Photographic Styles, Daido Mariyoma, Rinko Kawauchi, Alexander Rodchenko, Eugene Aget

26/11/12

DAIDO MORIYOMA

Daido Moriyoma is a Japaneses photographer, who works in a street documentary style. He approaches his practise by being spontaneous with his images, and no planning to shoot at a certain time of day or place. Just wondering around the city, all day everyday, like 'a stray dog' photographing what he sees in front of him. His images are described as sensual and dramatic and he does this through technical choices and subject matter.

 He works in black and white, and uses a high ISO which affects the grain of the image. The subtle grain within his image is very distinctive within his work, an works effectively  making it a more 'snaphot' styled photograph. His use of flash  creates a harsh light, which is also very distinctive through his work, as it is this harsh contrast of tones in his work making it his significant style.

Through Dadio Moriyoma's work you can see a close contact with him and his subject matter (the city) and it creates a sense of realism within his images. When photographing he acts like an outsider or tourist, and to do this without being queried on the streets he uses a Leica compact camera, very small and subtle and this is what makes him fit in to the public. He is not intimidating so his shots are natural and exposed. He simply acts as an observer of the city, observing the simple things that trigger his inspiration.

Concluding Daido Maoriyoma's style i would say it is very busy and dramatic with a lot of use of high grain and high contrast. To approach his photographic style, i would use the same technical choices as he does, compact camera and flash to ensure i create the same effects as he does. Taking into consideration of the subject matter, i would approach it by using his technique and go out all day every day, observing the town and city, however trying to photograph on the busiest days, therefore i know there will be more people and more events happening, trying to create the same atmosphere as he does.
Making sure i am brutal when photographing, and exploiting my subject matter in such a exposing manner.

Riko Kawauchi

Rinko Kawauchi is a contemporary, Japanese  fine art photographer who creates soft, delicate images that are dream like and poetic,  the inspiration of these images  have been triggered by her subconscious mind as a photographer. In her work, she captures mundane objects in extraordinary ways, by celebrating the tiny gestures and unexpected patterns of everyday life by interpreting them in a dream like way.   Her work can be reconsigned by the use of her soft, translucent focus and  subtle colours that make her work so precious and delicate. The tones within her image, paticulary in the 'Illuminance' series are very muted pastel tones, which create that calm relaxing mood when viewing her images.
Technically Riko Kawauchi uses a medium format  which she has been currently using for over 10 years. She uses this 6x7 format , very neutral shape which i feel directs the focus on her close up images drawing attention to detail. This use of cropping, also isolates the images from there contextual surroundings  which again makes them more objective.

Her current book 'Illuminance' is a document of real life in a glowing perspective, exaggerating mundane objects making them beautiful.  The book is set out with two images juxta positioning each other, which opens up imagination of the viewer to different ideas and perceiving of the images.

From looking closely into Riko Kawwauchi works, i would firstly consider the subject matter very carefully. I would look for small subtle everyday fantasies that are not easily reconsigned, and convey them in a soft delicate manner. I would take into consideration color pallet and direct framing of the subject matter which is most recognizable in her work. Technically i would use a medium a, to create the same framing, preferably looking at a Rollerflex camera. However i dont think i will be able to access one, therefore i plan to use a digital camera, then post producing digitally to create similar characteristics. I would also look carefully into use of lighting, in her images there are many lens flares, or this glow which radiates off her images, i would need to recreate similar circumstances to create this.

ALEXANDER RODCHENKO

Alexander Rodchenko (1891-1956) was a Russian  painter, sculptor, designer and photographer, experimenting with each different medium throughout his career. Rodchenko work began to become iconic in the 1920's where he was influenced by the German  dadaist, creating photo montages. Photo montages where very similar to collages, as they included a combination of images that would be hand manipulated in some way, to create abstract aspects to the collage. Photo montages concentrated mostly on composition, where the focus would be carefully considered to introduce geometric shapes, breaking up the collages with lines and patterns to create the abstract theme. 

However Alexander Rodchekno was a big part of the constructivism movement, where he focused his main area of work to be around solely photography. During the constructivism movement, artist's focused on the 'pure and straight' side to photography, where their images would have the exact 
characteristics as a photograph. This including technical skills, of depth of Field, angle, composition and accurate light exposures. 

Through this movement Rodhcenkos work reflected off his previous photo montage techniques. 
He made careful considerations to make the image as realistic as possible, with no manipulation of the image, however he used techniques which  manipulated viewpoint and angle. He always took his images from a strange/peculiar perspective, for example birds eye view, low point of view and instantly this would make his images look abstract. He was also particular with composition, and would use lines and shapes to separate components of the image , making it look abstract. He did this by including shadows and parts of buildings or objects that would create this geometric shapes. Linear lines was also popularly used, and he used this again to involved shape, and usually pattern. Another aspect of his work, was including block figures into his images, which would relate to the idea of the body and technology during this era of new and inventive technological creations.

