Body

La Providence, Rochester

Claire Smith

Mr Easson
On our workshop for Task 1 I asked an elderly gentleman on the street if I could take his portrait. In a discussion afterwards I mentioned I could give him some prints and he told me he lived at La Providence. When I got home I searched for La Providence online, to see where it was and instead, stumbled upon my project.

La Providence, Rochester

La Providence is now made up of 60 warden assisted flats, a gated community in the centre of Rochester High Street. Known as the French Hospital, it once was a place for French refugees to go to that were mentally weak, and suffering.

Huguenot History
In 16th century France, the monarchy was Catholic. The Edict of Nantes was a piece of legislation that allowed Protestants to practice their religion peacefully within the community. After a century of this peace, King Louis XIV saw the growth of French Protestants, known as Huguenots as a threat to the monarchy and so revoked the Edict of Nantes. Religious Persecutions meant that many Huguenots were forced to flee the country into Europe or face punishment. Those that were caught leaving the country were put in jail, or put into convents and forced to convert to Catholicism. Huguenot children were put into orphanages and their parents were charged with the bills of food and board. Many Huguenots came to England and brought with them skills and experience in trades such as silk weaving. They set up in Canterbury and Spitalfields, East London. Tradesmen were also skilled in silver and leather work, contributed to the military, scholarship and medicine.

Huguenot History
It was a stressful time for Huguenots. Any possessions they had, had to be smuggled out of the country in loaves of bread etc. Constantly looking over your shoulder to see if anyones there to lock you away proved too much for some immigrants and so in 1718 Jacques de Gastignv donated 1,000 which was used to set up the first French Hospital in Finsbury.

The French Hospital moved to Rochester in 1958.

Now it is 60 residents flats but you have to prove that you have Huguenot history in your bloodline if you want to apply to live there. What surprised me when I was researching was how I didnt know anything about this part of our history. When I asked around, the general response was that they didnt know much about it either which is why I wanted to portray the French Huguenots and their history through the current residents.

Letter to La Providence
I wrote a letter to La Providence proposing to them my project and asking whether it would be possible.

I received a phone call from one of the directors giving permission for me to do so but he couldnt talk to the residents, I would have to do that myself.

Yousuf Karsh
Portraiture that causes many to consider him the master of studio lighting. Captures a persons personality and character through one image. He manages to break through the mask of his subjects and photograph a glimpse of their true self.

Richard Avedon: In the American West

Portraits about the gaze, the dress and the gesture of the subject. The dirt and grime engrained into the subjects skin tells a different story in each image. Direct gaze at the camera but empty stares create little emotional connection with the audience.

The Face: Re-shoot

Waiting for that fleeting moment Facial features that tell a story

The serious expressions

Task 1 Finals

Very emotive face, the lines, the textures all make you wonder of the stories he has to tell and the life experiences he has had. A tight crop so that we focus on the facial features. A level angle so that we are seeing the subject as he is, head on. The serious expression on his face, characteristic of a Huguenot.

Ian Van Coller

Photographs black maids and housekeepers that work for the minority white families in Africa. They were told to wear their best clothes but still they do not fit in with their surroundings. The series explores racial issues that still exist in African countries even though segregation is a thing of the past.

Inside the Main Building

I received a guided tour of the building. My initial thoughts were to bring residents into here and photograph them but thought this would be an obvious way of shoeing their ancestry. It still gave me great context to portray them in an honest light.

Philip Toledano

Documents his relationship with his father after his mother passed away. Soft focus, low lighting put focus on certain areas of the image but also create a very sensitive image with an air of respect. Close ups, level angles help create these intimate moments, glimpses of who his father was.

Briony Campbell

Photographs in a way that explores her relationship with her dad and a way to say goodbye. Theres always a certain distance between photographer and sitter that creates this place of respect and observation yet the setting for the photographs is actually quite intimate.

The Environment: Contact Sheets

Task 2 Final Image

Huguenot expression. The arm is up, its a natural position but also shows this barrier that residents put up. I was an outsider to the community. Individuals but part of a larger society Low angle, respect and admiration Light coming in from the windows is a religious symbol. It is because of the Huguenots that La Providence exists.

Carl Heinrich Bloch

Commissioned to paint 23 illustrations depicting the life of Christ. Through his imagery he conveys strong religious messages. Jesus is always painted in strong, confident positions. Painted with a glow around his head or entire body. He is in control of the image, he has the strongest presence.

