Hannah Hughes

0702423

Institutions

Digital Research Journal

Greyhound racing is a sport in which a mechanically propelled dummy hare is pursued by greyhounds around a race track. Tall and slender, greyhounds are a particularly fast-moving breed of hound. Meanwhile, fans rally around a track where they observe the races, placing bets on who they think the winning hound will be. The races initially took place on grass courses which looked good and produced fast races, but as this is now gen-erally considered difficult and expensive to maintain, the

majority of racetracks are made from sand.

In many countries, Greyhound racing is merely done for pleasure, but in some countries, most notably the UK, the US and Ireland, it is commonly conducted as a gam-

bling sport, similar to horse racing.Greyhound racing has its origins in ‘coursing’ where

hounds pursued prey by speed, relying on sight

rather than scent to direct them to their prey. Although attempts had been made in America to conduct racing

in a straight track, it wasn’t until 1912 that the sport resem-bled the modern form, with an oval or circular track and a

mechanical hare (known as the lure).

The invention of the lure was made by Owen Patrick Smith, whose sought an end to the killing of rabbits in the sport. In

1926, the sport was introduced to Britain by Charles Munn who, along with Brigadier General Critchley, set up the Greyhound

Racing Association. What began in Manchester’s Belle Vue soon spread throughout the country and, by 1927, 40 tracks had been

opened. The sport gained popularity with working-class males who found the urban locations of the track and the evening race times

convenient with their lifestyles.

Research: A History of Greyhound Racing, Training, Registration etc

and an estimated £2.5bn wagered on and off course each year,

Twenty eight tracks offer quality restau-rants, bars and corporate facilities en-vied by the rest of the entertainment industry. Between them, they host 70,000 races a year, each featuring six beautiful, sleek greyhounds rac-ing with breathtaking speed and agility. With races taking place eve-ry fifteen minutes at most tracks, it’s non-stop action. Trying to pick the winner just adds fun to the

evening.

For many years the sport was seen as the poor relation to horse racing but those times have changed. Greyhound racing is truly undergoing a modern day transformation; a “Night at the Dogs” is great fun, accessible and afford-

able for all.

[Sources: http://www.talkgrey-hounds.co.uk/guides/history_of_greyhound_racing.html & http://www.thedogs.co.uk/AboutRac-

ing.aspx]

Image source: Google Images.

Owners and patrons from a variety of social back-grounds also displayed a keen interest in racing. Not dissimilar to horse racing, the sport has been popular with gamblers since its beginnings. Even today, betting is argua-bly the central part of the sport, placed both through on-course bookers and the computer-based totalisator, first used in

1930.

The races initially took place on grass courses which looked good and produced fast races, but as this is now generally considered dif-ficult and expensive to maintain, the majority of racetracks are made from

sand.

Greyhound racing reached its peak attendance in 1946 following the Sec-ond World War but, by 1960, off-course cash betting caused numbers to decline. Since then, the abolition of on-course betting tax, television coverage and sponsorship have contributed somewhat to a slight decline in popularity since then. Annual attendances exceed three million

Training dogs requires plenty of time and land (50 square metres is usually recommended). One of the key things to remember from the beginning is that greyhounds do not require lots of exercise - two times a day is normally sufficient - and an over-exercised greyhound is likely to race slower. Training greyhounds can be hard work so it is wise for new owners to be accompanied by an experienced trainer during the first few months of training.

Training should begin when the dog is fourteen months old. Trainers should start by teaching him how to launch from a starting box. Next, the trainer should encourage the dog to chase the lure. Over a three month period, the racing distance should be increased from the starting box from 50-500 metres. Once the dog reaches eighteen or nineteen

months old, he is ready to practice alongside other dogs and with

people at the local track or on the training ground. It is essential

that young hounds becomes used to racing alongside other animals accompanied by lots of noise. Greyhounds make excellent pets and quickly get used to people, including children. They should be showered with praise and affection and included in the family home where possible.

Since greyhounds have thin coats, it is important, particularly in cold weather, to keep them warm. During the winter, most trainers put a coat on the hand and install inner slab heating on the base of his kennel. Sadly, there have been some cases of abuse and maltreatment of greyhounds, particularly with regards to training. Dogs do not respond bet-ter when beaten, hit, or made to practice wearing a collar which is too tight. Once retired (usually at 5 years of age), greyhounds enjoy being on a lead and simply require two twenty minute walks each day. Although greyhounds can generate huge income if they become champion dogs, this does not demand a strict and serious re-gime - greyhounds respond well in a context of fun and particularly enjoy the space to run freely. Training and Racing Greyhounds

Progression

This week: Initial research into Greyhound Racing:

History* Who* Where* Statistics* Reputation *

Schedule shoots until mid review, find out what days it is open, email all stadiums within achieveable driving distance for permission and access. Research websites ran by the organisations themselves and protesters of the sport (get both angles) Look into gambling industry in the UK. Look into relevance of names of dogs.

