For my personal response to the stimulus of ‘Love’, I’m aiming to take formal and candid images of someone who holds significant sentimentality to me. To capture this person successfully, I’m interested in experimenting with environmental portraits, in order to incorporate aspects of my subject’s personal life which have aided in developing them as a person – a hobby, like dancing, for example.
Why am I photographing this?
The reason for this is that it’s a response to Chloe Jafe’s work, who empowered Yakuza women and captured their dedication to their male counterparts. In my shoot I aim to express the applaudable commitment and enthusiasm my subject has towards their passion.
Where do I intend to carry out this shoot?
I’m planning on carrying out this shoot in multiple locations, preferably ones that hold significance to my subject.
Location 1- Begin in the Photo studio. Practice formal and candid images to get the subject comfortable in front of the camera
Location 2- St Ouens. Beach and Sea holds significance to my subject.
How am I capturing these images?
I’m concerned with the aesthetic quality of my images. Due to the theme being on Love, I intend to capture the lighthearted nature of the concept. A step towards achieving this is using a photogenic person as my subject; someone who is confident and comfortable in front of the camera. I also aim to capture someone who’s exuberant and able to express the childlike and playful nature of love.
I’m going to take 3/4 body shots, full-body shots and head-shots to capture both body language and facial expressions in detail. Additionally, I’m going to experiment with the axis of the frame, having the subject take up the entirety of it or just the ‘golden third’ to see the difference it makes from a viewer’s perspective.
Photoshoot
Studio: Formal
Studio: Candid
Outside/Environmental: Formal
Outside/Environmental: Candid
Final selection:
Editing process:
1.
I began by using a spot removal tool in Lightroom to remove the smudges that have appeared on my image due to damage on the photo lens. The tool colour matches each area selected with a similar shade found within the image.
To enhance the image, I decreased the exposure and increased the contrast to set the base for my photo. I then increased the highlights and whites to diminish the dullness of the background. Having done this i decreased the black tones (-17) and increased saturation, resulting in a more vibrant and contrasted image.
To improve the composition of the image, I experimented with cropping. Using a 4×3 aspect, I lined up the image so my subject is present within the ‘golden third’. Having the plastic wall feature placed in the top left hand corner creates a ‘spot’, allowing the audience’s eyes to be directed around the image. The horizontal lines of the background act as a composiotnal tool to fill them frame and direct the viewer from the top corner back to the subject within the photo.
Born on the 3rd of January 1882, Edward Dale was a skilful photographer who took hundreds of landscape photos, including documentation of a range of events in Jersey, giving him the title of amateur ‘photojournalist’. Alongside these, Dale took a number of environmental portraits of islanders at the time.
In 1913, Dale entered the Jersey Eisteddfod (the photographic competition), resulting in him winning four 1st place prizes and two 2nd place prizes. He went on to have 40 of his images published on postcards in 1914, with many numbering as the most iconic images in Jersey during that time period.
Examples of images taken by Edwin Dale
As a photojournalist, the intention behind many of Dale’s photos were to purely document what and who interested him in Jersey, by scoping out individuals at their homes or places of work. This contrasts to the work of other photographers at this time, who tended to have studios set up in St. Helier where wealthy individuals to approach them and pay for formal portraits to be taken of them.
Photo analysis
Edwin Dale, ‘A Penny-farthing bicycle’
This image is presented in black and white, though not by intention, which reflects the era in which the image was taken. Additionally, the image is slightly out of focus, due to the long shutter speed of cameras of that time.
Dale’s image is an environmental portrait of an islander in Jersey between 1910 and 1920. As he was renowned for photojournalism, Dale likely took this portrait as he took a particular interest in the subject. Dale’s image portrays a man standing behind a penny-farthing bicycle in what appears to be a garage or shop of sorts, with a potential bicycle covered by a tarpon in the background. The man is dressed in a suit and an overcoat, an outfit implying that the subject doesn’t work for the place in which he’s standing. Perhaps he’s someone of higher importance, such as a manager or shop-owner, or perhaps he is a customer looking for a product.
Despite being a candid image, the wide and upright stance of the subject presents a natural sense of power, importance and dominance. His face is neutral but shows entitlement and privilege- with furrowed eyebrows and a strong gaze towards something, he seems expectant. Whether it’s an issue with the bicycle or a purchase he’s willing to make, the gaze makes it clear that he is more focused on the probable person attending him than on the bicycle, emphasising the dominance he has and the pressure he may assert on other individuals.
