SIMON ROBERTS
background in human geography - ba 1996
started out as a photojournalist for a small newspaper
very particular about keeping the rights to his images. keeps track of how his images are used.
"the way you are going to survive is to have good ideas". ideas are your currency.
RODINA
he had a very aware understanding of being a white western photographer. knowingly tried not to have preconceptions or a sort of tick list - as a normal tourist would. by using text aside his images challenges further preconceptions readers might have.
methodology
landscapes straight, made for reading and being informative. inspiration from russian landscape painting.
portraits no emotional content, made to have them looking at you. interviews after images to keep distance from subject and avoid subjectivity.
for the motherland book he started using blogs as a method to make the book more widely approachable, also for publicity purposes. assigned a guestbook for people to respond in, this allowed him to build up a database of people who enjoy his work for easier publicity for later projects.
WE ENGLISH
2009
aware of placing himself in a long line of british landscape photographers. deliberately used a 5x4 camera (for rodina he used a mamiya 6x7) to slow down the process. this allowed him to become almost invisible because of the unthreatening nature of his camera and the slowness of the process of taking an image.
created a blog to gather ideas and have people propose places and events.
decided to shoot every image from an elevated hight (the caravan). included big skies as well as a reference to british landscape painting. decided to shoot beautiful images of leisure time and the idealised countryside. with the 5x4 he would find the spot first and let the situation unfold as he was there. often he would take a picture in the other direction of the first idea he had.
THE ELECTIONS PROJECT
commisioned as the elections artist.
huge amounts of research - the help of a professional.
TOP TIPS
always keep in mind the landscape and how it evidences the current time.
your own pictures work harder for you than editorial work.
never make enemies - you never know where they might end up.
clarify your intentions - then your equipment.
2011/04/27
week 9
the last few weeks getting anything to respond to has been tricky. i now include a plea to send anything to respond to, be it a sketch or an idea and even that i can not get a reply to most often. it is now half way through week 9 and i have not got a reply to two emails (address is correct as we have swapped before on this email address) and a facebook message. i have material i could send off as an imaginary response and later fit in, but i will try to get in touch once more.
i have a lot of work to be done yet on some of the earlier responses to get them ready for being put up - the exhibition is in 2 weeks.
the good news is the 16mm film came out great and we did not have any problems we could not overcome. joe gave me a big hand in actually making the film as it is timeconsuming. we spent a total of 7 hours in the film editing lab for the 55 s. film. that was including the first digitising, which was on a harddrive handy-cam and without a tripod. later i spent about the same time digitising it properly (720p using a nikon d3000 dslr and a proper tripod), editing + encoding it for the web and producing the soundtrack. all in all a proper viral type video.
this can now be used as the first bit of material for publicity around the web - we've already distributed it around facebook and intend to send this to different blogs as well.
after all the work is done, we will have to produce the catalogue for the exhibition in a matter of days, which will be testing. also the graphics guys are working on the posters and flyers to distribute ahead of time.
as before, the biggest worry and rush is getting the work done and it does not help to have people not even responding to emails or a simple facebook message.
the last few weeks getting anything to respond to has been tricky. i now include a plea to send anything to respond to, be it a sketch or an idea and even that i can not get a reply to most often. it is now half way through week 9 and i have not got a reply to two emails (address is correct as we have swapped before on this email address) and a facebook message. i have material i could send off as an imaginary response and later fit in, but i will try to get in touch once more.
i have a lot of work to be done yet on some of the earlier responses to get them ready for being put up - the exhibition is in 2 weeks.
the good news is the 16mm film came out great and we did not have any problems we could not overcome. joe gave me a big hand in actually making the film as it is timeconsuming. we spent a total of 7 hours in the film editing lab for the 55 s. film. that was including the first digitising, which was on a harddrive handy-cam and without a tripod. later i spent about the same time digitising it properly (720p using a nikon d3000 dslr and a proper tripod), editing + encoding it for the web and producing the soundtrack. all in all a proper viral type video.
this can now be used as the first bit of material for publicity around the web - we've already distributed it around facebook and intend to send this to different blogs as well.
after all the work is done, we will have to produce the catalogue for the exhibition in a matter of days, which will be testing. also the graphics guys are working on the posters and flyers to distribute ahead of time.
as before, the biggest worry and rush is getting the work done and it does not help to have people not even responding to emails or a simple facebook message.
