Subtopia (Series)

[Rebel]

This is a concept/series of photos I've been working on, I don't want to say to much as I'd rather leave it up to the viewer to have their own interpretation. But here is a short introduction I have written:

"Subtopia" was a term coined in 1964 by the late architectural critic Ian Nairn. It was in response to the areas located around cities that had in his view been failed by urban planning, losing their individuality and spirit of place. This resonated with me as I grew up in as Nairn described one of these mundane "subtopian" areas. An area that looks like any other suburban or sub-rural part of the country, devoid of any personal identity or character. I shot this series of images as a method of exploring my own "Subtopia" and how these spaces reflect on the identity and character of the people who reside within them.

#1


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6


#7


#8


#9


#10


#11



Thanks for viewing, the project is ongoing so if anyone is that interested all updates will be posted @ http://mathroberts.com/portfolio/subtopia

[Shadowman]

Concept has potential, to me only 5, 9, and 11 live up to your vision, the others could be perfected to complete the series. I would revisit each to see what element of each could be emphasized, not necessarily sharpened/focused; to really showcase your vision. For instance #11, the graffiti crosses many cultures both modern and ancient, the leading light is mysterious and the tunnel can be interpreted many ways. Colors and life (the weeds) and circle symbols are nice touches.

[madcrow]

Most unusual angle. The near focus works for me, it gives the background that unloved feel. #11 is the standout image.

[Manfred M]

I can see why you took your approach to shooting these, but I don't think things are working out quite the way that you hoped.

Merely focusing on a foreground object does not suddenly turn it into the subject of the image, and by and large that is what you appear to be trying here. I suspect you need some additional visual tools, like additional lighting, to pull that off. So long as the backgrounds are a distraction or a more noticeable compositional element, they will be competing with the in-focus foreground element.

What might work here is using exposure (via flash) to get a well illuminated "subject" and work that against a soft and underexposed background.

[Rebel]

The foreground isn't the subject of the photos by any means


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[Manfred M]

The foreground isn't the subject of the photos by any means


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In that case, that might be the problem. The subject needs to be in sharp focus, and in these images, it seems to be a foreground element that you have focused on.

[Wavelength]

This set definitely adds to one's list of a new style with much scope of experimentation.... i really liked the idea of restricting focus to very minimum area of foreground, with a single subject of interest there, which is normally a thing we usually ignore. However images like #8, with no point of interest at all does not work for me... Regards

[Mike Buckley]

This is one of the most carefully planned, executed and creative series I've seen in a long time. It held my attention for a long time and I could continue coming back to it time after time. Even so, I won't be surprised to learn that the series doesn't get a particularly strong reception here, as the participants here tend to be much more conservative in their taste and in their application of photographic guidelines.

For me, the last photo, though strong on its own, isn't a very good fit with the series. That's because it's the only one that is mostly bright (has few dark tones), because the inherent nature of the tunnel restricts our vision and thus limits the clues about what might be beyond the frame more than the others, and because it's the only image in which circles are so dominant (even more dominant than the manhole in the first image). As you continue to add more photos that fit your theme, adding more photos like the last one will solve the issue about it's fit with the other photos.

[JBW]

fenced in, soulless, the outer ring of hell. Why I run from cities

[Mike Buckley]

The subject needs to be in sharp focus

Julia Margaret Cameron and Alfred Stieglitz would disagree as would lots of so-called pictorialists.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Matt,

I also find the series intriguing and each image worthy of study.

Living in the same country, although I guess that might be open to debate much of this resonates with my locale; e.g. style of street furniture, road markings, et al.

#1
I like: how the light above the door on the end of the building is straining to get out through the railings. I also like the different effect the railings had on the gable boards of the building, although that may inpart be PP/sharpening induced? (due to the reflected light)
Ideas: I might crop a tiny slither from the top edge and reduce the foreground by 1/4 the distance to the front edge of the manhole cover. Talking of which, I wondered whether the scene might work better had the nearer edge been sharp instead of the furthest. That said, in a series, you don't really want them changing aspect ratios and the rest mainly work well as they are.

#2
I like: the clean WB of the LED (I assume) lit footbridge and the sodium background.
Ideas: I would, being a bit conventional, try it levelled or warped to straighten the RHS railings to vertical, but it may be that destroys part of the ambience.

#3
I like: the WB, gritty bokeh of the tarmac.
Ideas: Oddly I can live with the tilt on this one, perhaps because it's the same way both sides and looks intentional.

#4
I see a sign of rules top left and the likely action taken (weedkiller) where 'rules' are broken - dunno if that's what you saw here?