Tutorial - 17/02/2009 [Jason Evans]

Initial tutorial for institutions. Had several ideas in my head ready to lay down but none I was 100% sure about. My first response to the project brief back in December/January was greyhound racing (just a gut feeling, an idea thats been floating around for a while) however not having BEEN before presents a problem as far as my ‘preconcieved notions’ (Jason’s key words!) are concerned - representation, stereotype, reputation etc. My original plan was to do something closer by, less costly petrol-wise. I had a few ideas but none that excited me as much as greyhound racing...Just gotta do what I gotta do I suppose. Jason suggested think-ing about how I approach my projects and whether I’m going to re-enforce the universal opinion or challenge it. I don’t think I can answer this till I’ve been and expe-rienced it for myself so I plan to go this weekend to Ox-ford Racetrack and take some establishing digitals and experiment with what sort of angle I’m going to take.

Look at: Bill BrandtBrian Griffin

www.lovethedogs.co.uk runs the 5 of the largest dog tracks in the country,

including Oxford, Wimbledon, Perry Barr and Hall Green (B’ham) and

Belle Vue (Manchester). I am predominantly looking at Oxford

as it is the closest track to my home and Wimbledon as it

is closest to uni. Both tracks are different as wimbledon

is quite a bit larger in ca-pacity and holds more

popular competitions. With that said, the formats and layouts

are similar and both offer the same package

deals to entice custom-ers, as well as taking corpo-

rate bookings and offering a ‘unique dining experience’.

“A Night Out with a Difference!Oxford Stadium is one of the Ox-

ford’s most exciting and interest-ing nights out. Set around our illumi-

nated racing track, the stadium offers a night out that every one will enjoy,

from our fabulous glass-fronted Restau-rant and Executive Suites to our Trackside

RESEARCH

FAQ (taken from the website)

Q. What is it like at Oxford Stadium?A. Oxford is one of the most modern and popu-

lar greyhound racing stadiums in the country. We have 3 beautifully appointed private Suites, the stylish glass

fronted Grandstand Restaurant with seating for up to 350 peo-ple and spacious Trackside areas. Our customers are a vibrant mix of people and we cater for all tastes. Many of our customers enjoy a 3 course meal in our Restaurant and watch the racing from the com-fort of their table. Other customers prefer to get a drink, some fast food and watch the racing from the side of the track. It’s your per-sonal choice which sort of evening you prefer.

Q. I’ve never been before and I’m not sure I want to bet, will I still en-joy it?A. Many people come along and enjoy the racing and never bet. The atmosphere is fantastic as the greyhounds cross the finishing line! If you are dining in our Restaurant, our tote betting staff are available to take your bets at your table and bring your winnings back to you. Many people choose to place small stakes as a table to make the evening even more memorable! If you don’t wish to bet there is no pressure, but if you do fancy a flutter and have never done it before, our staff will be happy to answer any questions you have.

bars and fast food area.” They cater to large groups such as stag and hen nights, christ-mas parties, executive boxes and advertise in a wide range of places (particularly send-ing offers via email regarding free entry on certain nights, trackside group bookings and various adapted menus). Race days are of-ten on fridays and saturdays and one other weekday per week, saturday being the busiest night. All tracks advertise a retired greyhound welfare trust with plenty of infor-mation about this. Entry prices are around £5, with tote betting inside over the coun-ter and on freestanding machines, as well as bookies outside bets starting from £2-£5. Racing guides are given out to all customers and have information about the races and advertising, as well as rules and regs and a guide to what all the numbers mean (useful for the newbies like me!).

Informative and glossy, it gives the impres-sion that a night out at the dogs is popu-lar, enjoyable and relatively new (which of course, its not). It is clearly not advertised as very expensive and is more enjoyable in larger groups of people.

Cultural references to greyhounds:

Santa’s Little HelperCharacter from the animated series The Simpsons. Exhibits many of the intellectual and behavioral characteristics of the typical greyhound as a pet. He is portrayed as affectionate, tolerant of other household pets (notably cats), loyal, and not overly active.

