recently completed my first photo documentary

[Simon photo]

So yeah, i just reached the final stages of editing and i have finally got the images up on my website, the shoot was basically for my final work to complete my level 3 btec part time course. But i have a feeling i will pursue this further when my course ends.
The documentary/set follows the kitchen service in a fantastic restaurant near me called Patricks, i am a full time head chef so the subject is close to my heart although i don't work there, i run a kitchen in a country house outside swansea. The inspiration came from the absolutely seminal book called white heat, Marco Pierre White, photography by Bob Carlos Clarke. Two inspirational characters in my life that i look up to immensely.
It was my first shoot where i used film exclusively throughout and had a lot of help from the F&C section of these forums (thanks guys you know who you are) and so much cooperation from the team at Patricks made it what it is.
Im very proud of the outcome, Patricks love the images and i just thought i would share the set with you guys to see what you think.
I must add that my gallery is flash powered and won't run on apple devices.
So here it is!
http://www.simondaviesphotography.co.uk/Service at Patricks/album/index.html

 

[Willid1]

Hi Simon

I watched the whole slideshow and as a group of pictures I think they do tell the story of a busy kitchen very well, but they look a bit like they have been taken by an outsider looking in - was this the idea? I see some close ups of the action but there are lots of over the shoulder views looking at the backs of heads with faces in shadow.

Now I am sure there are lots of reasons why you wouldn't / couldn't go and stick the camera in the faces of these busy chefs but I am minded of the great photos in publications like the National Geographic where the photographer always seems to be immersed in the action.

You said you used film so I am guessing you were severely limited on shutter speed / aperture but quite a few of them are just plain out of focus. I'm guessing putting them on the web has not helped but they do not pop out like I would expect B&W pictures to. Especially those probably taken with the lens wide open.

One last thing - the first thing I noticed as the slideshow started was the dust on a lot of the pictures, the white wiggly worms and dust spots, I would not present prints like this, are you going to tidy these up before presentation??

Sorry to sound so negative, I do like the pictures, and appreciate it's not an easy thing to do (something I've never attmepted) but I'm sure your assesors will be thinking on similar lines.

Please let us know how you get on.

David

 

[Simon photo]

Hi Simon

I watched the whole slideshow and as a group of pictures I think they do tell the story of a busy kitchen very well, but they look a bit like they have been taken by an outsider looking in - was this the idea? I see some close ups of the action but there are lots of over the shoulder views looking at the backs of heads with faces in shadow.

Now I am sure there are lots of reasons why you wouldn't / couldn't go and stick the camera in the faces of these busy chefs but I am minded of the great photos in publications like the National Geographic where the photographer always seems to be immersed in the action.

You said you used film so I am guessing you were severely limited on shutter speed / aperture but quite a few of them are just plain out of focus. I'm guessing putting them on the web has not helped but they do not pop out like I would expect B&W pictures to. Especially those probably taken with the lens wide open.

One last thing - the first thing I noticed as the slideshow started was the dust on a lot of the pictures, the white wiggly worms and dust spots, I would not present prints like this, are you going to tidy these up before presentation??

Sorry to sound so negative, I do like the pictures, and appreciate it's not an easy thing to do (something I've never attmepted) but I'm sure your assesors will be thinking on similar lines.

Please let us know how you get on.

David

Well funny you should say those things because there is an answer for most of your comments.
The framing and over the shoulder look was somewhat un avoidable due to limited space, i had the choice of two vantage points throughout the whole shoot, and as an insider i understood the value of operating space chefs require during service and i promised not to encroach on that. you tend to follow the same path in as little space possible when things get rocking, their kitchen had limited space.
Web optimization doesn't do things much justice agreed but considering the shooting, film and developing combination i chose to use sharpness wasn't going to be something too much of a luxury. Low light levels equalled wide open lens, as slow as i dared shutter and a pushed iso from the 400 filmspeed to 1600, developed in id11. rough and grainy was my goal before even buying film (tri x 400)
I chose not to clone any blemishes out as i wanted the final images to be as pure as i could get. Contrast adjustment was made throughout the set but that's about all.
I hear where you are coming from and i don't have my nose in the air when it comes to critique but have a little look at the white heat images by bob Carlos Clarke and you will see the look i was aiming for.
Thanks for taking the time out though its much appreciated

 

[simonblue]

Nothing coming up,would love to see them,will try later