Evaluation

FMP Evaluation –

 

The idea for the this project came from seeing and meeting many of the homeless and those sleeping rough around Charing Cross station. Personally it was upsetting to see people living in a station asking for nothing more than spare change but to simply be ignored, most people just looked through them as if they did not exist. This gave me the idea for the project, seeing if there was anything I could do using photography to help.

 

Throughout the project not only did I take some decent photographs but I learnt a lot about who they are and why they are there, as well as learning about the homeless community itself.

 

What I found surprising was their willingness to speak openly to me and be photographed. I have often found that as soon as a camera comes out people change how they act and it becomes more difficult to capture what you want. However this was not the case, all the chaps I met where very calm and acted as though they never saw the camera; which in turn led to some good photographs.

 

There was much to overcome during this project such as being in the right place at the right time. With my subjects being homeless and constantly on the move it meant long hours waiting in stations and surrounding locations for them to arrive. Sometimes they would sometimes they wouldn’t. At points it was difficult never knowing when or where I would be able to shoot but I knew this when I took on the project.

 

If I could have done anything differently I definitely would have chosen to present it in a ‘Cover and Twelve’ format rather than an advert/awareness campaign. It would have meant I could have used much more of my images without the worry of losing context as well as using images that did not suit the layouts.

 

I do feel I have learnt much during this project not only about photography but about what it takes to be a photojournalist. How hard it can be but also how rewarding and downright interesting.

 

 

Narrowed to 3 Layouts for Hand In.

 These three sets of layouts are what I have chosen as my final 3 for hand in.

Layouts cont.

Here I have experiemtened with changing the 'punch line' of the text into red. Works well and balances the text.

 

 

Posting up selections of what could be the final sets of layouts.

Finalizing my Layouts

After researching further into the Shelter Charity I managed to find out what font they generally use - Neue Helvetica - which I have incorperated into my layouts.

 

Doing this and researching Shelter more has made each layout look more realistic and overall better composed.

 

 

As you can see using the correct font and typeface has added a much more professional look to each layout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Layouts

 

With the copy these photographs work a little better, however would work without the copy. As you can easily see what the photographs are trying to show.

Playing around increasing the grittyness. Looking at Lee Jeffries

After researching photographer Lee Jeffries I noticed that some of his work has had various filters and the such added to create a more gritty look to the images. Seeing this I though I would have a go doing a similar thing to some of my work.

Lee Jeffries -

 

My Photographs -

 

 

The difference in my images in quite as pronounced as is Jeffries mainly due to his work being done in a studio with a low ISO and I have shot on location with a very high ISO to create a grittyness 'on camera'

None the less it is interesting post production skill to have learnt.

More Mock Ups + Copy

Layout Mock Ups + Copy

Adshel Bus Shelter Advertising

 

 Tube 12 Sheet

Tube 48 Sheet

When the images are putting into context by using copy they make much more sense as to what they actually are and what they mean. Each image above was shot landscape and cropped to fit.

 

Tube 12 Sheet

 

Tube 48 Sheet

Adhsel Bus Shelter

Each image above was shot portrait and cropped to fit.

 

While I believe that the copy gets the point across and works with the image, the font could probably do with editing.

 

 

Adshel Research

Looking into the type of photographs that appear on Adshel advertising space and comparing them to my work.

 

Quick mock up using Photoshop to see what my work would look like in an Adshel. While the image itself does work in this setting, it looks a little bare without any copy. The image has no context without text. That could easily be a photograph of anyone.

Next Shoot/Plan

As always I will be spending time at night in mainly Charing Cross and the surrounding area due to the large homeless community there. However after meeting the younger chaps last week, I am going to try and find them and ask if I can follow them around for a night. In an attempt to get some more in depth and personal photographs.

Raphael, Charlie, Emma

Last week I spent some time with a group of young people sleeping rough. They where alll very relaxed for me to be there and very helpful. Not just thta but very interesting to speak to and very interested in what I was doing.

 

Rapheal has spent 30 years living around Charing Cross making jewlery and Christmas decorations from cans and bottle caps.