Furthermore, Dale utilities the natural light present through the skylight to illuminate the subject from above. This highlights the subject completely, keeping the main focus on him despite the busy background. The light also shows the polished shoes of the man, implying that he takes care of his appearance, further asserting the importance of the figure.
Moreover, the juxtaposition between the well-kempt, orderly appearance of the subject and the disordered, unorganised nature of the setting intensifies the idea that this is not the natural environment for the subject. This creates ambiguity as to who the person is and what role he played within Jersey society at the time.
Contempory context
Chloe Jafe
Jafe is a French photographer renowned for infiltrating the world of the Japanese mafia (otherwise known as the Yakuza). Her photographic series ‘I give you my life’ gives a voice to the notoriously closed subculture of women associated with the Yakuza and in turn celebrates the bravery of those who have given their lives to the men behind it .
‘Inochi Azukemasu (I give you my life)’ [2018]
The women in her images said their motivations for getting their tattoos (irezumi) were about love and strength- being in and falling out of love, feeling strong and having the need to feel strong. The painful process for getting the tattoos includes being done by hand with a wooden handle and a needle which requires endurance and perseverance as they can take years to complete. Some women say their incentive for getting the tattoos were to “…live like the man I’m in love with”. Others say that looking at their naked body without tattoosmade them feel “weak”.
Ultimately, the women feel as though their tattoos are a way to mark their independence from society. This takes bravery as they’re clearly conveying their allegiance to the Yakuza, placing themselves outside mainstream society. But this can also be seen as courageous due to the fact that the Yakuza men will never fully accept these women as members, due to the acute gender disparity within the group.
Whilst the Yakuza are major players in Japanese society, their women, often invisible, are not considered as members.
Chloe Jafe
Jafe calls attention to the differences between how these women view themselves and how they are perceived by men. In images which includes mixed gender groups, it’s apparent that the women hold subservient roles. But these ideals are juxtaposed by the portraits shes created. The images are highly intimate, not only breaking the gangster-stereotype the Yakuza holds, but also making them appear independent, empowered and formidable.
Contextually, this portrait by Jafe conveys a lot of meaning. With her only access to the Yakuza being through the men, her charming and harmless nature led to the wives and girlfriends viewing her with suspicion. Only after making friends and gaining the trust of these women was she able to capture this portrait.
The image is formal, with both parties knowing the image is being taken, it clearly represents the confidence and freedom from suspicion both parties have with one another. Additionally the placement of the subject shows the underground secrecy of the community. The background creates a highly ambiguous image, showing a lack of placement within society, highlighting how these women and individuals in the Yakuza are outlaws to Japan.
As well as emphasising context, Jafe’s choice of background keeps the focus on her subject. The contrast between the dark tones of the background and the clothing of her subject aids in this. The contrast is strong as the white clothing has taken in majority of the light when taking the image. This helps to show the power this individual has as it keeps the viewers’ gaze on the subject.
Jafe’s use of a low camera angle has a psychological effect on the viewer. Although the angle isn’t dramatic, it’s successful in presenting the subject as a strong and powerful individual. Moreover, the subject’s stance portrays her as independent and confident. The feet are squared off to the camera, the subject’s body language is open and she has an assertive placement of her hands, which further intensifies this sense of assertiveness in her character. Jafe’s subject displays a stern facial expression
In Japan, the cutting of hair can signify separating from past actions or thoughts. A woman with shorter hair is perceived as confident — as though they have nothing to hide. When the haircut is done out of deliberation rather than necessity, it can vividly represent an individual’s determination to make a dramatic break with their past. The subject in Jafe’s image has a strikingly short haircut, possibly differentiating between the person she was prior to the Yakuza and the person she is now. Furthermore, the confidence the subject shows despite being covered in stigma-ridden tattoos (irezumi) indicates that the woman isn’t afraid of being cast out by society and that she feels empowered by showing them.
These are both dictionary definitions and do not describe or accurately represent how we feel about someone (or something).
It is argued that there are 8 different types of ‘love’:
Agape — Unconditional Love – Often referred to as the ‘highest’ form of love. It’s given without any expecting a reward or something in return.
Eros — Romantic Love. – The most primal form of love experienced in each person. (displayed through physical affection)
Philia — Affectionate Love. – Love without romantic attraction. It occurs when both people share the same values and can respect one other.
