Present:

Zoe, Caroline, Debra, Julia, Ben and Michael, apologies from Mark.

We started by welcoming Michael who is based in Cambridge and has just sent in A4 and plans to go for assessment in November.

There was some discussion about tutors and their role. We would all like more input, although we are aware that they are only paid for specific work around doing a report on the assignments. Everybody prefers face to face (well, on-line) reports rather than just a written feedback as it allows a fuller discussion about the pluses and minuses of the work together with what can be improved (and possibly how). We noted the very useful zooms from Andrea Norrington (links available on IAP Padlet and next one on 15^th July) and also the library webinars (also see IAP Padlet). We all also found the recent zooms from Anna Fox and Susan Bright inspiring. I reminded people about the Scottish Group – we are having a zoom meeting on 07/07 at 1900 as we have missed our usual meeting due to lockdown.

Reports:

Zoe – just sent in A4. Work on family memories using archive photos. Caroline and Julia were both positive about it although somewhat conflicting views – Caroline liked the chronological theme, Julia wondered if it would be better random! This led onto a long discussion about family work generally, and the making of family trees. We discussed that many of us have boxes of family photo in attics or garages, what will happen to all the memory photos when they are all taken digitally and not printed? Will they just disappear? Should we make summary photo albums for our descendants?

Caroline – just sent in A5 (!). Fascinating work on memories and the loss of a previous home (Dubai). She noted that she had wanted the work to be more about the emotions of the place rather than specific images. I (Zoe) found the research fascinating especially the photographers she used and will go back to them in more detail. The video was a new move for me – worth investigating further. She had also made a 3D Art Gallery to show all her work. This gave a great overview of the course – but some of the posted videos were glitchy.

Ben – has mainly been working on his CN assessment. He found the digital assessment worked well for him although he did have to go back over his blog posts and rewrite some for the learning outcomes. He told us about the assessment

• Work related to the learning outcomes with 2 pieces of work to demonstrate each, these can include things that did not go so well and how you improved them.
• 6 – 12 creative pieces
• Tutor reports
• An artist’s statement

This is a significant change in that we are responsible for making the decisions about what we think is good! And also working out whether or not we have met the learning aims and how to demonstrate that.

Ben – sent in A1 – which is his work based on the photos he took at the Glasgow City Mission. Do note, taking pictures of strangers is Ben’s job – so unlike the rest of us he did not struggle with that. We discussed a number of strategies we had used

• Bribing with cake
• A dog making the initial choice of person
• Using Facebook groups to link with local people
• Putting notes through doors

Debra – has now submitted A1 and got immediate feedback. She used the Facebook page for her contacts and took people on their doorstep using a standard set up of lens and tripod. She found talking to the people she met the most interesting thing. She is planning to continue the Covid 19 theme throughout her IAP work. Of note, it may change as lockdown eases/lifts – but these will still be a before/during/after theme available.

Michael – submitted A4 (canals and newspaper headlines). It expressed what he feels about the present situation with Brexit. Is now working of A5. Thinking about doing work related to his family and words they use to describe themselves

Julia submitted A4 and working on A5. She lives in North Norfolk where her husband has strong roots. She has been listening to a poet she knows (Kevin Crossley Holland) and is thinking about a mixed media presentation, including photographs (possibly overpainted with watercolours) and some video work. She noted that she herself is rootless – due to her family history of refugees. That took us back around to the idea of roots and family and a photographic response to that.

Most of this group are nearly at the point where we will need to choose our Level 2 modules and we are all conflicted

• Julia – possibly moving image and landscape
• Caroline – possibly landscape and self and other – but interested in all
• Zoe possibly self and other and documentary or DIC
• Michael – documentary and landscape
• Ben – movie and documentary

We all agreed that it would be useful to have more info on all the courses so thought we would set up a specific zoom meeting to discuss them further and hopefully invite people ho were further along to talk about the pros and cons. We came up with some possible names and Caroline will try to arrange.

Planning:

• Next general meeting for 01/08/20
• Future planning meeting hopefully – 18/07/20