Brighton Interview Preparation Sheet

1. About the College:

(50 words on why I have chosen this college)

Brighton University is situated in the heart of a very contemporary area. Lots of action is surrounded as well as many cultures and it is one of the places that let you create any work you would like without worrying about people’s reactions. A joyful environment including various exhibitions and gallery spaces to volunteer and help, as well as being part of the community after you have finished the degree. Only an hour away from London.

2. About the Course:

(150 words on the reason for choosing the course to include evidence of an awareness of the curriculum content, previous student work, staff profile, progression opportunities, state if you went to an Open Day)

This course would be brilliant for me because a huge number of students would mean that I would have the opportunity to mix with other people and their photographic styles. A well recognized university would mean that there would be higher visiting lectures to talk than perhaps some other universities around England. I like the fact that in the second year at Brighton you are encouraged to work outside of your preferred medium to a relationship such as moving image and sound. This would be a great experience to opening up my field as I have only touched on these parts before. Entry requirements are quite high compared to the rest of the universities I have approached with a foundation course desired as well as an A Level’s BBC. A degree at Brighton University enjoys a significant and international reputation. Career opportunities include freelance photographic practice as well as curating, publishing and exhibiting. In recent years graduates have won many prestigious awards, two Jerwood Photography Awards and a NESTA Innovation Award. The reputation is why I want to study here.

3. About Your Current Interests: what have you done recently/are you planning that show your ‘cultural awareness’ your ‘passion for your subject’ e.g. trips to galleries/museums, talks, concerts, workshops, books you have read, films. Be inventive and be bold but don’t blag.

(250 words)

My current interests at this previous time involve the use of long shutter speeds applied to simple compositions. Recently I have been playing around and experimenting, however I hope to take this further and explore in my first year of university level. I have been trying to achieve the fact that something appears missing to the viewer. For instance an episode of Eastenders would appear very unusual without the use of extras in the background. I have been to many exhibitions over the past few months to display the fact that I am passion for this subject. As well as looking at photography I have been looking outside my medium at art and the movement of brushstrokes by Lucian Freud and also seeing an exhibition in Brighton that involved the use of computer art. I attended a very interesting talk about Bardsey Island a few weeks back and it was all about a lonely island and the volunteers counted migrant birds. I loved the feel and pictures that showed desolation, similar to what I was trying to produce by using a long shutter speed. I find it interesting the fact that in A Level and the start of this year I was very drawn toward isolated trees. I now work in contrast to this and try to transform the sense of loneliness upon busy places. I did not realize of feel that this was meant to happen but I can relate them together as I have moved on.

4. About Your Current Practice: In a sentence say what your current practice involves

(25 words) 

My current practice includes the use of long shutter speeds involving the use of trying to display time and movement to the environment.

5. AND: Prepare 3 Key Questions to ask interviewer

What are the advantages of doing this course over another which is similar?

Who is your biggest inspiration in life, who do you look up to?

What is your definition of the word photography?

Plymouth Interview Preparation Sheet

 1. About the College:

(50 words on why I have chosen this college)

The university is upbeat and modern with its own separate part for school of art and design. This includes photography and everything has been put in one place. From previously looking at specialist colleges I realize it is better to go to a mixed university with lots of people doing various subjects, more people to meet and interact with. Situated in fantastic scenery.

2. About the Course:

(150 words on the reason for choosing the course to include evidence of an awareness of the curriculum content, previous student work, staff profile, progression opportunities, state if you went to an Open Day)

The staff profile for Plymouth University is amazing. I have been told that David Chandler is really good. He has worked in the photography field for thirty years and was assistant curator for the National Portrait Gallery in London. Stef once said that if she was to go to a university for the best staff it would be Plymouth. I went to an open day twice and I had a thorough look around the place. It was good everything was on the same level and had some great facilities like a wet and dry darkroom as well as lots of computer rooms and a special sunlight studio. I was also indulged to this university course after hearing that a film had been selected for an international competition. Typical career profiles are a free lance plhotographer, as well as advertising and editorial and curators.

3. About Your Current Interests: what have you done recently/are you planning that show your ‘cultural awareness’ your ‘passion for your subject’ eg trips to galleries/museums, talks, concerts, workshops, books you have read, films. Be inventive and be bold but don’t blag.

