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AO1 Develop Ideas, Homework, Unit 1 Abstract

Claude Cahun & Clare Rae

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The CCA gallery displayed photographic works of Claude Cahun (1894-1954) and Clare Rae. Claude Cahun was an experimental queer artist and moved to Jersey in 1930 with her female partner Marcel Moore. Cahun’s self portrait photographs have become influential for artists dealing with questions of gender identity and the representation of the female body. While Clare Rae was in Jersey she photographed a series called ‘Never standing on two feet’ where she considered Cahun’s interaction with the physical and cultural landscapes of Jersey. The photographs Claude Cahun has captured in Jersey are intimate and explore an idea of self in the environment. While taking the images for her series, Clare had in mind Cahun’s photographic gestures and the result of a woman’s body aging over time.

The exhibition was displayed well with Claude Cahun’s work on one side of the room and Clare Rae’s on the other. Although their works were in separate room the space had a nice flow as there was a large opening to both ends so you could easily go from one room to the other and compare the similarities in their photographs. Unlike Rae’s, Claude Cahun’s work has been displayed in sections so you can progressively see how her photography has changed and how she has developed as a person by exploring her gender identity.

You can tell that Clare Rae has been inspired by Claude Cahun since her response to Cahun’s work is very similar. She has used Cahun’s style in her series by incorporating the human body into the natural environment as if they are part of it. Both works are in black and white and they both have blurred an indication of gender by only revealing certain parts of the body.

Je Tends les Bras

This image by Cahun depicts a rock with arms extended out. The person is blending themselves into the natural environment and becoming the rock. This photo explores identity since the viewer questions who the hands belong to. I think the hand gesture suggests an emotion of anger since Cahun is struggling with gender identity.  However, it’s difficult to tell because of the lack of body parts visible in the frame. Since she was queer it would of been difficult for her at the time to blend in with everyone else as it was uncommon. Because she is hidden behind the rock, I think it represents her struggling to show her true self to society.

Prison Stone, 2017

Clare Rae has gained influence from Cahun’s work since the person in the image is giving themselves into nature and becoming a part of it. She has shaped herself into the rock and seems to be in an uncomfortably position. Like the other image it is difficult for the viewer to tell the gender of the person since their face is not visible in the photo. This could also suggest a struggle with identity and perhaps the position represents them giving up with trying to fit in with everyone else. This has to be my favourite image from Clare Rae’s series because of how unsettling and eerie the photo is. It’s almost as if the person is drained and feels empty inside.

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, Unit 1 Abstract

Contact Sheet- Paper

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Contact sheets consists of many thumbnail photos which are printed on a single sheet of paper. They were regularly used in the days of film but their use went away when digital photography began. They can be used to review images so you can decide which ones you will delete, use and edit. I think that using contact sheets is an extremely intelligent way to start the editing process.

What each symbol means

Green circle: My favourite images 

Green square: I will use this image

Red X: I do not want this image/section

Orange ?: I am not sure if I should use this image 

F: This image is out of focus

L: The lighting is bad

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas, Unit 1 Abstract

Paper Photography

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Jerry Reed

Jerry Reed is an English photographer who focuses on contrast through shadows and highlights on a piece of paper.  Jerry Reed’s three year project called paper work has twenty-six image. In his studio he has shaped paper creating edges and volume with them. He lights the images dramatically using Fresnel lighting to emphasize the three dimensional forms. With this lighting he can manipulate the shadow transition making it shorter to emphasize form and line or longer to show surface texture. His inspirations for this paper project are Francis Bruguiere, Juroslav Rossler and Abelardo Morell.

Tamara Lorenz

Tamara Lorenz is a German artist who creates artwork by hand and then takes pictures of them to emphasize certain aspects of the piece.  Her photographs focuses on the abstract properties. Tamara Lorenz focuses more on the constructions she makes with the paper rather than light and shadow which Jerry Reed uses to enhance his paper work. She uses vivid, bold and strong complementary coloursto create contrast with the lines and shapes of her work. Every photograph is difficult to distinguish and makes it hard for the viewer to recognize what the subject really is. This makes her photographs visually interesting and abstract.

My Response

By looking at the two artists I will combine elements from both their work to create my response. I will use manipulate the light to create highlights and shadows on my paper like Jerry Reed’s paper work series. However, instead of having black and white pictures I will incorporate colour card to some of my images like Tamara Lorenz to create bold and vivid abstract photos. To experiment I will fold, tear and roll the paper to create different effects and compositions.