Philautia — Self-love. – Recognising self -worth and attending to personal needs.
Storge — Familiar Love. – This is naturally occurring between parents, children and best friends. It’s love built upon acceptance and deep emotional connection.
Pragma — Enduring Love. – This matures over many years between a couple that puts equal effort into their relationship and has both commitment and dedication to one another.
Ludus — Playful Love. – The immature and early stages of intimate love.
Mania — Obsessive Love. – An unhealthy obsession with another person, leading to codependency. Usually found in insecure individuals who need their partner to find a sense of self-value.
mind-map of the word ‘Love’
Below I’ve presented a mood board of images I feel represent this theme. The photos show different kinds of ‘love’, ranging from familial love to altruism and individuals’ loyalty to a partner or organisation.
mood board for the theme of ‘Love’
For example, Chloe Jafe’s image from ‘I give you my life‘ (pictured in the middle) represents the commitment and dedication these women from Japan have towards their significant other. The large tattoo “irezumi” these women have denotes their allegiance to the Yakuza, an international crime syndicate, which ultimately makes them outlaws to society due to the stigma of tattoos in Japan.
Additionally, Alec Soth’s portrait (pictured top left) from the series ‘Songbook’ depicts a man in a dance pose, perhaps representing his love and passion for the art form.
An iconic image can be defined as a photo that represents a specific event or location, that has a strong emotional impact for people in a certain era, place or within a particular culture. The features that make an image iconic are widely debated, from ‘right place, right time’ to colour, context or props involved when taking the photo. I plan to explore the two key iconic images: ‘Guerrillero Heroico‘ by Alberto Korda and ‘The Falling Man’ taken by Richard Drew.
Alberto Korda’s image of Che Guevara (titled as ‘Guerrillero Heroico‘) is a prime example of a photo that would be considered ‘iconic’. It’s had an impressive impact across the world, initially representing the Cuban revolution and Marxism but he later became an icon for capitalism. There are many factors that drove Korda’s image to the global impression it had.
The photo was originally taken at the funeral for the victims of the La Coubre explosion in Cuba, where 75-100 individuals died as a result of a freight ship exploding (containing grenades and ammunition), which Fidel Castro charged as an ‘act of sabotage’ by the United States.
Che Guevara is reported to have driven to the scene of the explosion that day to attend to the injured, giving medical attention to crew members, armed forces personnel, and dock workers who had been hurt.
The context of the image itself shows Che’s courage and patriotic nature. However, over time, the photo has become detached from its original context, in turn diluting the photo’s substance and meaning; yet the image still works as a graphic icon. Why? Firstly, Korda’s image is a candid portrait, meaning the image portrays Che Guevara completely naturally, fully capturing the impressive force and anger in his expression. In addition to this, Korda used a low camera angle to make his subject look like a great and powerful leader.
He then cropped the image, so his subject was the only focus in the frame. It is argued that the strength of Korda’s image would have been radically reduced if he used the full-frame, as the presence of Jorge Masetti (pictured on the left) and a palm tree on the right diverts the eye away from his subject.
Had Korda kept Masetti in the frame, Guevara may not have become the global icon he is today. Besides shifting the focus of the image, the presence of Masetti holds political meaning. His code name was “Segundo Sombra“, in reference to the Argentine Gauchos (solitary, hard-riding, hard-living, freedom-loving men) who were reputed to be brave and unruly. Members of the guerrilla army stated that:
“Masetti was known simply as Segundo, or #2, though for us he was really our first and only commander.”
Federico Méndez, survivor of the Guerilla army
Therefore, if Masetti was present in the image, he may have held more political power than Guevara, in turn abolishing the intensity and force held by him in the cropped photo.
The process as to how Korda’s image become a timeless image of hope began after the murder of Che Guevara himself. After he died in Bolivia, the irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick created a stylished poster of Korda’s image (‘Viva Che’), with strong red tones that helped to seal Guevara’s iconic status as a powerful anti-establishment symbol.
Richard Drew’s photograph of ‘The falling man’ from the September 11th attacks at the World Trade center is another example of an iconic image.
It depicts a man falling from the world trade center after a terrorist attack left hundreds of civilians trapped in the burning building with two options: to stay in the building and burn to death, or to jump from the building to end their life.
The image shows one of these two decisions, magnifying and amplifying the severity of this decision that many had made that same day.
