PHO710: Reflective Presentation Webinar and Reflection.

Preparing my oral reflective presentation has been a very interesting experience so far. I wasn’t prepared for the amount of research and reading involved. I have managed to read some classics, which I know will be useful stretching further than this module. Photography:A Cultural History by Marien has given me the historical overview I was looking for. Its helped me to ‘map out’ what kind of photographer I have been, and am now. I discovered that when I began my photography journey I had been shaped by The Pictorialist movement (see Fig. ) In my early days I was interested in the beauty and impact of singular images, now, I’m much more interested in the meaning in a series of images.

Fig. Edward Steichen. 1904. The Pond - Moonight

I have also found the concepts in Roland Barthes book ‘Camera Lucida’ enlightening. His approach to analysing and describing an image has given me a starting point of understanding so that I can develop my own ideas.

I was able to discuss my own practice using the language and ideas of others in my reflective presentation draft. I presented the draft at the recent webinar and recieved feedback from the tutor and my peers. This experience was quite nerve wracking. Its important for me to be open to this experience and learn to take the suggestions of others. Prior to beginning my MA, I was closed off to other people’s opinions because I read it as criticism. I see it differently now and am learning to listen to others. It is then my choice if I act on their advice.

This week I have continued to explore landscape photography and have started noticing shapes and light in nature. I’m interested in how manbuilt structures mirror nature and vice versa. I made the image below on a walk and was drawn to how the tree trunk, chimney and scaffiolding were mirroring each other (see below).

Fig. Noticing the mirroring of nature and manmade structures. 2022.