 

Best abstract images

With an A4 piece of paper I scrunched it up into a ball. By doing this I created form and depth with the shadows and highlights casted from the natural lighting. The background was taken with another sheet of A4 paper. I slightly curved the paper while taking the photo so it would appear like a never ending white background.  I like the composition of the photo and how your eyes focus on the scrunched paper since it’s the only object in the frame that has shape. This idea was inspired by the photographer Martin Creed.

I captured this photo by rolling a piece of paper into a tube and putting my phone lens through it to create a different perspective. I really like the blurred effect around the edge and how the main element in the picture is the focused black screen on the other side. The slight beam on the other side was created from the flash while taking the picture.

The most dominant aspect of this photo is the form created from the scrunched paper. The photo is taken up close and captures the detail of the creases. This photo is abstract as it appears to look like a mountain landscape. Highlights are created at the peaks from the light above and shadows are casted down below. The form of the paper covers the whole image making it visually interesting.

To create this image I curved a singular piece of paper twice to create an unusual form. For the background I placed a yellow piece of card so colour would shine through and make it visually appealing. While taking the picture I slightly moved the camera to create a motion blur which came out with an interesting effect. This is one of my favourite abstract images of paper since its very difficult to distinguish what it is since it appears to look like its part of a sculpture.

I used several pieces of coloured card for this image to make it vibrant. Thecurved lines are very effective in this photo as they create a more graceful composition. The composition also makes it appear like it’s a book since they are all coming out from one corner. The black background ,that can be seen below the card, contrasts greatly with the colour and makes it visually interesting since they both stand out from each other.

This abstract photo makes the card appear like a curve of a building. The shadow areas are dark and contrast greatly with the blue making it stand out. The right hand side area is focused making you pay attention to the lines created from the curve.

Favourite outcome

This is the best outcome out of all the abstract pictures I captured on my Canon camera. The composition consists of layers which has been created with two different coloured card and two A4 pieces of paper. The layering creates an interesting composition because paper has been laid out in different directions. The four layers create a sense of depth to the image as it progressively gets darker further back. The folded paper that I used on one of my previous images was incorporated into this image because it creates texture which a flat piece of paper doesn’t. The folded areas cast shadows in the direction the light is shining; this creates dark lines and contrasts with the highlights that are seen at the peaks of the folds. I used Jerry Reed’s technique of using light to dramatically emphasizes the dimensional forms of the paper. While editing the image I increased the highlights and shadows so the dramatic light that comes from the side becomes more defined. My favourite element of this image is the blue triangle because the colour pops and catches your attention since it’s vibrant and bold compared to the rest of the photo.  The colour aspect of the photo was inspired by Tamara Lorenz who uses vivid colours in her crafted paper works.

AO1 Develop Ideas, AO2 Explore Ideas, AO3 Record Ideas, AO4 Present Ideas, Component 1 Personal Investigation, Homework, Unit 1 Abstract

Abstract

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Ernst Hass

Ernst Hass was born in Vienna in 1921 and decided to do photography after the war. His early work on Austrian returning prisoners of war brought him to the attention of LIFE magazine but he declined the job as a staff photographer in order to keep independence. In 1951 he moved to the US and began to experiment with Kodachrome colour film. He soon became the first colour photographer of the 1950s. In 1962, his work was the first color photography exhibition held at New York museum of modern art. Throughout his career he has traveled and taken pictures for publications such as LIFE, Vogue and Look.

Style

  • Pioneer of colour
  • Abstract, lines, reflections, texture
  • Creating mood through colour and light
  • Beauty from the mundane

Hass used a lot of black and white film for most of his career but colour film became very important to his photography. He frequently used techniques such as shallow depth of field, selective focus and blurred motion to create metaphorical works. Once he began working in colour he often used Kodachrome which is known for its saturated colours. To print his colour work he used a dye transfer process which is expensive and a complex process and allowed for great control over colour hue.

