CDME2011 Digital Photography major project READ THIS BREIF CAREFULLY AND CHECK THAT YOUR WORK COMPLIES Date set: 22/10/18 Tutor: Paul Hazell Title: The Decisive Moment Introduction Whether it is for commercial work, self-expression or documentary, the photographer needs to convey a message and engage the viewer. This project allows you to explore the issues of communication and creativity as well as demonstrate that you have understood various photographic techniques in order to create a series of engaging pictures. The Decisive Moment In 1952, the celebrated French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson published his book The Decisive Moment in which he stated:

There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment. To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organization of forms, which give that event its proper expression.

The concept of the Decisive Moment remains a pertinent idea for many photographers and suggests that there is a specific point when what the photograph is attempting to convey is optimised. The use of composition, lighting, timing, depth of field, shutter speed etc. as well as well as an effective message all need consideration to create a compelling picture. It is this concept the brief asks you to explore. The brief: After experimentation with a range of techniques and ideas produce a set of four high quality photographic images that individually capture a decisive moment. This means taking your shot at the optimal moment and using the most effective technique to best sums up the pictures content. The four pictures could have a related theme, concept or genre – what this might to be is up to you.

To be successful you will need to develop good camera skills, a workable concept and the ability to identify effective potential subject matter - so both creative thought and technical ability will be vital to achieve good results. NOTE: The techniques you adopt should be driven by the message/theme you are trying to convey not merely because you want to use that particular technique. Remember to consider the following:

1. Concept – What is your theme and does it allow you to be creative and experiment?

2. Technique – How are you going to create it, does it push your skills and is it achievable?

3. Audience – How are you going to convey your message effectively? Developing Ideas

• Brainstorming potential themes that lend themselves to being portrayed through the use of The Decisive Moment using pre-visualisation (sketching, test shots etc).

• Be creative with your ideas – think about metaphor, context and the challenges of

communicating ideas visually. Look for other artists and photographers who do this. This will help when it comes to evidence of contextualisation in your critical evaluation (see below).

• Think about what your pictures might convey about values and what you would like

your viewer to be thinking about. Avoid it being too literal i.e. is it merely representational or do you want your viewer to be provoked or to reflect?

• Think about which techniques would be most appropriate to convey your concept.

Depth of Field? Motion blur? Long exposures? How you use of available light? Portrait? Documentary? Action? These are just a few of the potential techniques/styles you could explore.

• Use post-visualisation to select the four most effective images in relation to your

theme. This means taking many, many shots and then choosing the very best based on what you have learnt about photography. As Henri Cartier-Bresson said ‘Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst’!

• Concentrate on developing the best camera technique you can to capture the

decisive moment. Photoshop can be used to further enhance your shots if you wish but keep it subtle and photorealistic.

Critical Evaluation (i.e. project report) You are also asked to provide a printed word-processed critical evaluation addressing the learning outcomes of the module and containing a bibliography using Harvard referencing (max 600 words). • The evaluation should be split into three parts:

1. Context – what has influenced you? Historical influences and any critical theory employed

2. Concept – What is it you are trying to say and are you doing it creatively? 3. Technique – How did you create it, did it push your skills and is it appropriate?

• Test images, sketches and example ideas can all be included in appendices if you wish. • Example images (either your own or others if properly referenced) throughout the critical evaluation are also acceptable and a helpful way of contextualising. Submission of Practical work

• Practical work should be printed in colour (or monochrome if desired), on A3 photo paper either portrait or landscape and window mounted on two boards (i.e. two pictures on each A1 mount board). I will be showing you how to professionally window mount your work later in the module.

• Your final images must also be submitted as a jpeg and a PSD on a memory stick

along with your Critical Evaluation as a Word document. You may also like to put test and developmental images on the memory stick in a separate folder (no CDs please).

• I would also advise that you keep a journal or blog. You can submit this if you wish.

Notes: LABEL ALL WORK/LOOSE ITEMS (ON THE REVERSE) WITH YOUR NAME***, MODULE CODE AND STUDENT NUMBER. ***Anonymous marking does not apply in CDM modules.

• If you use ‘model/s’ you will need to get permission from them that their photograph/s can be displayed and reproduced. Please include something signed by them to this effect in your Critical Evaluation.

• Other photographers’ images cannot be used in your practical work. All images

must be your own and taken specifically for this module. Deadlines The project is split up into two stages: Peer assessment Monday 9:15am December the 10th Work needs to be nearing completion and in a condition that your peers understand what you are producing (no printing of images required, they can be viewed on screen). The critical evaluation should be in draft form and on paper. Final submission of assignment Wednesday Jan 9th, 2019 between 12:00pm – 1:30pm

All work for final submission (a printed critical evaluation, memory stick and mounted photo prints) should be submitted to me on the DAC landing at the times above. Please make sure your tracking sheet is clearly displayed at the front of your work. Please note any work handed in after 1:30pm on the 9th of Jan 2019 will be recorded as a late submission and will be awarded a maximum grade of D-. Paul Hazell