'' One has to take several different shot of a subject, from different points of view and in different situations, as if examined it in and round, Rather than looked through the same key hole, again and again'' His use of using different angles and creating new perspectives to the viewer, creating pure and straight imagery, that fitted into abstract themes from this viewpoint manipulation.

Eugene Agete

Eugene Aget (1857) started taking an interest into painting and photography, however his painting techniques failed miserably. His interested in photography began to widen, and he started to use the medium, specializing himself as a ''Commercial photographer'' His focused on subject matters with meaning in certain locations, for example monuments, gardens and architecture.

In 1989, Aget gained an interested in Paris, France. He began to document and record the streets of Parid, picking out minute details of timeworn streets, and old fashioned architectural techniques. This series he called 'Old Paris' and he continued to document pairs untill the 1920's. The name of the series 'Old Paris' demonstrated exactly what he photographed. He captured paris through the lens, before the Baron Haussmans  renovation plan. This began in 1853-1870 by  modernizing Paris and the out districts  Aget wanted to capture traditional Paris before the modernization, with this series he created a visual Map of Paris.
He interested in Paris grew fonder, and he also photographed gardens and monuments in Paris. These gardens in particular being Versailles and Saint Cloud. I want to focus on this series in particular, as it varies from his conventional work, Old Paris.

These particular images are from the series taken in 'Saint Cloud'. Taking into consideration subject matter of these images, it is a well preserved garden. He focuses on the integration of nature and the man made  documenting its beauty  and presence. All of his images have a sense of sculptural quality, from the angles he photographs he always makes the subject matter, look like a sculpture. Wether it being a staircase, a tree or even a sculpture in particular. This is because his compositions are very formal, where he will isolate the main subject matter making it have a strong presence within its location.  Within his image he gains accurate detail on quality and the tonal range used. This deep tonal range is due to the natural light, which introduces harsh shadows within the imagery  These shadows allow his images to have a mood, reflecting an emotion and a personal response to how we view the images.
Selecting a few of his images  there are discreet enfolding shadows in the corners, which frame the image. Aget started experimenting with this during this time, as it was very popular and essential to the picturequse tradition and technique of images. He created this shadows due to the technical choices he made, sometimes he used a wide angle lens which would give some of his images this effect.
He would choose specific times of the day, to avoid people in his imagery, either early in the morning, or late afternoon, this choice of tie of the day also empathized the shadows in his work.

Technically, Aget used a large format camera, 18 x 24. Looking into his work, you can see carefully why he choose to use a large format camera, as there is immense detail within the subject matter and the lighting, that he has captured accurately and beautifully. A wide angle lens was used in some of his work, however it wasn't over  exaggerated  This was what created the subtle vignette like shadows, around the framing of his images. A technique he used was long exposure, this was due avoid any human form in his images. It also helped create the quality of detail within his images.

Overall i feel his images are very sophisticated, mysterious images that create a presence when you view them, this is from the way he has captured the subject matters in such a isolated way it creates importance and a statue like replica.

When creating images in the same style as Eugene Aget, i feel i need to use a similar subject matter, to try and create that importance and presence he has in his images adapting them to my own. I technically want to use a large format camera, to create that immense detail however i am unable to access one. Therefore i am going to shoot digitally, and hope to recreate his images using post production digitally. I do want to experiment with using a 35mm camera, to get the quality in the film and challenge myself with the lighting and atmosphere  I plan to shoot early in the morning, to gain those shadows that Aget does carefully. Subject matter wise, i want to visit some small persevered parks, and try and capture that beauty that has been neglected by the public.

Photographic Styles

26/11/12

Photographic Styles

For our Context of Practice module, there is a photographic brief that we need to respond to, this brief demonstrating differences of photographic style and our understanding and knowledge of other photographers work and styles.

Photographic Style; Is a the unique look and approach to photography. It is a way of defining and branding someones technique and way of photographing, making them have a significant style.

Unique; Different and unique subject matter
Technological approaches  This is a massive influence on the outcome of work, can be used to advance or manipulate your style, however can be limited
Technological changes; This advancement in technology can change your significant style in photography through time.

Paraphrasing - Doucemntary Photograph, Graham Clarke ''The photograph''

19/11/12

Documentary Photography has dominated the photographic history, and has created some iconic names  Eve Arnold, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Sebasito Salagado and many more. The term document, means 'to evidence' and evidence being a truthful account/information that can be relied on. Documentary Photography as a genre, is a process of this documentation of evidence, recording experiences/events in periods of time which can be used as a truthful and objective account.