Blur’s Parklife Album British band Blur’s album “Parklife” (1994) featured racing Greyhounds on the cover art.

Forecast - Picking two greyhounds to finish first and second. A popular bet is a reversed

forecast which means your choice can be first and second in either order.

Trio or trifecta - Very much the same as a fore-cast but, as the name implys, punters have to

pick the first three home.

Combination Bets - Combinations cover two, three or even four greyhounds. For instance, punters can

choose three greyhounds and place a forecast com-bination, which is six bets in one. If any of the three

greyhounds fill first and second, the bet has been suc-cessful.

Many punters cannot resist the temptation to bet with the often colourful bookmakers who ply their trade usually by

the side of the track. Most bookmakers will only accept win bets and punters take the price on the bookies board at the

time they strike the bet. Whether the price shortens or lengthens afterwards, the punter knows what odds he has taken.

Off-course bookmakers also take bets on greyhounds and they offer many speciality and multiple race bets that could appeal to

the smaller punter. There are limits that the off-course bookmakers enforce and it is worthwhile checking what these are before placing

your bet.

Betting

The most popular way to bet is on the track’s own tote. Small stakes are accepted at most venues and there are several fun bets which can pay big dividends for a relatively small outlay. The types of bets available on the tote are;

Win only - Choosing a greyhound to be first past the post.

Place only - Choosing a greyhound to be either first or second.

Random greyhound facts / statistics / stuff stumbled over whilst researching

Headlines surrounding greyhound racing:

‘Greyhound racing gets £1m boost’ 08/2003

‘THE MAN WHO’S SHOT 10,000 GREYHOUNDS’ 07/2006

‘The last days of Walthamstow Sta-dium’ 11/2008

Racing Jacket Colours

Greyhound racing in Britain has a standard colour scheme.

Trap 1 = Red with White numeralTrap 2 = Blue with White numeralTrap 3 = White with Black numeralTrap 4 = Black with White numeralTrap 5 = Orange with Black numeralTrap 6 = Black & White Stripes with Red numeral

A Racing Jacket worn by a Reserve called upon to run shall bear an additional letter ‘R’ promi-nently on each side.

Names and their meanings

The names of racing greyhounds are more like a signifier or ownership and back-ground. Just like breeding showdogs have names based on their litter and heritage, racers often take the name of their ken-nel (tying their name to their trainer) followed by a name of their choice. For example, from the list on the left ‘Droopys Major’ and ‘Droopys Wren’ are owned by the same kennel and are probably trained by the same person, building a reputation.

Greyhound names:

Mustang JessieClonad Imp

Mandeville SkyBallyhive PrideShopping SpreeCough Up StanNunhead Jack

Clodiagh LegendBevs Mick

Droopys MajorGood To Go

Bombagenic RoseFivestar ScholesHorseshoe JonieSheadogue Black

Hollydale BoyDroopys WrenRoquefort Lady

Pigalle FitzWayward TedBlue Screamer

Geordie AliGone To Lunch

Ballymac RaymondBardy Boy

Harry Hurry UpTurnonthelight

Yak Yak Bill

Lucien Hervé‘Acclaimed architechural photographer’ Lucien Hervé (particularly well known for his collaboration with LeCorbusier) took grand black and white images from the late 1920’s onwards. The focus is placed on shape, form, shadow, tone, light, depth and texture, with the images having a

strong controlled look. The light-ing used is always natural and the dark shadows cre-ated are empha-sised by the high contrast printing.

at his work after I stumbled across his book in the library and became interested in his use of shadow and form. Taking inspiration from this would benefit me when observ-ing the architecture of the institu-tion (something I am particularly interested in) as well as Hervé’s use of space within his composition. I may not be doing my own piece in black and white as I feel this gives architectural images a time-less, classy look - greyhound racing doesn’t immediately say timeless or classy so I may experiment with black and white as a juxtaposition. I may look at artists in a similar vein to this but this has given me plenty of ideas for the potential structural side of my study into the greyhound track.Arches, windows and rooflights are

prominent, as well as key structural elements and bold shapes from balconies, stairs, columns and sup-ports. His ‘photographic survey’ of the Eiffel Tower spanned from the 1930’s until his retirement in the 1960’s, and focussed predominant-ly on its strong lines and its com-plex iron work. I wanted to look

To: wimbledon@lovethedogs.co.uk; oxford@lovethedogs.co.uk; bookings@portsmouthstadium.co.uk; ericgraham@gralimited.co.uk; readingdogs@clara.co.uk; wmreserve@gralimited.co.uk; jimsnowden@gralimited.co.uk; info@cov-entrygreyhounds.com; hove.stadium@coral.co.uk

From: hannahhughes18@hotmail.comSubject: Photography Project EnquiryDate: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:55:56 +0000

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Hannah and I am a second year degree photography student at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in Farnham.

