9th Floor Final.

9th Floor

Molly Baillargeon

 

   The bedroom. It is not often talked about, but we spend 1/3 of our lives there. Some of us choose to only sleep in our bedrooms, but base our lives out of our bedrooms. For some of us it is just another room, but for others it is our only safe haven.
    In this short series of photographs, I want to expose the idea of the bedroom. In particular, what people surround themselves with in their bedrooms. What do they choose to comfort themselves with? I aim to use lighting and point of view to help convey the messages of my photos. I've also experimented with the intersection between anonymity and ownership.
    With 9th Floor, I have explored the privacy of bedrooms, and what makes them feel so comfortable and safe.

 

9th Floor: Reworked Proposal.

   Over the course of the project, I think my original proposal has been slightly modified. Here is the original:

"Privacy is a big deal in this day and age. With Big Brother constantly watching us, can we ever get sincere privacy?

Most people feel that the bedroom is the most private of places. What goes on in the bedroom is often taboo, or at least not spoken about. Whether is be sleeping, changing clothes, or something more intimate, the bedroom is a place where most feel safe, alone, secure.

With Project 1: Space, I want to explore the privacy of bedrooms, and what makes them feel so comfortable and safe."

   Rather than naming the project just Project 1: Space, I've decided to call it 9th floor, which is reflective of where the photos were taken.

   I think that the proposal is still pretty accurate, although I have reworked it. Here is my modified proposal:


   The bedroom. It is not often talked about, but we spend 1/3 of our lives there. Some of us choose to only sleep in our bedrooms, but base our lives out of our bedrooms. For some of us it is just another room, but for others it is our only safe haven.
   In this short series of photographs, I want to expose the idea of the bedroom. In particular, what people surround themselves with in their bedrooms. What do they choose to comfort themselves with? I aim to use lighting and point of view to help convey the messages of my photos. I've also experimented with the intersection between anonymity and ownership.
   With 9th Floor, I have explored the privacy of bedrooms, and what makes them feel so comfortable and safe.

Third Shoot.

 

   The third bedroom I shot was another flatmate's. I asked her a few questions before I got started to get a better idea of what she uses her room for and what she thinks of it. She says she lives in her room. She hates leaving. She feels comfortable and settled, even though she's only been living in the flat for a month. She feels more comfortable here than she does at home, mostly because of the freedom factor. Her favorite part of her bedroom is her bed, and she spends a lot of time on her bed.

Second Shoot.

   My second shoot was in my bedroom. I wanted soft lighting and a welcoming environment in my photos. I also wanted to play with angles. I want these photos to reflect the mood of my bedroom.. a safe haven, but not the most inviting of places.

 

'Space' Research.

   Whilst seeking inspiration for project 1, I have stumbled across the work of Nan Goldin, Lars Tunbjork, Alec Soth, and Martin Parr.

   Alec Soth's simplistic photography is what I'm looking for in my space project. I want my photos to have meaning, but not by over-filling them with subject matter. To me, his project called "Broken Manual" is profoundly deep yet stunningly simple. It is the perfect balance.

http://alecsoth.com/photography/projects/broken-manual/

   I especially like this photo of Soth's, from "Paris/Minnesota."

Jane
Alec Soth, 2007.

   Lars Tunbjork is extremely good at photographing the indoors without it seeming to confined. This photo pertains to my space project immensely. I've taken photos really similar to this one.

Accounting Firm, New York.
Lars Tunbjork, 1997

   Another photographer that has influenced me thus far is Martin Parr. I love the way he photographs people. I want to experiment with portraiture when I get the opportunity.

   Last but not least, is Nan Goldin, who I've mentioned in a previous post. Some of her subject matter seems very personal, but I love how she portrays them.

   I'm finding a lot of influences in my research, and I think it may be affecting the outcome of my project.

Weekly Task: Mini World.

