Tableaux is a french word. It derived from the term ‘tableaux vivant’, which translates to living picture.

Tableau photography is completely staged type of photography. People are normally instructed to pose in these images, which creates a constructed environment. The models are often placed in over the top outfits and dramatic stages. The result, is that a ‘pictorial narrative’ is created. Many artists may produce scenes from fairy-tales, myths and depict both real and unreal situations.

This medium relates to the practice of performance photography, in that, tableau’s are made through the act of performance. It also connects to studio portraiture, as the subjects normally wear bold outfits, act and there’s usually extravagant backdrops.

Unlike documentary, tableau photography tells a story through a single image. Documentary is about developing a story with various pictures. Tableau photographs are usually shown in exhibitions and are compared to other artworks. In the past, many photographers desired to achieve pictures that looked like art.

A very modern Tableau photographer is Tom Hunter. Here’s a link to his website: http://www.tomhunter.org/

Example’s of his work:

Another modern artist is Tracey Moffatt. When she was in an interview she was asked “Curator Lynne Cooke said you don’t take pictures; you make pictures.” She responded by stating “Yes. Technically, I’m quite stupid. I hardly know how to use a camera. I often use technicians when I make my pictures. I more or less direct them. I stand back and call the shots.”

Here’s some examples of this Australian photographer’s tableau’s:

Moving on, Pictorialism is an aesthetic movement that started in the late 18th century. This photography dominated and influenced many people during time until the early 20th century.

Photographers would edit their outcomes until they got the same form and texture as art, such as altering the focus to a softer one. They wanted to create something completely opposite to the normal commercial images of that time. The Pictorialists rebelled against mechanization and industrialization. This is because they didn’t like the fact that photographers were capturing industrial things on a regular basis. Here’s an example:

Since they were very influenced by the ideals of art, they were influenced by Allegorical painting. Allegory is fictional, it’s all about symbols and representations. However, the underlying meaning normally has: social, religious, political and moral significance. The people that pose in the Tableau’s usually portray the following: greed, envy, love, etc. Their photographs showed many concepts such as: expressions of their personal opinions, beliefs and spiritual moments. A very famous photographer was Julia Margret Cameron, who like the Piscatorialists got her inspiration from the Pre-Raphaelite era. Here’s an example of her work:

Cameron  used to shoot with very soft natural lighting. She’d tell the models to have very subtle and calm poses. She used long exposures so that the people she photographed would have a blurred appearance when the role came out.