Oluwatofunmi Adeosun

FdA Professional Photography

Digital Media & The Moving Image

Documentary Journal
Contextual Document
My idea topic: “My life experience”

Initial Concept
This reason I chose the topic “My life experience” is because I am curious about the subject
and I want to show the process of telling a story with photographs about my life. This
process creates narratives more than specific stories. This documentary for me is about the
idea of looking into things that have been happening in the world and creating a project that
is an open honest portrayal of life, so others can see and understand the situation. I am
attracted to a narrative that is built up from parts. This idea is important to me because I
want to know how to plan structure and visual storytelling through photography and I want to
focus on making the photography.
My ‘experience’ ideas will lead me to take individual pictures that will influence the next
stage of the process, this project links the reasons I want to do the project (to document my
life experience) to the purpose of each picture (small frames visually communicating some
element of the experience) and this leads to the next picture needed to continue the story.
I decided to create a story in my mind to tell, a narrative. I had to think about which styles to
use in this project. Which style would suit this subject “My life experience”? This involves
complicated thoughts and aspects such as how I feel inside, not able to go outside because I
need to stay safe at home. This is an interesting subject, I have never before experienced. It
is an interesting new opportunity to look inside and explore the different emotions and feeling
regarding not being allowed out the house.
I have plan for set up and taking photography is slow process and can everyday before I
start develop process my own project ideas. I will have to take many pictures everyday to
look through them and build a diary and link and build the narrative. Taking many pictures
will give me the opportunity to think through my story and build a good structure required for
my narrative. Having a high interest in the topic mean I feel confident to work alone on this
topic, I have a strong motivation to focus on my project work.
I have a desire to learn how to develop a narrative that builds up from parts. Previously when
I made a diary, thinking up a project and making pictures that fit, didn’t visually result in the
best pictures. There is a difficult process of telling a story with photography because it needs
a plan (for set etc) from beginning to end, before starting.
I have used developing a photograph diary, and this process to develop how I visualise and
use my creativity on my project about my life experience.
I have looked at photographs during my time at home. I could feel bored with staying at
home, but I have experienced some interesting things through staying at home. I usually live
by myself, but since lockdown I have been staying with my family and friends. There are lots
of different activities occurring daily, including; prayer meetings (where visitors come but
where we stay 2m apart from them) , relaxing, cooking and looking at their phones. I have
been busy doing my college course work, taking pictures of myself, reading the bible,
enjoying looking at the outside tress, using my product Afro hair, and of course eating
delicious food.
 Oluwatofunmi Adeosun
FdA Professional Photography
Digital Media & The Moving Image
Research
I have researched the work of 3 relevant practitioners: Bruce Davidson, Rene Burri and
Aenne Biermann because they are very powerful in the ways they visualise a strong
narratives throughout their work. They are able to clearly convey their messages through
images.
Bruce Davidson
The narrative book is called “East 100th Street” set in the early 1960s. It shows people
looking bored in their circumstances. In the picture below there is a young girl and next to
her is a young boy. they are both sitting on the floor. They are by themselves. I feel a bit sad
for them because their parents are not present. I think this could be because they are out
protesting or campaigning for civil rights. I think this because at this time in (1960s-70s)
America forced segregation between people with Black skin and those with white skin. There
was social violence and riots because of this racism. The photography impacts me because
it shows a city during very hard times and reminds me that I am staying at home because of
the risks due to coronavirus outbreak in the world, similarly perhaps to these children having
to stay home perhaps to stay out of harm’s way due to riots etc. I think Bruce Davidson’s
documentary photography captures the complicated social climate and fighting that was
happening at this time.
I read an article of The Guardian where he said:
‘I felt I was part of something. That's always been the instinct’ I feel he means that through
the process of taking the photographs and portraying to others what was happening, his
mind has been opened and his life changed, he understands the social political emotional
situation better. He has very strong photography skills, his book represents a good example
of a good photography narrative.

(Source: Blogfinger, 2015)

Rene Burri
This photograph is called Leonforte, Sicily, Italy in 1956. Rene travelled around Europe, the
Middle East, and Latin America, where he made a series, published by Du magazine in
1959. Then Rene became a full member of Magnum in 1959. I read the article of Magnum
Photos in website, where he said, “I never thought I would become a photographer" He.
Recognised becoming a successful photographer would be a long and difficult life challenge.
I think Rene wanted to understand visual language because he enjoyed creative processes
in his work.
Here is an extraordinary photographic image that got a reaction from me, it shows a large
run of stairs called “stair landing”. It shows 5 people very spread out in a zigzag formation. I
 Oluwatofunmi Adeosun
FdA Professional Photography
Digital Media & The Moving Image
feel this affects me because it feels similar to the issue of social distancing where we have to
stay away from each other, following government guidance. This picture gives a strong
visual representation of distance. This reminds me of my family and friends staying at home
constantly distanced from visitors we are all fed up. I think the colour image use black and
white is clashing and adds depth to the message. It reiterates the feeling of boredom that my
friend, family and myself feel at this time.

(Source: Artsy, 2017)

Aenne Biermann
This photograph is called “Self-Portrait with Silver Ball” 1931. She took a picture of herself
with a silver ball. This image is very strange because using black and white creating a strong
clashing image. I think she wanted the ball to act as a mirror. Other viewers have
commented they think she took the photo of herself because no one else could take it, as
she lived alone. I feel that she might feel alone and simile deep herself which means there is
nobody. The photograph uses high contrast and the light is harsh, I can see the light
reflected on the silver ball. The light looks ball shaped at same time.
I read the article of Pinakothek der moderne from website;
“In 1930 her photographs appeared in Franz Roh ́s ‘Fototek’ series of books: ‘Aenne
Biermann. 60 Fotos’ is one of the rare monographs of a photographer’s work of the time.”
Which means she aim successful and most time historical.

