Assignment 2: Tutor Feedback

The most important element of the feedback was the sense that Alan had understood the point of the set, the message of rebirth and a new sense of what it is to be German, set against the evils of the past.  He thought all of the images, with a single exception were well composed and technically competent.  Overall another successful assignment and I am well pleased with the feedback.

The image that did not meet the standard of the other is the following:

This is interesting to me as it points to my weaknesses.  I thought this was one of the best images in the set, I like the tension brought by the figures surrounding the empty space, no one engaging with the camera, it looks tense. However, it does not communicate the sense of comfort within the space for which the photograph was selected.  The children playing suggest rebirth, however, they do look rather odd.  I am replacing that image with the following:

This is a much cleaner image, containing a series of highly organized elements, yet broken up by the casual presence of yet more bicycles.  The people add movement and their comfortable postures add to the idea that the Munich Synagogue is now a part of the city, not a threatening reminder of past evil.

This was by far the most challenging set of photographs I have worked on, both technically and intellectually.  I am very please at my tutors feedback and also positive encouragement from other people who have seen the work.

Alan suggested that I spend some time reading Image Makers Image Takers: by Anne-Celine Jaeger.  Now sitting on my shelf of unread books, this is another reminder of a need to contextualize my work against that of others.