Error | Week One : Research

This week I  . . . interviewed fellow Ravensbourne students for primary research | found local inspiration at the O2 mall

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Focus piece

Living Catwalk | Photographic Series O2 shopping mall 28.09.22

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As a project in Primary Research, I began by interviewing a Ravensbourne fashion student about errors in clothes design; specifically about design for the wide variety of human shapes & sizes. Inspired by her observations, I photographed passers-by at the nearby mall.

I looked for juxtapositions between glossy marketing images/displays and ‘real’ people.

Editing the photographs into a series later, I selected shots where I had captured poses you might see in catwalk models and arranged them in pairs and trios unified by colour and theme.

I took the photographs on my iPhone, designed the typography in Pages, and collected the series of images in Keynote.

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Analysing my work, I notice how a research project evolved into a photographic project. Initially, I felt self conscious approaching people for interview and photographing strangers; but I was given confidence by my intention of addressing the mismatch between fashion industry ideals and daywear reality.

I enjoyed seeking colour combinations and contrasts to communicate the message. I tried to bring a fashion shoot feel to street photography. I especially like the trio of Kurt Geiger images, where the models in the branded shoot seem to be observing the people passing by; and in the central image the woman’s lifted gaze sits her with the two models behind.

In some of the images the focal point is not well lit. 

I felt frustrated by my lack of photographic technical knowledge; but at the same time working with an iPhone meant I could be unobtrusive and take pictures quickly.

Based on these observations, I want to learn how to edit the images in photoshop, to enhance the quality, colour balance and highlights.

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I will include these things in my future practice:

. having the courage to initiate curious conversations

. seeking local inspiration, looking with a photographer’s gaze

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Sketchbook notes

This week in my sketchbook I gathered research into errors in materials ― intentional and otherwise; and went back into my own archives of work to bring together illustrations and ideas that have followed the theme of self-acceptance.

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Local Inspiration

On Wednesday I spoke with fellow Ravensbourne students and explored the nearby O2 mall.

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I typed up the phrases I’d scribbled down from our conversations and laid them over research photographs I’d taken in the Ravensbourne building and O2 mall. For the blazer image, I selected a bold blocky font that reflected the news headlines used to create Mya’s work. A Calvin Klein billboard in the mall sent me to pinterest to research the original CKOne ad and to a photograph from my schooldays, when we had very similar images on our pinboards. I am interested in how little has changed, in spite of the fashion industry’s narrative of improved diversity.

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Next week I will 

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Begin to move from working in Pages/Keynote/Canva/Procreate to Indesign/Photoshop/Illustrator.