The original, images witch I have created do have the intended “nostalgic” feel to them with the use of film within the photoshoots. In order to add some points of contrast and interest it would be suitable to do some editing with them, wether that be adding filters or using various other editing techniques in order to create further meaning within these images.
In order to carry forward this theme, I will continue to use film throughout my other photo shoots as this will fit in well with the theme of my photo book which I intend to make by hand. I feel as though these images belong in a medium which isn’t perfect and printed by a machine as it would contrast too much with the images. The themes which I am tackling with these images also tie together with poverty meaning that it would only be appropriate that the book is no made in a way which is clean and sharp.
EDITS:
INTENT/EFFECT:
As the graininess and warmth nature are two aspects which I enjoy a lot about the photos and think is very effective, I have firstly played around with a simple trace and drag technique to the images. With these edits, I have simply traced around the images and dragged the outlines slightly to the sides in order for them to be clearly viewed. I find that this was very effective in terms of adding another point of interest to the images. These lines provoke ideas of fragility and childhood as they are rugged and un neat. As I intend to work in a similar way as the photos in the photo book “red string”, these messy edits would fit in perfectly with the theme, giving them a hand made feel with the imperfect line work.
Book in hand: how does it feel? Smell, sniff the paper.
Cardboard on front cover – makes the book thicker, more sturdy . Some pages thicker than others – makes book feel like it is changing as you read – reader engagement
Paper and ink: use of different paper/ textures/ colour or B&W or both.
Different colours of paper. Glossy and matte paper, all black and white on white paper with black ink
Format, size and orientation: portraiture/ landscape/ square/ A5, A4, A3 / number of pages.
Black soft cover with hard cover pasted over the top – Hard cover features printed image. Soft spine slightly embossed.
Title: literal or poetic / relevant or intriguing.
Poetic, Intriguing
Narrative: what is the story/ subject-matter. How is it told?
Story told through images of large geological structures in nature contrasted with images of smaller chunks of chalk taken in studio which have been Sculpted by man vs the larger structures being sculptured by nature.
Structure and architecture: how design/ repeating motifs/ or specific features develops a concept or construct a narrative.
lines sculpted into rocks to follow lines of pedestal they are displayed on.
Design and layout: image size on pages/ single page, double-spread/ images/ grid, fold- outs/ inserts.
Variety of different image layouts – single page (full-bleed), multiple images per page, several sizes of image, loose inserts for text
Editing and sequencing: selection of images/ juxtaposition of photographs/ editing process.
nice contrast between studio and landscape images. Juxtaposition between locations per page. Includes both low and high key lighting.
Images and text: are they linked? Introduction/ essay/ statement by artists or others. Use of captions (if any.)
Opening text links to the rest of the images and story
This is the editing process of one of the images from the shoot:
First I applied the exposure filter; raising the exposure and offset values, whilst lowering the gamma correction value. I also applied a 50% grey layer on top of this, which i added the noise filter to, adding coloured as well as monochromatic gaussian style noise. I also but a black bar over the model’s eyes to conceal their identity, as part of an ongoing theme throughout my project.
I noticed the way the model is grabbing the other model’s jacket resembles cracking from an earthquake, or perhaps an explosion. So I decided to edit the photo further in a way that will help exaggerate this. So first I selected the area of the hand.Next I bumped up the vibrance and saturation as high as they would go.Then i selected the other model’s hand, further in the background.And I applied the same filters to it.I also selected an area of the jacket around the hand in the foreground.I then increased the brightness and contrast as high as they would go. This exaggerates the creases in the coat, and matches the almost cartoon style of the hand.Finally, I removed all effects from the hand in the background, as it took the focus away from the foreground, which is what I was aiming for.This is the final image.
These are the raw images from the photo shoot; I tried to take photos which capture events in this shoot, and tell a story, more than the previous set.