I was wondering if it would be possible to take a series of photographs based around the greyhound racing indus-try, with a strong focus on your track in particular. I am doing a project on ‘Institutions’ and (with your permission) would love to use such an important part of British culture as the subject of my photography.

The nature of my project means there will be very little disruption to your customers and I would like to reassure you of my respect towards your business and your reputation.

I would be very happy to speak to a representative on the phone or in person regarding this matter and I hope that you will support me in this endeavour to discover the essence behind ‘A Night at the Dogs’. If you could get in touch before Monday 23rd Feb that would be much appreciated.

Regards, Hannah Hughes

hannahhughes18@hotmail.com or HHughes2@students.ucreative.ac.ukMobile: 07857344867Home: 01252 712433

SHOOT 1Oxford Greyhound - 22/02/09

Contact sheets all & my 2 favourite shots.

My first impressions of ‘the dogs’ and my favourite pictures from the first shoot.

coats and hats in front of what looks like makeshift stands, but these men (i’m told) are here 3 times a week and are often the same guys for around ten or 15 years. Their boards and their leather cases all look similar and well worn, as if uphold-ing a tradition in the most convenient way. There’s two men for every stand, one in front with the money and the tickets, one behind with the odds and the clipboard. The names of the dogs are written on with whiteboard markers and the odds are changed often. The process fascinates me and I stand quite close to listen and watch what goes on between the bookies and the punters. Large bets are placed literally seconds before the dogs are put in the traps and the people the put those on are clearly regulars as they stand very qui-etly whilst the race is run. I put a couple of £2 bets on myself, its an exhilarating 30 seconds i have to admit, but i only base my bet on the best name.

I think i am most interested in the building and the people as opposed to the racing and the dogs themselves. I could look at the reputation the sport has, the bad press and animal-cruelty side, i could look at it from the point of view of the gambling industry, or take more commercial images high-lighting its popularity in british culture and its booming busi-ness, but the thing i find myself taking pictures of is the slightly grimy side of it. The cigarette butts, the torn up tickets on the floor at the bookies feet, the shadowy corners and the plastic pint glasses across the floor. The smell of vinegar and musty jackets inside where there are 80’s red and yellow plastic tables and chairs, security staff in hi-vis and fleeces looking bored. Do I want to take this point of view and reinforce the stereotype of slightly seedy, slightly rough night out with a load of old men in flat caps and brown trenches, or do i give it a more contemporary edge and emphasise the million-pound up-and-coming leisure industry?

My first impression is the atmosphere. I arrived about 2 races in and chose to go on my own for my first time to really gain connection with the place.

It was quite a cold evening so there are lots of men in heavy coats milling around, and theres a steady sound of mumbling for around 5 minutes. A regal horn soundbite announces the dogs on track, signalling everyone from inside the bar and seating areas to herd towards the stands and begin to place bets with the bookies outside. Gradually the mumbling gets louder and people are talking and laughing whilst the com-mentator reads out the names and traps and odds over the speaker system.

As the dogs are placed into the traps at the beginning of the straight the betting continues and people are moving around lookin for a good view of the floodlit track. The whirr of the mechanical lure comes just as it settles into a quiet period before the traps open with a loud crack. The stands explode with people shouting and spurring on of their backed dog. The nature of the race means that it only lasts around 30 sec-onds, during which the roaring gets louder and louder until the dogs cross the finish line in front of the crowd. there is a tailin off of groans and cheers before the majority move for-wards and retreat back inside until the next race 15 minutes on.

The stadium is large and surprisingly well lit with floodlights sur-rounding the track and illuminating the stands, in the middle of the track there is a dark quadbike racetrack. The bookies stand in front of the home straight. There are 3 men in long

SHOOT 2Oxford Greyhound - 7/3/09

Contact Sheets 3*+, the rest of the im-ages & my 3 favourite shots.

Peer feedback really helped me advance my work, also made the session go a lot further, got more de-tailed constructive criticism and lots of different opinions as opposed to just one. Longer to discuss work too. However, very little input from tutors. Would be good if we could do the group thing, have lunch then do the group thing again but all in a new group to get different perspectives now that you have a few more things an-swered fron the first session, making sure the tutors saw everyone.

