Evaluation

In this evaluation I will talk about the values within my work in regards to artists influences/research, experimenting with techniques and methods, eventually resulting in my final outcome. Our projects are divided up into four different assessment objectives.

Firstly, in response to the brief I decided to begin in thinking about what actually makes a home a home and what things are classified as a home. I began to explore the topic in the literal sense after creating several initial ideas and  a proposal, generating a range of potential ideas. When refining my idea to the worker who lives at the car wash I then did further contextual research into immigration in the U.K especially of Eastern Europe relating it in correlation to the proliferation of car wash businesses by hand. This evidences my initial response and continuous, orderly thinking which in turn allows me to show development and influences and progression, illustrating a clear journey within my work. When conducting further research I analysed the documentary style of photography and then came across the environmental portraiture style which I later included in my project. After this I did some research into photographers which would be relevant to my work in style and context. I believe that I was effective in demonstrating clear inspiration from Johnathan Bielaski in particular with his environmental portraiture style which I feel is very relevant. Also the audio element of my piece shows another clear referral to Julian Lass' work. I conducted primary research in the form of interviews which allowed me to understand my subjects much more and make a better connection and relationship. Ultimately I feel that I have developed my initial idea very well, justifying my intentions with contextual research and analysis. 

Additionally, I thought a lot about experimenting with appropriate methods, resources, media, techniques and material as well as showing an ability to refine my work. This consisted of aiming to be un-noticed by the subjects, therefore creating very natural outcomes. I experimented with a 50mm 1.8 prime lens which was very effective as it works very well in low light. However, at times a wish I had a slightly wider lens in order to get more things in the frame. When editing my photographs I didn't want to edit them too much or crop them as I loved the natural feel of the originals. Due to photographing both inside and outside the car wash I had to constantly alter my camera settings due to the change in lighting. I aimed to keep my F stop levels low in order to gain a shallow depth of field and allow the subject to stand out from the blurred background. And then increasing aperture in order to get more things in focus in the composition which worked well with my environmental portraiture and documentary style.

When it comes to the audio of my piece, I decided to include sections from the previous interviews with two of the workers. This provides a sense of identity through the accents and interaction between them in Romanian. This also gives a sense of authenticity and supplies the piece and audience with a bit of context and background knowledge on the subjects. After this I mixed many ambient atmospheric sounds which I recorded around the car wash, this furthers the identity of the car wash, setting the scene and creating more of an atmosphere, making the viewing more immersive. When editing I intended to insure that the sounds remained quite gentle and soothing and in turn sound relatively homely. The sounds of the brushing, Hoover and washing machine demonstrate how the sounds can sound rather domesticated and homely and mimic household sounds. This goes hand in hand with the fact that the car wash is a home to one of the workers, ultimately demonstrating how the car wash shifts in role and responsibility... from a workplace to a home.

When choosing my final pieces I needed to consider what conveyed my intended message the most. My intention was to illustrate how the car shifts from an industrial workplace to a home, ultimately domesticating the car wash. I chose to include some establishing shots of the car wash in order to introduce the place and put it in context. I had to consider whether I should've included several workers but I decided to focus on one worker and I felt like it allowed for a much more intimate outcome and also most interesting as the man who I chose to focus on lived at the car wash, therefore being most relevant. I also wanted the scenes to be placid with minimal distractions in order to creating more calm impacting images which work very effective with my audio. I then wanted to include photos which illustrate that shift that happens within the car wash. This is demonstrated in the photographs of the shoe-rack, clothes on pegs as well as washing machines and fabrics. These amplify the domestication of the car wash, almost implying the man's stamp being made on the place. Also I feel that the way he lingers around the car wash shoes how he is very comfortable in the space which furthers the fact that it is his home. I feel that the included images convey my intention very well.

Ultimately, I believe that my work is very effective and feel that I have used relevant media and materials. Overall, I have displayed an ability to produce very original work at a high standard, simultaneously refining it, showing the influences of my photographers and resulting in creating very personal response to the starting point of space, place and history. My project relates back to the brief very well, it focuses on how spaces and places can become homes to people. To improve the piece further I wish I could've got photographs of him sleeping or eating in order to enhance the domestication further.