I recently came across this photographers work and thought it was key to include in my project. Juergen Teller truly enraptures the candid nature I wish to express. I love how unposed his photographs seem to a viewer. It is this LOFI aesthetic that I wish to pull off throughout my FMP. Below are some of my favourite images that the photographer has shared on Instagram. 
I have included some experiments that I am not happy with. I decided not to include these in my sketchbook because I didn’t want to take away from my other images. Although, I think it is important to include these on my blog to discuss why they did not work. Firstly, my technique was not refined enough and it shows, I need to build on my fashion illustration skills as it is something I would love to include throughout my work. I like the general messages that these images convey about teenage anxiety and the struggles of lockdown. 
In order to continue my research I will utilize my time by reading these books that have been recommended to me.
Girl on Girl: The New Photography Book Exploring The Female Gaze.
Invisable Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men.
Feminists Don’t Wear Pink
I think it is important to explain why I have decided to use disposable cameras throughout my work. I have noticed a recent trend where camera brands like Fujifilm have re-branded their instant photo products to become more accessible to young people. I like the idea that although we all have a camera in out pockets at all times, we are looking back and slowing down the image making process.
This has increased value to a some what lost art and implements my theme of imperfection. Because we have phones which are so advanced we are bored of the clean cut imagery produced from them. Lofi and unique imager will be on the rise in 2021 and this is what I wish to reflect throughout my FMP.
In the start of my project I wanted to understand how the fashion industry was surviving in such unnerving times. I think it is important to state why I decided to include this research in my sketchbook as it may seem random otherwise. I knew coming into this project that I would have to produce an outcome with the ever changing rules that Covid has bought to the new working world. Therefore I wanted to take a snapshot of work and analyse how they achieved it with restrictions in place. This gave me many ideas into how to adapt my work to be more Covid friendly whilst still achieving successful results. To do this I went out and bought magazines to review and gain inspiration from. This way of working meant that I was well informed so that I can produce an outcome to the best of my ability.
Pamela Church-Gibson’s book was used as a major reference point in my sketchbook. I find her statement that the word empowering is problematic, Gibson says that the word is used by only people in power and not those with no power. Therefore the word itself is problematic and loses its meaning. Having said that I do not agree with Gibson, The word empowering to me is a fantastic word that is often used between women to uplift each other. There is no patronisation in the way that I use the word empowering and that is why I continue to use it throughout my work.
Establishing an audience was important for me to include in my sketchbook because I needed to distinguish real personas in order to solidify a specific audience. Before doing this I was running off my own experiences with the issues I discus. Now, I am able to relate different aspects to different areas of life and see how my work will impact young women. I am aware that my audience may change moving forward with this project and I am open to this change.
Throughout my research I have established that collaboration is a necessity for interesting projects in 2021. I would love my publication to be a mixture of my own self-directed work and some directed work with other people involved. I have shown my interests in collaborating with small businesses and struggling fields of work by cause of the pandemic. I think this will be extremely engaging and interesting to read and view. I explored this thought in my shoot ‘struggling arts’ where I sent a disposable camera into dance studios. I loved the idea that I getting images from places that I would never have been let in before rethinking my practice due to Covid.
It is important for me to understand themes and trends going in to 2021. I will be producing my final major project in this time period so I need to ensure the response is welcomed and therefore gains success. I have decided to include two WGSN reports to help my work steer towards key factors that will impact our lives. Future Innovations 2021 and Future Proofing Your Brand are both reports created to ensure businesses succeed in 2021. I learnt that collaboration across similar professions is key and will create interesting outcomes that may not have been possible in earlier years. I noted all the areas that I would need to invest in to stay relevant and form a readership.
I also established my love for styling pages and I believe that with the right content these pages will be important for any audience. Key these are self-care and self-investment which heavily relate to my work in attempting to abolish comparison culture and creating a positive space for women.
Overall, these reports helped me to understand what people want to be reading about and investing in, in 2021.
