Photoshop...

Right, the developers of this program need their heads looking at. Why oh why do they have to make it so complicated. All I wanted to do was print!! I know Ian does his best to explain things in his lessons but still half of that has gone completely over my head. I have no idea what I'm doing with photoshop, I'm sure it's sole purpose is to confuse and frustrate me. I actually never want to use Photoshop again, that's no exaggeration, I hate it.

Anyway, I managed to get into the studio today and I got some nice photos out of it. I might book it again but I think that it'll be no great loss if I can't. I can always use outside locations, especially as the weather seems to be getting better. I'll post some of the studio photos when I've gone through them....

More....

Friday's Shots...

All the shots from Thursday were of girls getting tattooed. Yesterday I got to photograph some heavily tattooed men....

More...

First Photos....Finally!!

Frustrating...

Today didn't go as planned, the studio was extremely quiet. There were only two girls who got tattoos, both didn't want their picture taken.
Apparently it's usually quite busy so I must of picked an off day. I'll go back tomorrow after the seminar and try my luck again.
I may have to use David's suggestion of offering a cash incentive...



P.S. Happy Saint George's day!!

Visit to the Studio...

I went down to Danny's Tattoos on Southwell Street and asked if I could sit and photograph him at at work.
He said it would be fine, as long as I didn't get in the way and he didn't want me taking pictures of him.
Obviously I still have to ask the customer if they mind me taking pictures of them but it's all systems go at the moment!

New Idea...

Well that was quick...
I just thought about contacting tattoo/piercing parlours and trying to get hold of my subjects through that.
Maybe investigating tattoo culture could be really interesting.

Here's James Stroud's work....

http://www.stpancras.com/photo

I understand that Hugh didn't like the exhibition but I recently found out that the photographs were first printed in a book before they were exhibited. Maybe in book form the images work better? Who knows? (well i might do soon, i ordered the book off of Amazon today!!)

Definitions...

I was thinking an important part of my idea is defining what I'm photographing. In a sense that's what it's about really, labelling people and putting them into certain social groups.

For example how do I define the working class?? I don't think i can use occupation because although a person may have a thriving business they may of been born into an impoverished family and grown up in a rough area. They may see themselves as working class because of this. Instead I think it's about identity and the common norms and values we share with each other. I think language, food and music can all contribute to how someone percieves themselves within the class structure. Going back to Chris Clunn's work, pie 'n mash has always been 'working class food'. Also certain styles of music (and to an extent subcultures) can be attributed to different classes. For example Punk and Oi! music has always been associated with the working class.

I'm still a bit unsure of where I'm going with this. I'm not so sure on the football idea anymore, we see football all the time. The media is saturated with it to an extent the subject has become quite boring really. I'll give it a go anyway, in the mean time I will talk to some regulars at the pub tomorrow and see if I find any inspiration from that. I have someone in mind that I would like to photograph...it all depends if she wants to do it or not.

Continuing with the Football Idea

I've found a couple of small clubs around Nottingham.

Hucknall Town FC - The next game to be played there will be on the 30th April. The kick off will be nice and late (7:30) so i could get some lovely night shots.

Radford FC - Last game is on the 19th, so I need to get myself organised for it quickly. Not to far away from my halls either.

They're the only two I can get to with any ease. If this doesn't go to plan, I could always go to Forest or County (I'm sure i'll be able to get a photographers pass which would save me paying the ridiculously priced admission). It's not really what I had in mind, with the non-league grounds I have plenty of space to do what I want because there won't be many people there. Also, at the small grounds, I can move about the crowd rather than sitting in front of them on a little fold out stool.

http://www.homesoffootball.co.uk/gallery/football/

This is Stuart Clarkes website. There are quite a few nice photos in the various albums, although filtering through it all is a bit of a chore. Enjoy.

The Working Class and Football Grounds...

http://www.chrisclunn.com/

This is Chris Clunn's website, the 'Eels Pie and Mash' and the 'Pearly Way' folios were the two that really inspired me. I'm still pretty undecided on whether to go the 'working class culture' route or the 'subculture' route. I might just experiment with both and see where it goes from there.

I was thinking about going to one of those small non-league football grounds, with the old fashioned terracing and taking pictures of, argueably, the most popular working class past time - going to the football. Focusing on the fans more than the sport, or maybe i'll set some stuff up and try and make a '70's/'80's scene of skinheads and union flags tied to the railings....hmm...it's all pie in the sky at the moment but I think I'll give it a good go.

Punks...

This was taken in Camden quite a while ago but I thought it would be relevant to my idea. I've been thinking about how i'm going to get hold of my subjects and i realise this could be quite difficult. If the response from my workplace is bad then i will probably end up in London asking people for their portraits...or it could give me an opportunity for some interesting self portraiture....