The featured images look at voyeurism and surveillance. They depict a range of scenes taken through a window, the idea being, they represent an interest in and certain pleasure derived from watching the world go by. Essentially, the images serve as a form of rapid, visual note taking. The idea is partially supported by the following extract from Susan Sontag's On Photography:
“The photographer is an armed version of the solitary walker reconnoitering, stalking, cruising the urban inferno, the voyeuristic stroller who discovers the city as a landscape of voluptuous extremes. Adept of the joys of watching, connoisseur of empathy, the flâneur finds the world 'picturesque.”
(Sontag, 1977)The difference being I haven't strolled around the city to acquire my images and thereby haven't fully taken on the role of the flâneur.
The Unseen Photographer
Photography possesses the ability to depict individuals caught with their guard down, and reveal, to it's audience, "the world unawares". This notion stems from the technologies that have allowed image making to occur covertly (Tate.org.uk, 2014). My images don't rely on technology to be discreet, instead they are the result of me being on the side of a window, opposite to that of my subject.
Surveillance
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the term surveillance refers to "close observation, especially of a suspected spy or criminal". With regards to origin, it's an early 19th century derivative of the French word 'surveiller', which upon translation, essentially means 'over watch' (Oxforddictionaries.com, 2014). Surveillance techniques are intricately linked to the development of photographic technology (Tate.org.uk, 2014).
Voyeurism
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a voyeur is "a person who gains sexual pleasure from watching others when they are naked or engaged in sexual activity" (Oxforddictionaries.com, 2014). Voyeurism of the aforementioned kind is the most frequent association of the word. However, it is not an entirely accurate definition, in that, it neglects to mention that there are forms of voyeurism that don't necessarily have sexual connotations. A better definition would be; a person who gains pleasure (not necessarily of a sexual nature) from watching others.
I have chosen to investigate this theme because I enjoy watching people and the world go by from my window. The images are also a slight expansion of a project I completed for another module.
This is the final outcome (image above). It best represents the view from the window and provides a sense of movement that effectively describes the environment from which it was taken. Additionally, the combination of colours work in each others favour and the dirt on the window pane gives the image a slight grainy aesthetic. The abstraction of the image as a result of a reasonably slow shutter speed, helps communicate the intended idea; an image that serves as a form of quick, visual note taking. It will be printed on A4 standard matt stock.
Here are the developmental images.
Bibliography
Sontag, S. 1977. On photography. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Oxforddictionaries.com. 2014. surveillance: definition of surveillance in Oxford dictionary (British & World English). [online] Available at: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/surveillance?q=surveillance+ [Accessed: 25 Mar 2014].
Oxforddictionaries.com. 2014. voyeur: definition of voyeur in Oxford dictionary (British & World English). [online] Available at: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/voyeur?q=voyeurism#voyeur__10 [Accessed: 25 Mar 2014].
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