(Source: Curiator, 2017)

 Oluwatofunmi Adeosun
FdA Professional Photography
Digital Media & The Moving Image

Development of ideas
When I think of an experience I want to communicate to the audience, I will have to think
about how to visually display and communicate this concept. As I ponder the experience
further I will formulate the images for the audience to view, so they can see the story unfold
from beginning to end.
I have the idea for a project that I will follow and develop. I am thinking if I imagine that I find
photographs of something that interests me and I start playing around with them with no
purpose at aII, more ideas will grow. I plan to take a photographs every day in order to tell
this story through a photographic narrative.
I have to stay at home by myself at the moment, due to Corona Virus (COVID-19). I cannot
go outside. This is an interesting life experience that I wish to convey to an audience. This
experience has affected my day to day life, and I can convey this through a series of
photographic images.
Evaluation
I made the decisions I did and what critically and creatively informed those decision was the
research I did. I had to plan this project process by taking primary research photography,
taking photographs everyday, how I was doing in the home with my family-friends, before I
started developing the process for my own work. I feel more understanding of how to take
photographs in my life because I know how to plan imagine processing a series of images
it’s good practice to keep some of my editing. That’s how I can understand the process, the
project information, make a narrative, powerful visual imagery and background. Also I have
included captions where I further explain the story of my photos.
I have researched four photographers and they provided strong inspiration to in how to use
help me communicate my ideas. Reflections in my diary on how I have progressed are proof
of my own ideas creatively in my photography and technical and how they have developed. I
have used this photography to learn about how I can become more professional myself
become a professional in the future.
I have been plan what I am thinking about how I imagine what happened to cause
coronavirus.
This project explores the questions,
• How important are the ideas of style and genre?

 How I protect myself and others by staying at home?

 How I describe in my captions on the image

Statement my work
My finished work is about “My life experience” that my project start until finished when I have
said visually all that I think about what I need to say about the experience. I have taken
photographs every day because I want to achieve my aim. My photography work uses
representation, my thoughts and opinions, on my caption texts because I want to show how I
feel a connection to my photos and the visual narrative. Each picture is a small frame
visually communicating some elements of the experience and this leads to the next picture
needed to continue the story. That is how I tell the whole story at the end of project and
create narrative more than specific story.
 Oluwatofunmi Adeosun
FdA Professional Photography
Digital Media & The Moving Image
I took every day photos to journal my experience and captioned them, narrative
photography, image and texts. I had to learn the process of how to develop my story through
to the end, I feel more experienced now because I have felt trapped in this new experience
that I’d not had to experience before this. At end of this project I aim to have research on the
topic of “My life experience” tell visual story with my images and texts.
I hope the viewer will have an insight and understanding about what it is in my experience in
my home not able to go outside. I hope the images have some emotional impact on the
viewer. I want the viewer to experience the feelings of isolation, struggle in the home, and
disappointment that they can’t go back to their work because of the risk of coronavirus
outside.
The viewer will realise that there is a difference between photography, and visual storytelling
through photography.
I want to show this throughout this project with the use of strong narrative images and
captions. I feel like I experience the world in an entirely visual format. I have been
researching four photographers who have a strong influence on me because I want to know
how to create my own unique vision.
All the conclusions about this my life experience in home and I have always enjoyed starting
this project and usually I’ve had a hard time finishing thing’s. I want the proof of how I
developed a process that uses part photography. It’s important for my visual language
because I use visual words in my head. There are individual pictures, small frames, visually
communicating some elements of the experience and this leads to the next picture needed
to continue the story. I hope the viewers will understand my images to view the story that
unfolds and that the story that has a beginning and an end and a style of photography that
gives a clear opportunity to develop. It shows pictures of products, food, objects and family-
friends. Many beautiful pictures made my narrative, real life and artificial ones. I used my
camera and phone snap mixed because it utilises different issues and contrast. Some I use
phone snap to my family-friends so I live with them. Sometimes I can use my camera to
shoot my things, such as my work, the window, mirror and my products. I feel pleased with
everything that I have done in this project and with presenting my experience in home. I
enjoyed myself.
Word count:2215
Reference:
Blogfinger (2015) “Photography exhibit at Princeton University”
https://blogfinger.net/tag/photography-exhibit-at-princeton-university/ [Accessed date:
31/05/2020]
The Guardian (2011) Bruce Davidson: 'I felt I was part of something. That's always been the
instinct' https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/apr/24/bruce-davidson-interview-
sean-ohagan [Accessed date:31/05/2020]
Huxley-Parlour Gallery (2020) “René Burri | Photographer's Biography & Art Works”
https://huxleyparlour.com/artists/rene-burri/ [Accessed date 31/05/2020]
Roberta Cucchiaro (2012) “Rene Burri”
https://robertacucchiaro.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/rene-burri/ [Accessed date:31/05/20]
Moma.org (2020) “Aenne Biermannl”
https://www.moma.org/interactives/objectphoto/artists/556 [Accessed date 31/05/2020]
 Oluwatofunmi Adeosun
FdA Professional Photography
Digital Media & The Moving Image
Pinakothek der Moderne (2019) “Aenne Biermann” https://www.pinakothek-der-
moderne.de/en/magazine/aenne-biermann/ [Accessed date 31/05/2020]
Artsy.net (2017) “René Burri Leonforte, Sicily, Italy (1956)”
https://www.artsy.net/artwork/rene-burri-leonforte-sicily-italy [Accessed date: 31/05/ 2020].
Curiator. (2020) “Self-Portrait With Silver Ball By Aenne Biermann”
https://curiator.com/art/aenne-biermann/self-portrait-with-silver-ball [Accessed date:
31/052020].