A2 level Exam themes help!

[MatthewWhittle]

I got my choice of exam themes on monday and I need help deciding.
For those not familiar with the course, I have 8 weeks to produce a sketch book and a strong body of work. Then 15 hours for my final photo which summarises everything that has worked well in my images over the 8 weeks.

The themes are:
Mood and Atmosphere
Abstract images
Light and Shadow
Challenging convention
Industry, Buildings and Structure
Documentary
Dance
Combining images

I have to interperate one of these as my theme in any way really, so long as it is linkable to one of the above.
Just looking for any inspiration anyone can share on these themes as I'm stuck on what to choose. Documentary strikes me as one I would enjoy just not sure if I could produce enough work.
What would you choose and where would you go with it if you'd been given these themes?
And any photographers you know of which have explored these themes would be great.

Thanks!

 

[meehaja]

Living in Baildon, there's plenty of scope for several there within a night/early morning shoot at Saltaire! That said, moody retired industrial imagery has become a bit of a Yorkshire cliche for me, so maybe thats not your thing?

I suppose you need to focus around something you either know a lot about or want to learn about, that makes it easier to write about? FOr example, if you choose to follow documentary, you have to tell a story, but your pictures need to be specific to the your subject. Pictures of people protesting could be from any protest, you need to tie it to a specific protest or movement, and perhaps identify the other side of the debate, which could be a challenge.

 

[swanseamale47]

It depends a bit on what you like to shoot, personally I'd choose abstract, but I enjoy shooting them anyway, they can also be fairly easy to find. Documentary would work if you have something to document, can you spend a day or with a local firm or black cab and follow them around shooting what they do?

 

[Spooky]

Personally I would go with light and shadow and start by looking at German expressionism; there is plenty of scope for experimentation both in the dark room as well as digitally- you could also experiment with lighting. All of these would help develop your sketch book work. You could also research a whole bunch of artists from munch through to man ray... Heck even go down a cinematic route and look at film noir, classic film star portraits of the 40s and 50s, and then look very contemporary at the works of Tim Burton.

 

[MatthewWhittle]

In the end inspiration quite randomly struck me and I have decided to go with light and shadow. I'll study photographers who have used strong lighting, photographing still life subjects. Then eventually combining this with moody portraits.