I grouped the above images together as they portray the same vertical leading line architecture both with each other, and with the gallery they are displayed in.
These images I decided to display in a digital zine format. They follow the same tonal and textual features showcasing the sandpapered clouds in a dark underexposed style.
The above images follow the same desaturated and geometric rectangle features which coincides with the gallery I chose which features grey walls and geometric rectangular architecture.
These images feature the same experimental focal style. They all have unconventional focus features with varying depths of field which made it suitable to use the immersive gallery which provides depth of field as some images look closer than the others.
The above images are curated together into that setting for the way they look like a portal into a different universe.
Method
I first gathered my my images according to how aesthetic they would look simultaneously, into five sub-galleries
I then chose a fitting empty background to stitch the clusters of images onto. I chose backgrounds that possessed similar shape and form of the images and also any other visual elements such as similar cloud patterns.
I then used photoshop to transpose these images onto the coinciding backgrounds by making use of free transform and warp to make the images look naturally apart of the background. I also added a drop-shadow to the images to help achieve this.
Portrait photography draws attention to the subject. This is normally achieved through some combination of a shallow depth of field, composition, color, and lighting. It is aimed toward capturing the personality of a person or group of people.
Mood Board
These are photos are inspirational, and I plan to take some of my own in a similar style.
Images from Google “famous/iconic portrait photography”
Complementary Photography
Complementary photography is marked by the current time period, and reflects our values and, challenges at that point in time.
Environmental Photography
Environmental photography is when you take a photo of someone working in there environment, wearing there uniform, to create a more informative and dramatic photo.
Images from Google “environmental portrait photography”
Steve McCurry
He is an American portraiture photographer, he was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He made many trips to India and Pakistan, he was also smuggled into Afghanistan. He is best known for his evocative colour photographs that document both human struggles and joy. Having travelled the globe for over thirty years, McCurry has photographed warzones, burning oil fields, refugee camps, ship breaking yards and monsoons all over the world.
All images were taken by McCurry and published on https://www.stevemccurry.com/
Photo Shoot Plan
I plan to go into town and ask people that are working if i can take photos of them working naturally or stage a quick photo shot with them.
I plan to ask post men, bakers, shop assistants, fishmongers, and anyone else working in there environment.
I can take photos of them from the other side of the counter, which means the products they’re selling will be on display. Which helps the viewer understand their work environment.
My Photos
My Favourite Image
I like this because it shows the fishmonger in front of his filleted fish. The colours are vivid and they pop out as the rest of the image has a cold atmosphere as there are mostly cooling blue colours. The subject is centered, which sets the image up nicely. The whole image is in focus as it hows the work environment off. To take this photo I had to ask if it was ok to photograph them, I had to take it quick so it wasn’t to staged, although there is eye contact with the camera.
Alfred Krupp was a German industrialist and a Nazi sympathiser. He made ammunition and trains for the Nazis during world war two, and his workers were prisoners from concentration camps and prisoner of war camps. Arnold Newman took this image and it could be seen that he took his image to show the world what kind of man he is. Arnold was Jewish so it could be seen as payback on how he treated his culture.
The man is wearing a suit which allows the viewer to believe that he’s a businessman.It looks as though he is wearing an expensive gold watch on his wrist, which could show that he is wealthy and important to his surroundings. The fact that Newman took this image in his place of work creates a sense of hatred towards him as this is where many people were tortured to work long hours for very little pay with practically no breaks.
Newman has taken the image face on and that could be seen as showing Krupp that they are both equal, there is no inferior race or person. Krupp has his hands interlocked to show authority however it also makes him look aggressive and intimidating to others.
The damage on the columns behind Krupp can show that he cares very little for his factory and mainly focused on the money that was coming into his pocket.
The dark edges of the image allow the viewer to focus on Alfred, the lack of light shows that he could be seen as evil and someone you wouldn’t want to be near. However the gap in the ceiling could represent a halo which contradicts him as a person and the mood of the image. It could however represent that he is an angel of death as he worked along side Hitler, who was responsible for millions of people’s deaths, the fact he fueled that also makes him a killer.
The dark colours in the image add to the fact that he wasn’t a nice person and that he shouldn’t be praised or applauded for his work. It also shows the viewer that this image shouldn’t be seen as a nice image, instead it could be seen as justice for all who were tortured by the Nazis.
Arnold Newman was a Jewish/ American photographer who was one of the most accomplished portrait photographers in the twentieth century. Moreover, his portraits where environmental meaning that whatever the main focus of the picture was, the focus was taken a picture of in their usual environment, which in Alfred Krupp’s case was his working place. Also, Alfred Krupp was a businessman who made firearms and bullets etc for the Nazis which could have made this a personal picture for Arnold Newman to take. As you can see in the picture Alfred Krupp is staring straight down into the camera lens which makes this picture eerie, knowing that he done this for the Nazis and having a Jewish photographer take his picture.
