Surrealism is an art form that became popular in the 1920s as an expression of a revolutionary philosophy. It attempted to free people for their unmovable rationality and the restrictive habits in politics, religion and social behavior. Mostly aligned with radical political movements, it aims at liberating the mind and freeing the imagination. Surrealism in photography is about adding certain imaginary elements to the real physical world, diminishing the fine line between what is possible and impossible, mixing them into a composition. Examples of this consist of headless portraits replacing heads with inanimate objects like umbrellas, and using vivid colours, these photos tend to incorporate two entirely different perspectives and merging them together.

This idea for mixing usually two contrasting things together to form an image I found interesting and wanted to make a basis out of it for future shoots. This would mean using software such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom to create the desired outcomes, whilst using my own photographs from shoots to add objects and people into the picture. Here are some examples of surrealist photography:On artist I found to be particularly influential was photographer Lara Zankoul. Zankoul looks at the idea of underlying representation, and how polar opposites are represented in seven parts as symbol of the fundamentally divine nature of the medium, interrelation and dynamics. Known as Taoist the focus is mainly visual in her work, while the main theme continues to be spiritual and philosophical. When exploring her works I liked the constant use of lighting and perception of the eye to create final outcomes with a surreal twist, the hidden figure of the human body seems to be one of the main focuses of her works, much like Clare Rae’s work Zankoul hides the female face to create an unseen identity.

Some of her works can be seen below exploring these ideas of surrealism and software to produce unusual imagery:Once after creating a mood-board including my favorite images in it, I decided I should analyse one of her most well-known photographs to see and understand what made it so effective as an overall image. To do this I would have to explore three areas: technical aspects, visual aspects and conceptual knowledge of the actual piece itself. By doing this it would allow me to create a response shoot to the artists of my choice in a surrealist style that I could relate to my own personal topic of political landscapes. The picture I chose from Lara Zankoul is called ‘The Unseen’ and is part of a solo exhibition regarding a series of photos. Technical: The image itself uses artificial lighting to create the scene inside the studio made room, because of this the end result makes the impression that the whole thing is subtly staged. A relatively normal shutter speed seems to have been used due to how not too much light has been let and how shadows have not become too overpowering, this as a result allows for a balanced piece where neither of the shades dominate each and instead compliment. The exposure inside the photograph in my opinion is a bit high than usual, but is done effectively to have the green/blue walls pop out against the backdrop of the two characters seated, complimenting them and filling the blank spaces with a more calming and dramatic colour.

Visual: Visually I think that the piece is extremely aesthetic to the eye due to the composition of the characters in the room and the colours which complement all other aspects. Symmetry seems to be one of the leading aspects within this photo as both the rabbit and horse and positioned equally away from each other with the chandelier placed directly in between them, breaking up the otherwise generic unchanging colours that consist through the image. The water which added as a break, separates the room into a surreal image, as the underwater aspect of the tea party is unusual and so intrigues the viewers to observe the image for longer than they actually had expected.

Conceptual: The concept behind the pieces were to challenge Zankoul to develop images that went beyond regular adjustments. This included creating a completely fabricated environment that her models would have to model in, using fish tanks and specially made rooms to provide them with situations they could adjust too .

Once I had reviewed the idea of truth within photography, and the camera’s ability to warp perspectives and therefore the influence of opinions regarding what people see, I decided I should head back to the dump and attempt to over-exaggerate the sights present there to influence the viewers. I particularly felt inspired by the idea of exaggerated the truth and warping people’s opinions to support yours, regardless of it being a lie. The photographers I found to be of significant inspiration are Andrea Gursky Robert Capa, by using these photographers style and technique as a way of composing my photos it would allow me to produce imagery that accurately represented my vision regarding consumerism, changing the conventional style of photography I’m used to.

When commencing with the shoot I decided I should look at the objects themselves specifically to provide an insight into the general sighting that can be found in this particular environment. By looking into the materials dumped here I would be able to present how the landscape has been scarred but also this hidden aestheticism hidden beneath all this waste. Here is a mood-board to reflect my various intentions and goals when taking images:

Once I had finished I decided I would create a mind-map to portray and sum up the ideas I have for exploring the area. By doing this it would prevent me from wasting time thinking there and then about what to do, instead allowing me to head into the area with a clear mind focused on what I want to achieve. My ideas can be seen below:

Now that I was satisfied with my ideas I decided it was time to go out and take photographs. The area I wanted particularly to explore was the actual dumping ground of waste material, not the landscape surrounding it like the previous shoot, allowing for a more in-depth look of how out consumerism is handled and sectioned off into varying materials. Here are the results of the shoot: After the shoot was complete I decided to select the ten images I thought best reflected the intentions of the shoot both visually and implicitly. By doing this it would allow me to deduct other images that I thought didn’t portray the aim of the shoot correctly or were poorly taken, here are my choices:

