Michael Hixon

Final Project

A Current Idea

About me • Being a photographer, as well as a designer, I tend to deal with conceptual imagery. I tend to use my

imagery to communicate on another dimension. Link interest . Mine vary depending on what I want to communicate .

• I start with an idea, then I tend to develop and branch off into several ideas to communicate. Photography, varies in relation to the subject and topic.

• However, I like to partially use metaphors within my work, though I primarily like to make things clear and concise, therefore enabling everybody regardless of their cultural backgrounds, understand my projects, without words to specifically narrate them.

• Words can only communicate to people who know the language. I feel photography and imagery is a type of universal language.

• Objects can speak for themselves visually.

• Within my work, I tend to incorporate a meaning. I feel this is what gives a project strength and a purpose.This does not mean however that I don’t like to muck around a explore various aesthetical approaches, as these approaches can be later incorporated in later projects.

• Notwithstanding this, This year I would like to develop on the relationship I’m trying to develop between text and imagery. This may even involve me scribbling on the product.

Introduction to my idea• Being a photographer, I recognize the importance of seeing. Therefore, how it effects individuals within society. How it can

effect people within their work, etc . Using my photography as a skill to communicate .

• My project is to gain awareness. I want to explore various ideas of communicating before making a set decision. I want to involve people within the lives of individuals who are visually impaired.

• I feel photography is my weapon for raisin social awareness/ economical awareness.

• Process would be to use the method of Liquid Lighting, using the dark room to print the negatives directly onto the glass of the glasses.

• The photos will possibly consist of one item, shot exactly the same Item, opening the aperture to increase the more visually impaired aspect. I plan for there to be a sequence.

• I’ve been wanting to explore this idea since the start of term, and ever since I use to print my contact sheets in year one. Where I was using an old camera with two shutter speeds and apertures.

Example of how I may Convey• Using liquid lighting for a purpose. I may consider colour, but I intend to do it in black and white, as

colour’s can distract people from the content. Hence why many documentary photographers shoot in black and white, unless they have a purpose otherwise

People with sever short sightedness

People with short sightedness

People who are long sighted

Research

• Bill Jacobson - Played with shape/ forms

• Hendrik Saxgren.

Research

• Kennard Phillips – Deals with social/ political issues.

Additional Things that I may Consider• I may lay out my idea with text or eye charts displayed next to them. (however a bit typical) – I still have to consider it

• I could hang the pairs around anywhere you like, as if there was just an exhibition just lying around, just like glasses. Finding a pair of glasses lying around, like usual, however finding an image that represents the focal range of what an individual wearing the glasses would see without them.

• I may shoot day to day items to emphasise the importance of seeing. Maybe considering to put a text within the glasses case, with a story of an individual who has trouble in their day to day lives to see.

• Either that or shoot the Iris of an eye, Making it go from soft focus to hard focus.

• I may include typographic cases to go along with the glasses. Screen print on the plastic…. With additional Information. Possibly White cases.

• I essentially use imagery to communicate, and I feel it’s about finding the relationship between type and conceptual imagery to convey a social issue, which effects individuals.

• I would like to project my project somewhere, on a larger scale. Spike Lee, and Minneapolis ( Still need to research)

• Focal picture planes.

• Contact Specsavers and Boots etc, to see if they’ll sponsor me. A Local business, where I could maybe obtain personal sponsorship? Supply the glasses that I work on ? ?

• I’ll take profile shots of the individuals wearing the glasses, as if they were in adverts.

• I may shoot colour. – Several of the same images, transitioning from soft to hard focus