The image itself encapsulates and represents all the 9/11 jumpers who chose to leap. It has become incentive for introspection for those who had watched the tragedy from afar posing the question: “Given the choice, or perhaps lack thereof, what would you have done that day?”. It had a huge impact on everyone that saw it. Drew’s image had made it to the front pages of newspapers and countless online articles. Although, it received heavy criticism, with many arguing that the image is too gruesome to have been published so publicly and to so great of an extent.
However, seeing as it is almost two decades since the event, Drew hopes that “The Falling Man” can be more widely accepted, as it is no longer a horrifying and distressing images of one man’s decision that day. but rather it has become a quiet reminder of the fate of hundreds.
Colonialism is the ‘practice of acquiring full (or partial) political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.’
Imperialism is the ‘process of extending a country’s power and influence over foreign countries through colonisation, use of military force, or other means.’
Impact of the Transatlantic slave trade
The transatlantic slave trade (or the Atlantic slave trade) was the transportation of enslaved African individuals by slave traders from the 16th to the 19th century. They were mainly transported to America on a boat via a triangular trade route.
The conditions on these slave boats were beyond miserable. Hundreds of African slaves were carried on these boats, often tightly chained to plank beds. The conditions were highly unhygienicand the slaves were severely mistreated, resulting in a high mortality rate due to dehydration, bacterial infections (such as dysentery) and scurvy.
Africans could become slaves as punishments for a committed crime, as payment for a debt, or, most commonly, as a result of being held captive as prisoners of war
Empowering Europe
Portugal and Britain benefited significantly from the slave trade, ultimately responsible for around 70% of all Africans transported to the Americas. The slave trade provided many jobs to the population of England, due to high demand for glassware (to bottle rum), textiles and firearms. Many Britons worked in factories which sold their products to West Africa. These commodities would then be traded for enslaved Africans. Birmingham had more than 4000 gun-makers, with 100,000 guns going to slave-traders each year.
The Age of Imperialism broadened the disparity between the highly developed countries of Europe and the underdeveloped regions of Africa, as nations such as Britain exploited and annexed these lands to increase their political influence and to boost their economy.
Corrupting Africa
However, the Atlantic slave trade was detrimental to the functioning of societies in West Africa. The sheer size of the slave trade affected the dynamics of these societies, with over 12 and 1/2 million slaves being removed from their home country. Long-term impoverishment struck the nation.
This is just one example of the negative impact the trade had on West Africa. In the 18th century, the Europeans started trading slaves for weapons (such as guns). This resulted in warfare. 20,000,000 guns were transported to Africa and with African rulers in competition with one another, the acquisition of firearms gave them an edge over their rivals. This ultimately triggered an increased drive for leaders to capture and sell slaves from their neighbouring states.
Depopulation of Africa also happened as a result of the slave trade. Additional to the extreme number of slaves taken from West Africa, Europeans brought deadly diseases with them, eg: European strains of syphilis and smallpox, typhus and tuberculosis, resulting in indirect depopulation.
In 2014, a statue of the past Bailiff and Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey, Sir George Carteret, was erected in the centre of St Peter. The Constable of St. Peter, John Refault, stated that the statue represents a “role model for youngsters” and that he should be acknowledged both “locally and nationally”.
Sir George Carteret is praised for providing asylum for Charles II when he was in exile after his father (King Charles I) was executed. As the bailiff, Carteret had Charles II pronounced as King in Jersey. For his allegiance with the royal family, he was rewarded with land in the American colonies, including land that would become New Jersey (named in his honour).
However, for every 120 acres of land, Carteret used 60 acres of land for slaves and servants. This resulted in New Jersey having one of the largest slave populations in the northern colonies in America (around 12,000 slaves). He also invested money in the Company of Royal Adventurers in Africa, which traded in slaves as well as gold and ivory in the 17th century.
The current response to racism
With Sir George’s past coming into the light, people in Jersey have taken action against the monument- vandalising and creating petitions to have it removed.
Furthermore, Jersey residents have shown their support for the Black Lives Matter movement by organising a peaceful ‘kneeling’ protest following the death of George Floyd. Islanders gathered in People’s Park for a socially distanced event marking Floyd’s death and allowing people to show their support in ending police brutality and systematic racism.
