Week 3: Allan McDonald Visit.

Research:

I had a hard time finding out how different photographers did their research within the architecture field. I decided to broaden my search to include other fields as well. It was when I was thinking about this, that I remembered what Nick T had said about the way he conducted his research in terms of keeping up with what the public expected of him. Nick T would look at food books and magazines, he even showed us a few of his more favourite resources. This was a different way of working compared to Allan McDonald. Allan McDonald does his research a little differently, through travel and experiencing the sights for himself. I like his method of taking a digital camera and recording the different buildings as well as writing down their locations as he goes, so he can then go back and shoot using his preferred film camera.

Experimentation:

For this experiment I went and found a second hand shop and photographed the interior like he had in some of his works. I visited the shop a number of times to get the exact picture I wanted. What I should've done was taken a photograph on a basic point and shoot and then taken my camera in, as it is, when I went to take the photograph, the shop was just about to close so I was pressed for time. I do like the out come however, even if it is a little different to Allan McDonald's work. The photograph I took is similar in a materialistic way, I have chosen to photograph something that he photographs quite frequently when he can. But where he generally chooses a wall or row of something that interests him. I chose the shelving against a window. There is a lot of light in my image and the shelving is almost silhouetted, there isn't a lot of detail there as there is in his works. I would have liked more time to get it exactly right, but I'm pretty happy with the outcome considering I was pressed for time.

Evaluation:

Second Hand Selection.
 (East Tamaki Road Manukau/Otara.)
 ISO 400. F/9. 1/60.

I do like how the window back lights the shop and contrasts between the colour of the outside world and the shadow of the shop. I think a successful part of the image is being able to see the different shapes, especially the glassware on the shelf by the window. The different colours of the glassware add to the feel, also the different shapes and sizes shows that there aren't complete sets and gives that second hand shop vibe to it. The frames and pictures above the window reminds me of Allan McDonald's work as well, a few of his second hand shops had odd sized frames and shapes hung on the walls. I like that in this photograph those shapes aren't obvious, but you can still see them. The unbalanced nature of the photograph works well for this kind of image. There is some symmetry in the image, but the center structure, chairs and table, unbalances the image and gives it a slightly messy look to it. All of these ideas fit into the theme around the secondhand shop, they aren't meant to be neat and tidy with full sets of cutlery. I like these kinds of shops because you never know what you'll find. In this picture alone there are many kinds of glasses and three different sets of chairs. Overall, this image successfully emulates what I went out to achieve while still being something a little bit different, something more my own. I did like photographing the second hand shop, and I'd like to give it another try with different shops, possibly in a similar fashion to this one. I liked photographing something a little bit different and it certainly gave me some ideas for photographs in the future.