Albert Renger Patzsch (June 22, 1897- September 27, 1966) was a German photographer who was part of the New Objectivity movement. He wanted to engage with the world clearly and precisely. The New Objectivity appeared as a movement in German art, architecture and literature in the 1920s. Using this attitude to photography, Renger Patzsch used his camera to produce a true recording of the world. His works includes wildlife and botanical studies, traditional craftsmen, mechanical equipment, landscape and architectural studies.
In 1928 Renger Patzsch published The world is beautiful, which is his best known book. It is a collection of one hundred photographs which presents natural forms, industrial subjects and mass produced objects. He reveals patterns of beauty and order in natural and man made objects. This book made Renger Patzsch one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century.
New Objectivity
- Rejection of sentimentality and idealism
- Showing things as they are, clearly and precisely
- Concentration of certain subjects
Other photographers at the time who were interested in objectivity
- Karl Blossfeldt
- August Sander
- Edward Weston
This is my favourite image by Albert Renger-Patzsch. Glasses of different sizes and forms have been laid out on a white table to create a visually interesting composition. The composition of this image has been thought through since the top edges of the glasses and the end of the shadows touch the corners of the image to fill the entire frame. The lighting, coming from the right hand side, is creating long shadows to dramatize the image and help define the form of the glasses. The formal element line can be seen through the shadows the glasses have casted. Since the image is in black and white, contrast is clearly visible through shadows and areas of highlight which help create depth to the image.
My response
To response to Albert Renger Patzsch photography work I will capture 100 or more images in black and white to replicate his style. I will take pictures using the Hipstamatic app on my iphone with the lens Florence and the film BlackKeysXF. The lens captures images clearly and the film makes them black and white instantly. I think that this effect creates lots of contrast and shows highlights and shadows effectively. After I have taken the 100 images, I will make a selection to have a smaller set of images.
