Wor(l)d Order: Homework

Cockburn Street. Observation Point: Starbucks, 124 High Street, Edinburgh. Time and Date: Monday 15th October 2:30pm-3:30pm. Weather: Fine.

Thus began my observation of the 'comings and goings' of the entrance to Cockburn St. I did this perched from above, on the second floor, which made me immediately aware of the distance between my body and the ground. I know that this would not have been Perec's location of choice had he been there. There were certain physical elements (the frame of the window, and the steel bar between myself and said window) that confined my vision to a certain up-right rectangular space. However, there were certain advantages to observing from this distance; most importantly, I could write down fine details without having cars and larger objects obscure my vision from the foreground.

I then took to the streets. I walked down the left-hand side (coming from High St) of Cockburn St and photographed details. 

Here are a few of my shots from the day. The first two were taken from the window at Starbucks.

I now realise I had particular aesthetic concerns, and these have informed my pictures. I focused on colour and tonal contrasts: I have foregrounded the difference between the flat slate, brown, and earth colours of the buildings above, and the shop-fronts. The shop-fronts then also clash against each other. I have also tried to draw attention to the way in which this lower, eye level part of the street is dominated by clothing shops, tourist shops, restaurants and pubs. And above them, is a uniform line of beautiful architecture, which was mostly ignored by passers-by.

The curve of the street was of interest to me. At some points you could turn around and have the area that you've just been blocked off from your vision.

A motif. Down the street, in the gutters, are often symmetrically placed council workers cones, or what we call 'witches hats'. These witches hats tie these images together.