Thesis in the Making

Windows

I am interested in how memory imprints itself upon the present, human perceptions of the same events and spaces, and subtle distortions that take place between the camera and the photographer. My work is a documentation of truth in our surroundings through the use of landscape photography.

Full Statement

Introduction to Different Film Formats

I first used analog photography at Southwest Tennessee Community College, but I was introduced to medium and large format at the UofM. I loved both formats instantly.

I learned how to use the 4x5 camera (large format) during a class in the Spring 2018. Though the camera was large and heavy, I lugged that thing everywhere I could. This camera is different than most in that you can manipulate the camera body. This allows you to fine tune the image, even correcting things like perspective warp, in camera. During this class, I learned about photographers John Pfahl and JoAnn Verberg, the two biggest influences for my thesis project.

During May of 2018 I went on a study abroad to England. My teacher, David Horan, knew of my interest in shooting with different film formats, so he allowed me to borrow his medium format camera, a Bronica sq-b. I carried that camera, my digital camera, and my grandfather's Polaroid Land Camera everywhere with me during that trip. It was my first time shooting color film.

One thing I've learned is that if you go around shooting with interesting looking cameras, be prepared to talk to people. Just about anybody and everybody will be interested in what you are doing. As an introvert, that definitely was out of my comfort zone.

Independent Study

In the Fall 2018 semester, I had an independent study with David Horan. My thesis project started in that study. I had the idea of what I wanted to do - I wanted to use large and medium format film to photographically deconstruct and reconstruct landscapes, using a separate negative for each "window pane". The images of my note pages show where my thinking was conceptually. I didn't know how well this process would work and I had some trouble in the beginning, but very quickly I began getting results I was happy with.

For the final pieces, I made the window construction from a double layer of mat board to give a small physicality and separation between the viewer and the image. I also made "window sills" as the wall mounting mechanism. At the time I was happy with this method of display, but as I continued to work with the project after the study ended, I knew I wanted something different. This method was fine for this portion of this project's life, but as this evolved into my thesis project, I began figuring out how I wanted the final display method to evolve as well.

The images in the final pieces look different because they are an earlier edit of the images. I continued to work on them through the next semester.

Influences

The independent study and following thesis project were very much influenced by John Pfahl’s Picture Window series. Pfahl is photographing through actual windows from the inside out, purposefully underexposing the inside so the interior is or is almost completely black and the outside is correctly exposed. This creates a framing effect on the landscape or cityscape we see. The window becomes a black frame that segments or fragments the scene.

It was also influenced by JoAnn Verburg's polyptychs of the natural landscapes near her home in Spoleto, Italy. She is also using large format photography to deconstruct scenes. But both she and Pfahl are interested in ideas of beauty in these landscapes.

I'm more interested in human perception of the same events and spaces. I wanted a way to present my thoughts on how no one sees the world the same way. I figured that not just the window, but the constructed “window” was perfect for that. We must see through something, a filter that dictates our perception. That is what the window imagery represents to me. Not a portal to see beauty, not the “eyes are the window to the soul” trope, but separation.

First Trips
Summer 2019

The process of developing this project was an exploration, not just of the spaces themselves, but of myself. I traveled on my own, I spent a lot of time in the car by myself, I stayed in places overnight by myself, and I hiked by myself. So I was not just out taking photos, I was paying special attention to how I respond to my surroundings without distraction. That was another big part of this project. I'm interested in perceptions so exploring my own was part of the research. I've begun to become more aware of how I think of things and how I experience them. Experiencing is less of a passive action now, but it's still something that I'm still working on.

During my independent study, I had the time to go and spend whole days driving around to find locations. Somedays I wouldn't find anywhere that spoke to me, but that was okay. It wasn't a waste, it was part of the process. For my thesis project, I was more limited on time, so I helped my search along by searching for specific places to go ahead of time, and then exploring around those areas. This lead me to finding a lot of running water and overlooks, which was fine as well. I found my new favorite location this way, a place that I plan to go back to for many years.

Without the time constraints of thesis though, I would like to go back to exploring my old way, just spending time with myself driving around - maybe I'll find something maybe I won't.

Revisits
Fall and Winter 2019

Going back to these places later in the year was very interesting for me. I had already started the process of becoming more aware of how I was perceiving my surroundings, so the changes between the summer and the fall and then the fall and the winter really stood out to me. It was like discovering completely different places.

It was also interesting seeing how other people interacted with these spaces. I would often stay in one location for a couple hours, and in that time I would see different groups of people come and leave. Some would stay for awhile, maybe 20 minutes or so, some would play in the water a bit, some would take a few selfies and leave. I realized that was how I had experienced the world before starting this project -- very surface level -- taking selfies to show other people the interesting places I'd been, staying for just a little bit before heading somewhere else. But through this process, I found it's so much more enjoyable to stay in one place, to enjoy one location and truly explore and experience it. I hope my project makes other people think that way too -- to slow down just a bit. Have you ever gone to a place like this and spent the entire day in one location?

(and yes, I still take selfies)

Method of Display

I found the new way I wanted to display these photos late into the process. I played around with different ideas, but I knew I wanted to increase the physicality; I didn't want these to lay flat and static on the wall. When I put together the maquette in the pictures, it clicked -- that was going to be this projects next life. And this method of building works hand-in-hand with their placement in the gallery. I want these pieces to make the viewer aware of their presence in the space I created. I want that sense of enclosure and separation, which is why I'm extremely excited for the future show in The Martha and Robert Fogelman Galleries of Contemporary Art.

Preview

I've chosen not to show all of the final digital images on this page because they are not meant to be seen that way, they are meant to be fully built window constructs.

But I wanted to show one just to give a sense of what they will be.

This is where my project stands as of now. Unfortunately, I'm unable to complete the final pieces with campus shut down. But once we're through this current crisis, the University of Memphis will work with all of us in the class of 2020 to complete our projects and show them in the university galleries.

When that day comes, I hope you come and see all of our hard work!

I would like to thank my thesis committee for helping me push this project in ways I couldn't have done on my own.

My advisor and mentor David Horan has helped me on my artistic journey since I transferred to the UofM. His guidance, support, and friendship have been an instrumental part of my personal growth. This project started in an independent study with him and would not have been the same without his insight.

Richard Lou, our department head, played a huge role in bringing this project to realization, not only in helping me with the conceptual side, but by helping me in the wood shop. I would not have been able to create these pieces without him.

Lisa Williamson and Coriana Close both have helped me really hone in on my own thinking and process in more than just this project. They challenged me to really dig into why I'm doing what I'm doing.