24. Group Presentations

We did our group presentations this week, and honestly I thought it went quite well.

I do think we could have done more preparation, but you can always do more. We'd met up once to discuss the presentation and do a little research, we'd also had some time in class to have discussions, but we did most of our discussions over faceboook, simply because it was convenient for all of, especially as one of the girls travels back and forth to Uni. 

So we'd all agreed which parts we did, and I'd picked to do his 'style' of work, which I thought would be quite straightforward, seeing as someone's always got something to say about Parr's work.   

Here are my notes which I had put together over the last few weeks. They included looking at texts from 'The pleasures of Good Photographs', Essays by Gerry Badger, and I also looked at Martin Parr's CV, which was available on Martin Parr's website: http://www.martinparr.com/ , this CV included a short statement from Thomas Weski. Above are my slides from our Power Point.

'- Martin is one of the most recognised photographers of our time, and of course, like all other photographers, he has a unique and very recognisable style.

- Much like others, Martin Parr, would look at the works of Tony Ray Jones, Robert Frank and Gary Winogrand as an emerging photographer.

- Being a photographer of Magnum, he is familiar with the contemporary, successful, photojournalism, but he has also worked in a conceptual way, and with several shows and exhibitions in galleries as well as some purely photographic galleries, but I’ll let Heidi talk about that later.

- His work has a certain – DIRECTNESS – to it. He photographs in a very BLUNT, IN YOUR FACE way, and this ‘in your face’ thing can be as the viewer of the photograph, or even as the subject. The photographs from his series ‘Life’s A Beach’ most certanly show this directness, and here are an example of two.

- What is very clear/obvious about his photographs is his use of flash. i mean we all know how to turn the harshness of our flash down, so we get a softer light, but Martin Parr goes for the opposite. You can tell he’s used a flash, you can see it in the viewer’s eyes {CHANGE SLIDE} or sunglasses. It lights the subject up, bright, almost glaring. This is almost one of Parr’s trademarks; you know you’ve got a Parr, when you’ve got that kind of flash filled photograph.

- This effect of the flash can sometimes lead people to criticise his work, and obviously critics will be discussed later, but does this effect his style? Sometimes when you look at a Martin Parr photograph, you can think to yourself, “how over EXAGGERATED”, and yes, with the flash his subjects become very obvious, and every single one of their flaws are clear and lit. But after all, all Martin Parr is doing is “an exercise in looking.” Yes his photographs are exaggerated, but they are no more of an exaggeration of what’s already there, that’s impossible.

- When asked if he was planning on changing his style he replies that he might fine tune it a little, “BUT MY WHOLE THING IS TO PHOTOGRAPH CONSUMERISM USING THE LANGUAGE OF COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.” And who ever thought there’d be an entertaining side to Consumerism. This photograph, also from ‘Life’s A Beach’, is perfect example of consumerism, but you can’t help laugh a little, have you ever seen a man enjoy chicken that much? There is a comedic touch to his photographs, even if he doesn’t mean for there to be.

- It’s fair to say that Parr has his own special place in photography; he has his own ORIGINAL approach. People hate him, people love him, but most people can tell you a Martin Parr Photograph when they see one.'

Mark for Presentation - 79%