Comparing Francis Foot and Michelle Sank:

Both of the artists explore portrait photography and capturing citizens within different cultures. Within Sunk’s work she looks at randomly capturing different teenagers within different parts of the UK, to represent diversity and individualist, where as Foot was a family photographer who only captured upper class citizens of Jersey, who could afford for Foot to capture images of their family. This outlines how the methodology and type of portrait photography differs from one another, as well as the types of models that both photographers used to be apart of their photographic series. Conceptually, the two images have been taken for different reasons, and the reasons where considered important at the time the photographs where taken. In Foot’s work he showed the concept of family honour and purity, where as Sunk showcased the ideology of diversity and celebrating individualism, which creates a contrast but helps to showcase the time frame, presenting the contextual factors of things important at specific times in history, and change between the work of Foot and Sunk.

Visually, the two artists share similar compositions in order to showcase the subjects, the people within the photograph (main focus point of the image). In the classical piece, the photograph is taken at a straight on angle, putting the focus on the three children. The layout and positing of the children is kept simplistic and naturalistic, which helps to emphasise the purity of the children. The foreground is kept simplistic, only having the children, and the background also follows the simplistic rule, by just having a field creating a sense of space. The quality of the camera helps to present a textural quality towards the piece. Similarly, in Sunk’s work the captured the main focus point at a straight on angle, as well as keeping the foreground and background simplistic and personal to the model, in order to clearly present their personality. The only difference made in the visual aspects of the two images is that, the positioning of the model in the contemporary piece is less naturalistic, which looses the sense of them presenting their real identity, as it seems that the girl could be putting on an act for the camera.

Technically speaking the two images are somewhat similar, one thing to consider when making this comparison is the quality of the camera during the classical piece and during the contemporary, again showcasing the sense of time. In the classical piece the shutter speed used is quick due to no intended blur. The ISO seems to be higher due to the noise presented in the photograph, however this could have been created by the poor camera quality. The exposure seems to be high, due to faces of the boys seem brighter as well as the background, creating a slight blur. This then showcases how a narrow depth of field is used as well as the aperture being low, making the three children the main focus point within Foot’s photography. The lighting is natural, from the sun making a more naturalistic image. Similarly, in Sunk’s work the shutter speed seems to be quick, due to no intended movement blur, as well as the ISO being low due to no noise produced by the natural/artificial lighting, sunlight alongside lamps located in the rooms, helping to light up the model. The whole frame seems to be in focus suggesting a wide depth of field as well as the aperture being high as the photograph is sharp. The white balance seems to be appropriate for the lighting used, a daylight setting, which allows a sense of warmth to be presented to the photograph. The similarity in the technical elements in the photographs, showcase the settings which make a high quality portrait photograph, no matter what the reasoning behind the imagery is.

To conclude, both images share the same simplistic and naturalistic methodology in order to showcase the subjects of the photographs, even though the conceptual and contextual factors significantly differ. Alongside the technical elements being similar which outlines what makes a successful portrait photograph and how even after a set period of time the same settings and methodology is still used, due to the success it brings to the final outcome. On the other hand, the two images differ significantly in conceptual and contextual factors, due to the time period , which was expected as both artists had different aims and ways around the broad topic of portrait photography.

Michelle Sank originates from South Africa, but left in 1978 and permanently moved to the United Kingdom ins 1987. Her passion within photography lies within portraits, as she “documents the diversity of young people” (Michelle Sank: http://www.michellesank.com/portfolios/my-self). This illuminates her passion of exploring social groups and the idea that everyone is unique and different. Sank’s recent photographic series ‘My.Self’ captures teenager’s in their “bedroom so that the objects and decoration within became metaphors for their individuality and their cultural contexts.” (Michelle Sank: http://www.michellesank.com/portfolios/my-self) which allows us to compare the way in which other’s live their lives and understand social norms in different cultures. It also suggests that a person’s living space symbolises who they are, from posters to bed covers all help to define the type of person we are and the personality/stereotypes we may hold as an individual.

Mood Board Showcasing Sank’s Photographic Series ‘My.Self’

Above are a selection of Sank’s photographs from the ‘My.Self’ series. No two images are the same, which follows the ideology that no two people are the same, allowing the point of her photographic series, of youth identity and diversity, to clearly be presented. The methodology behind Sank’s work is simplistic, she wanted to cover different cultures and social groups, so she went up to people on the street and asked to photograph them in their bedroom (natural environment) as well as explaining the reasoning behind her photographic series. This series lead her to travelling around the UK in order to capture all cultures, as well as capturing youths from Jersey Channel Islands, allowing links with my classical artist to be made. Her series was then transformed into a photo-book where she then added direct quotes from the subjects of the image, as they explain their views on where they live.

