UNIT 4 - AO1 (2/3) - Chris Killip

For my second photographer I decided to look at Chris Killip, Born on the 11th of July, 1946. He works at Harvard University in Massachusetts as a Professor of visual and environmental studies. He is widely regarded for his gritty black and white photographs of people and places during 70s-80s England. After quitting freelance work in 1969 to focus on the photography, he moved back to his hometown of Douglas in the Isle of Man and photographing it extensively. He directed his photographic eye towards the underclass and their daily lives and how the industrialisation of britain affects people and landscapes.

Here are some of my favourite images of his:

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Out of this collage, my favourite images would have to be top-left, top right, middle right, bottom right. As ever with most photographers at the time, Killip's work was shot predominantly on high-speed film to allow him to shoot with a high aperture and shutter, from what I can tell he would shoot with a shutter of roughly 1/250th along with an aperture of around f/8-11 on a film speed of either 400-800, he would have to shoot with these settings in order to capture the most amount of detail and focus for his subjects for his work when he was out on the street outdoors. However, there are times where Killip chose to shoot with a much lower aperture of around f/2 -- f/4 as seen in the center image and top right image, this could either be a artistic decision because it's a portrait or a technical decision due to the low lighting that can be seen in those images that would have forced him to shoot with a faster aperture.

As I've not had the opportunity to go to the Isle of Man I felt as if I had to try and replicate his work elsewhere. Luckily I always keep my camera on me at all times and I had an interview in Falmouth, cornwall. There have been many times on my trips where I have chose to shoot using the techniques and themes that Chris Killip uses in his work. Out of this compilation are my favourite photographs from my experimentations shot from a variety of locations, from the city center of Sheffield, to York to Cambridge, these photographs were shot on a mixture of HP5+ 35mm film and my Sony A7R, whilst using my 50mm f/1.4 as my main lens of use.

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My favourites out of this selection would have to be top right, bottom left and bottom right. Coincidentally, all of which were shot on 35mm film. With Top right, I was in Cambridge and noticed this alleyway that had what appeared to be student accommodation hiding above an underpass. It reminded me of a photograph taken from the Photographer, Frederic Chaubin's book, CCCP (see right) with its unique architectural style. I chose to shoot with a slower shutter speed at 1/60th to capture motion blur with people passing by to add movement and character to the scene.

With the bottom left image it's all about scale and composition of where the camera is placed that I admire, street crossing is captured just at the bottom of the frame with the edge of the pavement joining the corner of the frame. The contrast and grain along with the scale that shooting on with a high aperture gives a sense of scope for this everyday occurrence. The fact that the three people form a triangle and are all plainly visible adds to a pleasing aesthetic towards the composition.

And lastly with the bottom-right image I love the tonality of this negative, it was a cold misty morning on the shores of falmouth and three cargo ships were anchored in the cove. Along the beach were a few people who were brave enough to swim in the february sea. To me I find this image the one that relates to Killips work the most with its interaction between people and literal industrial landscapes. I find it a reflection of the state of the country's industry, with most of the country relying on imports instead of exporting goods and technologies as it did decades before. As ever I stuck towards Killip' themes and techniques with high aperture/shutter combo but for this photograph I purposely underexposed the negative by one stop to bring more grain and tonality towards the sky as well as to increase the contrast with the boats and people in the sea.

All in all I am thoroughly pleased with the work I have produced for this piece, I have explored Chris Killips themes and techniques with his documentary work of the industrial underclass towards creating and merging new techniques in my own work.