Day 2: Lightbulb!

So we got our assignments yesterday and it was basically do what you want, produce 10 finished images for a crit in 5 weeks time have a research folder to have looked at at christmas then to hand in at easter and apart from that you can do as many or as few projects as we want over the year.
Absolutely no boundaries.  Which is not as good as I thought it would have been the no boundaries means there is no starting point for us so it has taken a full 24 hours of thinking to come up with one HUGE ass project to do over the year which will be substituted with a few little ones that will be thought of at a later state.
I am going to make my own magazine, like a full on vogue in one year all on my lonesome! I know I'm excited too!!!
I love fashion magazines and I would love to work for one so why not design my own! Exactly the way I would want one to be.
Im so buzzed!!

My first day as a year 2 ... Kill me now

Day 1: The shit hits the fan!

So I get my arse out of bed and manage to stumble blurry eyed into uni to discover that in a weeks time we have to do a presentation on what we have been doing over the summer. Well that will take me all of 2 seconds, NOTHING! I have been working to get money for holidays rent and car insurance. I needed about £2000 so I worked like a mother! I didn't manage to motivate or inspire myself to do anything. So now the plan is to produce work in the next week I could pass off as summer work, think it will work?

I also have to say where my work is going as a photographer which is very hard because I genuinely don't know. I don't have a life plan, I don't live like that. I'm more spontaneous.

Empty

   Its incredibly poignant how everyone is leaving halls of residence, all of the rooms are empty and the kitchens are getting bare.  Since I'm pretty much here until the end that last day will be really strange, the emptiness that fills the halls now compared to the start of the year when they were bursting with activity with student union members charging around with megaphones dragging people out of their rooms screaming lets get fucking wankered.  Now they are barren and lifeless. Its very eerie. 


This all has a plus side, I can now use the washer or dryer whenever I feel the need as theres no one here to wash their clothing. 


I'm going to miss this place, everything mouldy and theres flies everywhere, nothing ever works and everyone is noisy but by god I'm going to miss this place. 


Arrivederci 

Stuck in a rut

I need to keep myself busy, creatively thinking because all I seem to be doing is working and watching telly which isn't the summer that I had in mind.  I can't think of anything I want to photograph, although I appreciate my job I cant help notice that it stunts my creative thinking, it kind of numbs me.  I desperately need a project, I was thinking of making work my project but how to sneak a camera into work and not get caught which would result in being sacked I have no idea.

Its been a while

Hmmmmm, where to start. 

Well I guess I should start at the beginning and when I come to the end, I’ll stop.  

I have been surrounded with some very trippy influences lately, whilst writing I am watching the film Labyrinth, the one with David Bowie in you know the one that damn right convinces you that you have consumed a very large dose and LSD or some other hallucinogenic substance.  All I’m going to say in whatever George Lucas was on I want some.  I also finished up reading the original Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass which I must say isn’t nearly as exciting as watching the Disney version as a child, but I do love Alice I can loose myself in that world so easily.  I also started Dorian Grey which is trippy in its own right I love that story, I love the idea of it. 

I have also gone back to work full time over the summer which is the cause for my lack of blogging, I simply haven't had anything interesting to say, my creative side has been de sensitised and battered a little by the corporate monsters.  But I only went full time to get some money together as we (the bf and I) want to go to Florence this summer and I have committed by buying a travel guide and a learn Italian DVD. I want to do things this summer, I don’t just want to do nothing, work all summer and come out with money but what’s the cost? To get that money I will find myself selling my soul to Ronald Mc Donald for £5.95 an hour which is a price I’m not prepared to accept.  I want to do things this summer, see place and achieve things. 

In fact ... we booked the holiday today!! £508 for a week in Florence inc 22kg of luggage flights and hotel with breakfast. Its not bad.  I cant wait, I'm already looking up places to go and things to see and cramming my ipod with apps and italian language lessons :P. I'm so happy. 

I need a photographic project for the summer, I can't come out at the end of the summer with no work to show I don't think I could face my tutor. 

Chinese Whispers (working title)

Hey,


I have a new project with far too many images to bother putting them on here. 
Im calling it Chinese Whispers for now because of the idea of passing something along. 
The project is about how we as a species  pass knowledge along the generations focusing on books. 
I have found a great interest in looking at old books and the things people write inside the covers of them. People do not do that too often now because books are not something that is cherished like they used to be. I have found some really interesting things written on the inside covers of books and I am really excited about this project. 


