I don’t like this image that Martin Parr has captured, as the colors are too saturated, and the woman is out of focus, but it feels like she should be in focus. The image looks like it was taken by accident. 

The person that took this photo is called Martin Parr. He was born on the 23rd of May 1952. He is a British photographer, and photo journalist. He has also done a bit of street photography. He particularly likes documenting the different social classes of Britain.

Most of Martin Parr’s work is extremely unique and exaggerated.  The images that Martin likes to capture are strange, the colors are very strong, and the perspectives are unusual.  Martins images are mainly based around three things. These are criticism, seduction and humor, and because of this his photographs are original and amusing. They also make us think of how we live, and how we present ourselves to others. 

The main concepts that Martin has been researching is Leisure, consumption and communication. Parr manages to capture things that seem familiar to us, but are shown in a completely new way.  

Here are some more photos that Martin Parr has taken. 

This is a photograph of a man who is clearly powerful and wealthy. The clothing is of a high quality suit exposes his wealth and the fact the two young men are well dressed creates quite an imposing mood. The body language of the man in front who is resting on his table is quite formal. The composition of the table and it’s ornaments and decorations show he relies upon his wealth to boost his presence in the room.  To compliment this, his facial expression where he is looking down to the lens creates a sense that he is high up in status.  This idea is enhanced by the setting of the photograph where it is depicted in a large room, but also the fact it has been cropped to focus on the man to enhance the feeling that he is powerful.  The photographer also uses the rule of thirds to place the man in two third’s of the photograph.  This portrays him as someone who is important and so from this we strongly focus on his character.  However, other factors show the power and wealth of the man as well.  The background creates a feeling that the man has strong influence.  For example: the man is positioned to have the paintings behind him.  The positioning of their height on the walls suggests that these paintings are almost collections from history where the man can observe them when he pleases which enhances his authoritative presence.   Also, the depth of the photograph presents two young men.  This again, shows the man is influential over them because of their composure suggests they are protective over him.  The aperture taken from the lens shows again the man has control over the two men as they are behind him and blurred almost as if they are part of him.  Finally, the bright lighting on the man almost makes him appear God – like, and therefore we fear him as if he is judging us.

I personally don’t like this photograph thanks to it’s negative feelings it creates.  However,  I do believe that the photographer has captured the emotions of the people accurately.  The image was adjusted to be black and white to from color to highlight the struggles of that family by creating a harsher setting.  However,  the photographer has increased the exposure of  light to create a mood of optimism that there is still some hope in dark times.  Interestingly, the shadows have been enhanced by increasing the contrast.  In doing this the dirty stains on them shows where these people have been and what they have experienced creating an idea of their daily struggles.  We have a picture of where they have been by their facial expressions, clearly something bad has happened to them and so we feel sympathetic to them.  Also, the body language of the two children enhances the seriousness of the depression.  This is because children who often change their moods, however the photographer has captured their struggle as they are hugging their mother passionately.  Also, the photographer is focusing on the family by not including much of a background and cropping the photograph. How depth isn’t really included to the photograph shows that the photographer wanted us to focus on the family’s feelings rather than what caused them to feel this way.  The clothing of each person in the photograph is interesting because they are all tatty, by showing the emotions which are sad, to be reflected in the clothing shows the upset caused that they have to live with.

My formal analysis is about an image from the photographer Annie Leibovitz. The image is very powerful and she uses the composition of the image to do this. The top half of the image is mainly sky, whereas the bottom half is busier. The right side of the image is where the man has been placed in the frame. Also the shape of the ice burg on the left hand side of the image, creates a break between the two halves. The photographer Leibovitz uses the natural lighting to create the light atmosphere within the image. The dark clothing that the subject is dressed in, creates a clear and strong contrast in the image.

• Composition is the way in which something is made up, its layout; whether it be art or photography or food or music; composition is its overall structure or layout. The artist who took this image is called Aaron Lee Fineman. It has clearly been set up and the man is sat in the center surrounded by, essentially, lots of other different portraits. There are a couple of leading lines which are visible including the top of the sofa and the line where the lamp and mirror meet. The body language of the man within this image is very deep and can tell a story if you let it. He is in an open position and has evidently been planned out as he is looking face-on into the camera which I really like; it’s a serious and informative, in a way, of this man’s life as he sits there. It is quite dark in colour, however, there is the beam of light that hit directly onto the old mans position. I would have thought that the layout of the images in frames was thought out carefully at the same time as trying to perceive a casual look. I really like the photograph as a whole and I want to know more about it; I’m intrigued.

• The rule of thirds is perhaps the most well-known ‘rule’ of photographic composition. It is the basis for well balanced and interesting shots.

With this grid in mind the ‘rule of thirds’ now identifies four important parts of the image that you should consider placing points of interest in as you frame your image.

Here is a photographic example of where the rule of third has been put into place; this is particularly a picture I really like.

I like this image because once again, its seems to tell a story. I want to know more about this musician. I know that if I was to put a grid like the above onto this picture that important aspects to focus on would be situated in the region of where the lines meet and his face for example would be situated in one of the boxes.

The guitar gives the image a sense of symmetry and balance because it is in the middle. If you were to split it in half, you would get a balanced symmetrical look either side. The guitar strap hook would also be on the meeting point of the lines of the grid in the rule of thirds. My eyes are drawn to that object instantly as well as the face of the man. It is again serious, making me intrigued to know the story behind the photo but as well, making me feel a little uncomfortable to look at it.