Assignment 3: Buildings in Use (Draft)

1 Natural History Museum

Civil engineer, Captain Francis Fowke won a competition to design the Natural History Museum in 1864 but after his death, the project was taken over by Alfred Waterhouse. Waterhouse added a more Romanesque style, inspired by his love of the Continent. Terracotta tiles are used inside and out to resist London’s dirty atmosphere and many feature sculptures of flora and fauna, both living and extinct. The sheer enormity of the Natural History Museum made it impossible to choose just four images as a representation of the space. Therefore, I have decided to concentrate on the grand main entrance hall.  

My first image shows the vastness of the space, encompassing a multitude of activities. In many ways, this stunning building was more impressive to me than the blue whale and dinosaur skeletons for which it is famed; Dotty, the diplodocus seen in the image far from fills the space.

Moving around the space, to capture an image of Dotty, I noticed that many people were partaking in the same activity, some posing for a photo with the dinosaur.

The balconies surrounding the grand hall provided a more private space above the hubbub of activity, here I spotted a couple sharing a romantic moment as they escaped the crowds.

My final image in this space was quite unexpected and shows the museum in a completely different light as a wedding venue. I was pleased to capture the happy couple from behind as they posed for their photographer. The wall post shows one of the aforementioned sculptures.

2 One New Change

I was taken to the roof of the One New Change shopping centre by a group of photography friends as apparently it had a remarkable view of St. Paul’s. Having already seen the cathedral from many angles that morning, I wondered if the ride in the lift was really worth the hassle. As the doors opened, I heard a blast of chart music and stepped into an outdoor bar area, not what I’d expected at all. Even less expected was the view that hit me as I rounded the corner. The entire roof area was filled with people enjoying the views over London; artists creating pictures of the views in various media, groups of people taking photos with St. Paul’s in the background, people just sitting, enjoying the space with picnics. The potential for a bit of people photography was quite exciting.

My first image shows the strange contrast in the two parts of the area, three artists, quietly painting the view as socialites party behind.

Families and friends gather for selfies with the iconic building in the background. I feel that this image shows a modern twist on images by Willy Ronis, featuring romantic shots of couples overlooking well-known cityscapes.

A young woman finds a quiet spot, viewing the cathedral through the glass fencing.

An older lady painting a different view, I love the way her round, green hat mirrors the dome in the distance.

3 Covent Garden, London

Covent Garden in London is a well known outdoor space, amass with people, eateries, shops and market stalls. I have chosen one particular restaurant to focus on.

The first image shows the restaurant as a part of Covent Garden. It shows the closeness of the restaurant to the crepery next door, people eat in the compact area while others shop above. Although customers are packed into a tight space, the low fencing and lack of an immediate ceiling give a sense of space. This is a vital element of the design, as space is so limited in such a busy city. Being below ground level also removes diners from the hustle and bustle of the shoppers and street entertainers above, giving them an increased sense of calm as they eat in an otherwise hectic day.

 Zooming in on the action, we see a family perched in the entrance, waiting for a table to become available as others pass in close proximity. In a less busy city, being asked to wait in such close proximity to the diners would be frowned upon, however in London, it is seen as a way of life.

One of the waiters takes his break in one of the few quiet spaces.

Interested in the people bustling round above the restaurant, I chose to take the last image from their perspective. The group paid no attention to me snapping away above them, I feel this is quite representative of a day in London.

4 The Apple Store, Covent Garden

Towards the end of a busy day in London, my family and I were becoming tired of having to constantly negotiate crowds of people. Suddenly, like an oasis in the desert, I spotted the entrance to a sparse, light, airy building with high ceilings and a strangely warm, yet cooling, inviting glow. I didn’t know what it was but I knew I wanted to be in there. My children spotted it at almost exactly the same moment and immediately recognised it as the Apple Store; obviously, they wanted to be in there too but for very different reasons.

I should have recognised it really, I’ve experienced a similar moment before in the busy Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield. Apple have managed to create a haven of light and space in the busiest of places; they have managed this by opening very large stores, using pale, simple furnishings and simply spreading everything out where other stores often seem to pack as much in as possible. I suppose their ability to do this is the fact that they are only displaying Apple products, and only the latest ones at that.

