Project Update

My work so far has come to a sort of standstill sue to the Covid19 break and amongst this confusion and stress I found creating work difficult. My university have been sitting round one laptop waiting for daily updates, which reminded one student of how people would sit around radios to listen out for updates during the war. This was something that hit us all deeply. We got news that our university would close but we would be continuing to work from home and attend online classes. This was something that I found hard to grasp because as a photographer I need to be out making my work. I also believe that university is the best was for me to work on my edits and other forms of digital work, because at home there are distractions. I felt bad for the people that paint or even do textile works because they wouldn't have access to the materials needed to make the work. This type of situation hasn't been planned for and this is new for all of us so it will be hard at first.

To do:

• Try to go out during times where it isn't busy to make photographs. 
• Look at ways to display my work digitally. 
• Have a tutorial with a tutor to discuss my work and my production of work

Before leaving university I had a tutorial with my tutor in which we spoke about the images I had made whilst out making photographs. The images that I picked out to be my strongest were fine but nothing was mind blowing and they didn't have a reason behind them. However one image caught the eye of my tutor and a fellow classmate who was in the tutorial with me. 

This is the image that they felt was the strongest. This is something I agree with. The image makes me want to run through the tall grass and find out what is on the other side. This was where we began to speak about my theme and how it should be about freedom. Freedom is something that is important to me. I am someone that likes to live by my own rules and follow my own lead. I believe in freedom from societies norm, responsibility and expectations. I was then asked "do you want a job?" I answered I would want to work for myself which made both my tutor and classmate laugh. Feminism cropped up in the conversation. and should be something that I looked into. This made me cringe because I don't see myself as a feminist but rather an equalist, and when I think of feminism I think of this new wave of feminism which is "man hating." When talked through further it is important to look into as a female photographer.

• Marriage is expected of Women
• Having children is expected of Women  
• Staying home to raise children is also expected. 

Myself as a Woman 

• Marriage isn't essential for me 
• Want children, but only after I am able to provide for myself and have a house
• I want to own my home
• I want to be successful 
• I am unapologetically me 

With this spoken about I was given ideas as to where to start. The main place I would photograph would be the Wombwell Woods or other places there I spent time at as a child. 

To do:

• Look into the history of my area and the woods
• Who owns it
• Look into isolation
• Look into the act of play

Photograph myself through the lens of abstraction. Photography is male dominated and as a female from a small area this is important. From my experience the woods was and still is male dominated. However I preferred to be there alone than surrounded by others. 

I was also advised to look into other medias that explore the idea of freedom through nature such as books. 

• The Secret Garden 
• Wind and the Willows
• The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe