RPHY6003:

Final Project
Jareth Fletcher-Miller

Creative Workshop Idea 1

Controlling Nature

One of the ideas that I came up with

during the creative work shop was to
do with our control over nature.

I thought I could capture this by taking

photos of things like potted plants.

This is a clear representation of

mankind controlling the growth and
also positioning of nature.

I feel that things like the Bonsai tree

would be the best example due to the
fact that it is controlled to grow smaller
through root wiring and cutting shoots.

Creative Workshop Idea 2

Wasted Spaces

Another idea I came up with

was to look at wasted spaces.

This came into my head due to

the fact I was thinking about
wasted space in the new
house I have moved into.

The two photos I have taken

are of small rooms that are part
of the house which dont get
used and have been left to fall
into disrepair.

Creative Workshop idea 3

Facial Structure

I had the idea to try and compare facial

features and how they change from person to
person.

I would do this simply by photographing

peoples faces and either comparing them side
by side or I was also considering layering them
up.

This layering effect would help to bring out any

similarities or differences between the faces
but would take many faces to get a good
outcome.

This in some ways links back to the idea of

psychology. This is the practise which believed
that you could tell by a persons facial figures a
lot about their character and has been used
many times throughout history to be able to
bring "criminals" to justice. This practise has
now been discredited.

Creative Workshop Idea 4

Brick-a-brack

I wouldn't class myself as a hoarder

but I do have a collection of what I
know as Brick-a-brack.

I wondered if when they were taken out

of their environment whether they
would be able to help represent myself
in any way.

I also wondered how the objects would

be received once taken out of their
environment.

This would also apply to other people

and i was curious to see if the objects
that could be found in a persons room
would be able to represent the person
that they came from.

Creative Workshop Idea 5

Sleep

This was the final idea I decided to explore.

I wanted to find an interesting way to express

sleep without the use of photographing
someone sleeping in bed.

I felt a good way of doing this would be to

photograph the bed after the person has slept
in it.

I feel this captures a lot of movement and also

it is clear enough to work out that the sheets
are in the positions that they are due to the fact
that the bed has been used.

I feel that this idea links in with the concept

behind Tracey Emins bed. This was a piece
where she created an installation which was
her used bed after she had been bedridden
for several days.

Development

I decided to follow on from the creativity workshop by selecting one

of the subjects to continue.

I chose to continue with the controlling nature idea.

I chose this idea because I am interested in the concept behind

our obsession to try and control the growth and spread of nature.

I also wanted to explore still life photography as it isn't something

that I have experimented with much and feel it would be useful to
expand my portfolio.

Toms Saraceno
Cloud Cities
I saw this piece when on a college
trip to Berlin, it was in the Hamberger
Bahnhof gallery. This installation
consisted of a number of inflated
globes suspended by cables. they
were designed to highlight political
and social restrictions. Due to the
mini eco systems he produced with
plant life living in and around the
globes I feel that this work has a link
to what I am talking about in this
experiment, especially the ones with
the plants in due to the fact that they
are trapped within the bubble and
every they need to survive is very
carefully controlled.

Bill Finger
Previously
Bill Finger is a photographer
who works creating miniature
sets and photographing them.
His work is very realistic and
they are made to look like film
sets also including miniature
people which makes the sets
seem more realistic. Although I
am not planning on my
miniatures being realistic I really
like the way his sets have
worked out and I will be taking a
lot of inspiration from them.

Kurt Moses
Un Petit Monde
Kurt Moses is a
photographer who
photographs with miniatures
of people but in comparison
to everyday objects. This is
what I am planning on
experimenting with when it
comes to my final piece.
The way that the miniatures
look like they interact with
the life sized objects.

Akiko Ida & Pierre Javelle

Minimiam
Akiko Ida and Pierre Javelle
created a series called
minimiam, this series like that of
Kurt Moses shows a number of
different situations where
miniatures are interacting with
life sized objects. The most
famous of these images depict
the miniatures interacting with
different foods. These have the
sort of comedic side that I am
hoping to get in my images.

Gayle Chong Kwan

Paris Remains
Gayle Chong Kwan is a
photographer who has created a
number of pieces involving
miniatures, one I find particularly
interesting is titled Paris
Remains. This depicts what look
like the ruins of old buildings.
When looking deeper into the
image you see that these ruins
are actually made of food. I find
this photographs particularly
interesting as they manage to be
captivating whilst at the same
time quite playful.

Test Shoot
Kew Gardens
Continuing with my concept around the controlling of nature I
went to Kew Gardens as suggested by my tutor to photograph
the Bonsai trees. This idea follows on from my original concept
due to the fact that Bonsai trees are prime examples of our
struggle with nature due to the fact that Bonsai trees are only
small in size due to the treatment of the tree saplings. The
roots are bound and they are replanted many times to stunt
their growth, they are also pruned regular to again stunt their
growth. So they only grow small because our interference
which shown us trying to control nature. Although I like the
Bonsai trees I also feel that the images of just the bonsai trees
are a little dry and I would like to be able to take them further.

Test Shoot
Miniatures
To extend my testing I decided to combine the idea when it
came to the Bonsai trees with the artist research that I have
done.
It is at this point that I can see a strong concept beginning to
form. My work will be looking at our constant need to control
nature, this will be represented by the Bonsai trees. To show
the human interference, the scale and also to add a more
interesting aspect I will be using miniature people within the
images like you would see on a model train set. The use of the
miniatures will also put a playful twist which will help draw the
viewer in and keep them invested in the work.

Final Outcome

I am going to experiment more with using the miniatures in

proportion to real trees and their leaves etc. This will again play with
the scale and also these images could work well when put with the
images with the bonsai trees.

I am also going to contact Kew gardens to see if it is possible for my

to photograph the Bonsai trees with the miniatures. As when I went
to take my test photos they said they try to accommodate for
students when it comes to work due to it not being commercial.

By the end of this project I am aiming to have between three and

five large prints that are backed and not framed. The reason I have
chosen to display them without frames is because I feel that frames
cause the images to feel more serious where as I am trying to make
this series more fun and playful.