Royal Photographic Society – Jennie Meadows MA Photography

AGM59 1:1 Tutorial 28 April 2021

The aim of this tutorial was for Fergus, my tutor, to give feedback on my current online portfolio. At this stage of the module, my portfolio is featured on this website:

https://www.jenniemeadows.com/

The tutorial was scheduled from 2 pm to 2.20 pm. Unfortunately, due to technical issues with internet access, I was only able to speak with Fergus for the final ten minutes. Despite this brief consultation, I was able to gain Fergus’ thoughts and suggestions of the site and any improvements/changes that could be made.

Overall, Fergus thought the site’s appearance to be clear and able to highlight the work without background distractions.

The main criticism was the context of the images and how they refer to the artworks I produce. This is where meaning is ‘lost’ and there needs to be an indisputable definition of what I actually ‘do’. This is an aspect I had already observed, so it was good to hear an affirmitive echo.

As such, I will examine my current collections and write a statement for each one. I also will devise a product range that can be clearly stated on the website.

One frustration I have with the current template is the placing of text on a Gallery page layout.

Not sure how this can be rectified at this stage.

The first action I took was to add the links to my two social media channels (Instagram and LinkedIn) to the header. I realised that as there are quite a few gallery ‘squares’, any visitor to the site has to scroll to the bottom in order to access them. With these at the top, the visitor can just click on the logo to see both feeds.

However, the logos aren’t able to be added universally to the site as I’m using a 7.0 template. I would have to upgrade to a 7.1. Another good reason for updating my website’s template.

In order to help me update my website, I have signed up for a Squarespace course provided by the Royal Photographic Society on 20th May 2021. Hopefully this will assist me in navigating this platforms templates and enable me to concoct the site I envisage.

References

Squarespace Help. 2021. What’s my site’s version and template?. [online] Available at: <https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005308187> [Accessed 30 April 2021].

AGM62 Simon Roberts 17 November 2020

The Weeds And The Wilderness is a series of photographs by British artist-photographer, Simon Roberts (b. 1974).

This evocative series:

‘Seeks out and finds ancient wooded sites that depict a primordial, Edenic state. The approach is inspired by idea of the inscape, a term coined by the Victorian poet Gerard Manley Hopkins to suggest that every living thing has a unique set of characteristics which distinguish it from the next – something akin to a God-given essence. Hopkins argued it was the artist or poet’s responsibility to recognise this ‘inscape’ within nature and convey this to others through their art. All the photographs were taken during the winter months, between November – February, in various ancient woodlands around Britain.’

(The Weeds and the Wilderness – Simon Roberts, 2020)

While carrying out the research for the AG60 Research and Experimentation module, I was recommended to look at the photographic work of Simon Roberts, specifically his images of woodland. Admittedly at the time I couldn’t see the connection between my Moments of Eternity pieces and Roberts’ photographs. However, when I revisited Roberts’ work in light of this new project, the connections became quite clear.

My research involving hawthorn trees has made me realise how much they are part of humanity’s culture and ecology. The following paragraph brought this realisation home:

‘Many Britons no longer have any daily connection with its woods. Mostly we go about our lives sealed from the wild. At the same time, these landscapes touch upon themes such as conservation, ownership, history, magic and myth, climate change, childhood fears, and our current obsession with what is ‘native’ or ‘alien’. They also say something about Britishness and belonging.’

(The Weeds and the Wilderness – Simon Roberts, 2020)

The realisation came from my ‘discovery’ of hawthorns – I had been visiting Bushy Park since 2007 and it was only this year (2020) that I discovered the part these trees play within this environment. Before this, the hawthorns were ‘invisible’ and only an afterthought compared to the other trees in the park. Although Roberts’ images are different in style and composition, the ethos behind the work is similar. It is making the hidden visible, provoking awareness of our natural environment.

Simon Roberts

Simon Roberts’ work deals with our relationship to landscape and notions of identity and belonging. He has published and exhibited widely and his photographs reside in major public and private collections, including the George Eastman House, Deutsche Börse Art Collection and V&A Collection. In 2013 Roberts was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society.

References

Roberts, S. 2020. The Weeds And The Wilderness – Simon Roberts. [online] Available at: <https://www.simoncroberts.com/work/the-weeds-and-the-wilderness/> [Accessed 17 November 2020].