I finally found another photographer who is exploring similar themes to me! Polish photographer, Magdalena Siwicka, shows the disconnect of connecting in her photo series, Daughter. In these dark images, the feeling of isolation whilst connecting lies heavy and thick

“Even though these conversations are supposed to bring us closer, they can leave us very empty.” (Siwicka, 2016.)

Rigg, N 2016, Worlds Apart: A Photo Study in Long Distance Love, AnOther Magazine (online), viewed 15 April 2020 <https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/8359/worlds-apart-a-photo-study-in-long-distance-love>

I spent yesterday shooting some self portraits and photographing items for my project. Since I don’t have access to a studio at the moment, and half of my equipment is still in Japan, I built myself a makeshift studio at home. Luckily I still had a couple of stands hanging around, as well as a single speed light and 3 broken photographic umbrellas. I didn’t have a backdrop, but I thought I’d go with the “it’s supposed to look like a bedsheet” aesthetic. To create this, I tied 2 dog leads between two stands and pegged a double bed sheet to them, and 4L cask wine as sandbags to weight them down. Despite my ingenious creativity,  it just ended up looking terrible. 

So I used the white wall of the living room instead.

I wasn’t really sure what I was going to shoot when I was setting up the space, but as I was doing so I remembered I had a bunch of kimono in my cupboard, and thought that wearing them might forge a good visual link to Japan, and my boyfriend’s nationality too. Building on that, I also had this vague idea that the images could be some kind of homage to the “present that we should be living right now.” (Perhaps subtly referencing what our situation would be like if we were together?)

I think the above image most clearly explains this notion, but in very subtle ways. When I made this image, I had in mind that it represents marriage. The white kimono representing both the white of a western wedding dress, as well as the white robes traditionally worn by a bride in a Japanese shinto wedding. The flowers represent the bouquet, but the fact that they are Australian natives and dead is supposed to symbolise the death of the possibility of marriage.

Maybe that’s too symbolic?

Anyway, I also took some different shots, including some of items (particularly the necklace pictured above, which is from Shinya and which has particularly deep significance that I won’t go into detail about here.)

I also photographed my own hair, which I know is revolting, but maybe it could be used for something?

After doing a quick selection, I also started playing around with different combinations of images, and thinking about the types of mini narratives that they might evoke. I like the way that they almost force meaning, and am interested to see what type of meaning others would draw from particular combinations of images.

I also took some other styles of self portraiture earlier in the week. I wanted to experiment with aesthetic, and also “the odd placement of bodies,” both of which I have seen used in the visual research conducted this week. The first image here was taken just after an upsetting FaceTime conversation with Shinya. The second, square image, is posed, but reflects how I feel about the whole isolation situation at the moment.

Although Rosaline Shahnavaz is more of a commercial photographer than a photojournalist, I am inspired by her documentation of a young girl, Fern. (1) The image that were taken over a 1 year period have also been published as a book, titled Fern, after the name of the subject. I love the loose nature of them, and the almost snapshot-like aesthetic. As a viewer, I feel as though I am experiencing the authentic moments and emotions of the scenes. 

In an article found in the British Journal of Photography online (2), Shahnavaz comments,“I casted Fern for a campaign I was shooting, and we clicked right away. She showed up wearing thigh-high white PVC boots with about 600 button holes (God speed to the stylist) and she’d texted me the night before to see if she’d need to shave her armpits, because she’d been growing her hair for four months and really didn’t want to. We had a special dynamic straight away and I couldn’t stop casting her after that.” (1)

I’ve also been inspired by the aesthetic of Shahnavaz’s test shoots (above), which are very natural and organic.

(1) Shahnavaz, R 2017, Fern, photograph, viewed 14 April 2020, <https://www.rosalineshahnavaz.com/fern/>

(2) British Journal of Photography, 2017, Book: Fern by Rosaline Shahnavaz, viewed 14 April 2020, <https://www.bjp-online.com/2017/07/book-fern-by-rosaline-shahnavaz/>

I accidentally stumbled on this series by Annie Tritt whilst researching technology’s influence on relationships. Despite not being related to what I was actually looking for, this single image from the series really caught my eye. I love how natural and soft it is in mood, as well as the subtle tones, and the curved lines that lead the eye through the frame.

This image is from a series of portraits depicting transgender youth in America. There are others in the series too, but this is the one that caught my eye most.