The Notion of Family (2014) is Frazier’s photographic series which aims to tell the narrative of her African-American family whom are struggling to come to terms with oppression (prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority) in Braddock, a suburb of Pittsburgh, and the negative physical and psychological effects of the city’s steel industry. The paperback photo-book also looks at the impact of racism in the small suburb as well as the decline in the community and family, showing her personal and political viewpoint towards this topic. In this she explore three generations of her family who have lived through these issues: her grandmother, mother and herself which reinforces the personal attitudes towards her imagery, who “lives parallel the rise and fall of the steel mill industry,” (Frazier:2014) . Critics refer to her photographs as a “weapon” of choice against racism, intolerance and poverty. This series about the substandard living conditions, hardships and withering effects of the pollution-borne illness that have effected the three women, on top of their struggles to survive, Frazier illuminates the human cost of political indifference and neglect. This begins to explain the conceptual and contextual factors of her work and how it has influenced her narrative.
“The Notion Family responds to that call to suspend the passive aesthetics that turns abject poverty into an object of enjoyment” (Frazier:2014:’So Present So Invisible’)
The quote above comes directly from Frazier during an interview with David Company, who gains insight into her recent project ‘The Notion Family’. In this she supports her conceptual representation of showcasing the negative impact of poverty into the suburb and how it has massively impacted her family, whom are African-American. She suggests that the photographic book stops us from being susceptible, as viewers, and fully understand the crisis and the issue that she is raising through her imagery, which is done as a form of enjoyment and entertainment to us. Personally, I believe that she is correct in what she is saying as her imagery holds powerful political and personal response to this issue, as the message is at the forefront of the images. This is reinforced by the use of words, verbatim from her family, which reinforces these viewpoints, and allows us to become a more active viewer and allows the message to be more susceptible to the issue arising.
“I helped Gabriella Kessler and Jean-Loic Portron by informing them about African-American families and residents that remain voiceless and invisible to mainstream media” (Frazier:2014:’So Present So Invisible’)
During her interview with David Company she explains how and clearly presents her conceptual elements within the photographic series and how it links into the contextual factors. In the quote above she is simplifying the point that her race, African-American, are being ignored by society leaving them to be seen and not heard. She talks about how a she helped tow people who work for the media understand this topic, as it is an issue which is ignored by journalists, thus these issues are not raised with the world. This presents the theme of neglect and really illuminates how poorly treated Frazier and her family are, thus emphasising the conceptual factors of her work. With the statement made above, I believe that what she is saying is true, as after reading around her work it is mainly art critics who are writing about the issue, but no other media source such as the news.
“I am obliged to document and counter this reality, and ultimately re-imagine and rewrite it myself.” (Frazier:2014:’So Present So Invisible’)
Above she is describing how she feels almost forced to outline these issues of racial discrimination in Pittsburg and document how it is affecting these people’s lives, in hope that she can changed the way in which they are treated and “counter this reality” so equality is accomplished within the small suburb. She talks about how this photographic series almost acts as her imagination, how she wants to reshape and create a better world were all races, genders, religions etc are treated equally with respect. Personally, I some what agree to what she is saying, after looking through the series the images hold a pejorative tone which only outline the state at which the town is in now and not the future. However, I believe this is done to also make the viewers reimagine what the town could look like.
Visual and Technical:
The photograph above is one my favourite outcomes from Frazier’s ‘The Notion Family’ photographic series. When looking at the image, initially out eyes are drawn to the woman’s eye in the background, located in the centre of the frame, thus making this the main focal point of the photograph. Moving around the image out eyes then move to the two models and then onto the plain background, which emphasises their race of African-American, due to the patterned curtain in the background of the imagery. Both models are wearing lounge wear with wig caps on suggesting they are in an environment where they feel safe. The women in the foreground is covering half of the other subjects face and has her eye closed which emphasises the concept that their race is only being seen and not heard and are almost voiceless and forgotten within the small suburb. In addition, the facial expressions on the women also suggest the ideology of a sense of being forgotten. The frame has a sense of space, which works well with the other formal elements of texture and pattern. The photograph itself is taken at a straight on angle with it being presented in black and white, allowing high tonal contrast to be presented, illuminating the texture. The portrait is taken as a landscape, which suggests that it is a wide and on going issue in the suburb, and is in the style of a head shot, which juxtaposes the actual reasons for a head shot.
Technically, Frazier’s work is simplistic which allows the conceptual and contextual representations to be the forefront of her work. The lighting used would have been artificial through studio lighting and lighting readily found in that room. The light source is soft and can be considered cold, which illustrates the brutality of this reality and how it has negatively impacted the families life. This works well with the low ISO which is used as no intended noise is being presented within the imagery. As well as the white balance being accurately set to an in door setting allowing for clear colour correction, illuminating the tonal contrast within the frame. In addition to this, the shutter speed is kept to a quick capture as there is no movement or intended blur within the frame of the photograph, which helps to compliment the ISO setting used. The aperture which has been used is roughly a medium setting as to some extent there is a narrow depth of field being used, as the background is slightly more blurred compared to the foreground. Due to this it creates a little blur which reinforces the ideology of the family being forgotten about in society.
Action Plan:
To further my understanding of the techniques and stylistic features of Frazier, I will implement these techniques into my next photoshoot. I intend to photograph my grandparents lifestyle through black and white portraits in order to raise viewers understanding of their social situation, employing similar conceptual reasoning towards my next photoshoot.
WHERE: Within my personal study, I will be focusing on 3 main areas of study , personal, external and internal. The persona aspect of my project I will be looking at my own personal journey and the ways in which my family has occupied Jersey, capturing images of my own home. The external aspect of my project will be focusing on the exterior aesthetic o low cost housing within Jersey. Lastly the interior aspect of my project will done within empty properties, arranging viewings with estate agents in order to do so.
WHEN: in order to capture the exterior photo shoots, I will be attempting to capture them during more gloomy and overcast days as I feel this will add to the themes associated with the topic at hand which is all about control and institutional discrimination.
WHO: My project will be focusing less on people but rather places, I will be using documentary style photography in order to carry out my shoots, focusing on the state of the housing market and the truth of affordable housing.
WHY: The topic at hand is personal to both me and a large population of Jersey. Immigrants, young people and the elderly, making it almost out of reach to buy or rent property which lives up to suitable standards.
HOW: I will be using a mixture of both film and digital photography in order to carry out my photo shoots. A theme which I also want to convey through my work photography as it will be linking to the impacts of trauma and childhood.
SUCCESSFUL IMAGES:
IMAGE ANALYSIS:
VISUAL:
I find that the overall visual appeal of this image comes from the film which I developed, having a grainy texture and golden overcast which provokes feelings of nostalgia as if the image was taken by your relatives in the 80’s. Visually and on a surface level the image is not extraordinary, capturing a very mundane scene, but adding the contextual information means that there is more to the image than the eye can see. The first thing which strikes the viewer is the dark and dingy scene of the garages and dustbins on the outside, the ye being drawn to the bright white writing on in the center of the image. Another major aspect of this image is the light. The sun is hitting from the top right side of the image, totally illuminating the sky and casting a deep shadow on the left hand side of the image.
TECHNICAL:
This image is a physical print copy of the film which I developed using a disposable camera, the overall aesthetic aspects of film meant that I had wanted to work with it for a long time. It is a difficult medium to work with for three reasons. Firstly taking the images is like a shot in the dark as you cannot see a preview up until the images are printed. Secondly there are restriction as to how many images you are able to take due to the use of film, I for instance could only take 39 images meaning that each shot had to be planned and meaningful as it would be wasteful to take any old shot, and even with careful planning some shots were unusable as they were either too dark or over exposed. Lastly the cost factor of creating these images was also a large part to the difficulty as disposable cameras can be quite pricey depending on the quality, mine being £11, also costing £9 to develop the images meaning it is not a viable source of images if images need to be taken quickly and efficiently.
CONCEPTUAL:
Going back to the theme of nostalgia and wanting to home in on this, Using film was an effective way to achieve this. When looking at the image, one of the first feelings which is provoked is nostalgia with the grainy, warm nature of the final prints, looking like family archival images which have been taken from the attic, dating back to the 80’s. I want to to retain this feeling throughout my images as it is a different approach to modern digital photography. Using a medium such as film makes me appreciate photography on a deeper level by making me consider each shot before taking it due to the material restraints of using film. Each shot has to be planned and considered as this isn’t a priority anymore when using digital photography. Even if each shot is not perfect, I will be including each shot as this will reflect the “take what you can get” approach of housing as people will, in desperate times, take whatever comes their way.
CONTEXTUAL:
States figures suggest the elderly, younger people and smaller families are struggling to find suitable and affordable accommodation in the private sector. A reflection of this struggle can be seen within the social and low cost housing of Jersey. Currently demand outweighs supply therefore the need for affordable housing is in more need than ever.