(250 words)

My current interests at this previous time involve the use of long shutter speeds applied to simple compositions. Recently I have been playing around and experimenting, however I hope to take this further and explore in my first year of university level. I have been trying to achive the fact that something appears missing to the viewer. For instance an episode of Eastenders would appear very unusal without the use of extras in the background. I have been to many exhibitions over the past few months to display the fact that I am passion for this subject. As well as looking at photography I have been looking outside my medium at art and the movement of brushstrokes by Lucian Freud and also seeing an exhibition in Brighton that involved the use of computer art. I attended a very interesting talk about Bardsey Island a few weeks back and it was all about a lonely island and the volunteers counted migrant birds. I loved the feel and pictures that showed desolation, similar to what I was trying to produce by using a long shutter speed. I find it interesting the fact that in A level and the start of this year I was very drawn toward isolated trees. I now worki in contrast to this and try to transform the sense of loneliness upon busy places. I did not realize of feel that this was meant to happen but I can relate them together as I have moved on.

4. About Your Current Practice: In a sentence say what your current practice involves

(25 words)

My current practice includes the use of long shutter speeds involving the use of trying to display time and movement to the enrorenment.

5. AND: Prepare 3 Key Questions to ask interviewer

What are the advantages of doing this course over another which is similar?

Who is your biggest inspiration in life, who do you look up to?

What is your definition of the word photography?

Time Is Changing...

Over the last few weeks I have been thinking about university and how I am having second thoughts. I still want to go ahead with university next year but I felt there was so much pressure over January that I didn't listen to my heart. My choices included Brighton, Falmouth, Bournemouth, Plymouth and Newport. Nevertheless I now feel a strong urge to simply just bother with Brighton and Plymouth. I also thought I should have put down Portsmouth as an option even though it was not recommended to me just incase for a back up. In fact I think that was the problem I had. Newport and Bournemouth were both recommended for being quite good universities, nevertheless thinking about it I feel it's not just the course but the place. I couldn't see myself in either. I applied to Falmouth because I though Natural History and Marine Photography sounded really good. However it is so far away and I have this feeling you do not get proper funding for that university to stay. 

This leaves Brighton and Plymouth. Plymouth was by far my favorite but it is sure a long way. Would I miss family and it would mean that it would be further away from London so no exhibitions in a day trip? The environment is lovely but a high rate of unemployment. Brighton is local and I could get there with ease, still being able to stay at home. The problem I had was the fact that equipment looked old and so many students (almost double Plymouth) means that there would be less space etc. For this reason I feel stuck between the two. I have an interview for Plymouth coming up and I have just sent a digital portfolio for Brighton. I also sent one for Falmouth but they have not replied yet. I feel now that if I was not to get into either Brighton or Plymouth I will skip a year and work, applying next year. I feel like not even bothering with the other three an I will probably not submit my portfolio.

Brighton Digital Portfolio

The images above show the digital portfolio that I was requested to do for Brighton University. They requested only a handful of photographs uploaded to Flickr (5-10). This was quite easy to do nevertheless I found it hard to select important work to show. I had lots of work prepared for my full portfolio. I was really hoping Brighton would get back to me soon and offer me an interview because I was having second thoughts on university choices. 

The 8 images I submitted clearly showed in my opinion the development of my work so far. The first images show that when I was in the first exploratory stage I worked very detailed and did not produce a lot of work, focusing upon accuracy and structure. I later moved towards working loose like I used to when I did my A Level in Art. This lead to photography and movement within this medium. I did not notice it at the time however now looking back I can see a huge chance in my work. My final images show how I applied this technique of movement in the darkroom. I used a long shutter speed in conjunction with a ten stop black filter meaning that I could do huge exposures in daylight. Taking an image before and after meant that I could show how the landscape and the subjects upon it had changed.

Falmouth Digital Portfolio (Part 3)

1. A Brief Statement About The Set Of Images Submitted

The ten photographs I have submitted are intended to give a dream like quality to the viewer. The bold trees in contrast with the subtle background express a sense of wonderment and a feeling as if you are on a different planet. Focusing on this set of black and white imagery at dawn and dusk, the lighting conditions, and being in black and white, have meant that the figures stand strong. This works very well with the theme of desolation that I am trying to convey.  There has been no one around when taking these images and this has meant that I can stay one to one with nature. The growing joy before pressing the shutter button has been just as important as the outcome itself.

