#visitingphotographers

[gemmasianpowellphotography]

Winter Photo Fest 2021

22.01.2021

After attending all the guest talks over the last few weeks, I have enjoyed each one in different ways and taken different valued points from each. Here are a few of my favourites. 

Frances Scott

Frances grew up in Orkney and moved to Glasgow to study for four years at The Art School. Her work is around landscapes and journeys of personal significance. With Frances's heart and mind back home and not in the city, she moved back home and worked as cabin crew with Loganair. Whilst working in the skies Frances had a lot of time to admire the aerial views, this was one of her inspirations for her project “Tidelines” where she recorded shots on her iphone and GPS on coastlines. It was important for her to leave her hometown and then comeback and told us that knowing a place and having a clear satisfaction was important. Frances would take her Mamiya 645 (ISO125) and one roll of film IlfordFP4. She enjoyed the element of surprise on her personal work when developing the film and while out walking did not want to get too carried away with shooting but rather take a smaller number of shots and spend more time enjoying her surroundings. Recommending to us the use of sketch books and physical edits. When doing a body of work it is key to show off one or two images but keep the rest close to yourself, do not put all the work out at once. 

Her influences include Bernd and Hilla Becher and Mark Ruwedel. Speaking about the publication, Stone Built by Gunnie Moberg and quotes by poet Rosemary Sullivan. 

Frances has won various awards and held solo and group exhibitions since 2008. She has grown from strength to strength with books and publications he most recent  called “Undertow”. 

https://frances-scott.co.uk/

Lesley MacGregor

Lesley's work includes seascapes, architecture, modern art and urban textures. There are various things I took from the work including the work of editing. Using Adobe Photoshop to change images from colour to black and white and the use of creating layer masks. Shapes, angles and contrasts within her work is a strong feature. The tilt shift lens are used when it comes to architectural shots and she sketches out a photograph to create different levels of contrast. She has won the IPA Gold award in 2020 for Buildings and told us her favourite place to shoot in the world is Iceland. After travelling there on three different occasions each time is different and she got totally different approaches with her work. 

Lesley gave us a few very useful hints and tips:

When it comes to working conditions, work with what you have

Process your work in different stages, its ok to walk away from editing and come back to it after a short while, this helps view perspective. 

Create a network and build relations, ensure you get your work out there. 

Be patient, enjoy the process of being a photographer, do not be too focused on other markers on your progress. 

Stay true to who you really are

I particularly liked her quote “photos are like a pieces of fabric, you need to be gentle with them as they are fragile little things”

https://www.lesleymacgregor.com/

Elaine Livingstone

Elaine is a well established portraiture, documentary and press photographer from Glasgow. As a 3/4 year student she got herself a job with The Sunday Times and in 1999 landed a job with The Sunday Herald. She has worked in papers industry for over 10 years. In the early years as a student she was drawn to telling a stories both within portraiture and documentary style work and this has not changed. Currently, for the past 5 years has worked full time basis Monday to Friday with Glasgow Lives on a portrait series of the people of Glasgow an insight into their lives. She also spoke to us about her time in the Congo shooting documentary work of female farm workers, her work in 2016 in America where she shoot people in New Orleans and Washington around the time in the days leading up to the presidential elections where Donald Trump was campaigning and had won as well as her commissioned work with Gandolfi Fish Café in Glasgow whereby she shot members of the staff in a series of work. 

Elaine spoke of the Creative Entrepreneurs Club as a networking source. As a freelance photographer she spoke of the hard work and determination that is required to succeed in such a role as she does her own finances and accounts as well as taking the photographs. She holds strong importance to ethics and work ethics quoting “you have to fall asleep in your own head”. 

Elaine is most as ease while with a camera in her hand and struck me as being very humble, down to earth and true to herself. I look forward to seeing more of her personal project work she had mentioned coming up in the future. 