Tritt, A 2018, Huck Magazine, viewed 14 April 2020, <https://www.huckmag.com/art-and-culture/photography-2/annie-tritt-transcending-self/>

Solis, R 2006, ‘Mobile Romance: An Exploration of the Development
of Romantic Relationships Through Texting’, Pilipinas: A Journal of
Philippine Studies, vol. 45, pp. 18-28.

Solis’ study investigates the capabilities of texting as a means
to develop intimacy in a romantic relationship. This research explores the circumstances
under which the relationship is formed, the levels of intimacy reached, and the
characteristics of texting that facilitate the relationship. Solis surveyed 73
initial participants, with 43 of those participants selected for further, in-depth
questioning. Results of the surveyed participants show that when initiating a
romantic relationship, the autonomy and anonymity of texting were key factors.
In regard to the maintenance of a romantic relationship and the development of
a higher level of intimacy, the most important factors were the accessibility,
immediacy and affordability of the technology. Solis disputes existing opinions
which state that texting is impersonal due to its lack of visual and aural cues,
revealing that couples compensate for this by using smiley faces and other personalised
shorthand.

Solis is a research instructor at the Ateneo de Manila
University. He has a wide repertoire of published journals and book chapters
and has presented papers at international conferences throughout Asia and
America. His work focuses on the development of media and communication,
particularly within communities in the Philippines. Solis maintains that
existing theories on the use of technology as means of communication between
couples should be reviewed, claiming that this form of communication should not
be discarded as superficial. Whilst results of this investigation will be
useful to the formulation of my essay, the research does have some limitations.
Firstly, the study focuses solely on texting and does not explore the use of a
broader range of technologies, including those with visual or aural
capabilities. Secondly, the research places emphasis on relationships that are initiated
via texting, rather than also including relationships that originated offline.

This afternoon I did some research on the Japanese photographer, Hiromix (ヒロミックス) after having her work recommended to me. Her real name is Hiromi Toshikawa (利川 裕美.) Hiromix became famous when she won the 11th New Cosmos of Photography competition, sponsored by Canon, and it was in this online gallery (1) where I found her work, Seventeen Girl Days. The artist’s statement on the website reads;

“The daily life of a 17-year-old high school student is full of danger. Radical days. Passing days. A sadly pitiful world. Why is love painful. ROCK IS MY LIFE. I’m scared that I’m getting closer to becoming an adult. I live, reflecting upon myself.”

The series depict regular, everyday life from a teenager’s perspective.

Photojournalist Alex Coghe presents a review of Hiromix’s work on his blog (2), and includes this quote which was originally found in the International Herald Tribune in 1999;

“Women were expected to be on the other side of the lens, to pose and generate sufficient artistic aura. What female photographers there were followed the rules, based on a strict master-apprentice system. Fledglings fetched, carried and swept, besides mastering the technical jargon and lighting all for at least three years before getting permission to look through the sacred lens.

Hiromix sidestepped all that, most likely in her red spike heels. She had never taken a course, never studied with anyone and wouldn’t know a print dryer if she fell over it. She admitted freely that she didn’t know what a strobe looked like but ‘it doesn’t matter because my camera flashes automatically!’” - Shoji, Kaori. “Young Women Behind the Camera Craze in Tokyo.” International Herald Tribune. International Herald Tribune, 16 Jan. 1999.

I also found a video flip-through of Hiromix’s photbook, ‘Japanese Beauty’ on vimeo (3), but I cannot embed the video in this blog due to permissions.

In an article (4) for the Independent, writer Richard Lloyd Parry notes that Hiromix is “[Japan’s] first teen photographer idol.” (Lloyd Parry, 1999.)  In an interview with Hiromix, conduced in Tokyo, he discovers that “her early work was all shot with a compact point-and-shoot camera of the kind that every high school girl carries round in her handbag.”

In the interview, Hiromix herself asserts that, “there are two kinds of photographs. Fake photographs and documentary. I hate fake photographs! I hate so-called fashion photographs!”

