What is a Statement of Intent?
Your statement of intent is a written document explaining your intentions for your project. You can structure it anyway you like, but it’s important to include certain elements. You need to makes sure you explain why you chose the theme, what inspires you, what you intend on photographing, what techniques you will use, and what you will need. It's important to remember that your intentions may change throughout the project and this is normal, so dont worry about being too precuous with what you are writing, as you will probably develop on your ideas later.
Task: Write a Statement of Intent for your Personal project
Why did you choose your theme?
•You can talk about why it appeals to you, and maybe any other factors that led to choosing it, for example, it might be you have seen someone else's work that inspired you.
•Do you have a story or experience to share that led you to choose your theme? For example, perhaps someone would choose mental health as a theme because they have experienced mental health issues, or they have witnessed a loved one suffering from it.
•If you choose a hobby for a theme, you can write about your history with it, and share a happy memory, or a negative one.
What is the purpose of your project?
•This can cover different areas, but firstly, consider your message. Are you trying to communicate something to people viewing your work? Are you making a statement? Are you trying to express how you feel about something? Or are you just exploring something because you want to learn more about it? If you are only interested in taking photos to create something visually and aesthetically pleasing, this is fine, but you must justify why you want to do this.
What research will you do to help you with your idea development?
•Researching is very important to help your project progress and reach final outcomes. There are different areas of research and it is dependant on your theme.
•Photographer research is compulsory, so you can talk about photographers you have already identified as inspiration for project, and talk about why they are relevant and what techniques you will adopt from them.
•You may also want to research your theme, so for example, if your project theme was ‘plastic crisis’ and your intention was to raise awareness, then you would browse the internet, watch documentaries, look at stats etc - you can say what you intent to research and why.
•Questionnaires are very handy to help you gather information about particular topics - so for example, if you wanted to get an idea of how people feel about the plastic crisis. You could also interview people.
Example areas of research:
•Internet - you can read articles related to your theme
•Documentaries - you can watch documentaries related to your theme
•Stats - you can look at statistics related to your theme
•Questionnaires - you can create a questionnaire to find out information
•Interview people - interview people to get opinions and information
What experimentation do you think you will use?
•Experimentation comes in many different forms, and you will definitely progress from what you write here. The statement of intent is just your initial intentions. You can experiment using the camera settings, composition techniques, art based (painting on images, sketching on images, collage, fabrics, darkroom) editing, scene experimentation (different locations, models, poses, props etc) .
•You can talk about why it appeals to you, and maybe any other factors that led to choosing it, for example, it might be you have seen someone else's work that inspired you.
•Do you have a story or experience to share that led you to choose your theme? For example, perhaps someone would choose mental health as a theme because they have experienced mental health issues, or they have witnessed a loved one suffering from it.
•If you choose a hobby for a theme, you can write about your history with it, and share a happy memory, or a negative one.
What is the purpose of your project?
•This can cover different areas, but firstly, consider your message. Are you trying to communicate something to people viewing your work? Are you making a statement? Are you trying to express how you feel about something? Or are you just exploring something because you want to learn more about it? If you are only interested in taking photos to create something visually and aesthetically pleasing, this is fine, but you must justify why you want to do this.
What research will you do to help you with your idea development?
•Researching is very important to help your project progress and reach final outcomes. There are different areas of research and it is dependant on your theme.
•Photographer research is compulsory, so you can talk about photographers you have already identified as inspiration for project, and talk about why they are relevant and what techniques you will adopt from them.
•You may also want to research your theme, so for example, if your project theme was ‘plastic crisis’ and your intention was to raise awareness, then you would browse the internet, watch documentaries, look at stats etc - you can say what you intent to research and why.
•Questionnaires are very handy to help you gather information about particular topics - so for example, if you wanted to get an idea of how people feel about the plastic crisis. You could also interview people.
Example areas of research:
•Internet - you can read articles related to your theme
•Documentaries - you can watch documentaries related to your theme
•Stats - you can look at statistics related to your theme
•Questionnaires - you can create a questionnaire to find out information
•Interview people - interview people to get opinions and information
What experimentation do you think you will use?
