Writtle facebook event;
Exhibition webpage;
katy al; ART&photography
A little bit of me.
Katyal featured on WSD website
I have been given space on the WSD official website, which hosts a series of images and a short statement about my most recent series.
A short interview can be viewed on the WSD blog
Bobby on the grass
I was asked who my top 5 influences within photography were. I listed my five, I was then asked to talk about one of them.
I picked this image, taken by my grandmother. The man you see is my late grandfather.
Having grown up trawling through the memories my grandmother has captured, I actually began seeing her style of taking pictures, being used within my own work. Her composition and how she captures people and ‘things’ within her works are beautiful.
By taking an image which my grandmother took, I attempted to capture an old image on a new back drop. reflecting her choice in composition I wanted to extent the image against different grounds.
This task has really made me look closer then the nearest art book and made me realize who my inspiration and natural mentor really is – Ill have to text her and tell her, she will be thrilled!
katyal ; memory lane series
‘ava has a memory box’
I have been undertaking a new photographic series titled ‘memories’
As a photographer I am asking friends,family and the public to submit a picture of their memory boxes. This project can be followed on my sister blog here
Female with Colour
My next series of image were designed to continue the theme of directing the gaze of the viewer. My subject applied make up without any mirrors. The only intervention as the photographer was to ask her to slightly exaggerate her application by extending the lips and eye shadow beyond what felt natural by only using colours from the pallet i supplied. This exercise was to take the choices and control my subject would normally have when applying her own make up, which is a second face to the true person beneath it.
I did not want my subject to look like a clown, but the genuine deterioration of the make up, keeping in mind, my subject did not apply her make up with a mirror, she over exaggerated her application, so being unaware of where her make up is, the bright lights made her eyes water slightly so rubbing her eyes, scratching her face and moving her fringe and the use of the netting over her face which directly distorted the make up. Her face turned into something which resembled a mask, a fescade.
This subject aside, I designed this series to practice using symbolic methods of sensuality and sexuality. Make up is normally used to enhance the attitude and confidence to a woman. So what would happen if I took this element and mixed it with instruction. How would this A; make my subject feel and B; how would my viewer feel if I turned something which is beautiful and used it to create a strong representation of a woman who is modelling, but does not look typically beautiful.
I decided to use netting material and see how this visually impacts on the image. The strong colours beneath the material could be seen as something quite surreal maybe an interpretation of what women really feel like beneath this front and mask of a persona she has created untrue to her real-self.
Female in grey.
As part of the development of this project, exploring the direction of the viewers gaze, I wanted to re visiting a series of photographs I wanted to re work them.
I rarely edit my photographs before they are posted onto my on line sketch book, so using black and white I was intrigued to see how I could possibly enhance the images. Either making them more powerful, or understand that the original holds a substance true to life, which doesnot need re editing.
Because the nature of my project, and the subjects being women. I am concentrating on directing the gaze of both women and men over the subject within my images.
Within this series, the images are visually very strong, but as the photographer, I felt that using the natural light, and shadows cast upon the subject added a warmth which is lost through the grey and black tones. There is a sensuality which is held within the coloured shots.
Paper_dress.mov 2#
paper dress /QuickTime Movie/2011/328KB/30 seconds
I took over 300 pictures to make this stop motion animation, but after seeing the movie. The calming and elegant atmosphere is really captured.
paper_dress.mov
Within this series of images of my subject sitting, I really like the composition of the image. How the bare body of my subject is protected by the paper dress, hair covers her face, yet she is in a corner. The direct subject of the viewers gaze.
paper dress /QuickTime Movie/2011/328KB/30 seconds
Her body and language and movements were un-directed. The subject uses free movements, open arms, and no composure. Taking away the elegance expected of a woman.
I asked the subject to look into the camera, the following images are a real capture. How her eyes have caught the eyes of the viewer, as if to suggest that the viewer has been seen watching her. Really striking images in comparison to the second where her eyes are covered. Does this make the viewer feel more comfortable with out the eye contact of the subject, letting them feel free to look for as long as they want?
Purchased memory
Here I am displaying memories taken from a strangers camera. Roughly taken about 40 years ago.
I purchased these slides from a bootsale local to my area. The seller was no relation to the people
whom feature within each slide. In fact, he didn’t even know the slides had images on. I dug out one
box, then realised there were more which had mould on them at the bottom of his cardboard box.
I walked away but went back and brought the slides.
Maybe it was sentimental on behalf of the owners of these slides, or my creative side either way, my
intentions are to reuse these slides for a project of my own and then find the owner and return them.
