MON REGRET / Evaluation

This project was a community based art/design project devised from a collection of submissions from users. The users submitted something they regret onto an online platform, which was then produced into a publication with relevant photography. 

This brief was a highly compelling and responsive project which was unpredictable and primarily lead by the participants. I had no control over what users could post to the online platform, meaning this was entirely up to those who posted what ended up in the publication. The uncertain nature of the project however was what made it so interesting. The project received a high amount of submissions, more than expected, and some were incredibly heartfelt and personal, that I felt grateful that someone had shared that with me. 

For this brief I explored my skills within photography. Although I don’t consider myself highly experienced or competent with camera settings, the main concern was the mood, the concept and the atmosphere the photo created, rather than any intricate technicalities, although I learned more through experimentation. The photos I created were uncomfortable, gritty and translated a handful of the user’s submissions into something visual. I felt this was the most successful aspect of the project, and allowed me to expand on my time management skills and planning ahead. To create these photos I needed some help from my friends, and supplies which I had to organise in a short space of time due to print slot deadlines and changing approaches throughout this brief. This brief allowed me to make hard decisions when I knew that the direction was not going to be as effective. 

Potential improvements could have been more time to work on photographs, but this was unavoidable due to this idea being developed later on within the brief, and getting the publication professionally printed. The publication was intended to be tabloid size, but within the digital print facility, A4 pages are the largest you can print on. Newsprint also cannot be printed on down there, so a thinner stock would have worked more appropriately with how I envisioned the final outcome. However in saying that, I am incredibly pleased how this turned out and feel it is a project that is very different to any I have done before.