Day 330.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I decided I'm going to start using film a bit more again.

Day 326.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

Today flew by, and I'm not even really sure I did anything.
I did go and meet Gabriella for lunch though and that was nice, and I sorted through my Paris photos. I've got to get my head together. There isn't that long until we break up for Christmas.

Day 281.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

So, here goes my first proper job, my legs hurt, my bum hurts, I ended up being stood up for almost six straight hours and I didn't get to sleep until nearly 2 o'clock because of the amount of photos that I had to upload onto my computer. I'm quite proud of myself but I'm not looking forward to sorting through all the photos and I'm not sure how much I can narrow the selection down by. It was a nice night too, I want a party like that.

Day 274.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

So, today Rio and Izzy came all the way down here to help me out with my half-Chinese project, I've consciously decided not to put one of their portraits as part of the 365 because I don't think it flows with the rest of what's going on here. But I think it went quite well, we talked a lot about being half-Chinese and then we went for lunch and then I took them to see the burnt-down dinosaur, it smelt really weird. The weather was pretty miserable but it was a pretty nice, productive and busy day and I'm very happy that they helped me out.

Day 203.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

Today I went to Kew Gardens, it was hot and nice.
I am very pleased with the performance my SLR has put on today. I'm so glad I have nothing to do tomorrow.

Day 118 (dot com)

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

So my worrying was ultimately unfounded , but I didn't get the job anyway, although I got positive feedback for the pitch, someone else got it. I don't really see it as much of a dent to my confidence because the areas that I knew I was lacking in is what was mentioned and it was mainly a slight lack of prep - in all fairness I could have tried harder but I've had other more important work to do, in the sense that I'd like to stay on my degree.
It's an experience to learn from though and hopefully next time, I'll spend less time worrying and more time actually thinking.

Day 108.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

So, today is the day I play both at being a photographer and being a model, haven't got round the the modelling part yet, we'll see how it goes. I'm not allowed to wear makeup for it...
This shoot was pretty fun though, it's for one of Andy's projects for his course, this is 'The Open Road Theatre Company', they were pretty neat to photograph. So far, from more experience with actors/actresses during my own University projects than people who specialise in other areas, actors/actresses do make pretty good models.

Day 99.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I am back in Portsmouth again after what feels like an all too short two weeks at home.
I arrived to my delivered ringlight, which after a stock up in Asda - for both food and batteries, I tried out, it's not what I expected, but I think I could do some quite interesting things with it.
I know it's another photograph of Moon, I also realise it's a pretty bad one, I kind of like it though, reminds me slightly of Terry Richardson.
Am I looking forward to a new term?

Day 65.

© Ruth Johnston 2010

From my first proper test shoot to actually getting somewhere, I can do nothing until next Thursday, but with the few volunteers I have, I should be able to get everything done in a couple of shoots - professionals would do it in one, but a professional, I am not.
Today was quite stressful but I have a rough initial interview with Andy and proper idea now. I have to buy a million magazines tomorrow and pay that bill - which may be hundreds but it is a couple hundred less than Simon and Long's.
This was taken with my SB-600 on a tripod, it did a better job than I thought but not as great a job as I'd have liked.
Andy is wearing Moon's t-shirt.
I have 300 days left of this project, this year is going too fast already.

Day 54.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I got an initial test shoot down for my final brief.
I bumped into Andy on the way to the studio to meet Moon and chanced it and he said he'd stand in, it was a good job too because it was a while before our model for the Sunday supplements piece showed up.
I think I have a better idea of what kind of spread I want to do, I just need to find a magazine that would use me, I'm thinking Vice but for me, that's a bit obvious, plus I'm not 100% on how mainstream the magazine has to be.
I got a few good shots, but it was mainly a test run, helping me gain more confidence in using the studio, and aside from needed a little bit of help with the light metering, it's quite fluid once it gets going.
I think I need more fashion magazines, this is getting expensive, I've bought around 10 magazines so far...

Day 44.

© Ruth Johnston 2010

Today has been quite stressful, so I am quite glad it's coming to an end.
I was up so early and went into Uni only to find out that my lecture was actually 2-5pm, only they hadn't told us. So I met up with my sister and my Gran briefly before going back.
The lighting lecture was pretty fun in the end, plus it resulted in this pretty sweet photo of Joe McGorty, our new lecturer. I'm beginning to really enjoy everything a lot more now, and our next project for this overall unit looks awesome, we're shooting an actress/actor or sport star for a Sunday paper editorial, we've got two weeks to plan it and we get to choose and style our models, who probably won't be real stars we'll work our magic, so by the end of the shoot, they well be, obviously.

Day 39.

© Ruth Johnston 2010

Semester Two got off to a blinding start today.
We are going to be looking at The Body in relation to editorial photography, which should be interesting, and - at least from my perspective - give us some real practical industry skills.
Our starting point is to get into groups and get a category - celebrity, health, fashion etc - and do a presentation on it for next week. We got health, which in some ways is really good because it's pretty straight forward and easy, but in other ways isn't that great as it's not something that everyone is interested in. Although, it's only a weeks worth of work, and will give us good insight, I'm sure the other presentations will be useful in helping me get to grips with what direction to go in for the final outcome of all this.
It seems like this unit will be a lot like the Foundation course though as it's 5 smaller projects as opposed to one huge one, even though it does all lead up to a larger outcome, I feel that it's a much more engaging way of working.
So, this was desk around an hour ago, I have fully analysed Men's Health as best I can ready to tackle the research questions we have to answer for the presentation, it's so alpha-male and the online version is even worse, but it is kind of funny that people eat it up every month. I've spent around £45 on this unit so far and it's not even fully underway, it's quite annoying how expensive medium format materials are.