•Experimentation comes in many different forms, and you will definitely progress from what you write here. The statement of intent is just your initial intentions. You can experiment using the camera settings, composition techniques, art based (painting on images, sketching on images, collage, fabrics, darkroom) editing, scene experimentation (different locations, models, poses, props etc) .
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Nature v's Mankind
Compared to nature people are inferior, we don’t matter. If we weren’t on this earth so many things would survive and keep growing and living. Without nature, humans can’t survive. But without humans, nature thrives.
I chose to do my project on nature because I want to capture the resilience of how it survives alongside humans. We have the habit of being self destructive and in turn we destroy the environment around us, but it keeps growing anyway. I want to experiment to find the best way to capture nature surviving in spite of our ruinous nature.
I am going to look at Lewis Baltz, Heather Angel and Marcelo Monreal because each if these photographers looks at nature, humans or nature and humans and I would like to explore each of these things to fully develop my project so that I can find the way I want to portray my project: nature vs. manmade. I will incorporate different techniques and hopefully will convey messages within my phots without being too obvious as I thin the more subtle the photographer is the more powerful the shot. It amazes me that art can be used in this way, and I love how effective it is. I have researched many photographers now, and all of them pretty much have something to say to the world. I like to be heard, and I have a message. I will try and stay as organised as I can for my project as I think that getting messy with the shoots will cause me stress later on. I want this to be a productive project and I would like to ensure I am on track 100%.
Compared to nature people are inferior, we don’t matter. If we weren’t on this earth so many things would survive and keep growing and living. Without nature, humans can’t survive. But without humans, nature thrives.
I chose to do my project on nature because I want to capture the resilience of how it survives alongside humans. We have the habit of being self destructive and in turn we destroy the environment around us, but it keeps growing anyway. I want to experiment to find the best way to capture nature surviving in spite of our ruinous nature.
I am going to look at Lewis Baltz, Heather Angel and Marcelo Monreal because each if these photographers looks at nature, humans or nature and humans and I would like to explore each of these things to fully develop my project so that I can find the way I want to portray my project: nature vs. manmade. I will incorporate different techniques and hopefully will convey messages within my phots without being too obvious as I thin the more subtle the photographer is the more powerful the shot. It amazes me that art can be used in this way, and I love how effective it is. I have researched many photographers now, and all of them pretty much have something to say to the world. I like to be heard, and I have a message. I will try and stay as organised as I can for my project as I think that getting messy with the shoots will cause me stress later on. I want this to be a productive project and I would like to ensure I am on track 100%.
Example 2
Buildings
I choose building photography because I have always had an interest in buildings in general due to my father being an architect and myself taking interest in his work from a very young age. While I don’t actually have any intent on being an architect I still have an interest in building in general but more the overall design of them rather than structural integrity of the buildings it’s still a vague interest that I knew I would enjoy if I chose it over the other options. Another reason why I choose this as an option is because personally I am not a fan of photography that is abstract, I like it to be clear and straight to the point. Abstract photography (and anything else for this matter) is more for the artistic creatively minded people and I am not one of those people and it doesn’t appeal to me for various reasons I mentioned earlier.
My ideas are to take high angle shots of buildings with high contrast and bright skies in the background but if I feel that it fits the photo I can do black and white if needed.
My inspiration is mainly my father’s work, as I said, I’ve been interested in his work since I was young which lead me to develop a minor interest in this aspect. I like the way some buildings look, new and old and taking photos is the best way of capturing the art that some are.
I choose building photography because I have always had an interest in buildings in general due to my father being an architect and myself taking interest in his work from a very young age. While I don’t actually have any intent on being an architect I still have an interest in building in general but more the overall design of them rather than structural integrity of the buildings it’s still a vague interest that I knew I would enjoy if I chose it over the other options. Another reason why I choose this as an option is because personally I am not a fan of photography that is abstract, I like it to be clear and straight to the point. Abstract photography (and anything else for this matter) is more for the artistic creatively minded people and I am not one of those people and it doesn’t appeal to me for various reasons I mentioned earlier.
