Possum Skin

It turns out Possum skin isn't a readily available item for purchase. I am going to have to reconsider how I go about this idea.

I do remember as a child having the skin and fur off of a possums tail which was bought as a souvenir among our family's travels.
It could also be possible to catch a possum and skin it myself using that for the wallet. This would make a real statement.

Possum: The Pest

One of many gorgeous creations made with Possum Fur

Images found at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/possumnz/sets/72157606426355886/
http://jriddell.org/photos/2005-04-24-sydney-possum.jpg

Time

Going into study break I have been thinking of what I can capture to portray time. I had a few below decent ideas.

The first idea was of a place that portrayed time for one reason or another. There is one place that I have visited recently which was a path up to a power pylon. The path was barely recognizable as it had been covered by growth.

The path is so covered with green growth that navigating my way through it was a challenge.

There was even a discarded toilet hidden among the growth.

When I see this I ask myself 'how long has it been since somebody actually cared for this place?'






My second idea was to portray age through static images of people. Using Jodi Bieber's work in South Africa as a precedent I could capture people in natural situations to emphasize their age.

Bieber uses age to tell tales of poverty and sadness like in an image of a child prostitute who started that line of work at only 14 years old. I would use age to emphasize change and routine in life. This wouldn't necessarily have a preset emotional theme but each person photographed would give their own emotions to the images.







My third idea was to treat time in regards to life and death. I couldn't take photos of dead people [I don't know any]; so I would use animals. I have thought of contrasting life, by using a picture of  a cow, with death, by using a picture of a family BBQ.

I have thought more and more about this idea as it seems the most practical.
I have thought that instead of just one contrast I could produce a chain of interlinked photographs illustrating a sort of circle of life, strarting with a cow eating grass, the next image would be a family BBQ but focussed on the dog on the ground chewing on a cow bone. the third image would be a dogs grave. surrounded by tufts of grass. The fourth image would be an extreme close up of a worm farm.

This idea of a sort of circle of life I think works well. the cows feed on grass and then become sustenance for the dog, the dog is buried in rememberance and then consumed by annelids [worms] and detritivores [other organisms that break down dead matter], the excess is used as nutrients by plants like grass, which in turn feed animals like cows.

 

The above are some more shots of the cows, I think that close ups of them are more intimate, and allows people to think of them as living creatures rather than just meat.

Also here is a picture of a goat.

What's it doing at the beach?

Wallet Concepts

Concepts for three different wallets are under way.

#1. Exploded wallet.
Wallet that falls apart in a controlled way. It is different. I hope it will be useful. Could be attractive to a niche market of non-conformists. Intended mood: Rebellion

#2. Possum Fur Wallet.
Wallet made of Possum skin and fur instead of leather.
Fur will create a soft tactile experience on users fingers. User should feel pleased for using a product originating from New Zealand and a product made whilst ridding New Zealand forest of possum pests. User should feel elegant for possessing a fur wallet.
Intended moods: Austerity and Glamour

Note: objects made from animal fur are usually fairly expensive and often frowned upon. In this idea I am (hopefully) inverting both of these notions, as possums are everywhere in New Zealand I assume it isn't too expensive a material to purchase; Also as possums are a pest I am hoping that people will be for this product as it encourages the eradication of the pest in a humane way.

#3. Wallet with Digital Swipe Lock.
A wallet with limited accessibility to people who do not know the swipe code.
Inspired by  the swipe lock security in LG touch screen cellphones. The wallet will not open until the swipe lock has been figured out.
Intended mood: Comfort.

Note: I am not confident in my ability to make a working prototype of this. Instead I will aim to create a wallet with a space to hold an LG cellphone. The use of this will require some imagination.

Between Dogs and Wolves

The book "Between Dogs and Wolves" by Jodi Bieber has provided me with some incredible documentary photography. It is insightful. Bieber's photography shows a completely different world from what I am used to here in New Zealand.
The photography is all shot in South Africa and is aimed mostly at young poor people.

I have been inspired as to how graphic the snapshots of life [and death] are. they capture a snippet of life that is completely foreign to me.


In my next project I am to illustrate time. I have been thinking of doing this through age. Jodi Bieber redefines our concept of age in the following pictures.
These images challenge our understanding of ideas of the appropriate age.

Although the captions accompanying these images may be fairly long winded, they give a lot of insight into the meaning of the images.

"Tebugo is a child prostitute working on the streets of Johannesburg. When she was fourteen a man from her hometown of KwaZulu-Natal promised to put her through school in Jo'burg. When they arrived in the city, he said she would have to make money by selling her body on the streets - 'I charge R50 for a black man and R150 for a white one. We use condoms and I have blood tests at the local clinic. My family doesn't know I am here. They think I am at school. I would like to go back to school, so I can be a lawyer one day and fight for our rights.'"