Heres one of the images:

And the link to the rest of them : http://www.sarahljackson.com/Sarah_Louise/Gallery/Pages/Chinese_Whispers.html


Sarah Lousie

Multi Tasking

I'm doing some serious multi tasking, reading a chapter of Langfords advanced photography and making notes of my critical appraisal which I have yet to write because I'm still planning it.
The joys of  uni.

Sarah Louise

Critical Appraisal

Trying to write a 2000 word Critical Appraisal is proving difficult with distractions like twitter and forums ...  tut tut
But ... I only have that and a bibliography to do and I'm practically home free with everything but the critical studies shiz :D

There is a light at the end of the tunnel :D

Sarah Lousie

No sleep

Recently I cant sleep at all, proper insomnia. I just lie there till 4 am knowing I got no sleep the night before and knowing I'm not going get any now.

Plus the bf moans in his sleep really loud.

I just lie in bed and me heart pounds like crazy like I've just had 20 cups of coffee. I don't drink coffee or anything with caffeine in after about 4ish so its not that causing it.

Plus there has been a lot of talk of ghosts in the flat these past few weeks. Spooky sightings and mysterious boiling kettles plus banging ... all night .... thats enough to wake the dead right there.  I'm a little skeptical but the banging and doors opening and closing does irritate at 3 in the morning

Sarah Lousie
xo

North East Photography Book Fair and Portfolio Review Day

In April The North East Photography Network is having a Book Fair and a Portfolio Review Day on the 15th and 16th of April.

Portfolio Review Day

Saturday 16^th April, 9.30 – 4pm

Venue: Mining Institute, Neville Hall, Westgate Road, Newcastle.

Our  Portfolio Review day provides photographers with an opportunity to discuss their practice and portfolio with leading professionals from photographic publishing, commissioning and exhibiting sectors.

The event is aimed at critically-engaged photographers who take a serious approach to their practice and an application process is in place.

Up to 25 photographic artists will be selected to participate in up to 3 reviews.
Applicants should send a CV, short statement about your practice (max. 250 words) and web links to your work, or a maximum of 5 images, which must not be larger than 75KB each, by email to Carol McKay:

carol.mckay@sunderland.ac.uk by 1^st April 2011.

There will be a charge for the reviews of £10 each or three for £25, which will be payable upon selection. Fees are non refundable and late-comers unfortunately can not be accommodated.

NEPN Development Bursaries

In conjunction with the Portfolio Reviews, four participating photographers will be awarded a small development bursary of £250 following nominations from our guest reviewers.  All participating photographers will automatically be considered for these awards.   The development bursaries can be used to fund research and development costs or seed publishing or production projects.

For Reviewers details, please follow the link here.

Book Fair – The Lit & Phil, Newcastle upon Tyne

Friday 15^th April & Saturday 16^th April

To coincide with the Photography Publishing Symposium, NEPN is organising a Book Fair to offer photographers the opportunity to show their hand-made, self-published and published books, magazines and other innovative publications.

The fair will be open for Symposium and Portfolio Review participants and reviewers and for the general public over the two days.

We are calling for contributions to the fair from regionally based photographic artists. If you would like to participate please send your publication(s) to: Amanda Ritson, North East Photography Network, University of Sunderland, Ashburne House, Ryhope Road, Sunderland, SR2 7EF by April 11th.  Any questions please emailamanda@northeastphoto.net.

Please note that submissions will need to be collected from University of Sunderland following the event, unless SAE with appropriate postage are included with submissions.  Unfortunately we can’t offer fees for submissions but hope the opportunity to exhibit will be beneficial to participants.   The Fair is a non-selling event.

Events

15th – 16th April 2011 NEPN Symposium and Portfolio Reviews @ Mining Institute, Newcastle

Friday April 15th: Photography Publishing and the Future of the Photo-Book:  1pm – 6.30pm

Symposium registration and admission: £5.00

To register for the symposium, please follow the link here: University of Sunderland (on-line  store)

To register for the Portfolio Review Day please follow the link here

image credit: Rob Hornstra/Arnold van Bruggen (2011) Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land 194 × 251 mm / 272pp / 93 Colour Photographs / Hardbound with photo-illustrated boards / Language: English / Design: Kummer & Herrman / Print run: 900 copies

Symposium Programme  15^th April 2011

Photography Publishing and the Future of the Photobook

We are all aware of large shifts in the contemporary publishing industry affecting both the production and consumption of magazines, journals, newspapers and books. From on-line publications to print on demand and DIY publishing: questions arise about what this means for photographers, writers and curators. This symposium on the future of photography publishing will ponder some of these questions: what is the future for the production and editing of photobooks, and what are the implications for how we access and view them? Given the recent demise ofPortfolio, what kinds of platforms are there for contemporary photography and how do we continue to foster critical writing and debate?  With the ongoing crisis in the editorial market, what future publishing strategies should photographers consider?