Around 1,000 individuals attended the protest on June 6th, with hundreds of others watching and participating from home via live streams on Facebook. After kneeling for 8 minutes and 46 seconds (the amount of time Floyd was pinned down for), 6 islanders spoke out about their worries and experiences of being part of a minority in Jersey.
Credit: ITV Channel TV
The event lasted around an hour, due to the lockdown restrictions limiting islanders to 2 hours outside of their homes a day.
However, despite the support shown for the Black Lives Matter movement, protestors in Jersey reported that they received verbal abuse (through the usage of racial slurs and profane language) from other islanders whilst on their way to the event. This highlights the issue that racism and racial discrimination is still prevalent in Jersey, but is not reported or addressed as a public issue. One of the speakers during the event spoke out about this:
Systemic racism is a real thing in our society and everyone should be taking accountability and responsibility. We should be actively working to destroy racism in its lowest form because it’s something that does exist as much as we want to deny it.
The recent Black Lives Matter movement has been one of the main topics for headlines and social media platforms over the last few months. This is following the unjust murder of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin- an American police officer- over an alleged counterfeit bill. The 8 minutes and 46-second incident was captured on film by a bystander and quickly sparked a global outrage within a few days. Floyd’s death triggered a substantial amount of protests against police brutality, police racism and lack of police accountability. Demonstrations were carried out in all 50 states, with over 2,000 cities taking part. Demonstrations were also carried out globally, including Hong Kong, London and even Jersey.
Further outrage ensued when the results of the autopsy were released to the public, revealing that the Hennepin County medical examiner that carried out Floyd’s autopsy found:
“no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation”.
This resulted in Derek Chauvin being charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. People online were furious, demanding that Chauvin’s charge should be upgraded. Floyd’s family put in an order for a second autopsy, which found that “evidence is consistent with mechanical asphyxia as the cause of Floyd’s death“, and that the death was a homicide. All four officers involved in the murder were arrested and charged, with the charges including ‘second-degree murder’ for Chauvin and ‘aiding and abetting second-degree murder’ for the other three officers.
Many people took the social media platforms to call out the systemic racism that’s present within their own countries, as well as bringing many cases to light that were similar to Floyd’s, such as Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Eric Garner- all which could have been prevented if their race had been different.
“Say their names”- Black individuals who have previously been a victim of police brutality in the past decade.
Defining the basics
Racism is the prejudice against a person or a group of people based on their ethnic background, especially towards minority groups. It’s the belief that these individuals possess qualities or fit into stereotypes that make them inferior or superior to other races.
Systemic racism/ Institutional racism is defined as “the systematic distribution of resources, power and opportunity in our society to the benefit of people who are white and the exclusion of people of colour.”
This type of racism, in particular, continues to debilitate minority individuals in today’s society. These inequalities in housing, education, employment, wealth, and representation in leadership positions are apparent in the US in particular. According to the USCCB, ‘In the United States, median wealth for white households is ten times greater than for black households, and eight times greater than for Hispanic households.’ and ‘African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans are disproportionately affected through every stage of the criminal justice system, despite the evidence that different racial and ethnic groups commit crimes at roughly the same rates.’.
example of misrepresentation in the United States.
Joaquin Phoenix spoke out at the BAFTA awards, criticising systemic racism, more specifically how the way white is considered the default in the film industry. The 1967 book Black Power: The Politics of Liberation first addresses this concept, where they wrote:
“When a black family moves into a home in a white neighborhood and is stoned, burned or routed out, they are victims of an overt act of individual racism which most people will condemn. But it is institutional racism that keeps black people locked in dilapidated slum tenements, subject to the daily prey of exploitative slumlords, merchants, loan sharks and discriminatory real estate agents. The society either pretends it does not know of this latter situation, or is in fact incapable of doing anything meaningful about it.”
Outside the US
Racism in Britain attracts less attention than that of the United States. Britain hardly addresses its colonial history and continues to run a society that’s silent in its continuous racial discrimination.
Members of far-right Football Lads Alliance hold a British flag in front of the covered statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, London, June 13, 2020
In recent weeks, following the death of George Floyd, many people have called out the glorification of individuals who were key participants within the slave trade and had previously displayed their clear racist views towards black and other minority groups. A statue of Winston Churchill had been defaced and vandalised after his racist statements were shown to light. Many other statues and monuments that reflect these similar views have also been targeted by protestors, such as the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol.
