Requirement
8 images
Instructions
- Pick a theme (e.g. a colour, water, transient light, conservation)
- Shoot 8 images that in different ways address this theme
Project
In 18th century England canals provided the transport system which supported the economic revolution that ushered in the modern industrial world. Despite being overtaken a century or so later by the railway, the canal is still with us. What survives? How has our relationship with it changed? What other impressions does it convey?
This project addresses these 3 questions by looking at 8 different sides of canal experience.
Personal experience
This project addresses these 3 questions by looking at 8 different sides of canal experience.
- Locks and weirs (1), boats (2) and engineering (3) are the surviving constants that define what a canal is and what happens on them
- Recreation (4), homes (5) and trash (6) are part of today's relationship
- Reflection [in still water] (7) and [the return of] nature (8) describe two powerful impressions.
Personal experience
Before this project, my knowledge of canals was sketchy. Internet research, pouring over maps and, more importantly, cycling the towpaths during July and August 2012 gave me the insight into canals as revealed in these images.
Learning
Important personal learning as a photographer was:
(Whether this happens as part of this course depends on whether OCA give me an extension, as I am out of time at the end of November 2012).
Learning
Important personal learning as a photographer was:
- Observe more before shooting the subject and take fewer but more effective images: improves focus on meaning and composition
- Manage workflow better, but also get more RAM and use a more user friendly blog service.
What next?
- Add a 'changing seasons' angle to the project: different light, weather, colours (esp autumn)
- Sharpen composition of some images so that their message has more impact
- Replace images which repeat too much of what has already been communicated with ones giving a fresh perspective
Images - the Finalists
The 8 chosen images for this assignment are.
1. Locks and weirs
2. Boats
3. Engineering
4. Recreation
5. Homes
6. Trash
7. Reflection
8. Nature
Tutor's comments
General
Pleased you investigated Canals with such effort and tackled it thematically. Your work is critical in places and visually strong throughout. Even so, you
What survives?
The 8 chosen images for this assignment are.
1. Locks and weirs
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| The weir that drills water like marching soldiers (also a pale tribute to Toshio Shibata's work) Molesey Weir |
2. Boats
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Multi-coloured Narrow Boats at
their summer resting place Wey at Pyrford Marina |
3. Engineering
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The retired winch rusts away
Basingstoke Canal near Maybury
|
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Tourists, packed in like industrial goods,
relive the horse drawn journey up the canal
Wey at Farncombe |
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Converted home, a mill now used as flats
Coxes Mill, Addlestone, Wey |
6. Trash
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Which is the greater abuse: the concrete of the M25
or the graffitti on its supporting pillars? Wey at M25 Bridge, New Haw |
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The water watches as the cyclists
ignore official advice to dismount under narrow bridge Basingstoke Canal, Woking |
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The rotting barge overwhelmed by reeds and weeds
Basingstoke Canal, nr Frimley |
General
Pleased you investigated Canals with such effort and tackled it thematically. Your work is critical in places and visually strong throughout. Even so, you
- should say which particular aspect of the 8 you found most interesting
- should think about what you might like to develop in the future
- could consider how you might use one of the ideas here in a similar way but with a different subject
What survives?
1. Locks and Weirs
Locks and weirs make canals navigable over the rise and fall of the landscape. Their role has not changed for centuries. Locks raise and lower boats between stretches of water of different levels, whilst weirs are the overflow dams that stabilise the water level. Locks seem to have a gentle existence, weirs a violent one.
You show many types of structure here, too many in fact. These types of mechanical/ industrial structure need a more formal, 'typological' approach.
Locks and weirs make canals navigable over the rise and fall of the landscape. Their role has not changed for centuries. Locks raise and lower boats between stretches of water of different levels, whilst weirs are the overflow dams that stabilise the water level. Locks seem to have a gentle existence, weirs a violent one.
You show many types of structure here, too many in fact. These types of mechanical/ industrial structure need a more formal, 'typological' approach.
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| 1a The weir that drills water like marching soldiers... Thames, Molesey Weir Is this the best shot? 1b seems preferable |
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| 1b...the dark calm and the bright fury over the edge Thames, Molesey Weir |
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1c...the (foot) bridge over troubled waters...
