Assignment

CHANNEL YOUR INNER EGGLESTON

This assignment is all about slowing down and paying attention to your environment. This is an exercise in seeing that requires patience and imagination to see the potential in the unremarkable. I often find this kind of exercise to be quite meditative, especially when you're walking and really paying attention to your steps, the sounds etc.

You don't need to visit exotic places or wait for exciting events to make photographs. It's time to introduce you to the work of William Eggleston, the master of the banal. 

It's best to let Eggleston explain his approach himself.

Part 1

Watch this video directed by Jack Cocker and produced by BBC Scotland.

Part 2

So, depending on your environment and what you feel comfortable and safe doing, choose an area the equivalent of 3 city blocks. If you live in a busy city, you'll have lots to shoot and your "blocks" might be shorter. If you live in a quieter place your "blocks" might have to be the equivalent of 3 LA city blocks, you'll have less to work with, so choose your area carefully. 

Choose a focal length of between 35mm - 50mm FF (+/- 24mm - 35mm on 1.5 cropped sensor equivalent). If you have a zoom lens, I recommend you tape it down so you don't zoom in and out.

Step 1

Walk the path without taking any photos. Only looking... really looking. Be present.

Step 2

Walk the path looking only to the left and up and make a minimum of 20 photographs.

Reverse course

Step 3

Walk the path looking only downwards and make a minimum of 20 photographs.

Step 4

Walk the path looking only to the right and up and make a minimum of 20 photographs.

Submit

You can choose to submit all your images OR select the best of each set.

SET 1 : LOOKING LEFT (&UP)

SET 2 : LOOKING DOWN

SET 3 : LOOKING RIGHT (&UP)

Reflection

I haven’t written my reflection, but after doing this assignment I have some suggestions. (Do as I say, not do as I do. Yes, yes, life is unfair.)

• Remember to look up, I looked up a couple of times, but honestly, all I had was blue sky and I felt that one shot of that was enough. Your environment might look entirely different.

• Choose your location carefully. FInding variety is difficult, especially if you choose to go photograph around Lesley University’s main campus.

• Keep looking, keep trying.

• Don’t go with someone who’s impatient. Remember this is also supposed to be a walking meditation.

• Don’t forget to try : different apertures, different shutter speeds, different distances from your subject.

• DON’T use a zoom lens. Stick to one focal length.