After I had completed organizing and separating all images into a top ten mood-board, I then decided to cut that once again into only five images. By doing this it would allow me to individually analyze each photo, viewing how they related to the topic and their looks as an overall image, here are my selections for the top images for this shoot:  I selected this image because of how I loved the positioning of the paint cans, this look of just the bottles careless thrown into the bin scattering paint everywhere creates an unusual background of random colours. I also really liked how the higher exposure allowed for a dark border across the bottom of the image, creating the impression of the unknown due to there being no evidence for how far these material stretch. The focal point seems to be the center paint can which is clearly defined from the backdrop by the shadows surrounding it producing an abstract effect from the area around it.  What I liked about this image was the clear contrast and separation of rubbish and everyday life working in the area. This contrast seen through the separation of the electronics and a construction worker show evidence of how the area has adapted to suit their life around the product of consumerism. The sheer mass of the electronics almost overflowing out of their section creates the impression of disorganization, where once used they are careless thrown to the side never to be seen again. Looking at this image it is clear how much space is required to hold the waste, especially after seeing how far into the hangar it stretches.  I found that the emptiness of this image was what attracted me to it, alongside the vivid colours which accompany it. The use of a singular chemical bottle on the shelf with the over half of the container sprayed with unknown chemicals provides a messy and unorganized look, where obviously dangerous liquids have been disposed of incorrectly, whilst the bareness of the shelf allowing an insight into how little we attempt to throw away these harmful materials. By the sign being there I feel like it breaks up the otherwise overpowering image which would otherwise be dominated by red.    This image was chosen because of how effective it is at providing evidence towards the sheer mass of things we throw out. Accompanied by the symmetry, the random electronics thrown into a pile can be seen as an almost abstract piece in itself, which various vivid colours breaking through the dull dark grays and blacks. For me this provides a huge insight into how we treat our ever-increasing consumerism, and how once used it’s simply discarded to be lost in the endless heap of other categorized objects. Finally I selected this image because of its contrast between the yellow mirror and the now dirty and broken glass window. I thought that this looked very symbolic, with the new mirror that had just been thrown away providing a clear contrast between that of an old broken window, that had obviously been thrown out a while ago and had deteriorated to an almost unrecognizable image of its former use. This contrast is defined through the use of the shadow which separates each piece of glass, stopping the other into blending with it and becoming eye sore.

Once I had analyzed each image I decided it was time to decide on which photo best represented the entire shoot as a whole. Here is my decision:

Final Image: The reason I selected this image as my overall best photo for the shoot is because of how I think it best represents our consumerism as a whole. By presenting the sheer size of our waste I found it to be particularly impacting due to there being no structure into the actual organization of anything placed into the area. I also really like the clear contrast between the surrounding area and the waste itself, seen through the side of a building which the rubbish is stacked against, whilst revealing the extent of the wastes size. As a result I found this photo reflected my intention well due to it giving awareness around how much we throw out and how our consumerism leads to this build up of random materials clustered into one pile.

Who is he?

Andreas Gursky was born January 15th, 1955, Leipzig, East Germany. The son of a commercial photographer, Gursky grew up around photography, starting to photograph things with a black and white Leica camera. He soon started to go against the trend and began working with coloured imagery and tripods. Gursky started to focus more and more on detail in the composition of his photos, the style he is now most celebrated for. By 1980 Gursky was producing photographs so large that they could only be printed on commercial boards, leading him to print of the largest photo paper ever, which he then combined single sheets with to make even larger. From here he became best known for his monumental digitally manipulated photos that examined consumer culture and the busyness of contemporary life, using his unique composition strategies to result in dramatic images that walk the line between representation and abstraction.

Gursky soon became fundamental in redefining photography for a new generation of photographers. Using digital image manipulation forcing into debate a new version of truth within photography, becoming apparent that the truth manipulating abilities of the camera could distort reality and erode the viewer’s trust. This pushed people to consider the question of truth, with this new digital photography becoming more and more relevant. Some of his work can be seen below:Once I had reviewed a few of his works I decided to go on and analyse one of his photos, by doing this it would allow me to understand what made his photography so effective. Whilst giving me an insight into the techniques and focuses of the style of photography he uses, and the thought process behind it. The image I have chosen is called ‘99 Cent’, taken 1999 of a local convenience store: Visual: Visually this image is extremely aesthetic, with the broad variety of colours present in the shop providing a sea of rainbows to be looked upon by the viewer. This is stopped from being too consistent and overpowering through the use of obvious shelves which stops the packaging from merging with the next, the white poles which pop up occasionally also add to this through their symmetrical layout across the shop, providing clear coordination in the piece and an unseen structure in the shops structure. I love how the packaging of the food is countered by the texture of the ceiling, which seems to almost reflect the colours of the below, fading into the distance as if its never ending.

