Billboards Edit 4

Today I had my final tutorial with Anthony which I worked our the final touches to finish my book off:

1. Cover Image - As yet I haven't thought which image would feature on the the cover of my book, but have now settled for the currently blank billboards on Brunswick Street, hijacked by the Circus.
2. Insert two more blank spreads, one at the beginning and end of the layout so the first and last pages aren't next to the covers.
3. Insert my Introduction Text at the beginning of the book, determine font & size, add copyright information.
4. Adjust some images (RAW Files), Brighten the Salvation Army image, Increase colour on most of the images. Crop the Shop Hereford image to focus on the billboard.

http://issuu.com/lewismitchell/docs/billboards_4

I have also included a 5th Edit of the book that includes captions on the opposite pages of the images that contains the location of which it was shot:
http://issuu.com/lewismitchell/docs/billboards_5

There are still some repeated billboards that I might consider taking out of any further edits but at the moment I am happy with the book and will be able to contact the printers tomorrow:
http://www.printerscardiff.net/ - 'Books and Magazines. With no minimum order we can print your book or magazine that can be used for promotional purposes or even just to have as a legacy.'
http://www.blurb.co.uk/
http://stromaltd.co.uk

I'd like to use the Cardiff based company for it's locality to my home in Bridgend, and will be paying a visit when we break up for Christmas to print my book.

Introduction Text

Billboards have been a common feature within the urban landscapes that surround us since 1889. A very influential form of advertising for multinational corporations, they are able to capture our attention whilst driving or walking down the street, with a very brief time period in which to maintain our interest.

In today's digital age, advertising has been brought into the 21st century, with personal advertising directed at us on the internet, however traditional methods have also kept up with technology, providing spectacular sights at famous landmarks across the world such as Times Square, Picadilly Circus & Shibuya Crossing, where masses of people converge every single day.

I have documented the local billboards in Cheltenham & Gloucester, many of which containing brands that are now synonymous with the Great British urban landscape.

Billboards Edit 3

Following several tutorials & more time spent shooting I am finally getting happy with the way my book is turning out. Here is a link to the 3rd Edit:
http://issuu.com/lewismitchell/docs/billboards_3

I have rearranged the images so they appear in the order in which they were shot, so the new Gloucester images are towards the back for now. I have removed some images that aren't technically sound such as shot into the sun. I have altered the Highlights & Whites of the images so that when they are sent back from the printers the images stand off the white page.

The next steps in the following edits will be to establish a cover image, the strongest image from the set. Remove any images that still don't work within the book, I think some billboards are repeated so I could omit one or two? and possibly rearrange the order, Are captions required? Finally I will need to write the introduction text for the book, explaining why I wanted to document these Billboards in the first place. 

Melanie Friend Talk

"Gone are the political slogans, prepare for the commercial ones."
Berlin Wall / Melanie Friend / 1990.

Today we had another interesting guest speaker in Melanie Friend come into Hardwick for a presentation of her work from her Photojournalist beginnings, through her own university projects and experiences, to her more recent asylum seeker & air show documentary pieces.

I enjoyed the talk, and very much took interest in her trip to Berlin for the first New Years celebration since the fall of the Berlin Wall, where she stayed for a few days after the event, and on the morning of her flight back to the UK took an amazing image. The patrolling guards wouldn't revisit this section of the wall for a few hours, when Melanie would be at the airport, so in the cold and on the snow she ran towards the scene quickly changing lenses on her camera. 

 This pristine makeshift billboard on the historically relevant Berlin wall was the first invasion of western capitalism culture into the Communism led east. Said to be a 'cynical & disrespectful' act of commercialism, directly from one of the largest advertising agencies in the world.

More Research

William Eggleston - Los Alamos:

Touted as one of the most important users of the colour film, bringing the medium to the fore since 1965, he allows his work to speak for itself on the pages of books an on the walls of galleries across the world. There are some images within this American series that Interest me and am drawn into the subject matter of this documentary series.
He has simply documented what he has come across, from where he lived in Memphis and the surrounding Southern States. Reflecting what was real around him, he shot in a very simple manor, the texture of the images are a pleasure to look at with warm tones, plus red features in most of the imagery that provides some consistence to the imagery.
Early on however there was controversy against some of his work as it was featured in the MoMA in New York, a lack of social engagement and political agenda that could be protested, not an everyday scene. Perhaps have time pass a looking back at these images now provides that greater perception and appreciation for how times have changed, and what has been documented is confined to history.
http://www.egglestontrust.com/los_alamos_port.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/genius-in-colour-why-william-eggleston-is-the-world-s-greatest-photographer-8577202.html

Lee Friedlander - Self Portraits:

