Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2014 (National Portrait Gallery, London)

(Visited 15 November 2014)

The annual Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize competition invites photographers from around the world to submit prints of contemporary portraits. In 2014 the jury examined over 4,000 images; down from the previous year’s total of 5,410. The event is, in some respects, the most important international competition for portrait photographers (not least because it offers a first prize of £12,000) and it attracts a mixture of professional and gifted amateur photographers. As has become standard practice for this event, the 60 portraits that were considered the most outstanding entries are exhibited in the gallery: from these, four were short-listed for the first prize which was ultimately won by David Titlow for a group portrait incorporating his baby son, Konrad, a dog and members of his family (Image 1).

Image 1 (David Titlow)

Review

Often my own personal taste in portraiture differs wildly from that of the judges but I have to say, on this occasion, that they chose a worthy winner in David Titlow’s family portrait (Image 1). The composition, with his baby son and a pet dog centre-stage, surrounded by family members, is reminiscent of that seen in Flemish “Old Master” paintings, a feature accentuated by the generally dark tones and the shaft of light coming in from top left, illuminating the child’s head. Only the lager cans in the foreground betray the modern setting.

Titlow’s photograph is original and convincing. Sadly, I was less convinced by many of the other prints on display in the exhibition. There was much formality and (as last year) few smiles from the sitters. When the photographers did manage to capture spontaneity, as well as happiness radiating from the informal portraits of their subjects (such as in Neil Raja’s joyful “Dolly & Co; Image 2) there appeared to be technical deficiencies (in this case the photograph is significantly over-exposed, with a messy background to boot). Of course the photographer is unlikely to have had any time to prepare, in order to “capture the moment”, but surely a little bit of work in the (digital?) darkroom could have improved this picture......or was this not allowed?

Image 2 (Neil Raja)

 The panel appears to have selected, either deliberately or by coincidence, several portraits of subjects who are in the public eye (including Silvio Berlusconi, Maria from “Pussy Riot”, Steve McQueen, David Cameron and family), most of whom pose formally in portraits that add very little to the genre. Are these portraits included in the final selection because the judges regard them as outstanding in their own right or might they possibly have been included for publicity value? The portrait of Berlusconi is interesting because it apparently shows him as he now is, rather than as how he would like to be seen, but otherwise this subset of portraits leaves me cold. Other popular areas continue, year on year, to include subjects in newsworthy war zones (Syria and Ukraine this year) and subjects with disabilities or unusual lifestyles (although I have to say that Nataly Angel Miranda, the Mexican subject for Viviana Peretti’s photograph: [Image 3] is the most convincing drag artist that I have seen and the photograph is beautifully composed).

Image 3 (Viviana Peretti)

Another familiar theme is to pose the sitter in somebody else’s clothes Hayley Benoit’s photograph “Jamila as her mum, Olivia” (Image 4) works for me because of the combination of colours and the contrast between the subject and the expansive, muted background. However, Sami Parkkinen’s photograph of his son, Arvi, wearing his father’s coat looks faintly ridiculous.

Image 4 (Hayley Benoit)

Jon Tonks’ portrait of a meteorologist, holding a hydrogen-filled weather balloon on St. Helena Island (Image 5), is undoubtedly different from the standard portrait. However, whilst this may work well as a component of Tonks’ series “Empire”, I struggle to see its value as a photographic portrait.

Image 5 (Jon Tonks)

I left this exhibition feeling somewhat disappointed. Beyond the technical prowess and attention to detail that was shown in many of the standard, formal images there was, in too many cases, little connection between either the subject and the sitter or the subject and their environment. New ideas were hard to find and the overall content was predictable and lacking in dynamism. Of course I don’t know what the standard of the rejected images was like, but if this is the best that the 2014 entrants can produce then I fear that this competition may be rapidly losing some of its gloss and appeal.

Major Project Update: November 2014

I’m now well into the fourth course assignment (major project parts 3 and 4) and I’m finally waking up to how difficult a task I’ve set myself for the major project. Essentially, the problem is how to produce a series of linked, high quality, aesthetically pleasing images that address the question: “why do we feed wild birds in the UK?” I should also be using the project to develop a consistent, personal style.

For some time I had planned to incorporate my images into a picture story (perfectly acceptable, according to the brief), which dealt with environmental issues such as habitat destruction and change of land use, as well as giving a short overview of the reasons why we have fed birds in the past, before concentrating on images of birds and people that are designed to answer my highlighted question. However, I was simply unable to find a smooth link between the different sections of the story and, in addition, was finding it difficult to produce images that were self-explanatory: in other words, that did not need captions to explain their significance. Finally, the images that I had produced or was planning to produce were straying into the genres of landscape photography and photo-journalism, when I had been advised by my tutor to concentrate on wildlife and documentary photography. As a consequence, I have decided to concentrate on the interactions between people and birds, and their consequences, for the major project and to incorporate some of my other work into a bigger, personal project that could, eventually, be turned into an exhibition with the general theme of “Feeding the Birds” (see later).  I have been given extra time by my tutor to develop my plans, with a revised submission date for Assignment 4 of late January 2015.

