This is the initial consideration of my chosen subject for Investigating Place: Part 1.

Subsequent to the exploring and discounting of several topics, I nominated Dylan Thomas’ ‘Under Milk Wood’, read by Richard Burton, as my theme for Investigating Place and motivation for wandering around Laugharne. Wearing headphones with Burton’s lyrical tone reciting Under Milk Wood, my photography is / will be guided by Others; contemplating what it was about the village of Laugharne that inspired the writing of the poem and stimulated and steered by the amazing descriptive words of Dylan Thomas.

With the soft, lyrical tones of Richard Burton painting a picture of the town and its townsfolk, I investigate hitherto unknown locales of Laugharne with purpose, which is not my customary photo-Flâneur style; typically, I wander aimlessly around an urban environment, but with this project I was wholly guided by Others.

Statement of Intent:

• My Objective with this project is to provide me, and my readers, with an insight of the motivation and inspiration for Dylan Thomas to write Under Milk Wood and feel the passion and brilliance of Richard Burton’s narration.
• The Motivation behind this project is a deeper reflection of the warmth and community I feel in Laugharne, a place I often visit with my wife and dogs, and the designated resting place for my ashes, and the ashes of my dogs.
• My Aim is to create a body of work that combines the artistry of Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton with my photographic interpretation of Under Milk Wood and the essence of a small Welsh fishing village of the 1950’s. To convey my sentiments to my readership.
• My Plan of Action is to visit Laugharne on at least, three occasions, taking the time to relax into the poem and be guided by the words and sentiments of Under Milk Wood. To visit Thomas’ Writing Shed, to put myself in his seat at his desk, looking over the bay and the fishing boats. I shall also visit the Dylan Thomas museum to immerse myself into the world of the poet.
• I intend to Achieve another level to my photography, to be open to external influences on my subject matter, and the ability to communicate and inspire other photographers to experiment with their photography beyond the classic landscapes, competitions and photo equipment.
• I shall strive to Accomplish a broader understanding of my interpretation of the term Flâneur. My Anticipated Outcomes are to fulfil the invitation to the 6th World Congress of Psychogeography (6WCoP) in Swansea, and to practice and expand my ‘wanderings’.
• Context: I have been visiting Laugharne for many years, but I’ve never ventured beyond the usual tourist areas of the castle, cafes and Dylan’s Birthday Walk, which is my designated final resting place. This project provides a structured unstructured, approach to my traditional Flâneur.
• Research: in addition to the poem guided wandering, I shall visit and interrogate the Dylan Thomas museum to learn more about the poet. Several years ago, I attended, with my wife, a performance of a Dylan Thomas radio broadcast at a local theatre, which was inspirational and very all-embracing.
• Milestone Phases: this publication is an outcome of Phase 1 of my project; the initiation into a text-based Others’-lead photo project. Phase 2 will extend the geographic area of Laugharne, including Thomas’ writing shed and museum. Phase 3 will be a twilight shoot, attempting to answer a question that the poem poses: what’s happening behind closed doors and drawn curtains? But with the added impediment of privacy, consent and conflict of interest. The project is to be completed at the termination of the course.

Media:

• I am a photographer.
• I use photography to record and inform.
• For this project I have used a Nikon SLR camera with a prime lens: Sigma 50mm/f1.4
• To focus my gaze on the prime subject I set the camera to record a 1:1 aspect ratio. pictures. All editing to be done in-camera.
• The final edit is to convert the photos into Black & White, to represent photography of the time.
• This body of work has not been curated, each photo is as the shoot unfolded.