   Creating a mini world was not as hard as I had imagined it. I only needed 2 layers to create it. I cropped out one edge of my panorama that did not match up with the other side, making it easier to join the 2 ends. It was tricky, though, to conceptualize the opacity of one layer, with a solid layer underneath, and what to erase to bring through. There was a lot of trial and error involved in which parts I erased, because it was so hard to imagine what the final product would look like. I don't think my mini world is perfect, but I am somewhat pleased with it.

 

First Shoot.

   My first shoot did not go as well as I had hoped. The lighting was the hardest thing for me to overcome. The lighting in my flatmate's room was not very good, and all the windows made it hard. There was glare no matter what. I wanted to go with softer lighting, and a softer looking photograph to match my flatmate's views of his room. I think some of the photos came out well, but I cut out a lot, and I still have a lot more work to do. I will probably need to reshoot in this room at a different time of day, or using different lighting techniques.

 

 

1st Shoot Research.

   For the first shoot of the Space project, I decided to start close to home. My topic of bedrooms seeks to expose some comforts and privacy. My awesome flat-mate let me photograph his room. Before I started, I asked him a few questions.

   He feels safe and comfortable in his bedroom. He thinks he spends over half of his day in his room, which he believes is typical. A bedroom is a place where one can be in their underwear, or be alone in the dark, and it's okay. He likes to have others in his bedroom, depending on the cleanliness at the time. Since his desk and a television are in his bedroom, he studies, sleeps, and watches television in his room. His favorite non-material thing about his room is the view. Or rather, the space that is outside his room. Since his bed room is so small, he likes that he can see the outside, which is so big. His favorite material item in his bedroom is a family photo. He has had it in every bedroom, and will bring it wherever he may relocate. He brought up the fact that those who drive trucks for a living are essentially always in their bedroom, and they have strong ties with their 'space.'

Nan and Brian in Bed, New York City.
Nan Goldin, 1983.

   I also looked at the work of Nan Goldin, as she seems to make what is personal, public. Here is one of her photos that I liked, which coincidentally also takes place in a bedroom.

Weekly Task: Panorama.

   Here's the panorama I created with photos taken from the top of the cable car. I've done a panorama in photoshop before, so it was just a matter of remembering what to do! I did have some difficulties with this, however. I don't own a tripod, so I just went for it with this shoot. The photos were pretty well lined up, but the right-most photo was very crooked. I had trouble blending it with the rest of the photo. With the house, just right of center, it was very hard to align it and match it with the panorama. It was a really cool process though, and I think besides that one hiccup, it turned out pretty well.

Project 1: Space. Proposal.

   Privacy is a big deal in this day and age. With Big Brother constantly watching us, can we ever get sincere privacy?

   Most people feel that the bedroom is the most private of places. What goes on in the bedroom is often taboo, or at least not spoken about. Whether is be sleeping, changing clothes, or something more intimate, the bedroom is a place where most feel safe, alone, secure.

   With Project 1: Space, I want to explore the privacy of bedrooms, and what makes them feel so comfortable and safe.

Like, Dislike, Interesting.

I really like the angle, looking upwards.

I dislike the sky - it could be more blue, or I could have captured the clouds differently.

I think it's interesting that the photo is so simple. Not a lot of colour, not a huge subject.

Six Photos.

The Beginning.

   I enrolled in DSDN 144 for two reasons: to do what I love, and to get credit for it.  I enjoy taking photos, and the recent acquisition of a Canon 650D has made it so much easier to take good photos.
   One big influence for taking photos, as I'm sure is true for everyone, is to capture a memory.  When your parents take photos of you as a child, you are frozen in time and space at that age and in that action.  Although I'm a huge advocate for experiencing things full force rather than behind a lens, these snapshots (no pun intended) of a life at one instance are what build the foundation for photography.
   Another huge influence for me is the feeling that a photo can invoke.  Photos don't always have to be a capture of a memory.  It can show where you are as an artist, how you are feeling about that time in your life, etc.  Photos can let you express yourself, your interests, your beliefs.
   Some of the things that have an effect on me or that I like to photograph are: Ansel Adams, landscapes, small things, the natural, the manmade, Nat Geo, family, and experiences.