Technical:
For the technical sides of this picture, the lighting seems to be natural as the picture is very sharp with all the details being crisp, especially on Alfred Krupp which goes to show how he was the main focus of the picture and the background was slightly blurry.
Visual:
Visually you8 can see that the colouring is natural in the picture which goes to show that this picture is raw and most likely wasn’t edited in terms of colour keeping it realistic. The tone would be in the middle between light and dark as you can clearly see the face of Alfred Krupp however, some of the environment in the background is dark due to not having much light. The form of this picture is 3d as you can clearly see that in the picture the environment has depth into it and stricture meaning it wouldn’t be 2D.
Technical – Straight away the main focal point is defined in the image by using highlights, due to the subject being close to the camera, the natural light illuminates the front and top of him from the slots in the ceiling of the factory. – The overall photo is dark, this contrasts with the highlights, and sets a mysterious mood. – There is a high depth of field (example f.24), as everything in the foreground and background is in focus. The lights have a starburst like pattern which means, that there’s a small aperture, which allows more light into the camera. – The image has warm tones, the orange train and the exposed skin, such as the head ans the hands. – The shadows are more dominant than the highlights, which makes the mans face more detailed, the shadows appear under his eyes, which makes him look evil. This could be a reference to his criminal past.
Visual – The man is sitting down with his chin resting on his hands, which are interlocked. His head is slightly tilted down, and has a sly grin. He is staring into into the camera, which is intimidating. This body language, makes him look like hes plotting something evil. – The background of the image is framed using concrete pillars that are just behind the man. They are dirty and covered in a moss-like coat. The frame draws our eye to the abandoned factory. – The fact that the abandoned factory is behind the man, is like his past has been left behind, as the man is Alfred Krupp, who was a factory owner, and made equipment for the Nazi’s. This is reinforced, as he is looking away from the abandoned trains, and instead hes looking directly into the camera. – The photo has been thought about because, there is no empty space, and the image is split in two. The bottom half is the foreground which features the man. Then, the background which features the background, which is the abandoned factory.
Contextual – Arnold Newman, was an American photographer, who was born on March 3rd, 1918, and later died on June 26th, 2006. He was known for his environmental portraits of artists and politicians. Additionally, he was even know for his carefully abstract still life portraits, such as the portrait of Alfred Krupp. – Alfred Krupp was born on August 13th, 1907, he was in a family company, know formally as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, it was a key supplier of weapons and material to the Nazi regrime and the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was later arrested for slave labor, which he served 3 years in prison. Then he died in 1967.
Conceptual – He man is old, which means he been through a lot. This means his life is mostly behind him, which is why the factory in in the background as it was his job and responsibility to manage it, but now it isn’t. – His hands are positioned close together as if he had hand cuffs on, which represents his time in prison. – He is dressed smart as it contrasts from the dusty factory in the background, – Alfred used slaves to build supplies for him. They probably had back problems from working a lot, which is why he is leading over, as it connotes pain and exhaustion.
Street photography is made for art or enquiry that that features random chances of encounters or incident’s that occur within a public place.
Diane Arbus
Gordon Parks
Gordon Parks
Martin Parr
Robert Frank
Saul Leiter
Viviane Maier
William Klein
William Eggleston
As you can see from the pictures above that have been stated with the names of the photographers, every single image above has their own personal value to them and their own story behind it which makes street photography special because the picture almost becomes a story to tell, due to the pictures being captured in random moments of an incident that has occurred. Moreover, their could be some context behind these images for example, with the Gordon Parks picture on the top right would could imagine what it could be about like maybe people having fun on a hot sunny day, however in reality the picture is a gang fight that was captured in the middle of the streets.
The man himself is harmless, he is old and weak looking but his eyes are looking directly at the camera which is unsettling and emits an emotional response. In reality he aided the Nazis is committing mass genocide. His body language shows power as the pose he is doing is common among business men. The photo is an environmental portrait which shows people in a place they are associated with. In this case its one of his factories that produces trains. The portrait was done by Arnold Newman, a Jewish photographer who was helped bring environmental photography into mainstream media. The portrait led to public backlash and Krupp was imprisoned for crimes against humanity and he died soon after his release from prison.
The focal point of the portrait is Alfred Krupp which suggests his power and importance. Everything in the photo is tied to him. This includes the triangular leading lines that all join up to him and the lighting that centres on his face. The shadowing blacks out his eyes which evokes a sinister feeling as the eyes are often known as windows to the soul and by blocking this window you so not know someones true intentions.
The colours in this photo are more vibrant at the back of the scene but begin to dim as you look closer to Krupp. The bright orange of the industrial machinery is a stark juxtaposition to Krupp’s bleak businessman attire. This could suggest that its Krupp’s workers that are full of life whilst Krupp himself is void of life. The darkness of Krupp in the portrait connotes evilness which is likely on purpose by Newman to expose him.
This image was taken by Arnold Newman an American photographer, noted for his ‘environmental portraits’ of artists and politicians. He was also known for his carefully composed still life images.
