Many families have photo albums, scrapbooks, heirlooms, or even a memory box which helps them to remember memories and look back on loved ones which might have passed. I think It’s a great way to give younger generations insights on what life was like, it can show them the difference through buildings to clothing and hairstyles. Its also a great way to remember stories as people may forget about stories but when looking back and family albums the memories can start flooding back in.
There is something about having photos in paper format, the vulnerability of that paper makes you take good care of the images helping preserve those memories and growing a closer bond to them. The fact that many peoples only memory of an ancestor is through an image is sad but makes you wonder the power that photography has; as it keeps that person alive in our memories and teaches other people about those times.
Nowadays we take multiple pictures on our phones and newer cameras; this can often lose the meaning of the photo as with older film cameras you were limited to the images you could take so people tried to make the images worth while.
Memory Alterations – Both Photographers reinserted their older selves in childhood pictures. This to the naked eye, looks like a straightforward simple photo; however the photo is normally composed of 2 or more photos, years apart, and joined to make one realistic image.
Conor Nickerson’s Childhood (2017) and Chino Otsuka’s Imagine Finding Me have both attracted international attention, with Otsuka exhibition even been show in in 16 different countries. These projects bring old memories back to life in a very realistic way through detailed editing and patience, these photographers have both produced incredible outcomes.
Conor Nickerson
Conor Nickerson is a photographer, videographer, and musician who is based in Montreal, Canada. He is currently working on shorty films and recording videos for musicians. He also works Freelance by shooting live music and taking professional portraits as well as working on his own independent projects such as Childhood (2017). In this project he gathered clothing hats and props appropriate to the time (of the childhood pictures) and set out to produce a series of images which are truly impressive and set at a professional standard. He describes this project as “Myself hanging out with myself, c. 1997-2005,”
Chino Otsuska
Chino Otsuka describes herself as a Visual Artist, She was originally born in Tokyo she now works and lives in London, UK. She uses different filming techniques to create a link between memories, time and photography, this is a “fluid” way of her expressing her thoughts and emotions through photography.
She describes her research to be based on her “autobiographical memory ” where she reworks her memories into her photography work, she also used public and private archives such as the British Library, UK and an artist residency in Nikkei National Museum in Canada.
Technical: In image 1 (left) the photographer seems to be using artificial light as it is indoors and the lights seems to be strongly coming from 1 direction. Whereas with image 2 (right) The lighting seems to be using natural/daylight lighting as the the lighting isn’t as strong. In both images the focal point are on the people in the image as they are the sharpest point of the image. 1 seems to have a medium to high sensitivity as the image although clear isn’t extremely sharp; whereas 2 has a low sensitivity as everything is sharper and looks more enhanced. In image two the colours definitely on the warmer side; as the red and brown tones really stand out; in image one the picture is also leaning towards the warmer tones with the colour of the guitar and the green jackets being my focal points of colour. Image 1 has a soft contrast which almost romanticizes the image as it feels like more of an old memory. In image 2, it has more of a harsher contrast which I think brings the colours to life however the image looks more recent due to the amount of detail.
Visual: In image 1 tone seems to be quite light and airy which I think works and most the colours are muted down but it makes the blue, red, orange and greens objects really pop which I quite like. In image two the tone is darker as the and quite the opposite to the first one, as mentioned before the red, black and brown tones play a big part in the image and change the whole contrast of the image although I think that the colours of the background take away from the photographer as one would argue that the colours with the harsh contrast can be a bit overwhelming as I think if there was more whites in the image then it would be better balanced. Texture in image 1 is shown through the clothing of the photographer and the walls, In image two texture is shown through the brick wall and the wooden door with a detailed design. In 1, Repetition is shown through the musical instruments and equipment and also in the photographers clothes both younger and older self. In image 2 repetition is shown through the bread and the semantic field of the colour red and brown. In both images the eye is lead straight to the photographers and then round the background.
Contextual & Conceptual: In image 1, the photographer is bringing back a musical memory, I think he might have chosen this image due to his passion for music, I think this image works well due to the background blending into the musical theme of the image. The fact that the photographer is wearing the same or very similar clothing to his younger self I think works well as it makes them look like siblings or like a father son act. In image 2 the image was taken in Paris France in 1982 and 2005. Here I think there is a happy memory in place as she chose to use this image. Especially as it wasn’t where she was born or is currently living in so it could potentially be the first time she tried a baguette when she was younger and in 20005 she decided to buy a new pastry that she hadn’t tried before and linked the two memories together.
The term ‘iconic’ can be defined as something or someone that is widely recognised or well-established, usually relating to a wider subject or matter such as a certain ideology or movement. In terms of photography, an image can be iconic in the same way, as it captures a certain time, movement, event or artistic style. Iconic images can be recognisable regardless of time and how old they may be.
In my opinion, any image that accurately represents an event or certain movement, whether political or artistic, can be described as an ‘iconic image’ as it serves as evidence for that subject/ event. In addition, the media theorist, C S Pierce, also defined an ‘iconic sign’ to be ‘A physical representation of what it stands for’. Meaning that any image (signifier) that accurately represents an event (the sign) could be labelled iconic.
This idea, would therefore make most images, especially candid, iconic images as they are representative for what they are displaying. However, many of the images that are defined as ‘iconic’ are ones that are heavily politically charge, conveying a strong message to its viewers. Therefore, a key component that WOULD make an image iconic would be the context behind that image, when was it taken, why was it taken and who is in the photo? Are there any metaphorical messages? what does the image represent – what themes are present? And finally, is the image reactionary or radical? (does it support or oppose the dominant ideologies)
For example, the following viral image was taken by Reuters photojournalist Dylan Martinez.
In this images there are many controversies and themes present. Overall, I would describe this image as Radical, as it goes against the dominant ideology of the white man being superior, as here it is evident that a black man is actually saving a white man – the roles ‘reversed’. One reason this image can be defined as ‘iconic’ as it represents change and strength; the man (ex-police officer) was attending a far-right demonstration, but is being saved by a man that he has strongly discriminated against. Instead of fighting against him for opposing him, he is trying to save him, a powerful message which also makes the image iconic. Evidently, this image is candid, not staged, taken in real time, expressing real and raw emotions.
Therefore, In order to answer the question ‘What makes an image iconic?’ there is a certain key that may help analyse images. Political conveyances, Any metaphorical messages, Power, Change, Conflict, Style (Candid) and primary context such as Who, What, When, Where and Why. All of these factors can be used to analyse an image in order to determine whether it is iconic and if so, how much. Overall, an iconic image may depend on the viewer, based upon their ideologies and societies influence on them on person may be emotionally moved by the top image however, some may not be and may oppose it.