EDITING IDEAS:
An idea which I found to be quite interesting in terms of the visual aspects of the image is tracing the outlines within the image and then moving this traced layer to one side, creating a sort of child like drawing which can be seen a top of the original. Although not directly linked to any contextual information to the image, I find that this editing technique is an effective way to give an image a stronger focal point and to draw interest.
The desire for a photo graphical image to reflect and resemble a painting spurred the onset of pictorialism. Early pictorialsim portrayed romantic and religious themes, Reflective of the art forms of interest at the time. Women were mostly photographed due to the idea at the time being that males were seen as higher earners than women due to the gender pay gap, so therefore, Men were rarely the subjects of images and woman were therefore the subjects as a result as the men would typically be out working, whereas the women would typically be at home taking care of the children and doing household chores.
Structural elements of typical pictorialism, such as the joining together and combination of different images to form a composite image as a result. The recreation of atmospheric effects in nature are also a predominant feature and there is a heavy focus on tonality and focus within images. Pictorialism inspired works are typically framed and displayed in an aesthetically pleasing manner
This image, By Sebastian Geithner, Depicts a man on horseback, flanked on both sides by very large trees. The size of the trees is being utilised here to present the idea of the sheer mass and power of nature, and the darker tones within the image almost convey an idea of pending doom when compared to the bright white of the horse and the minuscule size of it in comparison to the surrounding landscape
Street Photography 1930s- Present Day
Street photography is a photographical movement that arguably changed the course of portrait photography as we know it, by essentially capturing one off candid moments of people in urban environments. Street photography is said to have roots in Paris, With photographers such as Henri-Cartier Bresson being pioneers within the movement itself. Street photography aims to explore the human figure itself and Humanity’s interaction with everyday life and situations within an urban environment. Many street photographers also tend to interact with their subjects as a form of gaining context to a persons background and the situation being photographed. Street photography has been used throughout the years as a platform to adress issues to the public, such as homelessness, poverty and racism. Street photography aims to be spontaneous and capture a moment in time, with the prime purpose of telling a story and highlighting the subjects interaction with their environment. Street photography can also be classed as documentary photography dependent on the approach of the photographer. If a photographer is less spontaneous and more precise with capturing images with the sole intent of telling the story of the subject, then Street photography can fall into the bracket of documentary photography.
This image, taken by Martha Cooper, Depicts children in an extremely rundown area of New York City playing with old discarded car tires. The image presents to us an idea of freedom within a world of poverty and oppression, as well as the innocence of children in contrast to the harsh reality of poverty. This image in particular portrays poverty due to not only the rundown area in the background, but also the attire of the children themselves, wearing tattered shorts and generally looking dirty and grubby. The idea that they are entertaining themselves with items that are considered as not of use to the average person and discarded as rubbish further highlights the theme of poverty within the image
The Red String was a book produced by a man named Yoshikatsu Fujji. The first page we are confronted with a separation between 2 striking images. The first picture on the left, is of his young father with a him as a baby whilst the one on the right is his mother holding the same child in the same environment.
Right from the beginning, we are presented with an element of separation which is what Fujii is trying to incorporate through the split of his parents. Right from the beginning, the separation is evident. Already the mother and father figure in the photo are also separated but the child stays In both pictures.
What follows on the inside is a well thought out, properly constructed, book to capture the theme of separation and how and why it affected him the way it did. Flipping through each page contains a meaningful archival image either his parents wedding images, family photos, snapshots from his youth and objects with sentimental value. Fujji having done some interviews on this piece of work once said ” “My family will probably never meet all together again. But I can feel without a doubt that there is still proof inside each of us that we once lived together.”
As Fujii explains in the text at the back of the book, there is a Japanese legend that says predestined lovers are tied together by an invisible piece of red string, from the moment they are born. While that red string between his mother and father was apparently sundered, Fujii offers his Red String as a way to bind these losses back together.
Thus, the structure and layout of the book, combined with the fascinating mix of photos (old, new, black and white, color, abstract) blend together perfectly, offering an intimate artistic experience. It is exactly the kind of experience that is the unique province of this ever-changing, but loosely bound together thing we call the photobook
To what extent can we trust documentary photography to tell the truth about reality?