Day 32.

© Ruth Johnston 2010

So today I've been nursing a few lumps and bumps from last night, some bruises are going to be doozies, they haven't even properly blued-up yet.
I got my ex-Course leader's book in the post today, did I mention he was (he's not dead)/is great and will be missed on the course? It should be a good read, I'll be sure to peruse it tomorrow whilst nursing a sore head, I'm off out again. This is shameful behaviour really, but it's not like I have a chance to do it that often, plus dancing burns calories, something I could use doing right now, I am so fat.

Day 19.

© Ruth Johnston

"Monday 11th January - Friday 19th February
Eldon Building between rooms 1.72 - 1.74 (corridor on 1st floor towards the IT suite)
An opportunity to exhibit your own photographic work in an organic project.
This is a participatory project and all are welcome to take part. That there are no size restrictions, just simply come along with your loose unmounted and unframed prints and swap them with any ones you like that are on display.
30 images, 30 days, 30 pieces of art,Photo exchange is an interesting and fun opportunity in which you are the artist, the viewer and the collector. The only stipulation is that you are the owner of the work submitted. So get snapping and let the swapping begin. "

So I finally did it. Now I am part of two 'exhibitions' at a time. Is it big-headed of me to like my own images over some of the images that were at Photo Exchange?
I really like this idea, I hope there are more, if no one picks my work, then at least I got two pieces of neat artwork for free.
I sure do hope this is a sign that it's the end of my lazy week.

Day Thirteen.

© Ruth Johnston 2010

This is all the work I handed in today.

• 7 x prints for Brief One (Documentary Practices).
• 7 x prints for Brief Two (Documentary Practices).
• 3 x Research & Development books (Documentary Practices).
• 2 x Project reports (Documentary Practices).
• 2 x copies of invitation to 'Document This...' (Project Management 2) exhibition.
• 1 x book to accompany work for Brief Two.
• 1 x digital Research & Development file for Project Management 2 on CD.
• 1 x Issues in Contemporary Media essay.

My first semester of being a second year degree student is done and dusted, now to get the exhibition opening out of the way tomorrow afternoon and relax for the next three weeks...
This time next year I'll be full on thinking about my dissertation.

Day Eight.

© Ruth Johnston 2010

My print for my exhibition came today, which was a nice surprise, not only because it's Sunday but also because it's wasn't even meant to be coming until Tuesday - so theprintspace gallery did a very good job. Obviously not only in delivery but I'm pretty satisfied overall with the quality of the print, I picked a metallic paper to make the colour pop a bit and I think it does just that. It's something you've got to see in real life though.

The guy who delivered it was not the most happy of chaps but I'm not surprised considering the current weather.
I'm not even too sure why I'm so excited about getting the print because whilst it means that I will be able to get it hung up on the designated day (Monday) - the opening of the exhibition may not be as big as previously hoped due to the snow and with more apparently on the way tonight and tomorrow, it sort of brings me down, everyone has put so much effort in, and it might pale in comparison to previous years just because of weather conditions. I am really hoping it does all come together though, the forecast could be wrong, the snow they said would come today, hasn't yet, but the clouds are looking pretty heavy with snow, they were that pale-yellow colour earlier.

Day Four.

© Ruth Johnston 2010

"Now THAT is what you call a snowball!"
This guy made my morning, it is pretty spectacular how snow can bring out the infancy in all of us. What made this guy even better was that he wasn't proclaiming this 'fact' to his children or anything, but to other grown men. Who else is loving his high-visibility jacket?
If anything will put a smile on your face on a quiet snowy morning, it's someone echoing that halfway down the street. Brilliant.

Day Two.

© Ruth Johnston 2010

Big shop this morning, the day started off as quite productive, I mean, look how much meat Moon and I bought.
It's 13 meals worth of meat.
It looks totally disgusting when it's in a heap like this, but I know how tasty each bit will be when I get round to cooking it.

When I said the day started productive, I really meant for it to go on that way, but it's 20 to 3 now and I've not done any work yet, just spent ages internet shopping. But, at least I have all this meat.

Day 1.

Having always given up at things like these, I thought 2010 would be a good year to try again. Plus, I've been keeping up with my other blog so well.
This is the my first photo.

© Ruth Johnston 2010

I arrived back in Portsmouth today from the Christmas holidays. I got straight to work on re-arranging my room. I got rid of my 'sofa' and put my desk here. As it's where I'll most likely be doing most of this 365 from, I think it's a pretty apt place to start. I'm not really sure why I changed everything, I was just a bit bored of being freezing in bed even when the heating's on, even though it is a bit cold where I am sitting now, I now have a ton of room to dance around in...
I can't believe it's nearly 8 o'clock.