Technical: When looking over the photo, I notice that the image itself uses a relatively higher exposure than usual due to shadows and black areas not being to noticeable and through the faded effect of the variety of colours such as red and blue. However a low saturation could have been used, reducing the colour of the products, stopping them from being too overpowering and instead becoming aesthetic. Gursky has purposely angled the camera so that he picks up the symmetry of the entire shop, with the poles and heads being reference to how he has done so. Finally the inclusion of the wall on the left breaks up the shop from becoming purely focused on products, presenting consumer life in the picture as well.

Conceptual: The image itself is meant to be a spectacle of consumerism appearing as organised, rigorous and formal. However the photo actual is hyper real, where yes its rooted in reality, however there is no physical space like it. By portraying such heightened constructions of our existence from dollar stores to football fields and sprawling cities, Gursky’s photography acts as a symbol of contemporary life. Seen through the mirrored food flattened and the iconic work, over exaggerating the environment of the surrounding environment.

For this post I will be analyzing how a photo of my choice by a photographer can be interpreted and the story behind it that may be carried. The photographer I have chosen is called Robert Capa, a Hungarian war photographer, considered one of the greatest in history, here I have selected his famous ‘Death of a Loyalist Soldier’, 1936, which depicts the instant death that this loyalist has been captured through in mid shot. Here I will be looking at four factors that create such an impact when reviewing the picture; contextual, conceptual, visual and technical.Contextual: Taken during the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, showing the moment of a bullet’s impact on a loyalist soldier, Capa’s photograph has become the emblem for the medium’s unrivaled capacity to depict sudden death. The style of photojournalism became the mark that defined Capa’s work from there on, joining the company Magnum Photos in the late 1940s. The photo itself appear to capture a Republican soldier at the moment of death, the soldier is seen collapsing backward after being picked off from a distance by a sniper. The pictured solider is dressed in civilian clothing but wears a cartridge belt, and following its publication was acclaimed as one of the greatest photos ever taken. However since the 1970s there has been significant doubts about its authenticity due to its location, the identity of its subjects, and the discovery of staged photographs taken at the same time and place.

Conceptual: The idea behind the image was to capture one of the most shocking moments in war, death. Although it was supposedly an accident, the image itself was published because of its insight into the impact of war, and how one moment can lead to another resulting in tragedy. When taken the photographer wanted to capture life on the front line, and life between skirmishes, attempting to depict life in such an isolated region of the country.

Technical: The image itself uses a higher shutter speed to capture the motion of the solider without blurring either the subject and landscape, by doing this the result is crisper without any eye-sores created by faults. Within this image the contrast seems to have been lowered so that only the more dominantly dark objects are defined (such as shadows, gun, hair and dark grass), this leaves the rest of the photo as more bland and faded due to it only consisting of different shades of white, whilst creating a stark outline for the main focus of the picture, the soldier. The black and white result of the camera used produces a more sinister tone surrounding his death due to it being devoid of any other colours, this to me adds context to the image as it reduces your perspective on the story being portrayed, instead giving only the option of two viewpoints.

Visual: Visually the pieces incorporates an executioner, stark backdrop and dramatic nocturnal lighting. By doing so, this for the viewer zeroes on the instantaneous death received by the soldier which will be forever anticipated in the photograph. The image itself seems to resemble an equally famous picture of the civil war in Spain named “The Third of May, 1808” by Francisco Goya in 1814, this provides a narrative element for Capa’s image due to there being a story behind the position and landscape it was taken in. Because of the piece perfectly evokes both discrete moment and an epoch, where one encounters a distillation of the Fascist violence, and the brutally extinguished Republican sense of hope for a new, free egalitarian society, ultimately defining the Spanish Civil War.

After completing a few shoots I decided that I should explore different ways of presenting my imagery. To do this I thought that by editing the best selection into a black and white format to increase their contrast it would allow me to further look at how I could compose future images regarding the book I will be making. What I wanted to achieve through this was a traditional straight photographic image, due to colour being a rarity at the time leading photographers to produce photographs in monochrome. To create the results I want I will be using the software Adobe Photoshop as it provides a huge variety of tools that will be able to help me adjust each photo to the requirements wanted. Here is the process behind my editing: After I had experimented with a variety of different black and white settings I then proceeded to select the best images that the effect worked on. The results I wanted needed to be high contrasted and produced an impacting technique that defined the landscape through shadows surrounding the subjects within. Here were my choices for the best outcome for the black and white experimental edits: I found that the results of these edits were successful as the monochrome effected added the desired amount of shading for the landscape it surrounded, whilst providing a more straight photography stance that emphasized the destruction of the landscape in more detail due to them being devoid of any colours to distract you. For me this produced an aesthetic result that complimented the topic well as it draws to light the issues at hand in more detail.