upcoming project, both in actual composition importation and also gives me ideas on what kind of storyline I am going to produce within my images. In most scenes during the film, Carter is seen as a dominant, alpha male personality due to the camera angles and compositions often making him the biggest person within the frame creating a powerful presence during the scenes. The colour pallet within the film is also a valuable representation of what I want my upcoming images to be like, which contributes to the vintage 70s aesthetic. At the moment and influenced by both films, I plan to create a narrative around a build up to a crime or heist, following a set of men while they prepare for the day of the crime. In Get Carter, there is both closeups and shots of the cast from an outsider perspective, which causes the viewer to feel connected and simultaneously disconnected during the film. This could be beneficial during my shoots as I want the viewer while looking through the book to feel intimate to what the men are doing but also distance themselves from their actions.

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The Bank Job

The Bank Job 2009, directed by Roger Donaldson, is a British crime drama/thriller set in 1970’s London and follows a group of lower-end criminals before and after executing a large-scale bank robbery, alongside other political and social frictions happening during the timeline. The production of the film is engaging via the use of time-relevant vehicles, fashion and several other cultural significant events during 1971, most notably the original heist’s link to princess Margaret. The director and production team created realistic settings/environments within the film by using both real and constructed locations; most of the road locations within the film were real locations but also a few scenes around the bank were constructed within a studio to get a realistic 1970’s look. One of my favourite scenes from the film involves a fight scene between Terry and gangster Lew Vogel which was shot in Chatham Dockyard which is useful for my upcoming work as it can be a possible location for some shots as it is only ten minutes away from me.

The Bank Job was a key inspiration for my idea and why I wanted to shoot a series of 1970’s British influenced images. I appreciate the grittiness but also smoothness of the film and also the range of filming techniques such as angles. The use of colour grading and wardrobe produces the 70’s gritty look which I plan to have within my shots, as it works well alongside the crime storyline. The character wardrobe is also effective as it doesn’t overplay the cringe-worthy 70s style clothing which is present in other films; the use of coats specifically seems to be the thing that captured my eye the most out of all the clothing choices. The film also uses some of the cars which I have available for my shoot, most specifically a Jaguar Mark 2 and Ford Escort both from the same years which the film is set in and also is linked to getaway vehicles actually used by robbers in the 70’s.

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Matt Henry

Matt Henry is a British photographer who is most known for his cinematic Americana themed work. Henry’s theme reminds me of photographers William Eggleston and Gregory Crewdson due to their focus on similar ideas: for instance, Eggleston’s work showcases the United States during the 50s -70s and Crewdson’s use of location within his work correlates with Henry’s. Henry’s work is a key example of the kind of documentary fiction which I plan to shoot during this unit; his 60s and 70s influences help create ambiguous and deep-rooted meanings, creating nostalgia for American viewers and novelty for British/non-American viewers simultaneously. Henry’s images seem flawlessly crafted, whether it is a scene of Elvis performing on tv or a woman looking out of a window while on the phone, each adding a sense of mystery during the scene, leading the viewer to create their own interpretation of what they are viewing. Particularly being British and not knowing much on American culture, I interpret Henry’s work more conceptually rather than taking it for face value, therefor distancing from maybe the metaphorical/original meaning. This point makes Henry’s choice of subject matter even more interesting; it is noted that he was influenced by classic American films from his youth which may be why his depiction of American culture can be seen as being polished/exaggerated. Henry’s use of colour is also representative of his subject matter, the use of highly vibrant, saturated colours glorifies the American culture of excessiveness and the browns, greens and reds within the frame pulls the scene back to the vintage context. Like Crewdson, Henry’s use of documentary fiction goes as far as using models, external lighting and props to produce a narrative full of characteristics and an intentional mood. Adding to this, Henry’s constructed scenes seems to hold a certain hidden agenda or backstory which could appear as an inside joke to the subjects present within the frame.