Placing scanned darkroom photographs with digital ones in this set is not something I would usually do; nevertheless the darkroom is a big part of what I enjoy doing. It has also taught me how to interpret light better; the single most important factor that shapes the composition.

I feel the images correlate with one another and show a sense of communication, especially the photographs with two trees involved.  All were shot in the winter season and hence why they are bare. An important part of the cycle because many photos usually show trees or other plants and animals at their prime time. My strength in these images is to show a sense of loneliness. I have captured a variety of trees to show how they can all feel this and give the viewer this emotion. I feel my weakness is the fact that many of the trees were shot with varied movements to the sky even though they were shot on different days at the roughly the same time. I like the contrasting feel, although I think many of these images actually lack detail. Though the branches are quite crisp, an example would be the ground being too over exposed meaningless detail and a flattened look.

2. Three Photographers That Have Informed My Work

Michael Kenna is a true inspiration to me and this has fluctuated upon my work. A well known English photographer who captures unusual viewpoints of the natural environment. In contrast my other influence comes from Martin Stavars, A photographer who is barely known in England.  Both shoot in medium format black and white and every image gives a different feel of movement. This is because they capture the changes throughout the landscape whether it is trees or seascapes using long shutter speeds of up to ten hours. This type of imagery is something that would be nice to explore further.  Both capture bold scenes that look deserted and bare. This relates very much to the set of images that I have submitted. Another photographer who has inspired me is Trey Ratcliff, a photographer who uses the HDR technique. Previously I have tried this way of working and had good outcomes but lately I have stepped back because it is tampering too much with what is already there. He captures vast landscapes which involve many environments; although I only focus on his images of isolation, such as some taken in the Highlands in Scotland. All these photographers and many more have inspired me to create simple but strong pictures in the wild landscape.

3. Why I Applied For Marine & Natural History Photography

I want to carry on and improve my knowledge and skills in the subject area of which I love, as well as gaining experience from other practitioners and lecturers. I believe Falmouth would be a great place to study; there are some countryside surroundings near the university, meaning that I would be free to explore the natural environment in hiking and taking shots. I feel a strong need to pursue natural history photography as more than just a hobby. Another one of my passions is to go to the beach as I have lived next to the coast all of my life. It would also be exiting to add the marine option to my course. 

Falmouth Digital Portfolio (Part 2)

I couldn't fit all 10 images in my first post. Here are another 5 that I submitted. The main subjects I shot were animals such as birds and general wildlife mixture.

Falmouth Digital Portfolio (Part 1)

Here are a handful of images that I submitted to Falmouth University (more to come) a digital portfolio about 3 weeks ago.  I was asked here to show 10 images of my choice that corresponded to my course of natural history & marine photography

Intuition and Ingenuity...

Earlier this morning I attended the opening day of an exhibition at the Lighthouse in Brighton. The gallery was shown with a handful works that was going all around the country. Being only on until the 26th February it was then going to be moved to the V&A gallery in London. The whole exhibition was based on art inspired by computer pioneer Alan Turning. It was held this week because it was part of Brighton Science Festival. 

The exhibition explores the influence of computing on an art contemporary culture. This year will be the 100th anniversary of the birth of Alan Turing and is considered one of the greatest minds in that Britain has produced. The ideas and world in modern day would have been very different without his key ideas. This same artists was the person who created the well known "Turing Test" which is an experiment that tricks a third person to wondering whether a robot/computer created a certain action of whether it was manually made. An example is shown below:

The standard interpreter is at "C" in which  who is asked by the interrogator either "A" or "B" who created the action.

The gallery was laid out very well with earlier and modern work on display in order. I was a bit confused with it all but I managed to get a short brief with the curator who had just popped in. much of the work was based upon evolution and how data is extracted from certain forms. For instance there was a small digital display with lines with block lines of colour. When someone walked past the sensor there would be new data fed to the transmitter creating a new image. Another digital display had been randomly created so every so often a texture of what had the shape of a feather changed and created a new random shape. The whole exhibition seemed to be as if you didn't know what was to appear next. 