In terms of resonating with my own folio, I do like the aesthetic and rawness of some of the photographs I have found, but I do have this sense that the photographer is trying to portray herself in a particular light, rather in a genuine way (this is backed up in the interview by Lloyd Parry, where Hiromix explains that she deliberately tries to depict herself as cool and edgy, rather than “cute.”) I don’t particularly connect to her earlier work, but I do like some of her later, more editorial style imagery which retains a similar aesthetic but feel more refined (such as the below images, shot for Kenzo. (5))

(1) Hiromix, 1995, Seventeen Girl Days, photographic series, viewed 12 April 2020 <https://global.canon/en/newcosmos/gallery/grandprix/1995-hiromix/index.html>

(2) Coghe, A 2013, Hiromix 利川 裕美 : Girls Power, Alex Coghe, viewed 12 April 2020, <https://www.alexcoghe.com/hiromix-利川 裕美-girls-power/>

(3) Photo Book Store UK 2015, Hiromix - Japanese Beauty, video, viewed 12 April 2020, <https://vimeo.com/106924726>

(4) Lloyd Parry, R 1999, Hiromix: Portrait of the Artist as a Little Madam, Independent UK, viewed 12 April 2020, <https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/real-people-interview-hiromix-portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-little-madam-1077349.html>

(5) Hiromix, 2016, Endless Day In Tokyo, photographic series, viewed 12 April 2020, <https://hypebae.com/2016/7/kenzo-hiromix-endless-day-in-tokyo>

Gardner, H & Davis, K 2013, ‘Apps and
Intimate Relationships’, The App Generation: How Today’s Youth Navigate
Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World, Yale University Press, New Haven, pp. 92-119.

This book chapter questions whether developments in
modern technology are beneficial or detrimental to the quality of interpersonal
relationships. The findings are based heavily on research conducted on American
teenagers and are interpreted within two distinct frameworks; identity and
intimacy. The former states that technology allows for the curation of an online
persona but imposes pressure to be constantly available and reactive. The latter
suggests that technological connections result in a reduced capacity to express
empathy, as well as an increased sense of isolation. Gardner concludes that
technology has given humans the ability to be constantly connected, whilst simultaneously
feeling more alone. Gardner is a highly awarded developmental psychologist and research
professor, who has published 30 books and who founded the Theory of Multiple
Intelligences. Despite coming from a highly credible source, this chapter’s
heavy focus on the online interaction of youth, particularly within the context
of friendship rather than romantic intimacy, renders it only partially relevant
to my research essay. 

I have been experimenting this week with different methods of image making, some of which are more unconventional than others. But at this stage, I am trying to be open to non-traditional methods of documenting visually. I’ve found that in comparison to my past methodologies (particularly with my commercial work), I feel a lot freer and experimental  at this current time. I think this has, in part, to do with the vast amount of research that I am doing for this project, in addition to the limitations posed by the COVID-19 isolation restrictions, which force problem solving.

I shot my first self portrait (above), using my Mamiya 645 DF and Leaf Aptus II digital back. I’ve never actually used it for self portraiture before. This used to be my main studio camera, as it struggles in low light and worked best in conjunction with studio flash, but I don’t mind the slight grain that is visible when viewing the files up close. I shot about 10 different frames in this set-up, and kept my environment exactly as it was. However what I find strange (amusing?) is that despite working in a photojournalistic style, this is obviously a fabricated scene. Being a self portrait, I am setting up a frame and a narrative, and controlling how I appear in it. Does this make it in-authentic? 

I have also continued to photograph my coffee cup every morning, and the collection is coming along nicely. I like the way that the repetition of an object that is ‘the same but not’ forces the eye to draw similarities, notice differences, and look for patterns. It also makes me think that maybe I drink too much coffee.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I am asking Shinya to take a photo in Osaka from the same spot every day, and so far he has delivered the goods. It appears that he is taking care to frame the image as carefully as he can, although he says that he is just “taking one second to shoot it” on his way to work. I think this will look great as a double page spread in the photobook I plan to produce. The sakura tree is starting to turn green and loose its blossoms. I also really like the inclusion of other figures in the scene (I am not sure if this is intentional or not) particularly the bike. Looking at these images reminds me of the photos that one of the main characters in Smoke (1995) took every day in front of his store. (I wrote some notes on the movie here.)

I also thought it might be interesting to do the same thing with a scene in my neighbourhood, but unfortunately I don’t have any deciduous trees nearby that will signal a change in season (gum trees look the same year round!) However I started documenting the front of my parents’ ugly suburban house. I’m not sure yet if they will be useful for my main body of work, but whilst I have a chance to ‘collect’ images, I will build up as large a database as possible.

