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.
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.
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
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.
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