 The large, inviting doorway of the Apple Store, even the line of tables leads the eye into the store, tempting in potential customers.

Sparsely spread gadgets give customers the space to do their own thing.

Another spacious area upstairs available for workshops, the air-conditioning pipes give a sturdy and functional, yet stylish feel, fitting with the Apple brand.

Window frames have been designed to adhere to the minimal style of the Apple logo.

5 Hobie, Cornwall

Hobie is a safari tent, used as a holiday home on a tranquil, Cornish farm. In order to attract custom, the owners have aimed to present a calm and luxurious setting, while still creating a sense of getting back to nature.

My first image shows Hobie in his setting, the wild grasses, stunning sunset and sense of space make this a perfect, peaceful get away.

The natural feel is continued inside the tent; the canvas walls, apple crate shelving and wood fired stove feel homely and soothing.

Candle lanterns are provided to light the tent in the evenings, no electricity needed; gives a real sense of getting away from it all.

Mixing nature with comfort, the perfect combination for a good night’s rest.

6 Minnack Theatre, Cornwall

Rowena Cade and her gardener carved the Minnack Theatre in the cliffs near Penzance in 1932. Due to its location, most of the work had to be done by hand, a startling feat, considering the magnitude of the task. The first play shown at the theatre was The Tempest, which gained a positive review in the Times. Changes have been made to the theatre over the years, but it is still distinctly recognisable as the theatre created all those years ago.

A striking view from the entrance to the theatre, made even more remarkable that one woman and her gardener created it. It must be spectacular to watch a play with the clear, blue sea and sky as a backdrop.

Using plants and flowers from around the world, local gardeners have transformed the cliff into a coastal garden of national acclaim. Rare plants from Mexico and the Andes are in situ alongside vibrantly coloured flowers to reflect the hues of the theatre.

Theatre seating carved into the cliff face is etched with the names of plays as well as the date play was shown; a lovely touch to reinforce some of the history of the theatre. Grass lined seating is also available, as can be seen in the first image taken from the entrance.

Mr McCauley, the theatre’s ghost is always on the look out for willing actors to help him act out scenes from The Tempest, the theatre’s first play.

My aim in all images is to try to capture moments as they naturally occur. A quote provided in my feedback from assignment two really resonated with me,

"The way I work is kinda haphazard and often out of compulsion. I tend to only photograph things that genuinely interest me. I’ve found that’s the way to get the best results." - Ricky Adam

http://www.rickyadamphoto.com/

Adam’s photography is succeeds in giving a glimpse into his own story through his varied range of journalistic photography. A flick through his projects reads like a life story, almost as if the viewer is experiencing with him. His commercial work, although much more staged, still has a glimmer of that edge and a preference for the active portrait.

As a student of photography, I often feel the need to prize myself out of this way of thinking, to plan more for exactly what I would like to shoot. While planning for this assignment, I made a list of ideas and to be quite honest, I really wasn’t looking forward to the project. Four holidays later, I had thoroughly enjoyed photographing people interacting with spaces, indoor and out and had an abundance of images to choose from. I feel that the most successful part of the process stemmed from being somewhere I wanted to be, and photographing the things I found interesting which fitted the brief.

Having such a broad selection has enabled me to choose a set of images that overall, I’m pleased with. Given the chance to change anything, I wish I’d taken a much broader view of the One New Change rooftop. My photographs in this section show the differing activities taking part but I feel that a wide view of how these activities merged into one space would have been beneficial.

I feel that my least successful set is that of the Apple Store, mainly due to a lack of variety.

I am pleased with my selection of images of the Minnack Theatre. A place of utter beauty, it was difficult to take an unattractive shot and I was totally in awe of the story behind its creation.

My set on Hobie is quite different from the others in that only one image contains people. The images do however show evidence of people and their activities within the space, particularly the crumpled sheets, showing clear evidence of a good night’s sleep under a warm, fluffy duvet. I feel that this set is successful as is highlights four different functions of the given space, enjoying the peaceful surroundings, cooking, sleeping and escaping electricity.