Email conversation with tutor re subject of assignment 4 advertising

Email conversation with tutor re subject of assignment 4 advertising

On 14 June 2016 at 11:18, Jennifer Hollands <jennifer423792@oca.ac.uk> wrote:

Hi Katrina

I've now moved on to assignment 4 and have been giving it some thought.  Below is the main part of the assignment to remind you:

·       "Develop and produce images for a calendar. The calendar should show two months on each page so you’ll need six in total. You’ll also need a seventh image for the cover.

·       Research a company that you find interesting which creates a calendar product for a market that you can relate to.

·       Produce an exciting and creative calendar that does not revolve around featuring the product."

I've had some ideas about the assignment already.  Living in Lyme Regis, where the scenery is gorgeous most of the time, it would be too easy just to run around, take a few snaps and call it a day.  I bounced ideas off my photographic friends and one suggested I focus on the RNLI life boat and its crew.  This was muddling round my head and I started to think through what to photograph that hadn't been covered before and how to put a new slant on it when another friend suggested, what I think is a better subject.  We have one of the few boat building academies in the country here at Lyme which builds amongst other things wooden boats.  The smell of the wood as you walk by is amazing and seeing boats created from pieces of wood tugs at the senses. Their website is at

http://www.boatbuildingacademy.com/

I think I can use this academy to produce an eye-catching calendar, what do you think?

On 14 June 2016 at 14:32, Katrina Whitehead <katrinawhitehead@oca.ac.uk> wrote:

Hi Jennifer

I think it is important to photograph what you feel most passionate about. However, I would say that if you were going down the RNLI route, it would be important to meet with them to discuss producing the calendar for them in order to raise money for their charity. Both companies have potential for some interesting (social documentary?) images. 

Katrina 

On 16 June 2016 at 10:21, Jennifer Hollands <jennifer423792@oca.ac.uk> wrote:

Hi Katrina

I've definitely decided to go with the boat building academy as I think there is more opportunity there than with the life boat personnel as most of their action takes place at sea.  I'm not sure I'd be allowed to travel with them and anyway, I can't swim.  Would you advise me as to whether I should focus on one student or feature several throughout the pictures?  Personally, my idea would be to feature several but I'd appreciate your ideas.

Thanks

Jennifer

Katrina Whitehead

10:36 to me

Hi Jennifer

Definitely feature several students which will give more scope. Also outdoors and indoor shots will be good.  

Katrina 

Ready to launch

Although it's jumping the gun a bit I've started photographing the students and their work at the boat building academy to illustrate a calendar for their use.

I've been into the workshop twice now as the students were finishing up their hand made boats and attended a boat launch.  I haad to go today because there would be another boat launch until next year due to the structure of the  38-week courses.

I'll need to wait a while whist another course gets started in the next few weeks so that I can get in at the start of the boat building programme.

Yesterday was the end of the 38-week course on boat building so I had to get along to see the boats launched.  Sadly there were only 3 heading for the water this time but there was plenty of opportunity to get some pictures.  I couldn't believe the number of people and dogs that were there to see the launch.  Things were running badly behind as brass fittings were only just being screwed into place as we all watched.

It was very emotional to see the creators of these magnificent boats taking to the water at last in something they had made with their bare hands.

Regina Frei

Regina (seen here on the right of the picture) joined the Academy from Switzerland where she worked in arts administration. She loves to row, sail and swim (regularly swimming in the sea. Regina’s other passion is singing and she has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Voice. Wanting to learn new more practical skills to combine with her love for rowing and sailing, Regina decided to join the 38 week course. As part of her training she is building a traditional clinker Ian Oughtred ‘Guillemot’ rowing and sailing dinghy using wherever possible, eco friendly materials.

Photographing boat launch

Talk about back to front, I've started photographing the local boat building acadamy (one of only 3 in the country) to build a portfolio of images enough to produce a calendar of 6 images for this assignment.

Today, June 9th, the BBA held a launching ceremony to put some of their newly build boats in the water for the first time.  I knew it would be busy but I hadn't imagined the number of people who turned up along with dogs and children.  Also the number of people with cameras who were determind to take that one iconic image.

I took this image to practice my depth of field and felt it's came out well.  Not only were the red handled pliers out of focus but also everything behind the block was too.  This was done with shutter manipulation not in post production using the filter gallery and shake reduction filter.