Major Project – topic proposal – 5/10/2018

Person like you

I have chosen to do a photographic project as my final Major Project. As I have worked with photography for many years and I would like to focus on it in my future career, I have decided for photography. I can better express my ideas in a static image rather than in any other form. I believe I can develop my photographic skills and reach a new level in photography industry.

I would like to make a photo-book capturing people living rough on the streets and their unpleasant situation as well as their stories. It might sounds like a cliche as it is a frequent topic in the photography but in my opinion every photographer has a different eye and can show the reality in a different light. I would like to focus on details, to show how hard a life could be without ordinary things, which we use on a daily basis without realising how important these things are for us. Like for example to have a bed to sleep in, food to eat, bathroom to do a hygiene routine, to have a place where to chill with our friends, and so much more. The photo-book will also contain portraits of homeless people accompanying short story who they are and how they ended on streets.

 

(https://themycenaean.org/2013/01/leesville-making-effort-to-aid-homeless-people/)

 

This product could be for a general public what means basically for everybody who is curious about this topic. The book could be used also as a educational material in schools, awareness centers or NGO.

I will need to learn how to work with camera to have good photos in low light locations without tripod. A considerable part of the success of these photos is to develop my communication skills to establish sufficient contact and trust of homeless people.

In my research I will focus on statistics showing how many people live rough in Southampton. I will try to find out what government and local centers does to help these people and what options homeless people have to find a new home. (https://www.crisis.org.uk/media/238700/homelessness_monitor_england_2018.pdf)

The big inspiration in photography area are for me Petr Hricko and Peter McKinnon. I am keeping eye on travel photographer Joe Allam or Daniel Mreimer as well.