The above image showcases one of personal favourites from Sank’s photographic series ‘My.Self’. I was initially drawn to this image due to the different items within the young girls room, allowing me to gain an understanding of her life. Visually, we are presented with a girl who seems to be posing on her bed. Her make up and hair style makes her seem glamorous and seem well made up. Her outfit also matches her face and hair and can be considered elaborate, which represents her socio-economic status as being high. The positioning of the subject seems to be well thought out as she is propped up with straight posture, almost as if she was a professional model. Her bedcovers are subtle, which contradicts the extravagant pillows which surround the girl. The background is simplistic, with grey walls (which is modern day can be considered fashionable and popular amongst teenage girls). The image itself is taken at a straight on angle, allowing the teenage girl to be the main focus point. Braking down the composition has allowed me to understand the girl’s environment, which Sank considered to be a metaphor for the girls individuality and personality. This leads onto the conceptual and contextual factors of Sank’s work, as mentioned before she wanted to capture cross-cultural differences in teenagers and their natural environment and how it represents them as an individual. As a whole it allows us to celebrate the ameliorative ideology that everyone is unique and different. Technically, the camera settings used to capture the image above, and other images within the series, seems to be kept simplistic and minimalistic. The shutter speed seems to be quick, due to no intended movement blur, as well as the ISO being low due to no noise produced by the natural/artificial lighting, sunlight alongside lamps located in the rooms, helping to light up the model. The whole frame seems to be in focus suggesting a wide depth of field as well as the aperture being high as the photograph is sharp. The white balance seems to be appropriate for the lighting used, a daylight setting, which allows a sense of warmth to be presented to the photograph. A lot of formal elements are being presented such as form, shape and space, which are mainly presented through the girl and the background of the frame.

Francis Foot:

Francis Foot was born in 1885, Jersey, were his father’s occupation was being a glass and china dealer, at a time were St. Helier was affluent. Francis Foot’s passion for photography started when phonograms and gramophone records were realised and he realised he could make a career out of it, thus leading his family open up another store, where he worked as a photographer and they sold phonograms and gramophone records.

The time at which Francis worked, helps to showcase the cultural and aspects of society, which illuminates the classical work during the early 20th century. His interest in photography lies with portraiture work, were he captured citizens of Jersey. He looked at producing family portraiture, in the subjects natural environment, usually somethings which has personal value to the subjects. Occasionally Foot would capture his own family, and sometimes appear in the images. The background often had different objects located, which signified the wealth and personal lives of the subjects. Foot produced imagery which showcased the formality of the families, outlining their importance and wealth, and combined it with the natural environment of the Island, creating an interesting series of images.

I have decided to analyse the image above, which is a portrait of the three children of Foot. Conceptually, he wanted to showcase the wealth of his children, and the good life that they have due to the financial situation of his parents, showcasing the contextual factor of how the class system affected Jersey Channel Island. The portrait almost brags about the ideology that Foot is proud to have legacy to his family, and document’s the beginning of these children’s lives. Visually, we are presented with his three children in the foreground, centre of the photograph, who are all dressed in white clothes. The colouring of the clothes could represent the purity of the family, again presenting the conceptual factor of wealth and upper class. The positioning of the children do not seem to be pre planned as they are not all facing the camera and are at different angles, this could be because children are difficult subjects to position and then capture, or it can represent the naturalistic stylisation Foot consistently showcased in his work. The background of the photograph seems to be dirty and displeasing, which creates a contrast between the children and the environment, illuminating the importance of the children in their life. Technically, the camera quality would not be as good as a modern camera, due to the development of technology, making it harder to analyse technical elements, but the quality of the imagery help to showcase the contextual factor within the image. The shutter speed used is likely to be quick due to no intended blur. On the other hand the ISO seems to be higher due to the noise presented in the photograph, however this could have been created by the poor camera quality. The exposure seems to be high, due to faces of the boys seem brighter as well as the background, creating a slight blur. This then showcases how a narrow depth of field is used, making the three children the main focus point within Foot’s photography. The main formal elements presented in Foot’s work is space and texture, which is presented through the environment and the subject’s. As mentioned previously the photographs are taken in the model’s natural environment, thus this is taken outdoors, which informs us that natural sunlight was used in order to capture the above image. Due to Foot’s work being captured in the early 20th century, means that all images would be in black and white. Needless to say, the black and white and the sun create a warm atmosphere which juxtaposes the facial expressions of the children.