My ideas are to take high angle shots of buildings with high contrast and bright skies in the background but if I feel that it fits the photo I can do black and white if needed.
My inspiration is mainly my father’s work, as I said, I’ve been interested in his work since I was young which lead me to develop a minor interest in this aspect. I like the way some buildings look, new and old and taking photos is the best way of capturing the art that some are.
Example 3
Animals
I intend to go to a farm or somewhere that allows to capture nature and animals. I will try and get some close-ups of the animals and experiment with shutter speed , either to make the photo dark , light , blurry or clear. I want to use a shallow depth of field as this is my favourite way to work. My main aim is to get an amazing shot of a bird in flight. I intend to get the bird clear and the background blurry. To do this I need to experiment with different shutter speeds. I also want to take photos of animals and make sure they are comfortable with the camera. I like shots where the animal looks happy and innocent.
I intend to go to a farm or somewhere that allows to capture nature and animals. I will try and get some close-ups of the animals and experiment with shutter speed , either to make the photo dark , light , blurry or clear. I want to use a shallow depth of field as this is my favourite way to work. My main aim is to get an amazing shot of a bird in flight. I intend to get the bird clear and the background blurry. To do this I need to experiment with different shutter speeds. I also want to take photos of animals and make sure they are comfortable with the camera. I like shots where the animal looks happy and innocent.
Example 4
Detail
•For my project I intend to explore the theme of detail. I will mainly focus on the style of macro photography, I will do this by using a macro lens and varying my aperture used.
•The focal point of my images will mostly consist of animals and nature, within these focal points I will look further at line, colour, texture, and pattern found within the features of the objects. For example, the extreme detail found within the eye of an animal or the texture and pattern of the fur/skin.
•I will research further into the works of close-up and macro photographers to draw inspiration for my own photoshoots; then I will attempt to recreate some of these images or capture my own using a similar techniques as the photographers.
•I chose to focus mainly on the style of macro photography as it makes the beautiful detail of even the smallest of living things or objects seem larger then life. This style also immensely appeals to me because I like to capture images and display the beauty within them to people that usually wouldn't focus on looking closer and finding the deeper beauty.
•The element of capturing surprise patterns and also capturing overall what the naked eye can not also both fascinates and appeals to the type of images that I hope to produce.
•For my project I intend to explore the theme of detail. I will mainly focus on the style of macro photography, I will do this by using a macro lens and varying my aperture used.
•The focal point of my images will mostly consist of animals and nature, within these focal points I will look further at line, colour, texture, and pattern found within the features of the objects. For example, the extreme detail found within the eye of an animal or the texture and pattern of the fur/skin.
•I will research further into the works of close-up and macro photographers to draw inspiration for my own photoshoots; then I will attempt to recreate some of these images or capture my own using a similar techniques as the photographers.
•I chose to focus mainly on the style of macro photography as it makes the beautiful detail of even the smallest of living things or objects seem larger then life. This style also immensely appeals to me because I like to capture images and display the beauty within them to people that usually wouldn't focus on looking closer and finding the deeper beauty.
•The element of capturing surprise patterns and also capturing overall what the naked eye can not also both fascinates and appeals to the type of images that I hope to produce.
Example 5
Buildings
For my personal project I have chosen to focus on the theme of buildings. I choose this theme for my project as it was a ‘personal’ project I wanted to focus on something that interested me and buildings was that. My whole life they have captured my intention from the buildings I see every day in the area I live to the big sky scrapers in New York which has been my dream place to visit since I was six due to the architecture there. In reflection on when I would think of places I wanted to visit my first thought would always be what are the buildings like there. As I got older I then found I really enjoyed learning and finding out about the process of what it takes to make a building and this later developed into me wanting to become an architect.
