Artist Research- Simon Roberts and Anna Fox

Simon Roberts

Simon Roberts is a british documentary photographer who's project 'We English' has inspired my idea of capturing the english B&B. He captured a variety of English scenes throughout British environmnets.This project shows relating ideas to identity, belonging and nationhood, which I believe in a way can relate strongly to the conept that I want to highlight. Identity I feel is heavily shown and analysed throughout my project so far as being an important part of Englishness, which can be shown in the B&B industry. I believe that the important focus in Roberts project is showing the location of people, which could reveal particular questions about what it means to be English and how British the surrounding environment is. I think that Roberts landscapes are very intriguing because of the way British Culture and identity is vividly shown through the colours, people and surrounding environments.I really like how he captured English scenes in an objective way to show England in truthful manner. I believe that Simon has captured a snapshot of Englishness, without disturbing the environment.

I researched simon in my portraiture project and thought that he would be a perfect photographer to refer back to within this Final Major Project. Simon has inspired me to use the objective approach to capture B&B's in an unusual way that can reflect English qualities e.g. through design and or colour. The idea that Englishness is shown within the landscape is what I want to convey with my images and want to create the idea of british identity through human traces e.g. belongings.

http://we-english.co.uk/

I researched into a interview that Simon roberts took part in, explaining his project 'We English'.

What do you think you've learnt about the English by examining them for the last 10 years?

"I've learnt to love and hate my country in equal measure. One of the great things about doing We English was it took me to all these little places that I never really knew about. There is no doubt that it is an incredible country with some beautiful places but you can also see just how mundane and banal our high streets are. One of the great things for me about immigration is the colour that it brings to some of our streets. You drive around parts of Birmingham and Leicester and its quite extraordinary, the different elements of life there."

http://www.gupmagazine.com/articles/waiting-for-the-picture-an-interview-with-simon-roberts

I believe that I have learnt a lot from researching into 'We English'. The project has given me a clearer insight into British culture and identity, which has helped me to discover subtle Englsihness culture within a B&B environment. I will definately be referring back to this project throughout my development because I believe that the idea of Englishness is easily identitfied, which I want to create when completing my shoots.

Anna Fox

Anna Fox is a British documentary photographer who has captured Englishess in a unique way that has inspired me. For example she has produced advertisments for Butlins in a subjective approach that shows an unrealistic environment, this project is known as 'Resort 1/2'. However, this can intrigue an audience to visit this place, which can be created through the vivid colour. She has inspired me with a variety of her projects because of the way her photographs are staged for advertisement purpose and create an engaging response. In my project I want to engage the audience by leaving unanswered questions about capturing human traces within a B&B environment. I researched Anna Fox for my portraiture project as well but I felt that she would be a perfect example of showing english in a original manner. This is because she has chosen to document an intriguing part of British culture that should be explored by others. Overall, Anna has insipired me through this project of her's by capturing a variety of aspects of the holiday site including, close ups and portraits, which I feel strongly highlight this part of british culture.

From looking at these images the idea of advertisement is vividly coming across because of the staged looked and also edited aspects. This is an idea that I don't want to consider because I want to just document a part of England that is slowing deteriating and show why B&B's are so important to the English culutre.

#FinalMajorProject