carmanella: The notion of inspiration comes from constant enquiry based on research, observation, recording and experimentation

I felt very inspired during the first term of this course. This is because for the first time in a long time I was being given work to do and HAD to think of ideas for articles, arrange photoshoots and write up articles.It was hard to keep up this momentum on your own with no direction, this is why Ihad set projects for myself before the course began and went to do a little photography course at the MAC during the summer. It set a task which I could take in any direction creatively. In the end I took some of my personal favourites so far. I approached people I wouldn't have other wise and I felt more confident about my skills.I felt inspired to continue and so took on more projects over the summer.

Some examples of the work I did during my MAC course (Midland Arts Centre) last summer. These pictures were taken through observing other people in fairly mundane situations. The ones of the little boy were taken because I noticed this group of people hanging around outside a barbers shop. I stopped to ask them if they minded having their pictures taken and the little boy 'Spud' stole the show. The other pictures were an area of factory and wasteland I pass regularly on the way tomy mom's ansd I had to use a launderette for a while and various people allowed me to take some pictures of them.

I often use my phone(I hate to say) to record ideas or if I happen not to have my camera on me. I recently visited London to go to the DaVinci exhibition, obviously the exhibition was very interesting but it was very rushed and very busy. I spent some time outside the portrait gallery recording people walking in the rain over the reflection of the National Portrait Gallery on the pavement. I also used my phone as a dictaphone this last term to record ideas that came to my head for articles. This really helped.

These were pictures taken on my mobile phone in London. It was a very rushed visit with a tight schedule and my main camera had broken and I didnt think Id get chance to take pictures anyway, but I was glad to have had my phone to capture a few moments of inspiration.

I didnt know quite what to make of the Da Vinci exhibition.Im glad I went but it was so busy that I couldnt really take it in properly.

I like to go to photographic exhibitions locally and recently I went along to the opening of John Myers Middle England exhibition at the Ikon and during my trip to London I saw some interesting pictures at the Tate,one that springs to mind was a sort of family tree portrait series that documented various families but the most poignant was a collection of photos of young children and babies from a Romanian orphanage, all of them looked so glazed and scared and some just completely mentally ill.

Another source of inspiration is my boyfriend who is a singer songwriter. I have been asked to document his new band and their journey fom early rehearsals through to first gig in February at the Symphony Hall.

I sometimes just go through photography books at the Ikon to see if anything catches my eye, then I will research a photographer.

During the first term I expeerimented with film photography, develpment and dark room processes. I hadn't had chance to do this before so it was an interesting experience, however with the magazine project demanding a lot of pictures quickly in a digital format I didn't get much chance to do as much as I'd have liked. I think in the second term it will be more of an option. I also wanted to sign up for the moving image workshops but again found it difficult to fit in after my film workshops, things were becoming a bit stressful towards the end of term. I am going to focus on these workshops in the second term as I have just bought a 60D Canon with which I aim to make some short films and documentaries!

So during the magazine work I tried to push my skills further, which I see as experimentation. I tried out an interiors photoshoot, I used a holga to get some artistic images from the custard Factory and worked in some poorly lit conditions. I learned a lot from these experiences, particularly about lenses and lighting.With my new camera I purchased a 35mm f/2 lense which I have found very effective so far. The only thing I feel I should have experimented with more is the studio but I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunity for that and I did attend the studio lighting workshop.

I will be experimenting with my new camera and my FM3A Nikon in the next term.

Finally on the notion of experimentation, I enjoyed working with stop frame footage. I thought it worked well for our Ident (although I wasn't too keen on the final music choice). I liked the jumpiness and I puposefully set the aperture very wide so it has a cold white daylight affect which is quite haunting. There was some better footage which was similar however I messed with the lense and zoomed in and out which didn't work with the stop frame footage in post production. I was quite annoyed with myself as it would have been great.

Below are a few pictures from the footage I messed up buit wish we'd been able to use, in fact in hindsight I wish I had pushed for it but it wasn't me who was having to do all the editing and I wouldnt have been able to anyway...something else I should learn.