I was quite fascinated by the robot that was placed in the middle of the room. It performed actions every few minutes and occasionally talked trying to display emotions like "I love you." Nevertheless this would not be the case because you can only display emotions with a real heart. The other interesting thing was that if you stood roughly a meter away it would capture a picture of your face and combine it with the person who was standing next to you. A very unusual way of showing how data is always changing.

The final section I was very interested in was the use of a computer robot called Paul. This shows a portrait of Alan Turing by Paul the robot and was created by Patrick Tresset. I over heard that a demonstration was showed last night in the opening evening and there were outcomes that had been produced when I went. The artists had programmed a robot using a specialist piece of software on the laptop and got it to draw in the same way every time. There was meant to be a someone sitting facing who was pretending to draw you, although it was actually being produced by the robot which Patrick Tresset had created. The display showed a Turing test and the viewer was left to guess who the image had been produced by. I found this very interesting because it combined the use of theory with electronics and art.From doing and A level in electronics I could see what the artists were trying to display and make you aware of. Robots may well be used in the future for care assistants for the elderly and it was scary to see such realistic elements being picked up by human form. I thought it was a very different take on art in general because of manually being made by the artists hand, it had been mass produced on a large scale to show that the robots and electronics were producing the outcomes. The artist made the robot, the robot made the art.

Painting People...

The second exhibition I went to go and see on my trip in London was to the National Portrait Gallery. Here there was a huge amount of works by Lucian Freud. A huge gallery of his work had been brought to this gallery because of his death earlier this year. The insurance must have cost loads because there must have been over 100 paintings and even the final one of his friend David Dawson who had not been completed. I thought this exhibition was brilliant and gave a different take on things that I had seen in the last exhibition I saw the other day in Chichester. It was amazing to see all of his work styles over the years and to actually go as close as you wanted to the frame. This enabled me to get a real understanding of how he painted and the way he applied his brushstrokes. I felt the majority were painted very loosely and resembled movement. I have looked at Lucian Freud's work on many occasions before at college and school, but nothing compared to seeing his work for real life. Just managing to get tickets to this major event I was lucky because all tickets were sold out later that day. Unfortunately because of the high amount of security I was unable to capture a photograph of one of his paintings to talk about on here, nevertheless I bought a book for a very reasonable price with all of his portraits in it.

Created in 1954 it shows the separation between Freud and his second wife

I wanted to talk about a small selection of the works I saw by Lucian Freud. This composition really stood out to me viewing it on whole on a large scale. "Hotel Bedroom" was created in 1954 and was created by Freud using his favorite oil on canvas. There was a small series about his second wife here, Caroline Blackwood (1931-96). It was painted after they eloped to Paris and were living at the hotel la Louisiane. It conveys her wide eyed innocence in contrast with the second figure behind being Freud. It shows the connections that they were being drawn apart from each other as they appear in the same room but they appear to be entirely separate from each other. I think this painting really reveals a scenario of loss. Painted very delicately I think it reveals sadness to Lucian Freud's heart.

Reflection with Two Children (Self Portrait) oil on canvas, 1965

This painting was really inspiring and I realized when you stood the correct distance away from the image the person was staring down on you. From approximately guessing the length of the diagonal picture I could estimate how far away this was from the picture frame (the correct viewing for a picture). It shows a self portrait in a reflection. The towering figure shows Freud and it was the first of which he was to create and use the word "reflection" upon his subject title. He used a mirror and placed it on the floor creating a low angle with a particular viewpoint. The two figures represent his children and appear doll like in the foreground. They seem oblivious to the giant figure of their father. It felt intimidating to view.

