Gibbs Reflection for practical activities

To "Reflect" is to look back at what you've done and make sense of it in terms of...

What have I learned?

What do I need to do?

What more could I have done? 

Your learning is closely linked to the criteria seen in your assignments and as you learn, your work has to address this criteria. If you're aware of the criteria and its demands, you can produce your work so that it directly addresses the criteria within the Gibbs reflections. 

At the stage you're currently working with (Practical) your Gibbs reflections need to include responses to the key words and phrases seen in the criteria. 

C.M3 includes the demand that you "apply the stages and activities within the creative process fluently" Looking back at the work you've done so far, do you feel that you've understood what you've been learning  - does it make sense to you and can you see that you're working within a structured process? If so, this can be used in your Gibbs reflection. It might read something like this...

If you look at the analysis you can see that the criteria (In blue) is used in the the response and the student is demonstrating that they are aware of the criteria and have responded to it by explaining that this part of the requirements for the project is coming together. 

Another of the criteria C.D2 demands that you demonstrate innovation when applying the creative process. In order to address this, you should question in your reflection whether you've done it and, if you feel you have, you should explain how, where, and why your work is innovative.

As in the example above, use the words from the criteria in your Gibbs reflection and anlayse whether  you have demonstrated innovation in your work. This might read like this...

Again, you can see the response in the analysis includes wording (In blue) lifted direct from the criteria. The student therefore is writing up their reflection addressing these key words and phrases clarifying why their work is innovative. 

These types of responses (above) should be used in conjunction with the usual reviewing of the work in terms of...

What have I learned?

What do I need to do?

What more could I have done? 

Layout of the Decay Project (Practical).

From this assignment going forwards, it should be clear as to how you're going to layout your work. None of this is compulsory, just advised.

You now know that at the start of any project you have to research. This research is usually Photographer based and the intention is that something from the research will inspire or influence your work in some way, or enable you to understand aspects of the theme or work you'll be engaging with.

There are a number of ways that the research into the photographers can be laid out. You're no longer required to produce detailed image analysis as you have done previously. The emphasis now is dictated by the requirement to address the criteria. So in the case of this assignment you need to research and write about aspects of the photographers work that relate to Decay. Therefore, the written content can be relatively short and concise. 

It's good practice to introduce the unit with a basic description of the assignment and what's required, this can include the learning aims seen on the front of the assignment. (top left in this image).

With this assignment you've all done some really basic image research just to start the assignment and to get some basic ideas together. Use the images to start the project off. You can do this over 1 or 2 pages. *Note you should indicate that the work is not yours and that it is in fact research. Use the heading Research beneath the intro.

*Note you do not have to use a 3 column layout, 4 columns works really well and looks better a lot of the time and allows more images per page (See below). 

Following your image research page/s you need to produce your artist research...

This example here (Above) shows 2 x A3 pages. It features 5 Photographers with a column allocated to each Photographer. Half the column is taken up with images and the remainder of the column features the written explanation/analysis of the decay aspects of the photographers work and the Bibliography. *Note you can compile your bibliography on one page if you wish and this will need to produced as the final page of your work after the final evaluation. 

The 6th column is the Gibbs Reflection.

Those of you that don't enjoy the research aspect of the work could target 2 really significant photographers such as Ed Burtynsky and Pal Hansen.

You'll just have to ensure you target your commentary/description of the work so that you identify and discuss the decay aspects and how the MTP's reinforce the decay narrative in the images. 

Similarly the 3rd column is the Gibbs reflection, reflecting on your research prior to planning your first shoot.

Note how each of the pages are full with no gaps and each part of the work is produced so that it finishes at the end of the page. Try and work to this same format. Now you move on to the practical work...

Your practical work follows a similar format... 

When you shoot your images, always shoot lots and try different ways of doing it, from above, from the side, close up, with different lenses/focal lengths. Shoot more than you need as this gives you options and allows you to make decisions about whether each shoot in your design sheet takes up 1, 2 or more pages. (There's not an upper limit). Typically, 2 pages is fine.

The section that is High-lighted Blue is your plan and the part at the end that is highlighted yellow is the Gibbs Reflection. This same approach should be applied to work done in the dark-room and when you work with Photoshop in conjunction with a project. Here you can see the plan - do - reflect in action.

Each subsequent shoot or activity you do that follows this will be laid out the same - plan at the start, images of your work and activities followed by a reflection.

Below is another way of doing the same thing, but using 4 columns...

This 4 column approach is far more image heavy and looks very busy and if you feel it might work for you there's no reason that you can't adopt it. See the link in the side bar or simply ask me for a copy of the template. There's no reason you can't mix and match using the 4 column design sheets for some of the work and the 3 column for others. The only thing I would advise is that you start a new design sheet each time and bring all the work together at the end at the PDF stage. I wouldn't advise adding a 3 column to a 4 column in the same file. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O5RNLTcovSiKJJbiSd7qBdSXDcrnKPDb/view?usp=sharing

Instructions for Declaration form.

