Unit 04 - Photographer Research

Research 

Going forwards from now, on you can adopt an easier way of producing your artist research. The important thing is that you research the right things. In your assignment brief, in the criteria boxes you'll find the criteria that relates to the research. For this unit it demands that you do the following...

Therefore, it is possible to produce the research for each of the artists in as little as one column if you use 9 point text. As previously advised try and use images to show the equipment, materials, techniques and processes used. You're not limited to one column, so if you feel it needs to be more - perhaps you find loads of useful images, by all means use two columns or more.

Look at the layout of this example here to see how you might do this. 

The artist research must be done at the start

It's important that the artist research is done at the start of your projects, so, you need to make this the first thing that you do before starting on the practical activities. The research informs your work. 

Here's an example of how your research might look...

In terms of what you're looking for when reading about the artists is stuff that required to meet the criteria...

• Materials - Look for any evidence of whether it's film or digital or something else? Why do they choose one over the other? A lot of the time this is historic e.g. the images were shot before digital e.g. around 1993. Is the film B&W or colour - what kind of film is it, what ISO is it and what do these differences make? (This is where your general knowledge on Photography is important along with your willingness to learn independently e.g. look on line and learn about films and ISO and the impact they have on how the image looks). What papers are the image printed on - do this via the auction website as directed and taught in the lessons "Sold at auction". 
• Techniques - This relates to how the images are shot and made. For instance were the images shot hand-held, or shot on a tripod? Is the style informal or formal, what is the style - fly on the wall, candid, structured, orchestrated and planned? Is the view-point relevant - is it from above or below or at same eye-level? Is 35mm, Medium format or large format - why, how does this impact on the images? 
• Process - Is the work planned and organised with the help of the models or is it real-life documentary, what might be involved in getting these image together? Does the photographer say that the work is printed by them or do you know/think the work is commercially printed? (Generally if the photographer prints their own work they'll mention it). Does the process involve any interesting techniques itself? How is the work used - what's it's purpose - is it mainly art to be sold as individual pieces or is it commissioned work?
• Equipment - What camera or equipment is used?

One or two of the photographers you're given to research needs to be done in more depth than the others. It maybe your unable to write your response up as concisely as the example above. A column of images supported by a column of written work addressing these points above will probably suffice. The links that you're given or shown generally have enough information for you to write this work up, make sure you also thread throughout your response the use of the phrase Creative Intention saying what the images are about and what the photographer is trying to convey in terms of meaning and what part the MTP's play in that process. 

To some extent speculation is allowed, but it needs to backed up with actual facts as well. If you do speculate, this needs to be done on the basis of some knowledge and experience of your own or observations of others work with supporting evidence and cross - referencing. 

Often, it's beneficial to add more research to the work as you go along. In the example above, the first 4 columns feature Photographers who might have been researched at the start of the project, the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th columns are research into some of the techniques that have been used in Unit 04 and these could have been added mid-project. 

If you love doing the research and want to stick to the 2 page method or do even more that's up to you. But this might suit some of you, the important thing is to address the criteria.