I will be researching into architecture within my project as I feel Architecture is the art that provides us with the physical environment we live in. I feel it shows the deep expression of human civilization in a particular era and it will endure and outlive us in forms of monuments that future generations will study and strive to understand. I want my work to demonstrate this and I will be looking in to urban builds to begin with in my project as I feel like these are the most unappreciated out of the two the other being the more traditional builds I still adore the older builds however for the message I want to portray in my project I feel the more urban buildings will demonstrate this.
I want to present buildings in a different way to show people what they probably don’t realise they take for granted each day being around such incredible buildings from traditional to urban I want to show people it’s not ‘just a building’ which is commonly used expression towards them. People normally go to a museum and look at the history show cased within in which I do feel is important however I also feel people will overlook the building there in and the history and time that was spent in creating, designing and building it. I want to show people buildings are interesting and worth taking the time to look at. I will show this through making the focus of my images the structure of the buildings as I feel this will best display the beauty of the buildings them self and will strip them back to their basic form by taking away all the distracting around them I think it will really show the buildings in their optimum points to show case this.
I have seen a photographer who does architect photography that I would like to research more into being Nicholas Goodden who I want to specifically consider his ‘minimalistic architecture’ project and is one I would like to consider during my project research. I will also be experimenting with is tone a lot throughout my project being through the use of colour and shades I feel this has a big impact on how something comes across in an image.
For my personal project I have chosen to focus on the theme of buildings. I choose this theme for my project as it was a ‘personal’ project I wanted to focus on something that interested me and buildings was that. My whole life they have captured my intention from the buildings I see every day in the area I live to the big sky scrapers in New York which has been my dream place to visit since I was six due to the architecture there. In reflection on when I would think of places I wanted to visit my first thought would always be what are the buildings like there. As I got older I then found I really enjoyed learning and finding out about the process of what it takes to make a building and this later developed into me wanting to become an architect.
I will be researching into architecture within my project as I feel Architecture is the art that provides us with the physical environment we live in. I feel it shows the deep expression of human civilization in a particular era and it will endure and outlive us in forms of monuments that future generations will study and strive to understand. I want my work to demonstrate this and I will be looking in to urban builds to begin with in my project as I feel like these are the most unappreciated out of the two the other being the more traditional builds I still adore the older builds however for the message I want to portray in my project I feel the more urban buildings will demonstrate this.
I want to present buildings in a different way to show people what they probably don’t realise they take for granted each day being around such incredible buildings from traditional to urban I want to show people it’s not ‘just a building’ which is commonly used expression towards them. People normally go to a museum and look at the history show cased within in which I do feel is important however I also feel people will overlook the building there in and the history and time that was spent in creating, designing and building it. I want to show people buildings are interesting and worth taking the time to look at. I will show this through making the focus of my images the structure of the buildings as I feel this will best display the beauty of the buildings them self and will strip them back to their basic form by taking away all the distracting around them I think it will really show the buildings in their optimum points to show case this.
I have seen a photographer who does architect photography that I would like to research more into being Nicholas Goodden who I want to specifically consider his ‘minimalistic architecture’ project and is one I would like to consider during my project research. I will also be experimenting with is tone a lot throughout my project being through the use of colour and shades I feel this has a big impact on how something comes across in an image.
Example 6
Animal Rights
For my GCSE photography project I have chosen the theme ‘animal rights’. This was an easy choice for me, as I work with animals and am a passionate animal rights activist. This gives me access to lots of photographic opportunities in relation to my theme, as well as valuable insight to help move my ideas forward. I have always loved animals, and made a promise to myself I would always do everything I could to make this world a better place to be, to look after them, protect them and be a voice for them. Photographically speaking, animals are a popular subject. There are many sub genres within animal photography I can explore as well as looking at how to communicate a strong message. For my project, I will need to identify if I want to photograph animals, or just focus on the people that stand up for them. I don’t think it will be possible to photograph animals in this context, but I could photograph animals and try and capture their essence – who they are, and show their personalities, just like we have, and use various intentional photographic techniques to do this. On the other side of my project, I could photograph activists and maybe interview them… I could do two sets of images. I will choose 10 animal rights activists, and then use the interview significant wording to double expose over the image. This idea I will develop on. I am also interested in documentary photography, so I would like to take photos using this style, and this would fit during various events such as protests etc.