"... When Bradley, her youngest son (7), gets angry he responds with a knife; behaviour learn in the streets is brought back home. The only way Lynette seems to know how to discipline her children is with a  leather belt. Her son Wardlen (11), once stabbed her. Many women are left alone to care for and discipline their children, as their husbands are either in jail, on the run from the law or have been killed through gang violence. Lynette has pleaded with the Welfare Department to take her kids away from Westbury, as she believes it is not a suitable place for children to grow up in. However, life goes on..."

"'There is not a kid around six who can't tell you about a gun. My kid is 5; I take my gun home, remove the magazine and give it to him to play with. He must get used to it. He is the only man in the house; he will be the breadwinner. It is not to say that I want him to be a gangster, but he must be gun-wise because guns can be dangerous, even in your own house.' - Fast Gun member."

"We tend to believe that sexual abusers are strangers, yet they are generally people close to the child. The Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, has a Kid's court Support Group aimed at empowering child witnesses who will have to testify in court. They are given emotional support, and taught about the court process and the skills to deal with it, through puppetry."

Captions by Jodi Bieber from the book Between Dogs and Wolves, Growing up with South Africa




The interesting thing about these photographs is that there is a feeling of a loss of innocence in the people captured. We seem to think of our childhood and teenage years as carefree and innocent but for people in other parts of the world they must deal with violence, rape, neglect, death, loss of loved ones, and countless other traumas. 

I don't wish to portray a loss of innocence in regards to age, instead I wish to capture age in a static image that is not only beautiful, but also honest.

The images that I can produce will be very different to Jodi Bieber's images but they will be beautiful and honest.

Weekly task : Exposure

This week I had two tasks, one was a photo of a long exposure +5 seconds.

With a 20 second exposure in a darkish place and a stationary camera I was able to play around with coloured objects to create distorted shapes. I used a green glassed bottle to create ghostly images.

I also had to get an image with a really quick exposure. A fraction of a second long.

I used a shutter speed of 1/4000 to allow very minimal light into the lense. this created a dark, brooding image even though it was daylight hours.

Final Hand-in Sensory Ethnography Research Diary

The Wallet.

Open it up and see what is inside.

You will find information

 And interesting, personal bits and pieces

Exploring this wallet is an experience created through five peoples own experiences
Look at all of the senses and secrets it has to offer.

My sensory ethnographic research diary was concerned with a person’s wallet. I observed five people while they each made a transaction focussing intently on their interactivity with the wallet as well their sensory experience as a whole.

The information I have gathered is to do with the intimate relationship a person has with their wallet and also the awareness of sensation had throughout the entire experience.

I interviewed each of the people I observed. I first asked them to explain the transaction in their own words. I then asked them a series of question focussing on the five senses: sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste. I then asked them to once more explain the transaction in regards to their sensory experience. Lastly I asked if there were any objects within their wallet they have a personal relationship with.

There was a large variety of information given during the interviews. There was a lot to tell about some of the senses like touch: “I picked up the can which was perspiring. There was moisture on it. It was a bit cold”; but not much at all to say about others like taste for instance where there was no taste at all. Some of the senses evoked more emotion than others: “I saw the male server. I was happy I got him because I don't actually like the girl; she messed up my coffee one time”, some none at all. 

My final ethnographic diary is presented in the form of a wallet. I have taken the information about the sensory experiences of people with their wallet and of the larger area of where the transaction took place and presented this on business cards, objects commonly found in wallets. The images on the business cards are of the people who I observed; and the contents of these people’s wallets at the time. This is more visual information that we can use to observe the people’s character.

Also contained within the wallet are the following things:

A key. One person had a key in their wallet to remind them to take their wallet out and to unlock the house.

A Poem about death. This was one of the interesting things a person’s wallet, reminding them of a loved one.

Train tickets. Several people used the train. One person collected them because they liked the colours.

Coins. Most people I observed had some coins in their wallet. These were described as making a “ting tinging” noise.

Stamps. One person had these in their wallet for when they needed to send a letter.

Raffle Tickets. One person obtained outside of Hope Brothers Bar to gain cheap drinks in the bar.

The results of my research are:

I have gathered information concerning each of the five main senses throughout a paid transaction done by different people in different locations.

I have an appreciation for the small things that people notice when making a paid transaction.

I have insight into the diverse uses for a wallet based on the contents of wallets I have observed.

I am more conscious of the emotional attachment people may have with items concealed in their wallets.

I am aware that some people have specific sensory interactions with their wallets, items within their wallets and the different environments where paid transactions take place.

CCDN231: Experimental Design Ideas

Jayden Hamilton

ID number: 300251169

Tutor: Kath Foster

15/08/2013

Interview Snippets.

These are the best snippets from the interviews which I will use in my final Sensory Ethnographic Diary Wallet


#1
It was regular fabric. It was rough along the seams. It was relatively easy to pull out of my pocket.

Sound: Not much because it [My wallet] was empty.

Smell: The pies in the warmer next door.

It was fairly empty at that time of day. Normally there are more people around.

I couldn't taste anything.

I picked up the can which was perspiring. There was moisture on it. It was a bit cold.

