Overall, I think I created a successful response to the theme of Observe, Seek and Challenge. I think this theme could go in any directions, yet I am glad that I went with my idea of madness and femininity. My project showed evidence of these words, especially since I wanted to focus on seeking the true meaning of hysteria and challenging the views surrounding the once extremely misogynistic diagnosis. I think the research I did is proof of the observe part of the theme. This proves my understanding of the theme and I believe my interpretation of it was successful. I believe the artists I chose, especially Francesca Woodman, were a suitable choice, which allowed me to complete some effective photoshoots inspired by them. I think my photographic responses are effective, the settings on the camera (slow shutter speed) working well to create the effect I wanted to create. They link in well with both my artists yet are still original and in my own personal style. The editing process was also successful, and I think editing each photo into black and white was a good decision since it added a fluidity to the final presentation of my photobook. I also enhanced the contrast and increased the amount of black in the portraits, which made the images more refined and overall obtain a better appearance.
I think my final outcome was a well put together photobook, that showed all my best images in a effective layout. The text I included adds a lot to the overall book and acts as a introduction of my project as well as being a short summary of my research. Each photo flows well into the next therefore I think the arranging and sequencing was another successful aspect. My decision to keep the layout simple, with white space present on every page was effective, since it keeps my photobook simple so that each photo stands out.
However, I do believe I could improve certain areas of my project. Firstly, I think my response could have been enhanced if I had taken more photographs/ completed more photoshoots. The reason for my limited amount of imagery (only summing to around 250 photos) is due to the complexity of my self- portrait photoshoots. Since I had to set up the tripod and timer, each photo took quite a lot of time and effort to create. This is something I didn’t consider and perhaps wasn’t as successful as it could have been. On the other hand, I think I could have taken landscape images of another place with significance to my project, as then I would have even more photoshoots and examples of my work. I think if I had more time I would add even more text to my photobook, as I like the idea of a mixed media outcome.