Ash Island, Thames, Molesey Weir |
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1d...the incontinent lock,
(Well, it dates from 1653)...
Wey at Weybridge |
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| 1e...downstream, the idle lock reflects its world on one side... Basingstoke Canal at West Byfleet Tidy up the perspective: verticals should be straight to make viewing more comfortable (as well as show a more considered approach) |
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| 1f...and on the other, it traps the toxic looking bloom of algae... Basingstoke Canal at West Byfleet |
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| 1g...whilst, upstream, the lock lets in traffic, whilst lock keeper greets the crew... Thames, Molesey Lock |
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| 1h...the (grid) lock of peak time, midday on a summer Sunday ... Thames, Sunbury Lock |
Boats are the consumers of canals. They always have been, even though the purpose of their journey is no longer carrying industrial and agricultural goods to market and fashions as ever change.
Weakest category: do they tell the story of canals or are just snaps of pretty boats on a day out?
Weakest category: do they tell the story of canals or are just snaps of pretty boats on a day out?
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| 2a Moored multi-coloured Narrow Boats... Wey at Pyrford Marina Strongest image with punchy colour |
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| 2b...the rowing boat at the bottom of the garden... Basingstoke Canal near Frimley |
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| 2c...the skiffs tethered on Regatta day... Thames Valley Skiff Club (founded 1923), nr Walton |
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| 2d...the barge with the curious name... Basingstoke Canal near Sheerwater |
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| 2e...the boats awaiting hire... Wey at Byfleet |
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| 2f...the Dutch barge of the Thames River project, a charity to improve access to the river, negotiates the lock... Thames at Molesey Lock |
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| 2g...the 'paddle steamer' brings a flock of tourists to Hampton Court Thames, Hampton Court |
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2h...the yachts moored cheek by jowl at the marina...
Thames, Hampton Court |
3. Engineering
Canals have always needed industrial ironwork to make them function. Much of it uses technology that has been with us for centuries.
Some nice images. However, this category seems too loosely defined. Some of the images belong to heritage, like rusty cogs, whilst others to current structures. Perhaps you should have focused on current developments, including people working on them.
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| 3a The retired winch rusts away... Basingstoke Canal near Maybury |
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| 3b...brake handles in the weir house... Molesey Weir |
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| 3c...loose chains loafing in the sunshine... Molesey Weir |
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| 3d...button shaped rivets on a green bridge... Basingstoke Canal near Brookwood |
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| 3e...web of scaffolding for a new road bridge... Walton-on-Thames |
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| 3f...outstretched arms of the lock gates... Basingstoke Canal nr Deepcut |
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| 3g...steel gate valves in a row... Molesey Weir |
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3h...the engineer leave his calling card
Wey at Walsham Gates
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What new relationships?
4. Recreation
Whereas the canals were built for commercial transport, today they are venues for recreation - tourists, weekend sailors, fugitives from the rat race, anglers, walkers, cyclists.
Certainly relevant to canals in their modern role. Even so, none of these images feel anything like as engaged as the rest of the work. Are you interested or just ticking the box? Consider creating stronger images by approaching people, asking them about how they use the canal and then shoot something much closer-up (without making it a portrait)
Whereas the canals were built for commercial transport, today they are venues for recreation - tourists, weekend sailors, fugitives from the rat race, anglers, walkers, cyclists.
Certainly relevant to canals in their modern role. Even so, none of these images feel anything like as engaged as the rest of the work. Are you interested or just ticking the box? Consider creating stronger images by approaching people, asking them about how they use the canal and then shoot something much closer-up (without making it a portrait)
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| 4a Tourists, packed in like industrial goods, relive the horse drawn journey... Wey at Farncombe |
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| 4b Family Sunday outing - some talking, some looking, some elsewhere in their thoughts... Thames, approach to Sunbury Lock |
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4c ...lone weekend sailor gets the ropes ready
to moor his boat in the queue for the lock Thames, Approach to Sunbury Lock |
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4d ... long distance traveller (3 month break from
the rat race and his wife, so he told me) waits his turn to enter the lock Molesey Lock |
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4e...crew bunks off
(but who cares? it's a sunny day)
Thames, Sunbury Lock
|
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| 4f...angler settled in for a long session Thames near East Molesey |
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| 4g...stroller and cyclist take to the towpath Walton-on-Thames |
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4h...spiritual presence, memorial to a father much missed...
