I plan to experiment with placing vibrant coloured flowers against plain, mundane backgrounds to represent how the human species is over taking naure. By taking flowers, (a representation of nature), out of their natural environment and placed into a man-made scene it demonstrates the over powering dominance of mankind. The warm and cheerful colours of the flower will connote nature as beautiful and elegant, against an intense plain background. I intend to change the way people view the natural world in an ambitious attempt to eliminate human ignorance towards the care of our natural environment.
For my own interpretation of Mapplethorpe’s work, I’m going to use a black bed sheet to provide a similar background to the one Mapplethorpe created, hopefully giving the same effect. I could also utilize the school’s studio which has a black, white or green background in, giving me the opportunity to change the colour of the background which would make my work stand out as long as I find the correct colour balance. The school studio also provides a key light, a fill light and back light which will enable me to attain the correct lighting for the photo shoot. The object in question will be a selection of flowers that I either pick, or buy from the local market. I will be sure to select a multitude of colours in order to trial out what colours work the best. In terms of cameras, I will use the 100mm lens that I can borrow from school. The short lens will allow me to get close to the object whilst maintaining the correct proportion of detail.
Robert Mapplethorpe was an American photographer who was renown for his sensitive yet blunt treatment towards controversial matters. His work usually consisted of celebrity portraits, male and female nudes, self-portraits and still-life images of flowers. Mapplethorpe’s still-life photographs are very unique.
I am going to use the work of Robert Mapplethorpe the most for inspiration and attempt to make my own take upon Mapplethorpe’s photographs.
I selected Mapplethorpe as my case study artist because I like the singularity of his photos, for example, he would place a very colourful flower in front of a plain yet powerful black background which would consequently enhance the colours of the flower itself. Mapplethorpe’s single object approach focuses our attention upon the object in question, enabling him to express his ideas clearly and thoroughly.
Rose, 1989
This is my favourite image of Mapplethorpe’s collection. The photograph has taken into account the angle of the flower and got the correct outcome as the flower head coincides perfectly with the rule of thirds scheme as it is exactly central within the image. There are few relevant examples of correct linear in this image as the lines upon the leaf are symmetrical and the stem of the flower is straight, leading into the middle segment of the rule of thirds square. The flower head itself is also very crisp as you can clearly see the definition of each petal and where it curls over, bends or ends. There is evidence of juxtaposition through the difference of colours. The flower has a vibrant pink shade with two varied green shades in the forms of the flowers stem and the flower’s leaves. The sharp colours are contrasted with the completely black background, which draws our attention to the flower itself. The background is a very cold black colour which is the opposite of the charismatic flower as it features very warm colours. The photograph shows shadowing around the petals as some are higher than others, enhancing the detail of the image and improving it over all. Despite the presence of shadows, there isn’t a distinctive light source shown, implying the light provided is artificial. I believe Mapplethorpe would have used the ‘three point lighting’ scheme to develop the precise detail of this image.
I use a brainstorm to experiment and structure my ideas. My selected option for the structure topic is the recording of natural beauty. The terms above will help me to stimulate unique and creative ideas regarding the topic of nature.
Now look at these artists to explore the concept of layers and structure…
Jacques Villeglé 1926- (France)
The Jazzmen is a section of what Jacques Villeglé termed affiches lacérées, posters torn down from the walls of Paris. These particular ones were taken on 10 December 1961. Following his established practice, Villeglé removed the section from a billboard and, having mounted it on canvas, presented it as a work of art.
Jazzmen 1961 Jacques Mahé de la Villeglé born 1926 Presented by the Friends of the Tate Gallery 2000 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/T07619
Robert Rauschenberg 1925 – 2008 (USA)
Pre pop art, neo -dada. Re-appropriation of photographic imagery to explore the structure of society, politics, hope and despair.
Collage / montage techniques + archival material, found objects
Construction / de-construction methods
Todd Mclellan…de-conSTRUCTION // typlogies
or distort the reality / structure of object, places, people…
Alvin Langdon Coburn created vortographs by using mirrros, reflective surfaces, prisms and more to distort his vision of the world and ultimately change the structure of his photographs…(one of the very first abstract photographers)
Vortograph experiments by A L Coburn
Think about shape and form…
Paper, paper, paper
Naum Gabo / Head of a Woman /1917
Interior Architecture
Still Life Objects
Time Lapse (constructing and deconstructing) ice cubes melting, flowers wilting and dying etc…
Cara Berer
Cara Berer explores the structure of books and magazines by photographing them from above and creating patterns and shapes that we associate with flowers and decoration…
Tanja Deman // juxtaposition of changing environments // environments as temples of worship and culture //utopia // dystopia
Sculptural (photograph as object, combined with objects and ephemera or photographs as a response to a building or space ie environment)
Marlo Pascual (above)
“Pascual arranges the photos into simple, lackadaisical assemblages that she calls “props,” which rely primarily on found furniture. The images are all painfully elegant, and evoke the seductiveness of old Hollywood. In one photograph (all works untitled, 2009), a nude woman stands behind steamed glass—a scene from a movie descended from Psycho? A photograph of a set of crystal glasses is laser-cut and laid on the floor to look like it was dropped—or shattered by a single delicate stroke of a hammer. A joke about the fragility of the image, it is also a decidedly atmospheric work.”