Jo Broughton

The series Virgins Body language was something I took from these images. The arms crossed or palms facing outwards are all very innocent gestures. Dressed in silk and fine clothes as if they are pure and special. Low angle suggests we look up to them. Being a virgin is nothing to be ashamed of but admired.

Studio Set Up
Remembrant Lighting Soft box on a boom Fill in light Reflector Even Background Snoot from behind

Studio Contact Sheets

Two contact sheets One a tighter crop to focus on the halo, however the image becomes too intimate. We focus less on the halo and more on the facial features.

In hindsight I would have planned giving her directions with more thought.

Task 3 Final Image

The glow gives a sense of innocence. The Huguenots defended their beliefs and their religion. A role model.

Serious expression, typical of a Huguenot, very composed.

As if turning into or away from the light. Light is a religious symbol. Its guidance, it was the Huguenots motivation.

Object
Anorexia

Anorexia?
Anorexia is a mental illness. Theres no one cause and every case is different but generally its down to feeling lack of control over your life or lack of attention. Food is something they can take control of. They constantly believe they arent slim enough and think that bones protruding from under the skin is attractive. Each adopt habits to hide their problem which was part of the research I was interested in.

Laura Letinsky

Themes of love, death, decay and troubled domestic situations through food and tableware. Interested in the after effects of perfection, for example, a troubled marriage. Shifts from off-whites to greys, suggests what was once vibrant is now lacking life.

Test Shoots
I tried taking certain quotes from my research and creating a setting. I found the image became too personal and specific to one person which wasnt what I wanted to do. So I stopped this idea from developing further.

"I would go through a similar routine with the toast. I'd make it so the smell would rise upstairs and then sprinkle a few crumbs on a plate and dip the knife in the marmalade."

Documentaries
Online support networks. Thinspiration

Diets
Posting Pictures Forums

Giles Revell

Photographs fish in a way that makes them repulsive to look at. The idea of the clean table cloth having these red and yellow stains all over it, guts hanging out of the fish juxtaposes what we normally see a fish to be. He photographs from an elevated angle and in a fine art way. This combined with the contrasting colours creates interesting imagery.

Sophie Calle

The Chromatic Diet Took on the character of a novel and ate only foods of a certain colour for a week. Photographed the food each day in the same format, control and order.

Tests
The Rainbow Diet from Pro Ana websites. Trying to get across that whenever an anorexic sees food, they see the amount of laxatives they must take to get it out of their system. The control anorexics need over their food and in their lives. Everything is white and silver, almost sterile. Creating this position of analysing the food, looking down at what we are eating.

Contact Sheets

My initial arrangement seemed too arranged, too obvious and also there was too much food.

Final Object Image

Large area of negative black space symbolising isolation

Laxatives to the side, theyre always there when food is thought of.
A creased tablecloth. At first everythings fine but then you start to notice the creases in the persons mental state. Food hidden underneath the tablecloth We have taken on the role of the anorexic, we are sitting at the table. Harsh lighting because they feel like what they eat is constantly being analysed by others, they prefer to eat alone.

Self Evaluation
I believe I captured the personality of the man I was photographing in task 1 of Body. I wanted to photograph the current residents in a way that represented the individual but also their Huguenot ancestry and how I experienced La Providence. I believe I have used photographic techniques in a way that isnt objective and shows respect like in Philip Toledanos and Briony Campbells work. The Huguenots were serious and independent and strongly believed in the right to believe in your own religion. I portrayed them, how I felt was in an honest light. Details are the key to representing a person in a right or wrong way. Something I found through my development and test shoots, specifically my object shoot. I am really happy with how the idea progressed into what I believe is a much stronger image but it made me realize how subtlety is sometimes more effective than obvious imagery. The final image I am happy with how it has turned out though if I were to develop it further I would like to experiment away from the place setting and in other environments.

My contextual research I found was thorough, I found researching about the ideas really interesting which helped establish my ideas about the issues. I found that my artist research wasnt as strong, which I think showed particularly in task 3 of Body in which my lack of direction showed in the contact sheets. In these circumstances I dont feel as if I have managed my time as well as I couldve. If Id known about only image for object, I wouldve been more prepared and changed the food on the plate to resemble a meal instead of using the fruit and vegetables. As it is it resembles more of a snack. Composition wise I believe it is a combination of Giles Revell, Sophie Calle and Laura Letinskys work which all help to create my own style. Next time I have a portrait studio shoot I will plan out and be more confident in directing the subject. Its the part of the project that is the weakest in portraying my ideas.

The most significant challenge has been approaching strangers and inviting them to the university. Over time however this confidence and acceptance of denial should help build my confidence.