The NEPN is delighted to welcome our panel of invited speakers to debate these and other photo-publishing issues.   Join us for an afternoon of discussion and inspiration.

Heres the link to the website 

http://www.northeastphoto.net/

I'm hoping to go to both, I've bought my ticket for the publishing symposium, it should be a good day. I'm also contemplating putting my newest self published book into the book fair and I've emailed in about the portfolio review day. Well ... I haven't got anything better to do.

Sarah Louise 

xo

Pieter Hugo

http://www.americansuburbx.com/2009/08/pieter-hugo-hyena-and-other-men.html

By far some of the craziest images I have ever seen. 


Pieter Hugo photographed a sort of traveling "circus" street act, a group of men who perform with hyenas. 


Now when I picture hyenas I think of the disney ones from the lion king, kinda scrawny, clumsy creatures that aren't really all the threatening. But these big buggers would give Simba a run for his money, there actually massive! 

Check out the link to AmericanSuburbx for more about Pieter Hugo

Blurb Book

I have a new blurb book out. The book contains all of my images from my 28 Days series including the two projects that informed it. 

I have written in-depths about the three projects and it is quite a personal book. 

You can purchase it at 


http://www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/2053601

AOP Update

I had a great time at the AOP Students Awards Evening it was a fantastic event. Congratulations to the winner Squiz Hamilton on his amazing images they really were best in show. 

I got a judges choice award from Alyson Jones which I am ecstatic about :D 

I was bitterly disappointed that I didn’t get to meet more people out there. I got talking to one of the exhibitors, Jonathan Sugden, he was really nice and of course I got to talk to Squiz (before they made the announcement) and he was great. He went all the way to Uganda to photograph a tribal woman. Now thats dedication. 

I got terribly ill on the day though, I was sat in TGI Fridays having lunch and out of the blue i got really ill, to the point I was being sick on the way to the tube station, I wouldn’t recommend being sick on the streets of London as you get some very worrying looks. 

And typically ... I didn’t sell a single print but I’m not too fussed. I am however kicking myself over a guy that wanted to talk to me, he asked the lady who photographed the event to point me out but she didn’t know me until 10 min later when she came to take my photograph and she realised. But we looked everywhere for the man, she described him as wearing a smart jacket, getting on in age, slicked back sliver hair and thick rimmed dark framed glasses but alas he had gone.  Typical that I don’t get to talk to the only person who was interested in my work. 

If anyone knows who he is send him my way

Sarah Louise 

x

So so tired

I don't know what's up with me lately, I've had a full nights sleep, didn't wake up too much during the night. but I'm absolutely exhausted today, can't keep my eyes open much longer kind of exhausted. I have to go to Newcastle tomorrow to get my prints mounted which I'm quite excited about so hopefully I can stay awake for that ... fingers crossed.

Sarah Louise
xo

yey

I've done what I set out to do today :D I'm actually quite proud. It did take me all day though, roughly 6 hours to write 2351 words which is really slow but I sat down first to write down what I was going to write, that took at least an hour and I've been on and off FB and I've made 2 meals in that time and gone to get a package from Uni so I bet I was only actually writing for a few hours.  But I finished a brief :D I'm so happy :D

I'm going to go in the darkroom tomorrow and get the films that I shot developed and while they are washing I am going to print up my images ... very productive day tomorrow get the PEP pills out its going to be a long one.

( PEP are just caffeine tablets like lucozade in tablet form nothing illegal or harmful - I'm NOT on drugs )

Phase 1 complete

I went out taking photographs of peoples houses. Which sounds a bit pervy but I couldn't see into the windows .. I promise.  I filled 2 rolls of film up with houses and streets of houses that all looked eerily similar. I think I may have stumbled upon the Stepford of Carlisle.

Oops

I kinda got up an hour late this morning, so much for my productive day, but I suppose getting up at 9 instead of 8 isn't too bad.
The weather is dismal so I'm reluctant to go out and shoot.

Digital Darkroom .... Again

So I've had a productive day, up bright and early, the day hasn't quite gone to plan, I thought I could have gotten more done but I totally forgot that I had a student rep meeting .. yes me .. a student rep. Well it looks good on your CV and its good to keep yourself busy.

