Comments on: Self reflection : Working on series (again …)

By: Self reflection : Where do I find myself. - Jeff CHANE-MOUYE PHOTOGRAPHY

Self reflection : Where do I find myself. - Jeff CHANE-MOUYE PHOTOGRAPHY — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 06:17:38 +0000

[…] un précédent Blog, je vous parlais d’une introspection que je faisais sur mon travail. L’occasion de me […]

By: Jeff Chane-Mouye

Jeff Chane-Mouye — Sun, 15 Jul 2018 09:35:50 +0000

In reply to Michael Kowalczyk. Thanks Michael for the links. I will have a look at them ! Cheers

By: Michael Kowalczyk

Michael Kowalczyk — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 05:07:04 +0000

Here are two ressources to.help you getting into editing and sequencing.

https://photography.tutsplus.com/series/photo-editing-and-visual-sequencing–cms-763 & https://classerium.com/en/course/the-art-of-effective-photo-editing-and-sequencing

Best, Michael

By: Jeff Chane-Mouye

Jeff Chane-Mouye — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 19:16:06 +0000

In reply to John Harper.

Ah ah, I was a little mocker when I said that some people usually apply for big festivals like SF, Miami, Milano or Miami. I don’t feel like applying to these festivals where I would not be able to be present. Don’ get me wrong. If I lived near London or Miami, I would participate to these festivals. I think that your “British Seaside resort” is an interesting one. Martin Parr just documented Brighton no ? And it was in color ! ;). Just gather enough material to edit the whole stuff later. I’m pretty sure that you might end up with a consistent series.
Regarding the GDPR, you’re lucky, it doesn’t concern UK since the Brexit. But if you happen to travel in Europe, this law is applied in EU countries. The first law suits will give us some information how photography and street photography will be considered. In the meantime, I just ignore that law. Taking pictures of the back of people, or non recognisable people is quickly borring …

By: Jeff Chane-Mouye

Jeff Chane-Mouye — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 18:59:54 +0000

In reply to Alex Coghe.

In documentary and photojournalism, projects and series are almost compulsory. That’s why you’re so comfortable with this. We can see that in your work. For my street work, I have no focus. I just wander in the city, trying to catch any moment I can see in the streets. As you said, it’s at the editing that some series might emerge. That is the case for all the series I’ve been working on. Regarding my other project I’m working on : Tourists in the city, I have a litlle more focus on the tourists with a street mindset. I won’t say that it’s documentary because, the pictures don’t show the reality, but my interpretation of the reality.
What I like about Street is the randomness of the genre (even if you don’t considere Street as a genre 🙂 ). But you’re right, having a different mindset and working with focus can sharpen your eyes.
Thanks Alex for these great insights on your way of working !
Cheers mate

By: John Harper

John Harper — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 09:24:29 +0000

You’ve become quite the globetrotter with your exhibitions; Courthézon, Saint-Raphael 😉 I spent a week in Saint-Raphael many years ago, so I have heard of it! I liked the “Hands Tale”series very much when I saw it in Alex’s magazine, a series makes sense to me (if you shoot a wedding or portrait session then essentially it’s a series). As you know I’ve tried so often to create one relating to Street/Life Photography, usually it ends in failure. Currently it’s British Seaside resorts, although it has to be said Martin Parr pretty much did all the work anyone could possibly create in his book “The Last Resort”. Anyway, your GDPR “Incognito” series works well, there is a well known Street Photographer (his name escapes me) has made a name for himself by never publishing a recognisable face, photos like No.10 fit his style. GDPR doesn’t exist as far as I’m concerned, I’m ignoring it.

By: Alex Coghe

Alex Coghe — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 13:15:36 +0000

I know the challenge to create a series. As editor I can see how many photographers, especially street photographers, don’t have a “serial approach” and when I ask to think for sequences and series, they meet the hard side of photography. As a photojournalist I am used to work for series and sequences. I do this also for my erotic photography projects. And I see how is important (fundamental) for a documentary photographer to have these skills.
I think there is not just an approach to this: for example with my social documentary project ITALIA DOLCE VITA I am applying a lot of the street photographer approach and method by looking for single stories, and yet they need to work inside a project with clear visual and content purposes. When I am busy as photojournalist in a breaking news coverage I think more for sequences and I am worry all the time to create something (making a lot of pictures) with a structure, where I can find after in the editing phase a chronological story with the start and the end. My social documentary can be long term projects and short ones. This makes the things pretty different. In any case social doc requires you an analysis before you go to make the photo shoot, with some steps and ideas you will prepare before, then there is still a margin left to the unpredictable.
Street Photography projects are mostly a collection of photos with a common theme: it happens most of the time to find this after, in the editing phase. I think you achieved to do pretty well with your “Hands Tale” project and I recognized immediately a project with a clear vision and where all the photos fit the theme. It doesn’t matte how much experience in photography can have an observer: also for him, it is clear what you would show.
To be able to make series corresponds to me to a litmus test for real photographers: if you go to make a book or you will have an exhibition, you will be in the situation to make editing of your work in order to have a structure of what you want to show. The same for sending work to agencies or a magazine. If a photographer doesn’t know how “to speak” to an observer (a photo editor in those cases) will be always a 50% photographer or less.