Martin Parr

My tutor Steve introduced me to the work of Martin Parr a few weeks ago.  Since then, I have been looking into his work and thoroughly enjoy his concept of showing images "as they are".  He seems to capture England in a very clever way, highlighting the things we take for granted everyday.  He captures most images with hilarity, sometimes seperating the working classes from the middle classes.  Some of his work I have come across is quite dark, as though he's trying to send a message to those that look at his work.  

What I particularly like about him is that, all of his pictures tell a story.  They aren't simply images of a seaside.  Instead he adds his imagination, humour and "hidden" black comedy to the image.  This excites me greatly as I wish to create a portfolio of images projecting a similar message!  Not just by clicking away at a simple landscape.  I need to use my imagination and creativity more.

Whilst he is not officially a landscape photographer, I feel that I will beable to tell his story in my own words for some of my final work.  I have a vision of taking images of normal people and everyday objects against typical English landscapes - wether it be by the sea, countryside or in the city.  I aim to try and capture the irony as Martin Parr does so well and introduce his both vibrant colours and darker visualisations.

I came across a newspaper article at Guardian.co.uk where he was interviewed about his work.  To me it reads as a very simple explanation of his interpritations and I find I have alot in common with his mindset and aspire to create such images.

Taken from Guardian.co.uk - dated 4th April 2009

Out of the ordinary

Martin Parr reveals beauty in the banal through his photography, and says even mundane objects have charm - you only have to notice them.

As we travel around Britain, I am convinced most of us cannot really appreciate what we are seeing. We take too much for granted, because it is all so familiar.

We float through our cities and countryside with our eyes half closed. However if we go abroad, especially to countries which are very different to our own, our sensibilities are awakened; everything is fresh and exciting. I am proposing that same approach should be rekindled when we look at our own environment.

I have made a career as a Iphotographer and my main subject matter has been the normal; I try to show how extraordinary it really is. I have taken supposedly boring subjects such as supermarkets and the English seaside and shown them as new and appealing.

Most of us, when we go out with a camera in our own country, try to find exotic subject matter to photograph.

I am sure you know what I mean: a glorious sunset, a beautiful old building, the picture postcard view. We are also influenced by expectations of what interesting views or photographs should show: the unusual, the unfamiliar as well as the pretty, cute or beautiful. In fact, everyday objects are unusual, but we are not able to see this clearly.

I want to put forward a case for taking more seriously the everyday object, we should appreciate those objects that are so familiar we usually don't notice them. Take the scarecrow, a wonderful example of outsider art, and made with a real purpose. If you were to say to their farmer creators that they were sculptures, they would look at you as if you were mad. However if you take photos of them in splendid isolation, the results are both compelling and surreal.

There are two categories of everyday objects: those that are constantly changing in terms of design, and those that are reassuringly constant. In the former category, take something as simple as the petrol pump. I photographed one in use in Salford in 1986, and now it looks like it is from another era. What at the time may have been rejected as a photo of great tedium has become a fascinating image.

The benefit of photographing such objects now is that time is on your side. These images will improve with age. The older examples of the everyday become more fascinating in comparison to the modern.

Think also about "timeless" objects. Personally, I love the humble postbox. The simple design, the distinctive colour add up to make this a national icon. For many years now, I have been trying to locate the postboxes with the most stunning backdrops, particularly in the Scottish islands. Here you can find postboxes literally on the beach and at remote and beautiful crossroads. I have also looked for remote phoneboxes, but I believe the postbox has the edge, as it is smaller and visually stronger.

Sadly, the classic red phonebox is in decline and any remaining public phoneboxes are more likely to be the glass and metal variety.

I would urge everyone to start looking at the world in a different way. Spend some time looking at everyday objects, at their design, their shape, their individual characteristics. Think ahead and imagine their significance. Many are interesting and aesthetically pleasing in their own right, if you just give them some attention. And of course, the discipline of taking out a camera and documenting the things around you on film is a great way to start to open your eyes wider.