Artists to look at - Jo Longhurst - PHD in greyhound-ery. Photography. William Wegman - Dog portraiture

Advice - shoot again and try and get further into your institution.

STRATEGY. Find one, follow it. make a decision about the direction you’re taking your work and go with it.

Unit aims:

Develop a set of images and a report which reflect an understanding of the institutional context for work.

Negotiate access.

Mid-Review - Peer discussion

Dori C, Catrina H, Sam W, Hannah G & I.

Took opportunity to discuss questions regarding my direction: cruelty/commercial/pov punter/pov trainer/pov staff. Also brought up text and presentation.

Feeback:

Dont think the cruelty line is the way to go. is it ir-* responsible of me to ignore the subject completely - no. Not commercial direction either - fine art course, look deeper than that and involve self in institution.

Possibly combine images that are a little bit grotty * with leisure industry statistics or facts that reinforce/juxta-pose the image (play around with this)

Brochure - play around with the idea of commercial * use of images plus facts that you wouldn’t usually see in the leaflets?

Rules of the track/rules and regs of the institution to * give it context. possibly use betting rules or how to read the betting tables.

Names of dogs as titles to images *

Possibly keep them small images.*

amphetamines or steroids. Double win for a lose for the trainer. DIY Destruction: cleaning products - illegal killing.

Retired greyhound, short career. Dogs have longer * careers in spain – exported. Bad kenneling there, no regulations.

Cardiovascular system similar to our own as hu-* mans – dissection. SS used for vivisection in the uk (1992)______________________________________________________

Debra Rotherey - “Greyhound Racing in Modern Britain” (Interview tiagreyhounds.org.uk 2008)

Animal welfare act 2007 - 75% of all bred grey-* hounds are presumed to be killed. 14,000 ‘disappear’ per year. “Bloody industry”

DEFRA - Animal Welfare Act * Defra are currently consulting on proposals to promote the welfare of racing greyhounds. The consultation opened on 30 April and will close on 22 July. Further de-tails on our proposals and how to respond to the consul-tation can be found on the Defra website at: www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/greyhound-wel-fare These proposals have been introduced in response to the concerns expressed by Parliament during the de-bates on the Animal Welfare Bill about the welfare of racing greyhounds.

FURTHER RESEARCH

Typed up notes:

On The Line – Cradle to Grave (Documentary BBC2 1993)

Brutal reality – 30,000 dogs a year ‘destroyed’* £2m a year bet in the UK, 25% of which is wagered *

at the dogs. Abandoned greyhounds – before during and after their career. “pressure groups”

Ethical issue – millions of pounds vs exploitation of * animals?

90% of all dogs on tracks bred and exported from * Ireland. 2/3rds of puppies make the grade – 25,000 reg-istered.

Racing greyhounds - £2000 a year to keep, £20 to * be humanely destroyed.

Trained on the lure from early age. Dogs get * bored of chasing mechanical hare, behind the scenes cats and other rodents used as live bait to get the taste of blood – called “blooding” - illegal.

Racing is painful for dogs – 10% of all dogs on * track are injured before they run. Painkillers adminis-tered before race. Majority are foot injuries. 12,000 are ‘smashed up’ whilst racing. Speculation. “league against cruel sports”

‘Crooked sport’ + cheating: give the dog coke, *

‘Putting brakes on’ - overfeeding before trial run, heavy dog beats own record.

Greyhounds can live up to 14 years but 4 years is old for racing hounds, retirement age never exceeds 5.

Disposal of retired or injured dogs - starved, used as bait, thrown off motorway bridges drugged, stoned, shot, ruthanol etc.

Tracks that are regulated by Greyhound Board of Great Britain do regular drug testing.

Interview with kennel hand - “Joe Bloggs wouldn’t have a clue”

Paul Kenyon infiltrates group of trainers. most have cupboards of prescription drugs to destroy unwanted dogs.

One guy offers to dispose of them for around £10-20. buries them in field behind his house, Kenyon looks for evidence, digs up bones of greyhounds (lots of them!)

Kenyon Confronts: Gone to the Dogs (6 December, 2001 on BBC1)

“Paul Kenyon reveals the dark side of greyhound rac-ing and exposes a world of race fixing and dog dop-ing.

Kenyon buys his own dog and, after learning how to pass himself off as an owner and trainer, gains access to the murkier side of the sport.

He also discovers a mass grave for dogs - which helps to explain what happens to some of the 10,000 dogs that retire from racing each year.