2011/04/15
half way through.
the past five weeks have been straightforward for the project - everyone has been doing work.
the system has been working and most of the swaps have been made on time. the last weeks, though, chelsea has been finishing the work later and later, if at all in some cases. this is mostly due to their half-term assessments.
on april 4 we decided to call a meeting with the uel guys as to sort out what needs to be done before the exhibition. only i and joe were at the meeting though. all in all this was not a bad thing as we got most things sorted as to how the leaflets and posters + the exhibition guide are going to look like and be made. we also sent out two facebook messages (one to each school) explaining where we are at the moment with the project.
"
Hello,
As we’re all well aware, it’s now week 6, and there’s barely 5 weeks of work. This can be sorted out incredibly quickly though. We’ve just mobilised our group to upload everything to the dropbox so we can figure out what’s missing and sort everything out as quickly as possible. What we’re trying to do is fill in every missing piece by Friday (8th April).
It’s all turning into a bit of a military operation at the moment, this is essentially a repercussion of our terrible organising skills. We haven’t communicated enough, and pieces are getting missed out (it happens to the best of us). So it’s time for a half term review.
If anyone is aware of missing pieces, they need to fill them in by uploading to the dropbox. (Just looked and it says that Jessie isn’t part of it, do you need another invite?). Then pieces that are missing, can be filled in with anything, as long as they are filled in. What the people in the UEL group are doing is using work they’ve done before which they feel like exhibiting and slightly fits in with enough blagging. So if you have any nice work, that you want to exhibit, here’s your chance.
To let you know what’s happening our end:
We’re in the process of sorting out fliers and posters, to be given to you to distribute round University, that’ll be done before the 20th of April, as this is the date Stour space will be distributing them for us and starting the online campaign for advertising.
So please keep an eye out for anywhere you could advertise the exhibition your end, as soon as we have any material we’ll send it straight to you.
Mattias is in the process of developing a video to advertise as a sort of viral advertisement that’ll be spread round blogs etc.
The posters are going to be screen printed at our Uni as it’s free, and will look good hopefully. We’re working on a few designs at the moment, thinking of one that plays on the recycling logo using our respective universities logos and using nice brown parcel paper. Do you know if we’ll need permission to use the Chelsea logo?
The exhibition guide is going to be a booklet made using a photocopier and different paper stocks, a short run of about 150. There’s an example of what it might look like here,
http://pleasedonotbend.co.uk/work/gossip-scandal-and-good-manners-catalogue/
This is my typography tutor’s work, so he’s going to help us layout and do the process. He just won a D&AD award for it, so it can’t be too bad an idea.
The main concern here is just to get back on track with the work, like I say if we can sort everything out by Friday, we can carry on as normal and have an amazing exhibition. There’s going to be free booze, my mates dj-ing and if anyone else wants to organise entertainment feel free. It’s just a big ol’ party.
On a serious note, we all need to meet up again, as a group of 10 and sit down and talk about how it’s going. If not have a couple of drinks at least.
Best of luck, enjoy yourselves and don’t worry about single pieces of work. You’re going to have 100 pieces to be worse than yours. (or better)
Please please please, reply and just generally be a part of the process, if you want anything done a certain way let us know ten heads are better than five, and more chaotic.
--UEL guys "
this was sent on joe pleass's facebook, hence the my and i.
we decided to try and have another meeting with the group on the following thursday ( as this is the day everyone should be in anyway for professional practice). this time it was ali, joe and i. we further discussed the posters and guide, as there had been some conflicting views within the 4 graphic designers as to how they all tie together. i also explained the video idea i had for our publicity campaign.
this would be a 16mm film comprised of transfers made from actual pieces of work made for the exhibition. this ties in together with the whole idea of swapping (magazine - clear tape - film) and would make an interesting piece within itself as well, as it would not be a straight invitation or representation of all the works. i tried finding clear leader film on the internet, but could only find them available to order in the us. i then asked dean at uni, if there is any possiblity of using the school facilities and he then showed me the 16mm cutting room and how to use the machines. they also have plenty of clear film and also scrap material to use.
at the moment we are trying to get everyone back in the spirit of the project and as well as keep the swap going try and fill in the gaps that have appeared. for this we sent out a new invitation to the dropbox for everyone and reminded them to upload all the work they have so it would be possible to keep track of what is missing.
the past five weeks have been straightforward for the project - everyone has been doing work.
the system has been working and most of the swaps have been made on time. the last weeks, though, chelsea has been finishing the work later and later, if at all in some cases. this is mostly due to their half-term assessments.
on april 4 we decided to call a meeting with the uel guys as to sort out what needs to be done before the exhibition. only i and joe were at the meeting though. all in all this was not a bad thing as we got most things sorted as to how the leaflets and posters + the exhibition guide are going to look like and be made. we also sent out two facebook messages (one to each school) explaining where we are at the moment with the project.