Genres I am working in:
•Wildlife photography
•Animal portraiture
•Documentary photography
Camera techniques:
•Depth of field and shutter speed – animal portraiture needs to be sharp and in focus but I will also add a filter to soften the image
•Editing techniques – I will need to use Photoshop to experiment with image/text collage
Composition techniques
•I would like to use foreground/background making sure to offer a distinctive depth of field to enhance the subject
•I will experiment with locations, and maybe look at using natural frames to again enhance the animal within the frame
I will start by research photographers such as Sharron Lee Hart, as I like her black and white portrait approach. She uses quite odd compositions but the animals characters really stand out, and I think she achieves this by getting up close to them, without the shot turning into a close up. I also like Nick Brandt work, its just so captivating, as he captures the animals in their own environments and communicates a sense of freedom. For my documentary photography, I am going to look at Robert Franks work, as his images are very ‘real’ and powerful.. They make me feel a sense of urgency when I view some of the protesting shots, and this is exactly what I would like my work to do.
My overall aim:
My aim is to raise awareness of animal rights, and to give them a voice. I will do this by photographing animals in a way that shows that they are the same as us. I will also show what is being done, what activists spend much of there lives doing. What it looks like to be a voice for the animals. I am hoping my project will at least plant a seed and influence people to make join animal rights and be a voice for them. My overall aim is to show them as emotional and their suffering is the same as ours.
For my GCSE photography project I have chosen the theme ‘animal rights’. This was an easy choice for me, as I work with animals and am a passionate animal rights activist. This gives me access to lots of photographic opportunities in relation to my theme, as well as valuable insight to help move my ideas forward. I have always loved animals, and made a promise to myself I would always do everything I could to make this world a better place to be, to look after them, protect them and be a voice for them. Photographically speaking, animals are a popular subject. There are many sub genres within animal photography I can explore as well as looking at how to communicate a strong message. For my project, I will need to identify if I want to photograph animals, or just focus on the people that stand up for them. I don’t think it will be possible to photograph animals in this context, but I could photograph animals and try and capture their essence – who they are, and show their personalities, just like we have, and use various intentional photographic techniques to do this. On the other side of my project, I could photograph activists and maybe interview them… I could do two sets of images. I will choose 10 animal rights activists, and then use the interview significant wording to double expose over the image. This idea I will develop on. I am also interested in documentary photography, so I would like to take photos using this style, and this would fit during various events such as protests etc.
Genres I am working in:
•Wildlife photography
•Animal portraiture
•Documentary photography
Camera techniques:
•Depth of field and shutter speed – animal portraiture needs to be sharp and in focus but I will also add a filter to soften the image
•Editing techniques – I will need to use Photoshop to experiment with image/text collage
Composition techniques
•I would like to use foreground/background making sure to offer a distinctive depth of field to enhance the subject
•I will experiment with locations, and maybe look at using natural frames to again enhance the animal within the frame
I will start by research photographers such as Sharron Lee Hart, as I like her black and white portrait approach. She uses quite odd compositions but the animals characters really stand out, and I think she achieves this by getting up close to them, without the shot turning into a close up. I also like Nick Brandt work, its just so captivating, as he captures the animals in their own environments and communicates a sense of freedom. For my documentary photography, I am going to look at Robert Franks work, as his images are very ‘real’ and powerful.. They make me feel a sense of urgency when I view some of the protesting shots, and this is exactly what I would like my work to do.
My overall aim:
My aim is to raise awareness of animal rights, and to give them a voice. I will do this by photographing animals in a way that shows that they are the same as us. I will also show what is being done, what activists spend much of there lives doing. What it looks like to be a voice for the animals. I am hoping my project will at least plant a seed and influence people to make join animal rights and be a voice for them. My overall aim is to show them as emotional and their suffering is the same as ours.