Visual Storytelling – Project Slob

– What is your story?

A slob commuter. As he casually behaves erratically and within his own comfort zone, his actions feel weird within the eyes of everybody else. Empathy in this case focuses on why we should try and understand his feelings. It may be weird to us but perfectly fine and normal for him.

– Did it turn out as you hoped?

Overall, I am pleased with the concept but the outcome is rather unsubstantial. These images look roughly 60% there but I enjoyed the technique and fun during the shoot.

– What would you do to improve it?

We could have conducted the shoot in the morning. The strong golden hour light would fill in the bus and produce more dramatic lighting.

Include an even more variety of shots. Certain shots could’ve been done better with a lnadscape format etc.

– What skills do you need to improve?

I think the overall organisational skills needed to conduct this shoot. To find a committed person and pitch better.

A further understanding for camera angles (mid-shot, portrait. Close up etc.) could make this more interesting. The iPhones 4:3 format portrait seems to dominate in this series of images. I think camera angles would create a better perspective of this photographic series of images.

– What are the most significant things you have learned so far?

Light matters a lot. In my shots, the flat lighting really pushes the viewer away.

Happy accidents. I had made a storyboard of ideas that could help me elaborate and assist during shoot. I ended up taking a lot more (277 photos) and many were not in sequence with the storyboard.

Graphic Novel Exercise

For this exercise, the focus was to showcase the abilty to introduce interest via camera angles and view levels.

The narrative of my graphic novel focuses on a personal story that happened 3 days ago. On my way home, I was brutally attacked by a community cat. More often that not, the cat is quite friendly but I suppose I touched a wrong nerve. Either way, it clawed up on my arm and a long scar was left etched on me. Maybe as a form of memento.

 

 

Idiosyncrasies

For this upcoming photo series/sequences, I wanted to conceptualize the notions of the private world and empathy. The importance for us to understand a person’s idiosyncrasy comes from our ability to invoke empathy.

This image depicts in a comical fashion, the usage of a map to cover their faces from the intense sunlight. To us, it may seem rather odd and funny but upon invoking a sense of empathy, we begin to realise their difficulty as to not have a pair of sunglasses on. This oddness and act of using the map should evoke a sense of empathy and that the weather was equally hot to everyone. The manner in which they tried to deal with, is one that we need to empathize with, and beyond the notions of the comical.

With reference to the image above, the series of images should be sequential and focus towards a presentation of our private idiosyncrasies. And how can we invoke a sense of empathy? Or perhaps why? Maybe it is because how we all matter and your private idiosyncrasies are not inherently private. Everyone is unique and idiosyncrasies are only personal to a point that it matters to you only.

By using the camera as a character and a third person point of view, we can distance ourselves from the subject and try to isolate the subjects. I believe by doing so, we can be more objective and empthaize not purely because we have to, but possess a dire need to be so.

The transformation of the sequential images, as discussed, can be the increasing absurdity of the narrative. Idiosyncrasies can be staged to depict an increase in absurdity. The multiple image montage can also be useful format to extrapolate and multiply the effect of the oddity and yet, encouraging us to be empathic.

Because as unrelated as you and me are to the subject, you are no better than the person next to you.