Often many contemporary photographers are intrigued solely by the characteristics of the photographic medium itself. Consequently, they acquire a unique style through image manipulation, pushing the boundaries of the physical image and largely exploiting its role as a factual representation of time. In considering this for the Meaning and Message module we look to consider the nature of the photograph – breakdown, enhance and intervene with these key components. Investigating the following themes; intending to work with one I have unintentional encapsulated several for this project.
1 – Illusion 2 –Memory 3 – Flatness 4- Tactility
Initially, raiding the dark room for other students test strips and discarded film I worked on using these appropriated images by interweaving them with my own to capture an alternative “consciousness”, both real but imaginary; illusion and memory.
The slight deviance came after, due to personal circumstances and I embarked on a slightly different route. In January my hair fell out due to chemotherapy treatment and I decided to collect it in a plastic bag, not entirely sure why at the time but each night I would gather it in little piles in the living, bathroom and dressing table. Anyway, my hair having always been short was no good to knit scarfs with so I decided to be creative and use the photogram technique in the darkroom and scanned the results, I mixed some water on some of the slides for some extra texture and manipulated them by layering in photoshop.
I then embarked on series of self portraits through a glass door; losing your hair in a short space of time is a traumatic experience, particularly when it falls out in patches and its quite freaky and hard looking at yourself without being over emotional, but that’s allowed I say! I had at this point decided to shave it all down so at least there was some length cohesion going on, i.e. a millimetre or two. Must say that I do quite like it and at least my head shape can pull it off, when I put some make up on I think I look pretty fierce, you can see my 24-hour project for that.
To finalise the images I used both the photograms and the portraits and created multiple exposures in photoshop.
This is my therapy and I am fortunate to have a channel for it.
Fiona Macphee 