Self Portrait, Reflection created in 2002

I think this is quite a reflective painting of Freud as an old man. It shows himself wearing a jacket but no shirt. He almost holds his scarf around his neck as if he is in pain or like a noose. This is probably because he knew he was getting old and frail. It is quite amazing that he layers up the face with lots of pigment until he seems to almost disappear into the paint on the wall behind him. I can tell you this is a very realistic painting because when I was at Chichester the other day David Dawson took photographs of Freud in old age and their studio they shared together there was a huge wall encrusted with layers of paint, as if Freud's palette was his wall. This painting therefore shows a huge sense of time; the fact that he is getting older as the amount of oil paint that has been built up on the wall behind him. Being interested at the moment with time and movement I think this really fits in well with my work. I had really enjoyed this exhibition as well as the previous about Lucian Freud the other day at Chichester. After researching him for many years it was brilliant to finally see his work in first hand experience.

The British Museum...

I had prebooked tickets for the two exhibitions I was planning to visit today. Getting up to London quite late because the train was cancelled meant that I just about managed to get the timeslot to go in.

The British Museum in its glory. Exhibition banner displayed.

The exhibition space I was planning to see at The British Museum was all about the journey to Islam to give an experience of what It would be like to see the Hajj. It is one of the five pillars that Islam has and Muslims must go on a pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime. This applies to the people who are physically able, although many Muslims attempt and die trying. It is said to be a huge physical challenge for anyone. I am not Islamic myself, however I wanted to find out more about this religion and pay tribute to get a better understanding of why people do it and what it feels like to have or are going to go there.

Here Is the ticket I purchased for this exhibition

Once inside I noticed it was really trying to resemble reality and the whole space had been laid out as if you were circling the black stone. It was almost like a circle maze to get to the centre and this was interesting. The exhibition was mostly filled with history and information. This meant there was lots to look at, scaled down models and a short film, along with lots of old books. It was quite interesting and involved a lot of history as well as rugs , etc. Nevertheless I felt it was more like a museum visit and not such like an exhibition. I didn't feel as such that I got an experience of what it would be like to go. On the other hand there was some stuff that really appealed to me...

Photographic print of the Ka'ba

I liked the fact that there was of course a lot of photographic evidence being old and new. It showed a sense of time and how nothing has changed over the years, the religion and theory has been kept. The above picture dated back to over 60 years ago. It shows the Ka'ba in all its glory. I was personally fascinated how there were so many people praying that the streets were taken up as well. There still seemed to be huge rings as if it was a magnetic field. i was amazed to see that some of the photographs showed movement. What I meant by this was that someone had exposed a long shutter speed facing the Ka'ba and the people were blurred. It seemed to be quite a long shutter speed as well. Very similar and related to what I was producing. It was amazing to see that another person had thought of this technique to show the way in which people move around this sacred object instead of just using film media.

A modern take of the ka'ba. Magnet with iron filings.

This instillation and photograph was really what caught my eye in this exhibition. Someone would have had the courage to display the environment in a different way. As well as using photos and evidence here this person has used a modern approach that no one would have thought of. It is said that the experience of passing around this sacred object is magnetizing. The artist has used this word and literally placed a small magnet in the shape of the Ka'ba and thrown iron filings around it. The magnet has attracted them towards the middle but repels the filings from touching the sacred subject. I really like this idea because it is creative thinking and gives a real sense of how big the atmosphere and how easy it would be to get lost. This is because the metal filings combine and form one, similar to this circumstance when everyone prays at the exact same time.

Wall printing 2012 created by hand using phases to stamp

This piece of work was created by Idris Khan and involves lots of sentences placed together. The work had been created on site for this exhibition and was made up of a series of texts that were hand stamped onto the wall. The phases are listed below:

I was here for you and only you

Are you leaving as you had come?

Nothing is insurmountable and you will return

What do you do now?

Where are you going now?

Towards home?

Towards the world?

The journey you have taken has shown your devotion

As you leave remember what you have achieved a oneness with this earth and another

The texts are fragments of responses by pilgrims to the experience of performing the Hajj. The shape shows the representation of the sanctuary at Mecca with the Ka'ba at its heart. It was said that each word captures the flow of energy that the powerful movement of mass produces from people moving in sequence. I think this last piece of work summed up to me how strongly Muslims take this religion.

Another trip To London...

My train ticket to London on 14th February 2012

I had a free day today and I decided to go to London to see some new exhibitions. I was planning to visit the huge Lucian Freud exhibition that had started a few weeks ago and this was at the National portrait Gallery. I was also hoping to see the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition just round the corner at the National Gallery, although I was not sure whether this had finished or not. Last time when I went up to London a few weeks back we did not have enough time to visit it. I was also interested in the exhibition Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam. This had just started at the British Museum and I wanted to find out about other peoples religion. I had studied it briefly at school however I wanted to find out a little more about what and why they walk around the black stone.

