Week 3 – Survey and Sight
Moving through the site to see not just space, but potential - capturing its rhythms, textures and layers to inform understanding and collective creation.
Photographers see the world through many lenses - each capturing a different truth.
During our group site visit between the O2 and the tarmac factory near New Charlton, I approached the space as a multi-faceted canvas. I considered what a documentary photographer, an architectural photographer, a wildlife photographer, or a landscape photographer might seek: structural details, light and shadow, textures, movement and natural or built rhythms.
The site offered all of these elements - from industrial edges to subtle planting, from waterways to pathways and even transient moments of life and interaction - allowing a rich collection of visual material to emerge.
Turning raw observation into structured understanding requires care, focus and reflection.
After the visit, I edited all my images, maintaining a balance between clarity and atmosphere, producing a photo survey that captured both specific detail and the broader context. I also completed my A1 1:2500 site map, layering measured observations with visual notes. This process transformed the day’s wandering into a tangible record, one that could be referenced by our group as we built a collective understanding of the space.
Maps, images and ideas converge when the group works as one.
Beyond my personal documentation, I combined all the group’s maps into a cohesive whole and set up the presentation of our photo surveys and maps. Acting as the InDesign manager, I ensured that our collective work was both accessible and visually engaging. This stage emphasized not only what I had observed and recorded but how those observations could communicate clearly and cohesively to others, supporting a shared vision of the site.