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/whats-on/glasgows-grit-influenced-me-snapper-12031880

https://www.instagram.com/elainelivphoto/?hl=en

One of my overall top picks from the series of talks the last few weeks was this mornings with British fine art photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten. I loved her style, work, attitude and down to earth character. She gave us a real insight into her work, her shoots, the commercial side of photography and her thinking behind the scenes with lighting and objects choices within her images. 

Julia was bold, open and honest with us about the highs and lows of the photography industry and her own journey as well as advice on how we can aim to stand out from the crowds and be unique. I admire her most recent projects - CONToRTION and The World Within. 

https://www.juliafullerton-batten.com/info.php

[starlangstephens]

Golden Haired Lass Gorbals 1964

I enjoyed the Oscar Marzarolis exibhition and picked this photograph because it spoke to me the most and caught my eye.

Technique?

The image was shot on black and white film Oscar marzarolis also used contact sheets which were displayed in the gallery

How does this technique effect the image?

The shot using black and white brings out the contrast and tone I think if the image was to be shot in this day and age using digital the image may look less ambient and I would be less curious about the photograph itself which is why black and white media is the perfect technique for the image created

What can you see?

in this image you can see a young girl on cobelled streets of the gorbals.She is wearing a pennifor and welly boots with yellow curly hair. she looks very young to be by herself and also looks like she could be on a mission to get home or go to school or the market and looks confident. You can also see the chalk scribbles on the wall with a dark archway shape on the right of her which could be a housing estate or an alley.

Why do I like this image and how does it make me feel?

I like this image as I think its innocent but also very grown up at the same time and makes you see Glasgow gorbals in a different light than the way some people may perceive. It also makes you wonder what journey she has taken and why she is wearing welly boots.

[gemmasianpowellphotography]

Albert Watson 

12/02/2020

Today in college there was a very exciting visiting photographer (via Skype call from New York) Q&A session with Scottish fashion, celebrity and art photographer Albert Watson.

Albert has shot over 100 covers of Vogue and 40 covers of Rolling Stone magazine since the mid-1970s, and has created major advertising campaigns for clients such as Prada, Chanel and Levis.

During the presentation he shared his most useful tips and inspirations using his own work and work of others too. He spoke about his time studying in London as a young man to making it big in America. His most useful information came around both film photography, the development of digital photography and the key to PREPARATION PREPARATION PREPARATION. As its not always about Location, Location, Location.

Albert taught us to be more intone with the world of arts, music, advertising and fashion. Do not get bogged down on just one element of photography but to throw yourself into all aspects as at the end of it all they all fit into the rectangle we photographers look through every opportunity we capture.

if you get work from a client and you have an idea do not be afraid to share this turn it into your own putting your own stamp on it. A great example Albert shared with us was with his shoot back in 1973 with Alfred Hitchcock. The client wanted the image to be captured with the goose on the plate and Hitchcock holding the place on his right hand but Watson said wouldn't it be better Hitchcock be holding the goose by the neck (true Hitchcock style) hanging down and get rid of the plate. This is what they went with and to this day he said it was the one image that set his mark and got people talking and ultimately more work with reputable clients. Always have that creative focus.

[starlangstephens]

Albert Watson Talk

Albert Watson’s talk I found very inspiring and educational, he explained a bit about his life into becoming a top fashion and film photographer and how he become established in the industry, I found his advice very useful and thought he was very humble and proud of the work he has achieve. Here are some notes I picked up thought the talk.

Study your surroundingsc,become acquainted with the cities and people you photograph and get an understanding of the photographs your taking.

Have an end goal

Practise and Discipline

The more you emerse yourself with the arts  film fashion music and photography you will become more inspired and can get out of any block.

Don't let your ‘‘creative integrity ’’down as everybody has their own creative process but compromise and visualise and well think out your plans.

Prepare!

Don’t specialise too quickly and find your own mark to make 

Dont limit yourself to just one area of photography, every single are has something to teach you and you can use the techniques you have picked up in lots of different areas.

If you contained in the rectangular box, its what you do and who you are that makes a difference to get out.