During the programme Kenyon takes a master class in drugging dogs, meets a trainer fixing races and goes on a midnight dig at the greyhounds’ graveyard.” BBC

Typed up notes from video (source: youtube):

Corruption, ‘outsiders unwelcome’2nd biggest spectator sport in ukhundreds of fixed races‘Flapping’ tracks - unnofficial, unregulated races. no governing body therefore no rules on kenneling con-ditions or race outcome. Other ways of cheating system - drugging dogs with stoppers or speed and ‘tryer’ dogs.

Workstations was taken in the late 80’s as a commissioned series. Whilst most of Anna’s work really interests and inspires me, I’m not really a fan of this series visually. Its clear that she infiltrated the institu-tion and got to the core of working life in the 80’s, the harsh flash and intrusive manner of photograph-ing the people does not appeal to me. It does, however, work with the context of the series as it is not a glossy, idealised representation of the subject matter - without the clue lighting this documentary style could be seen as ‘unbiased reaity’ to those on the outside. I will be us-ing only available light but still seek-ing to expose the non-glossy side.

Anna Fox

Workstations

‘A study of London office life in the late 80’s a critical observation of the highly competitive character of working life in Thatcher’s Britain.’ (source: annafox.co.uk)

Reply to my email!

> Subject: Photography> Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:06:46 +0000> From: stanwolfe@gralimited.co.uk> To: hannahhughes18@hotmail.com

Hello Hannah

Thank you for your email and the interest you have shown in Wimbledon.

If you would like to call me on 07920 573 867 I may have an opportunity to add to your project

Stan Wolfe General Manager

Called around 3 days after receiving this to enquire.Notes from telephone call:

In exchange for access to the track they would like some commercial shots for their website/advertising. Free entry, go and meet them to discuss what we both would like to do. Next time we can both meet on a race day is Tuesday 24th March - a little late but I can keep working on research and oxford racetrack in the mean-time. Not exactly free reign access to stadium. I can get behind locked doors such as the corporate suites and winners stand with Karen (conference co-ordinator and my future point of contact) present but no access to ‘backstage’ such as kennels or trainers area, kitchens, offices, commentary box etc. I agreed to meet them and discuss it in person, and if I got any shots that might be of use to them that they can have them providing I get an image credit. Around 40 minutes drive, free parking. Go through visitors entrance and ask for Karen Delahoyde. karendelahoyde@gralimited.co.uk 0870 880 1000. Plough lane, Wimbledon, SW17 0BL

SHOOT 3Wimbledon - 24/3/09

Contact sheets (edited) & my 4 favourite shots

Over several years Jo worked with British Whippet breeders - including several re-nowned Yorkshire kennels - photographing their dogs by bloodline, exploring their obsessive quest for the perfectdog. Twelve dogs, twelve bitches is the establishing piece of an extensive body of work, The Refusal, which fore-grounds the intimate relationship between human and animal, and the increasing significance of photographic technologies in the development of human identity. Twelve dogs, twelve bitches is made up of twenty fourportraits of Whippets in show pose. The dogs arepresented as desirable objects, arranged in grids to invitethe viewer to make comparisons. Upon closer inspection,

some dogs can be seen to have a string around their neck, which controls how they stand.Although i like the work and it relates to my project, i dont feel that my work should focus on the dogs in particular. I am more interested in perhaps doing the same thing but with the bookies, punt-ers or staff however with the distance and time this would not be possible (and would look a lot like ‘Exactitudes’ by Arie Versluis and Ellie Uyttenbroek - see be-low!)

Jo Longhurst

Moore’s photographs are in some ways what i plan to achieve with my images. He has captured small details within a large recognisable institution or group, in these cases the house of commons and London’s society of professionals in the early 90’s. Picking up on the smaller elements within the place gives insight that can only come from becom-ing an insider however the images he takes seem detached from the subject matter. In ‘The Velvet Arena’ he poses as a society photographer therefore having something they can identify he surrepticiously takes these photographs that highlight the darkness of something so plain to see. Using flash gives the images high contrast and therefore a more private feel, whereas ‘The Commons’ is much slower-paced, revealing the se-cret world to outsiders from a point of view of someone gathering evidence or looking for something generally overlooked. Shallow depth of field and, again, the shadows created by strong lighting create a sinister intrusive feel. The photographs feel inves-tigatory, documenting his search for the secret within. I will take inspiration from this

David Moore

The Commons 2004&

The Velvet Arena 1994

and use my camera to FIND how i feel about my own institution and become an insider through questioning and accepting the flaws of the place. My images so far have been of the smaller details and my style of photogra-phy uses shallow depth of field in particular to highlight less noticable things from the view-point of one who is investigating. My images of ripped up tickets and plastic pint glasses and over the shoulder of thepunters hopefully make this more obvious, and I intend to con-tinue exploring and probing the dark, slightly seedy reputation dog racing has. These pieces of work has made me consider my lighting more, however, but i do not plan to use flash in this way, instead I will be looking at the abnormal mix of lighting in the sta-dium - from neon signs to heavy floodlights to set-ting sunlight in the eve-nings coming up to april or may. I think this will add another dimension to the work.

