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Scholarship – 2013:

Photography (93310)

Examples of Candidate Work

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OUTSTANDING SCHOLARSHIPThis Outstanding Scholarship Photography submission presents a coherent and sustained narrative that draws upon on a wide range of photographic practices and genre. The folio chronicle’s a young girl’s experience of isolation, exclusion and dissociation from within her everyday environment (school) into the safety of the unconscious, spaces that represent security and safety (forest and home). This unfolds through a deliberate and purposeful series of moves that prioritise the psychological, eg. there are a number of metaphorical instances that signal shifts from real world feelings to the more sensory and abstract within the constructed. Every photograph is important and adds more to the dialogue — the viewer is witness to the event or is invited to follow, observe and experience alongside the key character.

The conceptual richness is underpinned by insightful understanding and repeated application of how conventions and devices can account for storytelling. Important to these transitions are clever compositional devices and use of signifiers such as the handprint, which serves as a metaphorical trace and literally as an ephemeral image in the ‘real space’ of the photograph (handprint on shower wall). This kind of translation (subject matter-image-idea) embeds a critical focus. Themes such as water and windows are built into the visual milieu to enhance and create links between scene and action. Water assumes many guises – condensation, moisture, screen, reflection, puddles, and tears – all of which point to heightened emotions. This is offset by effective colour management; subtle ratios of cool and warm tones.

Contextual references from an array of literature, poetry, film and art all benefit the enquiry and don’t over-determine the directorship or ownership taken by the candidate. Of significance is the employment of key approaches that build tension and relief throughout the narrative. Often this sensory aspect is implied rather than described, which both support and empower the narrative and the audience’s relationship to it. Composition and perspective are utilised to actively position viewers either inside or outside pictorial space — the ‘viewer’ is pushed and pulled throughout the interior and exterior spaces that the girl (figure) occupies. Furthermore, various motif/subject within the photographs amplify emotive qualities within the narrative; tree branches become tentacles, dribbling water becomes tears.

The workbook demonstrates a high level of analysis and thoughtful negotiation of conceptual rationale and impetus for the various symbology, metaphor and devices deployed on the folio. Different strategies are employed to suggest change of pace in the narrative and are well documented in the workbook, eg. photos being taken without a tripod to provide a more candid momentary sensibility, or sequences that thread together potential narrative as a series filmic stills.

This submission sustains a photographic coherency in which the candidate continually rediscovers and reinterprets the proposition to extend the tableaux narrative.

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SCHOLARSHIP

This Scholarship Photography submission presents a purposeful enquiry focused on self-image and the effect of fashion and beauty magazines from the perspective of a teenage girl. The candidate draws on a range of relevant and interesting reference from other artists’ practice that productively opens up ways (processes, methods, ideas) to move the investigation forward, eg. the blurred portrait (Michals), the crumpled photograph (Tomm). These shifts all act as signifiers of the unpacking that are occurring for the subject (teenage girl), ie. finding a sense of self, making choices and acceptance. Throughout the entire investigation there is an adherence to how an image might be interpreted and how therefore it communicates specific meaning, e.g. the discussion about lighting in the workbook reveals the candidate’s desire to match formal issues of contrast, silhouette and diffused light with their conceptual intention, as a way to draw empathy and understanding from the viewer. Deliberate strategies utilising photographic conventions are a strength of this submission and are consistently manipulated to advantage meaning.

The level of analysis and reflective discussion in the workbook provides great insight into the decision-making and critical underpinnings of the selected work on the folio. There is clear understanding of how method and technique can enhance and consequently develop concepts – this awareness allowed for astute editing to occur. There are a number of sequences that are not included on the folio, which while important in developmental stages were edited out to maintain focus and continuity.

Sequence is a successful tool; it is used in a number of different ways/formats – linear time, accumulative series adding up to the whole (event), spatial linking through background/site, comparative series. These all contribute new ways of thinking about the image and the subject - and in most instances highlight the psychological attributes the series is communicating, eg. time spent looking through magazines, getting dressed/presenting self, etc.

Overall this is a sound photographic submission that consistently operates at a high level of enquiry through well-strategised analytical thinking and application.

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