ocw photography

What Is My World?

I have been sat here wondering what is my 'world' for some time...

how is my world different from others. what makes it mine?

This is a slideshow of the images i shot when i went home. Cannock chase forest is part of my world, I have spent a long time over the years in this particular forest, as a child with family and friends. walking my dog. It is not possible to represent my world without first exploring what I love from my world at home. Before nottingham was even a glimmer in my minds eye.

This is the first video i have uploaded onto the web so fingers crossed it works!!

Well at this point I am waiting for my video to load and it is very boring. Ill try and get more stuff up later on today, on the premise my computer doesnt collapse under the weight of uploading this 2min video onto blogspot. phhhht

Magnum: Mark Power

The funeral of Pope John Paul II, broadcast live from the vatican. Warsaw, Poland, April 2005

I find this photograph interesting because of the use of space within the picture 80% of the photograph is given to the mass of wires and metal that make up the broadcast equipment. We as the onlooker have the opposite view from everyone else in the photograph, rather than Pope John Paul being the focus, the public is. Power makes the ordinary extraordinary just by changing the way we 'look'.

Magnum: Thomas Hoepker

View from Brooklyn, New York City, USA, 11 September 2001

At first I could not believe this photograph was real. It couldnt be could it. The horrific actions of september 11 and a group of people that appear to be having quite a nice relaxed laid back day.

Hoepker decided not to release this photograph for years because of how callous the group of people are about the situation they are looking at. I am not judging the people in this picture because of this. It is incredibly interesting what the reactions are of the group. Completely the opposite of what you expect and what has been previously published. eery

Magnum: Gilles Peress

Jews leaving Sarejevo Bosnia, 1993

To me this photograph is a combination of

chaos, beauty and sadness. The hands pressing up against the glass longing to touch their loved ones is heartbreaking. The photograph for some reason makes me think of Michelangelo's sistine chapel

Magnum: Elliott Erwitt

Valdes Peninsula, Argentina, 2001

I chose this photograph because pepsi and jesus are side by side. Big business alongside religion. Both are instantly recognisable images, however side by side they are unnerving. Erwitt's work is heaveliy based on connections however this is one connection that should not exsist. I find it incredible that two opposing ideals would sit side by side.

Magnum: Jonas Bendiksen

Villagers collecting scrap from a crashed spacecraft, surrounded by thousands of white butterflies. Alta Territory, Russia, 2000

Bendiksen is Magnum's youngest photographer and I believe his work brings freshness to MAGNUM MAGNUM. This photograph is simply beautiful, the juxtaposition between the grey burnt spacecraft and the lush countryside and butterflies makes the photograph unreal. AMAZING

Magnum: Bruno Barbey

Caltanissetta, Sicily, 1963

This photograph stands out to me. The three men look like what we have come to see as characatures of the italian gangtser. The photograph has an ominous feel to it and one of power. The picture reeks of menace.

Magnum Photography

I recently acquired the book MAGNUM MAGNUM

'With over 400 images selected by magnum photographers, this is at once a permanent record of many of the iconic images of the last 60 years by a legendary creative collective.'

The format of the book is interesting because all of the 60 magnum photographers are paired together to critically understand each others work and pick only 6 images that they believe to be some of their peers most important work. As a concept it is very similar to the excercise we are undertaking now.

To follow this concept I have chosen 6 of my faviourite images from MAGNUM MAGNUM which i will post later.

Representing My World

Representing my world through photography is an interesting concept to me, however in practice it is an excercise that i do not fully understand. I would hope my 'world' is too illusive to photograph. My world changes everyday. I do not feel I am quite at the point in my life when I can understand my 'world' let alone condence it into a series of photographs.