The learning process goes on... even at the very end of my course.
A part of me wishes that the day will come when I have learned much of what I need to know about photography and exhibitions, but another part tells me that a lot of the fun comes with finding out new things. Well, let's just say say that I'm still having fun!
We are in the middle of our end-of-year show at the moment - an event for which I had prepared well and which I began with the hope that my photographs were (a) interesting for the viewing public, (b) good enough to pass the relevant course module and (c) were a decent representation of my work.
But over the past few days, having watched the reactions of visitors to the exhibition, I have come to realise that I still have a lot to learn.
As readers of this blog will already know, my photos are in a documentary style and tell the story of a Christian community in Birmingham. They require the viewer to spend a reasonable amount of time understanding the meanings being conveyed.
However, I don't think the vast majority of visitors have wanted to spend the time teasing out the meanings. Either that or the photos are simply poor.
Yes, there will be the odd person who will look deeply at the different elements, reading the thoughts and prayers written on posters and works of art being depicted, and analysing a photograph's symbolism. But they are very much in the minority.
I think part of the problem is that with a certain type of photography, the viewer has to be given a little help in the form of introductory text. Our group made the mistake (in my opinion) of opting to have just the photographer's name and a title for the series of photos.... nothing more. It has left the viewer with too much work to do.
A college tutor said to me that an explanatory paragraph or two would have been a good idea - and he is right. It's so frustrating that after so much effort a silly oversight can prove so costly.
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