The documentary photograph, is one of the most personal and intimate forms of the photographic practice, exploiting poverty,social, political injustice, deprivation and disaster, these creating emotion responses to how the photographer approaches the subject matter. However from the way the photographer approaches the situation can show different interpretations of how audiences can read the documented photographs, which can introduce false accusations of the truth, making some documentary photography unreliable.From the twentieth century documentary photography had visualized history as a series of images which exploit and show the complexities of human experiences.

This idea of how the photograph can be manipulate fro the photographers interpretation of the scene, can be argued from the cliche saying  ''the camera does not lie'' It has the technical ability to record and scene, in an objective way, however it is how the image is read by the viewers which can make it subjective. The documented  evidence through photographs are 'windows in the world' and it is a privileged to modern readers as we have this technology and ability to record detailed events.

Because as modern day photographers, we have an advantage to photograph these events, which introduce all the moral implications. This was of exploiting the suffering of poverty, or the crime in war, can be seen as an art form through the camera, however there is no personal attachment to the subject matter and the photographer which can create this social and moral implications.

Havard Referencing

In this lesson, we learnt how to Harvard reference, as it will be a technique we need to learn and use from our chosen essays.

The bibliography should be in alphabetical order from A-Z

This is my example of Harvard referencing:

As Liz Wells states 'A simulacrum is a copy for which there is no original it is, as it were a copy for which there is no original;it is, as it were, a copy in its own right' [Wells, 2000]

Bibliography;
Wells,Liz, [Second Edition][2000] Photography: A critical introduction, USA and CANADA, Routlege

Surrealism In Photography

12/11/12

The movement on surrealism photography based in and around Paris, began around 1920's- and is a continuous movement which occurs around today. Surrealism photography was an expression of truth trying to reach the unconscious mind through rational ways presented in a abstract and 'dream' like style.

Surrealism photography was majorly orientated around Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) theory of the consciousnesses  He believed that you could access someones unconscious mind through everyday thoughts, proposing different methods, such as free association and the sequences of words and ideas and how this can be interpreted in your unconscious mind.  

Through photography, photographers expressed this visually, by approaching it in the similar ways of psychoanalysis  For example they would maybe point there camera irrationally recording everyday life to try and access the unconscious mind. Lee Millers approach to surrealist photography  was very similar to this method as he would constantly photograph everyday life, this element of freezing chance in an everyday world was a explorative way to surrealism. 

As you can see here the image,  Untilted (exploding hand) 1930 appears very naturalistic however can be interpreted very mysterious and 'dream' like. From the repetitive scratches in the window, and the link with the caption 'exploding hand' we associate the two together which relates very abstract imagery. The simple shapes within the image also make it very delusional appearing to also be abstract. 

Similarly, to these ways of photographing everyday life Brassia (1899-1984) photographed everyday objects, but he did this in a complimentary artistic way which represented these everyday objects to be sculptures/works of art. This way of approaching everyday objects, was to explore the different ways our minds work, and how our unconscious mind and thoughts can influence to create this 'involuntary sculptures'. 

This image here 1993 Involuntary sculpture' explores the way how our unconscious mind has creatively ripped up this bus ticket to create this 'work of art'.

Surrealism can also be defined by making no social message, but just photographing the 'ordinary next to the extraordinary'. For example Brassai did another series of work, this photograph here of what appears to be an old woman looking at lingre. The stereotype of what we see elderly people to be, and the association of the lingre is very unusual and weird. This everyday actions, which is captured to be unusual can be seen as surrealism. 

Surrealism can also be used as a way to communicate representations of signs and symbols. For example Renne Margritte was a belgian surrealist painter who explored the differences between representations and reality. An example of this he used was where he painted a pipe, he argued ''This is not a pipe, its a painting of a pipe' .

Constructivism, Dada and the Bauhaus

Constructivism was the artistic and architectural movement of this era, that emphasized art as a practice for social purposes. It reflected architecture, graphic and industrial design and other cultural aspects.

AAn example of a constructivist artist was Alexander Rodchenko who was a main part of this movement ad in 1921 h exhibited work of paintings that declared and confirmed ''the end of painting''.

In 1923 and 1924 Rodchenko was influenced by the German Dahdasits, which inspired him to use his own images and recreate and collage together to make a 'photo montage'. Dada in 1918 was focused around Cabaret Voltaire, in Zurich and writers,artists and poets would meet up together to make art which objected to war. This create these similar styled propaganda poster images, which were very collaged, abstract to grab attention.