Racism within the United Kingdom increased significantly after the Brexit referendum, with racial discrimination being directed toward individuals from black and Asian backgrounds, as well as other minority groups. Locals in the UK were reported as becoming hostile towards foreigners or people they perceived as being foreign after the voting took place. This highlights the issue that racist attitudes have been prevalent within the population of the UK, but have begun to be more overtly expressed as they felt the discrimination could be justified by Brexit.
Police Brutality in the UK
In Britain, black people account for 3% of the population, but 8% of deaths in custody in the UK. Furthermore, since 1990, only one police officer has been convicted for the death of someone in their care, despite almost 2,000 people dying in police custody. The UK has the same issues surrounding police brutality as the US does, but it is not addressed.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, research has shown that black and brown Britons have been targeted more than the white population by police. BAME people have been fined more under the coronavirus laws. There are a number of videos being spread of police officers around the country mistreating POC during the lockdown.
Furthermore, black people are nearly nine times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police than white people and, additionally, three times more likely to be arrested. An investigation from the Guardian showed that the Met police tasered black people over four times as often as white people and they found that black people are four times more likely to be restrained and arrested by the police. Moreover, an unbalanced number of people die in police care as a result of the use of force by the police, with the majority of individuals being black or brown.
I’m photographing different shaped white paper, as a response to Jerry Reed’s ‘Paper Work’. I aim to capture heavy shadows and contrasting tones by using strong, artificial lighting.
I want to capture geometrical shapes, parallel and curved lines within my images to incorporate formal elements into my abstract photos.
Photoshoot
Editing process
1-
Without a studio to work with I substituted the studio lighting for more accessible LED flashlights. This ensured that the light emitted was not yellow and would reflect the white of the paper more successfully.
When recreating Jerry Reed’s work, I aimed to increase the contrast in the image. I began the process by decreasing brightness and increasing contrast in Photoshop, allowing the shadows within the image to be more prominent. I then altered the exposure, increasing it afterwards to enhance the white tones in the paper. Raising the ‘Gamma correction’ slightly allowed for darker shadows.
Using the ‘Curves’ tool, I decreased the glare on the top piece of paper as well as intensifying the shadows, which, in turn, increased the contrast of the image. Converting the image to black and white removed the red and yellow tones of the photo, resulting in an objective image with no warmth (reflecting the work of Reed).
Finally, I used the ‘Maximum black’ preset to increase the shadows to my desired extent. Most of the yellow and purple tones were present in the dark areas of the image so decreasing the percentage of these resulted in a more contrasted image.
I experimented with cropping to line the pages up withing each of the thirds. Rotating the image clockwise additionally created a more abstract image alongside the cascading effect caused by lining the pages up in each third.
2-
I selected the background of the image using the quick select tool, then, using the eyedropper tool, I selected a cool tone within the background and filled in the selected area. I did this as I wanted to amplify the contrast between the lit-up paper and the vacant space where no light is present.
Tone= The range of lightest to darkest parts of an image as a whole or the particular area in an image.
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed is an English, abstract photographer, predominantly known for his three-year project titled ‘Paper Work’. In his project, Reed explores light and tone, focusing on the heavy contrast caused by shadows, resulting in a bold, two-toned effect in his images.
Jerry Reed- Paper Work
The series is based on paper sculptures carefully designed and created by Reed, which explore the spatial relationships between the architectural forms he’s created. Many of his projects began conceptually, “like Sol LeWitt” he states.
LeWitt was an American artist who helped to establish Conceptualism and Minimalism in the postwar era. LeWitt’s work presents geometric shapes, a clear element within Reed’s pieces.
Reed directly cites both Rössler and Bruguière as heavy influences towards his work. His work can be described as objective and analytic, possibly reflecting his past career as a scientist.
Rossler, Bruguière and LeWitt, in order from left to right.
The work Reed presents is majorly conceptual. He believes his work‘speaks indirectly, but with continued caring about how society’s institutions affect its members.’. The effect of light within his ‘Paper Work’ series clearly reflects this. He incorporates the imaginative use of Fresnel lighting (usually found in theatres) to provide a powerful and linear light source to illuminate certain parts of his structures and completely blackout others.
Photo Analysis
Jerry Reed- Paper Work
The lighting within the image is artificial, possibly taken in a studio. A strong source of light illuminates the right side of the paper, creating dark, heavy shadows as the paper blocks the light from travelling any further.
Reed incorporates line and tone within the photo. The curve of the paper creates curved, overlapping lines guide the eye around the centre of the image. Soft shadows form an almost parallel line with the curve of the paper.
