Just a thought...

Where i have been so stuck on the idea that a time lapse must be shown in photography in a number of different frames, this is simply not the case. I am now trying to think how i can show a time lapse in just one frame.. 
This i think could be harder, and i will need to experiment with different camera techniques to show this. Recently i have been thinking about how much i like blurred pan shots, where the subject is still (yet moving in reality) and the background is displayed as moving (yet in reality is stood still) Here are some simple examples i have found. The photographer is not relevant here, yet the technique is. 

Here, this is reversed, and the subject becomes out of focus and blurred, where the background is in focus and stood still. 

 I feel this technique can depict such energy, deffinately showing a lapse in time, simply by motion and movement. With the woman waiting for a train, many questions can be asked.. The following image is my favourite from what i have found 

Experimental sequences/ Todorov's Theory

Like last year, with these experimental sequences i have tended to use just three images to show a time lapse in my subject, in this case being a burnt out candle and a pealed orange. Visually i am very pleased with the image(s), and feel they work, yet i don't want to get trapped into the idea that i must use three images to show this. Like the theory used in many films and other media forms, that there is simply a beginning, middle and end. I would like to question what goes on in-between these gaps, and perhaps document this in some way. At this very early stage in my project i am happy that i am noticing what i feel it wrong from right, and have more than enough time to choose routes in which i will go down, resulting in my final pieces. At this stage in the project i will continue with everything possible from subject to technique, and start to get out of my comfort zone, perhaps producing more interesting works. As i am using time lapse techniques to show a change in state, i understand that i should start to read and research into theories of beginnings and ends, and look into scholarly readings on time lapse. I find the whole idea rather romantic and poetic, which deeply interests me, and i want people to look at my final images and start to figure out a story, wondering why i have done this. Regarding subject, i feel i need to look outside of the box, and start looking into my own life. What interests me. Maybe look into the human body, or even possibly my own face...

"Todorov's narrative theory assumes that narratives behave like a language; therefor Todorov thinks that their description will benifit from the use of categories" (Teun Adrianus van Dijk)

I have been researching 'Todorov's narrative theory, which describes what i have been doing so far, describing   three main stages:
1. Begining (and Equilibrium)
2. Middle (Disruption, an event occurring causing disequilibrium)
3. End : Equilibrium established

I think my idea of presenting a time lapse could use Narrative photography quite well, where narratives of the world are endless , and can include a variety of genres in lots of forms i.e Tragedy, comedy, history, cinema etc which is present in every age, place in society. 

Teun Adrianus van Dijk (1985) Discourse and Literature: New approaches to the analysis of literary genres. London: John Benjamins Pub Co. P94.

EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS

At this stage my subject has not been discovered, and i'm am some what unsure on what it is i want to show changing through time. Some of the subjects i have decided to display could arguably be described as an 'eye saw' , and not so particularly aesthetically pleasing on the eye. Despite this, i have previously been drawn to works of artist Cindy Sherman and admired her self expression through her work, particularly unsure of what it is she wants to represent in some of her works. Her 'Disaster series' directly investigates grotesque and disgusting subject matter, with a peculiar horror twist ( i.e staring dolls heads and prosthetic body parts) . My point being that anything can be shot through a camera, but what is the meaning behind it being shot? and does it work as an image?


http://groovescreen.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/sherman_untitled_175_Brownie_Vomit.jpg

The rose i find greatly romantic and poetic... I feel like it symbolises a dead love.. Someone originally got given a beautiful rose as a token of love, yet as time passes, the roses withers and wilts and finally dies. much like love? Something once so naive, virginal and new becomes empty and dead... a sad but true way of life.. Is this perception of mine the same to everybody else's? I like the idea of using flowers as a subject matter, and particularly Roses

TIME LAPSE VIDEOS

I have been noticing time lapse being demonstrated in video media quite a lot. Here are some videos i have found which aim to show different things, through the use of time lapse. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIl9rO9sURE


'A little death' (Sam Taylor Wood, 2002) 
This is a particular favourite time lapse video of mine, in which i feel has been done brilliantly. Obviously set up for effect, the video artistically shows a dead rabbit decaying through time. Interestingly the peach placed next to the rabbit has been untouched from decay. A nice experiment here. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc_PU3D3QNE


'Living my life faster' (JK, 1998-2006) This time lapse video fascinates me. Its a personal daily photo project experiment which shows how this individuals face changes through 8 years of his life. The dedication and final result is of great inspiration to me, yet the time i have to play with for this project is not on such a great scale. This has definitely urged me on to consider ideas about myself, bringing up personal questions with my physical self, my face and body. Am i happy with myself? How could i experiment with time lapse to demonstrate something like this.. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0En-_BVbGc


'Fruit and vegetable decomposition' (78 days, 1 picture every 40 minutes, shown as 30 frames per second, 2008). Playing with the inevitable situation of decomposition with food, in this case fruit and vegetables. I like how straight forward and definite this experiment is. Although this kind of time lapse is very safe, i think its a good starting point for research. 


http://www.squidoo.com/absolutely-cool-videos-for-romantic-evening

'Terje Sorgjerd, best time-lapse film maker of the world'

Sorgjerd is a Norweigen photographer i came across in my research and simply executes the most visually stunning time lapse videos. My particular favourite titled 'The Aurora' shows the northern lights in Norway. Again, this is an idea that gets played with all of the time with different artists and everyday people, yet it seems like a good starting point again. 

BRAINSTORM OF WORDS

Before actually explaining an articulate proposal in which i aim to abide to, i will simply lay out words in which i feel are relevant and of inspiration to my project.


-Time Lapse
- Photo Sequence
- Narrative
- Natural Causes
- Life and death
- Change/Stasis 
- Identity
- Seeing photos as an attempt to resist death and decay
- Using Time lapse to document change (or not)
- Motion/Suggestion/Movement 

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to my Blog.


I intend to use this blog as a tool in which to show my complete progress throughout this academic year, regarding my journey within the module of Independent Production, specialising in photography. With my creative background, in which i have studied and thoroughly enjoyed art and design until reaching university, i am used to working in scrapbooks/workbooks, and will go about using this blog in the same sort of way. Some posts will be detailed, where as some will simply be single photo uploads. It is all part of my journey demonstrating inspiration, research and method, and i feel the birth of my idea will go on to become the strong project i know it has the potential to be. 


Although my initial thoughts are weary and anxious, i am willing to think outside of the box for what it is i'm intending to do with the project. Despite my intentions so far being not particularly articulate as of yet, i plan to fully research anything and everything until i find myself content with an idea in which to explore in more further detail, breaking boundaries and challenging myself to the full. 


The project will inevitably creatively develop and refine along my journey, with the acceptance of change, with my intentions to demonstrate this within this blog. My thoughts are not to submit posts weekly, but when i feel it is relevant to. This could easily be daily, depending on how my project unfolds with the time i have, yet i insist it to be consistent, regarding quality and effort. My intentions this year are to really stretch my technical competence with all of the equipment i have on offer, particularly getting the most out of the SLR to fulfil my projects needs. I shall go on to include all of my theoretical and aesthetic ideas, and some work may perhaps be scanned in, as i plan to keep a workbook in addition to a blog.