PHOTOGRAPH WHAT YOU INTIMATELY KNOW
There are so many ways to think about the theme of
everyday life. . .
What defines your daily life?
I t could be family or loved ones.
I t could be environments that you know well .
I t could be political or economic situations that affect
your life every day in some way.
Ten years from now, what would be your strongest
memories of your life today?
WORKING METHOD
USE YOUR HEAD
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Before you start, ask yourself:
What/who are the biggest
aspects of your daily life?
What do they mean to you?
What feelings would you like
to convey? What are some
photographs that inspire you?
USE YOUR HEART
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When you're actually
shooting, don't worry too
much about the end result.
Try and go with your instinct.
Spend as much time with
your subjects, they will slowly
trust the camera and allow
you to get close.
USE YOUR EYES
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Look at the images you've
shot. Can you see a common
theme? Which ones make you
feel something? Do you know
why? Get as specific as you
can. Maybe it's the light,
maybe it evokes a particular
memory.
DO THIS AS MANY TIMES AS YOU NEED! YOUR WORK WILL EVOLVE AND GROW.
Technical things to think about
LIGHT
__________
is it hard or soft? what time of day? is it indoor or outdoor light? each will have a different feeling
COMPOSITION & FRAME
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what are you including in the frame and leaving out? what's happening in the background? what are the shapes you notice?
COLOUR
_____________
black and white or colour, the overall tone, contrast, warm vs cool, etc
COLLABORATING WITH YOUR PARTNER
Send a selection of your best images (maybe 10-20) to your partner.
Before you explain too much, hear what they have to say? What do
they see in your pictures? What narratives can they draw, how would
they describe your daily life?
Share ideas with each other and get feedback from the group.
WAYS TO COMPARE PICTURES
If possible, print out all the images (yours and your partner's) and
move them around on the floor or a table.
You can also look at pictures digitally, with different image editing
softwares. The most common one is Photoshop (the Express version is
free), but here are some others:
PICTURES SPEAK TO EACH OTHER
Pictures together can create stor ies and feel ings that are much more complex than just a single image.
The following are some examples of how I've paired various images from my own projects. The pictures were of ten taken in different places and dates, so I only saw the connection later .
There are no rules, but hopeful ly there are some tips to get you thinking about the different ways images can
speak to each other.
This picture, on its own, is a simple portrait of a young boy.
But when we pair it with this picture of roses, the story changes. It becomes something more.
Each photograph is influenced by the other. The boy is compared to a flowering rose bush.
The story of the photographs becomes about youth, springtime, joy, etc. Metaphor or comparison is a very common way to decide which images should go together.
These were both taken from the everyday life of the Sadhana Forest Community in India.
How do these two images influence each other? Together, what do they tell you about life there?
Pairing images can be simple — there can be a common element in both images
These two seem like a strange pairing at first….
But graphic elements can subconsciously influence us. Look for interesting shapes and lines.
Images don’t have to be displayed side by side or be the same size.
You can be as playful as you want, combining the pictures to create a new picture.
Another example of a playful
arrangement
Opposites and strong contrast can go well together.
These images are from a personal project about the people closest to me. I paired these two based on the common texture and colour scheme.
The order of the images is important.
When they look away from each other, I get a feeling of loneliness
But when they look toward each other (even though in real life they were not in the same place), I get a sense of connection and love.
MORE LINKS
- Example of a project dealing with everyday life -- Brandon Thibodeaux
- Photographer who focusses on everyday life, his own family -- Matt Eich
- A photographer's search for the magic in everyday life
- Jordanian photographer who photographed the everyday lives of women in Syria for 5 years
- More about sequencing pictures for a photobook or series
- The British Journal of Photography -- good place for inspiration
Other good places for inspiration : Instagram, the websites of book publishers, your local art galleries, etc
CONTACT INF0
Daily Life sharing group:
ARTmovement:
Neha Hirve: