Pete Askew
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All images taken using a Leica M9 + 35mm Leica Summilux M f1:1.4. PP in LR, Nik ColorFX 4 and PS.
Many thanks to one and all for the feedback, comments and interpretations of the images in this 'series'. So what are they all about? There appears to be a back-story here and a narrative, but it is not clear. Style-wise they are rather sombre and introspective and share a fairly 'period' colour palette. This was deliberately borrowed from the work of Edward Hopper as was the concept of implied narrative. My guess is that Paul's claims to have guessed what was going on with this series is correct as we have discussed the 'theme' underlying these images before and it is something I find very appealing. I have always enjoyed the works of people like Gregory Crewdson and, more recently, Richard Tuschman and others for, not only the cinematic approach of Crewdson, but also for the rather mysterious air their approach lends to images. They seem like stills from a film that you think you might have seen but can't remember the plot of; they appear to contain a story but it is not clear what it is. It is the ability of photography (and paintings like those by Hopper) to provide this that interests me greatly.
I have had in my mind for quite some time an idea to produce a set of images that appear to be stills from one of these half-remembered films. This series of image is a step towards it. The location is in an unused room at the house of Ina's mother's in the countryside of Lower Saxony. It is a location I have used several times as I find it evokes a strong response in me which I am aware is influenced by listening to Ina talk of her childhood days as well as the slightly desolate (http://www.realphotographersforum.com/landscape-architecture/1475-windswept-land.html) and forgotten feeling (http://www.realphotographersforum.com/general/4794-time-place.html) that pervades these small farming villages. The room used often has wonderful light and I have taken several pictures in there over the years and one of these led to the idea that it might be possible to create a false sense of narrative using that as a location (not my original plan - that is still to come) - http://www.realphotographersforum.com/general/7810-through-curtains.html. On our last visit, the light was good and we had a little time one afternoon and the following morning to produce some images. I have presented a selection here that appear to have some relationship to each other and hint that there is a back story. There isn't. And that is why I was so interested to hear people's interpretation of them (and still am).
This may all seem a bit of a strange thing to do, a bit pretentious even, but it is something that is part of many photographs. Clearly some images are documentary in nature (and here I don't mean the work of photojournalists as these are often influenced by their interpretation and their need to tell a story or prove a point) such as technical and forensic images. Many wildlife and landscape photographs fall into this category although here the desire to produce something that is aesthetically pleasing also, or reflects the feeling one had of a place / time, adds influence. We also record events; weddings, parties, the everyday, wars, famines etc. Within these there are often images which either show the aftermath of something (victims of a massacre) or an event unfolding (a wedding - where everyone was of course joyously happy!).
In a recent posting we see a fine image of a rugby player (http://www.realphotographersforum.com/sports/11148-alex-grove.html) about to achieve a try. We know what is coming next and the photograph captures perfectly the split second before the player touches down. In others we see something in progress, eg http://www.realphotographersforum.com/people-portraits/11056-its-not-my-birthday.html - but it takes an explanation (or very close inspecting and guess-work) to understand what is happening (and in 20 years time will she know what she was crying about?). There are some classic images in which we can see what is happening but cannot be certain of the outcome...
Copyright Magnum
Did he get a wet foot?
So the idea of an uncertain narrative is not new. It is often there but not as a result of deliberate manipulation and it is that element that I find interesting.
