I started with this project, i could see it in a big picture.
I would ask people to write down a response to a question, in a small notebook of mine.
They had a page to themselves and could write whatever they desired.
I would then take a photograph of them afterwards so that i could keep that identity along with what they wrote.
Some people refused to participate because they didn't want their photo to be taken.
This was about the interaction i made with complete strangers
The way they wrote the message down, examining the characteristics of their writing.
Like graphology.
The interaction between person and writing.
Behaviour
Psychology
I wanted to create Black and White photographs.
As much as i love colour photography, i think in this case colour would be a distraction. The key subject here is the portrait and colour may distract our attention away from the subject.
I looked into artist such as Sophie Calle and Gillian Wearing.
Sophie Calle's work is very personal and focuses on other people. She created some amazing pieces of work when spying on other civilians and documenting their actions during the day.
"Her work frequently depicts human vulnerability" - Wikipedia
I am very fond of her work, her detective skills and how she brings random people into her work, not focussing on herself but others around us.
I also looked into the works of Gillian Wearing.
Her piece "Im Desperate" 1992-3 was an inspirational piece as well as all the others.
Im rather shy when it comes to talking to people for the first time so it was that interaction that made it interesting for me.
Now this gentleman up here, this is interesting. I asked him if he would write a response to the questions and then let me photograph him at the ned, he said yes but when it came to the photograph, he refused to look into the lens. He said he didn't really like it and that if he did, he would "break my camera"
This is the only person to have looked away when taking a photo, this to me is interesting because it stands out as the odd one out.
I tried to go for all ages.
I started out by hand writing the question for others to respond.
For some, they wrote down the date, i didn't tell them to, this was their decision.
I liked how he wrote an "x" instead of "10"
Dont ask, No idea what this says. This was written in a different language. Like i said, all i asked was for them to write a response, whatever they wrote was their choice.
This was a quick response, in fact when i asked this person, he/she said it out immediately like it was a reflex.
Does it say a lot about the type of person he is?
Can you spot who wrote this by looking at the portraits?
Does the "..." mean there could be more?
This person didn't write in the middle of the page like some, some are use to writing from the top left to start off, so is this a sign of habit?
The layout of this text was unusual and interesting.
Underlining suggest that this is it, this is all he/she wants. HAPPINESS
I later realised through critique sessions with my peers that this isn't a good approach in getting others to express themselves, or be honest.
- They might feel under pressure to write quickly because of my presence.
- Knowing that i may read it afterwards might limit to what they want to share
- People are less likely to get into that emotional zone of theirs that quickly when asked in public spaces
Lots of reasons why this didn't work
So i stopped it and tried to develop another idea, learn from the mistakes i made
