Black_White_Photography_-_Winter_2014

51

B+W

imagination room to work.

I find that having this time to

reflect is as important as time

spent taking pictures or working

to deadlines. The idea that arose

from yesterday’s pause for (no)

thought was to use 112 Ways

Book Four to make a different

kind of book – to explore my

concept of the photo notebook.

Most artists and many

photographers keep some form

of notebook or sketchbook.

These act as touchstones and

creative conduits. Visit any

exhibition where the artist’s

notebooks are on show and

there will be as many visitors 

FIVE KEY QUESTIONS

1 What is the function and purpose of each book?

2 How could photo notebook-making support your photography?

3 What defines a photo notebook, that makes it different to a book?

4 What would you like your photo notebooks to reveal, to tell you about you?

5 How is the content different to what your photographs or photo books reveal?

‘It’s incredible how

one moment we can

be creatively blocked

and the next we can

be so alive with ideas.’

staring into those glass display

cabinets as there are people

looking at the finished images

hanging on the walls.

As creative individuals, we

like to know what inspires other

artists, to gain insights into

their thinking. Shouldn’t we be

as curious about our own work?

The photographic process can

be quite result-orientated.

Keeping a photo notebook can

help reveal the hows and whys

of our photography: what we

hope to achieve and by which

means – they’re about what we

TIPS

Address whatever comes up and respond to it.

Remind yourself that making a notebook is not the same as making a book.

When you keep a photo notebook, try not to judge it (this can be hard).

Keep your mind open, free from self-doubt and self-criticism.

It doesn’t matter how a notebook reads, or what it looks like – it’s a notebook!

The idea behind the Post-it Note books is to post an image and

accompanying note to someone, as a way of sharing ideas. The cover

is made from an A4 folded piece of black card. A sheet of white folded

paper is bound inside, on which is mounted a print. Inside this is written

the note. The perforated, tear-off edges of the outer card are made with

a simple cutter wheel, glued with a Herma roller, then sealed shut.

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