 You'll have been sent the declaration form as word file, you need to add your signature to it and then send it back to me.

(1). Download the document (Declaration form) from Teams.

(2). Get a piece of white paper and blue or black pen - preferably a thick one (sharpie) if you have one and sign your name on it.

(3). If you have a scanner scan the signature at 1200dpi.

(4). If you don't have a scanner either photograph your signature or scan it using the app on your phone. Do it near a bright window light and try and not cast a shadow across the paper with your signature on. If you are able to control the resolution/file size, make sure you use the highest quality option.

(5). Get the file off your phone/camera/device and open it in MS Paint.

• Click the 'Home' tab.
• Click the 'Resize' option.
• You'll see a drop down box that is titled Resize and Skew
• Click on or check that Pixels is selected.
• Click on or check that Maintain aspect ration is selected.
• Then type 500 in the Horizontal box.
• Click OK and the image will reduce in size.
• Then using the select option crop out any of the image that's not needed so that you are only left with your signature and not a lot of space surrounding (Crop tight). 
• Then click crop
• Rotate if needed.
• Then file save as and give a new name ... signature

(5). Now open your declaration form...

• Fill your name in at the top
• Click into the page where its says Signature. (At the bottom of the page). 
• Then go up to the top of the page in the menu bar and click insert and choose picture.
• Select you image, then click on signature and click insert.
• It'll be too big, so resize it so that it's an appropriate size. 
• Now right click on the image (Signature) and choose format picture at the bottom of the drop down box.
• To the right of the screen where a drop down box "Format picture" has appeared choose the box with the mountains and sun diagram - when you hover over it, it's titled Picture. 
• Click that and then use the Brightness option slider to adjust the brightness of your inserted signature and match it as best you can with the grey surround. 
• Save the file as a PDF naming it using the Unit No. and your name and send it back to me using teams... Unit 00_Declaration form_Joe Bloggs

It should look like this...

Or if you know how to do all this in Photoshop do it in Photoshop. 

Ta

Guidance for the first section of Unit 03

This assignment needs to be produced in 2 distinct parts. 

The first part is primarily written and is simply you writing about our process that we advocate that you use. 

You'll need to produce the work in the Design sheet style as with your first two units.

The purpose of the first part of the work is that you establish and demonstrate that you know what a Creative Process is and how it works in terms of design and art work. By the end of this first part, it's intended that you'll know how our creative process works and functions and you'll know how to use it in conjunction with your work.

The basics of the creative process that we use are...

(1). Research At the start of every Unit/assignment you're be required to research either photographers or artists connected with the theme of the brief.

(2). Post research reflection* Once that research is completed you need to reflect on its usefulness indicating how the research feeds into your work e.g. what will you take from the research, how has it helped you as you move forwards with the project.

(3). Action plan/Intention You'll be using a 'Reflective' process based on the Gibbs Reflective practice model and at the end of each reflection* you're prompted to write up an 'Action plan' clarifying your intentions for the next stage which is usually a practical response. You plan what your intentions are for your practical activity.

(4). Do. Now you execute your plan/intention - you engage with a practical activity - take photo's, work in the darkroom, or work on some post production work using Photoshop. As you produce this work you write it up in your design sheets and then you...

(5). Reflect. Using the Gibbs method, you reflect on your activity you've just done at the Do stage. Generally, but not exclusively, you write about what you've learned and how it impacts on your work in a positive way. Then you write about your weaknesses and deficiencies and what you could do to improve your photographic practice. Again, the Gibbs reflection ends with the requirement for an action plan, so, now you're into the main practical part of the course, so you plan your next practical activity. 

The production of your learning happens over a series of weeks, where you conduct test shoots and attend work-shop sessions where you're introduced to new methods of producing photography. So, over these weeks you simply...

Plan - do - reflect  repeating the process of Plan - do - Reflect again and again till you run out of time and have to finish the work off. You plan and time this process so that your final shoot includes all of the best aspects of your learning and is completed well before the deadline. The final Reflection is your final evaluation and you reflect on all of your learning done over the entire unit. 

All of the components above need to be written about in detail as part of the research assignment. Further guidance for each section will be posted in time. This is the first section here

Design sheet templates.

Here's the design sheet template for the 3 column version - 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1adoWzaxL4cZvpe05kaKrMPPmm4GBia5v/view?usp=sharing

Use the download symbol top right and then save. 

This link here below is for a four column version of the design sheet.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O-vEo7pQgJHphXfkISIno0iVCtQ9fj0DesNUg9heH3c/edit?usp=sharing

As above use the download symbol top right and then save. 

There's no hard and fast rule about whether you use the 3 column version or this 4 column version. I'm not sure whether you can mix 3 and 4 column pages in the same design sheet easily. But if you think that it'll be useful to use the 4 column version for some of your pages e.g. those with Photo-shoots save these pages separately and bring all of the work together using the PDF combiner.

Alternatively use four columns for the whole project. 

Decay - Artist Research Unit 03

The learning aims and the criteria are pretty basic and there's no heavy emphasis on any specific details needed from the research, so it's basic 'Fun' research. 

