Allotments
Allotments - Andrew Burrman
http://www.buurman.co.uk/index.php#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=11&p=1&a=0&at=0
https://urbanallotments.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/photographs-from-andrew-buurman-posted-by-sabine-van-andel/
http://we-english.co.uk/blog/2009/08/04/allotments-by-andrew-buurman/
Viewed on 6 September 2015
http://www.theworldinlondon.org.uk/country/esp
http://we-english.co.uk/blog/2009/08/04/allotments-by-andrew-buurman/
http://rhgallery.co.uk/book-launch-allotments-by-andrew-buurman/
https://onegiantarm.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/andrew-buurman-interview/
Andrew Buurman is a photojournalist In his work Buurman takes inspiration from photographers SIr Benjamin Stone, Tony-Ray Jones and Ian Berry. Stone, Jones and Berry were all UK bases photojournalists who photographed in a documentary style, often showing their observations of the British culture. Buurman's introductions to photography started as a result of his desire to document his time as a teacher in Japan, stating that he "loved how the camera gave you the excuse of getting closer and being nearer the excitement of the event.” When photographing Buurman states that he takes his time and looks hard to find the interesting points in a place. After finishing his job as a teacher Buurman took up a position at the Independent as a photographer. Working for the independent developed his ability to talk to people and make them cooperate with him, thus enabling him to progress as a photojournalist. When photographing Buurman uses a film camera with square format images. Before square format images were uncommon, however with the rise of social media apps such as Instagram their use has increased.
Allotments are often thought to be quintessentially British. In his series Allotments Buurman photographed the Uplands Allotments, Birmingham. With 442 plots the site is the largest of its kind in the UK, opening four years after WWII the allotments continued the grow your own idea that was publicised during the war. In 1943 there were 1.4 million allotments in the UK, proving 10% of the nation's food. The pockets of green photographed by Buurman convey the traditional British values. It is surprising to think that the two acres of greenery is situated in one of the UK's largest cities.The image of a man with a bouquet of flowers is reminiscent of Dutch tulip fields, making it seem strange that it was actually taken in an area of urbanisation. The vibrancy of the flowers makes the come into an audience's realm, captivating them. The allotments act as a form of escapism from urban everyday life and have a sense of community spirit. Buurman says that he is "mostly interested in groups of people and the things that tie them together” in his images. Although the number of UK plots have dramatically decreased there are still 300,00 enthusiastic users, the site has seen a change in the identity of plot owners which is representative of the growth in ethnic diversity.
https://urbanallotments.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/photographs-from-andrew-buurman-posted-by-sabine-van-andel/
http://we-english.co.uk/blog/2009/08/04/allotments-by-andrew-buurman/
Viewed on 6 September 2015
http://www.theworldinlondon.org.uk/country/esp
http://we-english.co.uk/blog/2009/08/04/allotments-by-andrew-buurman/
http://rhgallery.co.uk/book-launch-allotments-by-andrew-buurman/
https://onegiantarm.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/andrew-buurman-interview/
Andrew Buurman is a photojournalist In his work Buurman takes inspiration from photographers SIr Benjamin Stone, Tony-Ray Jones and Ian Berry. Stone, Jones and Berry were all UK bases photojournalists who photographed in a documentary style, often showing their observations of the British culture. Buurman's introductions to photography started as a result of his desire to document his time as a teacher in Japan, stating that he "loved how the camera gave you the excuse of getting closer and being nearer the excitement of the event.” When photographing Buurman states that he takes his time and looks hard to find the interesting points in a place. After finishing his job as a teacher Buurman took up a position at the Independent as a photographer. Working for the independent developed his ability to talk to people and make them cooperate with him, thus enabling him to progress as a photojournalist. When photographing Buurman uses a film camera with square format images. Before square format images were uncommon, however with the rise of social media apps such as Instagram their use has increased.
- Andrew Buurman
- Photojournalist
- 18th Century portrait painter Joshua Reynolds that “The real character of a man is found out by his amusements”.
- “I loved how the camera gave you the excuse of getting closer and being nearer the excitement of the event.”
- Inspirations: Sir Benjamin Stone (photographer) - conservative politician & amateur documentary photographer, Tony Ray Jones (photographer) - photojournalist, documentary style, images showed observations on contemporary British society, Ian Berry (photographer)
- Took up photography due as a result of wanting to document his time in Japan while teaching English (aged 27).
