Shoot 5

Shoot 5

This shoot was different to the others because instead of the everyday activities that are required for a horse owner, a farrier came to change the shoes of one of the horses. This was something I had never seen before and it was fascinating to watch, and I felt inclined to document it. I'm extremely happy with the images I got, particularly the one of the farrier with the smoke.

This image is inspired by both Lee Friedlander and Lewis Hine in the way that it's a candid photo of somebody on duty. 

I particularly like the way it shows a more relaxed attitude towards the job, which perhaps relates more to Friedlander's work more than Hine's, however it was Hine who made me want to capture the emotion within the working environment.

This image feels very real to more; it's not glorified or posed, it's showing the personality of the woman and capturing the moment.

The textures of this image, particularly the floor, allows the photo to have a further depth. Additionally, I like the way the contrast highlights the mug, which I see as the main subject of the image. The way it highlights it brings the viewers eye to it and shows that it's an important part of the life of this person and their routine. The way she's dressed in a coat and boots demonstrates the time of year and so we get a cold atmosphere to the image because of the connotations with warm drinks and thick coats. It also reminds me of the work of Ian Berry in the way that it catches people when they're not expecting it and the subjects are looking away. In his photographs he demonstrates hierarchy and class differences however I feel that this photo in ambiguous to this because the gear in which people use to stay warm and type of clothing for horse lovers will obviously have a difference, but I believe only those who have the knowledge on this will be able to spot that. 

This image has a very lighthearted mood, brought to the image by the whole who appears to have a smile on his face. Behind him are the tools of the farrier, which gives an audience an insight to his work and his life; it's messy buy also everything has it's place. Again, a mug makes an appearance which, as with the dog, indicates a human presence without actually showing the person. This reminds me partially of the work of Robert Rauschenberg in the way that he photographed the workspace of workers, which is what I attempted to do here by showing all of his tools and where they lie. This van holds the tools that he uses to proceed with his work every day. The subject in the centre gives the image balance and also highlights the tool her uses most often.

this image is my favourite of the shoot because of the range of textures and how the smoke adds depth and texture to the image. The contrast brings the smoke out really well and creates a sense of movement within the image, as does the way i've caught the man in mid-action. I particularly like the way the face causes a silhouette over the white smoke, creating a sharp but smooth line through the image, drawing the viewer into the image and to the action.

While his identity is hidden by shadow, important details such as his old hands and balding head gives an audience an indication of his age. The tools on the floor help us understand that the man is only midway through the job and that it's not a simple process.
The apron is marked with stains and wear and tear, which would suggest that he's been in the trade for a fair amount of time, which makes us think that he's very well acquainted with his work, the materials and equipment. This was found to be true in my experience with him; he removed a shoe he had put on because it was every so slightly out of shape. He made sure every single pin was secure and made sure he was doing his job to the best for his abilities. I found this process fascinating to watch and I wanted to share that with others through this image.

This image holds much more mystery than the one above; it's darker and has a lot of smoke covering the subject. I don't like this image as much as the one above because it doesn't show his work as well as I would have liked it to, however I do feel that there's a slight beauty about the way the true nature of his work is hidden and leaves the audience to use guesswork. 

You can see the man's head, his hands and the legs of the horse, but to understand what's happening completely you must look closer into the image.