SARAH GINN XX UNDERWORLD - THE TECHNO ABSTRACT
This is a test pitch sent to Underworld’s management April 2023. Please note this pitch cannot be transferred to another photographer for this particular act. The XX concept cannot be used by another photographer for others acts under the name XX with the same concepts. Any plagiarism of the concepts contained within this pitch from any other photographers will be subject to legal action.
Underworld are one of the seminal acts of the UK electronic scene and this pitch was put together to create a piece of visual art, as Underworld are used to creating throughout their career. With this in mind the photographic processes are tailored to the act, in a seamless branding way that can be used across all their media platforms.
Please note when this concept was pitched it was called VS
REF & RESEARCH
For VS the crux of the concept is to visually ‘brand’ an acts live photography via their own visual graphic identity and ethos. This is to achieve a cohesive look to a body of live images that can be used for band identity, music/label artwork, social media presence, or to create a physical item such as a tour book where all the artists involved contribute to the book and mix up mediums (this was the original idea for live acts).
TOMATO
I’ve been a fan of Underworld/Tomato for a long time and often used their graphics as references in my Design degree, which was eons ago now, but this collaboration of all different mediums really inspired me to create what I do now in music photography. I think the only book I don’t have is Mmmm..Skyscraper I love you. On the list to get!
John Warwicker interview from 2010 here:
https://www.borndirty.org/news/tomato/2010/09/17/tomatos-john-warwicker-on-designing-underworld/
Tomato’s graphic look is what I want to get across via these photographic processes. In a way this project seems to follow on from John’s project of live artwork from quite some time ago, I found in his website archives. This work is abstract in its vibe.
PEROU
Another book I’ve been meaning to purchase! Hyde and Perou’s Tunnel Vision. I’m always aware there are photographers already in situ with live acts. I absolutely love Perou’s work so ultimately if this project goes ahead, he would need to do it with me, as a collab between us as well. He has a long history with the band, I can learn from him. Plus, I would love to collab with more photographers, it never really happens.
UNDERWORLD VS SARAH GINN PHOTOGRAPHIC APPLICATIONS
IDEA 1: SPLIT SCREEN ABSTRACTION - DIGITAL PROCESS
Underworld are fairly hush about their live set up, which is totally understandable! I’m putting forward this style of shooting and processing as it abstracts tiny segments of the live act, as to not give anything away but refer to the performance. I used to shoot a lot of these at fabric, when I wasn’t shooting DJ’s. There is a selection of frames you can use, and effects for each segment.
IDEA 2: SHUTTER DRAG LONG EXPOSURE - IN CAMERA PROCESS
I saw the recent Underworld gig at the Marble Factory and the lighting gave me some ideas of other abstract shooting effects. For the first few tracks Karl was lit by cyan and red flickering lights. Now usually that’s a pain in the ass, but for this effect it brings it to life.
Cyan and red are the colours of 3D glasses, so these images could potentially become a strange kind of 3D should they be used in viewing these images. The actual photography effect I’m going for is exhibited below with this shot of Vitalic. By leaving the shutter open we will get a drag effect for Karl with these two colours. Please ignore the areas lit up with the flash, flash would not be used in this case. The 3D effect would be done via the stage lighting and capturing it in such a way that both red and cyan, plus the movement of Karl would show up.
Post Note 12.06.2024
I actually had a proper chance to try out out this effect out at a festival for Hospitality. This is a shot of MC Lowqui with the cyan and red flashing effect. If you do not have physical 3D glasses to view this you can download 3rd party apps on your phone to simulate the effect when viewing this image.
IDEA 3: CROWD SHOTS & OUT OF FOCUS ABSTRACT – IN CAMERA PROCESS
I find in a lot of music photography, the audience tends to be missed out, unless they are a huge entity when shooting the act from behind or from back of house. Which is a massive shame, as there are tiny life story moments that go on within crowd shots, that are magic.
I noticed during the live version of Jumbo in Bristol there was this most insane lighting, like a golden sunset kind of vibe. So, I immediately though of this style of shooting, selective focus. Where only a tiny bit of the image is in focus, and it isn’t of the band. You can see this below with a shot I took of Andy C and a crowd shot from Arcadia at Glastonbury. So the ‘golden hour’ lighting would be used to great effect here.
IDEA 4: AND THE COLOUR RED ARTWORK & WATERGRAMS - DARKROOM PROCESS
From the new artwork on Instagram, it looks like oil and water has been animated and turned red. To add to that series of artwork I think I should be able to do some watergrams to sit alongside that and turn them red. I’ve ripped a watergram from the web below and processed it in a red style, ignore the double exposure of the flower in the background. Please note I can do watergrams as I’ve access to a darkroom. It’s an effect where you pour water onto photographic paper and expose it with a flash.
If the new project on Instagram pertains to the colour red, then it makes sense for a lot of the photographic processes to have the scarlet theme running through the images.
IDEA 5: REDSCALE PHOTOGRAPHY - ANALOG PROCESS
Redscale photography is shooting film back to front so the red layer is the only colour that shows up, being the nearest to the film backing. Lomogrophy stocks rescale film but this might be hard in low light, as the light available has to punch through the film backing. However with the size of Underworld’s shows this is unlikely to be an issue, rather than lets say dark clubs. Examples of Redscale shooting is below.
IDEA 5: TEXT OR PAINT OVERLAY TO LIVE IMAGES – DIGITAL PROCESS
Ref from the below cover art (low res rip) and an old press shot (which I can’t find for the life of me) when Darren was a member. It involved the members of the band standing behind a piece of plexiglass that had text painted over it. I think this kind of effect could look great, quite easy to do in photoshop. You’ll get the abstract effect as only certain elements of the live image are poking through as above.