Pallant House Gallery (Part 2)

After seeing this incredible exhibition by Edward Burra, I moved onto my second in Pallent House. This was all about David Dawson and how he worked with Lucian Freud. I thought this would be good to see because in a few days time I was planning to go and see the new Lucian Freud exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London. I felt that the two exhibitions would each provide different angles on the way he worked and lived. 

Many of the pieces of work were photography. It was almost in a documentary form done with C-Type prints. These would have been taken by David Dawson. Nevertheless it provided me with knowledge of how Lucian Freud worked inside their joint space. It was incredible to see real natural photographs taken by one of his companions. There was a photograph taken of Lucian and David Hockney, this was very interesting because they were good friends and I had been to see Hockney's Exhibition a few weeks ago which was quite breathtaking. David Dawson's images also provided evidence of how messy their studio was and I was interested in the way there was a huge amount of layered paint applied to the wall. Lucian used his wall as a palette to mix his colours. I had really enjoyed seeing both major exhibitions inside such a small gallery, I was looking forward to seeing his exhibition in london.

Pallant House Gallery (Part 1)

As it was the start of half term I wanted to make the most of it and I decided to take a trip to Pallant house. I could not remember the last time I went to this gallery. I thought It would be best to go and see other local exhibitions within my area other than Brighton. This was important because I knew they were going to ask me at university interviews which galleries and exhibitions I had been to recently. 

The first part to this blog post was all about the first exhibition space I went to whilst I was there. From looking on their website I found that there was a vast collection until 19th February of work produced by Edward Burra. This was the first major exhibition for the last 25 years showcasing his art. It was amazing to see a selection of 70 works from across his career. Most of his subjects involved everyday people at leisure in bars and clubs, the black culture and the sub culture of ports and harbors. Later on before dying in 1976 he produced dancing skeletons and stunning landscapes. The exhibition also involved the influence of jazz, cinema and the darker sides of humanity upon his artwork.

I wanted to do a little bit of research of Edward Burra before going, to understand why he created work. A key theme to him seemed to be harbors, I found out that he sailed to New York, but was hoping for a new life just like many of the other working class. Burra was trapped in a prematurely body, crippled by a combination of congenitally inherited rheumatoid arthritis and anaemia, he lived a painful life. He was so weak that he could not push oil paint onto a canvas so he worked with watercolour or gouache, holding his brush in the eccentric claw like grip of his swollen right fist. He used large sheets of paper and painted from memory the vivid expressions on peoples faces. He was as much keen on performers faces on stage as the viewers watching.

Costume Designs for the Inhabitants of the Gorbals. Watercolour: 1944

Edward Burra's ability to present working class people with individual and dignity made him an obvious choice to design costume sets and clothing. The watercolour is based upon the story line of 'Miracle in the Gorbals' during World War Two. The story was based in the Glasgow slums, a young girl who had committed suicide brought back to life by a stranger who is murdered by an angry mob. I really like the way the image watercolours have been applied with block colours that are subtle, but also involve a lot of detail in the pinstripe trousers etc. This was created in 1944.

Sugar beat, East Nnglia 1973. Watercolour on paper by Edward Burra.

I was fascinated by this large scale watercolour. It emphasized the flat strangers of the East Anglian Fens. Burra juxtaposes suburban bungalows and garden gnomes with ghostly workers. His friend asked him why he painted transparent people and Edward replied "Don't you find as you get older, you start seeing through people?" I find this incredible because I have always imagined what it would be like to see someone transparent. I imagine it must have been really hard to create a dual layer of watercolour. I think this painting really relates to my work at the moment involving movement and time. Edward must have involved the sense of time because he said in reply over the years I have started seeing through people. My images also appear very similar to this because when I use a long shutter speed, the outcome appears ghostly and you can see through the subjects. With a short shutter speed you can still see the outlines of the figure. This also gives another feel of time because the ghostly agricultural workers could be seen as dead.