His image has a low tonal range (three or four main tones) which creates a highly contrasting image. The lightest tones are in the centre of the image and to the right. The light tones take up the majority of the image, possibly inferring the power of societal institutions over its members. The darkest tones are apparent in the shadows behind the paper (pictured to the left), continuing with the allegory of society it may represent how people’s individuality is ‘overshadowed’ by these institutions or societal norms, influencing the behaviour of individuals away from how they might usually act.
The subject of the image itself (white paper pictured centre) splits the image into thirds. Negative space on the left and right third of the image creates a strong contrast in the image. Sharp corners in the paper subject make the shapes within the image almost geometrical, yet the lack of straight lines (the curve of the paper) creates more organic shapes, which juxtapose the sharpness of the angles created by overlapping paper.
For my personal response to Albert Renger-Patzsch and the New Objectivity, I’m aiming to photograph Natural and Man-made items/areas. Additionally focusing on formal elements (Light, Tone, Line, Shape, Form, etc)
I’m striving to capture objects and areas in a new perspective, in order to allow the viewers to appreciate the beauty of things they encounter daily. My reasoning for this is because Renger-Patzch aimed to photograph the beautiful complexity of the modern world we live in.
Photoshoot:
Editing process
1-
When taking this image I considered how it would convert into black and white. I chose vibrant colours, focusing on the two types of shadows created, with the darker shadows being free-form and the lighter shadows (on the balls) being geometrical- both are repetitive.
As I was converting the photo into black and white (to mirror the work of Alfred Renger-Patzsch), I wanted to focus primarily on creating a highly tonal and contrasting image. I started by decreasing brightness and increasing contrast within Photoshop to make each of the colours more striking. The more vibrant the colours were before conversion, the easier it was to create contrast.
Using the black and white tool, I made the yellow-toned ball the lightest and chose to make the balls with red tones (orange and red balls) lighter than the blue and purple ones depicted in the middle third. This allowed me to make a focal point in the centre of there image as a place for the eye to return to each time.
I finally used an orange, warming, photo filter at 12% to reduce the extreme cold and harshness of the image. The change is subtle but results in an image that’s much easier on the eye.
2-
With this particular image, I aimed at focusing on the framing effect of the lighting. I decreased the brightness to amplify the current contrast between the natural lighting and the wall surrounding. It also created darker tones on the cues outside the ‘box’ of light. This allowed me to make the sections of the cues lighter where the light hits them- increasing the contrast in the image.
As the photo is a response to Renger-Patzsch, I converted it to black and white, focusing on the contrast outside of the box as well as within the box. I made the yellow tones (browns in the cues) and the magenta tones (reflection in the centre two cues) the lightest. This made the different textures and patterns more noticeable.
I also experimented with cropping, with the final outcome pictured below.
Cropping the image allowed for a more refined focus on the detailing of the pool cues. It also amplifies the effect of the negative space to the left of the cues. The natural lighting acts as a sort of ‘spotlight’ on the subject, additionally creating a highly tonal and contrasting image.
3-
I began by cropping the image, to ensure the frame started where the lineup of pool balls began. This gives a sense of perpetuity. It also allowed me to line them up in a complete diagonal.
The conversion to black and white created an image with a large tonal range. The positioning of the shadows can be interpreted in two ways: attached to the ball or belonging to the ball above. The second interpretation creates an abstract image, with the illusion of ‘floating’ balls.
4-
I began the editing process by using the crop tool to line the middle of the rose in the middle of the frame. I then decreased the brightness and contrast to isolate the petals. This was in preparation for the conversion to black and white.
Having done this, I then used the curve tool in Photoshop to increase the vibrance as well as increase the shadows within the image. I converted the photo to black and white, increasing the darkness of red tones to amplify the shadows and increased the lightness of magenta tones to create a large tonal range.
As a final step, I used HDR toning to increase the luminosity and clarity of the image. I heightened the detail to produce a more crisp image. As well as this, I increased the highlights to provide more contrast and increase the tonal range. It also aided in creating more depth within the image.
![Members of far-right Football Lads Alliance hold a British flag in front of the covered statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, London, June 13, 2020 [AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth]](https://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/imagecache/mbdxxlarge/mritems/Images/2020/6/23/a874af87b9614c0788f87dfc13648164_18.jpg)