Here is a good example of Alexanders Rodchenkos work from the constructivism era. As you can see, the ladder is much darker against the mid tone background (sky) which allows the ladder to be very prominent. The ladder is in the center of the image, and it leads our eyes to look further into the background of the image, creating a large depth of field. This is a technique of leading lines which draws audiences attention. The ladder creates repetitive lines within the image, which have this abstract theme within the image. There is also a repeated use of geometric shapes, from the darkened windows that are very formatted squares, adding to the abstract and linear style. We also see an outline of the figure, who seems to be a working class man from the shape of his flap cap and the reasons why he could be on a ladder. This integrating political and social issues within Rodchenkos image. The use of using an outline of a body, and the outlines of the geometric shapes intertwine to create this abstract imagery that fits into the constructivism era.

Key features of Constructivism would be the context and themes within the imagery. For example the body in the city was a main aspect of this era, and linear lines and the integration of the architecture and outlines of the body would create abstract imagery. Celebration of technology and science and political statement from the time would also be expressed through constructivism.
Visually, most of the image are in black and white, which creates simple tones, however harsh contrasts allowing the image to look more dramatic and straightforward. This allows the geometric shapes to stand out a lot more also. Usually a photo montage image would include some for of text or type, which would help add to the collage of other and used manipulated images. These images would create a scrapbook like theme, or look very similar to propaganda poster imagery, and this way of photo montage became very popular as it was a dramatic and abstract way of expressing.

Postmodernism

22/10/12

PostModernism

Post modernism  was a significant shift in attitude moving away from the chractertistics of the modernism style. Beggining in the early 1970's up till the modern day today.
A few key features that would describe post modernism would be choas, as the statement regulary occured was ''the only rule is that there are no rules''  This led room for anything could be described as postmodernism, and it would be acepted because it was breaking certrain rules and traditions that occured in the modernism stage. Kitcsh was a main chractertistic of postmodernism, which meant it acepted tackyness and bad taste, but artisits would purposley create art to make it kitsch, exggarating how they know it is bad taste but they want to celebrate this through the art.

A common feature in post modernism is the term 'loss of an orginal'' this refers to a few examples one in paticular the Sherry Levine art. She approached this art by rephotographing well known images made from very famous photographers. One image that is easily reconisgeable is the Walker Evans image. Her idea was to highlight the ubiquity of a copy, and the insignficance of an orginal, once a copy has been made the vaule from an orginal is lost and both of the images are seen at the same level. To demonstrate this point she photographed orginals from books, taking a copy of a printed copy. She described her work as unique and individual. This is the Walker Evans that she recreated as her work as named it 'After Walker Evans'

Another example of ''Loss Of an orignal'' is of a well known Cindy Sherman Image. Yasumasa Morimura's image simlarly replicates the oroignal cindy sherman image as he creates a reconstruction of this image. First impressions this atempt of Loss of an orginal can be seen as copying the ideas, but when you read the image throughlry we see deeper meanings as to why Yasumasa Morimura's has produce this replica of the CIndy Sherman image. 

Cindy Sherman

Yasumasa Morimura's

An image i choose to use an exmaple of the post modernism era is Bankys painting 'Kate Moss 2005' First glance of this image you would suspect it was the Andy Warhol's silkscreen of Maryling from 1962. However it is Banksys interpretation on Post Modernism and this paitning is an excellent example for the postmodernism time.  

''Post Modernism is not concerned with the aura of the authenticity''  (Jameson 1991:179) 

This act of using Andy Warhols Marylin silkscreen, is seen as a celebration of post modernism time, as banksy has reconstructed this idea to create something new and aesttic. However questions can be raised, is this inspiration considered as copying an other artisits idea? Some artisits from the post modern era can see the uniqueness and individuality of working in this style. This raising questions about the whole Post Modernism era andhow it is portrayed.

Pure and Straight Photography

15/10/12

PURE AND STRAIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

Modernity; 'Form follows function'

Pure and straight photography was a style in the 1900's to the 1930's that overlapped Pictorlialsm moving away from the pictorialism style.  The pure and straight photography was basically that the photograph should look like a photograph and have the chractertisitcs of a photograph. For example it needs to include,   all the visual elements of Depth of Feild, detials in contrast, and no hand manipulations. Narrowing down to what the camera can do, and using the technical elements to make the image interesting.

Pure and straight photography also seemed to have abstract elements within the photographs. Paul strand, Wall St Newyork, 1915 image is very basic and straight to the point. It is a clear detailed image of city life at Newyork of this time, however the copossition fits perfectly into pure and straight photography because half of the image contains these repeated dark rectangles that appear to be windows. These windows gives alot of structure to the image creating this abstract style. Also from the posisotning of the sun in this image the dark figures have shadows which again creates this abstraact sense to Pure and Striaght Photography.