Modification of the Story Board

My new plan for the story board is that it will consist of a series of images that deal with what I believe to be the main reasons why we feed wild birds, namely: (a) examples of feeding birds to produce food for ourselves, (b) altruism, (c) commercial benefits, (d) conservation of species, (e) introducing young people to nature, (f) taming and “controlling” nature, (g) bird and wildlife photography and (h) companionship with birds.

A major subset of images will show people of varying ages (from the very young to the very old) feeding and interacting with birds (from very small to very large) in various ways, whilst other images (particularly those relating to item (g) above) will just show the behaviour of the “fed” birds themselves.

Whilst this change should allow me to produce a more consistent set of images it still introduces problems. How, for example, to represent item (a) above in one or more single images? A photograph of a game bird feeding doesn’t tell the story: should I (a) produce a “split screen” double image of a game bird feeding on grain provided for it and a bird hanging up in a butcher’s shop window or perhaps (b) produce a “triptych” of these images, together with a photograph of people shooting? I could use two or more of these images separately, but this would not fit in comfortably with the general theme that I am trying to develop. Alternatively, I could just ignore item (a) and concentrate on the other reasons for why we feed wild birds. I am currently wrestling with this and several similar problems. Sooner or later I’ll have to come up with solutions!

Production of a Story Book and Supplementary Work

Irrespective of what is included in the final set of images that comprise my major project submission I will produce a photo book that contains images which deal with environmental issues, in addition to looking at current practices of feeding birds. I will also incorporate text here that explains the significance of the images. The photo book will be submitted for assessment and may include 30 or more images, some of which could be derived from the “spin-off” projects described below. I still intend to include one or more video presentations, most likely featuring the activities of birds feeding from the hand or at feeding stations, in the final submission.

“Spin-off” Projects

Whilst trying to produce images of suitable quality for my major project work I am developing a couple of “spin-off” photographic projects relating to feeding wild birds. Whereas these may produce images for submission as part of the major project work they are also developing my personal interest, both in the process of feeding wild birds and in bird behaviour. These could be incorporated into an exhibition on the general theme of “Feeding Wild Birds in the UK”.

1.       Birds at my Feeding Station, Royston

I have set up a feeding station in my back garden in Royston. Using a black background (I intend to repeat the process with a white background) I have photographed interactions between birds (mainly goldfinches) using the feeders, in addition to logging visits from squirrels, etc. The results can be presented as a single image (e.g. Image 1) or as a composite of two or more images (e.g. Image 2, which is actually a composite of two images). In this way I can highlight bird behaviour, choose images that demonstrate the potential of feeding stations to produce aesthetically pleasing and possibly commercial photographs of birds [Item (g) above], demonstrate the “pecking order” that occurs at bird feeders or link several images together to produce a “fun” panorama of life at the bird feeder.

Image 1

Image 2

1.       Birds Feeding from the Hand

The birds in London’s parks are particularly keen to take food from the hand: indeed, some have become almost completely dependent on us for food. Recently I fed and photographed eight different species from my hand, ranging in size from a great tit (Image 3) to a mute swan (Image 4), in a day. I could incorporate an image of this type into the major project portfolio (although I would prefer to feature birds being fed from the hand by others, which is currently a work in progress: see below), but I have also set myself the task of photographing myself feeding as many different species of bird as possible from the hand. I will then present the work as a collage or a themed series of images. Whilst this work may fulfill some of the criteria for a major project portfolio it does little to answer the question: “why feed the birds”, so I’m just regarding it as a “fun” project at present. This work may also be suitable for a video.

Image 3

Image 4

Recent Work and Images

Images 5-7 provide a few examples (from many) of my investigation into the interactions between people and birds, which attempt to highlight some of the reasons why we feed wild birds. Images 5 and 6 show the very young as well as mature individuals feeding (or, in the case of Image 5, helping to feed) wild birds. Image 7 is a poor photograph but important as an image concept: an elderly lady watches from a hide as birds are fed outside.

Image 5

Image 6

Image 7

Future Work

In the immediate future I will continue to investigate the interactions between people and birds, both in London’s parks and at reserves, such as WWT Welney, where wild birds are regularly fed for commercial and/or conservation reasons. I will attempt to photograph from angles and positions that result in aesthetically pleasing results, although the acts of feeding are usually spontaneous and unpredictable, so it is often impossible to shoot in a controlled manner without eliciting help from my subjects. For this reason I may have to elicit support from friends and family……or is that cheating? The resultant images will be aimed at illuminating reasons (b) to (h) for why we feed wild birds (see above), although I will not abandon the hope that I can find one or more images to illustrate reason (a).

I will be anti-social in hoping for a hard winter with snow (no evidence so far!) in order to encourage more birds to feeding stations, including my own, where I can photograph their behaviour more easily. I am also considering trying some time exposure experiments to produce abstract, blurred images of birds flying around (my) feeders: I’ve no idea what the result will be, but it will be interesting to find out!

Finally, the environmental impact of man in reducing available food for some bird species (mainly by habitat destruction) whilst providing extra food for other, more adaptable species, has not been forgotten. I will continue to try to find images that, individually or collectively, tell this story. However, it is very possible that they will no longer form part of my major project print portfolio.