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.