[gemmasianpowellphotography]

Sonja Blietschau Photography

It's all about you! Professional headshot photographer in Scotland. Member of Headshot Crew and Peter Hurley Protege.

Sonja Blietschau

10/01/2020

“If you don't have it, fake it”

This afternoon we had a visiting photographer who is based in Falkirk called Sonja Blietschau. She told us her journey from moving to Scotland from Germany and studying photography over the last 4 years. Sonja specialises in Headshot Photography for professional businesses, self employed and actors/actresses. She works with the headshot crew under Peter Hurley. Her inspirations are Richard Avedon and Jill Greenberg. Sonja told us different techniques on portraits, lighting and headshots which will tie in with our up and coming work in folio 2 of our photography course. She gave us a great insight into her world and how this impacts her self employed studio work she has been doing over the last 18 months or so. I really enjoyed her talk and felt it opened my own eyes to a world of photography I had not thought of or came across before. 

[gemmasianpowellphotography]

415 Followers, 806 Following, 48 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Alison Ashwell (@alisonashwell)

Alison Ashwell 

10/01/2020

This morning we also got to chat to current City of Glasgow College degree student Alison Ashwell. 

Alison showcased her impressive portfolio of both photography and fine art work she has achieved over the last 3 years. 

it was great to have a hands on student guide us through her journey and the stories behind her inspiration. she spoke of the use of developing ideas, having a theme, using mixed media, painting and props. Texture, colour, tone, lines, shapes are important in her work. Leading lines and the rule of third add to the framing of the image created. The link between these features adds to the overall composition in each image. Each image captured the eye in a different way. 

Alison also gave us tips on the use of photoshop where there should be no restrictions and should be able to explore all areas of photography not just simply tick off boxes on your briefs each folio you are presented with. 

Go in to each avenue with an open mind building up props such as dust sheets, shower curtains, old fabric and paint along the way. If you spent too much time on one thing and it does not work then keep this and use as a learning curve, even put the props to one side keep and you never know when you may need them again for another shoot. 

The use of wide angle lens and macro Len is important to Alison. She also enjoys film photography too. 

A key message I took away today was to take a moment and think.....

What you enjoy? What interests you? What are you scared of? Then run towards what scares you. 

[starlangstephens]

Sonja Blietschau Photography Talk

 Sonja Specialises in headshot photography, she started of photographing people in the music and dance industry through her flatmate, throughout her life she was using film photography and was inspired by a lot of photographers especially Richard Avedon.

This made her start college and throughout the 4 years realised that she really wanted to photograph people and that she loved theme was really inspired by her talk and thought she gave some really solid advice to up and coming photographers.

WHEN SHOOTING ACTORS PUT THEM INTO A SCENARIO THEY CAN ACT IN DEPENDING ON THIER PREFERENCE 

SHE KEEPS EYES ON 1/3RD OF THE HEADSHOT AS ITS THE MOST APPEALING AND YOUR NATURALLY DRAWN THERE.

TETHERING YOUR COMPUTER HELPS YOU KEEP ON TRACK WHEN CHECKING SHOTS

I loved her portraits especially as her talent is bringing out their personality in the photographs.She made some very good points her her talk especially about the studio lights and how imperfections are beautiful and if your ugly on the inside it will show.You can see that she makes her clients feel very comfortable in her photographs which is also a huge part of her success as she came across warm and full of light queen talking about people in general.

Here are some of the photographs that I thought really translated 

[gemmasianpowellphotography]

Colin Prior

10/01/2020

This morning we has a visit from Scottish landscape photographer Colin Prior.

He spoke of his journey through the last 35 years and the ever changing world of photography.  He explained ways to adapt and how to push against the grain and work hard to be not just another photographer. 

Before today I had come across a programme Colin was in on Amazon Prime called “Gone Shootin’” where he was interviewed and gave tips on landscape photography. I found this episode quite interesting more so as he was from Milngavie a place outside Glasgow which I grew up in. 

One of his pieces I admire is - Cullin Ridge, Skye