Another example is William Van Dykes, still from the city 1938 it becomes very abstract from again the shadows on the figures, and a realistic view comes within the image, which is Pure and Straight Photography

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The F.64 group

The F.64 group was a association in US San Francisco created in the early 1930's. It was founded by Willard Van Dyke and Ansel Adams who are also member of this group. This group consisted of photographers who worked in the Style of Pure and Straight photography. The name F.64 came from the technical element of aperture on the camera, which meanings the smallest

Pictorialism Photography

8/10/12

PICTORIALISM PHOTOGRAPHY

Pictorialism photography was a great International movement in the mid 1885-1917.  Pictorial photographers generally followed a pattern of creating fog and shadows to create a soft tonal range within the images. They usually  follow similar characteristics of paintings, from framing compositions to the texture of the image, this was because they all originated from paintings of 1800’s. Julia Marget Cameron  1864 was a piscatorial photographer who generally used framing similar to John Everett Millais’s, Ophelia , 1851-2  and this techniqueof framing  became repetition in pictorlist photography.

. Other characteristics used are the soft tonal ranges and the small painterly brush strokes that are used in photography to create this pictoriliasm movement, especially Robert Demahcy in ‘Struggle’. Where he has used brush oils to create this dimensional pictorialism effect. Pictorliasm would be described as very soft textured surfaces, where the hand manipulations are used to create this painterly like photographs.

Here are some other examples of Robert Demachy's work in the style of pictorilism.

THE LINKED RING 

The linked ring was a association formed in 1892-1909 which was a group of pictorilist photographers. The group called the ‘The linked ring’ represented the monsanic beliefs of good, truth and beautiful. These well known pictorial artists, Edward Steichen,Robert Demachy, Clarence H white and P H Emerson and other famous photographers.

IMAGE ANALYSIS

This photograph ‘Study in Red’ 1898 was work from Robert Demachy, a French pictorial photographer.  First impressions of this image is a young women who is facing away from the camera and from current research into portraiture at the time this photograph was taken, we assume the subject is wealthy. Other assumptions we can gather from the image it is quite subtly sexual especially for this time period. As the photograph is portraiture of a young girl, we do not gather much information about her as a person as her head is turned away therefore there is a lot left to interpret to the vowyer. Technically the lighting used is Short lighting, this used to create a illusion to the camera making her body look narrower which allows her feminine structure to be more prominent. This type of lighting would have been popular to use in portraiture photography, however this image takes a different approach to the usual conventional portraiture as we can see her face. 

This photograph is a typical example of pictorialism photography as it is very similar to a painting, where there are soft brush strokes used to create a painterly technique. The painterly technique makes the image much softer, and feminine creating a angelic atmosphere within the image.  Historically its an example of pictorialism as nude portraiture was originally paintings that have developed in time into photography, and here Robert Demachy has used this nude portraiture idea and photographed it in the style of pictorialism.

Robert Demachy was influenced by the impressionist painters and produced photographs technically and aesthetically strong. He wrote several books which showed strong technique in how to manipulate the photography medium by using oil transfers or scratching of the geletaine. These techniques he used is what made his images so painterly like, which was this idea of pictorialism. 

Triangulation

1/10/12 

Today i was introduced to TRIANGULATION which is a method of gathering different opinions from text/dialogue and forcing your own conclusion. 
Our task for today was to use the triangulation method by reading two other essays based upon the book 'Photography as a contemporary art - By Charlotte Cotton' these essays included a brief synopsis and opinions of the book, similar to a review. Once reading these two other essays i then gathered my own knowledge and formed my own opinion about the book.
'The photography as a contemporary art' by Charlotte Cotton explores the way in which photography and developed and expanded in time. It states that we should not only use photography as a personal memory but now in this modern age it is considered as a contemporary art and should also be reconisged as this. 
One of the chapters of the book focuses on the detail of everyday subjects, and explains how everyday life objects can seem much greater and more extraordinary through a photograph. It analysis's how the fine detail can be instantly seen through a photograph rather than the eye.
An artist that stood out throughout the book, was Jeff Wall. As he creates his images he stages them carefully so there is much more imagery within the viewers mind rather than in the image itself. He purposely creates ideas in the audiences mind, instantly knowing how they will react. One image in particular is 'Insomnia' as it instantly creates the emotion of discomfort  He addresses his audiences well as he focuses on adults who will have had similar life experiences to his shocking images, that can be relatable.