All you're required to do is show that you've included research as part of your process, so it needs to be at the start and needs to be relevant. Therefore the only information you need to include is information relating to how the photographer used their MTP's to enhance the sense of decay. So in this case your research might be as little as a column for each photographer as above. (By all means if you want to do more you can). 

Look at the equipment and MTP's used by the Photographers and identify why their approach used in the shooting and production of the images suits the theme of decay. 

The artists - 

Ed Burtynsky - Pentimento (Black and white shots). Of all the research that you do this is the one I'd like to see you get right. Use this link here and then use CTRL + F and search for Type 55 then read the text from a paragraph or two above Type 55. 

https://aphotoeditor.com/2011/11/30/edward-burtynsky-interview/

Chris Jordan Midway. http://www.chrisjordan.com/gallery/midway/#CF000313%2018x24

Sally Mann - Warning this next series is optional. Sally Mann is one of the USA's greatest photographers, but she deals with hard-hitting subject including death. Her projects include 'Body Farm' and 'What Remains'. These feature photographs of dead people left out in the open for scientific research reasons to see how quickly they decay in different condition for the assistance of police investigations. Mann though doesn't shoot it using digital instead she uses a View camera and the Tintype process the same as Ed Drew. If you look at this work it's interesting from the point of view of how the technique/process and materials are used to enhance the sense of decay. 

Body Farm - Also search on Youtube looking for her camera and process (Wet plate collodian). Also search Body Farm Sally Mann

The Burtynsky image was sourced from http://www.howardgreenberg.com/exhibitions/edward-burtynsky-pentimento/selected-works?view=slider#5

______________________________________________________________________________

Once you've completed the artist research for this Unit you also need to add a page of image research to generate some initial ideas with more realistic themes especially as you're increasingly constrained in what you do by the current Covid 19 situation. Click here to go to the next stage. 

Examples of how to layout your work (Research)

For this assignment you can probably get away with just 2 columns of written work because the criteria doesn't  demand that artist research is an important aspect to the work. So 2 columns aimed at appropriate artists will be enough and I'd recommend Burtynsky and Pal Hansen because how integral the materials and the process they go through fuses with the decay theme.

Because the theme is decay it's that aspect of the research your written analysis needs to focus on.

The final column is the Gibbs reflection

If you're into your research and you want to do more than 2, once you've done Burtynsky and Hansen do more, but I would suggest 3 more so that you have five columns of research leaving the 6th for the Gibbs.

The reason I suggest this is that it just looks ultra neat and tidy.

If you struggle to fill a whole column with the Gibbs reflection increase the size of the text or put the bibliography in this column rather than under each artist? 

Image only research

 Step 1. 

Collate at least 2 pages of images in your design sheets off the internet (Or books, journals & magazines). 

Try searching using the term using Google images...

"Decay in Photography"

This search will probably generate images of decaying buildings.

Add on the end of "Decay in Photography" additional words...

Shoes - Leaves - boats - rust - metal - and any others that you can think of.

Put together 2 pages of images that you find and see if this helps with generating an idea.

Step 2 - Your own ideas - (Generating ideas) 2 pages...

In my local woods, for some reason shoes are thrown away and if I look around they're easy to find and quite interesting to photograph, and once shot in situ, can easily be brought indoors or a more controlled environment and shot again different backgrounds. Other things to look out for - Dolls, burnt out cars or motorbikes that have been stolen and dumped.

Flattened drinks cans - run over by cars are scratched and degraded again easily shot in situ and easily taken home and shot under controlled conditions.

Food cans - keep some rather than throwing them away, leave them outside and allow them to go rusty. Look on Youtube and you'll find suggestions to increase the speed of the rusting process. Again options to shoot inside and outside.

Garage doors with peeling paint or even normal doors of old shops and work places. 

Roadkill - not nice, but interesting and possible to remove from the side of the road and shoot in a more controlled environment? 

Benfleet creek near Canvey Island just outside the station there are burnt out cars, rotting boats, jetties and all sorts. Canvey in general has loads of old industrial waste land with stuff dumped all over the place.

Shoes at home - do you have old shoes that you could shoot - how could these be shot to make them interesting.

Skin - Peoples skin starts to decay and wrinkle as you get older. Have you got grandparents who you can photograph either as close up portraits to show the decay process and how it affects their skin. You could get really interesting and shoot older peoples feet (if they don't mind)!

Dogs - do you know any old dogs? Look at Danielle Naude's 'Africanis' and do 4 old dogs like his images or maybe portraits of their faces which tend to show age quite well. 

Mental health decay - it's more subtle, but if you're clever and capture the sense and mood in your images?

Rusty and old tools done as still life?

If you do small things like shoes try not to shoot just one pair of shoes. Try and find 4 different pairs of shoes.

Also consider scanning your objects on a flatbed scanner if you have access to one as another developmental stage. 

Search Decay on my blog here www.listofphotographers.blogspot.com 

https://www.billy-kidd.com/flowers

Next stage - Planning and executing your initial shoot.