Eighth week

My original idea when I planned this weeks visit was to record the payers "strength of character", how they  have assimilated themselves into their roles. My thoughts were about how they might be showing a greater physical approach to their roles and how that might be received by me acting as the audience and how, subsequently, I perceived the interaction between the players and whether that physicality, that ownership of the role, would present itself to their fellow players on stage.
I've said before in this series that the directorial debuts of Emma and Kevin has, thus far, been a revelation. The cast have responded wonderfully and the play seems to have a life of it's own as it nears opening night in four weeks time. On reviewing the stock for the edit I felt I needed to revise the proposition of the post based on the images that I had managed to take.
I felt that the set that I had could be separated into two distinct groups "People and Production". The "People" part were the interaction between the various persons at the hall, including actors who weren't in role, as they either prepared to "go on" or were going about their business - there is one exception which I felt could be in either, so strong was the image in my view. The "Production" shots I decided could provide something else; the players personifications were so strong that I thought about how I might look for publicity type shots, shots that could be used in a programme or poster (there is an example of one of the actual posters in the series "People".

People:

This shot, a prelude to an on-stage (scripted) scuffle is a cross-over and is really a "Production" shot but I have included it here on the basis of it's "realness".

The basis behind the inclusion of these shots is interaction. I have tried to depict the interplay of the various people as they work their individual and group functions. There are shots of individuals, of couples, of groups in a single purpose and multiple groups focussing on disparate roles towards a group end. When taking these images I tried to capture moments, the "gesture" of the moment as individuals (or groups occasionally) manage to express different emotions.

Production:

I have decided to present this sub series in colour - it should mean that they are stronger, clearer and more directly connected to the viewer without the remove of monochrome.

The play is set in a pub - therefore the inclusion of "drink" related images, glasses etc. there are some "scuffles" and the can in mid-flight is indicative of the brawl that goes on "off-stage", and humour.

As this series progresses there are lots that I'm beginning to take on board. I now realise that the techniques required for candid people shots are ones that need to be practised, these last few weeks have been a "soft start" as I know all the subjects. I will need to get out there - in the street - more often. Anticipation is a very important part of the toolkit, but also recognising the emotion as it begins to appear on people's faces and bodies. I'm not sure I want to be a street photographer, but I do know that I want to develop in the genre of portraiture and these exercises are helping me a great deal.

And I thought I would leave the post with these shots: Emma, delivering thoughts and direction to her audience - the cast!