- Looks hard to find something interesting in a place
- The Independent newspaper as a photographer
- Deal with a lot of people & make them cooperate with you, good ability of talking to people and allowing them to be photographed
- Used film
- Square format (increasingly more common due to the rise of social media app Instagram)
- Did not shoot in 35mm – shoot slower, natural, too fluid, old-fashioned
- Hasselblad with a tripod with 12 frames
- Twin reflex camera
Allotments are often thought to be quintessentially British. In his series Allotments Buurman photographed the Uplands Allotments, Birmingham. With 442 plots the site is the largest of its kind in the UK, opening four years after WWII the allotments continued the grow your own idea that was publicised during the war. In 1943 there were 1.4 million allotments in the UK, proving 10% of the nation's food. The pockets of green photographed by Buurman convey the traditional British values. It is surprising to think that the two acres of greenery is situated in one of the UK's largest cities.The image of a man with a bouquet of flowers is reminiscent of Dutch tulip fields, making it seem strange that it was actually taken in an area of urbanisation. The vibrancy of the flowers makes the come into an audience's realm, captivating them. The allotments act as a form of escapism from urban everyday life and have a sense of community spirit. Buurman says that he is "mostly interested in groups of people and the things that tie them together” in his images. Although the number of UK plots have dramatically decreased there are still 300,00 enthusiastic users, the site has seen a change in the identity of plot owners which is representative of the growth in ethnic diversity.
- Allotments are thought to be quintessentially British
- Uplands Allotments in Handsworth the heart of Birmingham
- o Largest allotment site in the UK (442 plots)
- o Opened four years after the end of WW2
- Traditional values
- Rural idyll
- Pockets of green
- Loss of greenery due to rapid urbanisation – seems like it is another city, the man surrounded by flowers is reminiscent of the Dutch tulip fields, vibrancy of the flower petals
- Escapism from everyday life
- Encapsulate Britishness – WWII propaganda grow your own
- o 1943 1.4 million allotments in the UK, growing 10% of the nation’s food.
- Growing (ethnical) diversity – different cultures, the changing identity of plot owners
- Community spirit – “I am mostly interested in groups of people and the things that tie them together.”
- Enthusiasm - now 300,000 allotments in the UK
- Vivid images
- Captivating
Sense of Place - Joe Nick Selby
In a short video, Sense of Place, that was created for a competition the videographer also does a good job at conveying the relaxed atmosphere around an allotment. In the short film the camera follows a plot owner as she tenderly cares for her produce,
- characteristics of a place that makes it special and unique
- foster a sense of authentic human attachment and belonging
- involves the human experience in a landscape
- Makes you think back to being a child - simpler times & happy memories
- Summer - surrounded by nature
- Working hard & nurturing something to see it blossom
- Patience
- Fluid
- "Some say when you are planting and digging it makes you feel calm, makes you feel at ease, makes you feel a 'Sense of Place'. "
The Patch
Inspired by the traditional British nature that was conveyed in Buurman's Allotment series and the short film Sense of Place I photographed a series in response of the allotments on Creighton Avenue. The lack of people in the images was a result of the time of day, as majority of people were likely to have been at work, as a result I focused heavily on the atmosphere around the site, using the plots themselves to try to create an idea of what the plot owners are like. Wandering around the site it was like exploring a different world, the allotments were nestled amongst the residential streets of Muswell Hill. The vastness of the size of the allotments was refreshing.
- Inspired by the quintessential Britishness that was conveyed in Buurman's Allotment images
- Heavily focused on the atmosphere
- Empty - lack of people, due work time
- Focused more on the plots themselves to try to create a picture of what the plat owner is like
- Exploring - different world within the suburbs
- Contrasting environment to the urban city environment I grew up in - refreshing
- More subdued and neutral colours in comparison to Andrew Buurman's Allotments
- Greens and browns with the occasional pops of colour such as blues
- Seek out quite spaces of tranquillity
- Textures - wood, rusted iron
- Long waiting list - people want to revert back to British traditions
- Image Analysis: image of the 'men at work' sign with over grown shurbs
- natural
- growth
- 1978 - suggests the time the plot has been own /
- the red creeps through the grass
A Story
- Hampstead Heath - Pergola
- one of London's hidden treasures
- journey of discovery & exploration
- modern day secret garden
- mystical
- Re-order images, create a story line