Ernst Hass shows beauty in mundane views or objects. Most of his photography involves creating simple but eye catching pictures, ones that are heavy with texture, have beautiful light and create feelings through colour. Ernst Hass takes simple pictures by finding something fascinating and paying close attention to it. He captures detail through his zoomed in images, making it hard to distinguish what it is. Ernst Hass takes things down to their simplest elements to make it interesting for the viewer.  I like the vivid colours you see through his images and the concept of making everyday things that we see look visually stunning. To respond to his work I will focus on elements in nature as well as building structures to create images that have a seemingly unreal appearance from the real object.

My Response

Best abstract images

As you get increasingly close to a subject the detail that was not apparent at regular viewing distance will emerge as an abstract photograph. In this case the detail of the stigma is captured instead of the form of the flower. The petals and shadows casted have been blurred in the background so the colour yellow stands out in the image creating a visually interesting photo.

By capturing a section of the fan palm I have filled the entire frame with the subject, eliminating the unwanted background making the image appear abstract. The different shades of green fill the entire picture creating visual impact. The diagonal lines make the image more dynamic and provide a better overall balanced composition. They add a strong visual interest and make your eyes travel across the photo. They are dominant in the image and are the main focus point.

The zoom lens has captured close detail on the leaf as well as texture which can be shown through the focal points.  The curved lines coming out the stem are very effective in this photo as they create a more graceful composition.  By rotating the photo I created a different orientation, making the image more interesting. The shadows casted on the leave also catch the viewers attention and create a sense of depth to the picture.

The various width of lines are the main attention in this photo. Since this photo was taken up close you can see lots of detail and texture to the bark. Most of the lines are curved and seamless and create a smooth effect to the image. There’s a lot going on in the image because of the amount of detail captured, creating an unfamiliar image.

To capture this image I held a dream catcher towards the sunlight so that a light source would shine through the netting. By manipulating the lighting I created shadows and highlights to add depth and interest to my image. The feathers on the right hand side are out of focus by motion so that the main focal point is on the pattern of the dream catcher. I like the composition of the photo and how the foreground is slightly blurred to create layers.

To take this photo I scrunched a bunch of towels together to create an interesting form. The composition is complex and interesting and makes it appear like a ‘landscape’. Texture from the towels can be seen in the front and slowly begins to blur out further away. The aspect of the photo which most grabs the viewers attention is the different shades of blue which greatly contrast with each other.

This photo is of feathers that hang down a dream catcher. Most of the image is blurred since I moved the object side to side so it could create an effect of motion. I like how the photo only captures the edges of the feathers while the rest has been unfocused. The further back, the more blurred it becomes creating a sense of depth which the shadows and highlights also help create.

The sharp vertical line in the middle is the first thing that grabs your attention when looking at the image. I like how one side is focused while the other is blurred. Even through the blurred side the colour is still visible and creates interest to the image. The light specs can also be seen in the background, creating highlight.

The rectangle shapes form structure to the image and attract the viewers attention. These strong geometrical shapes with straight edges give the photo a powerful visual impact. The shadows casted by the overlapping wood panels create layers to the photo and make it visually interesting.

Evaluation

My understanding of abstract photography has changed throughout the photo shoots as I have learned different techniques on how to create an abstract image. At the start, most of my abstract images were close ups of subjects to make them appear unrealistic. Later on I learned that you can create abstract images by taking pictures of objects with dynamic shapes, texture, patterns, lines and curves, shadows etc. As long as the photo appears seemingly unreal it will count as an abstract photograph. My photos later on did become better abstract images because they had interesting compositions and were becoming more complex than a close up of a subject. The editing afterwards also enhanced my photos to make them appear more abstract however, to create more effect I could of used Photoshop as it has more editing tools to use and experiment with.

Favourite outcome

My favourite abstract image out of the ten is the section of the fan palm. Since the photo is a close up of the subject it appears to look different from what it actually is. When I look at the picture I see stairs because of the wide diagonal lines and the different shades of green that fill the entire frame. My favourite aspect of the photo are the lines since they help make the image more dynamic and provide a better overall balanced composition. The lines are the main feature of the photo because they are dominant and makes the image visually interesting since your eyes travel across. The lighting which is coming from the left hand side helps dramatize the form of the plant since the right hand side becomes darker through shadow, creating an illusion of a staircase. To further emphasize this aspect, I edited the image so there would more shadow; This made the photo a better abstract picture. This image is inspired by Ernst Hass work since the saturation of the colouris high and he has lots of bold colours in his photography. The composition is also well balanced and is simple at the same time which is what make Ernst Hass photos visually interesting and stunning.