The Gambling Act 2005 defines betting as: ‘making or accepting a bet on the outcome of a race, competition or other event or process; the likelihood of anything occurring or not occurring; or whether anything is or is not true’.

Sports gambling has a long history in the United Kingdom, having been controlled for many decades, and more re-cently relaxed. The 1960 Act legalised off-course bookmakers. Traditionally, bookmakers have been located at the racecourse, but improved TV coverage and modernisation of the law have allowed betting in shops and casinos in most countries. In the UK, on-track bookies still mark up the odds on boards beside the race course and use tic-tac or mobile telephones to communicate the odds between their staff and to other bookies, but, with the modernisa-tion of United Kingdom Bookmaking laws, online and high street gambling are at an all-time high.

The gambling industry in Britain is substantial, with a turnover of over £84.2 billion in 2006/07. Gross gambling yield (ie the amount retained by operators after the payment of winnings but before the deduction of the costs of the op-eration) was estimated at £9.9 billion in 2006/07, 1.9% higher than in 2005/06.

Sports gambling (particularly betting) in the UK

SHOOT 4Oxford - 16/4/09

Contact sheets and my favourite shots

Tutorial - Jason Evans

Feedback from contact sheets:Cant really see an approach, no commitment to one single view of the institution - maybe this will be more evident in the edit?

What do the images say about your chosen institution and how you feel about it? I think i have gone into it just shooting EVERYTHING as I only got access to Wimbledon quite late, but most of my images are from Oxford. does this matter? Choose one institution rather than greyhound tracks in general to address brief more carefully.

What sort of photography do you prefer/are drawn to? I prefer quieter photographs, ones that seem silent or still; details and shallow depth of field. “Do it like that then” - seems like pretty good advice. Can I portray greyhound racing as somewhere silent with its buzzing at-mosphere? The lulls in between the races are quite dull, people mumbling and shffling around. I think if the images are more still and less chaotic it reflects how comfortable I feel there, my personal response to the place. Maybe though the stillness reflects the tension created once the bet is placed, before the dogs are led out or once they are in the traps waiting for the starting signal.

I plan to shoot as much as I can, focus on my edit and think carefully about whether to include text and the layout of my prints. I will be looking carefully at my approach, aiming to capture the details which the punters miss, not aiming to back up the stereo-types intentionally but revealing the ‘regularity’ of the tradition.

SHOOT 5Wimbledon 25/4/09

Contact sheets and my 5 favourite images.

Layout ideas

I’m not sure about the top one. The numbers hint at a narrative (which I tried to consider when laying them out) but it looks too chaotic considering my project

is mainly focussing on the tracks firm foot-hold on tradition etc. The numbers were a rough idea that stem (obv) from the num-bers and colours of the greyhound traps.

The edit I have is around 20-21 images, most of which are horizontal, but not exclusively. The colours in the series are mostly subdued browns, warm beiges and blacks, with patches of bright colours. I did this on purpose during post processing, but bringing up the blacks, contrast and some of the colour levels in the RAW program.

I much prefer the 3-high grid as it has elements of disorganisation within the 4 straight, structured edges. it’s long, thin shape is meant to roughly resemble the home straight of the race track, however the images are placed in no particular order. I rearranged them according to which ones I DIDN’T want them next to, (taking into consid-eration colours, themes, composition and sub-ject matter)

Before setting them out in a grid pattern I played with grouping them into threes; 3 or

punters, 3 of bookies, 3 of stadium. 3 of dogs etc etc. but this did not look as effective and was, I

felt, a bit obvious. I also liked the idea of putting them in one straight line, possibly round a corner (I

was playing with the idea of using a card sculpture to make the corner round, like a racetrack, but felt that

it would have required more testing). This idea made the images look like they should be one after the other,

something I wanted to avoid as the dogs is not linear at all.

I will be using the 3-high grid layout without the trap numbers.

