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Image Analysis- Alfred Krupp Portrait

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Arnold Newman | Portrait of Alfred Krupp | 1963

In this image, American photographer Arnold Newman has taken a portrait of German industrialist Alfred Krupp. Krupp’s family ran factories during World War 2 making ammunition and weapons for Nazi’s- he insisted on using Jewish prisoners from concentration camps to work at the factories.

In the foreground, Krupp is positioned in the centre of the image between two symmetrical pillars that stand behind him, Newman has deliberately made him the main focus. The camera is angled slightly above Krupp’s eye level and he is looking directly at the camera lens with a sinister expression, giving the impression Krupp is confident. The dark shadows around the perimeter of the image contrast with the natural daylight coming from above through skylights. This casts shadows on his face, particularly around his eyes which makes Krupp look more menacing and mysterious. I believe Newman did this purposefully to paint Krupp as a villain and to give the image negative connotations.

In the background, we can see lots of lineal patterns with repeated shapes along with industrial equipment and what seems to be trains, it is possible the photo was taken in one of Krupp’s factories. It is clear Newman has used a high aperture as the whole image is in focus, allowing us to clearly see the factory’s assets, alluding to the idea that Newman knew the truth about what Krupp and his family had done during the war and that he wasn’t going to hide it from the camera or the world. Furthermore, the repetition of lights above Krupp’s head could symbolize the many lives he ended by being a Nazi sympathizer and providing weapons/ammunition to them.

The image looks a little under exposed with a high contrast and dark tones throughout. There is also a subtle green hue surrounding the image which links to the idea that Krupp is malicious since green is often associated with evil and wickedness. The colours of the image have low saturation and are not the best quality, this suggests the photo was taken with an older camera. The lack of vibrancy creates a dull, lifeless atmosphere, again symbolizing the lives lost by the hands of Nazi soldiers/supporters. I believe Newman portrayed Krupp in this vicious way to expose him for his crimes and to get justice for Jewish people, after all Arnold Newman was Jewish himself so taking this shot let him finally have his revenge and find peace.

Independent, Reading, Resource, Task

Image Analysis

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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.

Independent, Task

Modern Day Heroes

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As an introduction to portrait photography, I focused on the theme of “Modern Day Heroes”. This project involved taking photographs of essential workers who helped to save and serve the public during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Photoshoot plan

Modern Day Heroes inspired photoshoot

I decided to take pictures of my mum, as she works for the Jersey Hospice Care Shop, although they were unable to open during lockdown, they were one of first retail shops to reopen in order to raise money for the Jersey Hospice Care.

I took photos of her wearing her uniform to represent her essential work and captured her wearing a face mask, as the workers were made to wear masks throughout their entire shift to keep the public safe. I thought this was an important aspect of essential workers as it proves that in a time like this, we all have to be considerate of others which proves the sense of unity that COVID-19 brought to the world, despite the tragedies occurring daily.

Independent, Reading, Task

Image ANALYSIS

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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.

Reading, Resource, Task

Street photography introduction

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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.

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Image analysis

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Arnold Newman | Portrait of Alfred Krupp | 1963

This colour Image, taken by Arnold Newman, showcases a portrait of Alfred Krupp. The photograph displays Krupp centered in the foreground of a train factory, framed by the pillars either side and above him. These pillars also lead your eye up to the skylights of the factory, which also lead your eye into the background of the image. In the background you can see trains being produced and made in the long dark room. The tone presented in this piece appears to be quite dark and moody, due to low exposure. The angle in which this image was taken, seems to look down on Krupp as if to belittle him, therefore creating a tense photograph.

The lighting of this piece appears to be natural, originating from the sky lights, and slightly underexposed. This light contrasts with the harsh and dark shadows, which are surrounding Krupp, further intensifying the image. Due to the clear and defined image, not only in the foreground but the the background too, you could say that this image was taken with a low aperture and a fast shutter speed. This allows for you to not only to see Krupp clearly but also the trains in the background, meaning they must be of some significance to the story of the image.

Newman took this particular image specifically of Krupp due to his participation in the Holocaust. This included Krupp supplying Nazi forces with weapons and ammunition during World War Two, using slave labour in factories. Meaning that as the war grew bigger so did Krupp’s profits. For this Krupp was sentenced to only six years in prison. In addition, this image is personal for Newman due to him being Jewish, which is seen in the belittling camera angle.

The message behind this image could be aiming to showcase the evil of Krupp and his actions, and from the way he is posed his lack of remorse. Furthermore, it may be an indicator of how people like him are still in power positions to this day, making a statement on the justice system and how it should be improved.

Reading, Resource, Task

portrait of alfred krupp

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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.

Examining Arnold Newman's Environmental Portraits - The New York Times
Reading, Resource, Task

Image analysis

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Image Analysis

Arnold Newman | Alfred Krupp, Essen, Germany (1963/1963c) | Available for Sale | Artsy

Key Themes:

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.

