Morgan Robinson

Morgan Robinson

I looked at Morgans portfolio today.  Morgan told us that she has applied for a place at the Edinburgh College of Photography. With this been said I would expect to see a lot of Photography.

The first photo in her portfolio was a black and white set of four prints.

In the first four prints, she had intended to show contrast in light and dark, depth and shadow.  She had pictured an old skeleton with a dead rose. The rose was to replicate the life and death sense. The opening image was disappointing as the pictures had bleed and had turned out messy. (she had explained this wasn't the case at interview)

The next set was all about focus, she had said how she had liked each individual print. I guess as well has having a good selection, your personal preference could play a part in the end result. A mix of colour and b/w keeps the viewer interested and involved in wanting to turn the page to see what is next. This is when you can play out a scene of your work, starting with your stronger images and then mixing not so good pictures, ending again with a few strong pictures.  You need to grab the attention of the viewer and they should be able to remember the work. The first impact is important and the mind will probably remember the first images with your name. then the middle section with be a case of information overload, to the end of the portfolio. To which usual the end image with be looked at, then once realised it is the end the viewer will be likely to view the last image again. Giving the lasting image importance more than any others.  Like the final conclusion of a book.

I have looked through my own work from the year, and have selected about 15-20 picture/drawings from it. Most of the work is mono print and is on news print. I'm not sure at this moment the best way to display this work. The other images are Life Drawing sketches and are again in black ink. Should I mount them on coloured paper to make them stand out or do I keep them as they are in a basic form? Most of Morgans images were mounted on white card? Is this the usual way to display your work. It seems to be!

For her portrait pictures she had selection an image of her friend. She like the emotion link behind the image. The other of the boy (kane) was a chance photo that had just worked out really well. For me these were very strong images and had showed ability. She had used flash lighting and this would be known for anyone with photographic background knowledge. This gives an unspoken understanding of her ability. I think this is a good selection to show as it adds on to the final image without being explained.

 

Next was a set of three images that had a close ups. Waves and ripples of the water. Then an edited view of the actually scene in colour and one in black and white. I think this worked well also and the difference between the coloured picture and b/w showed how a picture can feel and highlight different parts of a one view.

The one above was three images of close ups.

example of visual recording

Morgan had put in two sketches, one in pencil and was a group of different items that kept getting added to on the day. The second was a charcoal drawing of her own hand.

 

From the portfolio I feel that Morgans images were strong and had a good variation of images. I think that it must be hard to selection only a couple of examples to showcase. 

Morgan had got into the college with the portfolio but I think if it had been myself, I would of had more work. But this is maybe not a good thing. 

 I don't know from looking at the pictures what they actually show in her ability. What did/do the panel look for when viewing peoples work? What makes a good portfolio that stands out from the rest of the other students applying. Each with they own good images mounted onto white card? 

I do wonder if or why Morgan hadn't done a digital portfolio.. From a photography point of view images could be displayed on a slide show and could of gave another way of incorporating her work with the real life paper-based editions. 

I think that I'd struggle to scale down my ideas. I would have my images projected onto the walls and on a very large scale. I need to start to think of a more realistic approach instead of an in your face attitude. I have already started to think about my ink drawing been placed in black frames and mounted in the exhibition. the way my logs would sit, and the whole set up..... I'm racing ahead of myself as usual and this isn't giving me the strongest outcome of the overall finish.