As mentioned in my previous post I have now updated my book as much as possible until I start to include the old photographs of my Grandma. Here is the link:
http://issuu.com/victoriakettlewell/docs/draft_2
Comments welcomed please!?
Thursday, 13 November 2014
The reason why I'm doing this.
I can't and won't deny how emotionally challenging and draining this project is. But the reason I'm doing it, and the people I'm doing it for make it worthwhile. I couldn't possibly thank my family enough for helping me to make the work.
My Grandma was quite the character. When I was younger and visited with my Dad he would sit in the chair in the corner and read the paper, she'd snipe "do you not want to see me?". He'd always wind her up saying no, she had me to talk to. Then she started to look after Katies dog. Connor, so my Dad would hype up the dog as much as he could, then leave. She always moaned but secretly she loved it. As I got older every time I visited we watched the same programmes together. Jeremy Kyle, Midsomer Murders, occasionally Loose Women and some sort of house decorating show. She didn't go anywhere but she still knew everything. All the dirty gossip you could guarantee you would get from Grandma and a regular update of who had died. Grandmas house was the meeting point for the whole family, you would just bump in to other people when you were there, aunty, uncle, cousin, neighbour. The whole lot.
This project makes me miss home more than I could possibly imagine. I think I've been homesick more times this semester than I have in the entire three years I've been at university so far. There are times I want to be able to go home and cry to my Mum and Dad, or times when I want to be able to show them what I'm making. I want my whole family to be proud of the work we are making together about my Grandma. It is work that we are making because without them there is no way at all I would be able to put this together. I do feel quite cheeky, asking everybody for so much help with it, grabbing them all for photographs and memories and Grandmas photographs. No doubt dragging up tons of emotion at the same time.
Every week I get frustrated with this project. Every week I cry at least once reading everybones memories of Grandma. Every week I want to stop working on it and find a distraction of a project instead. But every week I am drawn back to the project because I am determined to make it work and make it a success.
The pictures I'm about to share with you aren't necessarily the best photos from the work I've produced but they are the fun ones. The ones that show just how much enjoyment can still come from an emotional project like this one. These are the pictures I go back to whenever I want to just sit and cry about the work. I call them the out-takes.
My Grandma was quite the character. When I was younger and visited with my Dad he would sit in the chair in the corner and read the paper, she'd snipe "do you not want to see me?". He'd always wind her up saying no, she had me to talk to. Then she started to look after Katies dog. Connor, so my Dad would hype up the dog as much as he could, then leave. She always moaned but secretly she loved it. As I got older every time I visited we watched the same programmes together. Jeremy Kyle, Midsomer Murders, occasionally Loose Women and some sort of house decorating show. She didn't go anywhere but she still knew everything. All the dirty gossip you could guarantee you would get from Grandma and a regular update of who had died. Grandmas house was the meeting point for the whole family, you would just bump in to other people when you were there, aunty, uncle, cousin, neighbour. The whole lot.
This project makes me miss home more than I could possibly imagine. I think I've been homesick more times this semester than I have in the entire three years I've been at university so far. There are times I want to be able to go home and cry to my Mum and Dad, or times when I want to be able to show them what I'm making. I want my whole family to be proud of the work we are making together about my Grandma. It is work that we are making because without them there is no way at all I would be able to put this together. I do feel quite cheeky, asking everybody for so much help with it, grabbing them all for photographs and memories and Grandmas photographs. No doubt dragging up tons of emotion at the same time.
Every week I get frustrated with this project. Every week I cry at least once reading everybones memories of Grandma. Every week I want to stop working on it and find a distraction of a project instead. But every week I am drawn back to the project because I am determined to make it work and make it a success.
The pictures I'm about to share with you aren't necessarily the best photos from the work I've produced but they are the fun ones. The ones that show just how much enjoyment can still come from an emotional project like this one. These are the pictures I go back to whenever I want to just sit and cry about the work. I call them the out-takes.
When this work is finished, if I could exhibit it and raise money for Macmillan Nurses I would be the happiest of girls. If I could get this clan to help me organise it too, that would be even better. But I best not tell them that bit yet - I'm already asking a lot. I want the work to be exhibited up North, not in Cheltenham. This is still a way away yet so lets not get too far ahead.
This post might not make much sense to you. I hope it does. It's just splurged out my head. Really really fast too.
Later, I'll post a link to an up to date piece of the book.
Sunday, 9 November 2014
Individual Portraits.
Starting to shoot these was a challenge. I am not overly confident in making portraits at the best of times and this was not a good time to choose to try and develop these skills. They say never work with Kids and Animals. Ignore that. Never work with Family.
Not all of the portraits below are as strong as each other with limited locations and not everybody being comfortable infront of the camera. However these are the shots I am most likely going to be working with in the edit.
Alex Kettlewell.
Allan Kettlewell.
This shot of my Dad is one of my favourite from the whole weekend. I love it.
Gordon Kettlewell.
Elaine Kettlewell.
Chris Kettlewell.
This is another really natural shot that I really like.
Katie and Connor Kettlewell.
Connor is included because he was always at my Grandmas when I went to visit, she would regularly look after him while Katie worked. The colours in the frame are really lovely too.
Graham Kettlewell.
Some photoshopping may be required to lighten up the face on this overcast shot.
Samantha Kettlewell.
Suzzanne Kettlewell.
Not a fan of the background in this photograph but it was the best we had to work with.
Victoria Kettlewell (shot by Allan Kettlewell).
I'm not a fan of my eye in this photo but thats because I'm being fussy about my own appearance.
Louise Kettlewell (shot by Allan Kettlewell .. he's getting pretty good).
Group portraits
Over the course of the weekend I shot a whole range of portraits. Usually not my forte, but I am pleased with how it went and the results that I got. Below are a selection of the better images. Only the group portraits are shown.
Aunty Elaine and Uncle Bill.
Uncle Chris and Aunty Nene.
Uncle Gordon and Aunty Julie.
The four siblings. This photograph is a remake of a photograph they had taken together as young children.
Again, the four children together. This photograph is another remake of a younger photograph.
The Grandchildren. Sadly three people are missing so not complete but no such photograph exists already. Shot by Allan Kettlewell.
Closer shot of the Grandchildren. Shot by Allan Kettlewell.
Samantha and her boys. I like the fact that neither of the two boys are looking at the camera but they do share a gaze elsewhere.. the reflector and my Dad making shadow puppets in the light.
Suzzanne and the girls.
Louise and Chloe.
The only portrait I have left to shoot as a group is one of my Mum and Dad together. Sadly my Mum was ill over this weekend with a migraine so I was not able to shoot one.
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