#5
Sadly a sign of the times - litter everywhere

#6
This could be titled "Life on the cant"
Ideas: the magenta and green banding in the sharpest areas is rather odd, if the cause is PP related, I'd have been tempted to desaturate that area to reduce it.

#7
Typical - that's about all I can say about this scene

#8
Another typical scene that could be almost anywhere in the UK.
I am distracted by the sharpening edges that have 'locked on' to the strip of bright, connected 'bokeh balls' across the tarmac from LHS to the car.

#9
I recall this location from other shots we've seen from you.
I like: the shadow of camera and you.

#10
Hey, it's Christmas!

#11
What I see here is the lighting to make the tunnel safer now results in the areas just outside being the darker spots, kind of the the inverse of what existed before.


Most of the compositions work well for me and somehow, amongst the subtopian chaos, you have managed to find framings that work for me, my attention remains within the images and loops around many times, seeing more each time.

There might be the odd specular highlight at the edge of frame in one or two that I might have cloned out (if mine), but respect that your intent might have been not to resort to such measures, so I haven't mentioned them.

Overall; in several, I see artefacts, caused by the lens and which global PP, particularly sharpening, has exacerbated, if I'd shot these I would be trying to reduce them, unless you see their inclusion as part of the work. Also of course, there's the fact that many viewers (especially outside CiC) won't even notice these things, or realise they are what they are.

Hope that's not over analysed them to death.

The common themes you have employed to make these a series don't need to be voiced by me, they're plain for all to see and they are your choices to make. Heck, it might even inspire me to have a go.

I do salute your commitment and achieving so many good compositions, not sure many could do it, especially given the need to visualise the image from these extremely low viewpoints (or spend a lot of time on the ground). I wondered to myself whether these were all shot within a limited circle from your home or workplace (say 300m), which might give the necessary familiarity to be able to visualise the compositions ahead of time.

Manfred mentioned adding light, I wondered in some, whether you had parked your car to illuminate some fg features, or perhaps taken advantage of a passing vehicle.

The ones I find myself returning to most are; err, most of them, OK, so the ones I find least engaging are: 7, 8 and 2

Cheers, Dave

[TonyW]

I find these fascinating. They are hard to interpret but my eyes keep on coming back to them.

[bnnrcn]

Congrats Matt , you seem to have achieved your goal No technical comments from me , but I have comments about the mood of the series. I really like the first seven image and image #11. They really reflect the mood of a subtopian area. IMO #8,#9 and #10 have too much highlights to make a judgement .

[Manfred M]

Julia Margaret Cameron and Alfred Stieglitz would disagree as would lots of so-called pictorialists.

Cameron shot with equipment that would not deliver the sharpest of images and so did Stieglitz, especially when it came to stopping motion. Erich Salomon would be another, but all of these photographers were from the 1800s and early 1900s (both Stieglitz and Salomon died in the mid-1940s). They all did excellent work given the tools that they were using and the extremely low sensitivity film stock they were shooting.

In Matt's images there are some areas of extremely sharp focus, which our eyes catch, but other visual clues (bright lights, large light areas, etc) direct our eyes away.

I think Matt is onto something here, but he needs to refine his technique so that what he is trying to do aligns with the human visual system. I think he managed to do this on #5 and to a lesser extent on #4. The others, perhaps not.

[chauncey]

Your images are displaying the mediocrities of most worldwide cities, someplace between
the slums and the architectural gems.
I would submit that your critic overlooked the economic realities of urban planning.

Would not debate the top quality of your images.

[mknittle]

I really like the set Matt and agree with Mr Buckley. I really think you are on to something here.

[george013]

I join the party. I like them. This way of shooting has a big potential.

One remark. Keep the camera leveled. Probably difficult low to the ground, but you've the time. Or solve it in pp.
Looking forward.

George

[Mike Buckley]

Cameron shot with equipment that would not deliver the sharpest of images and so did Stieglitz

Cameron and Stieglitz could and did make sharp images. Sometimes they chose not to.

[Manfred M]

Cameron and Stieglitz could and did make sharp images. Sometimes they chose not to.

Or could not. Static subjects of theirs were usually sharp. Much of their blurred work seems to be motion blur rather than focus blur.

Again, Ansel Adams used the same type of equipment and was a member of Group f/64; the aperture most frequently used in their work. Definitely not the stuff to stop motion.

[Mike Buckley]

Ansel Adams also was a pictorialist for awhile though he later denied it. As for your thinking that Cameron's work wasn't due to focus blur, she came upon it by accident and liked it so much that she used it intentionally.