Independent, Reading, Resource, Task

CAndid portraits and street photography

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Candid / informal Portraits

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…

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Sam Harris “The Middle of Somewhere”


Candid Photo-Shoot

  1. Take a set of photographs that shows your understanding of CANDID PORTRAITS
  2. 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”
  3. Then look to create a contrast between your environmental portraits and candid portraits…maybe try photographing the same person / people and then juxtaposing the images (to compare and contrast)
  4. Then select your best 5-10 images and create a blog post that clearly shows your process of taking and making your final outcomes
  5. Deadline = Mon 23 November
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Richard Billingham “Ray’s A Laugh” – social documentary
An exclusive chat with photographer Chris Killip and his son – who uncovered a lost archive of an 80s punk venue
Chris Killip The Station 1985 – more social documentary

Street Photography

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Robert Frank ; “Trolley — New Orleans,” 1955.
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Elliott Erwitt: Boy, 1955
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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?

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Alex Webb
John Bulmer | Biography & Art Works | Huxley-Parlour Gallery
John 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)
  • His contribution to MAGNUM Photo Agency
  • Add any other relevant research / insights

Then Compare and Contrast Cartier- Bresson to one (or more) of the following street photographers…

  • William Klein
  • Diane Arbus
  • Vivian Maier
  • Robert Frank
  • Bruce Gilden (see below)
  • Martin Parr
  • Saul Leiter
  • William Eggleston
  • Gordon Parks
  • John Bulmer
  • Trent Parke
  • Garry Winogrand
  • Raghubir Singh
  • Lee Friedlander
  • Joel Meyerowitz
  • Tony Ray-Jones
  • Bill Owens
  • Fred Herzog
  • Alex Webb
  • Ernst Haas
  • W.Eugene Smith
  • Robert Doisneau
  • Brassai
  • Weegee

Discuss in detail the differences / similarities / intentions / outcomes and, of course, the photographers’ technical and visual approaches

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Saul Leiter
Bill Owens
Tokyo Compression Commuter Photos by Michael Wolf
Michael Wolf “Tokyo Compression”
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Martin Parr
William Klein

Blog Post 3 : Practical Response + Photo-shoot

  • Add your contact sheet
  • Choose 3-5 images to develop as final outcomes
  • show your editing process
  • qualify your choices and present them in a suitable format

Technique : Taking street photographs

  • Get more involved (talk to people)
  • Stay with the subject matter (be patient)
  • Take simpler pictures
  • See if everything in background relates to subject matter
  • Vary compositions and angles more
  • Be more aware of composition
  • Don’t take boring pictures!
  • Get in closer (use 50mm lens or less)
  • Watch camera shake (shoot 1/125 sec or above)
  • Don’t shoot too much!!!
  • Not all eye level : try holding the camera at waist level
  • No middle distance in your pictures

Article on Trent Parke’s Techniques

CLICK HERE

Article On Japanese Street Photography below

https://www.huckmag.com/art-and-culture/photography-2/tokyo-street-photographer-mikiko-hara/

Bruce Gilden

‘What do artists do all day?’ – Dougie Wallace, Featured on BBC. from Wren Agency on Vimeo.

Think | Answer | Discuss

  • What are you expecting to see / encounter on your own photo-shoot?
  • How do you think you will deal / cope with your expectations?
  • Can you devise a photo-shoot plan for street photography?
  • What would include / exclude in your plan?
  • Remember to be respectful to others

Suitable locations to position yourself…

  • airport
  • bus stations
  • cafes
  • restaurants
  • street corners
  • doorways / entrances
  • steps / stairways
  • road crossings
  • shopping centres
  • supermarkets
  • markets
  • harbour terminal

Follow this 10 Step Process and create a series of blog posts to ensure you tackle all Assessment Objectives thoroughly :

  1. Mood-board, definition and introduction (AO1)
  2. Mind-map of ideas (AO1)
  3. Artist References / Case Studies (must include image analysis) (AO1) re : environmental and candid portraits
  4. Photo-shoot Action Plan (AO3)
  5. Multiple Photoshoots + contact sheets (AO3)
  6. Image Selection, sub selection (AO2)
  7. Image Editing/ manipulation / experimentation (AO2)
  8. Presentation of final outcomes (AO4)
  9. Compare and contrast your work to your artist reference(AO1) and show analysis of at least 1 of your images
  10. Evaluation of your images, process and Critique of your final outcomes(AO1+AO4)
Picture

Photoshoot Deadline = Wednesday 25th November

Independent, Task

Portraiture Introduction

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Portrait photography captures a person or group of people- it demonstrates their personalities by using different poses, background environments and lighting. Photographers take different approaches when photographing people for portraits, the four main types are environmental, constructionist, candid, and creative. It is important, when taking portrait images, that the subject and photographer are both aware of the type of atmosphere and personality they wish to portray in every photo.

Mood Board – Iconic Portraits

  • Steve McCurry
  • Arthur Sasse
  • Joel Santos
  • Zoltan Huszti
  • Philippe Halsman
  • Steve McCurry
  • David Lazar
  • Eric Lafforgue
  • Lee Jeffries

Contemporary Portrait Photography

Contemporary Portrait Photography is highly focused on the values of the modern world, however it does not have to ignore a prior historical context. Contemporary portraits can either reinforce or challenge modern ideas and feelings by portraying different emotions.

Fernando Rodriguez

Fernando Rodriguez | 2017

An example of Contemporary Portrait Photography is this series of images by Fernando Rodriguez. Fernando Rodriguez is a Mexico City based photographer, who was inspired by Frida Kahlo’s iconic self portraits. Rodriguez has reimagined Frida’s recognisable portraits into contemporary pop-art style images. These images combine historic traditional hairstyles with vibrant futuristic outfits, bringing together moments of the past and present in a highly stylistic manner.