Another interesting series to look back on in retrospect, as in today's digital age the 'selfie' culture has grown rapidly thanks to the arrival of front facing cameras on pocket-able devices such as iPhones, and the emergence of platforms in which to share these images in no time at all in Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. These original self portraits reflect the real presence of  Freidlander in the scenes he has captured, intelligence was used to capture some of these images but I also feel imagination from the artist is apparent to find these opportunities in the first place among some very interesting compositions. His face or body isn't always necessarily apparent in the frame, with shadows, feet and reflections being used in a creative way for the viewer to find.
“At first, my presence in my photos was fascinating and disturbing. But as time passed and I was more a part of other ideas in my photos, I was able to add a giggle to those feelings.”
https://fraenkelgallery.com/portfolios/1960s-self-portraits
http://www.americansuburbx.com/2013/05/lee-friedlander-self-portrait.html
http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2013/11/11/street-photography-composition-lesson-9-self-portraits/ 

Martin Parr - Common Sense:

Captured in typical Martin Parr fashion, with very warm colours & high contrast, these normal still life images from locations all across the world provide some interesting scenes when the tight, compact compositions leave in the outside of the frame to the imagination. It is a relevant series that related to reflections of the real because it highlights the expansion of industry & consumerism on a global scale.
http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&ALID=29YL53DQHZR

Alec Soth - Sleeping by the Mississippi:

I am impressed at how striking the images are from Alec Soth, currently at the forefront of the contemporary  documentary photography scene with global coverage of his many books leading to exhibitions in leading galleries worldwide. following on from the likes of Evans, Frank & Shore before him, Soth photographs the open road following the Mississippi river, finding the finer resoundingly real details of life that are often overlooked intertwined with striking portraiture, captured beautifully with a large format camera. Each image carefully chosen to represent the current state of the United States, with the muted colours showing a turn for the worst.
“It isn’t what a picture is of,” the great American photography curator John Szarkowski once said. “It is what it is about.”
“What’s hard is taking a collection of great pictures and making them work together. It’s like language: everyone can speak but putting the words together is the real challenge.”
http://alecsoth.com/photography/?page_id=14
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/photography/what-to-see/alec-soth-americas-greatest-photographers/
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/oct/06/alec-soth-gathered-leaves-photographer-uk-retrospective
http://www.bjp-online.com/2015/10/photography-is-a-language-alec-soth-on-his-first-uk-exhibition-gathered-leaves/
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/Plan_your_visit/exhibitions/alec-soth.aspx

Gloucester

I've finally got round to visiting Gloucester , documenting the many billboards located around the centre of the city, It was a very bright winter day so there's some very harshly lit images that will fall short of the final edit.

 Nice bright with public transport including showing why it's located here.
Market Parade.

Rear view of previous billboards ala Stephen Gill.
Market Parade.

First of many shots where I'm shooting towards the sunlight, however I think the RAW file has coped with the highlights in the sky well.
Northgate Street.

Again Shooting towards the light, held up pretty well but bridge blocks out interesting view of the church.
London Road.

First of many 'AndyCars' billboards that I have photographed, these are local ads and only one or so should make the final edit to avoid repetition?
London Road.

Bland location with three ads so a wide shot but not much interesting context surrounding this billboard.
Black Dog Way.

Under the railway bridge, with a view of the Cathedral in the distance, however the sky is blown out.
Kinsgholm Road.

Another AndyCars ad and shot towards the light, however the houses hold some interest into the distance. But the highlights are too noticeable to include.
Kinsgholm Road.

Ironic image, Brand new car ad next to a car getting towed away.
Kinsgholm Road.

I also have an image of this scene without the Police presence, however I think this adds interest.
Kinsgholm Road.

Towards the sun again, hard to get a good angle to include the ad, building & stadium behind because of a van to the right out of shot that wasn't going anywhere in a hurry.
Kinsgholm Road.

Another Matalan ad, facing opposite from the cathedral image, I feel there's only room for one and this misses out.
Worcester Street.

Bland image of another AndyCars board.
Hempstead Lane.

Another one towards the weak light towards the end of the day, however there's some interest here with the clothes bank & van to the right.
Trier Way.

There's a few Sky Movies boards already included but I like this image also.
Barton Street.

A big brand exploiting the space on the side of someone's small terraced house, what I started out the capture at the beginning of this project.
St Kilda Parade.

Finally I revisited another Matalan board underneath the first railway bridge, when there was a Cardiff bound train due.
London Road.

New Images

After receiving feedback from my existing edit, I have been back on the streets of Cheltenham looking, re shooting billboards with the wider 18-55 lens and also finding new ads that I have been searching for.

28mm, Age related billboard / 'RIP STONKA' / Retirement home in the background.

Car related billboard located between two car dealerships, could have shot wider?
Red/Orange colours on the left of the frame.

Interesting location on the side of the pub, telegraph pole doesn't intrude on the frame too much as it covers the corner of the building.

Time of day meant shooting towards the sun, glasses related billboard but will not work well on the page.

Wider shot again, another Sky Movies ad, probably better than the previous.

Shot this before at night, Billboard is lighter in this image and there's an ironic billboard advertising shopping in Hereford, between two 'To Let' signs.

Long Shadows, local ad.

These have been added to my second book draft, adding to the existing images and replacing their respective ones:

http://issuu.com/lewismitchell/docs/billboards_2_3f8dae4f70ee61