I also went on Google Earth for the first time ever, after seeing some of my classmates use it to produce interesting works. I found my house in Osaka, and my house in Melbourne, and they are interesting to compare in terms of space and line (I even noticed that the white balance looks different- the colour of the light is perhaps different due to the atmosphere.) Again, I am not sure if this type of digital collateral will fit into my final work or not, but for now I have it saved.

Finally, I started experimenting with alternate forms of image making by using the ‘document scan’ feature of the Notes app in my iPhone. I was thinking about the passing of time again, and thought it might be interesting to document my meals. (Actually, I always take photos of food I made and send it to Shinya. He always responds with comments of jealousy and longing because he is un creative in the kitchen.) But I thought that it might be more interesting to document the empty plate after I had finished a meal. I feel as though this nods to the sense of emptiness or dissatisfaction of eating alone, rather than with Shinya. Like I am showing the audience the ‘meal,’ but they do not get the satisfaction of seeing the food. All that they can see is the description of the meal, written in my handwriting below the plate or bowl.

As I mentioned, I used the document scanner to create these images. Even though this app is supposed to be used to scan 2D documents, I have used it to capture 3D objects. You have to ‘scan’ the item from an angle that is almost directly above, so that it doesn’t warp. I actually really like the ‘raw’ aesthetic of it!

• ‘When making a documentary work, people will talk about the subject, rather than the visual strategy or the visual approach.’ p.98.
• Pinckers used ‘fiction to recreate a truth that was imagined in the first place. It’s a delicate balancing act, he admits, but that is exactly what makes it so interesting.’ p.99.
• W. Eugene Smith said that he ‘doesn’t object to staging if and only if he feels that it is an intensification of something that is absolutely authentic to the place.’ p.101.
• “I didn’t write the rules- why should I follow them?” W. Eugene Smith,The New York Times, 3 March 2013. p.101.
  
• “The honesty lies in my, the photographer’s, ability to understand.” W. Eugene Smith. p.101.
  
• Staging photography is a taboo in traditional documentary photography. p.101.
• Creating meaning through editing, rather than creating a concept and then illustrating it.  p.102
• On editing and sequencing: ‘[it relies] not only chronological or visual connections between photographs, but also making use of symbols and metaphors.’ p.103.
• ‘Image binding is a fiction the author creates by having one photograph following another in sequence.’ p.104.
• “When a photobook begins to happen, the stores in a sense has already been written.” Doug DuBois. p.104

• Photography has ‘codes’ (eg: advertising ‘code’ makes the audience feel they are being sold to.) Photojournalistic ‘code’ could include pixellation or amateur footage, as this seems ‘more real.’ p.105.
• ‘Aesthetics play a role in making us believe what we are seeing.’ p.105.
• The reality of an image doesn’t exist if you are capturing or creating work about a topic that the event of which happened in the past. p.106
• Thinking about creating a photo book- it is a more intimate and slower experience than viewing work in a gallery. Work could be printed faintly, or placed behind or in front of other images, obscured. How does the layout and printing of the book enhance the messages of the story, or encourage the viewer to see the work in the way in which the author would like them to experience it? p.107.

Vanthuyne, S 2020, ‘Fiction as a Visual Strategy  in the Photobook: How Contemporary Photographers Challenge the Documentary Genre through the Printed Page’ in N Wynants (ed.), When Fact Is Fiction: Documentary Art in the Post-Truth Era, Valiz, Amsterdam, pp. 96-111.

Notes on ‘Globalizing Intimacy: The Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Maintaining and Creating Relationships’

Valentine addresses globalisation and its impact on the traditional
family model, as well as the role of technology in maintaining present-day relationships.
The text challenges the assumption that physical proximity is a necessity of
intimacy in a relationship, instead arguing that technology can assist with maintaining
intimacy in times of physical absence. The research highlights the influence of
modern technology on both family relationships, and romantic relationships. The
article concludes that whilst digital intimacy is an effective method of maintaining
the feeling of intimacy in the lack of physical presence, it is not a complete substitute.
Valentine is a professor at The University of Leeds, a published author, and an
internationally renowned researcher who has received grants from various councils,
charities, and government departments. As my essay explores the validity and
authenticity of digital intimacy, the examples of technology’s effect on relationships
will aid the integrity of my argument.

Valentine, G 2006, ‘Globalizing Intimacy: The Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Maintaining and Creating Relationships’, Women’s Studies Quarterly, vol. 34, no.2, pp. 365-393.