Content:
Initially looking at this image of Alfred Krupp it looks quite sinister. He is the focal point of the image and your eyes are drawn to him from the top of the image and the bottom. He has a moody look on his face with his hands placed under his chin staring straight into the camera. The background has cement pillars that almost act as if they are framing him.
Formal Elements:
The lighting in this image is produced behind him from ceiling lighting making the background extremely bright and intense and the foreground more gloomy looking. The bottom of the image surrounding him is very dull making him the focal point of the image as your eyes are drawn to him. The background of this image gives some insight on who Alfred Krupp is as it shows machinery and trains but doesn’t give too much away. This image also paints him out to look like he is important as he is closer to the camera than all the other objects staring down the lens. He is also dressed very formally in an informal setting making you think he is high up in the business. The structure of the cement pillars look as if they are framing him keeping him away from all the dirty work in the background.
This image was taken approximately 20 years after World War 2, in 1963, by a Jewish photographer named Arnold Newman. The image captures a German industrialist, Alfred Krupp, posing in his factory which produced ammunition for Nazi’s during the war.
Conceptual:
This iconic image was taken almost as a form of redemption for the Jews after their tragic losses in the war. Newman gained power through his photography career to expose Alfred Krupp and his cruel business. This photo could be seen as a form of deterrent against the Germans as Newman purposely chooses to have Krupp posing in a sinister manner, and his use of harsh lighting creates bold shadows around his features to almost form Krupp as a villain. Newman shoots his camera from a slightly higher angle than Krupp to prove the power has been switched between the two of them, in his favour.
Technical:
The lighting seems artificial, and appears to be coming from above as the shadows are cast underneath the features of the face. I believe there is a wide depth of field as majority of the image is in focus, this gives the sense that the whole building is exposed and out in the open to see all that is happening within. The lighting from behind and above creates a juxtaposition between the light and dark tones in the image, with the light bringing the darkness towards you. This image has colours of low saturation for the most part and not of great quality, this suggests the image is old without context as it seems to be taken on an older camera, as the colours loose a lot of their vibrance.
Visual:
The leading lines on the ceiling draw your eyes towards the figure in the foreground, I think this is used as a distraction from what’s happening in the background. The camera is central to attract the viewers eyes to the focal point, being Alfred Krupp with his head resting on his hands and staring into the lens. the dull colours add to the gloomy tone of the image it appears to have all life drained from the entire scene as a whole. This could be seen as a metaphor for the life that was lost during the war because of Krupp’s production of ammunition.
Candid portraits tend be more natural, flowing, unplanned and may even be a form of street photography at times. Candid portraits are not staged or formal. You should aim to capture the essence of the person you are photographing, say something about them or the moment they are caught in…
Sam Harris “The Middle of Somewhere”
CandidPhoto-Shoot
Take a set of photographs that shows your understanding of CANDID PORTRAITS
Remember…your subject (person) DOES NOT need to be engaging with the camera and this kind of photo should not be staged or “set-up”
Then look to create a contrast between your environmental portraits and candid portraits…maybetry photographing the same person / people and then juxtaposing the images (to compare and contrast)
Then select your best 5-10 images and create a blog post that clearly shows your process of taking and making your final outcomes
Deadline = Mon 23 November
Richard Billingham “Ray’s A Laugh” – social documentary
Chris Killip The Station 1985 – more social documentary
Street Photography
Robert Frank ; “Trolley — New Orleans,” 1955.
Elliott Erwitt: Boy, 1955
Henri Cartier-Bresson ; Albert Camus, 1947
Street photography is photography conducted for art or enquiry that features unmediated chance encounters and random incidents within public places.
Street Photography is a sub-genre of photojournalism…
Street photography does not necessitate the presence of a street or even the urban environment. The concept of the “flaneur” or people watcher is often referred to street photographers
This image below was taken in Seville at the beginning of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s career as a photographer. It has a strong geometric form. The viewer sees the gang of boys through a large hole in a wall which frames the scene. Without knowing the date of the image one might guess that it was taken during the Spanish Civil War (1936–9) or afterwards. The fact that it was taken in 1933 gives it a strange sense of premonition; the boys are playing at war in the ruins of a war that has not yet happened.
Henri Cartier-Bresson : Children in Seville, Spain, 1933.
Blog Post 1 : Define, describe and explain street photography.
Include images, moodboards, hyperlinks to relevant articles and URLs and add a video or two on street photography if you can
Take care in your choice of images…browse the list of street photographers below and choose from the work to “speaks” to you…
Aim to show knowledge and understanding of how street photography can reflect the life / lifestyle / politics / history / social class of an area or group of people…
Do the images make a statement…or ask a question?
About a person, or about society?
Alex WebbJohn Bulmer | Woman and Child with washing line | 1965
Blog Post 2 :
Henri Cartier – Bresson and
“The Decisive Moment”
Create a blog post / case study about Henri Cartier-Bresson that includes…
Brief biography
Mood-board of key images
Select one image and apply Technical | Visual | Contextual | Conceptual analysis (image analysis)