One of a number of contemporary artists who are blurring the lines between photography and other mediums, Letha Wilson makes artworks that are as much sculptures as photographs. Amalgamations of photographic images and spray paint, lumber and concrete, these hybrid objects, medium sized and mostly wall hung, occupy territory also being explored by sculptors such as Rachel Harrison and Virginia Overton. An exhibition of new pieces (all from 2012) showcased Wilson’s adventuresome way with materials.
Thomas Demand
German Photographer Thomas Demand (born 1964) deals with inanimate objects and sterile interiors. He makes models of pre-photographed locations out of styrofoam, card and paper but leaves subtle signs of imperfections, then re-produces the images on a grand scale…in doing he alters the meaning and narrative attached to the environment he is re-presenting…
Laurenz Berges
Laurenz Berges is German (Dusseldorf School) photographer. He tackles the notion of loss and removal…and often photographs both personal and shared environments. These can beintimate interiors, or extensive exteriors.
Candida Hofer
Candida Hofer was a student of Bernd and Hilla Becher in Germany in the 1970’s. Her images are a response to glorious interior environments that explore the contrast between the intention and reality of public and civic spaces…without people interacting with them.
James Casebere
James Caseberes (USA) photographs small scale models that reduce an architectural space to a fragile set of surfaces…they disrupt our belief in the solidity of man-made spaces…what happened ? what happens next ?…we are left disorientated.
Rut Blees Luxemburg
Rut Blees Luxemburg (Germany) uses amber lighting and reflections as found in 1920’s and 1930’s style flash photography…but in a thoroughly modern context.
Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy is a well known British Environmental artist. He makes sculptures that integrate with the environment…they are all bio-degradeable and often end up falling apart and becoming “one” with the landscape again. The photographs, however, remain a permanent feature…
Experiment 1
You must show that you can COPY, ADJUST, BLUR and BLEND layers using Adobe Photoshop to create a set of images inspired by IDRIS KHAN / STEPHANIE JUNG
METHOD
Open a suitable image in Ad-Ph
CTRL J to copy layer (copy the background LAYER for this)
Move tool to shift image slightly
Repeat 2 + 3 5-10 times
Choose a range of BLENDING OPTIONS eg overlay / multiply / lighten etc
Show that you can use a range of function and techniques to create a composite image like those of Tanja Deman (below).
Many artists use cut and paste / collage techniques to change the context of their imagery…and challenge the way we look at the world and re-imagine our environment
Research cut and paste / digital collage techniques and ideas
Method
Select 2/ 3 images that you think you can combine to create a composite image and open in Ad-Ph
You may need to select one image that you use as your BACKGROUND IMAGE
Select the object / building / person from another image that you want to add to your BACKGROUND IMAGE
Click CTRL J (to copy via layer)
Use the move tool to drag your selection across, then position
Use CTRL T or Free Transform to adjust shape and size of selected object
Check your layers panel on both images!
Now blend the edges in…
Add a LAYER MASK and click to activate it
Select a brush, adapt the size and reduce your OPACITY to 30%
Now click on the edges of your object to blend it in smoothly
Take care with this part…zoom in if you need to
You can then merge your layers, or flatten and save the image if complete
Add to your blog
Or explore x-ray images or household objects like this as part of your response to “structure”
Choose a key image from each of your chosen photographers / artists and find out as much as you can about that image…
Apply formal analysis to show your understanding of
Composition (rule of thirds, balance, symmetry)
Perspective (linear and atmospheric, vanishing points)
Depth (refer to aperture settings and focus points, foreground, mid-ground and back-ground, leading lines etc)
Scale (refer to proportion, but also detail influenced by medium / large format cameras)
Light ( intensity, temperature, direction)
Colour (colour harmonies / warm / cold colours and their effects)
Shadow (strength, lack of…)
Texture and surface quality
Tonal values ( contrast created by highlights, low-lights and mid-tones)
Then discuss how you can tackle the 4 Assessment Objectives below
AO1: Develop your ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding
AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops
AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress
AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements
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Then discuss…
The Concept = idea, intention
The Context = eg : An environmental portrait is a good example of a photo that can combine impact and context. The subject is shown in his or her environment, and the surroundings provide information about the subject. A standard headshot shows what someone looks like, but an environmental portrait can speak volumes about a person
Example : The Auschwitz Album is a perfect example of the importance of knowing the context in which photographs were taken. For instance, the picture below is an innocent picture of women standing together in front of a building. They stand together with their babies and children, and seem happy to look at the photographer who is taking the picture. There is no sign of stress, no hint of violence; most of the women are calm – all except one who looks like she is trying to comfort a baby.
