Assessment 2 WIP
Something to do with Corona…
I knew from reading the assessment brief recently that I wanted to capture something to do with the current pandemic. I want to be able to capture an essence of this time to look back to at a later date. We are all currently in this shared chaos where we are having to collectively learn to live in new ways. Some of us have way more time on our hands while others are strapped down and made to be heroes (health care workers in particular). These times are unprecedented; a lot of us are having to re-learn how to do the ordinary things again, we’ve become aliens on our own planet, trying to figure out right actions and protocols.
These times will pass, and when it does it will live on in our memories; as a time of loss, a universal force to slow down, and a coming together to recognise the most important things in life. I want the photos I take for this assessment to enrich the memories of these times in the future to come.
Idea
In researching I saw this image on magnusphoto.com by Martin Parr, in Bristol England. Parr in his image captures a scene of a local park where people are practising social distancing.
There is both a sense of normality and abnormality in this image. There is nothing inherently harmful or dangerous captured here, but the subjects of the image are taking precaution nevertheless.
For my photo essay, I want to spend time in a few locals parks of Brisbane and photograph patterns of play in how people are interacting with each other. I want to intentionally photograph the space between people.
The parks I’m planning to spend time in are:
New Farm Park
City Botanical Gardens
Musgrave Park
Captain Burke Park, Kangaroo Point
As a backup…
I understand that this image was taken in England, and the way people there are practising social distancing may look different to the way people are taking measures here. So as a backup, I’ll broaden the catchment to the city. I’ll attempt the same idea there; people keeping their distance from each other.
Also, while at the parks (and maybe the city), I want to experiment with double exposers. It was an earlier idea I had, and I think it could work well in the scenarios I’m trying to capture. If it all goes well than the collection will be made of 5-7 double exposed photos.
The phrase
Soul of the city. Marty Rubin once said that “parks and playgrounds are the soul of a city.” I believe in this idea, and i want to show that even though the city may seem ‘dull’ for the moment, it is still well and alive. People are still gathering in parks, whilst following all the guidelines giving by government.