This document discusses ideas for experimental photography projects related to self-discovery. It presents four ideas: 1) Using abandoned buildings to represent memories and history through mixed media and effects. 2) Combining scanography and mixed media portraits to depict hidden emotions behind masks. 3) Using light writing, reflection, and out of focus techniques to show how cities and objects change over time. 4) Creating a still life composition of vintage travel objects and using photomontage to represent the layered experience of rediscovery. Various techniques like light writing, mixed media, and scanography are proposed to bring these concepts to life visually.

1. Task 4
Charlotte Shaw

2. refers to a travel, pilgrimage, or series of
events whereby a person attempts to
determine how they feel, personally, about
spiritual issues or priorities,
“finding out, news, announcement, revelation, disclosure,
realization • the discovery that his wife was HIV positive
Detecting something new, or something
"old" that had been unknown
abstract thought and everyday
experiences
Pilgrimage - a travel, often for
religious enlightenment
Discoveries are often made
due to questions
Coming of age - reaching
maturity, from childhood to
adulthood
Road trips, Adrenaline
Activities and
Travelling
Adventures; maps
globes, compass, lugga
ge
A visual
representation of
your heart’s desire
scovery Thesaurus
‘Keywo
rds’
“Journey Of Self-Discovery"
lead to the invention of
objects, processes, or techniques.
invention, launch, institution, introduction, pioneering,
innovation, initiation, inauguration, induction, coinage,
origination • the discovery of new forensic techniques
breakthrough, find, finding, development, advance, leap,
coup, invention, step forward, godsend, quantum
leap • In that year, two momentous discoveries were
made.
finding, turning up, locating, revelation, uncovering,
disclosure, detection, unearthing, espial • the discovery
of a mass grave in the south-west of the country”
Discovery
Places, surroundings and
objects
Keys
What can it
lead to?
Unlocking/
Mixed media
Mystery
discovering
Emotion of the
Surrounded by a
Memories and
eyes
calming and
the past or
Stereotyping
peaceful
stages of the
Old and New Abandoned and
dilapidated
Transparent
environment and a
life
buildings
healthy lifestyle;
Colour and
green, yoga, fitness,
patterns
More
Planets, Outer
representing
Alain De
than one
Space, Astronomy, Space
music, meditation,
personality What can be
Botton
meaning
Message
Exploration, Solar System
Sentimental
trees
traits
hidden behind a
through the eyes
, Asteroids and
objects
mask
Comets, Galaxy
The life in Life and death
Silhouettes
a building
Puzzles and mind games, bringing
The wear
things together
of a
clothing The changes a place and architecture can go
Scanography
item through the day or through months or years.
Light Writing
A sense of personal discovery
Coloured lights to show energy and life
Harris Shutter
Emotion though the facial
School
Road Side
Representing the galaxies
as a way of showing speed
expressions
Bus Stops
Cafes
Candid photography of the city The pattern and direction of the line
The idea of life and death
Self Discovery
Re-discovering
Freedom
Techniques to
reflect discovery

3. Harris Shutter
Out Of Focus
Considered Camera Techniques
Mixed Media
Light Writing

5. Explanation.
For my first initial idea I have looked at abandoned buildings as a starting point and the
heritage behind this full of memories and the history to this expressive this through visual
means and objects to represent this, to compliment this I will be using colours of a earthy
and neutral tones using effects and sepia filters to reflect this and the ageing of these
buildings, For example old barns, stables and working farming buildings as a perfect
example of the past life of a building and the use of it which has now gone into a state of
disrepair.
In terms of the design behind this the final photographs created will involve the use of mixed
media inspired by this idea of scrapbooking to give it this vintage and homemade effect
and the experimental technique of framing can be a way with a number of different
textures and patterns, layering up papers within the same colour tones. Image
manipulation will be another important part of production as a way to experiment further
using paints to emphases and pull out areas of the photography in an abstract and quirky
way, which will be achieved in brighter neon tones that will stand out from the sepia
background that has been created, which will reflect the energy and life still left within the
buildings even though work was abandoned years ago .
looking at how it connects to the ideas surrounding discovery, it looks at the life that can be
found within such old buildings and the growth that can also be found. The techniques
which will allow me to achieve the photography include the Harris Shutter effect to give
the blur and distorted look to the building and emphasising its dilapidation, while the
brighter colours will help to bring it to life. light writing is another technique that I will use
to be referred to as the ball of energy still living within the building, and so creating a
number of different patterns within this and light up such abandoned building whether this
be by torch, glow stick or sparkler.

7. Explanation.
For my second idea I will look at combining both scanography and mixed media as my
chosen forms of experimental photography which will allow me to develop my skills
within these areas. In terms of content I will be portraits of different people around
the face providing a close up shot. The ideas behind this will give a real eray feel to the
final photography, with the dark shadowing over the face which will help to hide the
eyes and emotion to the face. the hands also portray a strong message to the
audience which will be a significant part to the final product as they will help to
communicate this idea of been trapped and secluded. Within these images I may also
involve different props and objects that reflect the life of that person which could be
anything from dried flowers to keys.
As well as this text could also play an important part at getting the message across
and including different quotes and messages taken from the internet which link to the
ideas of discovery. From these scanned image I will then look to experiment more and
involve mixed media formats, to overlay and provide a contrast between the dark and
monotone image behind, which will be fulfilled by adding cartoon like features onto
the original portraits seen previously in work by Bela Borsodi, which will also be
bright, bold primary colours which will also contrast the monochrome grey and black.
The themes behind my second idea relate to the idea of discovery as it looks at self
discovery, what can be hidden behind a mask or the appearance of someone whether
this be the perception and stereotyping of them, and the stories behind this, such as
what is going on behind the smile.

9. Explanation.
For my third idea I look to include a number of different experimental techniques to create
my final products which is themed around the city and using a variety of light
writing, reflection and out of focus photography to get the right content. With a theme
based around this idea of ‘rediscovery’ I would look at different locations and even
products and the wear and tear they go through, and the changes that are made over time
either from a day to a month or a year. whether this be down to age or to do with the
people that use it or in some cases abuse it, anything from a bus stop to a cafe or even a
piece of clothing aged over time whether it been passed down through generations or
something of a newer kind, and so the colours could be a way of showing this from its
newest condition to ageing through time with the colours faded.
Such ideas where inspired by Alain De Botton a British writer and philosopher also involved
in architecture and the life of a building suggesting that ‘walls have ears’ capturing what
goes on from these on a daily basis.
In terms of looking more in depth into these techniques, the light writing will work well at
night within the city capturing the lights and movement of the traffic and the street
lighting, and traffic lights to create these patterns. Combined with the use of out of focus
shots adding a creative blur and showing a different perspective to the lights in a number of
different shapes and sizes. Reflection is also another technique which could work well when
considering city and street photography in order to get the repetition of the street walls
signs and buildings.

11. Explanation.
Other idea I wanted to look at was this idea of travel, and ideas that can relate to this
such as sentimental objects from specific trips for example;
postcards, stamps, keys, compasses, luggage tags and maps all things that can be
related to such subject matters. However, these types of objects I will be sourcing shall
be vintage pieces to reflect the idea of rediscovery instead of new pieces, which will all
be set up to like a still life photography portrait which will then be scanned through.
Photomontage is another techniques that could be combined with the original
scanned photo, to achieve this layered effect and idea of scrapbook, and within each
of the separate sections to the photograph I will use a different filter effect or pattern
overlay to make the image seem more abstract yet work well and be able to see the
clear whole image which has similarities to cubism.