Random search on google

These are the images I found interesting and related to my project when searching for audience photography on Google.
Most on the images have anonymous author so I can't really reference them.








Julie Cook

Audience watching a Male Burlesque Show


Yet again, another level of absorption and a completely different approach towards capturing the public. The nature of the performance allows the viewers the act in an  informal way, sitting on the floor with their bottles of beer or standing in order to get a better shot at photographing what's happening in front of them. 


Alternatives

After attending some tutorials regarding the MPP people suggested that if anything else fails when it comes to gaining access and photographing people during live performances, I need to think of a plan B. The best and most effective seemed to be that I ask people to come to the studio at Uni, get them to watch a film or a concert/recorded performance and then photograph them whilst they view the video. I did not reject the idea but I was not very keen on it either. The reason is simple: by doing that, I would go against the principles I have based my idea upon. That of photographing people when they are unaware of the camera. The moment I get people in the studio and ask them to help me with the project, the magic is lost. The models would know what I intend to do and might not allow themselves to become 100% absorbed as they would do when being unaware that their photo is being taken. I go back to Roland Barthe's words from Camera Lucida:

"It can happen that I am observed without knowing it, and again I cannot speak of this experience, since I have determined to be guided by the consciousness of my feelings. But very often (too often, to my taste) I have been photographed and knew it. Now, once I feel myself observed by the lens, everything changes: I constitute myself in the process of ‘posing’, I instantaneously make another body for myself, I transform myself in advance into an image. 

I do not want the people I photograph to pose for me. Not when it comes to this project. 
The solution I have come up with in order to solve this matter is the following: I shall attend smaller performances, which do not require permission when it comes to entering the venue with a camera. 
Another option would be to look for concerts which do not restrict people from taking DSLR's to the artist's performance. I have come across two concerts, which shall take place in Bucharest, Romania on 29th and 31st March 2013. These two events would allow me the chance to photograph the audience and complete my Major Practical Project.    

Jeff Wall - Movie Audience

Movie Audience Project by Jeff Wall (1979) 

This project is relevant to my work because it relates to the topic I am aiming to address. 
The photographs depict another form of absorption, the one referring to movies. When people watch a film, the process which takes place is similar to what happens when they are watching a live performance. I have reached the conclusion that there are various types of absorption, depending on what the viewer is watching. Another criteria by which absorption can be classified by the role one plays when attending a show. The person can either be the viewer or he/she may be the artist performing on stage. In the case of the artist, the process of absorption which takes place is different to the one developed by the public. 
In the case of people watching a film, there is only one type of absorption to be discussed. That of the observer and not the observed. 


Gaining Access - A challange

When I first decided to create a project on Absorption and Theatricality I had no idea what that meant with regards to gaining access to the locations and being able to photograph on their premises.
Whenever I specified that I aimed to photograph the public instead of what was happening on stage, the reaction was that they did not want to disturb the audience and they also feared that I would be intrusive. Needles to say, that was not my intention. I tried to explain that to the managers via email with no success whatsoever.

The images at the Opera Theater in Brasov, Romania were taken without having any permission. It was a case of turning up on the evening of the show, with the camera in my bag. After the show began I photographed the audience, trying to avoid being noticed at any cost. The reason for that was to capture their facial expressions whist being absorbed in the show and not paying attention to anything else. Prior to the show, I did send an email to the institution asking about gaining permission to shoot the images. No reply was received and that's why I decided to just go with it. The worst thing that could happen is to that I'm asked to leave the venue. I am prepared for that although I do hope that situation does not occur.

The Marlowe Theater in Canterbury clearly specifies on their website the fact that photography and video is strictly forbidden on their premises. I originally thought I'd try emailing them and see what response I get but after more research I decided that would be useless.
Next on the list were the Winter Gardens in Margate. I found 4 shows which seemed interesting and worth attending in order to shoot the images for my MPP.

I emailed them asking about the right to use DSLRs during shows and the reply I received was positive. Afterwards, I told them more about the project and that's when the answer turned from yes to no. The instant I mentioned that I wanted to photograph the audience, they said that they feared I would be intrusive and therefore my request was denied. I replied back sending them links to the photos I took at the Opera in Brasov and explaining that being intrusive would be avoided at all costs.
Yet again, no response.


Bill Henson

I have tried to get into contact with Bill Henson by means of the gallery which represents him in Australia. As expected, I did not receive any reply.
Next thing I did was look for interviews with the artist, published online so that I could understand his creative vision in a better way.

These were the ones I managed to find:

http://thedesignfiles.net/2012/10/interview-bill-henson/

http://www.egothemag.com/?p=96

Fragments from the interview which caught my attention:
 
What does a typical day at work involve for you?
There’s not really a typical day. I mean I have a sort of a pattern, but really nothing structured. I suppose the only thing I would say about what I do is that it’s really up to me. You know there’s no one else here to sort of say what needs doing. You have total absolute freedom and total responsibility, let’s say! It’s a double edged sword in that respect. I tend to be working most of the time.


With the Paris Opera House series, you spoke about a universal primal reaction to music that is beyond class distinctions.
What I was interested in terms of Paris Opera series was that whole strange business of finding oneself with a whole lot of other people gathered in a darkened space, such as the opera, awaiting some special event. There is something quite magical about it. I’ve always found that people sitting in the dark just waiting for something is the most haunting sort of experience. It seemed to me it was a common experience, a universal thing that everyone feels, really, at some point or another.