Assignment Three feedback

Had feedback from course leader, my tutor having been on maternity leave.

Conclusion was simple enough:

"I think this is interesting work, and you have responded well to the assignment."

 

Some criticism of the prints, technical skills:

•  Suggestion of using chromatic aberration feature in Lightroom. Good point - I actually use Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) but functionally now it is the same as Lightroom (I found the way Lightroom imports and files images irritating - ACR uses Bridge, which is less intrusive). ACR does have a chromatic aberration feature that I use sometimes but not always. Tutor noted a red line around the left of the tree trunk in image 3; a very good spot that I missed and would normally have tidied up with the clone stamp tool. Not sure this is anything to do with chromatic aberration. Tutor admits that

  "To be honest the only thing that really jumped out at me was to the left of the tree trunk on the left of the frame in your first image."

  So I would conclude that this was an isolated point, but good spot and a pointer to forensically examine images more;
   
  
• Tutor suggests there is camera shake in the Grotto image (assume he means the 'corridor image'), wondering if a) I used a tripod; b) turned off image stabilisation. Answers: yes (essential in this low light) and no. I had never realised that IS should be turned off when using a tripod so looked it up and sure enough this article suggested so, but, intriguingly, added an exception for Canon lenses post 2000. Looked up the Canon article, which does point put that they added an algorithm some time ago such that their lenses now 'know' when they are on a tripod; consequently IS needs to be turned off on only a few old lenses, none of which I have. Interesting point but I think not applicable - the 'shake' may have been caused by post processing, but I have to say I cannot see quite what tutor means;

 Turning to the subject-matter, tutor says I have:

".....picked a very interesting location which chimes with several points of the course and which clearly haven’t escaped your geographer’s insight – particularly the relationship between this place; the minerals/resources in the ground, and the extravagant and frivolous structures around the gardens that relate to the underworld in a mythical sense (i.e. the grotto…). "

He does add, apologetically that there is a sense of "ticking off these things...to collect/illustrate them". He does not add how better they may have been assembled but the point is valid: I included most of the iconic structures in the portfolio and perhaps fewer with more explanation and emphasis might have been better. The brief was 'up to 12' images, which in theory includes one, so, yes, maybe less would have been more.

Tutor likes the Neptune overseeing the pre-fab houses.This was the best illustrative image; also finds 'nice ambiguity' in other images. The panoramic image and image 13 of the well are well received.

Overall, feel pleased that the subject-matter was well received ; take on board the first technical point and also the 'collection' point.

More generally:

• You’re working through the course diligently and your exercises are written up clearly and shows excellent comprehension; Good - no comment.

• Your contextual research is very strong and shows excellent scholarship. I appreciate there is a lot of coursework and reading, but I would like to see some more of your own photography though: try not to get too absorbed by the ‘theory’ on the course. (And I apologize if this comment seems grating, coming from the course author!) Try things out. Experiment. Interesting point that I have thought about myself. I am probably untypical that I actually like (even prefer) the 'scholarship' side of the course. This perhaps arises because I have no pretensions of becoming a photographer for a living or even to be an overly keen amateur (I shall not prgress further than Levle 2 for this reason). This is a course I do to enjoy the challenge - and the challenge of researching and writing is what I find rewarding as much as the photography. I will include a few more images of my own work on the blog, though.

• Your overview and introduction of the assignment is clear and well written, although it would have been nice (and it’s good practice) to include more of an analysis / interpretation of the work: what do you think has worked? Have you achieved what you set out to…? What do you think needs developing. Your review of the Unit is great, but there isn’t a great deal of self-analysis of your actual photographs. Fair point.