"
Hello,
As we’re all well aware, it’s now week 6, and there’s barely 5 weeks of work. This can be sorted out incredibly quickly though. We’ve just mobilised our group to upload everything to the dropbox so we can figure out what’s missing and sort everything out as quickly as possible. What we’re trying to do is fill in every missing piece by Friday (8th April).
It’s all turning into a bit of a military operation at the moment, this is essentially a repercussion of our terrible organising skills. We haven’t communicated enough, and pieces are getting missed out (it happens to the best of us). So it’s time for a half term review.
If anyone is aware of missing pieces, they need to fill them in by uploading to the dropbox. (Just looked and it says that Jessie isn’t part of it, do you need another invite?). Then pieces that are missing, can be filled in with anything, as long as they are filled in. What the people in the UEL group are doing is using work they’ve done before which they feel like exhibiting and slightly fits in with enough blagging. So if you have any nice work, that you want to exhibit, here’s your chance.
To let you know what’s happening our end:
We’re in the process of sorting out fliers and posters, to be given to you to distribute round University, that’ll be done before the 20th of April, as this is the date Stour space will be distributing them for us and starting the online campaign for advertising.
So please keep an eye out for anywhere you could advertise the exhibition your end, as soon as we have any material we’ll send it straight to you.
Mattias is in the process of developing a video to advertise as a sort of viral advertisement that’ll be spread round blogs etc.
The posters are going to be screen printed at our Uni as it’s free, and will look good hopefully. We’re working on a few designs at the moment, thinking of one that plays on the recycling logo using our respective universities logos and using nice brown parcel paper. Do you know if we’ll need permission to use the Chelsea logo?
The exhibition guide is going to be a booklet made using a photocopier and different paper stocks, a short run of about 150. There’s an example of what it might look like here,
http://pleasedonotbend.co.uk/work/gossip-scandal-and-good-manners-catalogue/
This is my typography tutor’s work, so he’s going to help us layout and do the process. He just won a D&AD award for it, so it can’t be too bad an idea.
The main concern here is just to get back on track with the work, like I say if we can sort everything out by Friday, we can carry on as normal and have an amazing exhibition. There’s going to be free booze, my mates dj-ing and if anyone else wants to organise entertainment feel free. It’s just a big ol’ party.
On a serious note, we all need to meet up again, as a group of 10 and sit down and talk about how it’s going. If not have a couple of drinks at least.
Best of luck, enjoy yourselves and don’t worry about single pieces of work. You’re going to have 100 pieces to be worse than yours. (or better)
Please please please, reply and just generally be a part of the process, if you want anything done a certain way let us know ten heads are better than five, and more chaotic.
--UEL guys "
this was sent on joe pleass's facebook, hence the my and i.
we decided to try and have another meeting with the group on the following thursday ( as this is the day everyone should be in anyway for professional practice). this time it was ali, joe and i. we further discussed the posters and guide, as there had been some conflicting views within the 4 graphic designers as to how they all tie together. i also explained the video idea i had for our publicity campaign.
this would be a 16mm film comprised of transfers made from actual pieces of work made for the exhibition. this ties in together with the whole idea of swapping (magazine - clear tape - film) and would make an interesting piece within itself as well, as it would not be a straight invitation or representation of all the works. i tried finding clear leader film on the internet, but could only find them available to order in the us. i then asked dean at uni, if there is any possiblity of using the school facilities and he then showed me the 16mm cutting room and how to use the machines. they also have plenty of clear film and also scrap material to use.
at the moment we are trying to get everyone back in the spirit of the project and as well as keep the swap going try and fill in the gaps that have appeared. for this we sent out a new invitation to the dropbox for everyone and reminded them to upload all the work they have so it would be possible to keep track of what is missing.
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