Basingstoke Canal near Brookwood |
5. Homes
Canals were designed originally for transport not living. However, today they are places some people call home.
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| 5a...converted home, a mill now used as flats, with a view Coxes Mill, Addlestone, Wey Navigation Canal Most striking image, despite tilt in horizon line, although not the most interesting (see 5e) |
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| 5b...building home, shell of a new house boat being painted... Basingstoke Canal, West Byfleet |
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| 5c...moving home, house boat in transit Thames near Sunbury |
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| 5d...tidying up home, householder trims hedges by the canal Basingstoke Canal near Brookwood Most interesting: summer afternoon in home counties, as well as says more about living by the canal than the others |
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| 5e...brightening up home, clown-like face stares out from behind house boat (or does it have a darker purpose?)... Basingstoke Canal at West Byfleet |
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| 5f...owning a 'Des Res' on the river... Taggs Island, Thames |
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| 5g...making a Home Sweet Home, TV aerial, porch, ornamental bushes... Basingstoke Canal at West Byfleet |
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| 5h...remaking of the terraced house Basingstoke Canal at St Johns, Woking |
6. Trash
The graffiti artist and the fly tipper treat the canal as the stage on which to express themselves in trash.
Some strong simple images - see items *. Good work. This category offers a more realistic impression of UK canals.
Some strong simple images - see items *. Good work. This category offers a more realistic impression of UK canals.
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| 6a What is the greater abuse: the concrete of the M25 or the graffitti? Wey at M25 Bridge, New Haw |
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| 6b...nevertheless, intelligent graffitti... Basingstoke Canal at Woking |
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| 6c...not so intelligent (unless it was Richard leaving his mark with a spray can)... Basingstoke Canal near Camberley |
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| 6d...the unintelligible... Wey at New Haw |
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| *6e...supermarket crate under the lily pad... |
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| *6f...floating drums... |
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| *6g...colour co-ordinated waste... |
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| *6h...'Every little helps' Basingstoke Canal at Maybury |
7. Reflection
Still water throws up reflections, sometimes stunning, of its surrounding world
Some nice images but too much effort on composition at the expense of exploring subject in depth
Some nice images but too much effort on composition at the expense of exploring subject in depth
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| 7a The water watches as cyclists ignore official advice to dismount under narrow bridge... Basingstoke Canal, Woking Would work better in Recreation. |
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| 7b...passenger drinks his tea... Wey Navigation Canal, nr Pyrford Lock |
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| 7c ....moving train and bridge leave a streak across the water Wey Navigation Canal, Electricity Station, New Haw |
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| 7d...geometry of light and shadow under bridge... Basingstoke Canal at West Byfleet |
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| 7e...surreal reflection by a row of house boats... Basingstoke Canal at West Byfleet |
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| 7f...empty office block seen upside down in the water... Basingstoke Canal near Woking |
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| 7g...inflow into canal mounted in sandbags... Basingstoke Canal at Deepcut |
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7h...steps and garden at the water's edge...
Basingstoke Canal near Frimley |
8. Nature
Left unused nature reclaims the canal for itself.
Strong category with some critical images. Sits well alongside 'Trash'. Images (b) and (g) speak to neglect. Consider developing this category.
Strong category with some critical images. Sits well alongside 'Trash'. Images (b) and (g) speak to neglect. Consider developing this category.
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| 8a The rotting barge overwhelmed by reeds... |
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| 8b..the narrowing canal as nature moves in... |
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| 8c...reeds sprouting through the algae... |
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| 8d...foxglove overtaking the canal... |
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| 8f...rusting barge makes a career change as a flower pot... |
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| 8g...alive |
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| 8f...dead |