“The process of manipulation starts as soon as we frame a person, a landscape, an object, or a scene with our cameras: we choose a portrait or landscape format” (Bright, S. and Van Erp, H. 2019; 18)
The quote above raises a valid point on how artists are constantly manipulating photographs, even when they are not aware, in order to create a captivating images for viewers. This point allows us to consider how photography is a form of secondary data, making our analysis of what seems to be reality within the image unreliable, creating the argument of how documentary photographs do not truthfully depict reality
My personal investigation looks at my grandparent’s lifestyle and how it has been influenced by the time period they grew up in, the 1940’s. I have explored the influence of religion and spirituality, gender roles within the family structure and social norms during this time period which are still present in their lifestyle to this day. Holding strong connections with my grandparents led me to want to base my project on them, as I know I will be able to easily retrieve useful insight into their lifestyle, enhancing the imagery I produce, on top of forming a piece of work in which my family will cherish. In this essay I aim to discuss the extent to which documentary photography accurately portrays reality, with reference to two documentary style photographers, Latoya Ruby Frazier and Walker Evans. In this essay I will be referring to Walker Evan’s photographic series entitled ‘let us now praise famous men’ and Latoya Ruby Frazier’s photographic series ‘The Notion of Family’. Analysing photographers who captured imagery in two different periods of time, contextual and contemporary comparison, allows me to illustrate whether the reliability has changed overtime or stayed consistent, providing a valid argument.
The art movement of realism and straight photography looks at creating imagery which showcase life how it is, this emerged in the 1840’s. Artists who work within this area look at raising social and cultural issues relevant within society at that time, in order to make the audience aware of this issue in hope something can be done to make a change. This area looks at documentary photography and photojournalism to document the events which are occurring. Artists stick to the original techniques and purpose of photography, the use of photography for science, to create detailed, sharp images showcasing real life. Henry Fox Talbot created the calotype, which is said to be the basis for how photography is practised today in documenting everyday life. The calotype was done by creating a paper negative, exposing a sheet of paper coated with silver and chloride to a light source. His photographs used a short exposure time and allowed multiple prints to be produced through one negative. He believed that photographs were the cause of light, the influence of nature, on a paper negative and is illustrated through optical and chemical means. Artist Louis-Jacques Mandé Daguerre, also shared this ideology behind image making and stated that photography “consists in the spontaneous reproduction of the images of nature received in the camera obscura, not with their colors, but with very fine gradation of tones.” (Daguerre Mandé, L-J. 1838). This illustrates how this art movement allows nature to present itself showing the reliability of imagery, which is then contradicted as it states its a spontaneous reproduction suggesting the accuracy of the imagery is reduced. Artist Frederick Henry Evans’ ‘A sea of a step’ clearly presents realism through the composition and use of the formal elements of light and space. Conceptually, the imagery portrays the climbing up the stairs, as if the stairs lead towards a euphoric feeling. “He drew on the Symbolist manner of using objects to directly express esoteric ideas.” (The Art Story – need help referencing this please). This use of symbolism creates a subjective perspective reducing the reliability of this art movement. Paul Strand took a different approach to capturing objects, using a macro technique with clear focus on light and shadow and the contrast between the two in order for the work to “be brutally direct; devoid of all flim-flam; devoid of trickery and of any ‘ism’; devoid of any attempt to mystify an ignorant public, including the photographers themselves.” (need help again referencing). This suggests how Strand’s work produces a more objective narrative which clearly depicts reality illustrating how this art movement can be truthful. Looking closely towards documentary photography, a style of photography which places into this art movement, artist Walker Evan’s and Latoya Ruby Frazier use portraiture to showcase the lifestyle of the subjects presented in the frame in their natural environment, somewhere familiar to them that they have a relationship with, but to what extent does these photographers accurately portray the subjects lifestyle? With my topic being based in my grandparent’s lifestyle, I felt that using documentary photography would be the most appropriate to showcase this, as well as the project looking social issues of family structure and gender roles being raised, thus drawing connections with realism and straight photography.
‘A Sea of Steps’ (1903) – Frederick Henry Evans
‘Bowls’ (1917) – Paul Strand
‘The Notion Family’ – Latoya Ruby Frazier
Allie Mae Burroughs, Hale County, Alabama (1936) – Walker Evans
Bibliography:
Bright, S. and Van Erp, H.(2019), Photography Decoded. London: octopus Publishing House