I'm printing my last image, it's a re-print, because the original wasn't quite up to standard. but after that I just need to plan a trip to Digital Lab in Newcastle to get them mounted then thats me sorted!  Music to my little stressed ears.

I have a strict plan for next week, its a reading week so I need to get lots and lots done.

I am going to go out and take some film images on monday, fill the last few frames and then fill a new roll.
Then since I can't process on monday I'm going to finish off my people and environments brief. All of it. I'm quite determined.

Tuesday I'm going to process my film, I'll only have two rolls so I can do that in a morning. Then print contact sheets for all 3 rolls of film.  Again I can do that in under an hour. I don't think I can have the prints done on Tuesday so I think I will settle for processing and contact prints. I can write about them in the PM and start on my Self directed project.

Wednesday is for printing my images, I'm skeptical as to wether I will get it done all on Wed but I will make a dent in it. I'll just finish up the rest the following Wed.
Again the PM as in when the darkroom is closed will be for writing about my experiences in the darkroom. And maybe a little bit of my self directed brief.

Thursday is definitely for my Self directed brief, I want it all done for Friday so that I can get everything printed up and bound on Fri. Ready for a weekend off work and a weekend of R&R

Of course if I don't get it all done for Friday I can always work into the weekend and print on Monday Afternoon.

I also need to find the time to read a chapter in the book I'm reading for my critical studies lecture.

Busy Busy Busy

I could take it easier as the deadline isn't for another month at least but I can't just sit around and do nothing for a week. Most people are going home but I have to feel like I am moving forward all of the time, I hate the thought of standing still and not making progress

Thats all for now

Sarah
xox

Im so tired

I feel like I haven't had a lie in for weeks! Im so tired, I'll be glad when it's saturday and I can sleep in. Im not at work until 4PM so I can sleep in a little.
I've had so much on my mind at the minute, with the AOP thing and my other projects, trying to get it all done in time is driving me around the bend!
I would have wanted to get out and take a few more image on 35mm film as I only have around 6  left on the roll of film but I just haven't been able to find the time.
I also need to go around charity shops to find more books for my self directed project but as I can feel my eyelids getting heavier and heavier and its only 20 past two !!

Does anyone know how to take a good photograph of a plastic bag because I'm at a loss on how I would go about it. I've shot two already and both have turned out rubbish. I only need one more image then I'm done with my People and environments brief and i can set down a few days to just churn that out on the computer. It won't take me long, I just need to photograph a plastic bag.

I'm going to be in here again bright and early tomorrow morning trying to get my prints done by the afternoon, I want to go book hunting tomorrow afternoon since I didn't manage it today. I need about 4 books but they have to have writing on the inside, like little notes people write on the inside of the cover. About how they got the book or who it belonged to. And there not easy to come by.

On the bright side I got a package today :D filled with goodies to cheer me up. Along with some lush goodies my BF got me for valentines day, I decided to treat myself and get some makeup from ELF, i've always wanted to try their products as I've heard very good reviews and since I'm spending a lot on London I thought it best that I buy my London beauty stuff from cheaper brands to keep costs down.

I'll probably blog a lot more in the coming weeks, getting all of my frustrations and to do lists out of my head

Sarah
xox

Excitement !!!

So I'm all alone in the digital darkroom, It's actually quite creepy, I'm waiting for a print to finish, it takes about 30 min per print so I'm in here for the long haul.
I'm also scanning in my latest project on books, taking about 20 min per scan so you can tell how many hours I've already spent in here and how many I still have to go.
I'm excited because I'm printing my images for the exhibition in London, which is always very exciting. Then I have to take them to Newcastle * cough* *cough* shopping in the metro *cough* *cough* to get them mounted and couriered down to LONDON! to go in the AOP gallery.
Worth the effort???  ........ Oh yeh !

Portrait

I shot two portraits, for a simple studio lighting technique brief. I choses a simple 1 light and a reflector set up and deliberately used the wrong white balance to get the background to match his top a little, I think it worked quite well.


I own copyright for both of these images 

Social Documentary

For my social documentary I took a hypocritical view on unpaid internships across all businesses. Hypocritical because I am showing them to be horrid, money grabbing, unfair schemes which put struggling graduates at a serious financial disadvantage. But at the same time, despite thinking that they are morally wrong, I would in fact take one. 


My images - I have copyright for all of them