Birkenau, Poland, Jewish women and children in front of Crematorium III, 05/1944
Yet, because we have the benefit of research, we know that these women are standing in front of one of the four massive extermination installations at Birkenau
In the gas chamber of this building (which is located below ground, perpendicular to where the women are standing), two thousand people at a time could be murdered. Behind the double windows of the building visible in the picture are fifteen ovens, vented through the chimney that is partly visible in the upper left-hand corner of the photo, used to turn the bodies of the unsuspecting victims (like those in the photo) into ash.
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This is a useful link to help you understand, analyse and explain photographs
“the programme is structured around periods of residential study”
<<<CHOOSE 1 STARTING POINT ONLY>>>
Use mindmaps and moodboards to start…
You should aim to complete at least 1 Photo-shoot per week
Structure
Erin O’Keefe often photographs objects propped up in a corner. Her work explores the visual ambiguities of shadow, space, shape, colour and reflection. Originally an architect, her photographs are of real structures without using digital manipulation such as Photoshop. Many other photographers have experimented with constructed spaces and reflections, such as Florence Henri, Robert Smithson, Owen Kydd, David Haxton, Thomas Demand, Paul Strand etc
Florence Henri
Composition Nature Morte, 1929
photograph
2. Robert Frank shocked his adopted country when he published his groundbreaking book The Americans in 1957. Rather than seeing the cosy Middle America personified in later TV cartoons like The Flintstones, he revealed the raw push and shove of a society that was at odds with itself. Other photographers such as Nan Goldin, Jeff Wall, Chris Killip and Sophie Calle have also been compelled to expose the real structures in society and ‘Tell it like it is’.
Robert Frank
Canal Street – New Orleans, 1955
photograph
3. Stories can be told in a single frame, three frames, or, as in films, millions of frames. Narrative structures can be linear, such as with Duane Michals’ sequences, or non-linear such as Paul Graham’s A Shimmer of Possibility and Wolfgang Tillmans’ If One Thing Matters, Everything Matters. Photographers, filmmakers and animators find unique ways to structure the narratives in their work.
Duane Michals
Alice’s Mirror
photograph
Bill Owens
Untitled from ‘Suburbia’
photograph
4. Photographers have been fascinated by the structure of natural forms from the earliest days of the medium. Karl Blossfeldt found a monumental presence in simple seedheads. Edward Weston revealed beauty in the forms of peppers and shells. Robert Mapplethorpe, Ori Gersht, Todd McClelland and Olivia Parker have also focused on natural forms in different ways, demonstrating personal responses to light and texture.
RM
Honesty
photograph
Here are some other suggestions that may stimulate your imagination / Starting points for photo-assignments
• Pine cones, pineapples, grapevines, hops, ivy, bindweed
• Scrapyards, building sites, cranes, restoration yards, derelict ruins
• Crystals, molecules, geology, fossils, footprints, tracks
• Stadiums, orchestras, rock concerts, floodlights, staircases
• Motorways, railways, runways, dockyards
• Flowers, plants, trees, fungi, algae, feathers, scales, shells
• Nests of weaver birds, wasps and bees, termite mounds, baskets
• Circuit boards, pipework, telephone poles, towers, pylons, skyscrapers
• Shop displays, escalators, bars, libraries, theatres and cinemas
• Gardens, parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, beaches
• Dolls, mannequins, puppets, cuddly toys, Lego
Assessment Objectives
You should provide evidence that fulfils the four Assessment Objectives:
AO1 Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding
AO2 Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops
AO3 Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress
AO4 Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.
Your preparatory studies should show evidence of:
• your development and control of visual literacy and the formal elements (tone,
texture, colour, line, form and structure)
• an exploration of techniques and media
• investigations showing engagement with appropriate primary and
secondary sources
• the development of your thoughts, decisions and ideas based on the theme
• critical review and reflection
Good luck and make sure you ask for guidance at any stage of the process…remember to play to your strengths and approach this unit in a similar way to your coursework units !!!