#2
I can usually tell which card I have in my hand just by the touch of the numbers on my EFTPOS card.

Sound: The card leaving the wallet. The sound of friction of the leather against the plastic.

I saw the male server. I was happy I got him because I don't actually like the girl; she messed up my coffee one time.

There is one thing I usually look out for. I'll see if they have this choc-berry thing. If it's there I get it. It's vegan but it's good. You can't say no to good food.

Taste: The taste of coffee in the air.

The wooden counter-top. 'Touch Wood'. That's always something that I like to do.

I always have my key in my wallet. It reminds me to take my wallet out. And if I have it I can get back into my house.

#3
But I didn't see her put the money in the cashier.

I did touch the desk.

There may have been some workshop noises.

There was a wooden smell. A workshop aroma.

No taste.

#4
I've got lots of cards so when I open it it's very colourful.

There are receipts over flowing from the pockets because my EFTPOS card takes a bit of a thrashing.

I really hate touching the EFTPOS buttons. They were rubbery and gross.

I tasted my coke after the transaction.

Smell: Food smell. Subway. Bread and meat.

I collect train tickets because I like the colours on them.

I keep this poem in my wallet. It's about death.

#5
My wallet has its own smell because of the different places I've used it and the different places it is kept when I'm not using it.

The sushi shop was low in stock because it was coming to the end of the day. There was not as much to choose from.

The environment had a chill to it, that could have been from keeping the sushi fresh.

The only smell I smelled was sushi.

Most objects have a special memory associated to them which is why I keep them in my wallet.

I have also got little gum wrapper messages from my boyfriend.






These will be compiled into business cards and put into a wallet diary.

100 Photos.

I made two attempts at taking 100 photos in 100 steps.
My first idea was a bit cheeky, I took 100 photos whilst walking on a treadmill watch here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss7-AXhIiEw

As the first video did not have a very nice effect I changed it slightly to show myself walking to the treadmill and then walking on it. I also changed framrate throughout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tatLVg8o63U

I will continue to experiment with more diverse techniques.

Enjoy.

Furthering Television Moods

My plan to further my photography project of television moods involved first getting the television to change colour.
To do this I woul either burn a DVD with coloured video like at the links below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvX-GkesJaI
Green
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnbcYpg-OqI
Purple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyiTCIPx0cY
Red

or I would have burnt pictures of those colours to a DVD and project them through a play station or dvd player onto the television.

Next I would have set these up in different locations such using the colour of the screen to alter the percieved mood of the environment.
eg. I would have used a red screen to alter the mood in the garage to dangerous. Using the red to highlight sharp objects like manual saws and chainsaws and hedge trimmers.

Final Hand-In , Television Moods - Azure

Creation of colour

I have found out that I can use the television and set it to blue so that instead of static I get a blue screen instead. This allows me to light my scenes with a blue light and create a completely different mood.
I have used the blue light in the spa house in junction with the water of the spa and the spas own blue light to create an eerie alien atmosphere.

 This image has lit up the top of the spa cover and the small table next to it. there is some really cool blue glow in the image.
There is a lot of black space which I really like about this image as it leaves us lots to guess about and really emphasizes the TV's glow.

 The spa is half open, there are interesting reflections in the windows. I like how the TV is present in the bottom left corner a constant reminder of what is lighting and framing what we see.

The spa cover off completely with the spa light on as well as the television. For anyone not educated as to what a spa is you would be forgiven to think it is a machine for travelling space or time, this image makes it look like the machine is starting up or that an alien has just been teleported into it (Very Sci-fi but hey that's just my mind).

 I found that if I turned the TV on its side or upside down the colour would turn to green.
This is not an image I would use in this collection but the green lighting could be useful elsewhere.

With the jets going the water created movement. Also human legs in the spa have turned blue instead of naturally white.

 The next few images include a human element but also with movement creating a ghost or blur effect.

 Something is scratching at the windows.

 Desperately clawing at the windows.

 

And then she's gone from the scene, the TV, spa, and marks on the windows a reminder of the disrupted scene.

The Neglected and Forgotten

A day walking about Wellington taking some pictures, starting at the Vivian St Campus.

Noticing things that people might not notice or care about.

There is a whole lawn for them to explore but the pigeons choose to line up like this.

Out the back side of an Indian restaurant people have enjoyed McDonalds, beer, and vandalism leaving a visible reminder of these activities.

 Once someones property someones swiveling computer chair abandoned in a deralict alley.

 Barred windows prevent entrance by anyone small enough to get through the gap.

 Pipes and poorly plastered walls.

 The back side of a carpark building and the emergency escape staircase.

 A piece of brick fallen off from a wall somewhere.

 An empty packet of cancer sticks contrasting with the green growth of a plant.

Broken disregarded tiles.

Bottle caps, glass and other debris.

 Again.

 Among the debris, the skeletal remains of a bird, long forgotten.

 The neglected bolts holding together the framing of a building. Construction doesn't need to be pretty.

Detail of a wooden crate. Ripped and then abandoned.