Henry’s work, like Crewdson, further inspires ideas within my documentary fiction theme. My favourite shots by Henry are the scenes which focus on a small section of a room or an object which holds a particular significance. For instance, the image which focuses on Elvis performing live on an old-style colour tv expresses clear American-ness just through the use of subject. Elvis is an American symbol within himself and alongside that large amount of wood present on both the table and room walls, the subject is pulled back to the 60s/70s theme. Thinking of the image as a frame within a film/series, the viewer is left to decided what the significance of the scene is; why is Henry specifically showing Elvis on the screen and what kind of mood is it setting? This style of imagery and choice of subject matter will be an important tool for when I produce my images for the series. I plan to shoot similar images of small details which holds a deeper contextual meaning when paired alongside the loaded cinematic shots within the series. I’m planning on producing images to achieve a similar effect, such as a map illustrating the location and getaway of the crime or the backseat of the getaway car. I also want to use similar colour saturation as Henry’s work but with more of a 70’s British influence, such as a grittier landscape and duller tones.

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Gregory Crewdson

Gregory Crewdson is an American photographer who is infamous for his documentary-fiction themed style, producing images of mysterious scenes which appears to be stills from Hollywood drama/sci-fi/crime movies. Crewdson’s work produces a scene which seems poetic and loaded with deep contextual meanings, which Crewdson allows the viewer to create for themselves. Taking surrealist landscapes of small American towns gives the viewer a sense of familiarity, possibly nostalgia for American viewers, but with the use of cinematic compositions, angles, focus points and lighting produces the scenes in a fashion which can make a viewer feel uneasy or confused. The use of American scenes/aesthetic can also distance a non-American viewer, creating further walls between the photograph and the viewer, adding to the surrealist style which the images hold. Crewdson’s photographic style seems to be inspired by surrealist cinema, such as Hitchcock’s Vertigo or Rear Window which produces a similar illusion of there being a secret or hidden context behind the obvious scene. Crewdson’s aesthetic reminds me of an art/indie film but which has been inflated with a bigger budget, meaning better lighting, clothing, locations and/or props can be used depending on his needs. Crewdson has the reputation and means to warrant a large set consisting of various assistance, runners and builders all working together to capture an image. Crewdson leaves behind the notion of one man-one camera, with hiring a large number of people to help him achieve the scene which he plans to create, even builders developing non-existent structures, such as houses built true to scale just for one singular image. Often using an extensive number of external lights and even cranes to position the camera in the perfect, his use of photographic equipment is also diverse; either using 10 x 8 large format stationary cameras or going completely the other end and tethering with a digital camera, Crewdson’s use of cameras emulates and reflects the slow paced style and preparation which is present during the making of his; as well as giving Crewdson the ability to print gigantic prints, sometimes 4 x 7 feet which engulfs the viewer further into the scene and on a practical level, allows the viewer to see all the detail within the whole image. On a more conceptual view, the work can also reflect the over-the-top style which America is so renowned for.

I chose to research Crewdson as his work really interests me in both the content but also how it is made. My favourite aspect of Crewdson’s images is the notion of taking an otherwise ordinary scene but giving it a certain twist, which produces a surrealist effect, but without actually explaining why the scene is the surreal. The use of lighting and casting is incredibly cinematic, the use of models is just as important to the final image as the location and the lighting gives the images further depth. Crewdson’s work has gave me a few ideas on the style of compositions I could use during the project and also what kind of sub jects to use within the shots.

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Moodboard – Photo inspiration, Various stills from British crime films

Documentary Fiction

For this unit, I’m planning to shoot a set of images and create a photobook in the style of documentary fiction. This is mostly due to document anting reality in the Environment and Identity and I think this unit will be a good opportunity to shoot in a style which I haven’t before. Thinking of ideas for the unit I first began thinking about shooting street-scene location shots similar to my Berwick St market photos but I felt like that was too tame and want to branch out further. During this project, I want to create images which look like stills from a film. There are already a few photographers who do this, but I want to specify all the images around one-story line which would look coherent within a photobook. Following on from the 1960s inspired portraits which I shot in the last project, I want to create a similar aesthetic but maybe in a 1970’s British theme. As for the narrative/storyline, I want to produce a set of stills which looks like it has been pulled out from a vintage London crime drama such as ‘The Bank Job’ or ‘Get Carter’. One idea which I was thinking of pursuing is showing the build-up to a robbery or another crime through the different members involved. I want to show the preparation for the crime as I still want the photos to be mysterious and not deliver the obvious to the viewer. From what I can picture at the moment for potential shots include a middle-aged bald man in a vintage 70s car ready for the getaway and also a fake map showing the location of the robbery, inspired by maps in heist films.

Crime Movie Inspiration:

• The Bank Job
• Get Carter
• The Italian Job
• Comfort & Joy
• Snatch
• McVicar
• Next Three Days