Name ideas:Originally I wanted to name my piece after one of the dogs, as they

have such fun names, are inventive and are instantly recognisable as a racing name. However, when it came to it it just didnt sound

right, or needed more information. After flicking through one of the race leaflets for inspiration, i saw the bookies tips at the bottom of the

page; they are short sentences that sum up the prediction on how the hound will race and what to look out for. These are designed to be short

and snappy, and give as much info as possible in a short amount of time. Some of them are actually bery funny when you relate them to photogra-

phy and my work in particular. These are the funniest ones, partly because they get a bit personal and are usually spot on!

“not the most consistant dog”, “slow away, leave effort too late”, “pace not in doubt, respected”, up two grades, can go in again” and my personal

favourite “best days are ahead of this bitch”. !! May include this in my title and make it like a racecard: include a greyhound name, race number, odds and tip-line.

Dog name ideas: First name: Hannahs/

Hughsie’sSecond name: Gem/Flyer/Trick/Rascal/Queen/Com-

et/Magic/Lady

Hughsie’s Flyer - 2/1. Love it.

Institutions Report – Wimbledon Greyhound Track

Hannah Hughes

I chose my institution fairly early on after a visit to ‘the dogs’ was mentioned in a conversation between me and my friend before Christmas. My past work has focussed mainly around the idea of ‘Britishness’ and culture, so a project on somewhere with such a strong, traditional, working-class background would be an interest-ing place to investigate from a more current point of view. Having never been greyhound racing before the project started I was intrigued as to its contrasting advertising and its slightly seedy reputation.

For my first time, I chose to go alone as opposed to in a social context so that I could get the feel of the place by exploring. As an outsider, I felt immediately quite comfortable wandering around with my camera (something I was not expecting to find) and there were large groups of people; hen and stag nights, fami-lies and couples; that broke the preconceived stereotype of older gentlemen with flat caps and large brown coats. I enjoyed researching both the history of the track as a lifestyle or a leisure activity and the commercial large-scale gambling venue and towards the beginning chose to look at all aspects of the track.

I contacted the 6 closest racetracks to Farnham and only oneWimbledon got back to me. A verbal con-tract was agreed with the manager Stan Wolfe, whereby I can have access to most places within Wimbledon stadium (within reason) in return for a selection of promotional photographs for future publications. I see this as a win-win situation, gaining access for my project and experience and credit for future commission work, so I agreed. This arrangement did help me with my project, gaining me access to the commentary box, winners podium, various corporate suites and owners-only stands, although not to what I felt were the most interesting places such as the trainers area or kennels, the restaurant kitchens, management offices etc. I had to wear a hi-visibility ‘press’ tabard when visiting and had to have an accompanying member of staff in case I ran into any problems with security. Although this was a kind gesture, it put a lot of pressure on me and, ironically, did not allow me the freedom to explore the institution in my own way. I would have liked to have had this sort of access confirmed earlier in the project, so that I could have built a better rapport with the staff and manager of Wimbledon racetrack, allowing me to potentially expand my project further and in more depth.

I feel the images reflect my findings as I chose to focus mainly on the atmosphere of the stadium. I found the lull between the races the most interesting part; where the stands empty of people contemplating their next bet, plastic pint glasses and losing ticket stubs are tossed to the floor and the track is combed over, traps replaced and commentary is silenced. Just as quick as the silence settles, a new race is prepared and every-one flocks out to the stands again with a low rumble of conversation building in anticipation till the dogs are released from the traps. I took pictures specifically of the evidence of people and details of the stadium, not wanting to feature the punters, the bookies or the dogs too heavily in such a short project. The images are pur-posefully quite calm and quiet in their mood, mirroring the reflective period that occurs immediately after the race ends and the build up before the next.

Overall my opinion of the greyhound racetrack is a positive one, though I am the first to admit that they are yet to shake their slightly seedy image and their rough-and-ready veneer. I think this comes through in the im-ages with its dark, slightly high-contrast aesthetic combined with the playful details and the splashes of colour. If I could do the project again I would attempt to do it in film as opposed to digital, and I would like to look fur-ther behind-the-scenes of a racetrack; investigating, interviewing and documenting the trainers, the bookies or the stadium staff further.

Details regarding the access to this digital sketchbook.

This has been printed for ease of marking, however, for the best way of viewing this document I have published it on Issuu.com (an online E-magazine website, particularly good for art publications and digital books/leaflets.) The address to find this document is:

I have also put this on a CD for your convenience, in Adobe PDF format.

Hannah Hughes

www.hannahrosehughes.com